Currently Working as AB on a Vessel over 1600 Ton. All along I’ve been under the impression my ideal Track would be to get my 1600 Mate NC and then upgrade to 3rd Mate after I made 1,080 days without having to test again. Is this correct? The Flow Chart in the CFRs “Dead Ends” at 1600 Mate NC. Will call NMC again but everyone I ask says something different, Any input is Apreaciated. If anyone has any old Study Material or Exam Reference Material (Tide Tables, Light Light Etc) private message me. Been using mostly Mariner Advancement and Upgrade U. My boat is almost always offshore with very lousy WiFi so I’ve never considered using Lapware.
[QUOTE=Wharf_Rat;180363]All along I’ve been under the impression my ideal Track would be to get my 1600 Mate NC and then upgrade to 3rd Mate after I made 1,080 days without having to test again. Is this correct?[/QUOTE]
Yes, that is the fastest route to 3rd Mate.
no wifi? Get the capt joe cd. It helped me more than lapware learning the terrestrial stuff. No internet needed.
[QUOTE=Ctony;180371]no wifi? Get the capt joe cd. It helped me more than lapware learning the terrestrial stuff. No internet needed.[/QUOTE]
I agree. Just before you test you can buy one month of Lapware, download a ton of practice tests in each module. That’s what I did, Cap’n Joes for easy to understand solutions with no internet then Lapware for practice testing. Good luck!
Spoke Directly with my Evaluator and He said it was possible to upgrade in that way. Didn’t end up needing to that route as I contested their denial of the seatime I sent requesting approval to test for 3rd Mate and I’m not ATT for 3rd Mate. Purchased Lapware and dusted off my printer thinking I could print out a bunch of tests and T-Nav Problems/Solutions before I go back. I haven’t yet found a way to print anything out but having the solutions and work shown is great for anyone trying to self study T Nav. I’m not brave enough to tackle Amplitude Azimuth and other Celestial Topics on my own so I also went to Fletchers to enroll in the prep class and was given the Mountain of Study Guides and Practice Tests. Capt Jack Porshe is over seeing the program now and is just using all the old materials and methods Capt Bruce developed and used.
Is there any Way to Print Anything off Lapware?
If your goal is 3/M unlimited, you may want to upgrade to Master 1600t and then you’ll only need 360 days. From the NMC 3/M checklist “360 days as master on vessels of more than 200 GRT upon Ocean/NCwaters while holding an Officer endorsement as Master less than 1600GRT Ocean/NC (tonnage limitation may apply)” 46CFR 11.407
I agree that Capt Joe’s is your best bet for studying if you don’t have the internet.
After a two month mini battle with CG I was Approved to Test 3/M Unlimited. I got Lapware and saved all the “Solution” pdf files for T Nav, Nav Gen Etc onto an External Hard drive. Using Upgrade U for Everything Else and that too has some useful “Solution” attachments for longer calculations. Be testing in about a month. Will follow up at then with Exam Feedback. Appreciate the Input.
[QUOTE=MateChristine;183252]If your goal is 3/M unlimited, you may want to upgrade to Master 1600t and then you’ll only need 360 days. From the NMC 3/M checklist “360 days as master on vessels of more than 200 GRT upon Ocean/NCwaters while holding an Officer endorsement as Master less than 1600GRT Ocean/NC (tonnage limitation may apply)” 46CFR 11.407
I agree that Capt Joe’s is your best bet for studying if you don’t have the internet.[/QUOTE]
This route requires a 6 module test to advance.
Which is ridiculous, but correct.
I went from AB to 100 ton Master 500Ton mate 3000 ITC mate (OSV/NC). Was told that was the largest I could do as Master without being an Officer before. Now they say I have to retake everything if I want to upgrade from any of that.
[QUOTE=Boarider;183488]I went from AB to 100 ton Master 500Ton mate 3000 ITC mate (OSV/NC). Was told that was the largest I could do as Master without being an Officer before. Now they say I have to retake everything if I want to upgrade from any of that.[/QUOTE]
What do you need to “retake”? The master exam is similar but is not “retaking” anything and you don’t need to take any exams to upgrade to unlimited when you get the sea time necessary.
[QUOTE=MateChristine;183252]If your goal is 3/M unlimited, you may want to upgrade to Master 1600t and then you’ll only need 360 days. From the NMC 3/M checklist “360 days as master on vessels of more than 200 GRT upon Ocean/NCwaters while holding an Officer endorsement as Master less than 1600GRT Ocean/NC (tonnage limitation may apply)” 46CFR 11.407
I agree that Capt Joe’s is your best bet for studying if you don’t have the internet.[/QUOTE]
This is wrong in at least two ways.
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you can get 1600 ton Mate NC with 720 (8 hour) days, 3M Unlimited requires 1,080 days and 1600 ton Master requires 1,440 days (720 of those days must have been AS mate). Likely by the time you apply, get approved to test, study, and test you will only have six months or less until you hit 1,080 days and can upgrade again. To get Master you need to get the license, get a job as Mate, then sail for TWO more years before upgrading.
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the route you described requires 360 days AS MASTER, not as an officer holding a Master license. How often does one get promoted to Master immediately upon getting the license? Practically never.
[QUOTE=Capt. Phoenix;183641]What do you need to “retake”? The master exam is similar but is not “retaking” anything and you don’t need to take any exams to upgrade to unlimited when you get the sea time necessary.[/QUOTE]
I got sea time, I just thought they would have gave me at least a 1600ton mate with giving me the 3000 ITC.
Guess I’ll go and test for the 1600 master.
Any benefits to doing this before the end of the year (rule changes).
Thanks
[QUOTE=Boarider;183687]I got sea time, I just thought they would have gave me at least a 1600ton mate with giving me the 3000 ITC.
Guess I’ll go and test for the 1600 master.[/QUOTE]
I don’t see how that has to do with “retaking” anything. The Master’s exam is technically a different exam, although very similar.
[QUOTE=Boarider;183687]Any benefits to doing this before the end of the year (rule changes).
Thanks[/QUOTE]
Definitely apply by the end of the year if you have the sea time. Otherwise you will have to do the Chief Mate / Master assessments and classes.
Anyone Tested 1600/3M lately and have any input on what
All was on their 10 Q T Nav Test. Trying to focus studies in the final days before testing.
Exactly what I did. ^^^^2nd the above
Had been meaning to follow up on this thread much earlier than this
Because it was such a useful and empowering tool for me when I was preparing
For my exams.
Rules of the Road was as expected. No major curve balls. Maybe a few questions from the Annex.
Chart Plot - Chesapeake. There are 26 total possible for Chesapeake. I think 18 Possible LIS. And 15 Block Island. The odds said study Chesapeake the most so I did and that’s what I got.
Nav Gen - Easier than I thought. Mostly looking up definitions in the various resources. Know your Weather Questions, Sextant Errors, and Where to Find Random C-Nav Related Definitions.
Deck Gen - Nothing in the exam room of much help. A few Easy Chem Data Guide. Just lots of practice tests here. Matched up pretty evenly with what I prepared for.
Deck Safety - Caught me with my pants down for sure. It’s the biggest question bank with the most random
Questions. I had counted on using the CFRs to see me through but frantically whipping through pages
In the exam room is a tough way to go. MPTs “Hot Sheet” Binder was the best tool for this module. There was about 15-20 Stability Questions. Vapor Recovery Systems. A lot of Fire Questions about extinguisher types and how they are tested. This was the only module I failed and by 1 Question. I stubbornly charged
Straight into my second chance which was probably not the greatest decision but passed.
T-Nav was 1 Tide Clearance w/Obst, 1 Current - Duration Slack Water, 1 Vis Horizon Amplitude, 1
Azimuth - Spica, 1 Fuel Consumption - Days Run, and Several Manuvering Board Problems CPA, Set & Drift,
Distance Abeam.
Non-Academy Hawspiper. No Prep Classes Taken. Lapware. Upgrade U. Capt N Joes. Mariner Advancement.
Bowditch. I used all at various stages. Mostly Lapware and Upgrade U at the very End. It can be done fellow Hawspipe U People. Preparing for Celestial Now. Will Follow Up again in a few months.
Congrats, I am at Hawsepipe U now to test this coming Spring.
What is this MPT “hotsheet” binder you mentioned?
What if you have a 1600nc master with first class pilotage unlimited , can you upgrade to 3rd mate with no testing just sea time