[quote=“tugsailor, post:33, topic:16753, full:true”]
There are lots of small employers that only need a 200 license for their boats, but they think it’s better to hire guys with a 500 ton license. [/quote]
It’s also a quicker route to Mate/Master of towing vessels than the Apprentice Mate/Steersman route, it’s 6 months shorter to mate of TV.
What route?
Near coastal I’ll upload the conversation
All that conversation proves is that the private contractors that answer the phones at NMC don’t know what they are talking about. Nothing they say is binding on the USCG. That’s not news to most of us.
Your national near coastal Master of Towing authorizes you to sail on near coastal Tugs up to 200 tons without full STCW endorsements. STCW does not apply to US vessels under 200 tons in US or Canadian waters. The large majority of US coastal Tugs are under 200 tons.
Your national license as Master of Towing near coastal authorizes service on Inland vessels (but not on Western Rivers) of any size.
Your national license as Master of Towing would authorize service on near coastal water on the vessels up to 300 tons, IF you also had full STCW. But you don’t.
There are only a small number of US Tugs between 200 tons and 300 tons. So you are not missing much there.
It’s worth having a 500 ton national license from a perception of better employability perspective (even though that perception is really a misperception), even if you don’t have the STCW.
It’s also much better to have to National license and exam behind you, and only need the classes to add STCW.
The Officer’s Competency Act applies to any vessel outside the boundary line over 200 GRT and a Master of Towing doesn’t satisft the retirements of the act.
I don’t see any difference between what we are both saying:
National Master of Towing near coastal only authorizes up to 200 GRT outside the boundary line. I think we agree on that.
National Master of Towing, near coastal coupled with STCW II/2 not more than 500 GT, authorizes operation of a tug between 200 GRT and 300 GRT outside the boundary line. I think we agree on that too.
A Master of Towing coupled with STCW II/2 does not meet the requirements of the Officer’s Competency Act, they would need a 500 GRT license or greater.
I guess it’s possible that the 2014 rulemaking changed something so that this is no longer true. In that case then you would be right, they would be good up until 300 GRT / 500 GT.