Complete Career Change at 36.. doable?

[Ordinaryseaman]

OP-

If he doesn't have a couch check couchsurfing.com- for a free place to sleep. If you have some money check out hostels- you can get a bed/bunk for $10- 20 a night. In a way it's a lot like a ship- as you'll be sharing a room.

I've stayed in hostels in Seattle, Portland, Waikiki, Kauai, Houston, San Antonio... good cheap places to stay- usually.

Lastly- American Cruise Lines is Hiring- and they are pretty close- Guilford Connecticut. Cruise lines are one of the easiest places to get on as a deckhand if you're new.

www.americancruiselines.com

[RDEagan]

Just consider basic safety training or (BST), is 5 days. During your lunch break you can go down to the siu hiring hall and check out the job board and speak with the rep there to get 1st hand info. At night you can talk with your roommates about yatch, and during class breaks you can talk with your fellow class mates....From there you can decide whether or not you want to stay longer than 5 days. But the spring/summer yatching season is usually the Caribbean, the boats and the crew posibilities will predominantly be in Ft Lauderdale. Up to you where you want to spend 5days, on a couch or....

Ok, so Ft. Lauderdale it is! (They say salesmen are the easiest to sell lol)

[Shellback]

(although a staunch Republican)

We try to avoid politics here, but I couldn't let this go..A Republican in MA...? Thats pretty funny....

[RDEagan]

I will still need to find local work first. I am going to court Monday to have an OUI arrest CWOF. But part of my deal will be a year's probation. According to the USCG site, I can't even be considered for an MMD until at least a year has passed since my arrest, even though I will never have been convicted of a crime. So my plan (initially until someone changes my mind) is to go forward with my TWIC and then seek local work in MA on local tours, fishing boats, etc. until that year is up, get my MMD and BST. From there hopefully the industry will have turned a bit and I can get a job as an OS. I think the fact that I have no local ties helps and I am willing to work hard anywhere in the world.

This forum has truly been invaluable for advice and assistance and can't wait to be a more active member once I get out there and my experience grows.

[RDEagan]

We try to avoid politics here, but I couldn't let this go..A Republican in MA...? Thats pretty funny....

LOL.. yes. I may be the only Irish Republican in this whole damn place! And true, no place for politics or religion, but some great hippie sentiment over on the Whale Wars thread!

[richard8000milesaway]

yeah, i have a couch and it comes with BONUS: 3 school aged kids (5,8,11), nanny, full time working stressed out wife, and mayhem. but there's always coffee for a visitor!

if a mariner ever needs a good CHEAP place to stay in NYC (right in my neighborhood incidentally) go to seafarers international hotel http://www.sihnyc.org/; the staff tell me US$50 for a single mariner (bring MMC or documents to prove status).

[trekleader]

...I may be the only Irish Republican in this whole damn place! ...

Oh, c'mon, I'll bet there are Irish Republicans in Boston...

[RDEagan]

Oh, c'mon, I'll bet there are Irish Republicans in Boston...

If you know one, kindly pass along his name... I'm tired of being alone

[trekleader]

Sorry, maybe too cerebral. I was thinking IRA guys hiding out. Maybe just in the movies...

Nice to meet you, btw

[RDEagan]

Sorry, maybe too cerebral. I was thinking IRA guys hiding out. Maybe just in the movies...

Nice to meet you, btw

Mostly just sitting in pubs lol. Nice to meet you as well.

Ryan

[Jon]

We try to avoid politics here, but I couldn't let this go..A Republican in MA...? Thats pretty funny....

Apparently there are a few Republican's in Mass. They just elected Scott Brown to the Senate. Sorry Ryan, but I thought I was the last Republican in MA... well before I moved to the mid-Ohio Valley.

[RDEagan]

Apparently there are a few Republican's in Mass. They just elected Scott Brown to the Senate. Sorry Ryan, but I thought I was the last Republican in MA... well before I moved to the mid-Ohio Valley.

You may have been, Jon.. but you moved to Ohio so I had to move in from RI.. There always needs to be 1 token Republican

[Mr 100-ton]

might want to check out part time law enforcement on the water,,, friend of mine does that in maine only for hte summer, was a yacht captain for 15 years, he has NO authority to arrest but patrols the water all day and loves it,,,,

[cappy208]

You haven't been back for a while.

How did your day go?

You wont be able to get a 'real' job on a commercial vessel unless you have your MMC (used to be called a Z card) To get that you need the TWIC card. Once you have those two items you can look for work on commercial vessels.

Others mentioned the booze boats out of Rowes wharf. They are a place to work, but that is in hospitality, NOT a true deckhand job and it is seasonal. You may benefit by getting some time there, But you will need to actually find a tug or a ship job to garner worthwhile seatime.

On the other hand, a season on the cruise boats will probably let you know if this industry is for you, and whether you should invest more money on training to make yourself more attractive to other companies.

Your DUI incident is paramount. If you can't get your MMC (Merchant Mariners Credential) then it is all moot anyway.

[OICUR12]

I was a Gunner's Mate in the Navy. I was young and stupid back then and ended up with an RE4 or I would re-enlist. I was shore duty after A school stationed on Vieques Island, so no sea duty (just sea pay, but that doesn't count for experience I'm sure). I am really drawn to deck as opposed to engineering or steward departments and will continue to value your advice and review these boards for tips on how to accomplish this. In my mind I'm already there, now it's just time to get this land out from under my feet!

How does an RE4 count as an honorable?

That's the "Big Chicken Dinner". BCD or Bad Conduct Discharge. I think i would be covering those navy tracks.

[OICUR12]

Man a DUI and a BCD. Your not gettin in any respectable marine academy with that record.

What was the BCD for?

Yeah, you gotta a long way to go. Sounds like you should get your life strait then maybe consider working on a boat. You might give the "drukin sailors" a bad name.

Sure do have a lot of opinions about the industry for someone who has never even worked in it, ie, Mercy Ships thread.

Your too old and fat and you are a loser.

Go back to selling crappy cars to low income losers.

best wishes

[seadog6608]

yeah, i have a couch and it comes with BONUS: 3 school aged kids (5,8,11), nanny, full time working stressed out wife, and mayhem. but there's always coffee for a visitor!

if a mariner ever needs a good CHEAP place to stay in NYC (right in my neighborhood incidentally) go to seafarers international hotel http://www.sihnyc.org/; the staff tell me US$50 for a single mariner (bring MMC or documents to prove status).

I've stayed there numerous times over the years and $50 is correct. Another option in NYC is the Soldiers, Sailors, Airman Hotel. Its open to Merchant Mariners too. Phone is 212 683 4353.

[Jeffrox]

How does an RE4 count as an honorable?

That's the "Big Chicken Dinner". BCD or Bad Conduct Discharge. I think i would be covering those navy tracks.

RE4, (not recommended for reenlistment), does NOT equal BCD.

[Steamer]

According to the USCG site, I can't even be considered for an MMD until at least a year has passed since my arrest, even though I will never have been convicted of a crime.

You might want to review that. The CFRs use the term "conviction" when determining the start of the assessment period. If there is no conviction and no suspension or revocation of your driver's license it is worth applying anyway and see what they say. If the terms of your non-conviction include some sort of treatment program, finish that first and include the graduation certificate with your app.

The CG is particularly hypocritical when it comes to the DUI stuff. I have sailed with several engineers with multiple DUIs working for a large ferry system who really should have been tossed overboard a long time ago but for some reason (maybe the above) the CG finds them acceptable.

[OICUR12]

RE4, (not recommended for reenlistment), does NOT equal BCD.

Oh, yeah, that's right. I forgot about Clinton's kinder, gentler Navy. Now there is a gray area.

It used to be just Honorable / Dishonorable.

Now there is the grey area of the General Discharge.

But I don't see someone getting an RE4 and and honorable at the same time. Especially if they don't even let you serve out your full enlistment.

Yes, yes it's possible. After retirement say for instance. But he admits having screwed up and stops short of admitting to getting the boot.

Society got tired of the military turning guys loose with Dishonorable discharges to walk the rest of their lives in shame and be on the same level as an ex-convict so they created the grey area for guys that screw up but no one really got hurt or they don't deserve Brig time for the screw up.

How does one with so little seafaring experience know so much? 83 threads? Really?

For someone with a DUI and a shady discharge from Never Again Volunteer Yourself that does not even have an MMC, he sure has a lot to say about this industry and seamanship in general.

Just me thinkin out loud. Sorry.

I say treatment, get life in order, then work your way up the ladder like the rest of us.

We got enough drunks and drug heads out here as it is.