Deckhands.
Author
Discussion

mickrick

Original Poster:

3,759 posts

202 months

Saturday 3rd March 2012
quotequote all
Been in my current job for coming up to 10 years, a long time on one boat, and I have an itch to get back on the big ones again.
I miss the teamwork, and I want to work under a class 1 chief to further my engineering ticket.
I worked for 6 years on my last boat, an 80m converted ice class tug, so I have bigboat experience.
Yesterday I managed to get my C.V. on board a 75m motor yacht which interests me technically.
After I'd pushed the bell at the bottom of the passerelle, and was waiting for the chief, I noticed some of the deckies on a pontoon cleaning the hull.
Crikey! They looked about 15!
When I was starting out in the industry about 18 years ago, I had a circumnavigation under my belt, and the biggets boat I'd sailed was 60 ft. It was a hell of a game for me to even get a job on a 30m yacht, all I kept hearing was "yes you have a good C.V. but you have no big boat experience" nowadays they seem to go from Zero to hero, and jump directly onto 80m+ yachts!
A couple of years ago, I was in the yard in Barcelona, lifting my Boss's little plastic 27m yacht, and I was listening to the deckies on one of Abramovich's monsters.
They where being shown how to toss a heaving line, and they where really impressed by the Mate or the Bosun, who could actually get it ashore. rolleyes IMO if they don't know how to heave a line, what where they doing with a deck position such a vessel in the first place?
How times change, and what an old crock I must sound! rolleyes

MOTORVATOR

7,602 posts

276 months

Saturday 3rd March 2012
quotequote all
I've been looking for a doddery old fart that knows his way round a boat.

Obviously you'll just be looking for a bit of pin money in your retirement years and won't be concerned about the slightly lower quality totty we get hanging around on the east coast.

First job would be to fit me one them bells on the passarelle, they sound really cool.

Only bit that concerns me is have you still got the strength in your let's say latter years to throw a heaving line. Sometimes I struggle to get closer than 2 foot from the pontoon. biggrin

mickrick

Original Poster:

3,759 posts

202 months

Saturday 3rd March 2012
quotequote all
I can flick a heaving line and embarrass the best of these young upstarts! wink
But I have a feeling the pin money will be just that. If you have to ask and all that...biggrin
Anyway, not much call for chucking heaving lines down in the hot place. wink

MOTORVATOR

7,602 posts

276 months

Saturday 3rd March 2012
quotequote all
Ah the hot place. Looking for an in cage rebuild on a 6V92 but just assumed from your post that you were past it for all that heavy lifting whilst laying on your back. laugh

mickrick

Original Poster:

3,759 posts

202 months

Saturday 3rd March 2012
quotequote all
It's the air conditioned control room for me! Gods waiting room. And of course the hourly log. wink
Untill the brown stuff hits the fan! rolleyes
Which tender has the 6V92 in?

MOTORVATOR

7,602 posts

276 months

Saturday 3rd March 2012
quotequote all
Git. I have two 6V92s in my tender. tongue out

And the engine room is air conditioned.


If I take the cockpit floor up.

mickrick

Original Poster:

3,759 posts

202 months

Saturday 3rd March 2012
quotequote all
I had two strokes when I was a yoof. 250's they where. hehe
I tinker with these at the moment. They also have DDC on the valve covers. wink

Mike Random

466 posts

199 months

Saturday 3rd March 2012
quotequote all
I totally understand what you are saying, l am a First Officer and the Deckhand's that pass by are unbelievably naive and very inexperienced. I am all for teaching people and believe that we all have a moral obligation to pass knowledge on but a lot don't help themselves to start with.

A lot have very few manners, expect the world, think they deserve the world. I have very little patience for them when they won't listen.

Best of luck,

Mike

mickrick

Original Poster:

3,759 posts

202 months

Saturday 3rd March 2012
quotequote all
Thanks Mike. For a while there I thought I was becoming a GOM! smile

Ult-Jim

624 posts

219 months

Sunday 9th September 2012
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Hello Mike, Hello Mick and everyone else working in the industry.

Mike Random said:
I totally understand what you are saying, l am a First Officer and the Deckhand's that pass by are unbelievably naive and very inexperienced. I am all for teaching people and believe that we all have a moral obligation to pass knowledge on but a lot don't help themselves to start with.

A lot have very few manners, expect the world, think they deserve the world. I have very little patience for them when they won't listen.

Best of luck,

Mike
+1 totally agree. And being First Officer its your responsibility to discipline them! When I was a kid I use to go swimming, canoeing, rafting, sailing on the local river and lakes in my summer holidays, I was like a duck to water. These days the deckhands on the motor yachts have never done that and most can not sail or have any wind and nautical awareness. The other day I had a deckhand's cv land on my deck highlighting that he had a Yachtmaster ticket, even though there was nothing in the cv which showed that he had worked or played on a boat to get the miles to get the ticket.

Mike, come down to the IYCA and say hello. You can update me on all the latest yacht gossip and we can talk about cars and my Caterham.

James.

mickrick

Original Poster:

3,759 posts

202 months

Monday 10th September 2012
quotequote all
Well it's official, I am an Old Croc !
I've put my C.V. in for two positions where I thought I ticked all the box's.
When I enquired why I didn't get a reply, (No one replys these days either, which I find quite rude!) I was told I'm too old !!! I'm only 51 FFS!
35 seems to be the reqiured age. rolleyes

At least a little bird told me that one boat I have put my C.V. on has someone leaving next year. So fingers crossed.

MOTORVATOR

7,602 posts

276 months

Monday 10th September 2012
quotequote all
Classic for restoration - Well worn but still serviceable, bit leaky round the bilges but has that wonderful old musty smell reminiscent of yesteryear. Polishes up ok but could really do with full overhaul.

Alternatively a relatively new Olsen if preferred. wink

mickrick

Original Poster:

3,759 posts

202 months

Tuesday 11th September 2012
quotequote all
Well I'm not leaky around my bottom, and I don't smell musty.
I can show the modern jobbies a clean pair of heels when the going gets rough. wink

Olsen getting paint soon smile

pacman1

7,324 posts

222 months

Tuesday 11th September 2012
quotequote all
I read that title as Dickheads.

What, a rant in BT&P I thought??

I think a visit to the optometrist is required very shortly! hehe

mickrick

Original Poster:

3,759 posts

202 months

Tuesday 11th September 2012
quotequote all
You're obviously old too smile

Unless you have a scateboard of course, then you'll be ripe for employment.

You need a fluorescent vest in Club de Mar these days, or you're in danger of being taken out by a 15 year old cool surfer dude dick, erm, sorry, deckhand. grumpy

m0ssy

920 posts

221 months

Tuesday 11th September 2012
quotequote all
What a bunch of grumpy old gits wink

pacman1

7,324 posts

222 months

Tuesday 11th September 2012
quotequote all
mickrick said:
You're obviously old too smile

Unless you have a scateboard of course, then you'll be ripe for employment.
You are right on both counts, I'm 48 and still have in the shed somewhere my custom 'board with California Slalom trucks, fitted with orange OJ's! Fast as fook in a straight line, just avoid cornering. Strangely enough, it's how I like my cars! hehe

Need a hand out there?! biggrin

eta, Identical to mine, save a different colour board! No idea why I've kept it all these years, must be just a sad fooker! hehe


Edited by pacman1 on Tuesday 11th September 09:57

mickrick

Original Poster:

3,759 posts

202 months

Tuesday 11th September 2012
quotequote all
m0ssy said:
What a bunch of grumpy old gits wink
hehe
I'm seriously in danger of getting that way. Even considering going bluewater cruising in the future.
I think I'll become awkward, just because I can. smile

MOTORVATOR

7,602 posts

276 months

Tuesday 11th September 2012
quotequote all
I'm an eighteen year old stuck in a 52 year old body.

Somedays I really wish it were the other way round. wink


pacman1

7,324 posts

222 months

Tuesday 11th September 2012
quotequote all
MOTORVATOR said:
Somedays I really wish it were the other way round. wink

Nah, from behind is just fine. You have afterall, four to choose from!