Oicnw?

It sounds like he’s renewed more than once since he got his original license in the 90s though.

Yes, I was just pointing out that academy graduation expires after 5 years just like all other classes unlike what he said in his post.

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Understood if someone doesn’t renew in 5 or puts license into continuity. However, I’ve renewed every 5 years.

But you never had OICNW to begin with. If you had been actively sailing back then I’m not sure what you would have had to do to get it either. I don’t know if there was automatic grandfathering for people with current sea time or if there was required classes or something else entirely.

But regardless, you never got your OICNW and at this point, 22.5 years after it started being required, it’s too late for any grandfathering that may have existed back then, if any.

I’m guessing you’re about my age (class of ‘99 at TMA), and if so, those classes back then are very different and not at all the same as the ones required now (which have been taught since the class years that started in 1998). The ones now are a whole lot more structured in what has to be taught for STCW compliance, with required attendance and very specific training elements, very much like all the ones required to upgrade from 2nd Mate to Chief Mate.

Anything not already applied toward OICNW lost validity in 2002 when STCW95 went into full effect. I squeaked under the wire myself on that with getting BRM (and I want to say there was another course too) at the last minute to get the OICNW endorsement.

There was a whole huge blowup at TMA about it by the classes graduating right before it went into effect. People were ticked that our licenses would be practically useless so soon after graduation with no defined route or guidance on fixing that for broke “wet ink” 3rd Mates.

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ARPA

I had to take it after graduation. It was the same situation at Fort Schuyler with everyone wondering how the school dropped the ball so badly on regulations that were well known to be coming online.

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