Greg Hayden
 

I grew up aboard the Great Lakes ships (boats in GL vernacular) where my dad was an engineer. May 1960 I shipped out as a Coalpasser on a coal burning vessel built in 1911. I sailed the Great Lakes for the now defunct Hanna Line six years then obtained my original 3rd Assistant Engine License late March 1965. I continued to sail for Hanna as 3 A/E until September 1965 when I left the lakes to sail offshore mostly to the Republic of South Vietnam. Subsequently I made 10 'Nam voyages 1967, 68, 69, 70 and 1971. Every two years I raised my license: 2 A/E 1968, 1 A/E 1970, Chief Engineer 1972.

I quit seagoing in 1976 and joined Westin Hotels as a Maintenance Engineer. 1978 I was promoted to the newly created Assistant Chief Engineer. 1981 I was promoted to the newly created Energy Manager position and transferred to the Westin Arizona Biltmore Resort in Phoenix, AZ. I was Westin Hotels first Energy Manager.


Location: Vista, California, USA

A warm welcome aboard from the Philippines. Please enjoy all this great site has to offer

Thank You,
Greg

Greetings Greg and welcome to SH. Bon voyage.

Hi Greg as a deep-sea sailor converted to sailing on the Great Lakes I know the massive difference there is in the two types of sailing. It took a while for me to be accepted into the Great Lakes community and I had to prove I was able to do job like they did. The shiphandling and pilotage you have to know is massive and the many ports which have little in the way of facilities. Going into ports where the crew do all the mooring and casting off. Punt jobs where the boat does not go alongside. Maybe you remember these occassions but the Americian boats don't do these crazy ports as much as we did. The large 1000 footers are something to behold locking through the Soo.
Retired now but still follow the going on .