"Hell, I’ll do it for free, but I only want the 100 ton Masters and AB’s from Mississippi and Alabama…y’all can have the rest. "
Thank God for Mississippi !!!
When I was growing up in Alabama, we were always second or 49th on any list of bad things. Miss. always being first or 50th.
[QUOTE=cappy208;53479]Just wait until the next generation of ATB operators come up (should be in a year or two) who have NO towing experience, have NEVER put a barge on or off the wire (in ANY condition.) They will be coming into Captains’ berths soon! BUT, They DO have 30 days on a towing vessel, and a signed TOAR! Huh?[/QUOTE]
They’re already out there…
[QUOTE=injunear;53483]They’re already out there…[/QUOTE]
And it is nothing new. I had quite a bit of fun the short time that I sailed with Belcher.
That’s true, but now instead of 6 or 8 nationwide like there was 25 years ago, there are now approximately 175 of various type, configuration and size. And… as much as I don’t like to admit it, I’m getting older, and will be quitting (retiring) as soon as…
Me too Cappy. I’m only one lottery ticket away from retirement! LOL
My best friend’s sister’s boyfriend’s brother’s girlfriend heard from this guy who knows this kid who’s going with the girl who saw the regulation where the Coast Guard said essays were coming. I guess it’s pretty serious.
What is the pointy end of a boat called?..MMMMMM!!! Bow
What is the blunt end of a boat called?..MMMMMM!!! Stern
I PASSED
[QUOTE=cappy208;53493]That’s true, but now instead of 6 or 8 nationwide like there was 25 years ago, there are now approximately 175 of various type, configuration and size. And… as much as I don’t like to admit it, I’m getting older, and will be quitting (retiring) as soon as…[/QUOTE]
I haven’t retired, and likely won’t; but I did come ashore. There are very few things that I really miss about sailing, other than the blocks of time off. I am not saying that it wasn’t an enjoyable and valuable experience, becaus it certainly was. I just don’t miss it as much as I thought I would.
WRONG!! You would have missed one…failed, since you would need a 70 to pass…had to turn in a written dispute…been blown off for months…then finally your new license would randomly show up in the mail months later with no explanation!! ;p
Under the old system at least. I’ve actually had great luck with the new system, but still bitter from 7-8 years ago!!
[QUOTE=cappy208;53474]You both asked the question, made the answering statement, and then confirmed why this is not happening. Pay…[/QUOTE]
Pay is certainly an immediate issue, but not the only one. A multiple choice exam prduces an objective, quantifiable result that is comparatively easy to explain and defend. An essay scored by a qualified examiner will have at least some subjectivity. The examiner is offering their opinion, formed with the judgment and knowledge obtained through their proferssional career, that someone is or is not qualified. It takes more effort, and more resolve to defend such a subjective opinion than simply saying “passing score is 70% and they scored 65%.”
[QUOTE=jdcavo;53556] An essay scored by a qualified examiner will have at least some subjectivity.[/QUOTE]
That is assuming the NMC can find and retain the large number of qualified, literate, and techncially competent people required to look at them and decipher the handwriting … that means just to read them, much less attempt to interpret the candidate’s intent. That is about as likely as clearing lobbyists out of DC.
If essay questions ever returned they would be scanned by machine and searched for certain keyword strings. If there enough “hits” the question would be marked as correct. The clever test prep “schools” would quickly develop sentences that include all the right words - even if they were meaningless. Sort of like a political speech.
In '80 or so, I sat for Chief Motor Towing Vessels (the last one issued) in New Orleans. This exam and the 1000 ton F&T licenses were essay exams. The question pool was in a large wooden card file cabinet. The proctor had pulled a stack of cards for the exam. Each white question card had a red answer card. My cards had anywhere from 1 to 4 questions on each. I was given 2 cards at a time to test. My proctor was a WW engineer. Real sharp guy. They had leeway to give partial credit on an answer. (I was told on one question that I could write more and say less than anyone he’d seen.) At the same time, there was a guy sitting for 1000 ton F&T Master. His test was administered by someone less tolerable and experienced. (a yoeman maybe?) If he didn’t answer verbatim, it was counted wrong. He was filing a protest as I was leaving.
[QUOTE=cappy208;53479]I know several guys who are ‘crackerjack’ paperwork artists. But they have a difficult time running the boat light, can’t stay on a range properly, or openly say, if separated from their ATB barge they won’t even attempt to recover and tow! BUT they are great monthly report producers…[/QUOTE]
They will need all their paperwork skills to explain why they didn’t even TRY to recover their barge if they ever break out. They work on a towing vessel and have a TOAR claiming they can do all the tasks of a towing vessel yet they just let the barge go and get hit or run aground? They will go to jail for spilling oil and get their license revoked…
i’ve heard nothing about new essay exams but I can vouch that the USCG has a bunch of new exams out there. I just passed my chief mate master exams this past week (!) and many of the questions were not in the murphy books. also, the ones that WERE from the murphy books were THE MOST COMPLICATED from the database. the real ball busters.
these exams were by far one of the most - if not THE most - intellectually challenging exercise I have encountered in my 47 years and I’m no uneducated dummy.
in any event, after I mentioned how hard the exams were (NYC REC) the workers there all agreed and told me starting a couple months ago everyone started failing. they told me about the “professional testers” who just come in again and again to retest. no shit. they also cryptically mentioned that “washington changed the testing program’s algorithms”… sounds complicated and not good. the lady told me I was one of the very very few who pass first time.
seems to me like these exams don’t need to be changed at all: they tested my nautical knowledge very effectively.