When it comes to maneuvering along the Ohio River, gone are the days of steering a towboat by a big wheel, called the helm, and charting the course of the river by paper maps.
Now Crounse Corporation towboats push barges and cruise along the Ohio River and its tributaries including excursions into Pittsburgh, Illinois, and Alabama, navigating with sophisticated instrument panels, electronic screens, and levers to push and steer the load that is 195 feet long, holds 1,700 tons and goes top speed of 6 miles per hour.
And while crew members are on board three weeks at a time, the time past tradition of long stretches of wait between ports to a pay phone to call home, or endless days of primarily only books or cards for entertainment, are replaced with cell phones, TV, DVDs, videos and sometimes even satellite service.
“There used to be pay phones at the locks and dams when we fueled and got supplies,” said David Reed, who has been port captain for Crounse for 19 years, and has worked in the shipping industry 38 years. And if there were an emergency between ports, “we had a marine operator, and a radio link, but it was not a private line.”
As port captain at Crounse’s Maysville office on Commerce Street, Reed’s duties include serving as liaison between crew and management, dealing with regulatory matters and running the office. The Crounse Corporate office is in Paducah. The company employees 300 people, has a fleet of 27 towboats, 860 barges and hauls more than 30 million tons a year, according to its Web site.
While Reed misses his adventures of 22 years as captain on the water, he said, “I like going home at night.” That’s because the crew of seven on each tugboat learns to live out of a suitcase on a 21 days on and 21 days off schedule. The same crew usually remains together, said Reed, with some working together for years.
As they float down or up the river, crew members spend their time on a rigid schedule of six hours on duty and six hours off, attending to the needs of the boat and the barges full of coal, or aggregates including limestone headed to a distant destination.
The captain of the ship and pilot, in essence a captain in training, work together. The captain works 6 a.m. to noon and the pilot noon to 6 p.m. The captain resumes work 6 p.m. to midnight and the pilot takes over the ship’s duties midnight to 6 a.m.
“That’s called the front and back watch,” said Reed.
Other crew members include the chief engineer and second engineer who deal with the motors, making rounds in the engine room and repairs to the boat, filters and doing preventative maintenance, Two deckhands attend to the large barges, general maintenance of the vessel, keep on eye on the hatches to look for water in the voids and if any is, found pump it out, help tie barges on and together, and help the captain guide through the various locks encountered on a trip. They also “sooge” the boat, giving it a good wash down with soap and water three times a trip because of the coal residue that wafts onto the boat from the barge being pushed ahead of it. When their specific work duties are done they are “on watch” until relieving the person replacing them.
Each pair share duties, and are roommates as well. Each sleeping quarter is outfitted with bathroom, two single beds, dresser drawers for both, and a TV. Crew members bring in their own sheets and blankets to personalize their stay.
And don’t forget the cook. He or she is on his or her own schedule. Reed said Crounse has a 50/50 split of men and women in the position.
A galley kitchen, outfitted with a commercial stove, refrigerator, freezer and full pantry is the cook’s work arena where three full meals are prepared daily.
The cook usually gets up very early and prepares a full breakfast of bacon, eggs, and homestyle gravy, according to Reed. Those on watch eat first before they relieve the next man to come on duty, and so on. Between naps to make up for the early call and meals, the cook may peel potatoes or make pies, cookies or bread.
The boats are running all the time, and if they are on the waterway come the holidays, the cook prepares an appropriate holiday meal. Reed said the crews often exchange gifts. “It’s like a second family.”
Each boat has an open galley policy where workers can come and fix themselves something to eat anytime. The galley not only serves as a place to eat, it serves as a place to hang out around a big table and TV.
“The cook is a sounding board for everybody,” Reed said. If there is a problem on the boat, most likely the cook is the first to know because the galley is a gathering place.
“They know what’s going on and the feelings of the crew,” Reed said.
The ability to get along is a big consideration when hiring crew. Reed said the boating industry generally pays good salaries, running from $30,000 entry level to $85,000 industry wide. But it’s not necessarily a good fit for everyone.
While Crounse takes applications all the time, notices are posted in newspapers when positions open. Selected applicants go through a series of tests that see if their personality, physical and oral abilities are suited to the position.
Crew members have to maneuver on walkways 18 to 20 inches wide, “It’s a dangerous job,” Reed said. “Crew members are out in the environment in a moving vessel and inclement weather including snow, ice and rain all hours, day and night.”
Reed said boats run in restricted visibility with fog. And if the water is high, it’s equally if not more dangerous.
Hands are wet, cold and frozen in the winter. And in the summer it’s very hot on the boat with heat radiating from the steel structure. Crew members are encouraged to be aware of their conditions, preventing frostbite in the winter and drinking lots of water to prevent heat exhaustion in the summer.
“It sneaks up on you,” Reed said.
Once hired, crew members not only have to learn the ropes, but learn things no one can teach including how to manage time, deal with isolation and loneliness, how to get along with others, and tolerate separation from family Sometimes it’s harder on the family members who stay at home. Reed suggests the worker put a list together for their family of who to call in an emergency, including home repair emergencies.
Justin Bonnell is a second engineer in his late 20s from Brooksville who began as a deckhand a few years ago.
When asked how he became interested in working on a boat he said, “It sounded like a good job for me as a single guy.”
“The schedule is nice,” Bonnell said, because he can take a vacation on his three weeks off. And he said the food is great. He never has to worry about packing a lunch and what to eat.
He said those who would consider working on the boat should “consider to be away a good part of the time and expect to do some work. Be ready for what it is,” he said. “Also you’ll be isolated with six other people.”
Bonnell brings magazines, books and watches TV to pass the time. He said his first trip out he made sure to bring his duffel bag, clothes and shampoo, but forgot cigarettes and had to go half the trip without them.
Perhaps one of the most difficult things to get used to on the boat, Reed said, is sleeping.
“Your sleep pattern is broken up,” Reed says with the six hour rotation. And veterans have to remind the newer, younger crew members especially to pace themselves and not spend all their waking hours watching TV or playing video games. Getting plenty of exercise is encouraged, and sometimes crew members bring exercise equipment on board if there is an extra room.
“They have to learn to manage their time,” Reed says.
Crounse Captain Dan Mattox agreed.
“Fatigue is one of the worst enemies on the boat. I try to get as much rest as I possibly can.” Mattox, a veteran river boatman from Fleming County.
“It’s a great career The hardest is staying away from family an extended time,” Mattox said. He said the divorce rate is high in the industry. He and his wife, Carolyn have been married 44 years and have worked out a system through the years. She even worked as a cook at one time on another line and understands the ins and outs.
“It’s hard for the younger ones and girlfriends,” she said. “I don’t have any small children; it’s a little better for me than some,”
Mattox has only three requirements of his crew: “Do your job. Keep the boat clean. And get along together.” He said he’s fortunate to have a “really good crew.”
A captain just doesn’t sit back and daydream. “You’ve got to know where you want to be at any given time,” Mattox said. “As I drive the boat I think what’s going to happen 5 miles down the river. Is there a bridge, a lock? You have to be in the right place.”
Ten years ago a good radar system was installed on the boats which gives a real-time picture of what’s ahead. Looking on the monitor, you can see blips on radar which identify buoys, bridges, and other items.
Around the captain’s cabin is a VHF radio, radar, coffee pot, binoculars, navigational charting, fax, cell phone, e-mail capability, throttles and yes, even paper charts as a backup, (plus a hidden toilet to be used in case of emergencies),
Behind the instrument panel is the captain’s chair, and behind it a “liars bench” where crew members can come up and sit and chat.
As he’s piloting the boat, Mattox is looking for obstructions in the river such as buoys, bends, tight places and bridges. Equal danger can come when dealing with low water or high flood water, and another obstacle… pleasure boaters.
“Pleasure boaters are my biggest nightmare,” Mattox said.
“My tow is the size of four football fields end to end, or one fifth of a mile, at least 1,200 foot out there,” Mattox said. “We push 30,000 tons fully loaded, and go 5 miles per hour.”
Reed said pleasure boating is an on-going concern.
“I encourage anyone considering coming to the river in a boat to investigate the area, know the hazardous, learn safe boating rules and the dangers and act accordingly,” Reed said.
Captains don’t have the entire river to themselves. Any day you head down to the river you can see towboats pushing barges passing one another.
Mattox said if his boat is heading north and another is coming southbound, the southbound has the right of way, because they are harder to control. So the captains or pilots ID each other and determine where they are, what’s ahead and where they plan to meet. Upon approaching within eyesight of three quarters of a mile, they blow the boat’s whistle.
One whistle is left to left, or port to port, and two whistles is right to right, or starboard to starboard, meaning with a two-whistle signal the other boat would pass on the starboard, or right side of the vessel. Every vessel, tow or tugboat is required to blow unless they have an agreement on channel 13 of the VHF radio to communicate. Five whistles means danger ahead.
Captains also have to be prepared to enter the locks.
“There is a series of locks down the Ohio River,” Reed said.
The water levels aren’t the same along the way. Boats have to transition from one pool, or level to the next, It takes 30 minutes to an hour. Based on elevation. Pittsburgh is the highest and Cairo. Ill., the lowest.
Reed said deckhands are the captain’s eyes when it comes to making a lock.
Mattox agreed.
“The tow is 1,200 foot by 105 wide, and the lock is 110 feet wide,” Mattox explained. The deck hand helps direct him to guide the barges and boat into the locks safely.
He remembers early in his career before Crounse when he first learned to make a lock, and didn’t have any formal training. A crew member asked “Do you think this is where we’re all going to die?” and Mattox replied, “Lord, I hope not.”
While many employees of Crounse are first generation, there are families serving in their fourth generation on the water.
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