Predictions for turn around time on MMD AB -with FUBAR potential

<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt]<font size=3><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;]Predictions for turn around time on <?xml:namespace prefix = st1 ns = “urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags” /><st1:place w:st="on]<st1:City w:st="on]MMD</st1:City> <st1:State w:st="on]AB</st1:State></st1:place></span></font></P>
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<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt]<font face=“Times New Roman” size=3>I’ve held 100 Masters for 25 years. Eventually looking to possibly upgrade to 500 ton mate. </font></P>
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<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt]<font face=“Times New Roman” size=3>My previous employer, through August 2008, who last signed for sea service in 2005 has been unhelpful as far as my requests for sea service letter. They can’t believe that I might want to make, “mo money,” elsewhere. Imagine that!</font></P>
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<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt]<font face=“Times New Roman” size=3>On the application for MMD I’m using time on file from previous license renewals through Miami REC. I’m currently in NY harbor and will turn in paperwork at USCG, Battery REC. </font></P>
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<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt]<font face=“Times New Roman” size=3>I’ve taken AB course, 5 day Lifeboat - personal survival craft, and 5 day STCW basic.</font></P>
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<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt]<font size=3><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;]I have not taken the </span><span style="COLOR: #660000; FONT-FAMILY: Arial]RFPNW – </span></font><span style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; COLOR: #660000; FONT-FAMILY: Arial]Rating Forming Part of Navigational Watch</span></P>
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<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt]<font face=“Times New Roman” size=3>(And now a brief intermission for a personal opinion:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes] </span>The RFPNW is great for new folks. As a licensed guy, I think this is a big communist piece of crap from our friends in the United Nations who couldn’t navigate their way into a legal <st1:City w:st="on]<st1:place w:st="on]New York City</st1:place></st1:City> parking space. Where is the common sense on this one?)</font></P>
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<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt]<font face=“Times New Roman” size=3>Any thoughts on predicting turn around time for new MMD.</font></P>
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<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt]<font face=“Times New Roman” size=3>Will my paperwork be sent to <st1:State w:st="on]West Virginia</st1:State>, then on to <st1:City w:st="on]Miami</st1:City>, then back to <st1:State w:st="on]<st1:place w:st="on]West Virginia</st1:place></st1:State>? <span style="mso-spacerun: yes] </span>Do you think things could get totally fubar. </font></P>
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<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt]<font face=“Times New Roman” size=3>Thanks, and God Bless our friends in the GOM …BoatGuy</font></P>

<strong>(</strong>And now, a brief intermission for a bit of <span style="text-decoration: underline;]my</span> personal opinion - I hope you lose the attitude before you go start dealing with anyone at the customer service window, because in my estimation, spouting the verbage you did here will most likely get you the bottom of the pile status ad infinitum. Get it? Read: “There’s that pain in the ass again, put his shit on the bottom of the pile”. <br><br>As far as getting the AB ticket, and not completing the RFPNW, why bother? It doesn’t matter that you feel it’s communist manifesto - NO RFPNW, NO DRIVEY SHIP - NO DRIVEY SHIP, YOU’RE JUST ANOTHER OS. So why bother submitting the paperwork, paying the money, going through the evaluation process, getting the card issued, just to turn around again and have to re-submit it to get your STCW straight with the RFPNW. I’m not trying to bust your balls Boatguy, I am…because you’re not the first 100 ton guy to come down the pike professing the not understanding of some CFR, because he “has a license”. Get over it, regroup, suck it up, get the class or onboard evaluation done, and lose the holier-than-thou crap before you go looking for a job. It’ll get you a lot further, trust me. All of this of course, just my humble opinion.<strong>)</strong><br><br><strong>We now return to our normally scheduled programming…</strong>

<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt]<font face=“Times New Roman” size=3>Thank you Comrade El Captain or El Jefe or Fidel.</font></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt]<font face=“Times New Roman” size=3>The law according to good Party Member El Captain.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes] </span>Never question the rule makers or authority. Never have an opinion, especially one that might conflict with the Party or El Captain. We should keep our independent thoughts to ourselves least we be considered American. </font></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt]<font face=“Times New Roman” size=3>Belittle anyone who doesn’t blindly follow the party line. Yes Comrade El Captain, this plays well in <?xml:namespace prefix = st1 ns = “urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags” /><st1:country-region w:st="on]Russia</st1:country-region> and <st1:country-region w:st="on]Cuba</st1:country-region> and <st1:country-region w:st="on]Venezuela</st1:country-region>, but not in the <st1:country-region w:st="on]<st1:place w:st="on]USA</st1:place></st1:country-region>. And El Captain Righteous… last time I checked, we’re in <st1:country-region w:st="on]<st1:place w:st="on]America</st1:place></st1:country-region>, thank god.</font></P>
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<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt]<font face=“Times New Roman” size=3>In <st1:country-region w:st="on]<st1:place w:st="on]America</st1:place></st1:country-region>, and in my neighborhood, we might disagree with the placement of a red light, we will bitch and moan but we obey the law. I always treat REC professionals with the respect they deserve. This doesn’t mean I agree with some of their policies you condescending moron.</font></P>
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<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt]<font face=“Times New Roman” size=3>Yeah that’s right Comrade, this is <st1:country-region w:st="on]<st1:place w:st="on]America</st1:place></st1:country-region> and this is a forum where we re allowed to discuss things. And we might not be speaking the CFR party line, but we are allowed to point out foolishness when we see it. The fact that you are so offended that someone questions RFPNW suggests that you may have had a part in creating this poorly thought out CFR drivel. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes] </span>Sucks to be you.</font></P>
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<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt]<font face=“Times New Roman” size=3>You mentioned “Drivey the ship.”</font></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt]<font face=“Times New Roman” size=3>Who wants to drive when we have morons like you to entertain us with your hijinks. One of the great joys of being and older mariner in my 50’s is seeing pompous captains run hard aground on the rocks and shoals of hubris. They’re great on CFR’s and company policy but they can’t think themselves out of a real time jam. They swagger until things get snotty. And then when things go bad, <span style="mso-spacerun: yes] </span>and they will, <span style="mso-spacerun: yes] </span>they blame everyone but themselves. Little schoolgirls, stamping their feet, swinging their pocketbooks! My personal favorites are pilots.</font></P>
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<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt]<font face=“Times New Roman” size=3>And of course that’s when the guys with the smaller licenses or no licenses have to go out and get them out of trouble. </font></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt]<font face=“Times New Roman” size=3>You demean Ordinary Seaman. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes] </span>Sir, there is nothing Ordinary about a seaman regardless of his rating. Your contempt and pomposity suggests that you’ve never worked on deck or in an engine room as a rating. Shame on you.</font></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt]<font face=“Times New Roman” size=3>We come here as men to discuss our occupation and you attempt to demean us because you feel we are less than you. How grand to be you.</font></P>

Discuss we do, boatguy, and it now seems one of the men entering here to discuss brings conspiracy theory with him, and he should be prepared to suffer the wrath of the more clear-thinking among us. <br><br>The Illuminati did not proclaim RFPNW to be the opiate to the masses of seamen. Open your mind and you’ll find there are actually good things to learn whilst lowering yourself from your 100 ton perch to mingle with the hoi polloi who gather to learn or at the very least fill space to get yet another cert. <br><br>Methinks t’would be wise of you to humble yourself just a smidge while you consider making the leap to 500 ton Mate, sir. I’ll grant you all respect due one who has tasted the heavy burden of command, and would appreciate the same consideration from you given your aspirations to enter an world of which you know little.

<span size=“3” style="font-family: Times New Roman;]“I’ve held 100 Masters for 25 years. <strong>Eventually looking to possibly</strong> upgrade to 500 ton mate”<br><br><strong>Eventually looking to possibly</strong>? Has that been going on for 25 years? <br><br>Just freaking do it already!!!<br></span>

Actually, I wrote a couple of paragraphs to answer you Boatguy, and a few of the guys here would most likely be able fill you in on what it contained if you ask them nicely. <br><br>I did away with all those words. I decided to edit them…take them down…erase them…throw them all out. <br><br>Why? <br><br>Because I respect John too much, and ultimately, you’re not worth it.<br><br>Have a good night.

Wimp.

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<p class="MsoNormal]<span style="font-family: Arial;]"I’ve held 100
Masters for 25 years. <strong><span style=“font-family: Arial; font-weight: normal;]Eventually looking to possibly</span></strong>
upgrade to 500 ton mate”<br>
<br>
</span>
<span style="font-family: Arial;]You should have done it before 2002,
if you did you would have avoided most of the STCW stuff. If you like RFPNW, you’re
gonna love what you need to do for Mate 500… </span><p class="MsoNormal]<span style="font-family: Arial;]If your time is all on boats less than 100 Tons, it’s not going to count for RFPNW and you’ll have to get 6 months of time over 100 tons. You can do the RFPNW sign offs then, someone with your vast experience and superior skills should have no problem with it. So what’s the big problem?<br></span><p class="MsoNormal]<span style="font-family: Arial;]
What do you do in your spare time, hang around the biker bars and tell ‘em
about your Vespa?<strongr>
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<p class="MsoNormal]<span style="font-family: Arial;]CD<o:p></o:p></span>

hey boatguy, someone once told me “If it is worth bitching about, it is worth doing something about. If you are not going to do anything about it, quit bitching about it.” Sage advice in my opinion. So if you think there is a law or policy that is wrong or doesn’t make sense, either get off your a*$ and initiate action to make a change or quit your whining and shut the hell up. Also, this great country that you so proudly profess to be a part of was created & built on actions, not rhetoric. “Lead, follow, or get out of the way.”

“Can’t we all just get along?”

LOL

<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt]<font face=“Times New Roman” size=3>You have to love Capt Anonymous. Your writing is elegant. I love the Illuminati angle. I love a conspiracy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes] </span>Some of the folks on this site mistake themselves as serious.</font></P>
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<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt]<font face=“Times New Roman” size=3>El Capt. Sorry your not eloquent enough to make a point so you choose to be a suck azz to the site mgr. Say what you mean and don’t hide behind that Big Brown Nose. </font></P>
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<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt]<font size=3><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;]Geez, let’s all get righteous with the Boatguy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes] </span>The nice thing about getting this credential out of the way is that I can join the seaman chorus of, “Oh Man, you gotta have that RFPNW or you aint<span style="mso-spacerun: yes] </span>shiiz!” <span style="mso-spacerun: yes] </span></span></font></P>
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<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt]<font face=“Times New Roman” size=3>The USCG knows this is shiiz.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes] </span>If this was a real deal for licensed people, they wouldn’t have issued the lower level licenses in the first place. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes] </span>This is a big BS suck up to the UN and SOLAS people. </font></P>
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<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt]<font face=“Times New Roman” size=3>Just because they are UN and SOLAS does not make them right. If you suggest otherwise, then the USCG has a duty to recall all lower level licenses until this qualification has been met. </font></P>
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<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt]<font face=“Times New Roman” size=3>If these dumb bunnies can’t meet these qualifications, let’s put them in jail, Damm it! And while were at it, let’s get you old hacks that haven’t been through this nonsense, get in line as well. All renewals must meet the sign-off on RFPNW. No having your old shipmate signoff over bourbon in the bar. Drag your skanky azz down to the pier and let’s get happy.</font></P>
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<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt]<font face=“Times New Roman” size=3>Oh and hey, Thanks for not going the communist political officer route on me El Capt. Sorry if we all don’t bow when you pontificate.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes] </span>Many of us in the industry understand that it is tough for some to be ashore without a ship.</font></P>
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<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt]<font face=“Times New Roman” size=3>You can tell them, but they’re important and they frequently won’t listen:</font></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt]<font face=“Times New Roman” size=3>Ordinary Seaman, Titantic, “Bridge, iceberg, two points off the…”</font></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt]<font face=“Times New Roman” size=3>Bridge, “Dumbass Ordinary, Looks like fog to me. Maintain course and speed,”</font></P>
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<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt]<font face=“Times New Roman” size=3>More recent time,</font></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt]<font face=“Times New Roman” size=3>Lookout: “Bridge, our starboard side is closing on the bridge abutments.”</font></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt]<font face=“Times New Roman” size=3>Bridge: “Bridge, were the Bridge, what are you talking about?”</font></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt]<font face=“Times New Roman” size=3>Lookout: “That big Orange Thing, da <?xml:namespace prefix = st1 ns = “urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags” /><st1:place w:st="on]<st1:PlaceName w:st="on]Golden Gate</st1:PlaceName> <st1:PlaceType w:st="on]Bridge</st1:PlaceType></st1:place>, We’ez fixing to bump it.”</font></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt]<font face=“Times New Roman” size=3>Bridge: “The Bump, Don’t be ridiculous, that was a disco song from the 70’s.”</font></P>
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<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt]<font face=“Times New Roman” size=3>On second thought maybe we do need RFPNW. Okay, I’ll get the damm thing. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes] </span>You’d have thought I put Visine in El Capts. Coffee…He’s so grumpy…</font></P>

Are you pasting all your posts from MS Word or something? They’re a mess with weird formatting shit. Clean 'em up.

Yes, your right. Sorry, I’m trying to stay out of trouble with spelling, grammer & stuff. Some stuffy folks might pitch a bit*h. Don’t want to mention any names and get into trouble with the spelling police.<br>Yes, I slip into MS Word, I write and then try and edit so that I don’t get into too much trouble. But really, isn’t a little controversy more fun than the average… yeah you need xxx many days…<br>Hope you made out OK with Ike. Best wishes. <br><br>I appreciate your thoughts, you are well spoken with out with too much malice, and good tips for the young people entering our game. It is important for them to know that we have a joyous occupation, a living job. A job that flows and moves with the moon and the nutcases in goverment. <br>If there were one piece of advice to offer these kids, what would you tell them?

Boatguy, the beauty about sparring with people like yourself is that I don’t have to say a thing. You do what you do best - run your piehole - and all of us become enlightened.<br><br>Obviously, I had enough eloquence to allow you speak first, and thus make the point for me.<br><br>Thank you, and job well done!

“If there were one piece of advice to offer these kids, what would you tell them”<br><br>I give every freshly minted mate I run across the following advice: <br><br><strong>Never, ever forget that the Coast Guard, not the company you’re presently working for, issued your license, and the main reason they gave you that license is so they can take it away from you if you mess up. So ask yourself this question every time you feel weird about what you’re doing: If the company you’re presently working for asks you to do something that jeopardizes that license, tell said company to take a flying f**k, pack your bags, and go work somewhere else. And make sure you keep your license insurance policy up to date.</strong><br><br>Then I tell them to be careful, there are a lot of nut-jobs out there sailing and don’t get drawn into any crazy web of conspiracy theory, unless of course the source is Art Bell. Art will never steer you wrong.<br><br>:-P

I want to approach this in a slightly different way …lol<br><br> I am finishing up Lifeboatman class this week and will be submitting everything to the REC for AB unlimited on Friday…<br><br> I hold a 50 ton Master NC, for 3 years…I have no RFPNW on my STCW…<br><br> As I have stated before ,I may hold this license and could up grade to 100 ton very soon…That doesn’t mean I’m ready to take charge of a vessel and be responsible for other peoples lives…Not until I have spent some quality time on the deck…<br><br> Several of the schools that offer this class have said,That I really don’t need it or why don’t you get it signed off once your on a boat…?<br><br> Some employers I have talked to would like it,some insist on it and some had no problem with or without it…<br><br> .I’m so confused now, I’m not sure which way to go…I decided to just do it and be done with it but the cost was 400.00 for a 17 hour course…For lookout duties??? seemed a bit extreme to me… Not trying to be cheap as I’ve shelled out close to 4K at this point for all the classes…Just seemed wrong at the time… <br><br> Getting back to boatguys question…or rather, I will rephrase it into a question…lol…<br><br> It would seem that a master of any license 25-200 T, that was applying for an AB would be grandfathered into RFPNW …As a master this individual would / should understand what it is to post a proper lookout and fully understand the duties and importance of such…Having had to have one year on vessels of appropriate tonnage in order to hold even the smallest of these licenses…<br><br> .Does this thinking seem plausable…??? <br><br> Just so we’re clear, I’m just talking about the restriction to lookout duties only…

The only thing the “lookout only” certification is the ability to stand lookout and thus be paid while you’re acquiring the six months of bridge watchkeeping time you’ll need for the “full” RFPNW. Since the days of the watchstandng OS are mostly over (the ships I was on lost them in the mid 80’s) this may be of limited value. <br><br>$400 does seem high for a two-day course that’s given entirely in the classroom. You might consider if you’re going to have the opportunity to use it before going ahead with it. You might also shop around, you may find better.<br><br>Note that the time for RFPNW is time spent performing navigational watchkeeping duties under the supervision of the Master or OICNW. It’s not just sea time, time spent doing maintenance on deck doesn’t count.<br><br>Your say you have no RFPNW on your STCW – what do you have? Are you talking about the note on a license that says it meets STCW without further documentation? That’s not an STCW certificate and is of limited value. An STCW certificate is for licenses 500 GRT or above, RFPNW, Survival Craft (Lifeboatman) or a few other certifications. If your only STCW is basic safety training, you shouldn’t have an STCW certificate. From your description that seems to be the case, but RECs have issued certificates for licenses 200 GRT and below when they shouldn’t have.<br><br>James D. Cavo<br>Chief, Mariner Training & Assessment Division<br>USCG National Maritime Center<br>James.D.Cavo@uscg.mil

Shellback - It would be nice if you had everything to submit on Friday, but, save your money and get the RFPNW assessments done on board. Once you have that completed, you can submit that to get the limitation lifted on your STCW (which you should be getting when your AB Unl. comes back if you haven’t yet had one).<br><br>I’m not sure where you’re planning on going shipping or what companies you’ve been looking at, but there are more than enough firms around with an in house program for assessment and evaluation that you should’nt really have any issue finding one to take you aboard as you are. In the meantime you’re earning a living, and you can get the 180 required days while being able to pay the bills.<br><br>Best of luck, and keep us posted.<br>

Do you have any time on vessels over 100 gross tons? You’ll need that if you expect to get your AB Unlimited. 1080 days or something like that. I don’t remember for sure.<br><br>I’m not really sure by what you’ve written what exactly it is you want to do. Mr. Cavo makes some good observations about your STCW, which I doubt you have at this point.<br><br>What is your end goal here? I’m confused.

If I remember correctly, Shellback was an ex-Navy QM, with a 50 ton ticket that was coming back to the industry after being on the beach for a while, and wants to bump up his 50 to 100 ton, and get his AB done.<br><br>Shellback - They wouldn’t give you any play on the RFPNW with your QM time?