Looking for a crew boat gig outside of the gulf

**apache_slave** · August 10th, 2012, 06:13 PM

I would like to travel nearly anywhere to run crew boats outside the gulf, plenty experience on quads with no DP, just looking to be somewhere new and exciting for a few years. Any suggestions of companies with overseas work for crew boat captains. 200T master 500T mate and nearly have my towing endorsement from working in the river on my off days.

**Knots** · August 11th, 2012, 12:42 AM

Chouest is selling the Fast Tempo along with the Wheeler to MSC in a couple weeks. It is based in Busan, Korea. Lots of dock time, but you do have to follow the Wheeler around when it goes to Guam 4 times a year. Non-inspected as it is supposed to be towed. Runs with a 100 ton license Captain and a crew of 3. 12 hour watches on a 1700 mile trip through year round typhoon infested water at 10 knots. Hang on tight. Not sure what companies are bidding on the manning contract, but Gary is not.

Anyone hear who is manning these boats?

**Jemplayer** · August 11th, 2012, 01:32 AM

How are they able to run that with just a 100 ton when it's outside US waters?

**SoCalSalt** · August 11th, 2012, 01:58 AM

MSC will most likely man them on their own. I've got a lot of buddies on the Wheeler. Gary took all the spare parts off the boat already and is handing them the keys with no turnover! Good luck

**Knots** · August 11th, 2012, 02:24 AM

Originally Posted by Jemplayer

How are they able to run that with just a 100 ton when it's outside US waters?

Uninspected vessel. It was also supposed to be towed. That's how it got around the 8 hour watches as well.

MSC will most likely man them on their own

Possible, but doubtful. A headhunter had contacted a couple of the top guys on the wheeler a while back from some company. Also going to be tough for MSC to come up with a full rotation of unlimited deck guys with DP unlimited experience. Not to mention the one off technical expertise that the vessel demands.

**Bayrunner** · August 11th, 2012, 02:35 AM

What does the Wheeler and Fast Tempo do?? Just curious, typhoons arent my thing.

**Knots** · August 11th, 2012, 02:52 AM

opds-chouest.jpg
The OPDS consists of two ships -- a support ship and a tender -- that work together to pump fuel for U.S. military forces from a commercial oil tanker moored at sea to a temporary fuel storage area ashore. To begin the process, the 348-foot support ship and 165-foot tender work together to install up to eight miles of eight-inch-diameter flexible pipe. Next, the support ship positions the tanker for safe off-load operations. While the tender holds the tanker in place, the tanker's lines connect to the flexible pipe through the support ship. Booster pumps aboard the support ship increase the pressure of fuel, pushing the fuel to shore.

The OPDS is especially valuable in areas where fuel piers are unavailable, and tankers are unable to tie up ashore to off-load fuel. The OPDS can pump up to 1.7 million gallons of fuel per day. MSC bid specifications also required that the system be able to withstand winds up to 40 knots, waves up to twelve feet, a current of three knots and a tidal range of 13 to 20 feet. After its initial arrival on location, the vessel must be able to deliver the fuel within 48 hours in a water depth of 20 to 200 feet.

A few guys on here have worked on that ship and can give more info than me.

**CE Shawn** · August 11th, 2012, 08:47 AM

IAS got the award to crew it for MSC. Interocean American Shipping Company, an AMO Company.

**Knots** · August 11th, 2012, 02:52 PM

Interesting. They have pics of the old OPDS vessels in the reserve fleet on their website. The Chesapeake and Petersburg.

**BMCSRetired** · August 11th, 2012, 03:38 PM

Gulfmark has a couple here in Trinidad with Americans and Chouest has one here too. You can also go to Brazil. There is a also a run up in Seattle to the hospital for the criminally insane. Of course there is the run from to Connecticut to Plum Island, the island of two headed calves in Long Island Sound.

There is a lot out there, They just don't pay like the oilfield.

Running back and forth between the same two points every day would drive me nuts plus I got that crewboat thing outta me years ago. I don't even like to crew change on them.