Not just limiting it. They are so miserly with an increase from 1600 GRT mate to 2000 GRT mate that it hardly makes it worth the upgrade fee. As Ctony said, where do you find a non-OSV that falls between 1600 and 1999 GRT to use that endorsement?
The effin’ USCG, and the effin’ deep sea unions, and the effin’ Academies, have been conspiring for decades to prevent competent and highly experienced mariners licensed 1600/3000 Oceans from upgrading to unlimited tonnage mate.
Tonnage is grossly overrated as a valid measurement of skill, sea experience, and competence.
The notion that 22 year old kids fresh out of the academy with only 180 days of “seatime” (most of which was tied to the dock) are more competent than 50 year old Masters with 20 years of experience sailing as master, is ludicrous on its face.
These new third mates typically have to sail as deckhands for a year or two before we can let them into the pilot house on small vessels.
The notion that union deep draft ship ABs, are getting “unlimited tonnage seatime” for mostly sweeping, moping, chipping and painting is even more ridiculous. We sometimes get these guys on tugs; their lack of basic seamanship skills and the ability is absolutely pathetic.
Anyone that thinks an experienced master 1600/3000 would learn anything of value other than shipboard culture (or lack thereof) sailing AB on a large ship in order to upgrade is out of his effin’ mind.
Anyone that thinks it’s appropriate for a limited Master earning $1000 a day to go sail AB on a ship for $400 a day is out of hi effin’ mind.
A 2000 ton limit has the same effect as a 1600 ton limit. There are no US flag vessels between 1600 and 2000 tons.
With the exception of a few factory trawlers, a dozen ferries, and maybe a few dozen OSVs, there are no US flag vessels under 5000 tons. Probably not many more ships under 10,000.
The USCG has been screwing limited license mariners for decades. It gleefully continues to do so, while claiming that it has made beneficial reforms and has created a new update path. That is false and fraudulent BS.
Anyone with a 500/1,600 GRT Master or Mate with at least 360 days as OICNW on that license should be given 3rd Mate unlimited (with no tonnage limit).
We can petition all we want. The CG has their own interests…
“The CG has their own interests…” What possible personal interest does anyone in or working for the CG have in whether someone moves from master 500/1,600 to 3M unlimited?
The UK, Canada, and most other countries credit seatime over 20 GT and 20 meters length toward an unlimited license.
Canada has a 350 GT tug license, but most of the tugboat guys I’ve met on tugs over 65’ have unlimited licenses. All of the Canadian OSV guys have unlimited licenses.
The UK is similar.
The USCG has been screwing limited license mariners for decades, only because that is what the owners, deep sea mariners, unions, and academies want. They don’t want competition.
None, but that’s not what was said.