How to get a job on a TUGBOAT! Everything you need to know!! 

I’ve been sailing for 18 years on tankers. And I absolutely appreciate and approve of this video. Great info and he kept it simple, and easy to understand.

Same principles apply to most professions! Different certifications, but show up, be quiet, listen, work hard, be respectful, polite- 35 years as a policeman. Awesome video Ian.

When I first started repairing forklifts, the company put me with the most cantankerous grumpy person I ever met. I thought the company was trying to get me to quit. I listened, learned and tried to stay one step ahead of him without being told. He taught me a lot. Not only forklifts but life in general. He always told me “ don’t make the same mistakes I did boy”. We ended up becoming good friends. He taught me a lot about everything he knew. I am retired now at 54 and try to share what I learned thru life. RIP Bob!

Had a friend who was a Capt on ocean tugs. He explained his work as 99% boredom and 1% terror. Rip Richard, Gone too early.

Your advice on how to conduct yourself as a new hire is universally applicable to most, if not all, jobs. No one likes a know-it-all no matter what the situation. Some of the best advice I ever got as a young rookie lawyer was from the senior law partner who was fifty years older than me. He also gave me some Datil pepper plants to plant in my yard. One of his sayings is that things are hardly ever as bad or good as you first think they are. This is true.

Your tips are universals for most all jobs.

After being in the USCG and USN, I never thought I'd come across another "Sea Daddy". Cheers to Tug Trash Outdoors.

I did Alaskan King crab fishing for 8 years. What you see on the shows is what’s it’s like minus the reality TV BS but being up 17-24 hours strait freezing cold hungry nauseous and being in constant pain etc. I learned a lot from a guy named Wade he was the meanest and most grumpy guy to everyone else but me because I gave him respect and knew the rule. “Know your role and shut your hole”. He also joked with me saying “you’re a giant 6’6 Ogre who could kick my ass” 🤣🤣 I guess being a big dude helped haha love the videos man God Bless.

I was lived on an aircraft carrier for 10 years, and loved it.

My grandpa and all three of his younger brothers started out as deckhands on river barge line towboats. He and his youngest brother ended up chief engineers. One brother was an anssistant engineer and one a captain.

Head down, ears open, opinions to yourself. Words to work by for a beginner for sure. Gonna make my 14 son watch this one

You've just explained life!

Well said! Great video!! “Shower!” - it’s funny to me that you have to put that in, but some people must not shower. 😂

I got my start working offshore on anchor, handling tugboats. I’m glad I did it, really makes me appreciate the job a do now, but I wouldn’t do it again. I work on drilling, rigs and production platforms now as a third-party rope access tech a whole lot more fun more money. And you were absolutely right. If you don’t have a solid homefront, it makes this job extremely hard my wife and kids don’t like me leaving but very supportive and it makes it a whole Lotta easier.

You have definitely explained your life in a hand bag... Being away from family is the hardest part of your life.God Bless you for what you do....

Stumbled in here and, Ian, this is gold! I am retired now but when I was 16, my parents gave me two lessons that I used in life. Mom- If someone else can do it, so can I. Dad- you're job is to make your supervisor look good. They should never have to stand before their boss and explain why you screwed up. Be on time, respectful, and do it right. I used those principles and went from a coal digging laborer to a Sr. Nuclear Mechanical Instructor/Supervisor. I got there by doing everything you said (minus the cooking, that was't required LOL).

I know for my captains license I also needed to be CPR/AED and first aid certified. I can’t say enough how important it is to get that even if not required for your employment. It will give you much more confidence in the event you ever need it. It is important to have as many people certified and trained as possible.

Love your videos man keep up the amazing content

Thanks Ian,I love all of your videos especially the ones about Tug boating,keep it up

Great insight! Keep up the great videos! Cheers for ireland

That's real informative man and it all makes perfect sense and yes absolutely do the next segment I love the tug videos it's interesting hearing that stuff

such a good honest dude this is why i watch and follow you man just great heart willing to share it with the world love that god bless see u next time my man!

Great video everything you said about pay attention and being proactive applies to every job in life. Great stuff

Pretty good of you to take the time to try and help people out.

Great video Tug, We love you so does Crystal and your daughter !!!!!! Keep the videos coming!!!!

Great video and would love to see more of a day to day life on the Tugboat. Thanks for sharing your experience and knowledge

Thanks! Been waiting for it 😊

Thank you Ian awesome video brother it is what it is and I really thought about that kind of job. Thanks for clarifying. It’s all about the drive.

Well said, Ian. Like others have already pointed out, this is universal and solid advice.

All very good advice! Excellent words of wisdom. Love the advice about paying attention to grouchy old man! So true in everything, not only on a tug.

I really enjoyed the video Ian! I am probably to old and not really interested in getting a job on a tug but I do love watching and learning what you do on the tug! I can tell the advise you gave would be very crucial for someone wanting to get into that career path as well!

Great video Ian! Not something for me, but you gave some valuable insights & tips for a lot of jobs. Thanks for sharing!!!

Really well done Video. Couldn't have been more clearer for the amount of time you had.

THANK YOU!! Very informative and very helpful. I started watching your fishing videos to remember what it was like growing up in Florida, but I got really interested in all of your tugboat videos (as new career to consider if I move back to the state).

Some pro tips from a salty Captain up North. When you are knocking on doors. Have a bag packed with everything you will need for two weeks in your car. When you finally get a call, they will need a warm body immediately. For guys working already; you are entitled to a free passport from the special issuance agency. 100% on the personality, attitude, and being a good shipmate. As captain I will often overlook deficiencies on deck if a guy is good at the rest of the job. On a tug, you have to be self motivated. If it's dirty, clean it, if its broke, fix it. If it's rusty, paint it. If it's garbage, get rid of it. For the coffee, it's usually two scoops:)

Awesome video with great info!

Subscribed after watching this. Great advice for getting a job on it and life in general.

Bro that was awsome !!!! Good job .....👍

I wish I had somebody in the family that did what you do. 30 years ago I could have just jumped right into it, instead I ended up doing truck driving. When you're tired all you have to do is go find your bunk, truck driving you got to find a place to pull over someplace where the DOT ain't bothering you. And then you could be 1500 miles from home. By the way good video. Larry

Great video! Thanks for sharing.

I was in the power industry for 38 years. What you described i can relate too. Great video, i remember my first day like it was yesterday.

Great video Captain Tug , I worked on tugs when I got out of high school but I had to go where my heart was , commercial fishing

Really enjoy your videos. It's funny because I've been in a large city Fire Department for over 20 years now and everything you mentioned regarding new deckhands on the boat is the exact same thing I tell each of our new rookies coming into the firehouse. Funny how a lot of the common sense behaviors and work ethics we take for granted and were instilled in us by our elders have been lost. But that may just be the old grumpy guy in me coming out and I'm sure our grandparents were saying the same thing about us when we were growing up, lol!! Enjoy and be safe out there

love these tug videos! Makes me want to work on one

Respect brother. Be safe an don't take any crap from the ones wanting to think they know everything. Christel is a good one . Great hard working family with some love in the house y'all.

Lots of great info, cool vid.

Great video, Ian

Great knowledge comes from people who have been through everything your facing on a daily basis I was a trainer in the trucking business I explained this to everyone I trained its important to listen and understand what your learning if don't ask questions about if your doing it right or not or you don't show the effort to do it right and be proactive its going to be short and hard it's basic stuff like you said im no longer able to drive big rigs but I still help those who ask tug trash thanks bud I even learned something from this video God bless you my friend be safe out there always jw

This is not what I wanted to see but I thought you did a very good job of explaining everything so far and I did enjoy the video. I've been a sub for several years and have watched almost if not all of your videos and have enjoyed all of them ! Keep um coming !

Great video! Would love to see the next step in the process for advancing this career

My grandpa worked on tug boats and my great grandfather was a merchant Mariner. I really want to follow in both of their footsteps.

Since Ive found you, Ive been curious about tug life and how you got into it and what not. Im in no hurry to join a crew, but damn do I love to know about things like this. Cant wait to see the next one in this series.

I was actually wondering just last week how one would get into the industry while watching one of your older tug videos. I gotta say, this was probably one of the best videos explaining the process of getting into any sort of industry I’ve seen. Cut to the chase, no long winded non important stuff. And the tip of actually listening to the old grouchy guy is spot on with almost any career path. Great video.

Very very interesting awesome video I definitely would love to hear about all the ranks or levels n what they do on a tug boat love your videos

Cool video @ Tug Trash. It's great that you can offer videos from the tug operation. I have 15 RU-vid channels that I watch from my bookmarks and I like yours being regular and also that is going to make you very popular in the future as a RU-vidr. I hope your channel gets as popular as a couple of the RU-vid channels that I watch regularly because you work hard and are a straight shooter guy. From Canada...

Man I wish I would have found this when i was fresh out of the NAvy. Safe travels Capt..

Great vid. One of my first jobs was on a stand by boat in the gulf. I rode a basket down to the boat in 18' to 20' seas. When I jumped out the basket,I fell about 8 to 10'. I was raised in South LA. ON The water. Was a whole different experience. If you want too work on any offshore boat you better be prepared for pure hell for awhile.

Thanks for the video Ian...I got my first Master's License in '74 after starting with commercial shrimping, then getting my MMD to work on offshore vessels in the Oil and Mineral Field, began towing, supplying, and handling anchors for drilling rigs and barges, and have spent many years abroad. In 2012 I retired here in Hawaii. It was an experience and you did well...just keep a record of the name of the vessel, official number, gross/net tonnage, capacity sailed as, body of water, and no. of days sailed to keep upgrading your licenses. Aloha

Awesome man!!! Great info. Cool to hear even from an outsider that may never take this path. 🤙🏼🎨🎣

Great information!

Really good advice!!!

Awesome information!!💯👍

Very interesting 🤔 Thanks, enjoyed !!

100 % relates to the fire service with everything you said.

We'll said Tug, I worked commercial and some residential carpentry my whole life. Early on as a green horn seems like everywhere you worked as a helper the higher paid carpenters didn't want you to learn but do what you told. Finally a gc hired me and offered responsibilities that opened my eyes and it was all over from there. Thanks for sharing.

Great video! Thanks for that. And surely - your advice apply to many moore areas than tugboat life. Highly recommended set of rules here.

Awesome video!

Great videos sir. Your channel has it all, big boats and fishing. What's not to like? You just got a new sub. Stay safe sir.

Like your educational skill presentation and hunter/gatherer skills.

Thanks for the information

Excellent video thank

After seein your last video of you tryin to cook ( what a hassle ) and that was probably an easy task. Love all your videos Ian , keep em comin 🚢 God bless you and Krystal

Great Video... Please do the follow up and explain the next steps up the ladder.

I am a retired otr driver. understand the self sacrifice. on the high sea? different. love this.

Ian what a great video series! Tug-boat life isn’t for me but your straight forward no B.S. ‘hey this is how it is’ talk should help any one that is looking to start. Even though I know this isn’t for me, keep going with the series I do think it’s valuable!

Great video, trying hard to get out on a boat 🙏🏻

Great stuff!

Loved this I’m a Johnny 5 more input. Fishing is my out that gets me away from my daily life but learning what other have to do to make a living I work 45 years in the plumbing field and have learned five other trades in my years. Because more input more input. Never stop learning

Wise advice

Spent 6 years active duty in the USCG, starting my career on Inland tugs next month, I have my 100 ton but I'm starting out as a OS. Thanks for the info !!

More tugboat videos !!😍

It definitely pays to have an understanding partner at home! Makes being away alot easier! You and Krystal are the dream team lol💪

Awesome video

Good stuff tug

Cool little video

I agree with all that you said because when I worked on a tugboat I listened to my father and my uncle between the both of them I became a very good mate from them between the both of them they had a total of about one hundred years total

Gooooood Vid I’ll never been on a tug but I enjoyed the vid 👍

Great video Ian. I wish i would have known all this 40 years ago. After 40 years driving a truck it sounds like a lot of things in both jobs are similar. I'd sure like to know more. I've been disabled 5 years now but i still like to learn. I'll be looking forward to it.

This was literally the video I was looking for! For the passed several days I’ve been STRONGLY considering this. I actually have my TWIC card appointment tomorrow. Now I’ve been considering river running, harbor work, or sea going. Still trying to figure out which.

Succes for you...Especially work on tenggo bravo

I can imagine that a lot of people sign on thinking its going to be a cake walk, but get a rude awakening. I used to be a ski lift mechanic, and we would get the same people, especially ones that were afraid of heights that didn't realize that 85% of the work is in the air. Great video.. and thank you for the information!

Awesome. thank you.

I am almost done getting my MMC. Lucky for me I have 11 years of Naval service as a Boatswains Mate so I get to start off as a AB. After 90 days of sea time I am going to go for my 100ton Captains license and branch out a bit and try a few things before I settle on just one.

Great series for sure! I wish I had this advice 30 years ago! I have been telling my son he should consider this field and these videos will help. One question, when it come to cooking, what are the typical meals you guys have on board?

Loved this vid man! I have no interest in being anywhere close to the water;) Cool to see what you do though! Thank you.

Your advice for a “new” deckhand can apply to any job! I work in the medical manufacturing industry (37 years), I couldn’t tell you how many new hires either know it all, or do not have the desire to listen and learn. First impressions go a long way...

Thanks Capt, Great info, sometimes I sharpen the galley knives when I"m off duty, and yes, I offer to do off duty things as well. even in my position as "Captain" ,

That was interesting. Kind of like merchant mariner work.

Great advice brotha, i retired 2 years ago i have a 1600 ton limited Oceans license, i sailed all over the world for 36 years on ATBs and like i used to tell all the young guys coming out of the sea schools you should be proud of your license, im proud of mine, but i can take that piece of paper into the engine room and show it to that engine.......it cant read, that engine doesn't give a crap about that paper, the paper just gets me a job!! as you explained a (Hawse piper) coming up its getting harder and harder for a Hawse piper to get into the industry, most companies are looking for the maritime grads...... my son is a hawse piper, he now has a 1600 ton mate near coastal license, making 700 a day in the great lakes on an ATB, he started as an ordinary seaman and gutted it out, i explained to him he didn't have any paperwork as an ordinary, you have to PAY YOUR DUES to get an AB ticket, then you are worth something to the company, they need that paperwork to satisfy contracts, before that you are as worthless as a pepper shaker!......( replaceable) you got no paperwork, so gut it out until you get that first endorsement! God speed!

I definitely enjoyed the topic for this video. I do have a TWIC, I actually renewed it while I was out on disability. I worked security at Jaxport. All right enough said there. You did say that we should give you our honest feedback I believe. And what I wanted to say was I just need to see more of what your job specifically is, either that or other people's jobs on the tugboat. You never really went into detail, only talked about how grueling and physical but also having a sense of accomplishment and motivation. I was waiting though to see what actually entails the job. You said you have more videos coming out. I'm hoping that you get more into that on them, and then I could figure out something for myself, because I'm not sure if I'm going back to security after I'm totally healed up, but I always wanted to do something or to break in to either owning a boat and chartering, or just be a first mate and do basically grunt work. I'm 56, in my second marriage. I believe that this would be a perfect match for me if I could handle what's going on. Like I said I need to get healed up first before I can even think about what I need or can do. Thanks brother! My comments are always super long. And I apologize for that, but I like to think that maybe I'll seem more interested than the regular average Joe, and really much so, I do! So do me a favor, keep putting those videos out like that and your other stuff with fishing etc. They keep me motivated and psyched up for when I can actually get back out there and do something myself! GOD BLESS!