[Bene505]

Now is the time to get that Captain's license that you've been wanting.

Putting together a group so we can all save money with a group rate.

Are you interested? New York City or Long Island. Edit..this could also be the online course so location doesn't matter.

Regards,
Brad

 

[Bene505]

Edit..this could also be the online course so location doesn't matter.

Regard,
Brad

 

[jimgo]

I wish I had the hours on a boat to do it.

 

[Bene505]

Looking at this place for getting my captain's license in the spring The Nautical School - NY Maritime & Nautical Resources

Normally it's $699, including test fee if you pay in advance enough. (I believe the evening of 1st Aid/CPR is extra.) Planning to talk them into a group rate since we have a group of people in on this.

Who else is interested? If you don't have the hours, you can always get the testing out of the way.

They have classes in these locations:

Essex, CT
Bridgeport, CT
Stonington, CT
Manasquan, NJ
New Rochelle, NY
Manhattan, NY
Lindenhurst, NY​

So for the spring the plan is: captain's license (including 1st aid/CPR), towing endorsement (why not?), sailing endorsement, and perhaps even 100 ton master.

Regards,
Brad

 

[Minnewaska]

I wish I had the hours on a boat to do it.

I seriously doubt this has stopped too many at the six pack level anyway.

 

[smurphny]

Unless you want to take people out for hire, I have never heard a good reason to get a "6 pack" USCG license. It seems like a lot of hoops to jump through with little actual benefit and little real-world relevance to sailing. Doing something like this for the review of lights, shapes, rules of the road may be a reason but that can be accomplished without taking a course. IMO, the reason most people go through this is to say , "I have captains license." The only competence it indicates is the competence to take a test. Many government tests are similar because it is very difficult and time-consuming to assess actual competence. For sailing courses, I'd think some ASA or private hands-on courses would be of much more benefit.

 

[mstern]

I seriously doubt this has stopped too many at the six pack level anyway.

That is exactly what I was told by a guy staffing a Captain's course booth at a boat show. His take was that a great number of the OUPV captains have fudged their experience.

 

[christian.hess]

everyone knows that or should as there is no examination or inquiry of experience...

I just got in a discussion with others here about the merits of renewing my 100 ton license...

now I didnt lie or fudge up my sea time...I did count most of my cruise as experience...but its really not indicative of anything special training wise.

my only thoughts on this matter is that in the US a license is valuable and attainable and useful especially if you ever plan to take people on for hire or a do a sunset cruise on your boat or go working on comercial boats...whatever.

as has been mentioned also its only after you get into the 200ton plus numbers and licenses that the effort and experience trully becomes important as well as scrutinized.

in any case...

there is no reason to tell those who want the license to not get one either, if you want to go ahead...

 

[Minnewaska]

On the one hand, I think the study to get one's license is valuable and can only make you better. On the other, I agree that many 6pack captains I know got it just for the purpose of saying they did.

A 100ton master with sailing endorsement will probably skip through most bareboat resume screens anyway.

 

[Phitod]

My name is Todd Phillips. I intend to get my 6 pack license in the future, once I have experience, just so I can introduce myself to people as "Captain Phillips".

 

[eherlihy]

FYI - the 6 pack license is a REQUIREMENT if you are receiving consideration (not necessarily cash) for taking people in a boat with an engine. I know one guy that taught sailing, yet thought that because, in lieu of pay, he was receiving a free charter for a week, he had a work around... Sorry to say it, but, this was illegal.

If you wish to teach sailing, and the boat has an engine, you need an OUPV to be legal. If you want to captain charters, you need an OUPV to be legal.

Last I checked, the TWIC card was also necessary to get the OUPV.

 

[capta]

You will also need a real DOT, in depth physical exam, eye exam, hearing exam, drug screening and to join a random drug testing consortium.
If you have any physical problems at all, you will now need specific testing to insure you can do the job (stress testing, EKG for cardiac problems, for instance), however minor or congenital. This can get very expensive.
You may also be required to get 1995 STCW, another few hundred bucks.
As for gaining knowledge or refreshing your knowledge, be aware that the purpose of the test preparation is exactly that and no more; preparing you to pass the test. Since the tests are mostly multiple choice, you will be taught to recognize the correct answer, not about the latest changes to the Colregs or nav aids that are not on the exam.

 

[eherlihy]

capta is correct... I know that I posted somewhere on SailNet what the requirements were...

'Scuse me a min....

Here it is;

I completed the Captain's course, and have submitted my OUPV paperwork to the USCG Regional Examination Center in Toledo, OH. My motivation is that it is a goal that I set, and because I am between jobs, I had the time. I am hopeful that I will be able to find a low-paying job in the marine industry...

In the hope that others can benefit from my experience, here are my observations;

1. There is NO focus on sailing, the course is exclusively for powerboat operators
2. While the course costs $550, there is another $445 in associated costs (Physical, Drug Test, Test Fee, Application Fee, CPR/First Aid Certificate, etc.)
3. I see no reason to learn how to maintain manilla/hemp lines in this day, but it is part of the test. (hint, manilla will rot from moisture, and nylon will not)
4. The rules of the road section pertaining to sound signals and lights IS valuable, but you can get this as effectively and at a lower cost in an ASA accredited class.

I hope this helps!

and

I forgot to mention ~$145 for a TWIC [edit - I understand that the fee is now ~$130] in my earlier post.

That brings the total to ~$595 for misc, and $550 for the class.

I have actually achieved my dream of a low-paying part time spring/summer job in the maritime industry! Woo-Hoo! I interview this week to get another lower-paying job in FL for the winter!

 

[miatapaul]

I have thought it woudl be a fun "early" retirement job (though I seem to not be getting there on the 401K for the early part) to be able to take dive boats out and and other tour type boats. Would a 100 ton be enough for that? I know I when I went on a snorkel boat tour in Maui, my brothers friend was a part time captain for them, and he seemed to enjoy it. I don't think he really needed to work, he spent half the year in Montana and half in Maui. It was a long term relationship with the tour company and I understand it is not exactly like they are desperate for folks to do the work. But I could start working on the relationship soon enough.

 

[capta]

I have thought it would be a fun "early" retirement job (though I seem to not be getting there on the 401K for the early part) to be able to take dive boats out and and other tour type boats. Would a 100 ton be enough for that? I know I when I went on a snorkel boat tour in Maui, my brothers friend was a part time captain for them, and he seemed to enjoy it. I don't think he really needed to work, he spent half the year in Montana and half in Maui. It was a long term relationship with the tour company and I understand it is not exactly like they are desperate for folks to do the work. But I could start working on the relationship soon enough.

It really depends on how much responsibility you want to take on. On dive and snorkel boats (you may be required to hold a divemaster's certificate) you not only have the responsibility to keep your passengers alive and safe while they are on the boat, but in the water as well. You have to quickly assess those who may not be safe in the water and insure that they always have a crew member's attention, while making sure the others are safe as well. Doing dive charters in St.T I found as a general rule, that out of 10 divers, 1 was there to commit suicide, 2 should never have been certified and one other hadn't been diving in so long they had forgotten the basic safety rules.
Motor tour boats are the easiest job for the money and big schooners on several hour day sails are IMO, the most fun. But no matter what you operate, if you have a good crew, you have it made.

 

[capt jgwinks]

Right about documenting your sea service. USCG requires 360 days for inland and 720 days for near coastal. If they required that all to be documented paid time on commercial boats none of us could ever get licensed. I hold a 200 ton master ticket and have taught the license courses for about 15 years. We always tell the students that the sea time just has to look possible and the CG will accept it. You only have to document that you owned the boat(s) for a length of time that would make the time you are claiming look possible. There is no way to document whether you actually ran the boat that much or not. I've never heard of them asking to see your logs or anything, but I suppose they could if they didn't believe you.
The tests are not an indicator of ability either, especially the Navrules exam. It's all about how well you memorized the wording in the book as opposed to how you would run the boat.
But, if you want to get paid, you need the license, so you jump through the hoops anyway.
You can get the license without taking a course (I did it), but it's extremely difficult. To pass the exams you need to know the exact wording of the rules, not necessarily the meaning of the rules. A course will teach you how to pass the exams.

 

[mstern]

I looked into taking a course recently, and decided it was too much of a time commitment right now. My ulimate goal is to retire and do something on the water, but I have a "few" years to go. In the meantime, I bought an older edition of Charlie Wing's "get your captain's license" book ($5 at a used book store!) and am studying that just for jollies.

 

[capt jgwinks]

An online course is another way to go if that learning method works for you. The courses are self paced and you have six months to complete. You have to pass online quizzes along the way so you should have a good idea whether you can pass the real exams at the end. I proctor the live exams for one of the schools and I find that the average scores are much higher than those of my class room courses. I have no idea how many students start the course but never finish though. I suspect it's a large percentage. The classroom courses pretty much guarantee passage. They give you whatever personal attention necessary and most will let you run through it again until you pass.

 

[Bene505]

Thank you for the good thoughts and background. A few friends here in will be taking the course with me, just not sure we'll all be in the same classrooom as some are in Manhattan. I could commute-in to take it with them, but that would make for a long day. Might do it anyway, would be more enjoyable that way.

Was talking about this at high school sporting event to someone I was sitting next to. He pulled out his driver's license and sure enough, there was a little anchor printed on the bottom of the card. He's a captain.

Regards,
Brad

 

[rbyham]

I might be interested if a group should start up in Charleston, SC area...