# 500 ton master help tutorial **URL:** \ **Category:** 500 Ton Master Upgrade\ **Created:** [March 15, 2013, 4:21pm UTC](https://forum.gcaptain.com/t/500-ton-master-help-tutorial/9893 "2013-03-15T16:21:29Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 15\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Michael\_Feigin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/46a35a/32.png) [@Michael\_Feigin](https://forum.gcaptain.com/u/Michael_Feigin)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2013, 4:21pm UTC](https://forum.gcaptain.com/t/500-ton-master-help-tutorial/9893/1 "2013-03-15T16:21:29Z")
Hey Guys is there a prep tutorial video that goes over the 500 master exams ? taking 3 week class in fort lauderdale, but instructor moving way too fast for me to comprehend it all … Is there video that goes step by step on questions ? … Thank, Michael North Miami Beach ---
**Author:** ![JW-Oceans](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/7feea3/32.png) [@JW-Oceans](https://forum.gcaptain.com/u/JW-Oceans)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2013, 6:20pm UTC](https://forum.gcaptain.com/t/500-ton-master-help-tutorial/9893/2 "2013-03-15T18:20:23Z")
Captain Joe [www.uscgexam.com](http://www.uscgexam.com) ---
**Author:** ![exdraggerman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/51bf81/32.png) [@exdraggerman](https://forum.gcaptain.com/u/exdraggerman)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2013, 6:32pm UTC](https://forum.gcaptain.com/t/500-ton-master-help-tutorial/9893/3 "2013-03-15T18:32:42Z")
there is no easy way…CG does that because there is so much material to learn.just keep up with her,take all kinds of notes,ask her for any clarifications… she has done it so many times she whips thru it really quick.wait til the second week with sunsets and amplitudes… just hang in there and dont get frustrated. its not like the 200ton test where you take the class and pass the test.she is showing you how,you will have to practice and master each subject yourself. i did her class in dec and took 6 weeks of 6 hour days after studying before i even went to sit the 6 tests… she gets alot of guys thru it…read up in the forums here about the tests. get the hawsepipe cd and maybe afew murphys guides books… and dont think they give this one away easy to you… but it can be done… 1600ton master here now,thanks to that hard ass lady…and a couple hundred hours studying… ---
**Author:** ![water](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/forum.gcaptain.com/water/32/131_2.png) [@water](https://forum.gcaptain.com/u/water)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2013, 8:29pm UTC](https://forum.gcaptain.com/t/500-ton-master-help-tutorial/9893/4 "2013-03-15T20:29:40Z")
[QUOTE=JW-Oceans;102858]Captain Joe [www.uscgexam.com](http://www.uscgexam.com)[/QUOTE] Capt. Joe worked well for me. Good ways of filtering the questions, and good work sheets showing how it is done. The works sheets can be printed out an put in a 3 ring binder. He was also responsive to questions. ---
**Author:** ![U.S\_Marine\_ret](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/f6c823/32.png) [@U.S\_Marine\_ret](https://forum.gcaptain.com/u/U.S_Marine_ret)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2013, 3:42am UTC](https://forum.gcaptain.com/t/500-ton-master-help-tutorial/9893/5 "2013-03-16T03:42:32Z")
Go with Lapware. It got me through 6 of the 7 modules with the exception being CelNav which I had to take a review two week course. I took mine with Capt. Mercer at Alaska Maritime Consulting. It was just what I needed to put everything I taught myself together to finally make it across the oceans finishline, can’t say enough about the superior caliber of instruction. Make sure you get yourself a solid baseline prior to attending any nav course where ever you go. Finally, there are many seasoned mariners on this blog who have a wealth of knowledge and they really helped me out when I got stuck on a problem. Do not discount the old salts. They love helping those who are trying to help themselves. Best of luck…if I can do it anyone can. ---
**Author:** ![Michael\_Feigin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/46a35a/32.png) [@Michael\_Feigin](https://forum.gcaptain.com/u/Michael_Feigin)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2013, 3:30pm UTC](https://forum.gcaptain.com/t/500-ton-master-help-tutorial/9893/6 "2013-03-17T15:30:41Z")
Thanks Capt Greenhorn, I agree, thought I was gonna have to do a delivery on friday and wanted to take a dvd of it all with me prior to leaving … Yeah it’s a good class and she keeps it going … I appreciate your input … ---
**Author:** ![Michael\_Feigin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/46a35a/32.png) [@Michael\_Feigin](https://forum.gcaptain.com/u/Michael_Feigin)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2013, 3:32pm UTC](https://forum.gcaptain.com/t/500-ton-master-help-tutorial/9893/7 "2013-03-17T15:32:46Z")
Thank you, JW … ---
**Author:** ![tugsailor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/a9adbd/32.png) [@tugsailor](https://forum.gcaptain.com/u/tugsailor)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2013, 5:05pm UTC](https://forum.gcaptain.com/t/500-ton-master-help-tutorial/9893/8 "2013-03-17T17:05:50Z")
[QUOTE=JW-Oceans;102858]Captain Joe [www.uscgexam.com](http://www.uscgexam.com)[/QUOTE] How do the Captain Joe CDs (windows only at $79) compare in terms of quality against Lapware at $100 per month? ---
**Author:** ![U.S\_Marine\_ret](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/f6c823/32.png) [@U.S\_Marine\_ret](https://forum.gcaptain.com/u/U.S_Marine_ret)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2013, 9:31pm UTC](https://forum.gcaptain.com/t/500-ton-master-help-tutorial/9893/9 "2013-03-17T21:31:51Z")
I’d say the biggest draw back of Lapware is the requirement to have internet access. The difference in methods of solving nav problems varies; however both are quality study tools. It really comes down to personal preference. ---
**Author:** ![RPags](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/ea5d25/32.png) [@RPags](https://forum.gcaptain.com/u/RPags)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2013, 7:21pm UTC](https://forum.gcaptain.com/t/500-ton-master-help-tutorial/9893/10 "2013-09-16T19:21:01Z")
I’m self-studying for the 500. Don’t have the time n cash to spend at a prep class so here’s what I’m doing. I bought the 500-1600 GT prep course flash drive through Mariner advancement [http://www.marineradvancement.com/](http://www.marineradvancement.com/) It is OK, puts the test in front of you. Illustration are not eh greatest quality. Tide current publications are in complete. so… I went to Amazon and bought…a cheap Bowditch - new paperback reprint of the 2011 edition I believe And the publications at this link…[http://www.mmts.com/publications/deck-publications/](http://www.mmts.com/publications/deck-publications/) Deck adn stability questions worked out and terrestrial nav questions worked out and the tide current tables. I also have the 3 training charst I purchased for 20 bucks from sea school. Here is a site to download the entire cfrs on pdf. very helpful on tricky deck gen questions about lifejackets and unlicensed towing vessels, etc. [http://www.ecfr.gov/cgi-bin/text-idx?c=ecfr&tpl=/ecfrbrowse/Title46/46tab\_02.tpl](http://www.ecfr.gov/cgi-bin/text-idx?c=ecfr&tpl=/ecfrbrowse/Title46/46tab_02.tpl) Anyhow, I’m working hard on studying, focusing on the 90%er material, and feeling that it is not gonna be as hard as I thought. ---
**Author:** ![cowboy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c68b51/32.png) [@cowboy](https://forum.gcaptain.com/u/cowboy)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2013, 5:56am UTC](https://forum.gcaptain.com/t/500-ton-master-help-tutorial/9893/11 "2013-09-17T05:56:29Z")
I used the Mariner Advancement software and although it is a good product overall, I did notice it missing some of the tide and current data… If you use that I would try to get a copy of the 1983 tide tables to work those problems. If you have Internet try [seasources.net](http://seasources.net). It’s free and really good. I self studied with those two aids and passed. I found the test VERY heavy on the CFRs I was a little unfamiliar with the different books other than 33 and 46 but I muddled through it. Good Luck! ---
**Author:** ![z-drive](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/c37758/32.png) [@z-drive](https://forum.gcaptain.com/u/z-drive)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2013, 6:23am UTC](https://forum.gcaptain.com/t/500-ton-master-help-tutorial/9893/12 "2013-09-17T06:23:49Z")
My biggest thing with celestial/nav problems is to master using the bowditch/sight reduction explanations to solve the problems rather than using your own methods. This way you’re relying on the reference material rather than your memory.If you work it out you can find shortcuts using the published methods, like amplitudes. for example I can do an amplitude using one of the methods in bowditch reliably (way less steps) in way less time, and since its right in the book i can worry more about studying more important subjects not in the reference material. Also all the stuff hidden in the bowditch GLOSSARY and light list etc! I found lapware’s explanations for every problem helpful when i’d get stuck, or when encountering a new type of problem I hadn’t been taught, like an ex-meridian etc. ---
**Author:** ![Bloodyshitcakes](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/forum.gcaptain.com/bloodyshitcakes/32/181_2.png) [@Bloodyshitcakes](https://forum.gcaptain.com/u/Bloodyshitcakes)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2013, 8:13am UTC](https://forum.gcaptain.com/t/500-ton-master-help-tutorial/9893/13 "2013-09-17T08:13:57Z")
[QUOTE=z-drive;120582]My biggest thing with celestial/nav problems is to master using the bowditch/sight reduction explanations to solve the problems rather than using your own methods. This way you’re relying on the reference material rather than your memory.If you work it out you can find shortcuts using the published methods, like amplitudes. for example I can do an amplitude using one of the methods in bowditch reliably (way less steps) in way less time, and since its right in the book i can worry more about studying more important subjects not in the reference material. Also all the stuff hidden in the bowditch GLOSSARY and light list etc! .[/QUOTE] +1 Excellent advice. ---
**Author:** ![Frigate](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/50afbb/32.png) [@Frigate](https://forum.gcaptain.com/u/Frigate)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2013, 8:27am UTC](https://forum.gcaptain.com/t/500-ton-master-help-tutorial/9893/14 "2013-09-17T08:27:34Z")
Lapware and Captain Joe’s. Murphy’s books are really helpful also. Write out all your formulas until you are blue in the face. Find a rhythm of repetition in each of the types of problems you work when it comes to t-nav and c-nav. Learn hour angles and doodle them to check your work. ---
**Author:** ![RPags](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/ea5d25/32.png) [@RPags](https://forum.gcaptain.com/u/RPags)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2013, 5:28pm UTC](https://forum.gcaptain.com/t/500-ton-master-help-tutorial/9893/15 "2013-09-17T17:28:03Z")
[QUOTE=z-drive;120582]My biggest thing with celestial/nav problems is to master using the bowditch/sight reduction explanations to solve the problems rather than using your own methods. This way you’re relying on the reference material rather than your memory.If you work it out you can find shortcuts using the published methods, like amplitudes. for example I can do an amplitude using one of the methods in bowditch reliably (way less steps) in way less time, and since its right in the book i can worry more about studying more important subjects not in the reference material. Great advice, thanks. It’s the ‘teach a man to fish method’, you can start to actually learn the procedure and it sticks longer. Doing the same thing with stepping up the algebra skills, better to learn one formula and derive it for what your solving for. I’m gonna look into Cpt. Joe, I do most of my study offline, so lapware may be out. Thanks again guys.