/r/tuglife
A subreddit for all things commercial maritime.
A subreddit for tugboats specifically but also can help with commercial mariners or anyone interested in the industry. Please post your tugboat related photos.
Like most subreddits, you can denote original material with an [oc].
For information regarding how to get into the industry, check out this thread.
If you find this type of material interesting, you may want to check out these subreddits -
/r/tuglife
I’m looking to pivot from private yachting to tugging. I know two different worlds but i think tugging will suit me better.
I have my 100 ton Near Coastal what positions would I be qualified for?
I’m looking to upgrade to a 200 ton Mate and then Master when I can.
What are the best companies to work for in New England?
So my captain and I were discussing how the federal govt possibly changing the classification of the devils cabbage. Will that cause a cluster buck of people fighting their failed screens because they have a legal doctors prescription for it.
I have a friend that is worried to admit having had a diagnosis of bipolar disorder for the required physical. He's worried that the physical will be reviewed because of his condition and he will be denied the MMC.
He's done everything within his power to control the condition and has not had any issues for over two years. He's changed his life to protect his health and future with a good diet, healthy sleep, and minimal to no use of caffeine or alcohol.
Does anyone have any advice, experience, or knowledge of someone having gone through this process with bipolar disorder?
I'm considering a carrer change and this one was recommended to me. I dont know much about them and I am currently in the US Coast Guard, so I don't know much about the intricacies of commercial maritime in general.
Whats the work load like - what do you do?
How is the pay? Is it salary or hourly?
How do shifts work? How long is a work day? Are you ever away from home overnight?
I'd appreciate any help someone could give me. Thank you all in advance.
I'm thinking of going into tugs for some money and experience. Ive got my AB special/twic/passport/drivers license. Have any of you gone from tugs to bigger blue water ships? I want to know how it was getting sea time for the appropriate endorsements. What tugs do I need to get on? I'm looking at ocean tugs or great lakes.
I live in California and am taking a new job with a company out of Washington. I’m wondering if people in similar situations have claimed their companies state of residence as their own considering they are on the boat for 6 months of the year. I have previously been working at a company based in California so I haven’t worried about it. Side bar would be that I do not own property in the state of California.
Any feedback back would be appreciated. Thanks.
Hello all, I’m waiting for my MMC and want to start getting work experience.
I have TWIC, Passport and Valid DL, clean record.
I’m from NV, but I can travel anywhere and want to live where I work to save money.
I see that there are jobs in Houston that have this setup, I applied online but haven’t heard back.
Do you know where I can go in person to walk in and just ask for work? I’m planning to fly into Houston and just drive around the docks in Channelview TX to ask around.
Thanks.
Got my MMC with STCW-BT and looking to work on offshore tugs with no experience sailing. So far no luck, haven't heard back from Vane Brothers or Dann, would also appreciate any suggestions there.
But anyway, from what I can tell part of the job as a green deckhand is cooking, which I'm not great at. Any advice on specific dishes to learn that usually go over well? Not sure what kind of supplies are generally available onboard. Would also love to hear cooking disaster stories lol.
Currently a captain on a wire boat in Southern California, been doing that for a couple years. Before that I was a mate on a tractor tug doing ship assist for a year but it didn't really pan out how I wanted it to. Long story short I wasn't getting training on there. And before that spent a few years as a Mate/Captain at a marine construction company.
I want to make the switch into ship assist/harbor tugs but having a hard time where to get training or some place that hires where they would be willing to train.
Any suggestions would be great. Willing to travel but even time would be a must.
Hey guys, I’m am making the jump from IT to boats here soon, and would like some advice from people already tugging.
I am 30, so hopefully my age doesn’t effect my job chances, but with that comes the less bullshit of being young 20s personality, also 10 years consistent work history.
Are there any companies, licenses, regions, etc. I should look at to optimize my chances? I currently have my TWIC card and drivers license only. Right now it seems like Kirby is my best chances, but I keep seeing people say stay away from inland. I worked oil rigs for a while and I’m not afraid of off shore, so that’s where I’d like to end up, even if I do have to do my time inland before I can.
Just looks for ANY tips from you professionals, from company, to must brings on the job.
Hey all, so I have a potential opportunity to deckhand on a 150 ton tug in the Fraser River.
My main concern with tugs, especially on the river is the rotating shifts. Apparently it's 8 on 8 off for 7 days... I don't mind being away for the 7 days, but am worried the sleep or lack there of could just destroy me....
How do you all deal with your sleep or lack of it at sea? Is it worth the impact on your circadian rhythm and the chain effect that can have?
I don't mind hard work, I don't mind being away, but I don't want my health to be significantly impacted.
For what it's worth: I've worked on the water for the last 6 years out on the island, but it's all been day time work. Running zodiacs mostly
I’m a very lubberly swab of a landsman. A former IT guy.
But I'm interested in marine stuff; I read historical naval fiction set in the early 1800s, I'm am an avid viewer of the 'Whats Going On With Shipping' channel, and I'm a bit of a shipping/logistics fanboy.
So I am wondering …
Why would a US-flagged tug boat - the SIGNET INTRUDER, from Houston TX - be outside the port of Haina (HAI) near Santo Domingo in the Dominican Republic?
How would a US tug get to the DR? (I guess the answer may be simple)
Why would it go there?
Why would it spend all day doing laps?
To a casual observer that seems unusual.
I've been casually observing it out of my window most of the day.
Nice lightning storm I captured up on the Ohio.
Made a small video of me making John T. Myers S/B all out water a few days ago up on the Ohio river on a 760 gross ton 5600 hp towboat. Enjoy!
This showed up in my feed today:
Do I need to take STCW courses to start working on a tugboat as deckhand ordinary seaman. I have TWIC and am looking into getting merchant mariner credentials but came across info about STCW courses and the cost will delay me so I want to know if they are necessary/required for entry level positions before I move forward?
Any available??
Sorry if this is obvious to everyone here but is clutch on one just mean to clutch in with one engine vs two engines for clutch on two? Thanks
I may have an opportunity to jump fields and get into tuglife in the not so distant future.
At a social gathering I met someone who runs a towing company, prefer not to say who or where, but he mentioned they’re looking for people right now, and he mentioned engineers.
How does someone get into that specific field and what are the requirements and training necessary? I’d really like to get in and do it right