Well I just finished my OSV deck assessments for Master 6000 ITC.(Woo Whooo!!!)
Over all they are nothing more than what a cadet should know after his 1 month on board ANY size vessel. The level of difficulty and complexity of the systems is no more than on any other modern day 3000 ton PSV. But it is what it is, a scam by the offshore companies to keep from having to hire unlimited licenses. Actually you do not even have to be on a vessel over 3,000ITC to obtain it.Now to wait for my certificate and pay the USCG…
I’m fairly certain there is a requirement for X amount of days on an OSV over 3,000 gt. I believe X = 56 days…
[QUOTE=Capt. Phoenix;75378]I’m fairly certain there is a requirement for X amount of days on an OSV over 3,000 gt. I believe X = 56 days…[/QUOTE]
You would think so but you don’t. Your time, 56 days must be on an “Approved training platform” that platform does not have to be over 3,000 grt
The checklist specifically says “56 days on large osv > than 3000 gt”. The assessments may be allowed on an “approved training platform” but not the required sea time. What is your source for this information?
I think the CG are tweaking the rules again. I think companies could get away with “approved” vessels under 3000 itc if they didn’t have enough vessels over 3000. Like say when they were nearing completion of new builds and needed to train and endorse crews ahead of delivery. Now just about everybody has a +3000 itc vessel or twelve in their fleet. Maybe he is on one of his companies earlier approved vessels from way back.
[QUOTE=cajuntugster;75375]Over all they are nothing more than what a cadet should know after his 1 month on board ANY size vessel. The level of difficulty and complexity of the systems is no more than on any other modern day 3000 ton PSV. But it is what it is, a scam by the offshore companies to keep from having to hire unlimited licenses. [/QUOTE]
Well at least now I know that I am not the only one who see’s reality for what it is…
thanks cajuntugster for making me feel just a little bit less alone in the wilderness
You can argue all you want about that paper says, but its true, we have training platforms that are no where near 3000itc yet they are approved and when you finish training, you can get your endorsement. Really is a scam.
Yes indeed Ryan! For engineers our new program is only good for 4 vessels. 3 of the 4 are over 3000 itc one is just under. For the mates there is a whole list of vessels to “observe” on. Most of which are under 3000 itc. It’s painful to attempt to understand the rationale the CG has with any of it.
It’s not the cg’s fault. They are just doing what Omsa’s WHORES in Washington tell them to do.
[QUOTE=wheel wash;75479]It’s not the cg’s fault. They are just doing what Omsa’s WHORES in Washington tell them to do.[/QUOTE]
So why are any of you complaining?..you get to drive the big boats without having to go the big boat route.
I’m the one who gets the right to BITCH about this!
[QUOTE=c.captain;75480]So why are any of you complaining?..you get to drive the big boats without having to go the big boat route.
I’m the one who gets the right to BITCH about this![/QUOTE]
Actually, they went the restricted route and not the unrestricted route. Having done both, they are equally as good or bad as the other for there respective objectives. Anyone can do both, as well as bitch about the other…personal choice I reckon.
Ccapt I don’t need the 6000 either
[QUOTE=c.captain;75480]So why are any of you complaining?..you get to drive the big boats without having to go the big boat route.
I’m the one who gets the right to BITCH about this![/QUOTE]
There’re many of us that worked the oilfield, followed the rules and upgraded to unlimited licenses only to have tonnage rules broke off in our arses. In retrospect, I was done a great service. My life after the oilfield enabled me to retire at 56.
[QUOTE=injunear;75484]There’re many of us that worked the oilfield, followed the rules and upgraded to unlimited licenses only to have tonnage rules broke off in our arses. In retrospect, I was done a great service. My life after the oilfield enabled me to retire at 56.[/QUOTE]
There is almost no difference between 279’6" supply boat that is 2,999 ITC, and a 280’ supply boat that is 3,002 ITC. Now, you could out of choice be the unlimited mariner that played by the rules to work on the extra couple of tons (larger OSV) for the same amount that Boudreaux is making with his 1,600 ton license - on the other OSV, or just leave that crap behind …like you did (Great Choice)…and retire a decade earlier. If anyone is getting something broke off in you know where, it sure aint in yours.
I remember some getting upset about the 1,000 ton Freight and Towing license getting changed.
[QUOTE=anchorman;75489]I remember some getting upset about the 1,000 ton Freight and Towing license getting changed.[/QUOTE]
If I remember correctly, I was in the torch and pitchfork brigade!LOL!
[QUOTE=anchorman;75482]Actually, they went the restricted route and not the unrestricted route. Having done both, they are equally as good or bad as the other for there respective objectives. Anyone can do both, as well as bitch about the other…personal choice I reckon.[/QUOTE]
That is all true but in the end, men are getting certified by the USCG with minimal formal training to operate vessels that by the STCW rules are unlimited tonnage. That disenfranchises those like myself since the OSV people are the preferred mariners for the jobs so as long as the companies can go the Large OSV route with “their” people then while although not closed to the UL master is not wide open either.
As the another before me in this thread stated “Really is a scam.”.
Yep I was pissed when they took my 1000 ton and gave me a generic 1600 ton. I had to go through a load of shit to get my towing put back on the 1600.
[QUOTE=anchorman;75489]There is almost no difference between 279’6" supply boat that is 2,999 ITC, and a 280’ supply boat that is 3,002 ITC. Now, you could out of choice be the unlimited mariner that played by the rules to work on the extra couple of tons (larger OSV) for the same amount that Boudreaux is making with his 1,600 ton license - on the other OSV, or just leave that crap behind …like you did (Great Choice)…and retire a decade earlier. If anyone is getting something broke off in you know where, it sure aint in yours.
I remember some getting upset about the 1,000 ton Freight and Towing license getting changed.[/QUOTE]
Come on Cap you are stuck on this and it’s not healthy!
I walked away from the SIU in 95 and started my mud boat career. From 1995-2000 it was rare to see a cadet much less an unlimited license guy. The random occasion you did work with a cadet they all were bitter about being stuck on a mud boat. Several told me they wished they had been assigned to a tug. They all had stars in their eyes for deep sea. “That’s where the money is” and “those are real sailors” were common statements. 2000-2005 the industry went up and down and the Yankee accents started becoming a little more frequent. If an academy guy came down to the bayou he may work a year or so in the fleet before being offered an office job. Why not? They had all their teeth and knew how to read and write them fancy scribblings that you see on paper. Post Katrina the money doubled in a 6 month period now mud boats were starting to look good. Now we had academy guys on just about every boat hut hutting around. They all had been around the world once and seen everything twice. I never had the heart to tell them my Bic lighter had more sea time than them and was ten times more useful. You would have the occasional hawespiper unlimited guy but they were near retirement and looking for shorter hitches. Then we had the spill, recession, depression and permatorium but none of that slowed the influx of Upper Level license deities. Sons of Neptune God’s one and all. They came for the big boats they saw in the magazines. You would hear “what’s this 6000 itc rubbish people are talking about”? It seems the industry couldn’t attract these big ship guys back in the early 2000’s. Who would wanna drive that it’s just a big mud boat? I have no allusion that brown envelopes and brief cases full of cash didn’t exchange hands but the 6000 endorsement was born. So deep sea dries up and all the Super Seaman with the big licenses need work. The reasons for which have all been discussed before. Now I’m up to my armpits in unlimited license awesomeness both academy and hawespipe. Now people wanna cry foul when your late to the party. Ten years ago the oilfield was where you went when you couldn’t hack it in the big leagues. Now our little toy 300 foot mud boats are ships all the sudden. These ships should be manned by real sailors who know how to operate them. The whole 6000 endorsement may be an industry end game but what were the companies supposed to do? How is a 2nd mate with a couple years sea time and “gimme” 1600 ton flipped into an 6000 OSV any more qualified than Boudreaux? At least he knows how to drive the boat when the magic box dies and there are no more buttons to mash. How is a 20+ year unlimited ship master who has never seen DP or even maneuvered his own ship in traffic any more qualified. Sure it will be easier to train that guy (unless he is a deck officer from the Noble Disco) but in the end he still needs training time. The same CAN be said for the opposite. I wouldn’t expect to walk on a 1000 foot freighter and be chief. Why is it an unlimited tonnage license immediately grants the bearer all knowing and omnipotent status. Ive seen those licenses. They were printed on the same paper as mine. NO WHERE ON THE BACK OF THE FUCKING THING DID IT SAY PHD IN ASTRO PHYSICS!
[QUOTE=c.captain;75493]That is all true but in the end, men are getting certified by the USCG with minimal formal training to operate vessels that by the STCW rules are unlimited tonnage. That disenfranchises those like myself since the OSV people are the preferred mariners for the jobs so as long as the companies can go the Large OSV route with “their” people then while although not closed to the UL master is not wide open either.
As the another before me in this thread stated “Really is a scam.”.[/QUOTE]
I can see where you are coming from, but believe me when I say that despite what you may think is right or wrong, it’s about perfect how it is…animosity aside. Do you really think having several hundred more unlimited masters with a DP license can be good for you or me? I don’t think it would be. That is certainly the only alternative “if” industry was forced to have unlimited mariners back in 1997. They tried it and I’m glad it didn’t work out. I was there, got the first 6,000 ton license printed, but kept upgrading on my own. There was sound reasoning why it was allowed by USCG, but if the companies were not successsful, they would have just done the same thing they just did with the Aiviq …send their own guys to school to upgrade. Simple as that. You would be worse off today with unlimited captains running the countryside with big ship unlimited licenses with nothing but mudboat experience. I mean, you can choose the lesser of two evils; it’s a no-brainer to me which scenario is better.
I feel disenfranchized by the son’s of river and harbor pilots; If I ever say that I was disenfranchized by a mudboat Captain, just take me around back and put a bullet in my head.
let me just say for the record that I am enough of a realist to know that the offshore is not a place for OSV to be run as ships with a ship structured oorganization. My entire point is that in order to get the certification to become an officer on a large OSV, the requirements should be much tougher to meet. My position that UL people have a high level of qualifications to go through so why not the large OSV licensed people?
Of course, I don’t blame the mariners…I blame OMSA, the OMSA member companies and the USCG for this to have happened.