Anyone here hold a Merchant Mariner's Document?

[Airborne]

I just finished my training for O.U.P.V. I test on Valentine's Day. Right after that I'll be upgrading to Master 50 tons if all goes well.

I'm not so much worried about the test as I am in submitting all the paperwork, the process is DAUNTING. Has anyone else been through this process?

[Popeye the Sailor]

Yup.


I have nothing useful to add though.

[Got Duc]

If I was to do it all over again that would be my occupation of choice.

My buddy has a 100 ton Master. He said it was the toughest thing he ever did in his life.

[krolik]

An ex girlfriend had a 100 ton Master, she said the test was a pregnant dog. 

[Monsterlover]

What's a 50 or 100 ton master?

[Popeye the Sailor]

What's a 50 or 100 ton master?

They letcha drive a ship around the water. Weee.


The ton ratings designate the size.

[Airborne]

They letcha drive a ship around the water. Weee.


The ton ratings designate the size.

Yep, boats are fun  [moto] (only insert a ship's wheel). I don't really know how I'm going to use it yet, I've applied for a few jobs but it's hard to sell yourself when all the paperwork will be processing for a while and I'm not exactly sure when I'll actually be official. USCG says a "few weeks to 6 months."

[Popeye the Sailor]

Don't let the bottom of the boat touch nothin and you'll be fine. 

[Speeddog]

Don't let the bottom of the boat touch nothin and you'll be fine. 

It's a bit more than that, isn't it?

Good start nonetheless. 

[krolik]

It's a bit more than that, isn't it?

Good start nonetheless. 

Red on the right, returning at night. 

[Popeye the Sailor]

It's a bit more than that, isn't it?

Good start nonetheless. 

Keep the relative bearing greased. 




I loved and hated those days.

[hbliam]

If I was to do it all over again that would be my occupation of choice.

My buddy has a 100 ton Master. He said it was the toughest thing he ever did in his life.

I googled it. A 56 hour class and a 80 hour class. He must have had an easy life.

[Popeye the Sailor]

I googled it. A 56 hour class and a 80 hour class. He must have had an easy life.

Unless things have changed, you also need several years of sea time, and recommendations from other Captains. It takes a while, and those tests are mostly 90% and better to pass.

[Airborne]

I googled it. A 56 hour class and a 80 hour class. He must have had an easy life.

Unless things have changed, you also need several years of sea time, and recommendations from other Captains. It takes a while, and those tests are mostly 90% and better to pass.

Yeah sitting in class is the easiest part. I'm done with all that. I have to take the test(s) and then start with my paperwork. I have to log all my sea time back to when I was 16 years old, it adds up to years of time. I also have to get pro recs, especially those from captains help. I also presently drive a research vessel for a lab  (unpaid, research being used loosely). I teach sailing on a J/24 (unpaid as well), commodore of sailing club at an engineering school where I studied mech. engineering and naval architecture (USCG wont care about that actually).

The test will have some questions that are doozys...shit you would never encounter in real life. Stuff like "You're operating shoreward of the COLREGS line at night on a trawler and you have run aground, what type of lights do you show?"  "You're on a sailboat and you encounter a crossing situation with a wing in ground effect vehicle on inland waters, who has right of way?" etc etc. It becomes alot easier if you actually have the sea time, most of the items come naturally, for those who don't they may have a tough time passing. I'm not too worried about that part since operating vehicles is my life.

Then I have to take the piss test, get a TWIC card from the TSA, prove the sea time (includes tracking down owners of boats Ive operated years ago), fill the apps, update cpr and first aid, get fingerprinted, get a background check, get a physical exam form signed by the doc, go to USCG and hand it in in person and take the oath.

But yeah there are known problems of the rich guy with a big boat with no experience taking the class and getting his buddys to b.s his sea time, they usually have a hard time passing the test.

[Drunken Monkey]

Red on the right, returning at night. 

Great, now I've got that confused with the "Green in sight, no problem at night" for aircraft

Or was that "Red over white, you're all right. Red over red, you're dead"? 

Don't let the bottom of the boat touch nothin and you'll be fine. 

Also, don't smack into the bay bridge. kthanks.