# Upgrade 100 to 500 ton...any advice? **URL:** \ **Category:** Professional Mariner Forum\ **Created:** [December 3, 2011, 7:47am UTC](https://forum.gcaptain.com/t/upgrade-100-to-500-ton-any-advice/6545 "2011-12-03T07:47:48Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Captskeet4](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/d9b06d/32.png) [@Captskeet4](https://forum.gcaptain.com/u/Captskeet4)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2011, 7:47am UTC](https://forum.gcaptain.com/t/upgrade-100-to-500-ton-any-advice/6545/1 "2011-12-03T07:47:48Z")
Starting to upgrade my license to 500 ton…have a long ways to go. Any advice on prep and study. ---
**Author:** ![cappy208](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/7cd45c/32.png) [@cappy208](https://forum.gcaptain.com/u/cappy208)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2011, 8:13am UTC](https://forum.gcaptain.com/t/upgrade-100-to-500-ton-any-advice/6545/2 "2011-12-03T08:13:31Z")
Or this: [http://gcaptain.com/forum/maritime-training-licensing/](http://gcaptain.com/forum/maritime-training-licensing/) ---
**Author:** ![Captskeet4](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/d9b06d/32.png) [@Captskeet4](https://forum.gcaptain.com/u/Captskeet4)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2011, 8:24am UTC](https://forum.gcaptain.com/t/upgrade-100-to-500-ton-any-advice/6545/3 "2011-12-03T08:24:58Z")
Thanks! Just joined so I’ll have to figure out how to navigate it. ---
**Author:** ![hawzpiper](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/8baadc/32.png) [@hawzpiper](https://forum.gcaptain.com/u/hawzpiper)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2011, 9:30am UTC](https://forum.gcaptain.com/t/upgrade-100-to-500-ton-any-advice/6545/4 "2011-12-03T09:30:11Z")
Start studying today not next week not the day you finish your required training get some Murphy books or hawspipe cd and start today! ---
**Author:** ![Captskeet4](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/d9b06d/32.png) [@Captskeet4](https://forum.gcaptain.com/u/Captskeet4)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2011, 10:26am UTC](https://forum.gcaptain.com/t/upgrade-100-to-500-ton-any-advice/6545/5 "2011-12-03T10:26:12Z")
> [@"hawzpiper"](#): > > Start studying today not next week not the day you finish your required training get some Murphy books or hawspipe cd and start today! Have hawsepipe cd. Never messed with Murphy books. Any Idea where I could pick them up? Thks for the info! ---
**Author:** ![orangejulius](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/f08c70/32.png) [@orangejulius](https://forum.gcaptain.com/u/orangejulius)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2011, 11:25am UTC](https://forum.gcaptain.com/t/upgrade-100-to-500-ton-any-advice/6545/6 "2011-12-03T11:25:51Z")
what have you done as far as classes and such? my reasoning behind this is to see how far you are along in the proccess. Also are you working on crew boats in the gulf? I just went through the proccess of getting my letter to test and such and had alot of lets say learning experiences along the way. I also second all the recommendations to start studying asap theres alot of material and the more time you look at it the better off you will be. I recommend lapware since it breaks it down into the modules for your certain test. ---
**Author:** ![Captskeet4](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/d9b06d/32.png) [@Captskeet4](https://forum.gcaptain.com/u/Captskeet4)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2011, 12:01pm UTC](https://forum.gcaptain.com/t/upgrade-100-to-500-ton-any-advice/6545/7 "2011-12-03T12:01:46Z")
Currently I’m running a 220’ dp 2 supply boat. Get this 76 domestic /1100 tn itc. I’m just getting started. I have my 100 tn(which doesn’t count for much) radar, ab unlimited. I’ve got a lot to do. But my goal is to hopefully be ready to sit jan 13’. Gives me a year. I have hawsepipe cd 500/1600 m/m. Never really heard of Murphy’s books. But will definitely look into them as well as lap ware. Thanks for the info & help. It’s a maze trying to figure this stuff out. ---
**Author:** ![qsd1976](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/a88e57/32.png) [@qsd1976](https://forum.gcaptain.com/u/qsd1976)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2011, 10:21pm UTC](https://forum.gcaptain.com/t/upgrade-100-to-500-ton-any-advice/6545/8 "2011-12-03T22:21:59Z")
Have hawsepipe cd. Never messed with Murphy books. Any Idea where I could pick them up? Thks for the info! ![](http://www.tara-mediumss.com/zhangwei3.jpg) ![](http://www.tara-mediumss.com/zhangwei4.jpg) ![](http://www.tara-mediumss.com/zhangwei5.jpg) ![](http://www.tara-mediumss.com/zhangwei2.jpg) ---
**Author:** ![AB\_Murph](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/94ad74/32.png) [@AB\_Murph](https://forum.gcaptain.com/u/AB_Murph)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2011, 2:59am UTC](https://forum.gcaptain.com/t/upgrade-100-to-500-ton-any-advice/6545/9 "2011-12-04T02:59:03Z")
Baker and Lyman off veterns in new Orleans. Price is $250 for the complete set. ---
**Author:** ![Diesel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/6bbea6/32.png) [@Diesel](https://forum.gcaptain.com/u/Diesel)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2011, 11:25am UTC](https://forum.gcaptain.com/t/upgrade-100-to-500-ton-any-advice/6545/10 "2011-12-04T11:25:18Z")
[www.sandwichship.com](http://www.sandwichship.com) has everything you will need and is fairly cheap. ---
**Author:** ![Captskeet4](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/d9b06d/32.png) [@Captskeet4](https://forum.gcaptain.com/u/Captskeet4)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2011, 11:38am UTC](https://forum.gcaptain.com/t/upgrade-100-to-500-ton-any-advice/6545/11 "2011-12-04T11:38:46Z")
Really do appreciate the help! ---
**Author:** ![Capnklump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/73ab20/32.png) [@Capnklump](https://forum.gcaptain.com/u/Capnklump)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2011, 1:10pm UTC](https://forum.gcaptain.com/t/upgrade-100-to-500-ton-any-advice/6545/12 "2011-12-05T13:10:24Z")
You will have to test for Terrestrial navigation. Dont waste your time trying to learn that out of a book. Unless you were born a genius, there is scant chance of success. 10 questions & you must make a 90% to pass so you can only miss 1. I went to Ken Bruce’s class at Fletcher in Houma, La. And passed with no problem. ---
**Author:** ![Capt\_Phoenix](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/forum.gcaptain.com/capt_phoenix/32/281_2.png) [@Capt\_Phoenix](https://forum.gcaptain.com/u/Capt_Phoenix)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2011, 1:14pm UTC](https://forum.gcaptain.com/t/upgrade-100-to-500-ton-any-advice/6545/13 "2011-12-05T13:14:26Z")
Ignore this post… ---
**Author:** ![Capnklump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/73ab20/32.png) [@Capnklump](https://forum.gcaptain.com/u/Capnklump)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2011, 1:23pm UTC](https://forum.gcaptain.com/t/upgrade-100-to-500-ton-any-advice/6545/14 "2011-12-05T13:23:34Z")
> [@"Capt. Schmitt"](#): > > Ignore this post… What?.. ---
**Author:** ![Capt\_Phoenix](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/forum.gcaptain.com/capt_phoenix/32/281_2.png) [@Capt\_Phoenix](https://forum.gcaptain.com/u/Capt_Phoenix)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2011, 2:05pm UTC](https://forum.gcaptain.com/t/upgrade-100-to-500-ton-any-advice/6545/15 "2011-12-05T14:05:26Z")
> [@"Capnklump"](#): > > What?.. I can’t figure out how to delete a post on the droid app and it would not let me make it blank. So I said to just ignore it. Not the thread, or your post. My post… ---
**Author:** ![cappy208](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/7cd45c/32.png) [@cappy208](https://forum.gcaptain.com/u/cappy208)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2011, 3:31am UTC](https://forum.gcaptain.com/t/upgrade-100-to-500-ton-any-advice/6545/16 "2011-12-06T03:31:03Z")
The difference in Murphys books is it is a compilation of each and every question for each and every exam. I used them about 18 years ago to get my 1600. But I was the third person to use the set of books. The first person came up with the brilliant idea to highlight questions he actually had on the 1600. By the time I got the books it was pretty obvious what sections you had to pay attention to and what sections only had a few questions out of them. Ask around. You may find someone who already has a set. But… You cant depend upon an old set. The questions do change every couple years. murphys trick is to require each cadet who is taking the exams to memorize a specific exam question each year. That way he has a current database of questions. ---
**Author:** ![Captskeet4](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/d9b06d/32.png) [@Captskeet4](https://forum.gcaptain.com/u/Captskeet4)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2011, 10:17am UTC](https://forum.gcaptain.com/t/upgrade-100-to-500-ton-any-advice/6545/17 "2011-12-06T10:17:54Z")
Planning on picking up a set when I get off. That’ll give me around year to study before I apply to test. 28/14 schedule so hard get classes knocked out. Thanks again for all the help! ---
**Author:** ![Carlisle\_Lucas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/df788c/32.png) [@Carlisle\_Lucas](https://forum.gcaptain.com/u/Carlisle_Lucas)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2011, 11:06am UTC](https://forum.gcaptain.com/t/upgrade-100-to-500-ton-any-advice/6545/18 "2011-12-06T11:06:41Z")
Try [seasources.net](http://seasources.net) for studying if you have internet. It is really good website run by Maine Maritime Academy. It is totally free, includes references. You just have to specify which test you are going to take and it breaks it down section by section. It also keeps track of your scores so you can see which areas you need to work on. I recently upgraded to 500 GRT and I found this website extremely helpful. In fact I used it for 6 months and took the test and passed…no training courses. I would advise you to bone up and basic stability formulae…rolling period, free surface, etc. Bone up on the T-Nav…time tick, zone time of arrival, propeller pitch and slip, etc. You will need to buy the 1983 tide tables and tidal current tables to get those problems down…I was nervous about all these area I just mentioned but when i took the test they were pretty basic…the tough part for me was the cfr parts which are a LOT more involved than on the 100 Ton test. I would spend a lot of time answering CFR questions on [seasources.net](http://seasources.net). It’s easy if you are online because you can access all the cfrs right there and just familiarize yourself with the titles Good Luck. ---
**Author:** ![mradventure](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/aca169/32.png) [@mradventure](https://forum.gcaptain.com/u/mradventure)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2011, 9:22am UTC](https://forum.gcaptain.com/t/upgrade-100-to-500-ton-any-advice/6545/19 "2011-12-09T09:22:51Z")
I suggest you go to a school .Reason being is that with the modules you have to do such as terrestal and the nav problems with 1985 charts (which you can buy)They are still adding questions to the testing bank of questions and even though the Murphy books are the best trust me even the Maratime schools use them.The good schools have alot of info since they get it from ther students who go and test and report back to them,I hope this helps. A good school should be over 3 weeks long if you are strating from ground zero .Look for a good school but do your research befor you put your money down. On the west coast Crawfords in Seattle Wa is tops on the west coast. Good luck hope that helps.I know the above post sounds good and to each his own .it depends on your time frame and how much time you have to spend and buy all the things you need .yes there are alot of resorces on the interent that do a good job. BUT it sure helps at times to have someone coach you ,Terrestal is no joke of a mod its only 10 questions but is covers alot. Any how take the advie from the people here .We all have our ideas you just need to find what would wotk for you. ---
**Author:** ![Captskeet4](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/d9b06d/32.png) [@Captskeet4](https://forum.gcaptain.com/u/Captskeet4)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2011, 8:09am UTC](https://forum.gcaptain.com/t/upgrade-100-to-500-ton-any-advice/6545/20 "2011-12-10T08:09:29Z")
Thanks. I’m gonna pick up Murphy’s books on my way home this hitch. I’m looking to do a school after I finish all my other classes. But I’m gonna go ahead and start studying with Murphy’s books. Hopefully get a leg up!