Working Week

[Guest]

When at sea, is a 7 day working week the norm or are there rest days?

[Chiefy]

Re: Working Week

Working week is 7 days a week, though as a cadet you'll get some study time and maybe the odd half day in port etc but dont bank on it.

Once qualified it'll depend, Engineers try to have a half day at sea on a Sunday but it isnt guaranteed, deck team cant have that unless they have too many Mates in which case they might get a watch off over a weekend, otherwise they tend to organize themselves so time off can be had in port (again no guarantees).

[Guest]

Re: Working Week

Thanks, its something which I couldnt seem to find anywhere.

[TheHarry]

Re: Working Week

I also have a question about this, when you get to a port.. Does everyone get to have a wander around, or does it depend and if so, how ? Cheers.

[Chiefy]

Re: Working Week

It depends, on the port, the country, the security, the ships operations, the senior officers, the port location etc.......

However most cadets will get to wander around some ports some of the time

[leaky bulkhead]

Re: Working Week

I have wondered this too. I was also wondering what the typical (if there is such a thing) shift/watchkeeping pattern is for engine officers, or if this varies wildly depending on the type of ship, the company, the registration nation, etc.

[Chiefy]

Re: Working Week

Nope for engineers there are mainly 2 modes of operation.......

Daywork / UMS 0800-->1700 each and every day (with afore montioned occasional half day etc) Duty engineer is on call for his duty day (24 hours, 0800--> 0800)

Watch Keeping, 4 hours on 8 Hours off (this is normal navigator mode) so 2 watches/ day 0800-1200 and 2000-0000 or as they are called 8 to 12, 12 to 4 and (go on guess) 4 to 8

As for which you do, it'll depend on the ship and the company, I would suggest most will be daywork, BUT cruise ships are (normally?) watch keeping, containers and tankers etc can vary depending on what is happening (or broken!) Ditto Off Shore tugs

[GuinnessMan]

Re: Working Week

Never done a UMS trip.....only ever done watch-keeping.

There is also a third option for Engineers. Most places tend to frown upon it, but there is the odd evil Chief Engineer who will have the Junior Officers work a 6/6 watch with the 2nd Eng on day work.

[Chiefy]

Re: Working Week

I thought 6's had been ruled out with the HOR regulations? Other than the fact there is nothing to be gained by running that system

[GuinnessMan]

Re: Working Week

I thought 6's had been ruled out with the HOR regulations? Other than the fact there is nothing to be gained by running that system

Nope, you can still do 'em, it's just not advisable.....

[Chiefy]

Re: Working Week

Ahhhh makes sense, we used to do 6/6 when in anchor handling mode and UMS when not even had a 3/E too he just permanent duty days, but when we didnt it could get a bit hectic answering alarms AND driving the whinch

[beer-engineer]

Re: Working Week

Or the holy grail of 6 on 12 off. The bad thing of that is your up at different times everyday and can be a ball ache.

On the plus side if you get stuck 12-4 on a cruise ship you're walking smack bang middle of the work day, 4-8 your always ashore but get no sleep as theres too much going on out of work and 8-12 is a mix of good and bad but mostly good if you wanna party on a night

[stronglead]

Re: Working Week

anything beats what kind of hours i get to work here at burger king

[YoungMariner]

Re: Working Week

ah trust me if your ever unlucky enough to do 6 on/6 off plus standbys and rigging cranes (technically illegal btw) for 4 months solid without going ashore, you'll wish you were back at burger king lol, but it all adds to experience, wouldn't work in those conditions now, but as a naive junior officer, sometimes do silly things.;

[Rowdy]

Re: Working Week

I'm currently in the Royal Navy and we do 6 on/6 off everyday with duty weeks ect, this is when the caffine comes in handy! Anyone know general working hours of BPOS?