My goal is to become a charter captain. I am currently attending SIU as a way to get my 360 days of sea time.
Once I complete the program I’ll have sailed for 210, but the school portions also count as sea time towards the AB endorsement.
Aside from taking a course or self studying once finished here, what should I be on the lookout for? Will the 15 weeks of phase one, that count as 90 days, still count for 90 when I apply for my 6pack?
From the approval for that portion of the program:
These 90 days may be used only one time for one Able Seaman endorsement.
Thank you!
So, after I finish I can get the remaining required sea time on an siu contracted vessel?
You are attending Seafarers Paul Lunenberg School with the goal of being a charter captain?..you know that you could have just rode bait boy on somebody’s offshore boat for a few seasons to get that seatime, right? Just asking because this is a new one for me. People get six pack licenses from riding dinghies around the harbor. And arguably would have more small boat experience than an SIU trained ship’s OS/AB.
Yup! I know there’s many ways to get the sea time. I chose this one. Not only can I work as a charter captain, but I’ll also be able to work as an AB.
Would having worked on larger vessels cause me issues in trying to get the license?
Fair enough. Thanks for the response, was just curious.
Later vessels? Not sure what you mean.
Autocorrect, should’ve been larger.
No, not at all.
You are notable in that you are doing more than the minimum. And this is literally the only time I can remember anyone asking about how to get a license by doing more than the minimum, as opposed to just barely skirting by.
I appreciate that, as well as you taking time to answer and share your insight.
I’m definitely invested in becoming a merchant mariner, just with the charter captain as my off time job/retirement. (I’m about to be 40)
Minimum, I’ll have 210 days of sea time between phases 2/4 and then pick up a couple jobs after to hit my 360.
Upon completion of that I’d be able to self study or take a course to apply for my 6pack?
Is that correct?
You can also get sea time (for OUPV) on small recreational boats. If you don’t have that, and you plan to get your sea time as an AB with SIU, do you really plan to work as a charter boat captain without any small boat handling experience?
Valid question. I made a similar mistake but the other way around. I grew up around small boats, got a OUPV based on that experience, then studied a bit and got the AB without practical ship experience or training. When I showed up on my first ship, both I and the other ABs assumed I knew what I was doing but I had a lot to learn.
Short answer is yes.
However, I have had some small boat experience in Brasil, just nothing documenting sea time.
You should probably go be a charter deckhand first.
just lie like most do…