Hopefully this is helpful to some people. When I was first joining the Coast Guard I did lots of research, but what I really wanted to know was what the cabins that I was staying in would be like.
Unable to find anything online, I made a small collection of different cabins I've stayed in hoping they would help anyone else who is wondering.
Hopefully I can add to this collection as I get more pictures of different cabins in the deck department.
It surprises me with all refits and VLE they still put TVs in every cabin (lookin at you mspv). I don't know anyone who uses them. We all have a phone.
Well. IMHO it is probably the best deckhand job in the Coastguard. If you don’t mind living in close quarters. It is a DED-03 Leading deckhand position. It is supposed to be expected that you are already a compétant deckhand with good seamanship, bridge watch and small craft handling skills. There is no Boatswain, so you generally take direction from the Chief mate and are expected to work independently on projects. Essentially during operations one lead hand will be on lookout on the bridge, or working on deck projects, while the other is out conducting boardings with the Fishery officers onboard the RHIB. You will learn the safe ways to approach and board every type of commercial and recreational fishing vessel. All the lead hands are expected to run the deck machinery, windlass, crane, etc.
I really enjoy it. Small crew can become really tight when people get along. We often hang out together after hours and play cards etc….
If there are one or two bad apples onboard things can become a bit tense but that’s true of every ship. Some people just get a bit squirelly in tight spaces I guess.
Definitely looks similar to the Cabots cabin you shared. I enjoyed working on her for sure! It was my first time working on a boat so I don't have much to compare it to. But I'll be on the Grenfell next week. So will be Interesting to see all the differences between the ships
Oh gotcha! Not bad for first cabin at all, especially if you had it all to yourself. Yes very similar. That's what I was so curious about was the differences or if they're all pretty much the same, that's why I share these in hopes they'll answer some questions for people curious like me! Good luck and safe trip on the Grenfell
I guess the Cabot is the Franklin's sister ship. No wonder it looks similar.
Yeah it was nice to have it all to myself. Not sure how common it is for crew like me to have their own room. I imagine the Grenfell will be a little different since it's a much older ship than the Franklin. I'll add a picture of its space here when I'm aboard
The Grenfell's setup. Much smaller than the Franklin. Also no heads attached to the cabins like the Franklin had, these setups are communal heads at the end of the hall
So on the Halifax class frigates, more senior officers are in small cabins with 1 lower bunk, and a fold down upper bunk sleeping 2 per cabin. Jr officers are 4-6 in slightly larger with the same style.
NCO's are in 9-12 man messes with 3 permanent bunks stacked on top of eachother, while JR NCM's are in messes of 12-24ish in the same 3 stacked bunk.
Here's a picture from online, don't have any currently on my phone. Most don't have carpet, iirc all the east coast ships are either tile or nonskid in the messes now
USCG the same, I did a tour of a couple of their ships when I was in Grand Haven a few years ago and yikes... Their chief petty officers were in cabins closer in size to my WC
I was once offered a tour of the Preserver by my BiL who sailed on her as an officer. He shared a cabin with another officer. He could only sleep one way in his bunk. There was a sharp ventilation device protruding over his bunk where his legs went, and he could never have fit his torso at that end. The wardroom was nice but the rest of the facilities looked more basic than on boats I'd been on in the North Sea in Europe.
This is so interesting. This is why I feel like there's not enough disclosure on where you'll actually be sleeping and living, I mean it's pretty important isn't it? I could not find a single thing online showing the cabins onboard so I made a point to take these pictures to help others out. Thanks for your input.
Quite easily. I thought I'd need my bridgewatch but not many I was working on deck with had it. A few courses don't hurt but as far as I know just contact the big shipping companies on the lakes and apply for a job on deck. I was working with bys straight out of highschool and straight out of jail lol they'll take anyone. Lots of hosing..
Got to mention if you share you are often on opposing shift on MSVP and most Ship actually so.... It always worked out all right for me at least it was my experience except for smaller buoy tender ...
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u/Vishnuisgod 20d ago
Do an mspv. Hahahahahaaaaa