dontkillmyvibez

Thanks for replying. AB stands for Able bodied seaman. Its an endorsement for your MMC. They have different levels that require different amounts of seatime...working 6 years at sea, you should be able to at least get an AB-limited if the vessel you are working on is over 100tons. If not the next level down is AB-special. You must have lifeboat man to get your AB ticket. Its 2 weeks of coast guard classes and 4 tests for AB rating. Then you can basically work on any size boat in the world. QMED stands for Qualified member of engine department. Its the engineering equivalent to AB, but AB is for the deck/pilot house route...QMED is the engine room route. Next license up for an AB is a mate license, then captain. Next license for a QMED is an assistant then engineer. If I were you I would do some internet research on career paths in the gulf. And ways to get licenses and classes to move up in your career path. Everything out here is about sea time, and you have plenty of it.

I'm an AB unlimited in the gulf of mexico, currently 200 miles south of Louisiana in a 240ft OSV. I was wondering if you all had WiFi while offshore as we do? Do you hold any endorsements for your position? AB, QMED, Lifeboatmen, etc? Ever considered working the gulf? I was surprised to hear that you are only making 60k a year. I too work 6 months. 28 on 28 off and making slightly over 90k. I'm sure your job is much more strenuous than mine. My watch consists of steering the vessel from midnight to 6am (if we are underway), cleaning the pilot house twice a week, and tying up the vessel when needed. Other than that, we watch movies and play video games. What's a normal day like for you?

I started by applying with a "labor finders" type company who took my application and basically found a boat job for me. They then took a percentage of pay out each of my check for the first 4 months until they got their $1300 we agreed upon for finding me the said job. After working on this tug boat for 2 years I decided I was tired of getting the little $120 a day I was making and looked on the internet on how to move up in the merchant marine career path. I eventually got my TWIC (cant remember exactly what the letters stand for) card, which is the most basic card you need these days to work on any kind of boat of size. Then I got my MMC (merchant marine credentials). Its basically a passport type document on which all your endorsements start going into. With those 2 cards I was able to put applications in for Gulf jobs. I got hired on with an Supply Boat company who put me through CPR, Firefighting, H2S, Basic Survival, etc classes which I got certificates for. I sent those to the coast guards to be put on my MMC. With more sea time I think went to 14 days of AB classes and 5 days of Lifeboat classes. I passed those tests. Turned the certificates to the coast guard and now I'm here. Been working as an AB for 3 years and am now working on other classes to get my mates license. I have a 5 day radar observer class when I get off the boat in 2 weeks. The time off after that I'll be taking my 200ton masters classes and tests. Hopefully I'll pass and become a captain soon.

Yes, sorry. I thought you were American.

I'm 27 now, so I was 24.