Maritime News

Do you have space for one in Flashing Light in late May of 2010? For some reason I can not pull up your schedule online. What is the cost and do I need pre-study on Blinking Light software before course day?

I schedule Flashing Light one student at a time, seven days a week. The end of May is open at this time. When you get a specific date in mind call (503) 841-6066 and ask for Pat. She can get your name on my schedule.

The cost of the course is $200. Knowledge of Morse Code is very useful. I have attached a file. If you can memorize this prior to coming to class than it should not be a problem getting you through in one day. Freelance software sells a prep disk for about $45 that works pretty good if you don’t mind spending the money.

Click here to view Morse Code

Pub 102 International Code of Signals

CPM Flashing Light Page

I have been receiving requests for the USCG Merchant Mariner Credential (MMC) application forms. These forms along with instructions are posted on my website (Click Here).  To assist in keeping these forms simple to find they are posted here as well.

I have put together several checklist to assist mariners in the application process.

• Original License Application checklist
• Original Able Seaman Application checklist
• Original Ordinary Seaman Application checklist
• Renewal checklist

Application form CG 719B: This is the current application form required for every MMC application.

Merchant Marine Physical Exam form CG 719K: This is the current physical exam form required for all original issuse, upgrades, and renewals. If you are applying for an Ordinary Seaman endorsement use form CG 719K/E otherwise CG 719K works for everything else and can also be used in place of form CG 719K/E.

DOT/USCG Periodic Drug Testing form CG 719P: This form is not required, but is very useful in helping to orginize your application package and also has instructions for a letter to meet the requirements for mariners already participating in a random program.

Small Vessel Sea Service form CG 719S: This form is used to document small vessel sea service experience. One form should be used for every vessel you are claiming sea service experience on.

Character Reference Letter: This is a blank character reference letter. Three character references are required for the original issuance of a license as OUPV, Master or Mate.

Dennis

Good morning. This is Clint I talked with you on the phone yesterday the 24th and am signed up for class starting 5/17. We briefly touched on my experience which is all on a undocumented fishing vessel. It was a Wa. number boat. Which means if you’re not familiar with it. Was a Canadian boat which was purchased from a canadian. Mine was only I believe one of two left as of a few years ago. Also the last time I fished the boat was in 08 for just a few days. The last time I fished for a whole summer In Alaska was the summer of 06 but I have lots of hours of doing maintainance on the boat in seattle for 07 and 08 I have heard it counts as seatime hours. I owned the boat from 93-2008. She was 36″ overall double end wood troller.

I’m also needing to know if and when I gain the experience on a larger vessel if I will have to go through all this again to to upgrade to a 100 Ton license?

Have a nice day.

clint

Clint,

Sea service experience is measured in eight-hour calendar days. Any day that you are on a boat, have a position of responsibility, and away from the dock for more than four hours counts as one eight-hour sea day. If the vessel was in dry dock or tied to the dock while you were doing the maintenance it is doubtful that the time will count towards a license.

The OUPV license requires that you have a total of 360 days of qualifying experience; 90 days of the qualifying experience must have been within the past 3 years; if 90 days of the qualifying experience are on ocean water than the license will be issued with a near coastal route otherwise the license will be limited to inland waters only. An OUPV license can be upgraded to a Master 100 ton by meeting the additional qualifying sea service experience and taking a three day course to satisfy the exam requirements.

The Master 100 ton near coastal license requires a total of 720 days of qualifying experience; 90 days of the qualifying experience must have been within the past 3 years and at least 360 days of the qualifying experience must have been on ocean waters. The Master 100 ton inland license requires only 360 days of qualifying experience, which must include 90 days of experience within the past three years.

The Master 100 ton license will be issued as either 25 tons, 50 tons, or 100 tons depending on the size of vessels the qualifying experience was on. Since all your qualifying experience was on an un-documented vessel your license would most likely be limited to Master 25 tons. To upgrade Master 25 ton license to Master 50 or 100 tons all you would need to do is to gain sea service experience on larger vessels; experience over 5 tons is required to increase a license from 25 to 50 tons and experience on vessels over 25 tons is required to increase a license from 50 to 100. No additional examination or courses are required to upgrade a Master 25 to 50 ton or Master 50 to 100 ton license without changing the route.

Hope that helps.

Good Sailing,

Dennis

I have a 50 ton inland masters. I would like to up grade to a 100 ton masters near coastal. My license expires June 2011. What are my requirement to up grade as far as testing and sea time and boat tonnage I worked on?

Thanks, Everett

Everett,

To upgrade a Master 50 ton inland license to a Master 100 ton near coastal license requires that you meet the sea service requirements for the near coastal route; meet the tonnage requirements for the license upgrade; and satisfy the USCG exam requirements.

A Master 100 ton near coastal license requires 720 days of qualifying experience; at least 360 days of the qualifying experience must have been on ocean waters and 90 days of the qualifying experience must have been in the past three years. You can use the previous experience documented for your inland license towards meeting the qualifying experience for the near coastal license.

To meet the tonnage requirements for the Master 100 ton near coastal license your qualifying sea service experience must include either 180 days on vessels over 50 tons OR 360 days on vessels over 34 tons. There is also an option that allows for a Master 50 ton license to be upgraded to a Master 100 ton license by documenting either 90 days of additional service on vessels over 50 tons or 180 days of additional service on vessels over 25.

Exam Structure Sheet 3-19 describes the exams that are required for a increase in scope of a Master 100 ton inland to Master 100 ton near coastal. Two exams are required; a 30 question Rules of the Road exam (90% passing) and a 70 question Deck General, Safety, Environmental Protection exam (70%) passing. I offer two courses that can be used to meet these exam requirements. The 24-hour Rules of the Road course will meet the exam requirements for the Rules exam and the 24-hour Upgrade OUPV to Master 100 ton near coastal course will meet the exam requirements for the Deck General exam. I offer both of these courses on a regular schedule twice a month. The cost of each course is $400.

I hope this information helps. Please let me know if I can do anything for you.

Good Sailing,

Dennis
Home Page: http://ColumbiaPacificMaritime.com