Apparently, I truly can put this behind me as you suggest, because I just got notification from the NMC giving me permission to test for the 1600 ton Masters exams. My “free” time just became “study” time. Thanks again for everyone’s input, wish me luck.
Congrats. although I should hold that for a while until you get it!
If you need to go to school, may I be so bold as to recommend CMTI in Hayes, Va. Top notch, no B.S., no extraneous ridiculousness. Just meat and potatoes. Best prices I found when I did my Celestial.
I agree that CMTI is a very good school. But if as I believe, you are in Tampa Bay area then Quality Maritime in St Petersburg would be my choice.
Hello to all, just an update, or “the rest of the story”. I was approved to test for 1600 Master, with the expiration date of Nov 24, 2011. I had issues, (sick parents, a promotion, including a move across the state to another port, etc.) all of which made studying time hard to come by. I saw on the NMC website that a person holding a master of towing, and time as Master of ( I believe it was over 100 or 150 tons) could sit for the 500 Master with only 3 instead of 6 modules of the test. Modules were Rules of the Road (50 questions), Deck General (50 questions), and a combo, Deck General, Nav. General, & Deck Safety/ Environmental Safety (70 questions). Since I was running out of time, I called my evaluator at NMC, and requested this option. After a few remarks about waiting until the last moment, he agreed to change my letter and give me approval to test for the lower license. I studied at the STAR Center in Dania, using Lapware, Capt. Joe’s, Murphy’s, reading Bowditch and all the other reference material they had on hand. I managed to pass on my first try, by the not very impressive scores of 94, 70, 76 for the three modules mentioned. but like the joke says, the guy who graduates medical school with the lowest score, is still called “Doctor”. So, I now hold a 500 Master NC, along with AB unlimited, any waters, and all the STCW endorsements that were prerequisites of sitting for the 500 / 1600 test.
I have been told that upon holding the 500 master and serving another 360 days as master aboard a 150 ton vessel, I can apply for and receive the 1600 master with no further testing, except for perhaps another RoR test. Any truth to that?
Might have answered my own question with this one I found in the thread “500 ton Master”
Based on what is written in Section 11.410, I believe that they will allow an upgrade to 1600GT from 500GT if the applicant for upgrade meets the following, as stated in that section:
(d) If an applicant holds a license or
endorsement for master or mate issued
before [EFFECTIVE DATE OF FINAL
RULE] for service on vessels of not more
than 500 GRT/1,200 GT, and an
accompanying STCW endorsement, he
or she may apply for an upgrade:
(1) The tonnage limitation on an
applicant’s endorsement will be
increased to authorize service on vessels
of less than 1,600 GRT/3,000 GT if the
applicant provides evidence of 6
months of service on vessels of:
(i) 75 GRT or more for a mate’s license
or endorsement; or
(ii) 150 GRT/375 GT or more for a
master’s license or endorsement.
(2) The service required in paragraph
(d)(1) of this section may have been
acquired before the applicant qualified
for his or her present license or
endorsement of not more than 500 GRT/
1,200 GT, and it may have been used to
qualify for that license or endorsement.
[QUOTE=capt.cobb;57794]Might have answered my own question with this one I found in the thread “500 ton Master”
Based on what is written in Section 11.410, I believe that they will allow an upgrade to 1600GT from 500GT if the applicant for upgrade meets the following, as stated in that section:
(d) If an applicant holds a license or
endorsement for master or mate issued
before [EFFECTIVE DATE OF FINAL
RULE] for service on vessels of not more
than 500 GRT/1,200 GT, and an
accompanying STCW endorsement, he
or she may apply for an upgrade:
(1) The tonnage limitation on an
applicant’s endorsement will be
increased to authorize service on vessels
of less than 1,600 GRT/3,000 GT if the
applicant provides evidence of 6
months of service on vessels of:
(i) 75 GRT or more for a mate’s license
or endorsement; or
(ii) 150 GRT/375 GT or more for a
master’s license or endorsement.
(2) The service required in paragraph
(d)(1) of this section may have been
acquired before the applicant qualified
for his or her present license or
endorsement of not more than 500 GRT/
1,200 GT, and it may have been used to
qualify for that license or endorsement.[/QUOTE]
That’s a [U]proposed[/U] rule (note the “before [effective date of final rule]”). It’s not in effect, and may change. Without looking up the various iterations of the proposed rule, I think it was from the original “NPRM” or Notice of Proposed Rulemaking." That NPRM was put on hold in November '09, and we published a new proposed rule in early summer. The comment period for that proposed rule ended 9/30/2011 and we are currently considering what the final rule will provide.
The answer to your question, based on the [U]current[/U] CFR, is that you have to meet the full sea time requirements for Master 1600 GRT, but you can use the same service you used for Master 500 GRT to meet part of the requirements. There is no exam, just sea time.
For Master 1600 GRT oceans or near coastal, You will need to show a total of 4 years of service. Of this, At least two years has to be as mate or master. At least two years has to be on vessels over 100 GRT, and one year of that has to be as mate or master. You can use any of the time you used for your current licenses to show that you meet this total.
Thank you Mr. Cavo, for the timely reply. I was already cleared to test for the 1600 ton Master, and as per your input, I am going to get a current sea service letter from my company, and a current Drug test letter and submit my application to the Miami REC for approval and forwarding to the NMC, West Virginia. As of today, I can show 3.44 yrs (1225.5 days) since 06-MAR-2007, all on over 100 ton towing vessels, all as either Master or Mate, holding the Master of Towing endorsement, with the remaining 199.5 days of service easily obtained from my service as Master since 1983. Thank you once again for making clearer my options with this matter. Just one more question if I could, you quoted a current CFR. I’m looking for it in the CFR’s myself, but if you get a chance, could you confirm the CFR number?
Regards
46 CFR 11.412 (http://ecfr.gpoaccess.gov/cgi/t/text/text-idx?c=ecfr&sid=78661348cd3f22956ccf9d77d4234999&rgn=div8&view=text&node=46:1.0.1.2.11.4.7.9&idno=46)
The rest of the “rest of the story”. Based on Mr. Cavo’s reply, I submitted my request for 1600 Master, Near Coastal. My package was received at Miami REC on 02-Dec-11, checked and forwarded to the NMC by 08-Dec-11 and on 15-Dec-11, I received an Email stating they had issued the “not more than 1600 tons Master, NC” and it had been mailed 1st Class USPS. Whoo-Hoo-Ra. Thank you to everyone that gave some input on this saga, and Merry Christmas to all, (or to be P.C.) Happy Holidays