Where do I go next?

[timluke1]

I'm facing a dilema. I have 565 12hr days of verifiable seatime operating a 40ft 17ton inland crewboat for Parker Drilling. The dilema? I can't get anyone to give me a chance as a deckhand because I don't have a Capt. license or STCW 95 or Zcard or deckhand experience. I've worked off of supply boats and utility boats throughout my offshore career, which also spans drilling rigs and service companies before landing on the boats. You clean,paint, and tie them all the same. I'm trying to go towards the bigger boats, crewboats or utility, and I understand I have to start at the bottom to do so. I don't mind just give me a chance.

[Splash]

The best help that I can give you is go get a z-card. Anything over 100 GRT you have to have one! Then maybe someone will give you a chance to start and work up, but you will probably atleast need STCW95 / AB ticket. Not sure on that but I do know that you need the Z card!

[stick]

How was you running a boat for parker without a captains lic?

[timluke1]

Parker owns their own fleet that services their own rigs. That is how they get away with it. they aren't for hire.

[stick]

how was the pay with them? Did you just sleep on the platform?

[timluke1]

215$ a day, two yrs ago. They used to have shitty boats that were in constant need of repairs. I heard they've had about 8 new boats since I left. The bottom of their barrel is gone now. The bottoms would constantly crack from normal vibration, that turned to abnormal quickly. They couldn't get most of their boats to pass Coast Guard inspection because of hull probs. BIG company you're just a number.

[Capt_Anonymous]

As far as I know you can't run a boat for pay, especially if you're carrying passengers regardless who owns it without holding a license unless it is a tug less than 26 feet in length like some of those mini-push boats they're building these days OR if it operates on US waters not under the jurisdiction of the coast guard (certain lakes, etc).

[timluke1]

I only know I operated a 42ft twin 6v71 LAFCO crewboat for a little over 2yrs for 565 12hr days with a letter from Parker Dilling to verify time. I don't know how they get away with it but they do, with Coast Guard full aware of what and how it works. They even had meetings at our office in New Iberia to teach us how to fill out our paper work. Go figure!

[Capt_Anonymous]

Does this boat have a COI?

[Capt_PatrickMacan]

This is insane. You don't have a Capt. license or STCW 95 or Zcard or deckhand experience? <br><span size="2" style="font-family: "luxi-sans-1", Helvetica, sans-serif;]<br>I'm not saying you don't have the skills....but</span> even a 17 YO kid driving an uninspected yacht club launch needs an operators license and <font size="2" face=""luxi-sans-1", Helvetica, sans-serif]120
days underway experience.</font>

[Capt_Anonymous]

This is wacky. <br><br>The line: "They couldn't get most of their boats to pass Coast Guard inspection..." especially. I've never seen a USCG inspected vessel that didn't require a licensed operator.<br><br>Hmmm...

[jdcavo]

Towing vessels servicing oil rigs don't need licensed operators. Unbelievable, but true.

[Cheng]

I had a little rubber boat when I was a kid and I didn't have a Z-card. I think their looking for deckhands....

Seriously, timluke call Delta, North Bank or Bisso. They hire no experienced all the time. Pay your dues, get you AB, STCW and whatever then call the big dogs next summer.