# 1600 ton master vs unlimited ton **URL:** \ **Category:** Professional Mariner Forum\ **Created:** [December 10, 2014, 9:20am UTC](https://forum.gcaptain.com/t/1600-ton-master-vs-unlimited-ton/13798 "2014-12-10T09:20:40Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 3\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![GLMASailor](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/forum.gcaptain.com/glmasailor/32/1293_2.png) [@GLMASailor](https://forum.gcaptain.com/u/GLMASailor)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2014, 9:34am UTC](https://forum.gcaptain.com/t/1600-ton-master-vs-unlimited-ton/13798/21 "2014-12-11T09:34:29Z")
> [@"Capt. Phoenix"](#): > > Not at Maine Maritime. The SVO program is two years for a 200 ton near coastal mate and four years for a 500 ton ocean or 1600 ton near coastal mate. SUNY has a two year Associates degree with 1600 ton mate option and the PMI Workboat Academy is roughly two years. I’m not entirely opposed to those options, but if you’re doing four years for a Bachelor’s degree anyway, you might as well get the more useful degree (I expect MTO would be more useful shore side than SVO but can’t guarantee that) and the far more useful license while you’re there. Especially if you do the MTO program and get into the towing vessel class Maine has. One of the mates I sailed with did that and was able to get his Mate of towing through the program. Try to get some deckhand time during school breaks and you will be in good shape upon graduation. ---
**Author:** ![FLcapt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/b38774/32.png) [@FLcapt](https://forum.gcaptain.com/u/FLcapt)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2014, 12:34pm UTC](https://forum.gcaptain.com/t/1600-ton-master-vs-unlimited-ton/13798/22 "2014-12-11T12:34:07Z")
Go the Unlimited route. It will save you grief later on. You can work any size or type of vessel you want. I’m a hawsepiper with a lowly 6000 ton OSV ticket. Unlimited guys are running the same boats I am, and making more money. That is reason enough right there. If it was 30 years ago, and I had the foresight, Academy/Unlimited all the way! I could still go unlimited, but would have to go the 3rd Mate route and start from there. I’m getting too close to the end of my career for that! Get your degree, and go Unlimited. ---
**Author:** ![KateCod](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/e8c25b/32.png) [@KateCod](https://forum.gcaptain.com/u/KateCod)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2014, 1:23am UTC](https://forum.gcaptain.com/t/1600-ton-master-vs-unlimited-ton/13798/23 "2014-12-30T01:23:36Z")
[QUOTE=White76;149529]Hi, I’m a senior in HS and plan on going to Maine maritime academy. They offer a 4 year unlimited ton program or a 4 year small vessel operations progam that supplies you with a 1600 ton masters license. I’m leaning towards the SVO because I’m more interested in running tugs or private boats due to it being more hands on that large container ships. I’m looking for opinions because I don’t want to kick myself later for not getting my unlimited license. Thanks Andrew[/QUOTE] Andrew, I’m a junior in the MTO (unlimited 3rd mate) program at Maine Maritime Academy. I thought about the 1600 ton program and if I wasn’t driven by the possibility of early retirement I would have gone that route. The 1600 ton program at MMA is wonderful. You should look at the curriculum for both majors. They have diesels classes and much more shiphandling than we do. The shiphandling class is a junior class, the majority of 1600 ton students were much better at docking and maneuvering than the unlimited students. They begin their shiphandling type classes during freshman year. We do have the option for an after school program called supplemental seamanship that runs during the fall and spring where you can drive almost any vessel on the waterfront and get certified with the school to handle them. So the opportunity for more experience is available to all. There is also the case of the regiment and cost. You are an independent student as a 1600 ton and tuition is much less since you don’t have the same licensing fees. You also sit for your 200 ton license during the end of your sophomore year. MTO only has their OS and wiper until we graduate with our 3rds. The regiment is a hassle your freshman year and then turns into mostly, just show up in the morning and don’t look like a bag of shit for the following years. It also looks great on your resume. I do miss wearing flip flops and hoodies some mornings.The summers as an MTO consist of two training cruises and one cadet shipping (co-op). The 1600 students do 2-3 co-ops and need a lot less sea days than us, many of them also make $150-$250 a day during their co-ops while most of our options run at $32 a day cadet minimum. If you just want to look at the big picture after 4 years -MTO makes a hell of a lot more money and we can always step down to lower tonnage jobs. 1600 ton takes a few years to bring in 6 figures but most of them are shiphandling right off the bat. Unless you work in the Gulf our hitches vs time off is longer which is attractive for me, most 1600 ton jobs are a 3 week duration. This is all being very generalized. I suggest you visit the school and request a 1600 ton student to shadow. You can always grab a kid in khakis while you’re there to ask questions. MMA is a great place to be from but not a great place to be, so my mentality was go big or go home… that’s why I went with the unlimited program. Good luck, Kate [Previous page](https://forum.gcaptain.com/t/1600-ton-master-vs-unlimited-ton/13798.md?page=1)