Does any one know how to become a driver for trading-ships?

you can crew on a tug and work your way up but its dangeous, grueling, boring, worse than trucking boring and you work outside hot, cold rain snow or windy and you get wet in the winter. Just returned from a 24 day turn in Asia. Pay is good, food is usually good and the boats go from crummy to sparkling. You need to learn Phillipino language sa they are the bulk of crew and you spen spare time studying and kissing the next guy up butt so you can have his job because he is going to reccommend you for it. To be a Captain of a 900 ft cruise ship you have to have 40 years and a white beard and the ability to be a ambassador to every port of call and every passenger up to 2500 of them and a crew of 1300.

 

Gashauler we dont stop a 136000 ton ship to take on a pilot. The pilot boat meets us and he climbs aboard as they run alongside us at about 10 knots. Pilots are listed as the most dangerous job in the World as more of them are killed per number of workers than any other profession. When you go into Hong Kong the pilot boat meets you 10 miles out and the pilot gets on but the boat guides you all the way in due to heavy traffic. In Shanghai the police go in ahead of you with siren and lights like a police car. They do the same in Singapore and it's the busiest one in the world. This trip we saw 27 outbound ships in the 10 mile inbound stretch. The 4th officers are in charge there are 2 at the helm at a time + 1 (total of 4 cadets) cadet who does everything the old fashion way by charts compass and sextant and he has to be accurate. The Captain eats sleeps drinks and is the ambassidor and gets fired if anything happens. They do a 4 on 4 off tour, 7 days a week for 7-10 months depending on contract so it can be mind bending. The Ocean is mostly flat 20 know wind and 4 ft waves so its pretty bland. Everybody runs to the deck if a bird lands on the rail. TV is in and out and movies get old. Gotta have your own books on tape, phone service is mostly good, dead spots in China Sea etc. You can always get to Thailand and get a "Happy Ending" massage.

 

Lupe,

another job opening............

http://savannah.craigslist.org/trp/2124440216.html

 

LOL

 

Of course you don't stop, I was being very general. Up in Puget Sound on the way into Seattle you pick up the Pilot at Port Angeles and they earn thier pay there. I sailed for 3 years on an old Victory cargo ship that was converted to haul special warheads and missles. The crew was with MSC ( civilian) and I was with the Navy group where there were only 6 of us. If anyone plans to go to sea I would recommend sailing with the government or MSC because you keep your ticket until you decide to get off. I don't believe subs use a pilot. I'm not sure but I've never seen one get on or off.

 

Subs don't use a pilot. They get escorted in and out by YP boats, and additional security boats if they are SSBN/SSGN's.

 

The security boats were not always there. At Bangor anyway. I've seen many SSBN's go out by themselves past Hood Canal then who knows! But that was before Trident.

 

Trident changed things; sec boats OWN the waterway when an Ohio is going in or out. I got sued by GP when we were tugging their hired help out of the channel down in Georgia...sorry turds kept paddling out in front, the captain of the sub said get them out of the way, so we "accidentally" swamped them then pulled them out and gave them to the Coast Guard.

Judge threw their case out due to federal laws about interfering with transit of special ordinance...only time I've ever been in court as anything but a bailiff or witness!

 

I don't know what forums they frequent, or how you would get involved from Michigan Lupe, but there is work for professional 'crew' on yachts. People that can afford super-yachts often don't know the first thing about actually running them. They just cut checks.

I grew up with family involved in off-shore Bermuda races, and I've known a few beach-bums who live very well running millionares yachts from Long Island Sound down to the Bahamas in season. Some even take the boats to the Mediteranian.

It's a lot like a more glamerous form of trucking though, all the living expenses (food, room, board) are covered but the actual pay is not all that great. Still you only get to spend it a few days a month. And you get to spend it in places like Monte Carlo, Alcapulcco, and Miami. I understand most of the time you're just chillin' on the boat, cleaning things up 4-6 hours a day, doing chores. It's the few days a year the owner, or his family, or any of his guests, come aboard. Then you'd better be able to be on your best behavior. Like a bell-hop at a five star hotel, these people EXPECT the ABSOLUTE best! One percieved slight and you're GONE.

Just keep that in mind.

Learning how to sail helps,,,
http://www.stormtrysail.org/

 

You want an interesting career on the ocean? Join the Coast Guard. Other alternative is to get a job as a deckhand on a tugboat and work your way onto a deep-sea salvage tug. Now There's an interesting career for ya. Makes those "Deadliest Catch" guys look like a bunch of pantywaists.