On becoming a Captain...

[RaginCajun]

Regarding the sea time. What if all of my time was on a 16 ft skiff with a 23 HP motor or a similar sized boat with a 75 hp motor? Assume I had 360/720 days on these boats, what level of license would this allow me?

 

[MarinersSchool]

If we go with your assumption of you having 360/720 days on these boats this sea service will qualify you for a 25 ton Inland Master License. If 90 days of your time on the water was done outside the Boundary Line you can get a dual purpose license...

A 25 Ton Inland Master License with an OUPV Near Coastal endorsement. This license allows you to operate OUPV/Six-pack charters up to 100 miles offshore. In addition you can operate as the Master of a vessel up to 25 Ton on Inland waters.

 

[NeptunusRex]

Does US Navy sea time count? I've been looking into this but can't get a straight answer. I have 5 (underway) years at sea on destroyers (6,600-8,600 tons). What work aboard ship would qualify? Thank you for the info in advance!

 

[nolatom]

it definitely does count. Time in the "deck department" should qualify you for a mate's license exam if you were a qualified OOD, or at least an AB ticket otherwise. Ditto "engine dept" for an engineer's license. Not sure about weapons or other specialties.

A certain amount of your time has to be "recent" for the older time to be countable.

Check the Coast Guard NMC website for more info.

 

[Salmonboy97]

FWIW, I am going to try out the Mariner's School and report on it here. It should be fun and enlightening.

How is the course coming? Any news?

 

[CaptCrip]

Question on the drug testing..... As long as I am prescribed medication by my doctor and provide proof I am okay, right? Or will they fail me for the drug test and not allow me to go forward until I am off of all narcotic medications?

Any medication that may impair you, wheather over the counter or prescribed is not allowed to be in your system while operating any vessel for hire.

 

[CaptCrip]

Well I do have a bad back that I will be getting a spinal fusion on in the next few months that should eliminate most of my symptoms and it should get me off of most of my meds but I can do anything anyone else can do, I can even do heavy lifting if I have to. What it comes down to is how much pain I want to put up with in order to do something, most of the time the pain comes hours after I "overdue it".

Right now I am on an extended release morphine and I have been for the past few months but since I have been on it for so long now it has no impairing effects on me at all.

I was a SWAT officer and I got injured on the job, I'm waiting for this surgery and my plan is after I get my medical retirement I'm going to finish up my DM and get my instructor cert, moving South and follow my dream, buy a larger vessel and run dive/ fishing charter. I always said I was going to do that after I retired I just didn't expect I was going to be retiring 10yrs early so as it stands right now I have about 1 year before I'm fully retired.

So unless there is some crazy super human physical test that I am required to perform I doubt I will have a problem with it at all. I should be able to perform any physical exam they can throw at me. Unless me being on a prescription for morphine is an automatic exclusion I will pass the drug test also...

I grew up on the water, owned vessels from 12' to 76' and work aboard vessels much larger.

I am partially paralyzed on my right side since a kid, have no use of my right arm, my right leg is weaker and shorter than my left, and I've been a Master over 30 years with these issues all while working in the petroleum industry on vessels you could load your house aboard the aft deck. If you have the will, you can pass the physical, I have to do it every 5 years.

You can not be on any kind of medication that could impair you, prescribed or over the counter, while operating any vessel for hire.

 

[HogLifer]

I was told that you have to have 20/20 vision to pass the vision test. Is this correct?

 

[The Chairman]

How is the course coming? Any news?

Thanks for asking, I have finally started! :shocked2: So far it's going just fine and I hope to be finished soon. It's not that hard.

 

[MarinersSchool]

HogLifer - You must have vision correctable to 20/40 in each eye. In all cases, the uncorrected vision should be at least 20/800. A vision waiver may be granted if the applicant's corrected vision in the better eye is 20/40. You must also have 100 degrees horizontal field of vision.