Getting mixed info regarding my next move and need advice

Maritime Topics Maritime Training & Licensing
1

I’m getting mixed information from multiple schools and also the USCG and I’m just not sure what to do here.

In a nut shell, I guess things are going to become much more stringent Dec 31, 2016 so I want to get the biggest captain ticket I can before then.

Here is a basic rundown of my experience:

  1. Previously held OUPV license for 5 years doing fishing and sailing charters. In 2008 when it was time to renew or upgrade, I literally had zero work due to the collapse of the economy. My OUPV expired.

  2. I continued working on boats as the economy got better but managed to stay under the radar with charters and also international deliveries. Mostly sportfishing boats.

  3. As time went on, it became apparent that I needed to get my shit together and get my captain license crap sorted out and go legit.

  4. While doing my STCW training I had many conversations with guys from the commercial end of boats. I was told to skip the captains license and go with AB endorsement to transfer over to commercial boats, which I did.

So now I am working on commercial boats. I have probably 1800 easily documentable days (actually have a lot more than that just hard to track down the people to sign off) working as master or mate on boats generally under 50 tons. And I also have another 200 plus days working as an AB on boats in the 450-500 ton range.

AB is current. As well as STCW, RFPNW, vessel security, and a couple of others.

What is the highest tonnage I can go for with my current sea time??? My goal is eventually at least 500 ton but I realize I need to carry a smaller license for x number of days before I can get to that level.

One school even told me I had to start with OUPV again and work up from there.

Can I go for 100 ton or 200 ton based on my current sea time???

Any advice would be much appreciated. I am seriously pulling my hair out because I get conflicting information every time I talk to a different person.

Many many many thanks.

Ed

2

Sorry, your question completely slipped through the cracks.

Schools have an economic incentive to convince you to take more classes. Schools have convinced people I know that they couldn’t just go straight to 500/1600 ton mate but HAD to start with a 100 ton master/200 ton mate license, that one guy then learned (after going to school and getting the licenses) that he couldn’t use on our tug boats.

Now, to properly answer your question I also need to know how much time as master you have on vessels under 100 GRT but over 50 GRT (while holding a license!).

Also, is your current time as AB 8 hour days or 12 hour days?

Here is the text of 46 CFR for 1600 ton [B]Mate[/B] NC:

§11.416 Service requirements for mate of near-coastal self-propelled vessels of less than 1,600 GRT.
(a) The minimum service required to qualify an applicant for an endorsement as mate of near-coastal self-propelled vessels of less than 1,600 GRT is 2 years of total service in the deck department of ocean or near-coastal self-propelled, sail, or auxiliary sail vessels. Service on Great Lakes and inland waters may substitute for up to 1 year of the required service. [B]One year of the required service must have been on vessels of more than 100 GRT[/B]. Six months of the required service must have been while performing bridge watchkeeping duties under the supervision of the master or a qualified officer.

(b) A person holding this endorsement may qualify for an STCW endorsement, according to §11.309 of this part.

Here is the text of 46 CFR for 500 ton [B]Master[/B] NC/Oceans:

§11.418 Service requirements for master of ocean or near-coastal self-propelled vessels of less than 500 GRT.

(1) Three years total of service on ocean or near-coastal waters. Service on Great Lakes and inland waters may substitute for up to 18 months of the required service. Two years of the required service must have been as a master, mate, or equivalent position while holding a license or MMC endorsement as master, mate, or operator of uninspected passenger vessels. [B]One year of the required service as master, mate, or equivalent position must have been on vessels of more than 50 GRT[/B]