I have been riding as a chief now for eight years for a piece of crap tug company, now I can’t get my sea time letter from them. But my question is, I am going to set for my qmed in may, any advice on the test. I am not going through the school, I am just going to go straight through the coast guard.
Why are you only going for a QMED? With eight years of “equivalent supervisory” experience you would be able to get at least DDE Unl. If not Chief Limited. That’s where the good jobs are.
Someone once told me that it’s in the CFRs that they are required to give you your letter within 30 days.
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I was told by the cg lady that I had to get a qmed first. And I think the reason the company won’t give me my c time letter is they know I will try to leave. I am the reason that their boats still run, not to sound stuck up but I am very good at what I do. Can I get my cfrs from any coast guard office or just from a rec
You need QMED or “equivalent supervisory experience”. Being the sole engineer on the boat counts.
The CFRs are available on line.
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Thank u I will look them up
Also I’m pretty sure a company is NOT allowed to refuse you a sea time letter. They are required to give you one.
Maybe someone else can give chapter and verse on that one.
There was a good thread some time ago -several years? - about a mariner not being able to get a sea time letter from his employer. As I recall, the USCG won’t help, and there is no CFR to say they must.
If all else fails, one recommendation was to have a lawyer write them a letter.
A second recommendation was something like filling out a small claims court complaint to the maximum for loss of future earnings. Take it along with you, and ask them again for the sea time letter. If they won’t, show them the small claims court paperwork and tell them they are forcing you to do something that you don’t want to do… but you will have to file it if you don’t get that letter.
It would probably be a good idea to have a sea time letter with all ready to go that hopefully they could copy onto their letter head and print it out right there.
Good luck!
[QUOTE=Skipcher;68030]I have been riding as a chief now for eight years for a piece of crap tug company, now I can’t get my sea time letter from them. But my question is, I am going to set for my qmed in may, any advice on the test. I am not going through the school, I am just going to go straight through the coast guard.[/QUOTE]
Obviously you aren’t a CHIEF if you are going for your QMED. Gotta love the gulf where they call guys “Unlicensed Engineers.” Is that equivalent to an unlicensed Captain?
On a serious note, get a Seatime letter every few months in the future. Don’t get yourself in a position where your employer can hold you hostage involving your livelihood. Any company that would not give you a seatime letter in a reasonable time frame is not worth working for. Please post the company so others can be aware.
I actually got one every year on my anniversary date. Be sure to follow up on it as well. If it don’t seem important to you it sure as shit won’t be important to them in the office. Good follow up and timely email requests got me letters in a week or less
[QUOTE=Saltine;68085]Obviously you aren’t a CHIEF if you are going for your QMED. Gotta love the gulf where they call guys “Unlicensed Engineers.” Is that equivalent to an unlicensed Captain?[/QUOTE]
It ain’t just the Gulf. I’ve seen it from Alaska to Maine. Tugs less than 200GT do not require a licensed engineer. Inland tugs less than 300GT do not require license. There are many tugs over 6000HP that are under 200GT.
No matter what their license I have a hard time calling them “chief”. If there is only one engineer how can he be chief? It’s like when there us only one mate he us the mate, not the chief mate.
It’s like a lot of the guys at my company keep talking about 1st, 2nd and 3rd Captain. I understand the 2nd Captain being he is the Captain when the Master gets off of the boat but 3rd Captain? Really? An OSV with a 6 man crew has a 3rd Captain? Lol
That’s how it is down on “da bayou”. The justification I heard once was " I have a captain license too". I also hear “I’m the chief mate”, the response was “dude, your the only mate”
I am running mate I just tell them to call me when the foods ready!
[QUOTE=Jeffery_P_Oliver;68530]That’s how it is down on “da bayou”. The justification I heard once was " I have a captain license too". I also hear “I’m the chief mate”, the response was “dude, your the only mate”[/QUOTE]
Everyone loves a title … I’ve been on boats where I was the only one without a captains license. By their logic we can have OSs who are “4th Captain”. If I go get a captains license too can I be Chief and “5th Captain”?
Yep. I’ve heard an AB say he was 3rd captain on an OSV because he had a 100 ton license.