More and more of what you mention has been creeping slowly but steadily into the realm of coastwise towing, but it is often of the cut-n-paste variety from the more highly educated/trained industry sectors and is of little use as delivered.
School after school and training session after training session seasoned liberally with “We know you’ll never/can’t do this, but we have to teach it anyway…” & “We know you’re manning levels don’t permit you to do this but…” & “We know you don’t have this equipment but…” on and on and on. Basta!
It doesn’t have to be this way. It doesn’t need to be this way. It’s just the way it is until & unless people at all levels, but especially upper management, want to get serious about more than just appearances. True culture change is very difficult to achieve, but is essential to moving beyond lip-service and safety buzzwords.
You are absolutely right about many things, including your “the fish rots from the head” analogy, both afloat and ashore.
Meanwhile, back at the tugboat, the existence of simplistic minimum UKC policies of 1-foot is just one good example (among many) of the magical thinking that seems to be everywhere. Filling out more and more forms won’t solve it. Neither will expecting important technical knowledge, skills and judgment somehow being learned by osmosis in a vacuum.
And as for the relative value of experience, especially as advertised by those that claim loudly to have lots of it? My experience has taught me not to be impressed too much by experience, mine or anyone else’s.