# Tow Boat Engineer **URL:** \ **Category:** Professional Mariner Forum\ **Created:** [July 2, 2022, 8:37pm UTC](https://forum.gcaptain.com/t/tow-boat-engineer/63515 "2022-07-02T20:37:25Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 6\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![1Cheng](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/1/ecc23a/32.png) [@1Cheng](https://forum.gcaptain.com/u/1Cheng)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2022, 8:37pm UTC](https://forum.gcaptain.com/t/tow-boat-engineer/63515/1 "2022-07-02T20:37:25Z")
Do any engineers out there have experience with the big HP line haul Tow Boats ? From the information I have seen online, there is only one engineer onboard. Any input would be interesting. ---
**Author:** ![Chief\_Seadog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/67e7ee/32.png) [@Chief\_Seadog](https://forum.gcaptain.com/u/Chief_Seadog)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2022, 9:39pm UTC](https://forum.gcaptain.com/t/tow-boat-engineer/63515/2 "2022-07-02T21:39:46Z")
Early in my career (this was many years ago) I did some time on a line haul Tow Boat on the Mississippi and Ohio Rivers. The one I was on was 7200 HP. The company had one that was 10,500 HP. It was a 2-man engine department comprised of an engineer and a striker (oiler). They stood 6 and 6. The main engines on those boats as I recall were 20 cylinder, EMD 645’s. ---
**Author:** ![1Cheng](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/1/ecc23a/32.png) [@1Cheng](https://forum.gcaptain.com/u/1Cheng)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2022, 10:15pm UTC](https://forum.gcaptain.com/t/tow-boat-engineer/63515/3 "2022-07-02T22:15:21Z")
Would you go back to that again? What I find appealing is that they have real cooks, you don’t have to pump mud or deal with a woke passenger company on the river. The down side is probably no other QMED or Oiler to help out. ---
**Author:** ![Hawespiper](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/ebca7d/32.png) [@Hawespiper](https://forum.gcaptain.com/u/Hawespiper)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2022, 11:03pm UTC](https://forum.gcaptain.com/t/tow-boat-engineer/63515/4 "2022-07-02T23:03:07Z")
> [@1Cheng](#): > > The down side Also the pay. Unless it’s come up A LOT, it’s nowhere near competitive ---
**Author:** ![Chief\_Seadog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/67e7ee/32.png) [@Chief\_Seadog](https://forum.gcaptain.com/u/Chief_Seadog)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2022, 11:45pm UTC](https://forum.gcaptain.com/t/tow-boat-engineer/63515/5 "2022-07-02T23:45:51Z")
It was an enjoyable few months and I met some very good people. But to be honest I saw my future sailing deep sea. The boat I was on had a really good cook which was a plus. The workload was not difficult, but it didn’t take long for the 6 and 6 watch rotation to wear on you (nothing new there). The crew rotation back then was generally equal time. On the boat I was on that was typically 28/28. I will add that company is no longer around so I can’t speak what the pay is, or current conditions are. Would I ever go back? Given how my career played out, it was never something I really ever considered. If someone spent their time on tugs or supply boats, it wouldn’t be a difficult transition. ---
**Author:** ![1Cheng](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/1/ecc23a/32.png) [@1Cheng](https://forum.gcaptain.com/u/1Cheng)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2022, 11:50pm UTC](https://forum.gcaptain.com/t/tow-boat-engineer/63515/6 "2022-07-02T23:50:19Z")
Okay thanks, I will call the company and get the day rate & make the decision.