engineers should avoid Ksea west coast.

[SLUGWRENCH]

Hello, I am writing to warn potential employees of the working conditions of Ksea with regard to the vessel engineers, this is the worst position you could hope for with this company. You will work harder and longer than any of the other crew, and will be referred to on board as a "deckhand" or Deck engineer. You will be required to cook, regardless of what they tell you at hiring, but worse than all this, the vessels are the worst I've seen. Steel repaired with splashzone, they send a company rep to bullshit abs, avoid this place at all costs. Also, as the engineer, you will be the lowest paid member of the crew. Avoid at all cost.

[Clear Solution]

They made you cook and clean.....Oh the humanity!!!

Welcome to the real world. I would never have any crewman that didnt contribute fully to the well being of the boat, even I was dishes and cook my friend.

[SLUGWRENCH]

Dear final solution. Sorry, CLEAR solution. Pull your head out of your fat, pencil pushing ass, you should reply to threads only when you know what the f$%k you are talking about. Now get your overfed ass back in the wheelhouse.

[Clear Solution]

you missed a spot in the head...prolly yours anyways short dick...

[rigdvr]

Well were you hired as a licensed engineer? If not you are a "deckeneer". Sorry. That is why people jump through all the hoops to get stacks of paper....

[tugmstr]

As the old saying goes,"Different ships different long splices". Having said that; I believe the recent purchase of K-SEA by Kirby will prove to be a godsend to all the K-SEA marine personnel on the West Coast. They operate a lot of tired old tugs that are nightmares for the engineers to keep running; not repair, just keep running.
Light winds and a following sea.

[NAUTICART]

I myself, was happy to cook, clean, haul-outs, organizing tools, painting etc. at "whatever" caliber I worked as.

You can take pride in your work no matter how crappy the company/boat/ship is.

They cant take that from you.

[KPEngineer]

I'm an academy grad and I cook and clean all the time. I also do it with a smile on my face and keep reminding myself that I am probably one of the highest paid janitors on the planet.

[tugsri]

I worked my way from Cleaning Puke on Ferries to the Running Tugboats towing up and down the east coast and Occasional Gulf and Carib. work, I Have a BA from U. of Maine, and grew up working every crap job known to man (almost!)
I clean the crapper every day, cook, Mop, do dishes, or do what else ever it takes to make the hitch go by as quickly as possible, and Still make sure the Unit gets Safely from Point A to Point B.
You work "harder and longer" than any other member of the Crew? WHHHAAAAAAA! Thats a lot of BS! Grow Up-this is Big Boy School!
I worked with West Coast Captain whose Company is now KSEA and who would put any man to shame with the hours he put in day after day, hitch after hitch!
The day you think you are above ANY job on a boat is the day to Pack your bags and go Home!

[tengineer]

That's the spirit. Show 'em you are a professional. Yes, maybe they could hire cooks and toilet cleaners but why should they? They got people who are so hard up they'll spend ten thousand or more dollars getting the credentials that the industry requires only to be told to go clean a crapper because the greedy bastards that own the company don't want to pay for a OS.
That you do what you have to do is admirable but the fact that things have deteriorated to this point is not .

[Capt-Berkeley]

Mate, ruff life as a bilge rat maybe you should collect butterflies or something... BTW what hand cream do you use coz I recommended rubbing some cement in to those dainty things... Harden up princess...!!!

[captainbry]

Haha that was priceless. Sum people should not be out here.

[SaltySailor]

That's the spirit. Show 'em you are a professional. Yes, maybe they could hire cooks and toilet cleaners but why should they? They got people who are so hard up they'll spend ten thousand or more dollars getting the credentials that the industry requires only to be told to go clean a crapper because the greedy bastards that own the company don't want to pay for a OS.
That you do what you have to do is admirable but the fact that things have deteriorated to this point is not .

Tend to agree with your POV.

If a company is too cheap to pay for a full-time cook, it says alot about them and their so-called corporate culture. And I mean a cook that COOKS, not a cook in name that has to throw lines and get filthy and then run back to the galley and try and salvage a burned pot roast...

[50thState]

I worked for K-Sea on the West coast a few years ago. My chief made more than me, he didn't do any sanitary, he never had to cook, he had his own room. Basically he was afforded the respect that tug boat Engineers get. He did help on deck when we were making or breaking tow, but as far as I've seen thats pretty normal.

[Reliable Engineer]

As a Sea Coast / K-Sea / Kirby employee, Pacific Division: I have found different vessels have different ways of treating their crew. Originally, K-Sea was one of the higher paying companies. All crew were willing to do more (cook) because of the high pay and bonuses. As the company was sold and purchased, benifits were taken away and pay has not increased. The company is requiring their crew to upgrade licenses and do more for less. Upgrading and doing more does not bother most mariners. Taking away pay and treating professional crew members like children will cause some disgruntled employees. This division is currently denying parts and approving paint. All engineers should consider what they are getting into. Also, Licensed watch standing officers should only put in 12 hours a day in a 24 hour period with at least one consecutive 6 hour break. The consequences of not following the USCG rules leads to crew members falling asleep and accidents puting our lives at risk.
For you sailors pretending to know the marine industry: It's not "if" it's "WHEN". Be prepaired at all times no matter what company you work for. The USCG rules have been known to be written in blood.
PS Do we even have port engineers at K-Sea? Maybe, I don't get to talk them. Too much red tape and they're understaffed in this department.