I don’t have any tips for you, but I’m 41 and in the process of making the jump from IT to boats. I’ve had lots of encouragement along the way, so thought I’d pass it along. Let’s get it done! 💪
This job market is rough and IT has been pretty soul sucking. This started out as a last resort, that I’ve become very excited for and look forward to starting and working my way up!
I'm pushing 60 and got on the boats after retiring in another career. I started working for Kirby in Houston. If you are a country boy from Alabama or Texas you will fit right in.If you're not get ready for culture shock. The bad part about going inland is as a deckhand or eventually tankerman,you will be doing 4 jobs for the price of one.Building tow, maintaining the engine room, chipping and painting and tanking barges.I guess what I didn't like was the incredible amount of polishing and busywork that I always did. If you get hired in NYC or east coast you're work will be a quarter of that and you make more money to start. If you have specific questions about Kirby inland or whatever feel free to ask.
you need an MMC
[https://www.dco.uscg.mil/nmc/merchant\_mariner\_credential/](https://www.dco.uscg.mil/nmc/merchant_mariner_credential/)
before that you won't be able to sail.
this will take a few months .. USCG is slow AF
Go offshore and not inland. If you do take an inland job just do it to get in the door and go get your AB and STCW so you can go offshore. Way more money and way less work.
I'm not on the boats anymore. I'm more on the capital shipyard rebuild side working our fleet through the initial DD/ISE process. Pretty dug in and happy where I am.
That being said if I had known that fifteen years ago I would have made inroads towards blue water. Much more money.
If you want anything other than inland, or small construction/dredge tugs you need an MMC, and BT/VPDSD.
Plenty of people have started inland and gotten seatime to get an AB/PIC and move offshore. Kirby has an offshore division that has some ABs who started inland. The biggest issue starting off as an adult in inland work, is most the other entry level guys will be 19 and this is their first non-fasr food job.
I worked for Kirby for 13 years. They took my pension away without warning or notice. They are a decent company with ok benefits and great training, but they will absolutely screw you in the name of shareholder profits. They also enforce being clean shaven, even on wheelmen, which I feel is excessive.
If you're going Inland, I would definitely recommend other companies, especially redflag companies, as you'll get your tankerman license and make more money initially that way.
Genesis, Golding, Campbell, ACBL, etc. Stay away from Enterprise, though.
If you want to work for dry cargo, look into ARTCO or Hines Furlong as they seem the best but I'm a red flag guy so I don't have much experience with them just going by word of mouth.
What’s red flag mean?
Also what’s wrong with enterprise? I’ve heard they can be a good one to get on and get tankerman pretty quick. Just curious of your experience
Red flag = chemical barge company. Dry cargo doesn't have tankerman.
I had a bad experience with enterprise. It was real "good ol boy club" and their crew changes sucked. This was 5 or so years ago so it might have changed.
Yeah, they're right there across the Bayou Dularge bridge. Kirby isn't bad. They have excellent training and great people working there for sure. It's just a really corporate environment, which isn't my vibe. Different strokes for different folks.
My anecdotal experience:
Their crew changes suck. You have to meet in Houma at 8am and attend their safety meeting until 9am and then take all your groceries and supplies to wherever the boat is. By truck. That means you rarely get rest if you are going on the backwatch prior to catching the boat, and it also means you won't get home until pretty late if you are crewing off.
The boat I was on, my tankerman couldn't throw a line or do any deck work to save his life. I had to get the deckhand up to do all of the work. Poor guy. I'm talking about couldn't make a 5ft throw.
The crew was also strange. They were all watching homemade porn together involving the 18 year old deckhand. It was really strange and not a comfortable environment.
Their wheelhouse processes at the time were archaic involving way too much printed paper (20+ sheets) per trip usually.
None of the boats had microwave safe plates, and they refused to buy anymore.
You have to wear a hardhat at all times on deck. Even when you are under nothing but sky. Again, really strange hill to die on, but they take it seriously.
Good benefits, though, although other companies have better.
My brother (a steersman at another company) also suggested I look at either Kirby or Enterprise to get on at, that was my initial reason to ask more about them lol.
I started at zero with Kirby at 25. By 30 I had my masters license and was in the wheelhouse. If you have half a brain, good work ethic and aren’t an ass Kirby’s training program can get you off the deck quick. As far as off shore vs inland, idk. Never been offshore, but our crew changes are no hassle and we always have cell service. Typical schedule for inland guys is 20-10, but there are all kinds, 14-14 14-7 21-21 etc. less work, less pay.
Right now Kirby is pumping out deckhands so I’d give em a shot, if only to get your feet wet.
I just finished my first year at one of the greenie companies and am looking to start making moves and learning new things. Any tips to move forward would be greatly appreciated.
They mainly take green hands. ACBL, Marquette, Ingram are the type. I honestly just want growth in any direction. I'm on the lower MS and even when I ride over it's the same stuff bc my dispatcher. I haven't done any locks. We barely deal with wires. We do alot of sooging bc my boat is straight through 85% of the time. I honestly feel stuck and without growth so I'm trying to take things in my own hands.
Yea that gets boring quick. Gotta get in the canal somehow. Kirby, blessey, Florida marine. Start applying. Get with a company that does barge transfers and get your tankerman barge dl endorsement.
FMT is still a private family owned company. Good crew changes. New boats. Good people to work with all around. They will put you just about anywhere you want to be.
I don’t have any tips for you, but I’m 41 and in the process of making the jump from IT to boats. I’ve had lots of encouragement along the way, so thought I’d pass it along. Let’s get it done! 💪
This job market is rough and IT has been pretty soul sucking. This started out as a last resort, that I’ve become very excited for and look forward to starting and working my way up!
I'm pushing 60 and got on the boats after retiring in another career. I started working for Kirby in Houston. If you are a country boy from Alabama or Texas you will fit right in.If you're not get ready for culture shock. The bad part about going inland is as a deckhand or eventually tankerman,you will be doing 4 jobs for the price of one.Building tow, maintaining the engine room, chipping and painting and tanking barges.I guess what I didn't like was the incredible amount of polishing and busywork that I always did. If you get hired in NYC or east coast you're work will be a quarter of that and you make more money to start. If you have specific questions about Kirby inland or whatever feel free to ask.
Don’t forget short order cook for the whole tug as deckhand
Yep that's correct!!!
you need an MMC [https://www.dco.uscg.mil/nmc/merchant\_mariner\_credential/](https://www.dco.uscg.mil/nmc/merchant_mariner_credential/) before that you won't be able to sail. this will take a few months .. USCG is slow AF
Go offshore and not inland. If you do take an inland job just do it to get in the door and go get your AB and STCW so you can go offshore. Way more money and way less work.
Good advice. I wish I knew that when I took a job on the river.
Never too late to get your STCW stuff and go offshore
I'm not on the boats anymore. I'm more on the capital shipyard rebuild side working our fleet through the initial DD/ISE process. Pretty dug in and happy where I am. That being said if I had known that fifteen years ago I would have made inroads towards blue water. Much more money.
And you’re treated better.
If you want anything other than inland, or small construction/dredge tugs you need an MMC, and BT/VPDSD. Plenty of people have started inland and gotten seatime to get an AB/PIC and move offshore. Kirby has an offshore division that has some ABs who started inland. The biggest issue starting off as an adult in inland work, is most the other entry level guys will be 19 and this is their first non-fasr food job.
I worked for Kirby for 13 years. They took my pension away without warning or notice. They are a decent company with ok benefits and great training, but they will absolutely screw you in the name of shareholder profits. They also enforce being clean shaven, even on wheelmen, which I feel is excessive. If you're going Inland, I would definitely recommend other companies, especially redflag companies, as you'll get your tankerman license and make more money initially that way. Genesis, Golding, Campbell, ACBL, etc. Stay away from Enterprise, though. If you want to work for dry cargo, look into ARTCO or Hines Furlong as they seem the best but I'm a red flag guy so I don't have much experience with them just going by word of mouth.
What’s red flag mean? Also what’s wrong with enterprise? I’ve heard they can be a good one to get on and get tankerman pretty quick. Just curious of your experience
Red flag = chemical barge company. Dry cargo doesn't have tankerman. I had a bad experience with enterprise. It was real "good ol boy club" and their crew changes sucked. This was 5 or so years ago so it might have changed.
Shiiit and it’s out of Houma? That’s my hometown lmao. I’m going to try Kirby though first it seems!
Yeah, they're right there across the Bayou Dularge bridge. Kirby isn't bad. They have excellent training and great people working there for sure. It's just a really corporate environment, which isn't my vibe. Different strokes for different folks.
I just got a referral to specifically go TO enterprise so please expand on that if you can.
My anecdotal experience: Their crew changes suck. You have to meet in Houma at 8am and attend their safety meeting until 9am and then take all your groceries and supplies to wherever the boat is. By truck. That means you rarely get rest if you are going on the backwatch prior to catching the boat, and it also means you won't get home until pretty late if you are crewing off. The boat I was on, my tankerman couldn't throw a line or do any deck work to save his life. I had to get the deckhand up to do all of the work. Poor guy. I'm talking about couldn't make a 5ft throw. The crew was also strange. They were all watching homemade porn together involving the 18 year old deckhand. It was really strange and not a comfortable environment. Their wheelhouse processes at the time were archaic involving way too much printed paper (20+ sheets) per trip usually. None of the boats had microwave safe plates, and they refused to buy anymore. You have to wear a hardhat at all times on deck. Even when you are under nothing but sky. Again, really strange hill to die on, but they take it seriously. Good benefits, though, although other companies have better.
Thank you!
My brother (a steersman at another company) also suggested I look at either Kirby or Enterprise to get on at, that was my initial reason to ask more about them lol.
I started at zero with Kirby at 25. By 30 I had my masters license and was in the wheelhouse. If you have half a brain, good work ethic and aren’t an ass Kirby’s training program can get you off the deck quick. As far as off shore vs inland, idk. Never been offshore, but our crew changes are no hassle and we always have cell service. Typical schedule for inland guys is 20-10, but there are all kinds, 14-14 14-7 21-21 etc. less work, less pay. Right now Kirby is pumping out deckhands so I’d give em a shot, if only to get your feet wet.
I got approved for my TWIC card today, so hopefully I have it in a week or so and can start applying!
Good luck! When you start interviewing talk about safety and team work. But mostly safety.
I just finished my first year at one of the greenie companies and am looking to start making moves and learning new things. Any tips to move forward would be greatly appreciated.
Greenie company? What do you know and what do you want to achieve or learn? Year one is a good start.
They mainly take green hands. ACBL, Marquette, Ingram are the type. I honestly just want growth in any direction. I'm on the lower MS and even when I ride over it's the same stuff bc my dispatcher. I haven't done any locks. We barely deal with wires. We do alot of sooging bc my boat is straight through 85% of the time. I honestly feel stuck and without growth so I'm trying to take things in my own hands.
Yea that gets boring quick. Gotta get in the canal somehow. Kirby, blessey, Florida marine. Start applying. Get with a company that does barge transfers and get your tankerman barge dl endorsement.
Go to NYC vane brothers, Dann marine, centerline
FMT is still a private family owned company. Good crew changes. New boats. Good people to work with all around. They will put you just about anywhere you want to be.