maritime employment - I need a change

[Dillard88]

Okay guys, I need a change. I want to move to the gulf and would like to get on with crew boats. I have no experience but have been on the water all my life and I have my 50 ton masters. I know I will have to start at the bottom but where? I've looked at Texas Crewboats, Tidewater Marine. etc... Any other suggestions. Thanks

[tuggertim]

Hi Dillard, Try G.O.L. in Raceland LA and International Marine in La Rose LA. Both I think are hiring but the 50 ton license might be a problem. If you have an AB then you have a better chance with that. Good Luck

[Dillard88]

Thank you very much!!!

[Boboe]

Crew boats have no need for AB's. They hire unlicensed deck crew. Having an AB will look good, but with crew boats not hiring, it really won't make that much difference I don't think. Also, paying around $1800 for the 3 classes needed to get an AB isn't chump change, if it doesn't mean anything when looking for a job. Boats over 100 tons use AB's. Crew boats which are essentially ALL under 100 tons don't need them.

Only the tiniest little bay crew boats will use a 50 ton license. Upgrade to 100 ton to drastically increase your marketability. That said, even with a 100 ton, it is pretty bleak.

There are those of us with plenty of experience in crew boats who can't get jobs. Loads of crews are laid-off.

[Diesel]

You definately need to upgrade to a 100 ton. Maybe you could get on with a dredge company working on that 50 ton. My advice, also get at least a Z-card an AB if possible, expand your marketability, be willing to accept a lower position at a better company, it will be worth it in the long run. Start networking immediately, get out there and present yourself as competent, motivated and READY TO WORK. Do this repeatedly. It takes experience and word of mouth to get hired right now. If you don't have those all you have left is grit and determination. That has been sufficient for many. If you are not standing in front of the HR guy forget it.

[Xtracho]

Be aware.... GOL has been mentioned as a good company to work for... but my experience with this company is quite different. I lost my job with them based on fabricated comments made by another captain. None of these falsehoods had anything to do with my job performance, safety, or ability to operate the vessel. Nonetheless, the personnel manager accepted these falsehoods as truth without ever giving me the opportunity to refute them, even though I had witnesses to confirm that they were lies. If you go to work for GOL be prepared to toss your individuality to the wind, forget your personality exists, and become a working robot.

This personnel manager even referred to the boat crews as "boat trash".

[trekleader]

This personnel manager even referred to the boat crews as "boat trash".

Well... was she wrong?

[Xtracho]

Well... was she wrong?

Depends on what you think of yourself....me? I'm not anyone's "trash".

[Gurn Blanston]

Have been trying for 2 yrs to get my letter of sea time with no avail from BJ Martin.. Used registered letters ,all that. Any Advice?

[Gurn Blanston]

Scuse me.. on Her bad side..

[seahawk]

I have been told that if a company does not want to give you letter of sea time go to the coast guard and tell them. The coast guard will get involved don't know if its true but it's worth a try.

[ibdkaptn]

Your canceled check stubs can be used as evidence of sea time at the time of filing your sea time in person ( I did it ) and the uscg will demand the info from the company once you do that . Worked for me ...GOOD LUCK

[Xtracho]

Gurn,
Apparently a lot of people get on her bad side and when they do their stint at GOL is short lived.

[skycowboy]

Bambi Roper, Tell me she's not old and fat

[stevefoster]

Bambi Roper, Tell me she's not old and fat

That's what I love about you cousin, the only time you open your mouth is to change feet..............

[skycowboy]

the boat business in the Gulf is twenty four seven three sixty five

And that is why my old company didn't call a Captain to tell him his wife had died. They didn't have any relief for him. He found out on his own 3 days after.

[skycowboy]

Bambi Roper, Tell me she's not old and fat

What I meant was, Please tell me she isn't old and fat. It is so friggen cold, the only thing keeping me warm is thoughts of her and a strippers pole.

I guess I should change feet again .....

[Xtracho]

If Suzi has no life it is her own fault. If your wife lied to her then perhaps your dismissal was justified. In my case, I reported a safety violation to the office that was committed by the other Captain on the boat. He got wind of this, fed her a bunch of lies, and I was dismissed based on pure fabrication. It was retaliation pure & simple. And, she fired me the week of Christmas. The rest of the crew onboard could corroborate my position but she did not want to hear any of it.

I spoke with the Port Captain that same day & again, he confirmed my suspicions.

I don't want to get into a pissing match over someone as insignificant as her & I don't want to convert this thread into that. So this will be all I'll write about this subject.

As far as the Oil patch being 24/7 - 365, I think that goes without saying. Been doing this for over 20 years and it never stops.

Bambi Roper??? Never had the pleasure of meeting her.

[Shellback]

the boat business in the Gulf is twenty four seven three sixty five

And that is why my old company didn't call a Captain to tell him his wife had died. They didn't have any relief for him. He found out on his own 3 days after.

People like that don't deserve to have employees...

[Xtracho]

Pure and simple..If you wanna work in the Gulf you have to eat fecal sandwiches sans the bread.. Captains dont get paid for being competant, quite the contrary,I can tell you from my tenure I made my money not from delivering cargo but from taking care of loose ends that were not due to anything I had the authority to fix. I once told a port captain, who was a blithering idiot and had never worked on boats before,his dad was a gynecologist, that all I needed was a book of P.O. numbers, and Id never bother him again. So much for Chuck.

I can agree with that somewhat.... taking up the slack everyone else leaves is part of the job. And I'd be happy to eat the sandwich if I had only been given the opportunity to do so. Having a hatchet job done on you is a different story.

And in all my years I've seen maybe 1 or 2 Port Captains that were worth a damn at anything. My worst fear is being blackballed by this company.