I have my 200 ton mates, 100 ton masters and will soon be receiving my apprentice mate steersman. At the very least I plan on being able to work as a mate on tugs in the future. I’m considering going for my 1600 to make ATBs a possibility as well (that’s necessary right?) but the mate on my boat is telling me that the exams for the 1600 and 3M unlimited are nearly identical and if I’m gonna go for either one I may as well go for 3M. Is this true? Are they really that similar? Also please send absolutely any study advice you may have (preferably from those who have hawsepiped themselves). I’m currently studying Deck gen/ nav gen questions on Seatrials. Soon I will start getting into chart plotting/ math with the practical navigator courses online.

Always go for the biggest license you can get. Opens up more opportunities and most likely more doors too.

I second New3M. Time is going to go by anyways so might as well go the extra mile and get the bigger license, even if there’s extra hoops.

I recommend that you look at 46 CFR 11.910 table 2 which will provide you with the answer to your question. Second Mate/Third Mate, oceans/near-coastal, unlimited tonnage, and Mate less than 500 GRT and less than 1600 GRT, oceans/near-coastal. Note the examination subjects and topics. Then take a look at the NMC Sample Exams look at each license to identify where certain subjects and topics that are crossover in the various exam modules.e.g. Distance Off Problems. Last, I recommend reviewing the style of questions that represent the subject or topic being examined.

Don’t. Get a shore job. Have a proper life.

Always go the biggest you can, when you can. Even if you decide to stay on a less than 200 grt tugboat, its always great to have options. I haven’t done a deck license upgrade since 2012, but lapware, marineradvancement and the capt Joe cd (I believe its a thumb drive now) were all huge help for me.

Are you sure you didn’t mean Convince me NOT to go for 3rd Mate Unlimited…?

I’m an engineer but when I was going for my 3rd A/E I also took the DDE Any HP because they were the same seatime requirements. Friends of mine did not. It has come in handy to have the DDE and opened up some opportunities I wouldn’t have gotten without. Also, some HR people have really liked that I had both. Go for both. You’ll most likely never go back to get the one you didn’t take, no matter what you tell yourself.

If you do the 1600 exam you might not need to do the oceans exam portion if you just want to do tugs/ATBs etc. For the 3m you will have to take the oceans most likely or it’s kinda useless not too bc there aren’t that many unlimited near coastal ships. Also check with the national maritime center you might need higher tonnage seatime in order to test for the 3m

He’s not gettting unlimited period , doesn’t have time on vessels over 1600.. don’t get his hopes up.

Or the just take the 1600, you can go 1600 Mate to 3m with no testing but it’s not going to be unlimited

Convince me to go for 3rd mate unlimited

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Convince me to go for 3rd mate unlimited

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