Login Now to visit your portfolio or Create An Account if you don't already have one.

Job Definition
Stand watch to look for obstructions in path of vessel, measure water depth, turn wheel on bridge, or use emergency equipment as directed by captain, mate, or pilot. Break out, rig, overhaul, and store cargo-handling gear, stationary rigging, and running gear. Perform a variety of maintenance tasks to preserve the painted surface of the ship and to maintain line and ship equipment. Must hold government-issued certification and tankerman certification when working aboard liquid-carrying vessels.
Job Zone

Job Zone Two: Some Preparation Needed

These occupations usually require a high school diploma and may require some vocational training or job-related course work. In some cases, an associate's or bachelor's degree could be needed.

Interests
Realistic - Realistic occupations frequently involve work activities that include practical, hands-on problems and solutions. They often deal with plants, animals, and real-world materials like wood, tools, and machinery. Many of the occupations require working outside, and do not involve a lot of paperwork or working closely with others.
Conventional - Conventional occupations frequently involve following set procedures and routines. These occupations can include working with data and details more than with ideas. Usually there is a clear line of authority to follow.
Enterprising - Enterprising occupations frequently involve starting up and carrying out projects. These occupations can involve leading people and making many decisions. Sometimes they require risk taking and often deal with business.
Knowledge
Transportation - Knowledge of principles and methods for moving people or goods by air, rail, sea, or road, including the relative costs and benefits.
Mechanical - Knowledge of machines and tools, including their designs, uses, repair, and maintenance.
Skills
Equipment Maintenance - Performing routine maintenance on equipment and determining when and what kind of maintenance is needed.
Repairing - Repairing machines or systems using the needed tools.
Equipment Selection - Determining the kind of tools and equipment needed to do a job.
Operation and Control - Controlling operations of equipment or systems.
Operation Monitoring - Watching gauges, dials, or other indicators to make sure a machine is working properly.
Monitoring - Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
Coordination - Adjusting actions in relation to others' actions.
Tasks
Paint or varnish decks, superstructures, lifeboats, or sides of ships.
Break out, rig, and stow cargo-handling gear, stationary rigging, and running gear.
Chip and clean rust spots on decks, superstructures, and sides of ships, using wire brushes and hand or air chipping machines.
Clean and polish wood trim, brass, and other metal parts.
Examine machinery to verify specified pressures and lubricant flows.
Handle lines to moor vessels to wharfs, to tie up vessels to other vessels, or to rig towing lines.
Lubricate machinery, equipment, and engine parts such as gears, shafts, and bearings.
Maintain a ship's engines under the direction of the ship's engineering officers.
Measure depth of water in shallow or unfamiliar waters, using leadlines, and telephone or shout depth information to vessel bridges.
Operate, maintain, and repair ship equipment such as winches, cranes, derricks, and weapons system.
Overhaul lifeboats and lifeboat gear, and lower or raise lifeboats with winches or falls.
Provide engineers with assistance in repairing and adjusting machinery.
Relay specified signals to other ships, using visual signaling devices such as blinker lights and semaphores.
Splice and repair ropes, wire cables, and cordage, using marlinespikes, wirecutters, twine, and hand tools.
Stand watch in ships' bows or bridge wings in order to look for obstructions in a ship's path or to locate navigational aids such as buoys and lighthouses.
Wages

In 2008, the California average annual wage was $35,090.00.

Most people employed in this occupation were paid between $18,950.00 and $51,340.00.

Outlook

During 2006, there were approximately 2,200 people employed in this field in California. It is projected that there will be 2,400 employed in 2016. This occupation will have about 20 openings due to growth and about 80 replacement openings for approximately 100 total annual openings. This occupation .

Colleges and Training
There are currently no programs listed for this occupation.
Similar Occupations
Truck Drivers, Heavy and Tractor-Trailer - Drive a tractor-trailer combination or a truck with a capacity of at least 26,000 GVW, to transport and deliver goods, livestock, or materials in liquid, loose, or packaged form. May be required to unload truck. May require use of automated routing equipment. Requires commercial drivers' license.
Truck Drivers, Light or Delivery Services - Drive a truck or van with a capacity of under 26,000 GVW, primarily to deliver or pick up merchandise or to deliver packages within a specified area. May require use of automatic routing or location software. May load and unload truck.
Rail Yard Engineers, Dinkey Operators, and Hostlers - Drive switching or other locomotive or dinkey engines within railroad yard, industrial plant, quarry, construction project, or similar location.
Railroad Brake, Signal, and Switch Operators - Operate railroad track switches. Couple or uncouple rolling stock to make up or break up trains. Signal engineers by hand or flagging. May inspect couplings, air hoses, journal boxes, and hand brakes.
Mates- Ship, Boat, and Barge - Supervise and coordinate activities of crew aboard ships, boats, barges, or dredges.
Pilots, Ship - Command ships to steer them into and out of harbors, estuaries, straits, and sounds, and on rivers, lakes, and bays. Must be licensed by U.S. Coast Guard with limitations indicating class and tonnage of vessels for which license is valid and route and waters that may be piloted.
Motorboat Operators - Operate small motor-driven boats to carry passengers and freight between ships, or ship to shore. May patrol harbors and beach areas. May assist in navigational activities.
Bridge and Lock Tenders - Operate and tend bridges, canal locks, and lighthouses to permit marine passage on inland waterways, near shores, and at danger points in waterway passages. May supervise such operations. Includes drawbridge operators, lock tenders and operators, and slip bridge operators.
Industrial Truck and Tractor Operators - Operate industrial trucks or tractors equipped to move materials around a warehouse, storage yard, factory, construction site, or similar location.
Notes
You must be logged in to take notes, click here to login.
Job Openings
Click here for job openings in California.