Assistant Boat Master

The Methodist Church in Britain; Gourock, Dunoon; On-site; GBP 55,000 - 65,000; Full time

Job summary

CalMac Ferries in Gourock is seeking a permanent full-time boatmaster crew role on Clyde passenger vessels. You will lead safety, run engine systems, and exercise command authority as boatmaster when required. The job includes ticketing, cash handling and daily vessel checks.

The role demands a ENG1 medical, a boatmaster licence, and residence within commuting distance of Gourock.

Qualifications

• Boatmaster licence and passenger vessel endorsement or equivalent for service vessels.
• GMDSS Short Range Certificate and STCW2010 Basic Elements are required.
• ENG1 medical certificate with no limitations is necessary.
• All listed registrations and licences must be valid for Clyde routes.
• Experience in safety management and incident response is essential.
• Ability to manage passengers and crews in emergency situations.

Responsibilities

• Ensure passenger safety and compliance with safety management systems.
• Take command decisions as boatmaster for passenger and crew safety.
• Maintain lifesaving equipment and run emergency drills.
• Coordinate emergency procedures and call for external assistance when needed.
• Operate and monitor main engines, generators and vessel systems.
• Ensure MCA compliance and vessel stability criteria.
• Carry out routine maintenance, cleaning and reporting faults.
• Oversee mooring, bunkering operations and logging.
• Count passengers and manage ticketing and cash handling.
• Provide high quality customer care to passengers.
• Maintain logbooks and records accurately.

Skills

Stakeholder management

Safety leadership

Emergency response

People management

Education

Boatmaster Licence (Tier 1/2)

GMDSS SRC

STCW2010 Basic Elements

Fire Prevention & Fire Fighting

Elementary First Aid

Personal Survival Techniques

ENG1 certificate

Pilot Exemption Certificate

PSSR

Job description

A permanent full-time post with CalMac Ferries, working as crew on the Clyde passenger vessels and covering relief command when needed. The work centres on passenger and vessel safety, running machinery and safety systems, mooring, and ticketing and cash handling, with full command authority when acting as boatmaster. The rota runs one or two weeks on and off, depending on the vessel allocated, across 42 hours. A boatmaster licence, an ENG1 medical and living within daily commuting distance of the base are central to fit.

What the job involves

• Ensuring passenger safety and compliance with the company safety management system
• Taking command decisions for the safety of passengers, crew and vessel when acting as boatmaster, including refusing passengers and dismissing seafarers for misconduct
• Maintaining lifesaving and firefighting equipment and safety systems, and running emergency drills
• Co-ordinating emergency procedures and summoning outside assistance when needed
• Starting, stopping and monitoring main engines, generators and other ship systems, with daily checks and corrective action
• Ensuring the vessel is manned to MCA requirements and stability criteria are met
• Carrying out routine, planned and general maintenance, cleaning and painting, and reporting technical faults
• Undertaking mooring and bunkering operations
• Counting and recording passengers and ensuring numbers meet passenger certificates
• Issuing tickets, collecting fares, handling cash and depositing takings
• Providing customer care to passengers
• Keeping the official logbook, garbage record book and oil record book up to date

Qualifications

• Tier 1 Level 2 Boatmaster Licence with passenger vessel endorsement, or Tier 2 Level 2 endorsed for service vessels and area
• GMDSS RYA Short Range Certificate
• STCW2010 Basic Elements
• Fire Prevention and Fire Fighting
• Elementary First Aid
• Personal Survival Techniques

Registration & licences

• Valid ENG1 certificate with no limitations
• Pilot Exemption Certificate for relevant Clyde routes
• PSSR

Skills & knowledge

• Building close working relationships with internal marine, technical, area operations and port managers, and external stakeholders on operational and marine matters

Other

• Living locally or within daily commuting distance of Gourock

Nice to have

• Safety focus and familiarity with CoSWP, permit to work and risk assessment processes
• Strong awareness of the business environment
• Robust customer interface and a proactive, positive approach to customer care