I am a dual citizen CAN/US currently finishing up my U. S. equivalent of 3rd mates unlimited in Canada… hold a 100 ton and AB unlimited in the US…With the sea time I have, I believe I qualify for a Mate 200 Oceans, would it be worth the effort to try and upgrade while most of the info for my Canadian mates license is still fresh. Reason for going for only a 200 is because I don’t want to Pay for the US version of all the STCWs I’ve taken up here(ECDIS, AFF, MAFA etc.)… what kind jobs are available for 200 ton licenses? I don’t really have any intention to leave unlimited tonnage vessels any time soon, but want to keep my options open. Thanks!
I am quoting one person on this board “ a 200 ton license is a lawnmower license”
If you think you qualify spend some time and ask for it like you said always wanting to keep options open
“Lawnmower license” that’s pretty funny
You can apply for 3rd mate without most of those classes you referenced. You just can’t get the STCW component without them.
Ok right on!
I am not to familiar with the test modules…
For Canada I have written:
Ship Construction and Stability 4
Chartwork & Pilotage 2 (T Nav)
Nav Safety 1 (Rules of the Road)
General Ship Knowledge 3
Communications 1
Meteorology 1
Cargo 2
Is that’s similar to the US?
See page 17. See also the sample exams.
Thanks that seems very similar
A 200 ton master’s license is a good in for yacht deliveries if you have time on them, but it doesn’t sound like you work in that part of the industry. See “lawnmower issue”.
Yacht Delivery does intrigue me…just wouldn’t want to do charter work… I thought the yacht world used a different licensing system
Not in the USA. There is NO license needed to skipper a delivery as long as there are no paying passengers aboard as far as I know or at least that always was the case. If you are transporting people too, then the appropriate tonnage and area applies. It isn’t like Europe with their “Yachtmaster” system that exists in a parallel world from commercial mariners.
That said, the owners, the insurance company, or the delivery company may well want to see an appropriate license and it definitively makes it easier to get a job. I don’t know if you have done this kind of work, but it is very different in some ways than what I can gather about crewing on a freighter. For one thing, the concept of overtime and “not my department” does not apply on a smaller yacht. You do NOT get overtime when called on deck for a sail change and if there are only a few of you aboard, you all get a turn being the cook and the bilge cleaner.
Thanks for insight… I dabbled in yachts about 10 years ago so I have somewhat of an idea on what your saying. Left because better opportunities came to me at the time not because I didn’t like it. Now at my age with a family I like having a steady schedule, reliable pay and cargo work is so much better than dealing with PAX in my own opinion, but wouldn’t turn down a delivery gig if one came up.
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I deliver boats and airplanes as a sideline, but my wife would kill me dead if I was gone 24/7/365 doing it.
I would go nuts doing charters, way too much time in close quarters if you don’t like the guests.
Another aspect is a yacht is someone’s dream and sometimes their home as well. I don’t know if anyone cares if you put a tiny scratch on a tugboat, but they very much do care if you do it to their boat!
Keep stepping up - - I went from boat cook to deckhand to 100 ton, to 2nd Class Ocean Towing, to 300 ton Master, to 500 ton Master to 1600 ton Master with Oceans. With the 300 ton up I was able and with oceans endorsement I was able to work almost any size vessel (not DP) anywhere in the World. Helped me keep a JOB in hard times when oil was less than $15 per barrel.
I know of a company called Guice Offshore that operates mini supply vessels who was looking for 200 ton mates