Hi, new to the forum and looking for some help. Been researching on web and here and gonna continue that but am hoping someone is willing to give me some direct advice or just answer any questions I can’t seem to find answers to.
Ok I currently work as a captain on a passenger boat on the ohio river. That’s where all my experience has been. Just taking people out for a cruise and coming back, lunch, dinner, sightseeing, etc. currently have a 500 GRT master 1600 GRT mate western rivers. Western rivers radar observer. USCG basic and advanced fire fighting. TWIC. FCC MROP. First aid and CPR. That’s it. So from what I’ve read I will have to start as a deckhand and work my way up. Which is fine with me. It appears most coastal jobs need things like stcw95 and AB, lifeboatman, and such to get jobs further up the line. Even if you don’t take into account that I have no experience in the gulf.
But one of the things I’m trying to find out is do companies hire deckhands without stcw95? Or do I need to go get that on my own if I want a job? If you don’t have to have it to be a deckhand would it help me start out as OS if I had it or is there more to getting an OS job than just having stcw? I don’t think I qualify for any of the AB ratings, maybe AB special not sure though. But if I got that would that even count for anything down there? I mean to help get a deckhand job, I don’t expect to get an AB job right out of the gate even if I got the AB special and it counted for anything. I have experience obviously, just none what so ever in gulf or on supply and crew boats.
I have so many other questions and things I need to keep researching. But first I’m just trying to find out how to get started. Do I NEED stcw. I’m sure it would help but if a company will hire me without it and send me later to get it then great. ESP if things like stcw and AB whatever I may qualify for dont help me get any job above deckhand then I figure might as well go without it if I can and hopefully the company will pay for the upgrades? Is that a common thing with OSV companies?
Most companies Silk require you to have STCW Basic Safety Training already since there is no shortage of applicants.
Being an AB is almost twice the pay of an OS so you definitely want your AB, although it likely won’t do you any good without RFPNW (another STCW rating) but that doesn’t take long to get and if you take the class at Fletcher it cuts the time in half and all the assessments are done in the simulator.
If you are looking to just work on boats under 100 tons all you need is your TWIC. Plenty of companies that just run 100 ton stuff.
If you have a 500/1600 license it should say “Any Unlicensed Deck Position” or something like that in the endorsements section. That would cover you for any A/B spot.
He’s got a Western Rivers license. They don’t have anywhere near the requirements that a Near Coastal License requires.
I think that you are definitely one of the few cases where a license consultant can make a huge difference for you. With very little work, you could see gigantic differences in your pay day rate. If you would like a contact number for a good consultant, PM me and I will send you her info. Good luck! I came from a similar background. Only difference was mine started off near coastal.
[QUOTE=Capt. Phoenix;114977]Most companies Silk require you to have STCW Basic Safety Training already since there is no shortage of applicants.
Being an AB is almost twice the pay of an OS so you definitely want your AB, although it likely won’t do you any good without RFPNW (another STCW rating) but that doesn’t take long to get and if you take the class at Fletcher it cuts the time in half and all the assessments are done in the simulator.[/QUOTE]
So it would be a good idea to get STCW95-BST first? Or possibly necessary to try and get a job?
you say it doesn’t take long to get the RFPNW, meaning sea time necessary to qualify for it or just simply time it takes to complete the training isn’t long? And I’m still confused on the AB ratings, I see on the NMC’s website that there’s like 5 different AB classifications. Are all these acceptable to get an AB job on these off shore boats or is just one or two of them gonna do any good? With the stcw BST and RFPNW of course like you stated.
Thanks
[QUOTE=Jemplayer;115002]If you are looking to just work on boats under 100 tons all you need is your TWIC. Plenty of companies that just run 100 ton stuff.[/QUOTE]
Didn’t realize that. It seemed to me that the big boats are where the most experience and opportunities are at, and money. What kind of boats are you talking about? Are there OSV’s that small? Crew boats? Less money in those boats I’m assuming but if that’s what I have to do to get my foot in the door then ok.
Thanks
[QUOTE=dvmeter;115023]Didn’t realize that. It seemed to me that the big boats are where the most experience and opportunities are at, and money. What kind of boats are you talking about? Are there OSV’s that small? Crew boats? Less money in those boats I’m assuming but if that’s what I have to do to get my foot in the door then ok.
Thanks[/QUOTE]
With your 500 Master you should be able to get a job on any of the 100 ton OSV’s, which can be just over 200’ long so they aren’t that small.
[QUOTE=dvmeter;115023]Didn’t realize that. It seemed to me that the big boats are where the most experience and opportunities are at, and money. What kind of boats are you talking about? Are there OSV’s that small? Crew boats? Less money in those boats I’m assuming but if that’s what I have to do to get my foot in the door then ok.
Thanks[/QUOTE]
There are Utility Boats from 90 to 120 ft, Crew Boats from 110 to 200 ft, and Mini Supply Boats from 130 to 220. All under 100 tons.
Plenty of experience, opportunities, and money running small boats. In fact it easier to get said experience running a crew boat vs being a deck hand on a supply boat. Better to learn by doing then by watching. A big part of working as an officer offshore is managing your client. Few people get this, even those in the office, but that’s why guys with experience are in such demand because you can only get it by doing it. As for opportunities it’s probably easier to get hired with a 100 ton master with no oil field experience running a crew boat vs a guy with a 500 ton master with the same experience. Especially if you are trying to get on with one of the big 4. Chouest, Harvey, Otto Candies, or HOS. Also getting some DP experience is easier at a most small boat company as most have a mixture of both so you start out learning how to live boat everything then you move up to a DP boat. I don’t know what your making but most 100 masters start out at $300 a day and topping out in the mid $400’s. So good money is there.
Since you don’t have a licensee that is at least NEAR COASTAL, sorry some people need to work on their reading comprehension, no AB, no DP experience, and no oil field experience you are most likely only going to be able to find work as an OS on small boats. If you have 360 days near coastal even as a deck hand I would go ahead and get your 200 ton master since you have time on vessels over 100 tons if you have your 1600 Western Rivers.
You cold go get your AB but until you can land on a supply boat over 100 GRT and get your RFPNW your going to find that most companies will not be interested in you as an AB. Some companies that run older smaller supply boats could use you as an AB. Not saying that getting it would be a waste of time as hiring a guy that just needs his RFPNW makes good business sense because after 6 months you should have your sheets signed off. It’s just that there are more AB spots then OS spots on a boat and with a LOT of AB’s running around coupled with that is usually the spot that needs to be filled.
Wow. Lots more information and insight. Thank you. I’m beginning to get a much more clearer picture of how to get started down there. I’ve seen ECO recommended a lot so it’s looking like a 100 ton boat with them as an OS with as many credentials as I can get is my best shot.
Here’s a different question: do you guys all live in the home port of your boat or you all scattered all over and commute to port when it’s time to work?
thanks again.