hi-first time poster- taking 500tn near coast. mast. soon…have been studying all areas and of course using bowditch…question-is the bowditch in the exam room(1981 edition ??) dramatically different from the 2002 edition i have been studying- as far as info on ice, weather, etc… or is it the 2002 ed. they use…thank you
YES!!
The `81 version was published in two volumes. The one in the exam room just has the tables, terrestrial formulas, and dictionary in the back. It might have the celestial also, but I didn’t take oceans so couldn’t tell you.
You’ve got to memorize your weather, chart projections, ice navigation, electronic navigation, and pretty much anything not related to math.
Good luck.
hey jemplayer- thanks for that info… one more quick quest. I guess no test is exactly the same, but approx. how many stability type quest. are there on the exam… and i’m assuming stability is on the deck safety exam or is it on the deck gen… thank you for any info…
-one more quick quest. about 500tn n.c. mast. exam… am memorizing all fuel consp. formulas- was curious if the fuel consumption problems are only on the chart plot/coastal nav sections of the exam, or if they also put them on the 50 quest. nav general section… sincere thanks for any info…
Oops nevemind!
I don’t remember ever having fuel consumption on any of the charting practice test I took. And using Capt Bruce at Fletcher he will run you through every chart exam they have before cutting you loose.
Fuel is just on the terrestrial test and it’s one question, but they can ask it 10 different ways so you need to know it cold. But it’s just 2 formulas, so that should be a gimme when you get ready to test.
Speed, time, and distance pop on both terrestrial and charting though.
I actually didn’t have any stability come up on my deck safety which pissed me off as I had that stuff down. The biggest thing for Nav and Safety is know you’re CFR’s. Half of you test you will be looking in those for the answers. The other half pretty much comes out of Bowditch so keep reading it. When you finish, start over from the beginning. Repeat until time to test.
jemplayer- I really do appreciate this info… i have an appt. to take the test soon and have been studying but lack a bit of organization and knowledge of exactly what subjects are covered on the test… I have not/am not taking any prep class and am guessing i wouldn’t have these questions if i did…I do have one more quest. for you or any others out there… as far as aids to navigation (lights, buoys, etc…), i was told by one source(not too reputable), that they will have the us chart #1 in the exam room, which does have pictures, etc of all the aids to nav… then was told, SOME rec’s will have it and some have stopped… if this book is in the room it would make any aid to nav questions much easier… hopefully this is my last question… thank you
Chart one should be in the exam room but it is not.
capt schmitt- thanks for the info…I had checked the nmc website and did not see it listed as exam room materials but had heard from several people it was there… just depending on which rec you tested at!! I called the NMC and after conferring with a supervisor, the lady could not tell me what they had or didn’t have in the exam room and she said I should just “bring everything i had to the exam with me” (even though it specifically says on their own site, no other materials in exam room but calc, pencil, plotting tools,etc…) Also tried miami rec (where i am testing) and couldn’t get anyone… so thank you for the info, although its a shame the people in charge don’t seem to have the information…
You can visit the test room ahead of time. It can be useful to learn any of the quirks of that particular REC. Some may have special hours, rules and pubs. (Bring your calculator to verify that the one you have is okay, some test rooms open early and close early, and do forth.) You can see what books, worksheets and pubs they have.
You get the idea.
I was at Miami in March. Even though the testing center has their hours posted online, you can’t get into the building until 8am. Chart #1 was on the bookshelf. Also, some of that stuff is in the Coast Pilots, I believe. (Maybe not, but I remember seeing Chart 1.)
hey - thanks to all for the info. I will now definitely go to the rec the day before to check everything out…
Here’s a list of what is allowed in the exam room:
http://www.uscg.mil/nmc/training/deck_and_engineering_guide.pdf
See pages 11 - 13.