Cadet Observer & Steamboats

Well, one company operating a large steamboat would be the New Orleans Steamboat Company running the NATCHEZ. She's only 1,384 tons, but I'm pretty sure the captains there hold an unlimited. As for the C and T-Nav, I dont know if they have that. I don't know the hiring situation down there, but if there were a spot open, we would definitely want someone with experience. I'm pretty sure there's an application on the website if you wanna check it out.

Mathew the Str. Badger, ferry on Lake Michigan is 2033 net, 4244 gross. It makes daily trips across from Ludington, MI to Manitiwoc, WI

Riding Ships On The Mississippi River ??

Mat ,
Unfortunately there are no longer any unlimited tonage steamboats that now operate on the Mississippi River system . The Str. Natchez , which is a harbor excursion boat here in New Orleans , is under the unlimited tonage perameter that your are looking for . I am a La. State Commissiond river pilot and I pilot ships between New Orleans and Baton Rouge , La. . If it would help you with your endeavors you would be welcome to ride a few ships with me , that do have the unlimited tongae to meet your requirements . My e-mail adress is :
[email protected] . Good Luck withy your plans !
Ted Davisson

Mathew Stage;16676 wrote: Part of the licensing requirements here at school is every summer I have to spend 90 days onboard a vessel, in order to qualify for my unlimited tonnage 3rd mates license. I wanted to know if any of you that have worked onboard the larger steamboats have ever had Cadet’s onboard training, our summer sea term is between May & August.

I’m going to be going on our schools training vessel this summer, however next summer I would love to be able to be onboard one of the steamboats to gain my sea time. My school doesn’t have any companies in there lists that operate steamboats, as you can imagine it’s a rather unique thing, most students want to be on a modern cargo vessel or laying in the sun on a cruise ship, I prefer the history and the wealth of information I’d gain from a steamboat!

What major companies are still operating large vessels? I am going to have to approach the companies and have to summit their profiles for our school to accept them. From the brief descriptions I received the vessel would need to be at least 1,600 tons (light tonnage). The Captains & officers would have to be qualified in Celestial and Terrestrial navigation, and preferable hold an unlimited USCG license.

If anyone has any ideas on who I should approach, what vessels you’d recommend I do my program onboard with, please reply! As an observer you are required to do the same functions that the 3rd officer would do, and work the same amount of hours, it’s not a free cruise by any means, it’s meant to be a lot of work.

Thanks!
Mat

Ted Davisson;16679 wrote: Mat ,
Unfortunately there are no longer any unlimited tonage steamboats that now operate on the Mississippi River system . The Str. Natchez , which is a harbor excursion boat here in New Orleans , is under the unlimited tonage perameter that your are looking for . I am a La. State Commissiond river pilot and I pilot ships between New Orleans and Baton Rouge , La. . If it would help you with your endeavors you would be welcome to ride a few ships with me , that do have the unlimited tongae to meet your requirements . My e-mail adress is :
[email protected] . Good Luck withy your plans !
Ted Davisson

Captain Davisson, thank you for the information, I will seriously consider coming to visit you maybe during winter cadet observer which is only about 10 days. Looking at the Natchez, I don't know if it would qualify since it's going to be on the same route, however I'm going to look into it, if the Captain and Officers onboard are licensed as Unlimited Tonnage they must have all the requirements that any cruise ship or tanker Master/Officer would have.

What about the Steamboats/Riverboats out on the Columbia River and that ways, from what I read there are a few larger vessels, however correct me if I'm wrong they are all mostly diesel powered?

Thanks!

Majestic America Line, which went out of business last Fall, operated two 1600 ton vessels: The Columbia Queen & Empress of The North. Both are diesel powered. We did at times have a cadet onboard, usually from California Maritime. The Empress , due to making Canadian port calls, had to comply with SOLAS and SMS in every respect as unlimited seafaring vessels. Some of the Masters had unlimited license, others did not. This is all moot since the vessels are now laid up pending sale, but the Empress could be an option for you if she returns in the next year or two.

View From the Hawse Pipe

".... any of you that have worked onboard the larger steamboats have ever had Cadet’s onboard training...?

A couple of USMMA cadets were aboard the DELTA QUEEN for their "cruise" in 1971, or so, with hopes that they would elect to return to the QUEEN after graduation with their engineering licenses in hand. But, lo, they were never hear from again after their cadet time aboard the DELTA QUEEN was done. More than likely, it was the difference in pay they could get offshore as compared to the steamboat that influenced their decisions not to return inland after graduating from Kings Point.

It wasn't until I became one of four original Captains of the GRAND VICTORIA I, a 400-foot casino boat on the Fox River in Elgin, Illinois, did I, again, work with maritime academy grads, where I was only one of two Hawse-pipers in the deck department. Of a hundred, or more, academy grads I have sailed with, since, 99% of them were exceptional young men and women who have added greatly to the brown water marine community.