The way I know it, as a former pinhead, deadhead and deckhand, is that the pinheads are the younger guys who fish for free, and do a lot of the work on the boat. (scrubbing, emptying, filling, cleaning....)

Deadheads are generally older, lets say 16 on up, who also fish for free, and help scrub and clean. They are more likely to be called upon to help the deckhands should the need arise (wide open tuna bite! GAFF ON THE BOW!!!!!) Or they might throw you up on the bait tank to chum and fill baitwells during a hot bite.

Both of these are basically interns. You get to go out and watch the deckhands do what they do, and begin to do it yourself. There is no book on how to work on a boat, as each boat is different.

It is pretty hard to go out on day one and start deckhanding.

I can say this, because the first day (2nd time out on a party boat) I was to be a pinhead, on a windy twilight, it was the day of the big fire in Santa Barbara. So without any instruction, I went from first-time-outpinhead, to first deck and galley when neither of the crew showed up.

I will find an essay I wrote in school and post it if you want. It was a unique experience, fishing while Santa Barbara burned. That summer, instead of spending the whole summer as a pinhead, I worked as a deckhand, after my, shall we say, Baptism by fire.

(sorry I had to do it) : )

Marco