Im a current 1600 ton Master NC I simply want to add Oceans to my license.
Do I need to have assesments signed off as well, Im being told yes I do and that I dont need them to add oceans to a master license?
Can any of you offer a suggestion as to a good school to help me get through this hard subject, prefer west coast and a school that will help you get to a passing grade. I have the ful list of schools from USCG but want to hear from some of you have done it before making my choice.
[QUOTE=franklnooner;65358]Im a current 1600 ton Master NC I simply want to add Oceans to my license.
Do I need to have assesments signed off as well, Im being told yes I do and that I dont need them to add oceans to a master license?
Can any of you offer a suggestion as to a good school to help me get through this hard subject, prefer west coast and a school that will help you get to a passing grade. I have the ful list of schools from USCG but want to hear from some of you have done it before making my choice.
Thank you for your help[/QUOTE]
Yes. You do need the assessments, but most approved schools incorporate that into the course. Check out the database on NMC’s website and see who has the course closest to you. Make sure you ask them for their course approval that states what assessments are covered - and if control sheets are required. Just realize that any course you take generally has to be turned in within a year to be valid as a test replacement. If you have not taken a rules of the road test within the last 12 months, that will be a requirement as well. Sometime you have to do that at a REC, sometimes you can do that at the school. There are a few things like that to consider when choosing the right school. Also, if you plan on upgrading to 3rd Mate at some point, no course covers the Oceans portion of that upgrade. You must test at the Coast Guard for upper level licenses.
There shouldn’t be anything on the Rules Exam that surprises you. If you think there is, I would like to suggest some reading material for you travel back to the states; COMDTINST M16672.2E.
You already have your masters license, if you have been sailing master and have all your STCW codes on your MMC, then you just need the document from an accredited school covering two modules. Some schools will do both modules during the same session, others want more money and drag it out. That way you get to waste more time as well as money! I am not sure, but I believe the.modules you need are labeled 206 and 207. They cover celestial and masters navigation and business. Again, some schools make this a two or three session class. Check them all out.
I went to CMTI in Hayes, VA. No BS, a lot of hard work, but no BS, 10 days and done.
You should have to take celestial and nav general. If you haven’t tested within a year be prepared to take a rules exam but you might get lucky and not have to take one.
You are exactly right. I have been informed by NMC that all I need is Mod 206 and 207 no need to test for rules at least that what my approval letter says and Im not planning on taking it. I will go to Houston Marine that gives both test. Seems like alot of material to get through in 2 weeks? One question in celestial can take alot of time, at least fro me. Im doing some home study to prep a bit before school starts.
Thanks for your help and input.
Frank
Does anyone have information on the Navigation General part of the Celestial exam. Im looking for something to study as a prep before going to school. Im trying to get ahead of this whole testing as much as possible. Something on the internet would be great. I know it is 70 % passing and I think it is 10 questions.
My letter from NMC states Navigation Gen is 20 questions with 80% to pass. I signed up to Lapware online which has always been great for studying…however, when you input this module even they state it is overkill and it pulls questions from all of Navigation Gen topics not just Celestial based. I cannot say if that is how I will be tested at the Coast Guard or if it will cater to Celestial only. The test I took during the class mainly dealt with IALA Bouyage, Ocean Currents, Route Planning, etc.
Nav General is 70% passing according to my information? or has it changed? The celestial is 80%
[QUOTE=CaptKrunch;66130]My letter from NMC states Navigation Gen is 20 questions with 80% to pass. I signed up to Lapware online which has always been great for studying…however, when you input this module even they state it is overkill and it pulls questions from all of Navigation Gen topics not just Celestial based. I cannot say if that is how I will be tested at the Coast Guard or if it will cater to Celestial only. The test I took during the class mainly dealt with IALA Bouyage, Ocean Currents, Route Planning, etc.[/QUOTE]
I was hoping for so first hand information on Houston Marine Celestial class from prior students. I chose them mostly becuase of timng. I would have prefered Crawford in seattle, Anyway can prior students offer tips about the class? How did they fill on the final day of testing? Testing happens the last day and seems to be alot to get through in one day? With little experince in the this hard subject I have been doing some home study, but still alot of areas to make a mistake. The Nav general part how is that covered, and is there enought testing prior to real test to make you feel comfortable. I have attended Houston in the past and there material is alway been cut down to size to pass the subject but celestial is a bit different animal I think
Any thoughts and help would prevent further hair loss.
Frank
The NavGen part was a surprise to me when I took cele nav at Crawford’s - didn’t realize it was the masters session, but still passed it. If memory serves…there were a number of ships business questions that were not on the mates series that I was studying for but that was about it. Do all the practice problems that you can tolerate!
I would think by the last day you would have become proficient in completing the strip form to whack it off in a couple hours. Of course you may have to go back over a couple, but that is what they are in business for… The successful graduation of students!
The nav stuff (at least at CMTI) was Not done on the celestial exam day. It was separate exam.
Still looking for information about the Nav general part of the exam Module 207 there is nothing on the internet to study except seasources which is an overkill I think. Has anyone taken the 20t nav general part recently, and can share a bit of what is on it ect???
Frank
There are three ways to get a celestial endorsement.
Buy both Bowditch, and take about 4 or five years and actually learn via trial and error to figure out how to pass the USCG exam.
Do the seasources question database. Learn the exam. (,but not necessarily KNOW the material) probably a month or two of cramming.
Or 3. Attend one of the many schools that will teach you a basic understanding of fundamentals, and cram you on the 10 (or so) topics needed to show proficiency in to the USCG standards. About 10 days.
It’s up to you how hard you want to bang your head against the wall for something you will in all likelyhood never use again.
Regarding the topics of the masters level celestial navigation portion:
Initial great circle course,
Fuel consumption,
Compass correction (either or deviation, CE, or gyro error)
Finding compass error by azimouth amplitude,
Calculating Local apparant noon by DR and sight.
Eta and etd for arrival notofocation.
Vessel documentation and crew list, and masters responsibility for crew articles, and foreign voyage responsibilities.
And one or two more that I can’t recall.
So, yes you can do this on your own. But unless you have a stellar master or mate to bounce questions off of you will likely be pounding your head against the wall for a bit.
