Towboat work

[AKM]

Any of yall ever work on an inland towboat? I keep meeting people who work on them or have in the past, but its always at times where I dont have time to ask them questions. Im wondering if maybe its a sign as much as I hear about them the last few months. What all does one do starting on a towboat im sure theres lots of cleaning/painting duties for a while.

 

[Rangel]

I'm going home this morning. Ready for a cold one. 10 days off is so nice

 

[Rangel]

As far as chipping and painting. Yes there is work to do, but it's not bad. I just listen to pandora or something. You'll start as a deckhand, and depending what company you go with you'll move to tankerman, then to the wheelhouse if you desire.
Deckhand is basically that does deck work.
Tankerman is in charge of moving cargo to and from the barge and facility.
Wheelmen drive the boat and sit on there ass.

Overall it's a gravy job for a single man. But I've got a wife and a baby girl on the was and it's kicking my ass right now being gone.

 

[AKM]

Yeah I was reading that in 18 months you can be a tankermen(with proper USCG testing) and not long after that you can start working on becoming a wheelmen. Couldnt imagine steering one of those with several barges. Its a big enough pain in the butt to drive my buddies 80' houseboat lol. Then again they do a lot of training. What kind of pay do they start at?

 

[AKM]

Where do you work Rangle? your off 10 days how many do you work?

 

[Rangel]

You can be a tkm in 6-7 month. And 18 months to be able to start wheelhouse training. Pay start at 130/day for a green deckhand. I work for Kirby Inland Marine. I work 20 and 10

 

[shooterfpga]

im guessing the hours are the same as workin offshore, from the time you leave the dock/helipad you get paid? how many of those hours do you really work?

 

[ZX9RCAM]

Looks like no matter the hours, the pay is $130/day = $2600/month.

 

[Rangel]

You work 12 hours 6on 6 off there's a couple other schedule 7 and 5, and 8 and 4 paid from the day you get on till the day you get off. Paid mileage from house to hub( channelview for akmike). Then take a company vehicle to where ever the boat is.

 

[Rangel]

When I say work I mean on watch. Might be actually working or could be sitting watching springer eating gumbo. For the work it's not a bad job at all.

 

[shooterfpga]

sounds like a sweet gig. i might give it a try for when my other trades are slow.

 

[Rangel]

Like I said its not bad at all just sucks being gone for 20 days.

 

[shooterfpga]

thats one of the reasons i always turned down offshore rigs. i didnt wanna be stuck with a bunch of guys at sea for awhile. if i wanted that id join the navy <3

 

[AKM]

you would be in heaven you queen dont lie

 

[scgstuff]

They do allow openly gay people to serve now. You can be one of the first pink berets. They razzle dazzle the enemy to death.

 

[AKM]

Jazz hand to the throat

 

[AKM]

only shitty thing is i make the same money 12 days a month.

 

[scgstuff]

Oh, and at one time, I was looking at staying in the industry because I wanted to be a harbor pilot someday. They earn HUGE money. Like 200-400K/yr. But, it is a long road to get there. I was a senior deckhand on paddlewheel ferryboats and sightseeing boats. Had a blast doing it and met a lot of cool people.