Is Piney Point worth it for color blind?

Hello,

I am interested in getting into Deep Sea merchant marine, sounds like Piney Point/SIU may be a good way to go.

I am color blind (the dots from the test), am I only limited to Steward’s dept?

Is it worth going through the Piney Point program if I know I will only be limited to the Steward’s dept (vs just doing TWIC/z-card and all on my own then go and wait at the SIU for SA positions)?

Last question: I am an electrical engineer, done sofware testing for telecomm for 11 years. Down the road can I somehow get a job on the ship with that degree?

Thank you all very much,
Jan

See 46 CFR 10.215(b)(1) and Table 10.215(a). Color blindness is only disqualifying for deck officer endorsements (licenses) and deck ratings endorsements.

I would check with PineyPoint before going through the rest of the stuff. Part of the program is spending time in each of the departments.

I should have been more precise. Color-blindness is disqualifying for AB, but not for Ordinary Seaman. This should allow one to complete the Unlicernsed Apprentice Program and its assignments to each department. But checking with Piney Popint is still a good idea.

[quote=jan68;17992]Hello,

I am interested in getting into Deep Sea merchant marine, sounds like Piney Point/SIU may be a good way to go…
Down the road can I somehow get a job on the ship with that degree?
[/quote]

SIU is a way to gain entry to the engine department then work up to electrician and use that as a foundation on which to advance to an ETO position which pays the same as 2nd or even 1st engineer. You might not be happy sailing unlicensed but if you can tough it out the time is valuable and not wasted.

Your electrical and networking qualifications put you in a good position to apply with cruise ship operators and for ETO slots on the electrically powered newbuilds coming into the tanker fleets. Try the cruise ships first and see what they have to offer. The pay is not great but the experience is priceless and the lifestyle has a lot going for it, for a while.

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Jan68
check with your local coast guard doctor and see if you can pass the test, there are 4 tests that you can take, if you pass any one of them you can get a license, ask your doctor and LOOK at the chart mr cavo gave a link to

Depending on what sort of engineer you are, and where you got your degree, it is possible to qualify for an original 3AE with just six months’ sea service. If you’re really going to pursue the chance of going to sea, I’d suggest that you familiarize yourself with the following CFRs, and see if your degree(?) may qualify you for this route.

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http://edocket.access.gpo.gov/cfr_2007/octqtr/pdf/46cfr10.516.pdf

If that didn’t work, you want one of the last paragraphs in 46 CFR 10.516

Best of luck, and let us know what happens

Thank you all for the extremely valuable advise and information.

I did call Piney Point, they said I do need another test like FANTAL/Williams lantern to prove I can distinguish colors. So I think I will start getting ready to apply for the Piney Point.

Very good advise from Tashtego. I will need to look into it deeper, since I graduated from a University in Canada with Electrical Engineering, but the accreditation body (ABET) and Coast Guard may not recognize it. I will call them and see if I can convince them that I am an engineer since I have practiced in the US for 11 years in telecomm. Otherwise seems like I may have to go all they way from Wiper/Oiler/QMED/3EA and that obviously will take years and years.

Do you have any other advise on how I can get to Engineering Assistant via Piney Point, SIU jobs as Oiler/Wiper/QMED and possibly shorten the QMED stint from the required 3 years? I want to use my degree of Electrical Engineering, thus I want to do less of QMED. This 6 mo idea really sounded good.

Thanks again very much to all who replied.

Jan

[quote=jan68;18245]Otherwise seems like I may have to go all they way from Wiper/Oiler/QMED/3EA and that obviously will take years and years.
[/quote]

Were you a competent and qualified EE in less than a few years?

To Steamer:

Great point. It did take 11 years and still happens to ask, figure things out, learn, make mistakes.
Since I will be entering a completely different industry, it might be very wise to walk the walk and build confidence/experience as I learn along the way. However long it takes, it is experience. I guess the my potential path would be something in those lines: get docs figured out and apply at SIU (Oakland) for Piney Point, then follow the route to Wiper/Oiler/QMED (trying to learn Electrical)/ then ETO or 3AE.

Questions about Electrician and ETO. I don’t quite understand, is an ETO a part of the 3/2/1AE hierarchy, or is it a self sustaining position? Can an ETO eventually become a Chief Eng? Who does an ETO report to? What position usually precedes the ETO, is it a QMED-Electrician? Final question about those positions, about their schedules: the Electrician and the ETO, do they only work days on the ship?

Thanks a lot,
Jan

[quote=jan68;18337]To Steamer:

Great point. It did take 11 years and still happens to ask, figure things out, learn, make mistakes.
Since I will be entering a completely different industry, it might be very wise to walk the walk and build confidence/experience as I learn along the way. However long it takes, it is experience. I guess the my potential path would be something in those lines: get docs figured out and apply at SIU (Oakland) for Piney Point, then follow the route to Wiper/Oiler/QMED (trying to learn Electrical)/ then ETO or 3AE.

Questions about Electrician and ETO. I don’t quite understand, is an ETO a part of the 3/2/1AE hierarchy, or is it a self sustaining position? Can an ETO eventually become a Chief Eng? Who does an ETO report to? What position usually precedes the ETO, is it a QMED-Electrician? Final question about those positions, about their schedules: the Electrician and the ETO, do they only work days on the ship?

Thanks a lot,
Jan[/quote]

I don’t know how many US flag ships there are that still carry electricians. I do know that “back in the day”, I sailed on ships that would have electricians and assistant electricians; but those positions were some of the first to go when crew sizes started dropping. Long answer to the short question I know, and in my experience, the electricians were day workers, not watch standers.

Hey Jan68,

I just recently went through the whole process of getting my MMC, TWIC, and getting accepted to Piney Point. I also live here in the Bay Area, so if you have any questions about particulars, don’t be afraid to PM me.

Best of luck.

[quote=jan68;18337]To Steamer:

… apply at SIU (Oakland) for Piney Point, then follow the route to Wiper/Oiler/QMED (trying to learn Electrical)/ then ETO or 3AE.

Questions about Electrician and ETO. I don’t quite understand, is an ETO a part of the 3/2/1AE hierarchy, or is it a self sustaining position? Can an ETO eventually become a Chief Eng? Who does an ETO report to? What position usually precedes the ETO, is it a QMED-Electrician? Final question about those positions, about their schedules: the Electrician and the ETO, do they only work days on the ship?[/quote]

If you are in the bay area check with MFOW (Marine Firemen Oilers Watertenders) union in San Francisco to see if they have any open board jobs going for wiper. If you can get some seatime you can sit for the electrician endorsement as well as learn something about how the system works. The MFOW is probably the best unlicensed union going for engine department jobs. They have the best contracts and best runs.

The ETO is a stand-alone position because it is not a USCG rating or license. The berth is not on a minimum safe manning document or COI. You may be able to accrue seatime to sit for a license based on your engineering degree and go that route by working as an ETO. It will be a dayworking job. Depending on the ship and the chief’s interests, the ETO will either work for the chief directly or for the 1st.

When you go talk to the unlicensed unions don’t say anything about your wanting to use them as a shortcut to a license or to the ETO job. They don’t particularly like that idea and may simply tell you to go away. You will not find much support among the older members.

Many people have trouble with the ishahara (SP) test, (dots).The farnsworth lantern test is acceptable alternative,and may be easier for you. I would certainly invest the time and money to see if you can pass that, so you don’t limit your options.

Do an internet search on gene therapy for color blindness, i saw an article on it not too long ago, i think it said the FDA has approved the procedure, that might be a possibility for you.
Good luck