bit of a stupid question regarding working ratios and holidays.

[Unregistered]

Is it possible to be able to work on a ship for say, six months continuously, and have the next six months off? Is this kind of thing unheard of?

If so, what is the largest amount of time you have heard of someone working on a ship, and the largest amount of time off?

[Ducki52]

Usually it's time on equals time off, so I'm sure you could work the full six months, however, would you want to? Is there any particular reason?

[ETwhat?]

theres plenty of companies where its a month on 15 days off, making 4 on and 2 off. the big difference is that if you work 4 months and have no expenses its then perfectly possible to live for 6 months unemployed

[tlloyd1983]

I am currently scouting for work for when I qualify in a few months, 3:2 seems to be the ratio offered by a majority of the companies I have looked at.

[alistairuk]

It's not impossible, if you are working (like me) for a company that essentially does rolling contracts (majority of companies do this including several cruise lines);

By that I mean, your "contract" is only when you are on ship / at sea... Ie; I agree to join ship on X date for 4 months... at end of 4 months, I leave ship - end of contract... If I choose to return I get issued a new contract for the next trip - I personally find this way more flexible than being permanently employed where your holiday period is set in stone.

As such I can pretty much have as much time off as I want - although I do need to fit in with a rotation on a ship somewhere - and obviously since you are only paid while on ship - you will get more per month than permanent contracts, but if you take more time off than the norm (eg 4:2 / 3:2) it will work out per year a lot less when compared!

[Steve]

Back in the old days 6 month trips used to be routine deep sea. In the even older days trips could last years.

[billwillis]

Back in the old days 6 month trips used to be routine deep sea. In the even older days trips could last years.

Ahhh....to be alive in the times of the square riggers.

[Steve]

Ahhh....to be alive in the times of the square riggers.

I'm still talking about motor/steam ships.

[billwillis]

I know

[GuinnessMan]

Is it possible to be able to work on a ship for say, six months continuously, and have the next six months off? Is this kind of thing unheard of?

If so, what is the largest amount of time you have heard of someone working on a ship, and the largest amount of time off?

Unless you're on a set rotation with another officer, then it's not that easy to get as most generally want 3:2....

[Aleorea]

Some of the better deep sea companies will give you 3 months on 3 off. The other ones will give you a raw deal such as 15 days leave for every 30 on ship. The higher rank you get then the better work to leave ratio you get. Working offshore contracts are almost always between 4 weeks on/off and 6 weeks on/off. Zodiac cadet I knew spent over 7 months on ship during a sea phase... he came back a "changed" man...

[tlloyd1983]

A friend of mine (also with Zodiac, same guy?) did a mega stint on a Zodiac bulker. Longest I did on a Zodiac ship was 5 months, was great, I prefer a slightly longer contract. You get to know the ship really well.

[Aleorea]

A friend of mine (also with Zodiac, same guy?) did a mega stint on a Zodiac bulker. Longest I did on a Zodiac ship was 5 months, was great, I prefer a slightly longer contract. You get to know the ship really well.

Nah this lad was on a car carrier. Longest trip I did as a cadet was 6 months... And hopefully I will never have to do that again. Long trips are fine but if you get stuck with a bad captain then your knackered. Know a few old captains and they say back in the 50's and 60's it was you were actually happy to do 18 months trips and the like, because in those days you actually regularly got a good stretch alongside in some exotic ports where you could have a great time. But those days are mostly gone, and being stuck on a cargo ship for 6/7 months is not fun (Unless your Filipino).

[Dazzle]

I thought 4:2 was the norm for deep sea these days

[Hatchorder]

As a cadet my longest trip was 6 1/2 months. A double header on one of the OCL Bay boats. Europe to Australasia. Because it was such a great trip I loved it and did not have a problem with doing a long trip. Spare a thought though. I do not know if it is the same now but crew members from Africa and China had to do either 1 year or 2 year trips, with no leave!

Ian.