Driving Boats?

S

surfCRQ

Well-Known Member
One of my best friends is a 3rd mate on a oil tanker out of Long Beach. I went to school with him in Santa Barbara. He went to Cal Maritime acadamy and I moved to San Diego for flight instructions. I completed my ratings through my Instrument and Comm Single. During CFI training I chickened out of my checkride and havent flown much since. Now Im broke, bartending, and just finished my online aviation degree. Yippee. I also have an AA in business admin.
The friend graduated 1 1/2 yrs ago, and makes good money right out of school, $12K for every month at sea. He is gone alot but gets an equal amount of time off. I am pretty jealous.
I applied to Cal Maritime just to see if I would be accepted. I would graduate at 30, and rack up some more loans. -much more reasonable than flying debt though.
Does anyone on here have any maritime experience? Seems like some weather theory and navigational stuff would transfer well. I love the ocean and I'm ready for a real career.
 
Sounds like your friend recommends it. Either way you're still gonna turn 30, might as well be making 72,000 a year to pay those loans off with.
At that rate you can join a flying club and perhaps finish the CFI in your offtime. No reason you couldn't tend bar during Maritime training, right?
Good luck!
 
My cousin is a mechanical engineer on a ship. He is a commercial party boat fishing captain in the summer and then takes two months off and ships from around Dec-April or so.

He typically takes contracts that pay between 16-20K per month but he is gone and typically offshore for all but maybe 2 days per month and the work is very long days. He has never really complained since when you are on a ship there is nothing better to do than work and you are payed for your hard work.

He went to Maine Maritime Academy which was a very difficult and regimental school but it was worth the effort. To get a job they are HIGHLY unionized and it is as simple as going to Boston to the union hall and putting his name in the hat for a job. Jobs come out and are offered to the most senior based on "sea time" and they trickle down the line. As you work you get contacts and often a ship will just ask you back for the following season.
 
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