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Spent three weeks on a tugboat, ask me anything

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How many men on your boat?
What was sleeping arrangements like? Own cabin for each?
What was the longest amount of time you were actually on the boat and didn't stand on shore?
 
OP, did you have to do any mucking out or wipe downs in the engine room? Can you still hear?

I never did any river work, so we were always making up and breaking down tows in a seaway. Not my favorite activity at night. And taking in a few hundred yards of six inch cable wasn't my favorite thing to do at any time. Were you guys always pushing, or alongside?

Aside from that shit honestly my main memory is being bored stiff. We were also on three-week rotations and by the end of week 2 I was ready to jump off the damn thing. It sucked especially on weekends when the skipper would often arrange a day or two of layup. He and most of the crew were local and would skip home, and I'd end up babysitting the boat for two days at some smelly pier behind a tank farm in the middle of nowhere. Good times.
 
oldsmoboat said:
I never saw anyone piss themselves. There was some crying/whimpering at night. They got blanket parties. One guy tried to OD on Tylenol.
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We had a couple half hearted attempted suicides. I was happy to see them go though. If that stresses them to the point of breaking, I can't imagine what being in real situation would do to them. Good riddance! Wouldn't want to have to rely on them in a life or death situation.
 
smackababy said:
It only took 4 days at sea to break you? And you cried? If I ever see a male over the age of 10 crying, I will shame them into such an emotionally scared place, their tear ducts will cease to function.
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Glad I'm not the only one that does this
 
Is the job physically demanding? Do you plan on retiring from this job?

Sounds like a pretty cool experience, but not sure if it's something I could do long term.
 
Could you describe a typical day for us.

How long were your shifts and how much down time per day did you get?
 
Texashiker said:
The hardest part of the job was being away from home. The third and fourth day were the hardest. The captain yelled at me over the radio for doing something wrong. A few minutes later I had a small emotional breakdown. I cried a little, but regained my composure.
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I'm sorry that the captain was mean and yelled at you Tex. But we here at anandtech are here for you. :'( *hugs*
 
mcurphy said:
Is the job physically demanding? Do you plan on retiring from this job?
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Fleet work was 12 hour days and very physically demanding.

The barges are connected with 7/8 thick cables and a hand powered winch. The winch is like 3 - 4 feet tall and with a 30 inch wheel. Once the cable is tight sometimes we put a cheater pipe on the winch handle.

The cables were difficult to handle and they had to be wrapped between the two barges 4 times. This is called a "4 part".

Example of a barge winch - http://www.pacificmarine.net/marine-deck/winches-and-hoists/low-profile-manual-barge-winch.htm


Drako said:
Could you describe a typical day for us.

How long were your shifts and how much down time per day did you get?
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Fleet work was 12 hour shifts. Get up about 30 minutes before the shift started, shower, eat and be ready when your shift started.

Push barge is 6 hour shifts. I worked 6 am - noon, 6 hour break for a nap, then 6 pm - midnight. The deckhands wakes each other, the captain and the wheelman up.

Push barge is a lot more laid back. We push a barge from point A to point B.

Down time is washing dishes, bringing captain his coffee, taking out trash, sweeping,,, etc.

My position is entry level so I do the dirty work.


Thebobo said:
Sound like an adventure.

Can you sit out at night and drink a beer on deck? Or are you essentially 24/7?
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Company has zero tolerance policy for beer and drugs.
 
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Markbnj said:
OP, did you have to do any mucking out or wipe downs in the engine room? Can you still hear?

I never did any river work, so we were always making up and breaking down tows in a seaway. Not my favorite activity at night. And taking in a few hundred yards of six inch cable wasn't my favorite thing to do at any time. Were you guys always pushing, or alongside?

Aside from that shit honestly my main memory is being bored stiff. We were also on three-week rotations and by the end of week 2 I was ready to jump off the damn thing. It sucked especially on weekends when the skipper would often arrange a day or two of layup. He and most of the crew were local and would skip home, and I'd end up babysitting the boat for two days at some smelly pier behind a tank farm in the middle of nowhere. Good times.
Click to expand...

Small engine room stuff such as checking the oil in the gear boxes and check engine oil.


alzan said:
Why did you come back?
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Because you missed me.


SunnyD said:
How much "tugging" was done on said tugboat?
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Pretty good bit.

Sometimes a barge would run up on a sandbar. We would asssist the grounded tug by hooking a rope to the barge with maybe 10 feet of slack. The captain would go, full reverse until the rope got tight. The jerk would almost throw you against the wall.
 
Texashiker said:
Pretty good bit.

Sometimes a barge would run up on a sandbar. We would asssist the grounded tug by hooking a rope to the barge with maybe 10 feet of slack. The captain would go, full reverse until the rope got tight. The jerk would almost throw you against the wall.
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pretty sure he was asking how much you beat off on the boat.
 
Long time software guy I worked with did two weekends with his brother in law on a tug and gave his notice at the software job and went full time tug. In SoCal at least the jobs on a tug require somebody already in the trade bringing you in.

Exciting is when one of those 7/8 cables breaks, cuts through anything in its way.
 
mikeford said:
In SoCal at least the jobs on a tug require somebody already in the trade bringing you in.
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Pretty much anywhere. Other than fishing, U.S. maritime deck jobs are so scarce you'd have a better chance of winning the lotto than getting one by applying somewhere. Not to mention that for many of them you need at least an OS ticket, and to get an OS ticket you need experience 🙂.
 
purbeast0 said:
pretty sure he was asking how much you beat off on the boat.
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None, not a single time.


mikeford said:
Long time software guy I worked with did two weekends with his brother in law on a tug and gave his notice at the software job and went full time tug. In SoCal at least the jobs on a tug require somebody already in the trade bringing you in.
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It is one of the few remaining industries where someone can make $100k a year without college debt.

I feel very lucky and blessed to have landed this job.

I worked three weeks this round. My regular shift will be 2 weeks on and 1 week off. I get an unpaid vacation every two weeks.
 
gypsyman said:
Can you take one of your rescue dogs with you?
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They are keeping my wife company while I am gone.


Harrod said:
Sounds pretty cool, try to not get yourself hurt.
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Thank you.


BoomerD said:
Can you throw a line and make a bollard or cleat...from a distance?
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We call those timberheads and kevels.

The problem I ran into was office work makes one weak. By the end of the third week I was throwing lines ok.
 
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