I hold a 1600grt lic merchant, can not say ive ever used it. I served 8 years as an ET finished off as et2. I will be ending my reservist career in 6 months. Time to be a father now.
This forum is not a courtroom.
If you want to be called a seaman, sailor, boatman, mariner or captain what difference does it make?
If you sail on, or in, a boat, ship or vessel what difference does it make?
If you hold a license and sail commercial or pleasure is it a big deal?
If you work on a boat and call other crewmembers “shipmate”, does it really matter?
As long as you’re not just a poser, claiming accomplishments you didn’t earn, I could care less.
I may have been a smuggler, but I was never a pirate. I still use SEADOG! as my handle.
[QUOTE=silverbk;60387]I guess someone here should correct the wikipedia article:)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Master_mariner[/QUOTE]
That’s just an page in Wikipedia…sure you can call me a banana if you want (and I am sure many here do 
The real license reals “Master of steam or motor (or sail) vessels of any gross tons upon oceans”. Nowhere on the license are the two words Master and Mariner used together. Nor are they found on an STCW certificate either.
If you go around calling yourself master mariner, it is only a fabrication to make oneself larger than you really are hence the pomposity reference. I have met such people and they drive me nuts (but so does everything else for that matter)
Agree w u seadog
[QUOTE=Capt.Felix;60393]Agree w u seadog[/QUOTE]
I do too. Common Sense is a good thing.
I think c.captain wants the crew to greet with “Good Morning Master” when he wakes up in the morning for pre tower…just so they are ‘technically’ correct and all.
Well i cant say anything about what c.captain said since i dont know what he said. But i do agree that it doesnt matter.as to what, when or who u do.
[QUOTE=c.captain;60391]That’s just an page in Wikipedia…sure you can call me a banana if you want (and I am sure many here do
The real license reals “Master of steam or motor (or sail) vessels of any gross tons upon oceans”. Nowhere on the license are the two words Master and Mariner used together. Nor are they found on an STCW certificate either.
If you go around calling yourself master mariner, it is only a fabrication to make oneself larger than you really are hence the pomposity reference. I have met such people and they drive me nuts (but so does everything else for that matter)[/QUOTE]
The only time I have heard the term “master mariner” was as an unofficial term reserved for those rare few who have been licensed as both unlimited masters and unlimited chief engineers. I met someone who worked with MSC who held both and was described as such in the MSC periodical [I forget the name of the magazine].
tengineer
I hear ya there, handling of the vessels is the fun part the work is everything in between…
Thats the great thing about our great country, you can be whatever you wish as long as your willing to bust your ass for it and not expect or ask for handouts. You can be whatever u wish. And all the titles mean notthing, some of the best captains ive evr known never recieved the formal education required today.
How about if you have a skysail? Or if you wear a sailor hat? Do those count? I don’t care what I’m called… Sailor, mariner… Whatever just make sure you get my name right on the pay check!
I still hear “I’m a merchant marine” from people who have been shipping for a long time. I gave up trying to explain they are not a marine.
[QUOTE=anchorman;60395]I do too. Common Sense is a good thing.
I think c.captain wants the crew to greet with “Good Morning Master” when he wakes up in the morning for pre tower…just so they are ‘technically’ correct and all.[/QUOTE]
Since this has descended into a study in lexicon, I always thought that “tower” in the offshore sense was spelled “tour” and just mispronunced. The combination of oilfield slang and maritime jargon has created quite a different way of speaking when working offshore.
Here is my reference. It is one of those words from the onshore drilling industry.
[QUOTE=c.captain;60370]It is simple class: …Conversely, there is no such thing as a “SAILOR” on any civilian vessel. Sailors are in the Navy. .[/QUOTE]
I would have expected somone of your stature to know nothing is simple… I worked on large tankers on the west coast, and the unlicensed crew were “sailors.” In fact, they belonged to the Sailor’s Union of the Pacific. The majority of SUP members work on large “vessels”
Also, while doing some research on another often dicussed topic in these parts (sea time for 2 watches vs. 3 watches) I found the following in 46 U.S. Code 8104(d): [I]"…the licensed individuals, sailors, coal passers, firemen, oilers, and water tenders shall be divided, when at sea, into at least 3 watches[/I]…" (subsequent sub sections describe when 2 watches are permitted)
[QUOTE=Capt.Felix;60328]Greetings and happy new years to all,
I have a question that I am sure someone on here could help me with. I hold a U.S.C.G. captains lic. and have for many years now. I have always wondered why I am considered a " Merchant mariner" by the USCG ? Over the years Ive had many discussions with friends and co-workers dealing with this topic.[/QUOTE]
The Merchant Mariner’s Document, “MMD”, is your official ID Card, you may see it as similar to the military ID Card. You need this card to identity yourself in foreign ports. It is a very valuable document. You would not want to use your License as an identification, would you? Furthermore, THAT is what you are, you are a Merchant Mariner also called a Merchant Seaman… I hold a License as Chief Engineer but I am a Merchant Seaman who has a Chief Engineer’s USCG issued License. In my early sailing days the MMD was also called the “Z Card” as the the seaman’s ID number was preceded by the letter Z.
[QUOTE=Capt.Felix;60328]I have heard a few times that as a lic. USCG merchant mariner can be called upon by the Govt in a time of need.[/QUOTE]
That is not true.
[QUOTE=Sweat-n-Grease;60423]The Merchant Mariner’s Document, “MMD”, is your official ID Card, you may see it as similar to the military ID Card. You need this card to identity yourself in foreign ports. It is a very valuable document. You would not want to use your License as an identification, would you?[/QUOTE]
A paper license and MMD are not issued any more. A single MMC with all licenses and rates is what they have now. Also before, it was possible to hold a 100 ton master/operator without ever holding a z-card/MMD before the MMC.
Actually, it is true that the government can “call upon” you in a time of need. But you can also say “no” when they call. It isn’t the draft.
[QUOTE=jdcavo;60420]I would have expected somone of your stature to know nothing is simple… I worked on large tankers on the west coast, and the unlicensed crew were “sailors.” In fact, they belonged to the Sailor’s Union of the Pacific. The majority of SUP members work on large “vessels”
Also, while doing some research on another often dicussed topic in these parts (sea time for 2 watches vs. 3 watches) I found the following in 46 U.S. Code 8104(d): [I]"…the licensed individuals, sailors, coal passers, firemen, oilers, and water tenders shall be divided, when at sea, into at least 3 watches[/I]…" (subsequent sub sections describe when 2 watches are permitted)[/QUOTE]
You are of course correct on both counts yet are there otherwise regulations in the CFRs that used the term “sailor”? I am curious and would be very interested to know. I have always believe to CFRs used seaman or rating.
Other than the SUP, I don’t know of other organizations that use “sailor” in their title but again if there are then??? The SIU is “Seafarers International Union”
[QUOTE=anchorman;60395]I think c.captain wants the crew to greet with “Good Morning Master” when he wakes up in the morning for pre tower…just so they are ‘technically’ correct and all.[/QUOTE]
What I demand them to say is “YESSS MAAASTER” and then drag themselves away but since they don’t, everybody on my ship calls me captain instead. A very few (my chief mate and engineer mainly) can use my first name but only if it is in private or others can only if it is prefaced by captain when in public (although I wished they didn’t). Addressing the master with only his first name is something I allowed when I was a young master and wanted to be “liked” by my people but I found out soon enough that didn’t work!
[QUOTE=c.captain;60430]<snip> The SIU is “Seafarers International Union”[/QUOTE]
Oooh, THAT is what it stands for. I heard that it was something else. Of course I used to be a member, myself.
[QUOTE=injunear;60426]A paper license and MMD are not issued any more. A single MMC with all licenses and rates is what they have now. Also before, it was possible to hold a 100 ton master/operator without ever holding a z-card/MMD before the MMC.[/QUOTE]
WHAT !! No more License Board to show-off your stuff? Do tell - how things change! Most likely a money saving idea, I’ve no problem with it, seems like a streamline thing to do but no paper license anymore, with pretty sketches of ships passing through the night, your issue number so folks can see how long in the tooth you are, and the official seal of the USCG embossed, and all that sort of stuff! BTW, best not lose your wallet.