So I will be attending an AB school next week. My question is, once I pass the course and the required tests and receive my ‘certificate of completion’ what do I do with it? Do I take it to the closest REC and they will give me my endorsement or what do I do?
You will need to submit it and a completed application to the NMC via the REC of your choice. Also need to pay applicable fees.
I have already submitted a application and got my ‘approved to test’ letter from the Coast Guard because I was going to take the test on my own instead of a course but I decided to take the class after all. So would I have to resubmit?
Nope just send in a COPY of your certificate. Keep the original if you ever want to see it again.
Scan a copy of your course completion certificate and email it directly to the NMC with a request that they issue your AB. If you can contact your evaluator directly (some of them personally exchange emails with applicants) by all means do that too.
Thanks for that info! Also, do I need a passport to receive my AB endorsement? I didn’t think that I had to have one but the course I’m taking says I need one if I am take a MCA course? I don’t know what MCA is, is an able seaman course an MCA course?
Boatjosh,
you can get most of your questions answered by contacting the CG.
try IASKNMC@uscg.mil they will get back to you usually the next day. They have been a great help to me on all my questions.
Just send them an email in letter form and ask any question you want concerning your application, endorsement and so on. Once you applied I think you have 90 days to finish the process but they will set you straight on timing and all.
You must be taking the AB course at MPT. Don’t worry about the UK MCA (Maritime and Coastguard Agency); its the UK Coast Guard for licensing purposes.
You do not need a passport to get your MMC with an AB endorsement, but get your passport anyway. Many employers will not hire you without one.
Ask the license advice lady at MPT what else you need. Do you have VPDSD? You need that. MPT has a course for that too.
You can take the test on your own? I don’t have to spend $563 to go to a course then test?
no. …
Well google here I come… Already have all my study guide books from fletcher… The AB teacher was one of my STCW teachers so he let me have all study guides and practice test…
[QUOTE=z-drive;164025]no. …[/QUOTE]
I’ve been out of pocket for a while but I think you can still take the test at the REC but still have to take the course for lifeboat and PSC.
Yes classes and assessments for certain things are needed, but you can avoid an AB course for the rest if you want.
Yeah. Just talked to my capt about it an he said to get the endorsements for lifeboat you have to have the practical… I plan on takin my courses for PSC an doing my RFPNW on the vessel… But I definitely appreciate your input and the help everyone… Looking into it now…
[QUOTE=tugsailor;164021]You must be taking the AB course at MPT. Don’t worry about the UK MCA (Maritime and Coastguard Agency); its the UK Coast Guard for licensing purposes.
You do not need a passport to get your MMC with an AB endorsement, but get your passport anyway. Many employers will not hire you without one.
Ask the license advice lady at MPT what else you need. Do you have VPDSD? You need that. MPT has a course for that too.[/QUOTE]
That is exactly where I am going. Phew. It had me worried because I’m taking this course on my vacation so I can take an AB position on my current vessel. Thanks for the info!
The AB course is 5 days. The initial STCW BT (formerly BST) course is 5 more days, and includes PSC (life raft) at some schools it also includes PSC with lifeboat. Get lifeboat if you can. Yes, you can take the AB test at the USCG REC without taking an AB course, but you will need some assessments properly signed off. You must take the STCW BT course. The fastest, easiest, cheapest, best, and most commonly done method is to just go take the two courses at a school that offers PSC with a lifeboat. 10 days and your done. On top of that you also need ?VPDSD which is a one day course?
I’ll let someone else talk about how to get RFPNW.
What a hassle it has become to get an AB…but anyway…
If he is working on a boat greater than 200 grt, he can have his assessments done by an OICNW…if its a boat less than that, the simulator for ‘look out duties only’ is his best route I think?
Lots of threads on here about this topic. Search away.
I think they did away with “Lookout Duties only” last March.
The problem is that 95 percent of the tugs, and probably an even high percentage of all commercial vessels are under 200 gross register tons.
I’m not sure how many U.S. Vessels are between 200 and 1600. Maybe 100 fishing boats, and maybe 500 tugs (mostly inland). The oil patch may have a few hundred.
There are only about 100 active ships over 1600 GRT. I don’t know how many boats in the oil patch are over 1600, but maybe 300?
Does anyone know where to find a list of Vessels of the U.S. That can be sorted by gross register tonnage?
[QUOTE=tugsailor;164046]I think they did away with “Lookout Duties only” last March.
The problem is that 95 percent of the tugs, and probably an even high percentage of all commercial vessels are under 200 gross register tons.
I’m not sure how many U.S. Vessels are between 200 and 1600. Maybe 100 fishing boats, and maybe 500 tugs (mostly inland). The oil patch may have a few hundred.
There are only about 100 active ships over 1600 GRT. I don’t know how many boats in the oil patch are over 1600, but maybe 300?
Does anyone know where to find a list of Vessels of the U.S. That can be sorted by gross register tonnage?[/QUOTE]
I can only speculate you are asking because you perceive a problem getting assessments for RFPNW done. If so, it’s irrelevant. There is (no longer) a tonnage requirement for the vessels the assessments are done on, but they still must have all of the equipment specified in the assessment. The only relevance of tonnage is when assessments are done on a simulator, the exercise must use the model of a vessel of at least 100 GRT.
Thats a good thing for folks now since they did away with the 200grt thing