Towboat companies have different work schedules. Some are 28 days on the boat and 28 days at home. Some companies are 30 & 30, 30 & 15 or 21 and 21 day work schedules. The starting point on the River is called a deckhand in training (green man, green horn or new guy). This is a starting point for anyone who would like to work on the River. You will have to work in all type's of weather being spring, summer, fall and winter. When you talk to anyone about working on the River the first thing that comes to their mind is you have to be away from home for extended periods of time. You will have to work with all types of people and be able to get along with them. Sometimes the work is hard, sometimes it is easy. Working on the River is like no other job in the world. You spend your entire trip going up and down the River. It seems that you will still see or learn something new every day!

Zeb walking with the pump hose and a gas can.

You will be working with the mate or watchman. You should look to them for any instructions on how best to do a job. Working on the River is and can be a very dangerous job if you are not watching what you are doing. The mate or watchman is the person who will show how things are done on the river and he will show you the best way to do them. Most boats work six hour shifts. Which mean you will be working for six hours and off for six hours. While working on your six hour shifts you could be doing any of the following: Building tow which means picking up or dropping any barges at one of the many fleets that are on the River. A fleet is a area that holds barges that are loaded or empty. You may be making a lock which will take you from one pool stage to another. When building a tow, you lift, carry and work with heavy rigging. Y ou may splice lines or be making bumpers. You will be checking to make sure that the barges are not leaking every watch and tightening all of the rigging on the tow ( rigging are the wires that hold the barges together that you a hauling in your tow ). You will be setting out running lights and depth finders. You may have to stand out on the head of the tow ( group of barges ) and be a lookout with a hand held radio informing the captain or pilot in the wheelhouse on any navigation hazards.

Paul and Chris in the crew lounge.

Boat duties that you will be doing, will be keeping the boat clean inside and out. Waxing or buffing the floors, painting the boat, washing windows, polishing brass, washing the boat down when dirty or if there is any other projects that need to be done. You may be launching the yawl for some reason or another. You will find that the pride in ones work will run deeper than the river itself and no one day is like the next. When your off watch most crew members get a bite to eat, get cleaned up, and go to sleep until they are called for the next watch. You can do what ever you want to when your off watch, you can read, write or call home. You can watch TV or a movie. You might want to bring a camera and a pair of binoculars because you just never know what you might see pop out on the river!

All boats have standard boat rules which are not hard to follow but are for your own safety! There will be times when you can pick up personal items from books to stamps to cokes. This is what's called a Boat Store.

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