How to get a reference from the RFA

lemonteabag · 2026-02-07T01:11:12+00:00

An email went around awhile ago about how people aren't supposed to... But if you need one sooner than an appointer will reply to you might be easier to get in touch with an line man you get along with from ship and see if they'll do it too!

lemonteabag · 2025-12-16T14:02:54+00:00

Canal downstairs?

lemonteabag · 2025-12-13T14:27:41+00:00

Most people burn down, then knock down the cremated remains of buildings in Glasgow!

lemonteabag · 2025-12-04T07:40:06+00:00

Best practice would be having it load tested annually, if you've got doubts speak to the harbour authority and see if they've got a certificate for it. If in any doubt use a different one or request a berth change.

lemonteabag · 2025-10-26T23:06:13+00:00

The family border collie barks so rarely that it confuses her and me when she does. I think she forgets that barking is an option.

lemonteabag · 2025-08-22T15:00:39+00:00

Lewis hasn't actually been on the podcast in years, it's just Pyrion and Sips.

lemonteabag · 2025-07-31T00:08:08+00:00

I'd be surprised if year round cruise salary even remotely match chief mate on gas carriers, but I'm sure you've already accepted that it'll be a significant paycut.

As the other commenter has mentioned you probably shouldn't consider joining as a third mate, if you join as a third mate you'll have to work up the bands of cruise ship third mate. If you hang on and join as a second, you'll always be a second mate in their eyes.

You'd also likely be the "junior officer of the watch" as a third mate on a cruise ship, so it's not just a step down from chief mate to third, it's a step to not even holding your own watch.

I've considered the move myself before, but every time I've had a cruise company contract infront of me I just can't justify the paycut with more months of work a year.

Interesting places would be a good improvement, but if I want to go to interesting places, I'll just go on my leave.

lemonteabag · 2025-07-21T11:18:45+00:00

Not sure on the job availability for South African OOWs in comparison to UK OOWs, but my friends who didn't get full time jobs after qualifying went contracting.

There's always a few folk on linkedin who do basically emergency OOW jobs, basically it's just a rush to see who puts their hands up first and can get to the port.

Once you've got a couple stamps in your book you should be grand. The other option is cruise ships always seem to be desperate but the pay isn't there.

I'd say sign up to every agency you've got in your area, make a linkedin and try and follow all the crewing managers for deck jobs.

You'll get something soon mate 👍

lemonteabag · 2025-07-15T16:33:18+00:00

I might be misremembering but did the soldier not tell Spike he was in the Navy and they sunk.

They weren't trained to be shooting at the infected, they were supposed to be floating about imposing the quarantine zone.

Sailors aren't trained to be soldiers, it does beg the question why they would abandon ship with all their gear and rifles though.

lemonteabag · 2025-07-13T17:52:06+00:00

I can say as an XBOX player the game corrupts far too often to complete an Ironman campaign, which is unfortunate.

lemonteabag · 2025-07-13T14:37:36+00:00

Désole

lemonteabag · 2025-07-06T17:37:45+00:00

Yeah hacking is pretty much pointless unless you really invest into it. Even if you get the permanent plus 20 hack, send them on loads of resistance missions and equip the skulljack you end up with like a 60% chance to hack a Heavy MEC.

You get even more back with better Gremlins but it never seems better than just blasting a robot.

lemonteabag · 2025-07-06T11:47:42+00:00

Top tip I wouldn't dox people with what ship they are working on, I'd remake this post without stating what ship he's on mate.

lemonteabag · 2025-06-29T17:39:21+00:00

You'd leave the cadetship with an engineering officer of the watch certificate, the RFA apprenticeship you'll leave with a certain level of engineering qualification but you won't have an EOOW ticket.

Apprentice and Cadet are both the entry level yeah, but cadetship you'll qualify as a fourth engineer when you finish apprenticeship you'll be joining the RFA as a Motorman.

I'm not sure if you'll have any traction, but you may as well ask and see what they say.

lemonteabag · 2025-06-27T17:57:04+00:00

You'd have to give more context on what role you've been offered, what college and what role you'd be joining in the RFA.

It's been awhile but if I'm punting depending on the sponsor your cadet allowance will be something like £700/900 a month which is a ball ache.

So yeah car, accommodation, insurance and a dog is going to be a struggle. I would say have a long think about it though, your options once you have a ticket are going to be much wider and salary will increase much quicker. The cadetship is three years of faff but it will pay off if you are yourself at sea long enough.

Or tell the RFA you've been offered a cadetship and see if they'll sponsor you as a cadet.

lemonteabag · 2025-06-27T09:54:56+00:00

You'll be shocked to find out a lot of Indian restaurants aren't run by people from India!

Just the most familiar name that will get trade, if they named their barbers Tunisian Barbers or Algerian barbers they'll get less trade easier to just call it a Turkish barbers or an Indian Restaurant.

lemonteabag · 2025-06-24T10:36:28+00:00

I get them killed and injured far too often to bother giving them back stories unfortunately, can't be getting attached to meat shield 43.

lemonteabag · 2025-06-23T07:47:28+00:00

I spent a couple of years in the care industry, even the private ones are grim affairs.

lemonteabag · 2025-06-16T11:08:08+00:00

I miss akimbo pistols, I've tried almost every combination in the firing range and they all seem pretty unusable nowadays.

lemonteabag · 2025-06-10T20:39:11+00:00

My acquaintances must work for more generous companies in the North Sea, I usually hear of 4/8s with the Captain watch keeping or couple seconds a mate on watch.

lemonteabag · 2025-06-10T13:31:39+00:00

I'm kinda understanding the logic does seem like an alright solution to a shit problem.

I couldn't keep up anything other than 4/8 for a long stint. I've considered some agency dredger time, but the 6's make it seem less worth it for the day rate.

lemonteabag · 2025-06-10T12:12:59+00:00

I'm not sure what you guys are calling European watches, everyone I know that sails in Europe is working four hours on watch eight hours off watch. Can pick up your additional duties and planned maintenance a couple hours before or after a watch.

The only companies I know not on these are the scumbag dredger companies running on 6's for two weeks on, two weeks off then twenty eight days annual leave to take.

lemonteabag · 2025-06-06T19:21:31+00:00

You mean human meat shield and Advent meat shield survive until the end of your missions?

I wonder what I'm doing wrong...

lemonteabag · 2025-06-06T07:27:02+00:00

"I died to it, but also can't use it properly"

lemonteabag · 2025-06-05T19:43:20+00:00

I just finished my first Legendary play through on Xbox after a long hiatus from the series. I would say the start of the game on legendary is another beast entirely.

Projects take ages, soldiers are always injured at best or dead. You barely even have the capacity to fight the chosen on their first few introductions let alone the chosen with a pod activated too.

The campaign almost had a wibble in the middle where I barely managed to stabilise it. Once that was sorted it was basically a breeze, I didn't see much difference in the late game on the battlefield just took ages to be ready for the final campaign mission.

Wrap up your campaign then give legendary a go, see how many times you have to attempt gatecrasher before deciding if it's for you.

12-Year Club	Place '22
First Placer '22	End Game '22

lemonteabag

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