Question

[25_Ton_Master]

I know this is a diving forum but are there are Tow Boat Captains?

 

[Tug]

I worked on towboats a few years ago and am now working as cargo mate on an offshore tug

 

[nolatom]

"tow boat" could mean two different things. For a 25-ton license (for example) you could get an endorsement for "assist towing" or words to that effect, meaning you can drive the Sea Tow boat or similar, where you have to tow people who need a tow, typically not really large vessels, typically recreational, and typically towed astern on a line, or maybe on the hip if it's calm.

Or, "tow boat" captain could mean an Operator of (uninspected) Towing Vessels, meaning you push barges around rivers and lakes, bays, sounds, in a square-bow "towboat" (as opposed to a pointy-bow "tugboat"). These are commercial licenses, and can be for anything from a little 400hp squirt to a 9000-hp big triple-screw line tow pushing 40 barges on the Mississippi.

I'm guessing you're asking about the former?

 

[25_Ton_Master]

I should have been more clearer. Has any one with a captain license ever gone down to a hurricane and done work (smaller vessels) I have been given the chance to do some work, If or when one comes along.
Just wanted to know what I will be getting myself into?

nolatom I am the former.

 

[Tug]

I'm curious as to what you mean by going down to a hurricane? I've been at work on a tug during a hurricane and it wasn't fun.


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[25_Ton_Master]

Salvage boat's after the storm

 

[MrMrEZG]

I am a tow boater, I move barges.

 

[Wookie]

Post-hurricane work is hot, sweaty, dirty, full of disease, and not enough sleep or showers. The money is awesome. It's usually sucked up by big contractors like Resolve or Titan, who then in turn hire Towboat or Seatow to do the work that the smaller guys can handle, while the commercial divers working for Titan and Resolve raise the bigger tonnage. It's usually a contract issued by FEMA and monitored by the Coast Guard rapid response task force, or "Tiger Team". Those guys may ride your boat, or worse, they may ride someone elses boat and watch you. They may sit on a boat like mine (usually hired to provide housing for sports such as yourself by Titan or Resolve) in the AC and eat all of the ice cream. You will get frustrated by the slow pace, because while you could be out doing your job, a manager 3 levels above you is in a meeting and no work may commence while the meeting is going on. It's all good anyway, you're getting a dayrate and eating ice cream, but at some point you begin to wonder about all of those tax dollars being spent while the management levels 3 levels up are in meetings. Don't track mud on my boat when you come home from a day filled with danger and dirt. It makes me mad, but we have a shower right on the deck. Strip down and take one outside to get the first layer off. Then come in and take a hot shower while you throw your cloths in the washer. What else would you like to know?

 

[Tug]

Post-hurricane work is hot, sweaty, dirty, full of disease, and not enough sleep or showers. The money is awesome. It's usually sucked up by big contractors like Resolve or Titan, who then in turn hire Towboat or Seatow to do the work that the smaller guys can handle, while the commercial divers working for Titan and Resolve raise the bigger tonnage. It's usually a contract issued by FEMA and monitored by the Coast Guard rapid response task force, or "Tiger Team". Those guys may ride your boat, or worse, they may ride someone elses boat and watch you. They may sit on a boat like mine (usually hired to provide housing for sports such as yourself by Titan or Resolve) in the AC and eat all of the ice cream. You will get frustrated by the slow pace, because while you could be out doing your job, a manager 3 levels above you is in a meeting and no work may commence while the meeting is going on. It's all good anyway, you're getting a dayrate and eating ice cream, but at some point you begin to wonder about all of those tax dollars being spent while the management levels 3 levels up are in meetings. Don't track mud on my boat when you come home from a day filled with danger and dirt. It makes me mad, but we have a shower right on the deck. Strip down and take one outside to get the first layer off. Then come in and take a hot shower while you throw your cloths in the washer. What else would you like to know?

Sounds like when they hired all the tug and barges out of New York to come down for the deep water horizon recovery. We got down there and after sitting around for a few weeks they finally asked if our barge pumps could handle seaweed (they can't) so we sat around even more. Always someone else watching us and having to listen to some guy in another state tell us how to do our job...

 

[Wookie]

Sounds like when they hired all the tug and barges out of New York to come down for the deep water horizon recovery. We got down there and after sitting around for a few weeks they finally asked if our barge pumps could handle seaweed (they can't) so we sat around even more. Always someone else watching us and having to listen to some guy in another state tell us how to do our job...

I was working in North Carolina when it all went down. There was a parade of MSRC and NRC boats with their barges, and a ton of notch tugs and barges going by. I couldn't figure out why, with all of that shipping responding, they didn't let the stuff float where it could be captured. Someone way smarter than me with an idea, I'm sure.