[quote=dougpine;23705]Probably best to check your facts before you go on a rant. The [I]Andrew J. Barberi[/I] has a displacement of over 2000 tons, and requires a Master AGT Inland licensed deck officer to sail her. NTSB report is here.
Every licensed mariner now holds an MMC unless he or she has not renewed the old paper license yet. Where are you getting your information?[/quote]
Nothing like a little rant to get people responding first thanks for your thoughts. I will explain my rant one issue at a time. First issue, “Every licensed mariner now holds an MMC unless he or she has not renewed the old paper license yet.” On vessels LESS than 100grt, ONLY the licensed mariners’ have MMC. The deckhands, deckhand/engineer are not required and therefore do not hold MMC let alone STCW. Where am I getting my info from?? You asked; Answer 1st hand experience!! Also go to the PROPOSED RULE CHANGES!! It will state stcw and mmc are not required of unlicensed crew on vessels less than 100grt!!! Now the “Point System” is not the bow is the pointy end…When a lookout spots a target instead of saying “got a target over there” he/she should say " got a target 2points port bow" or whatever is applicable. Better if your lookout could say got a target over 50m showing us HER port side 2 points off port bow…Long ago in merchant marine world it was decided spotting targets and giving their location as “over there” was/is not acceptable. Mariners’ were supposed to give the targets’ relative bearings. But since relative bearings relied on a compass and it was not practical to have compasses all over. The point system was created.
As for the ferry being greater than 100grt, sorry my mistake. As to the certification(s)/education, let’s not knock it. Yes in reality you will have to improvise, but it was what you learned in a classroom that gave you the tools you needed to make sound improvisions. and yes a license a class etc does not make a captain…But you do have to start somewhere, maybe someone does not manuever a boat well at first, on ships when that happens they get a “docking pilot”. Give the person a break and train them, their not going to learn if your making fun…To me what would look even worse is a captain that could not dead reckon, plot a course,…etc. Get some GOM sea stories in here, of how the captain was/is border line illiterate. It don’t matter how well you can maneuver a boat if you cannot reach point b. So I would rather someone go to school and learn all the theory of, have some practical application plotting on charts,…etc. Before allowing them to dock,maneauver a boat…and yes there is skills that can only be obtained by getting your feet wet. The way one does that is the way it has been done in the merchant marine field for decades before. Stop knocking it, and train your crew, and if they refuse to be trained get rid of those. In my career I have worked with people that did not want to learn. They were just there for a paycheck. I am not kidding, a green deckhand was instructed on how to tie the boat up 8 times by 4 different people and still could not do it?? On the engine room side, I would hate to have to teach someone generator theory, diesel engine theory…That is what a class room is for. After they leave the classroom, and get on the vessel i got something to “build” on. That is how it should be, career long learning of class room and OJT. Even AGT masters and AGT chief engineers got something to learn…