Ahoy all, I am new to the forum and wondering if anyone has any advice on career paths for a 100 ton captain. I know we are a dime a dozen, and I am in the process of renewing my license for the first time after 5 years. I now have over 1080 days of seatime accumulated, but mostly on smaller tonnage boats. I have been working on sailing vessels for the last five years and am thinking about switching over to workboats, but not sure if I should get my AB first, or something else. I would like to find work in the Seattle area locally or possibly Alaska. The whole USCG commercial license system is so overwhelming to me, and if anyone has any advice for someone in my shoes as to a good path to take in this job market, I would be grateful. What would you do? i.e; should I get an AB job, take some classes and try to get a higher grade mates license, or just work for several more years and then jump up to a 500 ton? Thanks!
I’da lika to helpa you, buta I donna speaka da Eenglesh too good
Get an AB, go from there
[QUOTE=z-drive;152340]Get an AB, go from there[/QUOTE]
ana AyaBee?..whatsa dat?
sorry fora me speekinga da badda Eenglish…I’mma fromma da ol cuntrie
I learna to speeka Eenaglish fromma wachin dose Amerikan TeeVee shos…
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In Juneau Alaska my old company needs about 6 more 100 ton captains to run whale watching tourboats for the summer. Dont know if youd be interested in that or not but if you are and have everything up to date shoot me a PM and i can help you get into touch with them. Would probably pay 22.50 an hour plus tips which works out to about 40$ an hour or so and you work about 55 to 70 hours a week.
Ahoy Schoonloon,
Wow! I saw your post about which path to take. I say “Wow” because I just launched my ebook ‘[B][I]How To Become A Boat Captain - The Complete Guide To Getting Your Captains License and Following Your Dream[/I][/B]’. You can find it here. Also, it’s not just your typical static, boring PDF ebook. It is a fully interactive, flip book with beautiful graphics.
I hold a USCG Masters 1600-ton/3000 ITC Oceans license and have over twenty years experience working as a professional captain. This includes yachts, tallships, research vessels, and commercial vessels. There are many courses and classes out there on just how to get your captains license, but very little to none on the various paths within the maritime industry, how to get started, etc. That is the basis of my ebook written from my personal experience as a professional captain. As a FREE Bonus, I include a 65-page maritime resources guide to help people get started.
Yes, I do want to promote the ebook, just not shamelessly. I believe it is great resource with tons of great information in response to exactly what your thread is about. Take a look. I welcome any feedback.
Captain William Widman
www.proyachtcaptain.com
The Captains Log
Become A Boat Captain
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Ahoy Schoonloon,
Wow! I saw your post about which path to take. I say “Wow” because I just launched my ebook ‘[B][I]How To Become A Boat Captain - The Complete Guide To Getting Your Captains License and Following Your Dream[/I][/B]’. You can find it here. Also, it’s not just your typical static, boring PDF ebook. It is a fully interactive, flip book with beautiful graphics.
I hold a USCG Masters 1600-ton/3000 ITC Oceans license and have over twenty years experience working as a professional captain. This includes yachts, tallships, research vessels, and commercial vessels. There are many courses and classes out there on just how to get your captains license, but very little to none on the various paths within the maritime industry, how to get started, etc. That is the basis of my ebook written from my personal experience as a professional captain. As a FREE Bonus, I include a 65-page maritime resources guide to help people get started.
Yes, I do want to promote the ebook, just not shamelessly. I believe it is great resource with tons of great information in response to exactly what your thread is about. Take a look. I welcome any feedback.
Captain William Widman
www.proyachtcaptain.com
The Captains Log
Become A Boat Captain
I guess we are allowed to plug ourselves or our products here but why repeat yourself twice? We got your pitch the first time…
besides. why pay for something when you can get it for free right here?
to our original poster, I agree you should get your AB endorsement and then go on the tugs. Since you are already licensed, you will be able to work to upgrade tonnage and get your TOAR signed. There will always be towing and you’ll make much more than you would with a 100ton license which doesn’t qualify a mariner to do much with nor earn much either.
[QUOTE=c.captain;152359]I guess we are allowed to plug ourselves or our products here but why repeat yourself twice? We got your pitch the first time…
besides. why pay for something when you can get it for free right here?
to our original poster, I agree you should get your AB endorsement and then go on the tugs. Since you are already licensed, you will be able to work to upgrade tonnage and get your TOAR signed. There will always be towing and you’ll make much more than you would with a 100ton license which doesn’t qualify a mariner to do much with nor earn much either.[/QUOTE]
I don’t see a problem with self promoting exactly, but the guys that run this site do it to make a living and if your only input is basically a link to your “product” then you aren’t really contributing. Now if the response had been… “Well, here are a few “paths” you could take and a quick pro/con or current market condition in those fields. By the way, I also have a book that you might find helpful where I go into this subject in a lot more detail.”
Just cutting and pasting his advertisement isn’t much answering the guy’s question. Just my 2cents
[QUOTE=Saltgrain;152371]Just cutting and pasting his advertisement isn’t much answering the guy’s question. Just my 2cents[/QUOTE]
so I clicked the link to the guy’s book and just by the cover displayed can say how lucky he is that today there is a kindler, gentler c.captain here. The old one would have impaled the author with the famous pointy stick!
Sounds like he’d make more money on CruiserForum. Don’t the admins prohibit free advertisement like this?
[QUOTE=LI_Domer;152389]Sounds like he’d make more money on CruiserForum. Don’t the admins prohibit free advertisement like this?[/QUOTE]
agreed about CruiserForum for marketing and there is a marketplace section where you can sell stuff so why not a book? I won’t fault the guy for that but I really don’t see his background as qualifying him to being able to advise prospective mariners about career paths when his is so narrow and so very far removed from the usual level of experience amongst member of this most august body?
could be wrong tho…
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Yeah, I was in your shoes a few years back. Get your AB, and get to applying. It’s not such a huge jump to make. Just be humble when you show up and understand that sailing vessel experience may benefit you, by making your learning curve quicker but you will still be a complete newbie to work boats and their ways. Nobody’s gonna like to hear “we did it such and such way on the good ship lollipop!”
Get your AB asap, then throw your hat in with Alaska Logistics (high turnover), make contacts, when you’ve had enough…move on.
Thanks for the advice, sounds like AB is the way to go. According to my logbook, it looks like I qualify for an AB special, does this limit my hire-ability? What is the best school to take these classes near Seattle?