How to Become a Derrick Boat Captain
A derrick-boat captain, also called a derrick-boat runner, supervises the crew on a barge with a derrick. The captain oversees all aspects of the operations and crew. In addition to the technical knowledge this job requires, a derrick-boat captain also needs to be physically fit and possess personal skills such as good verbal communication and critical thinking.
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Instructions
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Decide how you will ready yourself to pass the exam administered by the Coast Guard. You can prepare by getting hands-on experience or through an educational program.
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Seek work as a seaman or deckhand, which requires no special training, to get hands-on experience.
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Attend a maritime technical school center, academy or college to gain the knowledge necessary to become a derrick-boat captain.
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Obtain a Merchant Mariner Document from a U.S. Coast Guard Regional Examination Center. In addition to taking an exam, you need to pass a drug test, possess a social security card, and provide proof of legal entry into the U.S.
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Contact a maritime affiliate company or union to seek work as a derrick-boat captain once you have passed your exam and obtained the proper paperwork. The rate of unionization for merchant mariners is 36 percent, which is higher than any other occupation.
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Tips & Warnings
The U.S. Department of Labor predicts that global trade and tourism should increase water transportation jobs over the next 5 years.
Merchant mariners spend long periods of time at sea.
It can take between 5 and 8 years to accumulate enough experience to pass the required test, while mariner schools offer a 4-year program that results in a BS degree and a license as a third mate or third assistant engineer. Qualified persons could possibly receive a commission as ensign in the U.S. Naval Reserve, Coast Guard Reserve or Merchant Marine Reserve.
