Hi all, as title says. I'm a UK merchant navy officer, holding an OOW unlimited ticket, and I'm hoping to volunteer on a tall ship to further improve my seamanship. I've messaged the Pelican but haven't heard anything back from them. If anyone can please put me in contact or recommend me to another ship I'd be very grateful.
Hi all, fairly new to Lincolnshire and I was hoping for a night out in Lincoln sometime soon. Where would be good to go to meet people and make mates? I'm M23, not into-into punk or rock music, but I do like a gig now and then. Is there anywhere people could recommend going? Thank you
As title says. Lots of (justified) negativity here, but as always it's not black and white. Anyone in an industry actually doing well which needs people? I'm in maritime, and I got a job offer the day I passed my final exam. Most of my friends who passed (we lost about 2/3 of the class, not everyone can hack being at sea) also got jobs within a month. Also, for whatever reason, it's like everyone in this industry is either in the 40s or early 20s (probably something to do with people making a decision to stay at sea or move shoreside in their 30s...) so promotion is virtually a certainty (provided I can pass the exams!). I imagine UK engineering must be doing somewhat ok with the current global defence spending? I know offshore wind is doing well too. Builders and constructors as well maybe with the house building schemes?
As title says. I'm a merchant navy officer, and to be frank the RNLI has given me the impression that they're amateurs saving amateurs, rather than professional seamen/women. Example, the other day, my vessel was casting off from our berth, having received permission from VTS, and a lifeboat comes down the channel back from an exercise without having announced it to VTS or apparently having listened in to see what's going on. I've heard plenty of anecdotes of them having bad comms and search patterns during distress calls. I hope I don't sound like a dick, I appreciate the volunteers who give up their time and energy to save others, but I am curious as to just what kind of people are volunteering for this?
As the title says. Of course we're not shooting or fighting in the merch, but all the basic seamanship is much the same. Further, some of us have skills which are apparently coming more into demand over recent years - apparently Stirling Castle and her DP system led the RN to realise they (naturally) need to get some DPOs trained up. I'd be interested in the reserves but having none of my experience understood at all would be frustrating. Does anyone think there's much a chance of merchant officers being drafted in the event of war, much like in the second world war?
I was curious as to the structure of imperial navy ships crews and wondered if anyone can expand further. From what I know, we have the typical bridge officers, captains, first lieutenants, master gunner (all very age of sail royal navy inspired) as well as a commissar (one per ship?), plus some ratings on the bridge. Aside from them, other parts of the vessel are served through techpriests and enginseers but also servitors and slave gangs, whom are controlled by petty officers. In addition, there are also armsmen who repel boarders and the like, plus, on carriers, groundcrew to service the fighters/bombers/shuttles/landers. This I all believe is fairly consistent (I think back to the novel Cadian Blood and the Battlefleeth Gothic game as a source).
However, I've never found a source for where the men are recruited from? The Commissars, techpriests and slaves are all quite self explanatory - seconded from their own organisations or press ganged respectively - but what of the professional imperial navy crew, both officers and ratings? I would imagine they must be trained and recruited from somewhere.
Further, how do the rank structures work? I would imagine the techpriests look after the majority of the tech but I would also imagine there would be a naval engineering officer to ensure the techpriests follow the will of the captain and not of whats best for the machine?
What are all the slaves doing? Reloading macro cannons or nova cannons are things I've heard of before, which makes sense, but what else aside from that? I remember reading the engines run off promethium but how does that work? Do they shovel in promethium like stokers?
Lastly, has anyone got any reccomendations on where I can enjoy some good void combat stories?
Does anyone else self harm in almost every aspect of their life? As in, you consistently try to make your life as bad as possible across every metric? I cut myself but I also have realised I keep on volunteering for overtime with no pay, working the longest days I possibly can, refusing to ever actually enjoy myself, making stuff (baking cakes, painting watercolours) to a good standard then destroying them, pushing friends away, booking lessons with deposits I know I can't make (or sacrificing my deposit for work later (I've lost £500 to this so far)). I feel like it's some internal subconscious part of me I'm not fully aware of, or at least which I don't want to acknowledge. Perhaps its me trying to make my life bad enough that I actually will get the balls to kill myself?
As a rambling aside, I think I wish my life was harder. I have a good job which I like, my parents have always been helpful and supportive and my friends are great. It makes me feel like a useless pathetic weakling who hasn't achieved anything.
Hi all,
British deck officer here, passed my orals in April and currently on my 3rd trip out as a 3rd officer. Currently aboard a PSV in the north sea, DP2 and going for my DP ticket. Simply put, I'm thinking of resigning and asking either to work as an OS or leaving the industry entirely. I'm not sure what I want out of this post other than a rant and some advice but here goes.
Essentially, I feel like I am nowhere near where I should be. The other day, we did a rescue boat drill and I forgot to fully fasten my lifejacket before I got in the boat. Once in the boat, I proved to be a shite coxn and stalled it several times. On my trip before I had a traffic situation where I considered calling the captain and didn't. I don't like telling the much much more experienced than me ABs what to do. My DP knowledge needs work.
To cut to the chase, I just don't feel like I'm much use here and I've started SH again - I first started whilst a cadet. It's just my way of coping with feeling useless. Even when I'm ashore, I don't really do anything (I have no hobbies) but think of coming back here. This job *is* my life but I'm shit at it and I don't really know what to do.
Hi all,
As the title says; I'm a UK merchant navy OOW and to be quite honest we sometimes have a laugh at more amateurish antics over weekend sailors. I was wondering what yourselves make of us?
Hi all,
I'm a 23 year old merchant seaman, earning good money. I am on a fixed salary and on a 5 week on 5 week off schedule. I was thinking about different ways I could use my 5 week off periods to earn some extra money, has anyone got any suggestions? So far I've been considering doing some self employed stuff (probably welding) but I also looked at HGV driving. Does anyone have any ideas of advice? I suppose I could always look at sailing instructing but I doubt the money is good.
Hi all, I'm a merchant navy seaman and I'm starting to think about one day buying a house. I'm very outdoorsy, caving, climbing, hiking etc. As I work away, I can live anywhere, even places with no jobs around. Where can I live which is cheap but not a total shithole which has some outdoorsiness? I have both a car and a motorcycle. Just by myself, not looking so split buying a house with a partner.
Hi all, I'm a British merchant navy officer of the watch unlimited, currently employed as 3rd mate on a PSV. I've been wanting to get into saling cruiser yachts for a while. From what I can see of the RYA training scheme, I have to do competent crew first, which I'm fine with, but for day skipper, how in depth is the theory? Frankly, I suspect my seatime and experience on this bigger ship should be a equal translation for navigation, and if not simpilar, at least not more complicated regarding mooring and anchoring. The only part I feel I need to really learn is the actual handling of sails on such a small craft. Does anyone here have any advice having gone through anything similar?
Hi all,
I'm a merchant navy seaman, doing 5 weeks on 5 weeks off trips at the moment. I was thinking about chill jobs I could do in my 5 weeks off and I've thought about trucking for a while. Is the work flexible enough for me to see about just doing a bit as and when I want or...?
Hi all. I didn't exactly do a normal degree, I was sponsored on my course by a shipping company and after qualifying I was able to get a job within 3 weeks. However, I've been really struggling with feelings of disconnection, loneliness and just a general feeling of what's next. I went to uni in Southampton and I'm now back in Lincolnshire, where I don't know anyone. Qualifying was reallyyy difficult for me and I've really struggled to know what to do with myself in my time off - when not at work I've just been bed rotting. I feel like I've kinda been wasting my life over the last couple months as a result - I don't want to just be my job (although I do love my job). Has anyone else been through something similar?
Hi all, I'm a 23M Brit. I am a merchant navy 3rd officer and doing exceptionally well in my career (for those not familiar with what that actually means, I am 4th in command of a cargo ship and handle driving, navigation etc). What I've really been struggling with lately, however, is that my career is the only thing I care about. I work a 5 week on 5 week off rotation and for the last 5 weeks I have genuinely done nothing but doomscroll, lie in bed staring at the ceiling and simply pass time. None of this is fun to me. I used to be really outgoing - rock climbing, caving, scuba diving, hiking, and just generally hanging out with my mates and having a laugh. I think part of my problem is that in December I moved from London where I grew up to a tiny village in Lincolnshire and I haven't made any friends here - but then again neither have I tried to.
I feel like depression is the datum, the set point which I will always return to in my life. Why bother trying to have fun, it's always going to return to this point. This doesn't mean I'm happy with my life as it is, far from it. I wish I could go to the gym (used to love going) and see my friends, take up modelling or painting again. But there just doesn't seem to be any real desire for me to do so. The only thing which gives me feeling is being at work (but I also haven't done anything but work and rot for the past 6 months). How can I get the motivation to try again?
Hi all, I'm a British 23 year old male and I work as a merchant navy 3rd officer on platform supply vessels - I'm currently still getting dynamic positioning (DP) time for my unlimited DP ticket. Now I absolutely love my job - taking charge of a ship by myself and being trusted to use all the technology of a DP system is awesome. The technology fascinates me, for the most part the crews I've worked with have been conscientious, hard working, professionals who've helped teach me what they know and the actual living conditions aboard are really good. The pay could be better but it's guaranteed to go up once I make 2nd (which I've already been recommended for promotion to), I've got virtually 0 overheads and I do 5 weeks on ships 5 weeks off trip. I've got an amazing job and I absolutely love it, with good prospects all round.
The problem is my social life. I used to live in London but I moved from there to the middle of nowhere countryside (Lincolnshire for any Brits) in December where I live with my parents. I have almost no friends in the village, barring my 60 year old neighbour, but worse I've realised I'm really struggling to do anything with myself outside of work. Even on my off time I'm constantly reading reports and regulations, just out of no idea of what else to do with myself. I feel like my job is the only thing which actually excites me and gives me any joy. This cannot be healthy but I think it's quite natural that such a job should come to dominate my life. Frankly, I don't know what to do. How can I still be an enthusiastic young professional but also start to build a greater social life outside of work? I used to go caving, climbing and camping a lot but now these hold little interest to me. I wonder if the stress over my last year of maritime school in achieving qualififying has almost rewritten my brain to a degree. I do have a gf but it's ultra long distance. I would appreciate help and advice from anyone else who found themselves in a vaguely similar position.
Hi all, I'm a British deck officer with DP tickets and North Sea PSV and anchor cranking experience. Now, I know about the Jones Act, but, as it happens, my missus is a US citizen. We've been fairly steady so far, and although I'm not entirely decided yet, I am thinking about marriage. If so, I understand that's a pathway to getting a green card and, eventually citizenship. If I did eventually marry her and go for citizenship, how much of a pain is it to convert my experience into a US CoC, and are companies likely to respect my North Sea experience, or would I be starting again from scratch?
Hi all,
As my text says I was curious into joining the RNR. I'm a merchant navy 3rd officer, love my job. I'm currently on offshore resupply, in the process of getting my DP ticket. I was curious as to how transferable MN experience is to the RNR? I think it would make more sense for me to go in as a rating, as frankly I imagine I would resent the crowded bridge if I was expected to be an officer. Wondering if anyone else here has any experience doing so?
Hi all,
Sorry if this post is just a bit general but I was wondering how others here felt. I'm a UK OOW on PSVs and I'm on a 5 week on 5 week off rotation. Onto my third week off now and honestly I absolutely hate it, I want to go back to the ship ASAP. I don't have any friends in the tiny village where I live with my parents nor do I have any relationships. I used to be very outdoorsy and adventurous but honestly none of that interests me now - plus I can't risk injuring myself before going back to ship.
1 Has anyone else experienced anything similar?
2 What's the best way to try and get extra work, say 4 week hitches, in my offtime, if my employer can't or won't let me do longer hitches? I plan to ask if I can do the 8 weeks on 2 off I did as a cadet but I doubt they'll accept it to be frank. Therefore I was thinking of seeing if I could get myself on windcats but no idea where to start with that.