i was thinking of getting my captian's license just for my own knowledge . due to the nature of my job i never know when i will be forced to work overtime so going to school is not realistic , i see that mariners school does an on line class , has anyone taken this class or heard anything about it ?

I would take the class !
NE maritime is one many of us used.

I would take the class !
NE maritime is one many of us used.

That's where I went, they were very good. I believe they offer courses in Quincy, right? I enjoyed the course, great way to spent the winter and they are great at helping even now with info, etc...

i was thinking of getting my captian's license just for my own knowledge . due to the nature of my job i never know when i will be forced to work overtime so going to school is not realistic , i see that mariners school does an on line class , has anyone taken this class or heard anything about it ?

Take a safe boaters course and just read the books.

You do realize if you are onboard a boat when an accident occurs with a captain's license YOU are liable?

Take a safe boaters course and just read the books.

You do realize if you are onboard a boat when an accident occurs with a captain's license YOU are liable?

Joe:
I agree with Likwid on the boaters course. (not sure about your liability statement... I mean suppose I in a friends boat? Which I do very often....) But anyway............

The captains license courses have loads of information that the typical boater will never (EVER) use.
I've held mine for a few years now and even though I aced it all the first time, I've already forgotten quite a bit of what I learned, because I just don't use it! (plus I'm getting old)..... So if your not going to get it for chartering, I would not waste the time and money, and stick to a safe boating course. JMHO...

Oh and.
I don't see how it could be done online. ...:huh::huh:

The downside of the on-line course is no interaction. No big deal during deck and rules of the road, but when they hand you the coast guard light list, and ask you to plot course,set, and drift, based on a 3 bearing fix - it's nice to be able to ask the instructor a clarifying question or 2.

You can get the on line and for a pretty good discount, but no matter were you learn it you have to take your test with your local coast guard. And a physical is also needed, thats were i failed, can't be a insulin dependent diabetic.

Maco Joe,

Depending on the severeity of the diabetes the CG can review and grant you a waiver. It may take a while and you may have to go to a couple more doc appointments but I have some colleagues onboard that have had that issue.

You can get the on line and for a pretty good discount, but no matter were you learn it you have to take your test with your local coast guard. And a physical is also needed, thats were i failed, can't be a insulin dependent diabetic.

Oh yea if you want the license, you have to have CPR training and be certified, that costs about another 120. I don't know the cost of the
physical.

PLUS.............
News is........ ALL CERTIFIED CAPTIANS (including those holding OUPV) will now have to obtain a TWIC card. (Transportation workers ID card). If a charter captian don't have it he will be ""illegal"". This will likely be taking affect before this fishing season. I have been keep watch on it, but I have already pre-registered... Oh yea, of course its another couple of hundred dollars involved and another background check. (been there done that.....because I work in the nuclear field.)

The TWIC Card info is very confusing regarding when you need it etc. I spend three hours getting to the truth of the matter. Bottom line is you MUST have it for renewall after January. Also, if you actually work in a "secure port" then there is a tighter date for which you must have the TWIC card. The best way to get this info is to check out the TWIC web site as the Coast Guard admittedly does not have all of the info.

The TWIC Card info is very confusing regarding when you need it etc. I spend three hours getting to the truth of the matter. Bottom line is you MUST have it for renewall after January. Also, if you actually work in a "secure port" then there is a tighter date for which you must have the TWIC card. The best way to get this info is to check out the TWIC web site as the Coast Guard admittedly does not have all of the info.

NACO is trying to get an exception for charter captains.
See below

Dear NACO Member,

The U.S. Senate is considering legislation to assist operators of small passenger vessels by not requiring (carrying less than 150 passengers) by scaling back the number of mariners required to possess the Transportation Worker Identification Credential (TWIC).

If enacted, S. 3377 (the Small Marine Business and Fishing Guide Relief Act of 2008) will do away with the TWIC requirement for a person with a Coast Guard license or merchant mariner’s document serving on a vessel not required to have a Coast Guard-approved vessel security plan (in other words, on a domestic small passenger vessel authorized to carry not more than 150 passengers). Current law says that any person holding a Coast Guard license, merchant mariner’s document or certificate of registry must obtain a TWIC, regardless of the size of vessel on which that person is employed. The House of Representatives has already voted in favor of this relief.

Congress will recess for the national elections in a couple of weeks. Now is the time to urge Senators to approve S. 3377. NACO recommends that members fax (not mail) the two Senators from their state. Contact Yvonne Pffieffer or Rhonda Virts at toll free 866-981-5136 or email to admin@nacocharters.org to obtain the fax numbers of your Senators. We have attached a draft letter to assist you in contacting your Senators.
Please fax your letter this week!

Keeping You Informed
National Association of Charterboat Operators

A reply to oone of my emails.


Comment:
Entered on 09/25/2008 at 12:07:00 by Rocio Campa:
Thank you for contacting the TWIC Helpdesk. Yes. All credentialed U.S. merchant mariners must obtain a TWIC. This includes all persons holding a Coast Guard-issued merchant mariner's license, merchant mariner's document (MMD), Operator of Uninspected Passenger Vessels (OUPV), Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping (STCW) Certificate, or certificate of registry (COR).

Van,

I doubt they are going to scale that back and throw all the charter guys out of the card race. Obviosly for my job I have had the twic for a while. Boston is already a port in which your suppose to have one.

The "merchant mariner" is only a fraction of the people to be twic\ed. All truck drivers going inside secure areas etc, that number will far pass the mariner.

Just remember the most rediculous fact.......98% of the goods coming into US ports come on foreign flag ships, now ask yourself do all those guys need a twic card......no......just another tax for us guys. Can you tell I am a bit bitter......and they are changing the name of Mass Maritime school ship to the Kennedy name because he is such a yachtsman......whatever.....why did the size of the US Merchant Marine drop under his nose in the late 70's early 80's, he is no friend to the Merchant Marine is those regards yet all the local pols decided that the renaming was a great idea..........oh boy, now I'm pissed...gotta go!

I know alot of guys who have taken the New England Maritime captains course and no one who has taken the Mass Maritime course, but I know they offer it and people do take it. I am also aware that at the end of the day it is up to the person taking the test, to pass it. Which school would you captains recommend?
thnx

I want to correct an earlier post. If you take a captain's license course through a USCG approved program, NE Maritime, all of your testing will be done within that program and testing will be administered by school staff. You will not go to a USCG regional exam center to test.

unless you have a lot of extra time and money it dosen't make sense.

class- roughly 2k
twic- I think was close $150
drug testing- $80 yearly
NDR- is only like $10
physical- time
... and a buch of other stuff i probably forgot.

Plus it is two stright weeks, plus all the other time running around(at least a week worth of work)

i was thinking of getting my captian's license just for my own knowledge . due to the nature of my job i never know when i will be forced to work overtime so going to school is not realistic , i see that mariners school does an on line class , has anyone taken this class or heard anything about it ?

blue oyster, I commend you for wanting to better your knowledge on the water and think it should be mandatory for anyone who runs a boat !

I should have re thought my 1st reply :smash:
If you want to do it for your own knowledge I would not recommend taking the class as the classes are geared to teaching you how to pass the test ! This in my opinion sucked ! When I took the class I was the pain in the ass one asking questions non stop and slowing down the class, as I was looking to learn from the class and not just pass the tests. I'm pretty sure most who did the class and breezed through the test don't remember much from the class now nor do they care as long as they are licensed !.
Like some said in their post, when you have the lic. you are expected to be above others and if there were an accident or incident , you will more than likely be found at fault.
As mentioned there are the cost that go with the lic.

Van,

I doubt they are going to scale that back and throw all the charter guys out of the card race. Obviosly for my job I have had the twic for a while. Boston is already a port in which your suppose to have one.

The "merchant mariner" is only a fraction of the people to be twic\ed. All truck drivers going inside secure areas etc, that number will far pass the mariner.

Just remember the most rediculous fact.......98% of the goods coming into US ports come on foreign flag ships, now ask yourself do all those guys need a twic card......no......just another tax for us guys. Can you tell I am a bit bitter......and they are changing the name of Mass Maritime school ship to the Kennedy name because he is such a yachtsman......whatever.....why did the size of the US Merchant Marine drop under his nose in the late 70's early 80's, he is no friend to the Merchant Marine is those regards yet all the local pols decided that the renaming was a great idea..........oh boy, now I'm pissed...gotta go!


Good point Jon and your probably right. Why should they give a small group a break. Especially when money is involved. Just another tax to collect.

As for the captains class (which is the original poster's question) You will get out of it what you put in. If you pay attention you will be fine, learn plenty and pass the test with no problem. Again no matter what you will forget lots of what they teach you. I doubt that some "captains" can sit down and do even one part of the 10 plot they learned. I thought that was the best part of the class, something that I actually can use in a pinch,,,even today. The rest of the stuff is mind numbing.....Good Luck in whatever you decide.

More to the point of this post if you have the time and money then go take the class you will learn allot if you are not the person that has been on the water your whole life.

I have been on the water and travel all over the world as a ships engineer and probably could have got what I call my "little" masters license on my own but I had the time and took the NE Maritme class. I did try to correct a couple incorrect items that they were teaching that were to navy standards and not the merchant marine.....I doubt they changed there teaching but I knew they were wrong:laugha:.

Could I do 10 chart plots right now, no not really. Maybe half of them. Allot of the test qustions really don't apply to little boats but that is the way the CG tests people. i.e. no one will see and all purpose fire nozzle on a boat under 100 tons, but you may see this question.

It is also a good way to meet more people that you may see on the water.

So I'd go take a class. Most people don't put in enough time on the water to qualify for a license so they exagerate, 365 days in the last 5 years is allot for most people.

Another point is that eventually everyone will most likly need some sort of licence to operate a boat from the state and I would speculate that if you have a USCG license already it would superceed and you would not need to go to a class to get one of these future state operator permits.

"I know alot of guys who have taken the New England Maritime captains course and know no one who has taken the Mass Maritime course, but I know they offer it and people do take it. I am also aware that at the end of the day it is up to the person taking the test, to pass it. Which school would you captains recommend?
thnx"

has no one replied because they do not want to endorse one or the other or what?

Surfkaster,

I think it depends on your location for one thing. You don't want to travel a looong way. Make sure it a a CG approved class that lets you take the test at the school so you don't have to go into Commercial St in Boston. This alone is a great reason to spend the dough on a class for going into town isn't fun at least for me.

Like many on this post went to NE Maritime. They were fine and the guy who taught most of my class was an older guynamed Charlie and he ran the class very well. You couldn't go wrong with the MMA one and that class is probably the best you'll find. Not sure who teaches the class but am guessing that they have more coffee time on the water than most. So those would be my 2 choices if I were to do it again.

I went to saeschool up in salem for 2 weeks and a looong weekend. Took the test the next weekend and had this guy do all my paperwork for me I forget his nam he does it full time. I think it was 100 bucks or so. he files everything for you you just go pick it up in boston.
Mine expires this march I have to look into renewing it very soon.

And how many of you can do celestial?
Running sun fixes?

*crickets*

And how many of you can do celestial?
Running sun fixes?

I'd guess - as many as would ever need to. :p

I'd guess - as many as would ever need to. :p

It's cloudy out today.

Not for nothing but BLUE OYSTER has not responded since his first post....maybe we were just.....:deadhorse::deadhorse:

DID WE SCARE YOU OFF JOE ???????:smash::smash:
:shocked::shocked:

It's cloudy out today.


Then you'd need to know DR.
Which IS a valuable skill.

i would like thank everyone for there thoughts on this mater , and yes i am more confused than ever , i just wanted to have more knowledge , i have taken the 3 day coast guard course but that was just the very basics and i have done an online course . but wanted to know more .i think i should be taking one of the advanced classes that a lot of yatch clubs offer in conjunction with the coast guard . but the problem is my work , i hate to pay for a class and only be able to make half the classes . i guess i will have to hold off for now . thank you all agian for your input .