By Allie Brawley
Kodie Layman
As the son of a machinery technician in the Coast Guard, Kodie Layman grew up around ships and became familiar with engine rooms from a young age. He spent his youth on the West Coast, followed by high school in Milwaukee, then graduated from the Great Lakes Maritime Academy in Traverse City in 2018. When he met his wife Katrina from Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario, it was ideal for them to settle in Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan.
Academy training is to uniform standards, so Kodie’s license allows him to work on any motor or steam propelled vessel. Continual testing is required to stay certified with each specific form of propulsion, whether gas, steam or motor engines.
“I enjoy a variety of vessels and different propulsion,” states Kodie who holds a licensed steam position.
As a union member of the American Maritime Officers, Kodie started his career on the Great Lakes as a third assistant engineer. Working for Key Lakes Great Lakes Fleet over the past six years, he sailed on the John G. Munson, Edwin H. Gott, Edgar B. Speer, Presque Isle, Great Republic, Philip R. Clark, Cason J. Callaway and Arthur M. Anderson. For Central Marine, Kodie worked on the Joseph L. Block.
“Watching captains who are great ship handlers never gets old to watch – it’s pretty amazing,” states Kodie.
There are three crew departments aboard a ship: stewards, deck and engine. Engineers are the repairman for everything on board.
As Kodie describes, “it’s like a small city with power generation, sewage systems and auxiliary systems.”
Part of engineering operations includes maintaining machinery that runs 24/7 for nine months of the year. Operational failures require resourcefulness to manage while underway. Fixing a seal on a pump or cracking a cylinder head on a diesel boat while on the run are normal parts of an engineer’s role. Shifts are eight hours but when people are your best resource, crew members are always on call.
“It’s also highly regulated so there’s a full treatment plant that has to be maintained and properly operated,” Kodie explains.
It’s the responsibility to work on many little things as opposed to one focus that makes the role of an engineer so interesting. While the primary job of an engineer is below deck to operate and maintain the primary propulsion equipment, they are also responsible for all deck equipment and every mechanical aspect on a ship. Engineers manage all auxiliary equipment from deck lynches, fire mains, air lines, hatch cranes and everything mechanical which can be a challenge when the deck is iced over in January. However, weather is not the greatest challenge to working on ships – it’s balancing personal life.
“I love the job and love what I do but it’s hard to be away from home for 60 or 90 days,” says Kodie, now age 28.
For others considering a career at sea, Kodie advises to prepare for the personal life aspects.
“The shipboard comes easy. Everybody is a new person everywhere and that’s easy to get past and ship life becomes normal,” Kodie states. “The hardest part is normalizing home life.”
Recently, Kodie took an opportunity to explore the shipping industry and swap the Great Lakes to work on the deep seas. Contracting for Pasha Hawaii, he now works as a second assistant engineer aboard the 500-foot Jean Anne car carrier. He plans to take his license as far as he can by getting first assistant time to work towards a chief’s license.
While a standard Great Lakes rotation is working 60 days on then 30 days off, deep sea roles work in even rotations. He’ll work from ports in Los Angeles, San Francisco and San Diego sailing to Honolulu, then return to Sault Ste. Marie to enjoy time off with his wife and three dogs. Once his dad retired from the Coast Guard, his parents settled in Newberry so Kodie looks forward to spending more time with family during his time off.
Reflecting on his new career opportunity, Kodie says, “it will be nice to spend a summer at home in the Eastern Upper Peninsula.”
Christine Hills
Some careers changes involve a transition from industries or office locations. Christine Hills took her career change out to sea.
Born and raised in Maine, Christine met her husband John who graduated from a Maine Maritime Academy as a marine engineer.
“I was looking for a career change and I envied his time off,” said Christine. “As a manager, I would bring work home with me and he would come home from work and be on vacation.”
So she researched maritime academies and enrolled at Texas A&M Maritime Academy at age 33.
As part of an internship at the academy, Christine traveled on a liquified natural gas (LNG) carrier on 90-day voyage around South America in the Magellan Straits from Chile to Nigeria, India, Trinidad and Tobago. This initial voyage was the start of a fascinating career that would take her across many oceans to five continents after her graduation.
After graduation, Christine worked as a third mate overseeing safety matters and inspections on firefighting and lifesaving apparatus. Now her work as a second mate includes navigation, voyage planning and updating electronic charts. Her work schedule is 63 days on board a 284-foot off-shore supply vessel (OSV) Hercules that services United States government military vessels. Then she returns to the Eastern Upper Peninsula to enjoy 63 days off.
Her voyages have taken her to Columbia and Japan and many places in between. Despite rough seas in the Bering Sea near Alaska with huge rolling waves and water across the deck, there are many calm days at sea.
“It is beautiful on the ocean – you see a lot of great sunsets and sunrises and sea animals,” Christine describes among the many highlights. “So many whales jumping out of the water – it never gets old – we always grab the binoculars. It can be really peaceful and sometimes I can’t believe I am getting paid for this!”
Shifts are eight hours on and 16 hours off or 12 hour shifts when needed. Crew quarters include private rooms and bathrooms. When underway, Christine spends her time off playing cribbage, watching movies and resting to balance out the longer working days. Although she is the only female aboard her vessel, Christine considers her 31 crew mates like family who have been helpful to show her the ropes.
“I try to have people with 20 years experience take me under their wing to show me some tips and tricks.”
Careers at sea require ongoing safety training and renewing a merchant maritime card, medical certificate and transportation worker identification credential (TWIC) card.
After many years at sea, Christine’s husband took a shoreside job at the Soo Locks. They bought a home in Sault Ste. Marie which works well as a home base since it is near an airport plus friends living nearby can care for their greyhound dog while the Hills are working.
“We have sailed together before. I’m working on the bridge (navigating) and he’s in the engine room so we may not see each other during our shifts.”
Now 41, Christine is currently fulfilling a five-year contract with Great Eastern Group. While she would love to work on the Great Lakes someday (which requires Great Lakes Pilotage license) she is content right now.
“I am happy where I am. My vessel crew is my second family and the job is cool.”
For others considering a career at sea, Christine is encouraging.
“Go for it – it’s a great career. You work six months a year and you get paid to see the world!”