I am new to the forum and have a few questions about running an Assistance Towing Vessel operation in Inland waters
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[FONT=luxi-sans-1]The vessel would be under 26 feet long.
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[/FONT]1. Do you have a PDF document the contains the total scope of regulations that pertain to assistance towing vessels under 26 feet long that you can email me?
[FONT=luxi-sans-1]2. Is there a required examination that Assistance Towing Vessel must forego before being able to commence operations?
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CFR’s or ask the local USCG unit.
Also an assurance towing vessel certainly doesn’t have to be under 26 feet as far as I know. They are a class totally seperate from towing vessels, which all of those 25’11" push boats are avoiding.
[QUOTE=Traitor Yankee;161554]CFR’s or ask the local USCG unit.
Also an assurance towing vessel certainly doesn’t have to be under 26 feet as far as I know. They are a class totally seperate from towing vessels, which all of those 25’11" push boats are avoiding.[/QUOTE]
An Assistance Towing Endorsement on a license is good for vessel under 26 foot. Above that you need a regular towing endorsement.
Just saying, traitor’s right for those who can’t open the link
§ 15.610 Master and mate (pilot) of
towing vessels.
(a) Except as provided in this paragraph,
every towing vessel of at least 8
meters (at least 26 feet) in length,
measured from end to end over the
deck (excluding sheer), must be under
the direction and control of a person licensed
as master or mate (pilot) of
towing vessels or as master or mate of
vessels of greater than 200 gross register
tons holding either an endorsement
on his or her license for towing
vessels or a completed Towing Officer’s
Assessment Record (TOAR) signed by a
designated examiner indicating that
the officer is proficient in the operation
of towing vessels. This does not
apply to any vessel engaged in assistance
towing, or to any towing vessel of
less than 200 gross register tons engaged
in exploiting offshore minerals
or oil if the vessel has sites or equipment
so engaged as its place of departure
or ultimate destination.
I talked to the Coast Guard, the officer said if you are doing assistance towing the requirements are less stringent especially if the vessel is under 26 feet long but he didnt have specifics.
For uninspected towing vessels there is this guidebook, the coast guard officer I talked to said that these dont apply for my scenario
The Coast Guard officer I talked to said the regulations for assistance towing vessels is less stringent then for uninspected towing vessels but he didnt have any specifics.
The officer I talked to said that the regulations in the guidebook dont apply to assistance towing vessels.
This does not
apply …to any towing vessel of
less than 200 gross register tons engaged
in exploiting offshore minerals
or oil if the vessel has sites or equipment
so engaged as its place of departure
or ultimate destination.
so the tugs working in the offshore need no licensed operators?
The horrible smell of Joe Boss is suddenly in my nostrils…
Hey, in case you haven’t noticed, this is the " Professional Mariners Forum", Not the “Wanna Be Professional Mariners Forum”… However, in an attempt to help you, 1) Get An oupv license, 2)Add an assistance towing endorsement, 3)Get a radar endorsement, check back in when you have accomplished the above.
My bad… Actually that’s a good question, Google fails, I would check w/your proposed insurance co. And MSO. As long as your personal paperwork is OK any problem is a fixit ticket. (I’ve been doing it as a hobby for 30 years).
yeah Google fails big time, I searched every key phrase possible and came up with zero information.
to top it off the coast guard website is difficult to navigate and cant find any info either.
I put a call into the local officer in charge of commercial towing so we shall see if I even get a response lol
It would be nice if they have a guidebook so I know what the requirements are and have all my ducks in a row
If I recall correctly the endorsement you want is for SeaTow type operations… Allows you to charge people for assisting them when their SeaRay craps out… Usually this endorsement is a one day class add on to a 100 Ton license. You can probably take the course at any school passing out 100 ton licenses.
[QUOTE=c.captain;161574]WHAT THE FUCK IS THIS BULLSHIT!
so the tugs working in the offshore need no licensed operators?
The horrible smell of Joe Boss is suddenly in my nostrils…[/QUOTE]
That reg is outdated. The bit about excluding OSVs was removed in the 2010 STCW rulemaking.
Updated - - -
[QUOTE=Fraqrat;161580]Thats 200 GRT and I think there is n NVIC stating additionally up to 10,000itc OSV’s are grandfathered in…[/QUOTE]
Mariners who operated towing vessels under the old rule where a license was not required are grandfathered to getting a towing endorsement if they can sho experience. Towing vessels operating in the oil field are not grandfathered, the requirement to have licensed officers on board took effect March 24, 2014.
You may want to get in touch with the Towing Vessel National Center for Expertise. I have spoken to them a few times and found them to be very helpful. In fact they have even helped me hash out some issues that were not towing vessel related by putting me in touch with the right experts. You may also be better off looking on a more yacht or pleasure boat related forum.
I moonlighted on a assistance towing vessel between good jobs maybe 5 or 6 years ago. They didn’t carry any special paper, just a state registration and were insured to be doing what they did. Basic safety gear for the vessel size plus tools of the trade. Some were documented but same difference.
A lot of them talk about how they are accredited and whatever, but here’s a link.
The thing is that you can only tow vessels that meet the definition of ‘disables vessel’ if you’re over 26’
“a vessel that needs assistance, whether docked, moored, anchored, aground, adrift or under way; but does not mean a barge or any other vessel not regularly operated under its own power.”