Thinking back on learning the trade from my uncle on the river

When I was a kid, my uncle would let me ride along on his cutter dredge during summer breaks. He taught me to check the pump pressures and clean the intake screen, all while joking about his own messy first days. Back then, my cousins and I would pile into the work boat, sharing lunches and getting sunburned together. Now, with remote-operated dredges and automated logs, I spend my shifts alone in a control room. My own son has only seen the equipment on video calls from my phone. The work gets done faster, but it feels disconnected from those loud, family-filled days. I try to tell him stories, but it's not the same as handing him a wrench. How do you balance new tech with keeping the personal touch in your work?

3 comments

3 Comments

jamieclark1mo ago

New tech gets the job done right every time without the mess. It cuts out the guesswork and keeps people out of dangerous spots. Sticking with old, loud ways just makes work harder than it needs to be.

the_riley25d ago

Wait, didn't I read that some airlines won't let new pilots skip basic stick and rudder training even with all the auto-pilot? @jamieclark makes a good point about safety, but maybe the old way builds a gut feeling the screens can't give you. If the tech fails, you need that hands-on instinct to not panic. It's like keeping a map in the glove box even when you trust the GPS.

margaret_gibson701mo ago

My buddy Dave runs a small engine repair shop. He bought a fancy diagnostic tablet but still makes new guys take a carburetor apart blindfolded first. Says they need to feel the parts before they can read the screens.