Azimuth of the Sun, Where in Florida?

Maritime Topics Maritime Training & Licensing
1

Hello,

I’m currently doing the AB to Mate program at MPT, Fort Lauderdale. Last Friday I found out that there’s one assessment that CANNOT be done at school which is the Azimuth of the Sun. Must be done on board a vessel in the ocean.

Anyone knows a place in Florida or near by states where I could get this assessment done?

I’m willing to pay, not asking for a freebie. Any Captains out there that might be able to help?

Ps: My instructor told me there’s supposedly a small school in Virginia that rents a boat to do this, anyone familiar with this?

Thanks in advanced for helping.

Regards,

SailorAk

2

I’m sure you could do it on board a docked vessel, as long as you have a clear view of the horizon where the sun sets or rises.

3

Umm, no.
Assessment No. OICNW-1-5F specifically states, on a ship underway, using a standard azimuth circle. Read the gyrocompass bearing of the sun and determine gyro compass error.

4

And having a clear view if the horizon has nothing to do with this particular assessment.

5

Yeah i’m retarded… azimuth…

Amplitudes though…

So you have to board a vessel underway just to shoot one azimuth?

6

That’s how I am reading it.
I wonder why MPT didn’t write a course approval to cover this one assessment?

7

You can get the assessment in the Compass course at Mid Atlantic Maritime, but you can’t do it separately. Have yet to find anywhere else that offers it as an approved assessment.

8

Can’t do this when underway next time out? Don’t you work on a vessel of some type? If the vessel is not equipped for this or you don’t work on a vessel of some sort that’s a real shame, entire process takes perhaps 30 min or less. I doubt that can be assessed on a simulator and is perhaps why MPT can’t do it.

9

Hey guys, thanks for the replies.

The way it goes the coast guard does not allow MPT to do this assessment on the simulators even tho it could easily be done.

I could do it on my vessel but I work in Alaska. Would cost me easy $2k to go there and come back just for one assessment which is why Im looking to find something down here.

If push comes to shove I’ll have no choice, fortunately I got till April to sort this out.

10

hey aksailorgabe did you find a way to get this assesment done? I’m in the same boat and its the only thing holding me back from testing

[QUOTE=AkSailorGabe;123725]Hey guys, thanks for the replies.

The way it goes the coast guard does not allow MPT to do this assessment on the simulators even tho it could easily be done.

I could do it on my vessel but I work in Alaska. Would cost me easy $2k to go there and come back just for one assessment which is why Im looking to find something down here.

If push comes to shove I’ll have no choice, fortunately I got till April to sort this out.[/QUOTE]

11

[QUOTE=akoceanguy;127483]hey aksailorgabe did you find a way to get this assesment done? I’m in the same boat and its the only thing holding me back from testing[/QUOTE]

Unfortunately no. I went to Port Everglades and the only vessels I could reach had foreign licensed officers. I’ll probably be heading to Alaska next month just for this assessment… I keep meeting people here entering the AB to Mate program who are NOT told either. I don’t understand the reasoning behind this but this is whats going on here.

12

I applaud your efforts to get this assessment done the right way.
I was aboard ship and had a guy offer to sign mine off for me. The vessel we were on did not have a bearing ring or gyro repeater. He apparently had no qualms about pencil whipping the assessment for me. I declined.