Maritime News

I am often asked how much sea service experience does it take to get a credential. Below are the sea service experience, in days, that is required for some Merchant Mariner Credentials. Note that any near coastal licenses and some Able Seaman rating require some or all of the sea service experience to have been on ocean waters. Near coastal is abbreviated “nc” and inland is abbreviated “in”.

1. 0-days: The Ordinary Seaman rating requires no experience, training or exams. This is an entry level credential required to work on most sea going vessels over 100 gross tons.
2. 180-days: With 6 months of experience the mariner can apply for a license as Mate (in) of 200 tons or less. A license as mate allows the mariner to be in charge of a navigational watch under the authority of a licensed captain.
3. 360-days: With a year of experience the mariner can apply for an Able Seaman Special, an OUPV (in or nc) or Master 100 ton or less (in) and a Mate 200 ton or less (nc).
4. 540-days: With a year and half of experience that includes a year on towing vessels the mariner can apply for an Apprentice Mate (steersman) of Towing vessels license.
5. 720-days: With two years of experience that includes a year on oceans the mariner can apply for a Master 100 ton (nc) or less license. If one year of this time was as master or mate while holding a license the mariner can apply for a Master 200 ton (nc) license.
6. 1080-days: With three years of experience that includes two years as master or mate while holding a license the mariner can apply for an “All Oceans” endorsement on his master’s license.

I am on my third issue for an OUPV Inland license and would like to get the Auxiliary Sail endorsement added to the license. What do I need to do to accomplish this? Also, I am only interested in an inland license to operate small sailboats around the San Juan Islands.

Since the auxiliary sail endorsement cannot be added to an OUPV license you will need to upgrade your existing license to Master.

There is no difference in the sea service requirements between an inland OUPV and the inland Master of 100 tons and less. This is an easy upgrade that can be accomplished with the 24-hour Upgrade OUPV to Master 100 ton course. I offer this 3-day course twice a month for $400.

The auxiliary sail endorsement for an inland Master’s license requires documenting six months of sea service experience on sail or auxiliary sailing vessels. I offer a 4-hour class that will satisfy the exam requirements for this endorsement for $100. This course can be scheduled to follow the upgrade course.

For more information please visit my website or send me an email.

I have a Master 100 ton license and two years on a tug. What do I need to do to get a Mate of Towing license?

There are three methods to get a Mate of Towing license:

1. Apprentice Mate (steersman): This method requires that you have 18 months of sea service experience, including 12 months on towing vessels and complete the Apprentice Mate exams to get the Apprentice Mate (steersman) license. Once you have that license you will need to sail for another 12 months on a towing vessel, while holding the Apprentice Mate license, complete the TOAR and a Radar Observer course to qualify for the Mate of Towing license.
2. Master 200 ton or less: This method requires you to have a Master’s license of 200 ton or less and three years (1080 days) of sea service experience as Master under the authority of the license. Complete the Apprentice Mate exams, 30 days on a towing route, a TOAR for that route and a Radar Observer course to qualify for a Mate of Towing License.
3. Mate 500 ton or greater: This method requires you to have a Mate’s license of 500 tons or greater, complete 30 days on a route, a TOAR for that route and you can operate any towing vessel within the authority of your license on that route. If you complete the Apprentice Mate exams is has been my experience that the USCG will add Mate of Towing to your credentials.

Unless you have considerable sea service experience working as master under the authority of your Master 100 ton license I would suggest the Apprentice Mate (steersman) route. I offer a sequence of two courses that will satisfy the exam requirements for the Apprentice Mate (steersman) license. A four-day upgrade Master 100 ton to Master 200 ton course ($600) and the two day Apprentice Mate (steersman) upgrade course ($300). I can also provide a 5-day Radar Observer Unlimited course for $800 if needed.

I was informed that in order to keep a 6-pack license up to date a person might be required to spend a certain amount of time on the water each year. Could you clarify that for me. I would hate to go to the time and expense of getting this license and a couple of years from now have to go through it again.

The OUPV or 6-pack license is issued for a period of five years. The license can be renewed at any time prior to its expiration and there is a one year grace period to renew the license after it has expired. To renew the license you will be required to renew your TWIC and complete the USCG application package. If you can document 360 days on the water over the past five year you can renew your license without taking a course or taking any exams. If you cannot document the sea days than you have two choices: 1) take a renewal course; OR 2) request an open book exam.

I recommend the open book exam. The CG will mail the exam to you and give you 90 days to complete the exam using any and all resources available. When you have answer the questions you mail the exam back to the CG and they grade it. If you failed the exam they will return it to you and give you 90 days to correct your wrong answers.

As you can see, it is not very difficult to maintain a license once you get it.

Are there any hands on training courses for the columbia river Bar. I am looking to get trained on a dual engine 28 foot boat I recently bought.

My recommendation is to contact Captain Bob Kelso. Bob is a former student of mine that operates “Boater Education Safety Training” here in the Portland area. He specializes in one-on-one hands on safety training using your boat. His contact information is:

• BOB KELSO
• Phone: (503) 887-0899 or (503) 864-2584
• email to bob@startboatingbest.com

I am looking at getting my six pack license in the near future. Is their anything I could do to better prepare myself for the course. Also, what kind of boats are used for the training?

There are several choices for prep materials for the OUPV course. I sell the course workbook online, which would provide a good preview of the course material or, for about the same price, you can pick up a book called “Get your Captain’s License”. This book is overkill for the OUPV license course, but comes with an interactive CD ROM containing USCG questions.

The OUPV course consists of eight eight-hour days of classroom instruction that focuses on the four subject areas required by the US Coast Guard: Rules of the Road; Navigation General; Chart Navigation; and Deck General, Safety and Environmental Protection. No boat is used for the course. Since the OUPV license requires a minimum of 360 eight-hour days of experience in the operation of vessels the applicant is expected to already have practical boat operating experience before enrolling in the course.

I offer the OUPV course twice a month to a maximum of six students per class. At this time the next two class are booked full. Beginning with the May 31st class all class have space available. When you get a date in mind give Pat a call at (503) 841-6066 and she will get you on the schedule.

I am looking to further my career in the maritime industry. The majority of the jobs require STCW rating. I currently have 100T masters with an AB Unlimited for near coastal routes that doesn’t require STCW. I have no experience on vessels over 200 T. I was wondering what the requirements are to get a STCW certificate for AB unl.. Is there a difference in requirements for working as AB and OS?

There are several different STCW ratings, some associated with the deck department and others associated with the engine department. STCW ratings apply to sea going vessels of greater than 200 GRT. There are two STCW endorsements associated with the AB rating: Lifeboatman (Proficiency in Survival Craft or PSC) and RFPNW (Rating Forming Part of a Navigational Watch). Also, to qualify for any STCW rating you must complete Basic Safety Training (BST).

Since you hold an AB Unlimited rating you have already completed courses in BST and PSC and you should hold the STCW endorsement for Lifeboatman. To qualify for the STCW endorsement RFPNW you will need to complete the attached forms and turn them into a REC and request the rating.

• RFPNW Proficiency Checkoffs
• RFPNW  Sea Service Documentation

With your current AB Unlimited rating you can sail in any AB or OS capacity on any vessel on any waters, however you can only be part of the navigation watch on sea going vessels of less than 200 GRT. OS is an entry level position for any department on the ship. The AB rating is a much better rating, but many companies are taking advantage of the large number of AB’s without the STCW RFPNW endorsement and hiring them to work in the maintenance department of the ship, which is an AB position, but they are paying OS wages.

Hey Dennis, I have a question about sea service requirements for 200 ton license. I did find the information on your site very helpful but my situation is quite unique and I am still confused if I qualify.. My question is, would I qualify for the 200 ton master if I have 360 days as deckhand on a 200+ ton vessel (60 days on unlimited tonnage vessel) while I hold a 100 ton master license? Even if I am not working as master/mate? I have a rough total of 1200 days and working towards my 1600 mate via the AB route, just curious of I can get the upgrade to 200ton master at the same time. Thank you for your time.

The sea service requirements for Master 200 tons near coastal are contained in 46 CFR 10.426, which requires 720 total days of sea service experience on oceans: 360 days of the qualifying service can be on the Great Lakes or Inland waters; 360 days of this qualifying experience must be as master or mate while holding a license. This regulation does not contain any tonnage references.

The tonnage limitations for licenses of not more than 200 tons are contained in 46 CFR 10.422, which state that licenses of not more than 200 tons will be issued in 50 ton increments, rounding up. The license will be limited to either: A) the maximum tonnage that 25% of your qualifying experience was on; OR B) 150% of the maximum tonnage that 50% of your sea service was on.

If you have 360 days as a deckhand on vessels over 200 tons you would easily meet tonnage the requirements of 46 CFR 10.422. To meet the requirements of 46 CFR 10.426 you still need 360 days as master or mate of any size power-driven vessel while holding a license.

Hope that helps and please let me know if you have any other questions.

Good Sailing,

Dennis at Columbia Pacific Maritime