Re: Looking for a job in Marine field?
There are a lot of independent guys up here in Seattle - and there are a LOT of boats. A guy I met today is a diver and works on bow thrusters, rudders, etc. on the big boats. Much of the fleet from "Deadliest catch" calls Ballard home port. There are also a ton of marine service companies in the area. Much of this work isn't glamorous but it's pretty cool if you like something different. Much of what these guys do is the equivalent of working on prop-driven 18-wheelers.
For about 10 years I sold, installed, and serviced the packing equipment on the factory processors. An interesting part of supporting the NW fleets is that much of the work requires flying to Alaska for a few days worth of 20 hour shifts (all expenses paid, lol!) since most of the fleets are EXTREMELY loyal to guys they know and trust. The first time I was on one of those boats I thought I was going to get sick from the smell, but I got used to it after 1/2 hour. Then someone would open a couple hatches somewhere above deck and the smell of bleach and ammonia would pour through the factory deck, but I got used to it after about 1/2 hour, then ports would close...you get the picture. There's not much more exciting than taking off from Dutch Harbor in a tiny aircraft and watching the runway disappear into 200' cliffs and ocean.
It was so much fun - but that was in the 90's when I was in my 20's. Now it's just fun to talk to my kids about. But the bug never completely leaves you.
Here's a pic of what the "Marine Industry" looks like out here. This is just a sliver of what ports out here.
