Hello folks, working on testing for my mate 500 nc along with towing endorsement. Was curious if once I obtain the mate 500 if I have to go to the REC again for exams regarding the towing endorsement or just turn in TOAR for the endorsement?
Mate 500 doesn’t require a test to go to Mate of Towing Vessels. You only need to complete the TOAR and have at least 30 days (you probably need considerably more than 30 days to do the TOAR) on a towing vessel (90 days for western rivers) on the applicable route. You also don’t need to add the endorsement to your MMC, you can serve as Mate on a towing vessel as soon as you get toe towing vessel time and complete the TOAR (in that case, you need to have with you the TOAR and proof of the sea time). However, you should probably apply to add the endorsement as soon as possible. If you don’t, and you lose the TOAR or sea time documents, you are out of luck.
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If your TOAR is already completed then submit it along with your application for Mate 500 and you’ll get them concurrently. Otherwise, after you get Mate 500 just reapply for Mate of Tow and submit your TOAR.
I realize that’s allowed but a number of companies, especially ones that move oil, that don’t want the liability of allowing a mate to run their boats with just a TOAR.
Probably because they can’t verify the mariner’s authority to work on a towing vessel. If they don’t have the endorsement in the MMC, it won’t appear in the credential verification tool, nd the NMC web page lists of approved Designated Examiners authorized to sign off TOARs is incomplete. It only lists those who have given express permission to be listed on the web page.