I have been flinishing my classes for third mate unlimited oceans and am about a month from my last course. Questions is, do I need to go ahead and start my application and send in what I have done so the NMC can start the review process, or do I wait until it is all done? I have recently heard that the medical alone is taking 6-8 weeks alone. I will be glad to send it in early, but I don’t want to hang anything up by sending it in peices.
Also wanted to add another question about my Navy sea time being computed by teh 60% rule. I don’t have any sea service letter exactly saying what the coast guard figured for my original MMD of AB limited using the 2 years and 8 months of Navy sea service on the carrier as a boatswainmate (AB equal). Is this going to be a problem, I can’t get a straight answer or letter from the NMC.
Any advice would be appreciated.
Hi Paco3333,
I would not submit anything to the USCG/NMC until I was certain that all known requirements have been meet. In your case, you know that you have some training outstanding. Why would you want to submit an application when you know that you do not meet the requirements? My suggestion is that you finish the training and all other items on the checklist before submitting anything. It helps you and the USCG that way.
As far as your sea service goes, it should be evaluated the same as before.
My thoughts were more with the medical taking three months right now to get evaluated. Atleast I could get an assessor started on my application with most of these course certificates and assesments and I will be done with my courses by the end of March.
2 yrs 8 months is 960 days X 60% =576 days…Which makes sense since you need 540 days on vessels >200 tons for AB Limited…
That is in your file, at MNC…Or at least it was in mine, when I made upgrades…
Leonard Lamberts book "the New Hawsepipe " Page 139,140 and 141 he covers this exact question…
According to the book you cannot apply for testing until all certificates, assessments and requirements are completed…What Leonard goes on to say is that he went to his school and requested letters of confirmation from them and submitted them with his package…He says that it took 2 to 3 months off his wait time…
If it worked for him ,I can’t see why it wouldn’t work for you…
May I make a suggestion? Buy this book if you don’t already have it…It’s extremely handy when trying to navigate this stuff…
paco3333 - I too had the same thoughts when I applied for 1600 t Mate. I applied and let the USCG tell me what I needed, and I had 1 year from the date on the letter to fulfill the deficiencies. Which I did. Nothing ventured, nothing gained.
[QUOTE=paco3333;9159]My thoughts were more with the medical taking three months right now to get evaluated. Atleast I could get an assessor started on my application with most of these course certificates and assesments and I will be done with my courses by the end of March.[/QUOTE]
I tried that tactic (with success!) when I went for my 2/m’s license… but that was under the old REC system.
I submitted my application in March last year for a full blown renewal then spent seven months at various schools to complete the STCW courses. I got the go ahead to test from my evaluator in Sept with only one course (Adv FF) left to complete. The letter allowed me a year (from Sept) to take the test just like mentioned above. After completing the Adv FF course late Sept I tested in Nov. Done (Thank God)
Hi Again Paco3333,
Further to the above discussion, I tend to agree with the others that you might as well go for it because you can’t get an approval letter until you submit an application. Just about the only way to get an official response it to submit an official request. However, I still think if you do your part first and foremost you’ll end up further down the pike in the long run. It seems like you are in fact doing that.
