Any barge hands? UPDATE

Was curious any of you guys happen to work on barges ? There been alot of jobs opening up it seems and I'm kinda itching to get away from the house in a bit.

A friend of mine works a barge ... seems to be just a lot of rope tying and life jacket wearing from listening to him lol

I haven't worked on a barge in the last 70 years. I was no more fun than trapping in a windy snow storm.

Wd91, you a tankie?

Thought about it for a moment but that and staying out their way is about the limit of my experience.

I think it pays good. Seasonal. Get time off for trapping season. I have hauled a lot of stuff too and from Port 33 and Port of Catoosa in Oklahoma. Have hauled many bushels of grain to the river rail elevator in the Fairfax district of KC.

Wolfie, I've never done it. But you're young, unmarried, and still in reasonably good condition. If I were in your shoes I'd give it a go. You might hate it but try it for a season and see... Might be the coolest job ever. And even if you hate it you can tell your grandkids about doing it.

Lots of stuff I kinda wish I had done before I had a family and settled on twisting wire nuts for a living.

Mike

You gots Duck shoppin to do.

I always look to see if there are tugs/barges on the Kerr/Mcclellan. Not nearly as many as there were before they had those runaway barges of fertilizer hit the locks at Webbers Falls.

Mike

Had two friends that worked a large tug. One was the captain, the other was the cook. They liked it.

Kinda interesting you bring this up, a year ago to this day I was put on furlough from work (as a Captain) things are slowly returning, however I will probably have to up and move. Loose my seniority and just have to start over some where else...


Here are a bunch of pic's from my last week...






























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I always love your photos, River Birch. Very cool!

River Birch, when did you work for Dann Marine? :-)

Thanks trapdog1...





































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Negative... private company

Ok, I saw the Dann Tug and Wheelhouse pics and wondered Tug Capt. or Barge Capt? :-)

I spent 20 years working on boats and barges. It’s a heck of a lifestyle and one I’d recommend for a young man wanting to put some money away. I would steer away from fleet work and try to get on a line boat. There is a high turnover rate mainly because guys don’t wanna be away from home, I can’t say I blame them I didn’t much care for being gone from home either. I wouldn’t trade my time on the river and I’m glade I did it. Look at some of the more top paying companies like ARTCO or Ingram. Call me about it if you want, my numbers on my website. Good luck

X2
And if you do it, keep track of your "sea time". Then in a couple of years get your captains license.
That can get your foot in the door of a lot of great paying gigs.

This. And getting an AB is good because of more jobs available. Friend of mine always says “guys with a 100 ton are dime a dozen but a good captain is hard to find “

Been on the river for 36 years,past 31 in the wheelhouse.I run a fleetboat and go home every night.I have been on a live on situation for a few years.Its hard work but I have enjoyed it

Wifes uncle worked on barges on the big river. Gone for days at a time she remembers. He has passed away like most of our aunts and uncles.
just

Worked as a deckhand on the river for 5 years. I was on a line haul boat mostly on the Ohio river but also spent time on the lower and upper Mississippi and a good bit of time in the fleets. It was a cool job for the most part. I worked a 28on/28off day schedule and found that basically resulted in having the opposite time off from one year to the next. For example one year I'd be off for say November that meant the next year I'd be off October and December but on for November. Not that that matters but as far as being an outdoorsman it made it nice to at least hit hunting/fishing/trapping seasons square every other year. I worked for Ingram and really liked the job but when coal shut down it really put a hurting on the industry and the last year I worked there they had so many boats tied up that I would get shipped to a different boat every trip which makes it difficult to advance. While I was there they shut down promotions which left me as a senior deckhand and I lost interest when they started sending me to boats to run lead on watches but wouldn't promote or even give me the pay increase of a lead man. I only say this because Ingram is known as a higher tier towboating company and if they struggled that much I assume it was river wide. I still have contact with some of the guys on the river and its improved some but not a lot. I quit in June of 19. Fwiw

It can get a little hairy this time of year when the Tombigbee is running full.

http://www.maritimeconsultant.com/tugboat.htm

Talk to Mike Jerrell on here or on Facebook. He’s in Philadelphia MS and has piloted tow boats for years. Mike’s a good guy and would probably love to talk to you about it.

Had to find a land job once the logging started to shut down.

x3. If it interests you, do it man. I wish I had tried out a lot more jobs when I was single and unencumbered.

Matt Jones worked the river barges for a while, Might want to message him prob be best on facebook

I haven't, but have known a few that have worked the river lines. They all enjoyed it to an extent. Dangerous at times, cold at times, hot at others. One fella I knew was a cook, he wouldn't have traded that job for any other. another fella started real young, was doing well at it, till he lost a leg in a cable while tying barges. He still works on them though as far as I know. Another fella started when he was in his early 30's. He was a bossy type guy and found out real quick what not to do or say on a barge line. He found himself locked below deck for a day or two in total darkness, before they decided he had learned his lesson. He learned and stayed with it about 3 yrs then quit. He was on the biggest tow boat on the Mississippi river, his uncle was the captain. When he quit and came back he was a totally different person. His arrogance was gone and was very respectful of others he worked with. Evidently it is a hardened bunch that take care of themselves very well.

What I heard from all of them, and a few others, was it is hard work, but pays well, and they all said if your supposed to be gone 28-30 days figure you will gone that plus another week or so. They all also said those boats have the best grubb you can ever ask for.

Plus it'll allow duck girl to find another outlet for her "hobby"

I've been working on the river for 38 years. Started out as a deckhand and worked my way up to chief engineer. I travel mainly the Mississippi river but done a few years on the Ohio. On 28 days/off 28 days. You'll start as a deckhand more than likely. Comparable to hay hauling to me. You need a good back and a weak mind. LOL. Pay is decent with good benefits and the opportunity to work your way up to the pilothouse as pilot or captain or back to the engine room as engineer as I did. Companies differ on pay, benefits and time on/off so choose wisely.

One more thing you may want to pursue is (its a plus that you have a military background!) doing a job search at Army Corps of Engineers. They do lot's of on the water work... Best of luck to you!

This is the best answer yet. This is what i would do, start filling out every application you can for the corp at lock and dam's and any other corp job that looks interesting to you. Then get a job on the river until you get hired by the Corp. With your knowledge and background you will get hired for sure.

A friend ran barges on the Hudson River from Albany to NYC and NJ. He made awesome $$ and had quite a few days off.

Well I like messing with rope so as long as it pays good lol

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Yeah I'm looking at it like that right now to be honest. A couple of my friends I was in the guard with with in the barges and they seem to be living it up ,can't ever seem to get a holt of em though. Honestly I do really really enjoy my current job just not enough money and I'll m just not interested in sitting at lowes for the next 20 years lol

Love those pictures! So stupid question but when y'all have down time ,ate y'all allowed to fish off the boat or at the dock ? I've just always have been curious about that. Figured y'all would be busy alot but again stupid question ll

Wolfie working on the barges could be the best thing for getting yourself set up for life for you. Really good pay and free room and board for 1/2 the year (going by the 28 on &28 off ) and a chance to advance all the way to the wheelhouse if so inclined. With that amount of time off you could live anywhere you wanted and still be within driving distance of home when you get your days off. Same with going back to work. You're a single, smart young man and you could really save some money to help you get ahead in life. PM some of the guys on here that work on the rivers and I'm sure they could get you started in the right direction.

Best of Luck.

I have a cousin who is the captain of one in the Gulf currently 23 on 23 off approximately 7 man crew.

the money can be good , lot of them are former Navy , my cousin did 20 in the Navy retired a Chief petty officer.

Hay to give y'all a little update , ends up my uncle is a tankerman and he's been helping me out as far as advice and what not. Still gotta get my TWIC but he just told me his company started hiring again and it's $140 per day staring out . 2 on 1 off

I was a licensed tankerman early in my career and held a Merchant Marine Document that authorized me to transfer hazardous liquid cargos from any waterway under the jurisdiction of the U.S. Coast Guard. I also held a TWIC card (Transportation Worker Identification Credential) after 2004.
I met the barges at the receiving or loading docks and supervised the transfer from start to finish.
You have to have at least 6 months on the job experience, be sponsored by a participating company and pass a test issued by the Coast Guard.
It was great experience and good money. I went on to terminal operations and heavy oil process manufacturing. I ended my career as a Terminal Manager.
Feel free to message me with any questions. I worked 43 years in the oil industry and am aware of most jobs available including river work.

Wolfdog what happened with the welding training? I figured you'd be doing that by now.

Also how many hours are you going to work in a day for that $140? I looked at that some years back and it was 12 hours worked in a day for $140 to $160. It figured out as a $12 - $13 an hour job. The shifts were 6 hrs on then 6 off twice a day. which I doubt I'd get used to. If you're going to use it to do more later on the river that's fine. It may be entirely different down there pay wise.

You seem to have a good head on your shoulders and you want to work. Good luck in whatever you decide.

140 for 8hrs is only $17.50
140 for 10hrs is only $14
140 for 12hrs is only $11.66

I’d be asking how many hours a day. And I know welders that won’t even roll outa bed for less that $35hr.

So from what he told me it's $140 as pay for the day. Shifts can be with 6 or 12 hours depending. Regardless still more money then I'm making lol. Plus I get away from the house for two weeks

got your foot in the door. nice. work hard. show up when your supposed to. you will see that 140 increase. 140 for a complete rookie sounds like a good start to me

Well boys got my TWIC Card in the mail today now I just gotta apply for the job

Get er Done.

Maybe make a trip to the NTA National convention in Iowa this year as a Gift to yourself.

I would be glad to Meet you and can maybe find some food and liquid refreshments to share.

Might want to start practicing walking on coals to get your feet ready for when you gotta walk the barges in the summer. Can fry eggs on them. Friend of mines dad was on em for a long time.

Nobody starts at the top but no matter what field you work in, hard work, smarts, and caring about quality will eventually get you to the top.

If you love being on the water, bargeman sounds like as good a career as any - and life has lots of forks in the road. Who knows what this adventure could lead to?

X2!

seems fun!

how much does it pay per hour?

Do you have a case for your TWIC if not consider getting one

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Hey river birch, which company do you work for? I'm at wittich bros on the sea fox, probably passed by you a few times.
Wolfdog, I'm from NC but work in NY on a tug. It's the way to go. Ten hour commute, but it's every three weeks, three on, three off. The maritime industry pays so much more up north, it's not worth scraping by down south. I'm at one of the better companies pay wise (iuoe local 25 union) but there are lots of places paying $300/day up here once you get even just a few months experience. With your welding and know how, you'd be able to get in if you shop around enough.
It's a young man's game, but since I'm a young man, I'm glad I have it. Been working since 9 pm last night and probably gonna have more work later, but for $385/day, you can take a lot of abuse. Barges are easier from what I've heard, so you may prefer that. But in this industry, always be looking for a way up, something will usually turn up! New job offers, license upgrades, etc. Whatever you do I'm sure you'll do well.

Well boys I finally got a call back ! Gotta zoom meeting with the hiring folk tomorrow morning, gonna have to drive into town to do it but hay !

Best of luck Wolfie- it must be a cool career because they sing songs about it!

Good luck to you. I hope that you do well on the interview.

Be yourself and kick butt!

Good luck Wolfie

Good deal.

As bad as you want this job, they will be the fortunate ones to have hired you. There's something about you that resonates. Show them how its done right.

Several of the kids around here worked on the barges years ago and all liked it. They really enjoyed being on 30 and off 30. They worked for Ingram I think. Be sure to try and work for one that goes through Locks on the river as they said it paid different; The last one who works for them went and got his license to fuel the ships coming into New Orleans and likes it MUCH better than riding the barges up the rivers. Something to consider there.

So how did it go?

Just got done ( had to go to town and do it in my car in front of the post office lol ) but they said they where really impressed. Guy said he like how I thought common sense was one if the top three things needed in a worker. They said they will definitely be intouch with me later ,sooooo I think I might have it

Sounds good.

nice.

Well done young man!

Good job I hope it works out for you.

Got another call today and for an in person interview scheduled next week

Nice !!

Well guys looks like I'm not gonna get it most likely. Went in the interview went great guy said he'd love to have me on wen to do my physical and the doc said I can't be on the boat most likely because my meds are a big red flag to the coast guard , disappointed to say the least

Sorry to hear that. Don't give up on pursuing a career change.

sorry to hear that. prolly something better for you out there anyway

Keep your head up. There is a reason for everything.

Don't be discouraged, a lot of good things will come your way yet.

Wolfe..
Your foot is still in the door. I’d call back the people you met with, tell them what happened, ask them if there is another function you can do for their company. Shows more get up and go.
If they have another option great, if not I’d bet they know someone else in the industry who is looking for a good worker. They may turn out to be your best bird dog.
I wish you luck
Osky