Any body know if there is any testing to raise grade form 1600 ton oceans to 3rd mate unlimited. I have had 1600 ton oceans for 14 years.
Unless you tested for 1600 GRT mate, then you have to take all the exams for 3M unlimited if you took the 1600 master exams.
I stopped looking at this advancement possibility because I was not prepared to ship out for 6 months as AB in mid life to acquire seatime on vessels over 1600 tons as required by the regs. I would have had to let go of my masters job on tugs, to go get the time required. I was tempted to get an āInland Unlimited Masterā though. But decided it wasnāt needed or worth the time, aggravation to get back into study mode.
By my math, I would have had to rotary ship for 18 months, to acquire the 6 months of seatime. By that time I would have lost decades of seniority in a company as Master.
Sorry, let me get this straight. With my master 1600 ton oceans I would need to do all testing for 3m, and if I had 1600 ton mate I wouldnāt have to test. Seems like it would be the other way. Sorry I am just an old Tug Boat Captain LOL.
That is correct. And not only that, you would need a lot of sea time with tonnage over 1600 GRT as well.
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Thank you so much for your time. I guess I will continue to pull barges.
You can probably get a national license as Master Inland any gross tons (with a tonnage restriction) and 2nd mate unlimited (with a tonnage restriction). 2000 GRT is the minimum restriction. 10,000 GRT is the maximum restriction.
You can use combined tug and barge seatime on a 2 for 1 basis (360 actual days equals 180 days of USCG approved seatime) towards an unlimited tonnage license. The other 180 days needed must be on a self propelled vessel over 1600 tons - for a truly unlimited license.
Of course you will have to take the two exams.
If you want the STCW endorsements, you will need to take a lot of STCW courses with the assessments.
Back when I was in āstudy modeā (20 years ago) I got a copy of Murphys books to study with.
I was the fourth one to use them. The original guy had a plan. After each person took the exam they went back and highlighted the questions taken. (all of us were 1600 ton oceans candidates) it was telling which sections the questions were pulled from. After seeing all the questions it was obvious that 1600 ton questions are different from 3m and 2m questions. As much as we like to think: Gee, Iām a swell boatman; thereās a different set of measurements being used to license at different levels. Admittedly, now 25 years later The license question pool has changed (a little bit) and there seems to be less overlap in exam type, but the differences still exist.