Submitted 3 weeks ago by Aeao@lemmy.world to [deleted]
I know nothing about boats but I learn fast and never forget.
I’m willing to do the jobs no one else wants.
My kids are grown, I’m divorced, retired at 35. I’m not quite forty yet.
I need to get away and I need to work impossibly hard like I’m used. I need to get away from the gun in my safe calling me.
I’ll work myself to death at any shipping job.
There’s got to be a captain looking for a newbie like that.
Depends whether you want to be part of a ships crew, or have an auxilliary role. The crew needs to be certified, at minimum as an Ablebodied Seaman. However, there are plenty of ships that have additional personnel that technically aren’t part of the crew;
My current career started on a survey ship, and all I had was skills with IT, linux, heavy machinery, and a an affinity for DIY stuff. The company paid for the training courses necessary to be on board (The certs you need are usually BOSIET and HUET, depending on the type of ship. I just remembered that I need to renew mine.).
As it’s somewhat relevant, I’ll lazypaste a comment I made a while back after someone asked how life on a ship is like:
While I’m not an AB myself, I’ve worked on ships alongside them, so I’ve gotten a lot of insight into how the crews work.
The short answer is that it depends on your role. Basically, there are usually three or four types of crew on any ship:
Bridge:
Responsible for the navigation, safety, comms, scheduling, and all procedural tasks with running a ship. There are always someone on the bridge at all times, and this person is in charge of everything. The captain is of course the senior officer, but his responsibility and authority is delegated when he’s off duty.
Deck:
It can be pretty chill, but there’s still a fuckton of tasks to do. Painting, chipping rust, inspections, maintenance, helping out bridge/engineering if they need it. Most people on the bridge or in engineering have been Deck crew (AB - Able-bodied Seaman) at some point.
I’ve also seen deck crew being responsible for grilling on Saturdays.
Engineering:
Everything to do with the engine, and overall mechanical functionality of the ship.
I intentionally left out the galley staff, as this varies a lot between ships. When it’s a big crew, like the ships I’ve been on, there’s a dedicated galley staff. On smaller crews, it can be the ABs’ job to serve up meals.
I need to get away from the gun in my safe calling me.
Running away only works for so long. As the great poet once said, wherever you go, there you are.
I would recommend professional help.
Agreed completely, but if he spends all summer on a boat with no gun, he can earn some money and experience and get that help after.
OP: retired at 35.
It didn't sound like money was the issue here.
We also need to think about OP’s potential shipmates, who might not benefit from being out at sea with a rootless suicidal person. It would be more responsible for OP to get their head straight before locking themselves away with a handful of strangers miles from anywhere
As someone who has felt exactly the way you describe and am now on the other side of it, here’s my advice.
I don’t know anything about boats, but have a suggestion you may find helpful for a while.
Do you have anyone close who would be willing to take your gun/s for awhile? Just someone who could hold onto them until you feel better about having possession of them again?
This is the first place my mind went too. Guns are most dangerous to their owners.
You should listen to most others here in the thread and seek professional help. That being said, it’s not always an option for some. I wouldn’t necessarily recommend it (especially at this time), but since you’re in the US and have an interest in seafaring work, have you considered joining the Navy?
The medical benefits alone can be worth it, but your want for work kinda sounds like you want purpose and it provides that for a lot of people. You’re below the maximum age and so long as you can pass the physical requirements for your age and a drug test, waivers exist for most other criteria. No experience required.
Service comes with its own stresses as does life at sea, military or not. Be wary. Probably best to just see a doctor if you can.
The start of a true boatist begins with a balanced number of tattoos. You need at least some chain and one of those big fishing hooks they drop to stop the ship to make fast turns during action events.
You’ll need one with a heart that’s broken with an arrow thru it.
Next you need Keratin and testosterone boosters. When you start on those you’ll need to exercise a lot. Do pushups, arm wrestling and sparing. You’ll need a sword or a really long knife.
Carry a patch to cover one eye. It works better if you don’t have a leg. That way you can get a wood peg leg, which is very important.
Finally, go to Mexico and learn to roll your ars. This is what makes you a true pirate, which is your goal.
Only then will you truly be ready to donate to Anna’s Archive.
I learn fast and forget quick. Im super jelly of the retired at 35 thing. im unemployed at 53.
Shit, just go fishing. I knew multiple young guys who simply went to Alaska and asked around. You’re going to be the greenhorn but if you want to work yourself to death it’s a good path.
This is the way to do it.
I used to live in Alaska and I became friends with a few people from Seward. It is very much a thing for people, even those with zero experience, to simply go there and get jobs on fishing boats. Or processing fish or working at a tourist resort but mostly on boats. And of course that's mostly jobs for men because you need some physical fitness and strength. It might be a little harder if you're pushing forty, but I'm not sure.
There are tons of people who go up and work their asses off all summer fishing in Alaska and then don't work for the rest of the year, then do it again the next year.
If it matters I live on south padre island but will relocate literally anywhere
That sounds fucking awful. But you need to know thay your tribe is out there somewhere. There are people who will understand you and appreciate you, welcome you into a community, help you change your life. I can’t tell you how to find them, but you need to believe that they’re out there, and keep trying.
I know it sucks to roll the dice and keep getting shit, but you can only roll that six if you keep rolling.
Not the best solution to your problem, first off.
Since you have funds, take some proper sailing lessons and find some boat delivery jobs. It will be funner, more like contract work (a few weeks at a time), challenging and you can learn to sail! Eventually, you can build skills that let you live the sea gypsy life, a mere dream for most.
My first roommate did this! There’s labor unions you join and have to go through a lot of training. Then you get furloughed for like a year.
Why specifically boats? Are you trying to make money with this endeavour? Is there a specific type of boat you are looking to be on? If not maybe it would be worth going on Crewbay and looking for an experienced captain who is just looking for somebody to help with tasks along the way for a single leg in exchange for food. Start to build references and miles by doing this a few times, then the more you do it, the more you will find people willing to take you on board for longer periods of time and potentially pay you (pay would be more likely if you crew on the larger motor yachts).
Isn’t that what you do when you want a new life? Take to the sea.
Reminds me of the beginning of Moby Dick
Whenever I find myself growing grim about the mouth; whenever it is a damp, drizzly November in my soul; whenever I find myself involuntarily pausing before coffin warehouses, and bringing up the rear of every funeral I meet; and especially whenever my hypos get such an upper hand of me, that it requires a strong moral principle to prevent me from deliberately stepping into the street, and methodically knocking people’s hats off—then, I account it high time to get to sea as soon as I can. This is my substitute for pistol and ball. With a philosophical flourish Cato throws himself upon his sword; I quietly take to the ship. There is nothing surprising in this. If they but knew it, almost all men in their degree, some time or other, cherish very nearly the same feelings towards the ocean with me.
shittydwarf@sh.itjust.works 3 weeks ago
You’ll need to take your basic seamanship training to work on a commercial vessel, that will be a good start
TheReturnOfPEB@reddthat.com 3 weeks ago
this ?
www.dco.uscg.mil/…/merchant_mariner_credential/
Rhynoplaz@lemmy.world 2 weeks ago
Gotta admit, I was real suspicious of a link under a comment about seamanship training.
neidu3@sh.itjust.works 3 weeks ago
That’s one of them, yes. But if you go down that route, be sure to make sure your training is in line with STCW. Otherwise you’ll only be certified for US waters.