SO what your saying is that your able to sit for a LIMITED 3rd mates license correct? if so you have to have the minimum 1080-8 hour days in order to sit for your third limited or unlimited. If you do not have half of the required days (540 - 8hour days) over 1600 GRT then you can sit for a third just with a limit on your tonnage. THe most important part in the below cfr is (a) and (b) that is how you would figure out if you have enough time/tonnage to sit for a third and if its a limited that your sitting for, what that tonnage limitation that would be. SO in order to sit for your third mates license ALL 1080 days must be over 200 ton. so if you and your buddy have the same service and atleast 1080 days are on a vessel over 200 tons you should be in the same boat with the USCG
§ 11.402 Tonnage requirements for ocean or near coastal endorsements for vessels of over 1600 gross tons.
(a) To qualify for an ocean or near coastal endorsement for vessels of any gross tons, all the required experience must be obtained on vessels of over 200 gross tons. At least one-half of the required experience must be obtained on vessels of over 1600 gross tons.
(b) If the applicant for an endorsement as master or mate does not have the service on vessels over 1600 gross tons required by paragraph (a) of this section, or is qualifying for third mate under the provisions of § 11.407© of this subpart, a tonnage limitation is placed on the endorsement based on the applicant’s qualifying experience. The endorsement is limited to the maximum tonnage on which at least 25 percent of the required experience was obtained, or 150 percent of the maximum tonnage on which at least 50 percent of the service was obtained, whichever is higher. Limitations are in multiples of 1000 gross tons, using the next higher figure when an intermediate tonnage is calculated. When the calculated limitation equals or exceeds 10,000 gross tons, the applicant is issued an unlimited tonnage endorsement.
© Tonnage limitations imposed under paragraph (b) of this section may be raised or removed in the following manner:
(1) When the applicant has six months of service on vessels of over 1600 gross tons in the highest grade endorsed, all tonnage limitations are removed.
(2) When the applicant has a total of six months of service on vessels of over 1600 gross tons in any capacity as an officer other than the highest grade for which endorsed, all tonnage limitations for the grade in which the service is performed are removed and the next higher grade endorsement is raised to the tonnage of the vessel on which the majority of the service was performed. The total cumulative service before and after issuance of the limited license or MMC endorsement may be considered in removing all tonnage limitations.
(3) When the applicant has 12 months of service as able seaman on vessels over 1600 gross tons while holding a license or endorsement as third mate, all tonnage limitations on the third mate’s license or MMC endorsement are removed.
(d) Individuals holding licenses or endorsements as master or mate of vessels of not more than 1600 gross tons, not more than 500 gross tons, or not more than 25-200 gross tons are prohibited from using the provisions of paragraph © of this section to increase the tonnages of their licenses or endorsements.