# Getting both Deck and Engineer Licenses

**URL:** <https://forum.gcaptain.com/t/getting-both-deck-and-engineer-licenses/443>\
**Category:** Professional Mariner Forum\
**Created:** [August 13, 2008, 2:34am UTC](https://forum.gcaptain.com/t/getting-both-deck-and-engineer-licenses/443 "2008-08-13T02:34:10Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 11\
**Page:** 1

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![SubGuy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/58956e/32.png) [@SubGuy](https://forum.gcaptain.com/u/SubGuy)\
**Post date:** [August 13, 2008, 2:34am UTC](https://forum.gcaptain.com/t/getting-both-deck-and-engineer-licenses/443/1 "2008-08-13T02:34:10Z")

</div>

\<P\>Does anyone here hold both a DECK and an ENGINEERING license?\<br\>\<br\>Is it permissible to do so? And, if so, how does sea time split out work?\<br\>i.e. can you credit your sea time towards both a deck license and an\<br\>engineering license if your duties were split between the two departments?\<br\>\<br\>\</P\>

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Capt\_Anonymous](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/forum.gcaptain.com/capt_anonymous/32/1579_2.png) [@Capt\_Anonymous](https://forum.gcaptain.com/u/Capt_Anonymous)\
**Post date:** [August 13, 2008, 6:23am UTC](https://forum.gcaptain.com/t/getting-both-deck-and-engineer-licenses/443/2 "2008-08-13T06:23:28Z")

</div>

Sure, there are a few out there with both deck and engineer licenses. It takes time and dedication. The Coast Guard won’t give you engine credit for deck sea time, and vice versa. Get one, then start from scratch and get the other. An extremely valuable combination, as well.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![SubGuy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/58956e/32.png) [@SubGuy](https://forum.gcaptain.com/u/SubGuy)\
**Post date:** [August 13, 2008, 6:46am UTC](https://forum.gcaptain.com/t/getting-both-deck-and-engineer-licenses/443/3 "2008-08-13T06:46:40Z")

</div>

Thank Capt\_Anon. I’m in a strange situation, but I want to do it as you suggest: get Deck first then get Engineering. I’ll be getting 3rd Mate based on school after completion of my STCW and passing the exam. Then I’ll apply for my engineer license based on serving as a Chief Engineer in the Navy and having sea time. Then I plan to sail on my deck license to earn time and progress upwards within the deck dept.\<br\>\<br\>Ah, the joys of our licensing system!

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![injunear](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/e95f7d/32.png) [@injunear](https://forum.gcaptain.com/u/injunear)\
**Post date:** [August 13, 2008, 2:51pm UTC](https://forum.gcaptain.com/t/getting-both-deck-and-engineer-licenses/443/4 "2008-08-13T14:51:39Z")

</div>

The CG will give some credit for deck time toward a lower level engineer’s license and vise versa. I’m not sure about a 3rd asst or mate.\<br\>\<br\>I’ve sailed with several “double enders” out of the academies, but not lately. 3 guys that I started sailing with in '69 and '70 wound up with both. 2 have 2nd mate with 1600 ton master and DDE unlimited. One has master AGT and 3rd asst. I have a 100T for my guide service. \<br\>\<br\>If you have the time, go for it. Good luck!

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![anchorman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/bbce88/32.png) [@anchorman](https://forum.gcaptain.com/u/anchorman)\
**Post date:** [August 14, 2008, 9:41am UTC](https://forum.gcaptain.com/t/getting-both-deck-and-engineer-licenses/443/5 "2008-08-14T09:41:18Z")

</div>

Good Luck.\<br\>\<br\>Personally, I would pick something and become excellent at it, but I hope you do well in both.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![chaos](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/9d8465/32.png) [@chaos](https://forum.gcaptain.com/u/chaos)\
**Post date:** [August 14, 2008, 1:18pm UTC](https://forum.gcaptain.com/t/getting-both-deck-and-engineer-licenses/443/6 "2008-08-14T13:18:49Z")

</div>

\<DIV style="font-size: 15px; ]\<P class="MsoNormal]\<span\>\<span style="font-family: ArialMT; font-size: 17.3333px; line-height: 20px;]Why  
in the world would anyone want to do both? One is enough of a pain in the a#%. Anchorman  
I agree with you. Pick one and be the best you can be at it.\</span\>\</span\>\</P\>\<P class=“MsoNormal” style="line-height:15.0pt;mso-pagination:none;mso-layout-grid-align:  
none;text-autospace:none]\<span style="font-size:13.0pt;font-family:ArialMT]\<span style="font-family: ArialMT; font-size: 17.3333px; line-height: 20px;]\<span style="font-size:13.0pt;font-family:ArialMT; font-family: arial; font-size: 13px; line-height: 15px; ]Kind of like the  
Army.\</span\>\</span\>\</span\>\</P\>\<P class="MsoNormal]\<span style="font-family: ArialMT; font-size: 17.3333px; line-height: 20px;] \<span style="line-height: 20px;]\<O:P\>\</O:P\>\</span\>\</span\>\</P\>\<P class="MsoNormal]\<span\>\<span style="font-family: ArialMT; font-size: 17.3333px; line-height: 20px;]Engineer  
???.. I would rather have a sister as a whore than a brother as an  
engineer!!! LOL\</span\>\<span style="line-height: 20px;]\<O:P\>\</O:P\>\</span\>\</span\>\</P\>\<P class="MsoNormal]\<span style="font-family: ArialMT; font-size: 17.3333px; line-height: 20px;]\<br\>\</span\>\</P\>\<P class="MsoNormal]\<span\>\<span style="font-family: ArialMT; font-size: 17.3333px; line-height: 20px;]All  
kidding aside good luck in ya’ll endeavors\</span\>\<span style="line-height: 20px;]\<O:P\>\</O:P\>\</span\>\</span\>\</P\>\</DIV\>

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![injunear](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/e95f7d/32.png) [@injunear](https://forum.gcaptain.com/u/injunear)\
**Post date:** [August 15, 2008, 2:20pm UTC](https://forum.gcaptain.com/t/getting-both-deck-and-engineer-licenses/443/7 "2008-08-15T14:20:43Z")

</div>

\<P\>back to chaos\</P\>  
\<P\>The contract before last our captains received a larger percentage pay increase than the rest of us. This past contract, the engineers received the larger. In the negotiation, this was met with howls of protest from the company reps (deckies) and the old Captain/Chief net worth arguement. I had to remind them of the old saw about “you can teach a monkey to ride a bicycle, but see what happens when he throws a chain” LOL!! \</P\>

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![anchorman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/bbce88/32.png) [@anchorman](https://forum.gcaptain.com/u/anchorman)\
**Post date:** [August 15, 2008, 10:57pm UTC](https://forum.gcaptain.com/t/getting-both-deck-and-engineer-licenses/443/8 "2008-08-15T22:57:38Z")

</div>

“you can teach a monkey to ride a bicycle, but see what happens when he throws a chain”\<br\>\<br\>LOL, but at the end of the day, the monkey is still stuck in the seat!!!

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![tengineer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/49beb7/32.png) [@tengineer](https://forum.gcaptain.com/u/tengineer)\
**Post date:** [August 16, 2008, 12:07am UTC](https://forum.gcaptain.com/t/getting-both-deck-and-engineer-licenses/443/9 "2008-08-16T00:07:21Z")

</div>

Injunear,\<br\>\<br\> Captains can navigate which is impressive until one remembers that the greatest navigator in the world is a homing pigeon which has a brain the size of a pea. : )\<br\>Tengineer

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![anchorman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/bbce88/32.png) [@anchorman](https://forum.gcaptain.com/u/anchorman)\
**Post date:** [August 16, 2008, 12:49am UTC](https://forum.gcaptain.com/t/getting-both-deck-and-engineer-licenses/443/10 "2008-08-16T00:49:46Z")

</div>

It’s usually dealing with the “1/2” pea brains that make being a captain somewhat challenging, not the navigation. ; )

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![jdcavo](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/forum.gcaptain.com/jdcavo/32/108_2.png) [@jdcavo](https://forum.gcaptain.com/u/jdcavo)\
**Post date:** [August 19, 2008, 1:22am UTC](https://forum.gcaptain.com/t/getting-both-deck-and-engineer-licenses/443/11 "2008-08-19T01:22:47Z")

</div>

See 46 CFR 10.410(b) and 10.504. We will allow up to 25% of the sea time for a deck license to be in the engine department, and vice versa.\<br\>\<br\>James D. Cavo\<br\>Chief, Mariner Training & Assessment Division\<br\>USCG National Maritime Center\<br\>\<A href="[mailto:James.D.Cavo@uscg.mil](mailto:James.D.Cavo@uscg.mil)]\<font color=#3354aa\>James.D.Cavo@uscg.mil\</font\>\</A\>