I agree with you, there is a critical shortage of Pilots in the
maritime industry, as I stated in a previous letter, some companies are going
to the extreme to get personnel on their boats. I just finished out a
trip and was surprised at the boats who were now displaying banners
begging for wheelmen. I was also surprised at the price the “companies”
were offering for trip pilots. I do have to disagree with you on the
pilots demanding the price they are now getting for tripping. Most of the
companies are offering $450 - $500 a day for trip pilots, and not the
trip pilots demanding that rate of pay. Yes, the trip pilots are now
asking and saying such things as, “$430.00 is not even worth me leaving my
driveway”, is because they know that companies are paying $500.00 to
trip. I was on a vessel last trip, and during that time, I had 4 companies
call me to see if I was available. Once I told them I was already on a
boat, 2 of them offered me more money and also said they would send a
taxi for me then and there, just so I could catch their vessel. I must
admit, it was tempting, but I did not leave the company I was tripping
for in the predicament of having to find someone else to take my place,
and I am also a man of my word. If I promise a company that I will trip
for them for 28 days, I will stay until my trip is done, unless it is
too unbearable to last. Now, don’t get me wrong, I have walked off a
couple of vessels lately, but not because of more money or promises of
something else. I walked off because of vessel personnel problems.
As far as trip pilots being called “prima donas”, yes, I agree, some
of them think they are better than others. I know, I was one of them in
my younger days, and I paid for it later in life, and with a couple of
companies, I still am. But, there are still a few trip pilots that take
this profession seriously. We still give the company an honest days
work for an honest days pay. Some of us still know that our job does not
begin or end in the wheelhouse. We know that from time to time we are
going to have to get dirty by helping inexperienced deckhands lay
rigging, or at least show them. We know that an inexperienced man may not know
how to change fuel filters or change oil in the Main’s. We know that
from time to time we are going to be called upon for certain things that
the lesser experienced men cannot do. Those of us who think all we have
to do is drive the boat for 6 hours at a time has forgotten that
someone trained us. I will never forget what a fantastic Captain who helped
train me told me once, “Son, never forget where you came from, you were
on the deck before you got to the wheelhouse”. I will never forget what
Captain Israel Lewis of WGN told me, nor will I forget the things he
showed me.
In my younger days as a freshly licensed pilot, I was like 90% of the
others as well. I had a cocky attitude, I thought I was God’s gift to
towboating. I would walk off a boat in a heartbeat or pop someone upside
the head if they ticked me off, but that was back in the 80’s, and
things have changed today. Today I am much older and wiser, and I am paying
for some of the things I did in my youth.
I also agree that some trip pilots could not find or keep a steady job
because of their boat operating abilities, I have rode with some of
them lately. I have seen guys run aground and never report it to anyone,
never get an oversize tow permit nor hold safety meetings and drills. I
have been contracted out a few times to run the front watch with
another trip pilot, and I always hold safety meetings and drills. I do this
because not only is it required by the USCG and the AWO-RCP, but because
if something happens on board, the crew will know what to do, they won't
be running around like chickens with their heads cut off, and when an
emergency situation arises, I may be in bed asleep, and I sure don’t
want to die on a boat.
Now, don’t get me wrong, I enjoy tripping around, because it gives me
a chance to meet other pilots that I have talked to for years on the
boats, but never had the opportunity to shake their hands and ride with
them. As far as the pilots “GREED” putting our industry to death, that’s
not going to happen. But, what is going to kill our industry is if we,
pilots, companies and the AWO, sit back and let the USCG and the
Government continue to impose all these new rules and regulations upon us.
That is what is going to be the demise of our industry. As I stated in a
letter that I sent to “Waterways Journal, Workboat Magazine and
Professional Mariner”, we are going to have the best regulated non-existent
merchant marine fleet in the world if we allow this to continue.
As far as some trip pilots not being able to hold full time jobs, some
would if some companies would take a chance and forgive those who
screwed up in their youth. But as long as they continue to have the “black
ball list”, the companies will not take that chance.
When I call a company, or a company calls me asking if I am available,
I ask what they are paying.
Once they tell me what they are paying and the tow size, if I think the
money is fair, I will do a trip for them. I don’t try to rape them or
empty their wallet. All I ask for is a fair days pay, travel expenses to
be paid and a full day pay on and off the boat. I think that is only
fair.
Respectfully
Gary Hensley
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