I was just thinking about this, because I know in a lot of ways the guys with the biggest licenses/responsibilities/risks (Captains) make the big bucks. But I work tugs, and on our boat the cooks make 8-10K more a year than the Second Mates. They do a lot more work on a day to day basis. Three meals a day plus what they do on deck adds up. On the other hand the Mates are holding a license, standing a watch, and in my opinion take on a great deal more risk. A mate’s mistake can put a tug up on Bligh Reef, or get someone killed. Like to hear others thoughts on this, including this pay scale.
Mates are replacable. Good cooks are hard to find. 
I have actually been pondering this subject myself. After 20 years being a Captain, it does appear that a Mates job would be looking more and more appealing. However the thought of getting a job as some ‘rear’ Admiral or other half baked Captain’s Mate has slowed the thought down some. The plethora of useless paperwork and increased babysitting responsibilities is driving me nuts.
OTOH, if you work for a company that is paying its deckhand/cook more than a Mate (who can stand their own watch) then I would say you are probably working for the wrong company (at least in my estimation) . Are you referring to the second Mate as a watchstander, or is this the extra guy for long voyages?
[QUOTE=cappy208;42449]
OTOH, if you work for a company that is paying its deckhand/cook more than a Mate (who can stand their own watch) then I would say you are probably working for the wrong company (at least in my estimation) . Are you referring to the second Mate as a watchstander, or is this the extra guy for long voyages?[/QUOTE]
The second mate is a part of the regular crew, stands the 6-12 watch (6 and 6). And the cook is a cook first, deckhand on occasions when we need it, not an AB that also does the cooking.
If I was the mate I would walk
I’m not trying to pick a fight here, but to make a point. You have to be honest about what job function is being described here. It sounds like the vessel has a three license crew (Capt, Ch Mate, Second mate) with the two mates doing sea watches, and the captain up for maneuvering, and on/off wire. That ‘mate’ position is NOT (in My mind/ or experience) a stand alone mate who pulls their own watch.
I know that many companies have their boats manned like this, with the Captain specifically being told that he must do ALL the boat handling. This is a terrible way to stifle the upcoming mates, if they are precluded from actually getting any wheel time to gain proficiency. But while in one of these positions it should be recognized that the job being done is NOT equal to an experienced, qualified, stand alone Mate who stands his/her own watch, and does the complete job.
Typically these ‘sea to sea buoy mate’ positions are given to recent graduates or license recipients who actually have minimal WH time, and are just there to fulfill the three watch rotation. So the answer to your question is, whats more important a well fed crew, or the ego of one lowly sea mate? Put in your time, learn, and when you can stand your own watch, then you can move up and get the full pay.
[QUOTE=cappy208;42494]I’m not trying to pick a fight here, but to make a point. You have to be honest about what job function is being described here. It sounds like the vessel has a three license crew (Capt, Ch Mate, Second mate) with the two mates doing sea watches, and the captain up for maneuvering, and on/off wire. That ‘mate’ position is NOT (in My mind/ or experience) a stand alone mate who pulls their own watch.
I know that many companies have their boats manned like this, with the Captain specifically being told that he must do ALL the boat handling. This is a terrible way to stifle the upcoming mates, if they are precluded from actually getting any wheel time to gain proficiency. But while in one of these positions it should be recognized that the job being done is NOT equal to an experienced, qualified, stand alone Mate who stands his/her own watch, and does the complete job.
Typically these ‘sea to sea buoy mate’ positions are given to recent graduates or license recipients who actually have minimal WH time, and are just there to fulfill the three watch rotation. So the answer to your question is, whats more important a well fed crew, or the ego of one lowly sea mate? Put in your time, learn, and when you can stand your own watch, then you can move up and get the full pay.[/QUOTE]
Point well taken, but take another look at the original post. This isn’t about egos, or bitching about pay, or anything like that. Just trying to start some discussion on what determines our pay out here.
You got the crewing figured out pretty well. It’s not exactly sea buoy to sea buoy because we do a lot of harbor work, but you’ve got the gist of it. Different from a boat with just a Capt and mate, where the mate does all the boat handling on his watch. Still not a token position, depending on how much trust the Captain has, or how much of the work load he leaves with his mates.
This IS how pay is determined. A ‘mate’ who is competent will demand a higher wage than one who is just there to steer and not touch the throttles.
Your last sentence says it all. IF, and only IF you can find a Captain who both trusts you and you can learn from will you (a beginning Mate) gain the requisite experience to stand your own watch. Then you will command a higher salary. (More than a Cook!)
Being honest, I would NOT work somewhere that the cook is making more than a Mate. This shows a lack of professionalism from the office side.
Sounds to me like the pay is exactly right. They offer a job at whatever payscale and someone accepts it. Does not matter what anyone else makes. If you accept the job then you accept all the responsibility that goes with it. You don’t get to, or should’t in my opinion, put in a halfassed effort because your pay is lower than the cook. You have to look at it as an opportunity and make the most of it. Use it as your motivation to move up. There is a balance in a free market and it is not based on why the payscale is what it is, but rather it is based on an offer and an acceptance of that offer. You are always able to go somewhere else if you don’t feel the love that you think you should be getting.