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Random Quote: You know what they say about common sense-it ain't so common!
Join the Coast Guard and get some real experience to go with that paper license.
__________________ "Everyone should believe in something. I believe I will go fishing" --- Henry David Thoreau
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Dude if you want to chase the dream do it now at 22. I am 42 make a decent living but always will regret not at least trying to make some sort of living on the water..Go for it put your time in and have fun along the way.
__________________ "God is not our side because he hates idiots" TGB and U
"There are 2 kinds of people in this world those with guns and those who dig..........you dig"
What kind of time do you have that qualifies you for a 100 ton right off the bat? Not that common for a young dude to get a 100ton for his first license.
A 100 ton is nice but if you have no resume to go with it it doesn't mean much.
Dude if you want to chase the dream do it now at 22. I am 42 make a decent living but always will regret not at least trying to make some sort of living on the water..Go for it put your time in and have fun along the way.
I could not agree more with this post, waddill is right on the money.
The time to pay dues is at age 22, not 42 when you realize the career path you chose back at age 22 sucks the big one.
Make some calls, throw some things in a bag and hit the road. Be a deckhand, join the CG for a hitch, do anything to build that resume.
I know of a guy who is a harbor pilot in Louisiana and I was told he earns $400k/year. And judging from the boat he owns, I would say he probably does.
Suck it up now, because in 20 years, when you have a mortgage, a wife who has her own opinions about big decisions, kids in school, etc.....it's too late, you're screwed if you want to bounce into a new line of work, trust me.
__________________ Seems there are more people riding in the wagon these days and far fewer pulling
I got the 100 ton Masters, But work in my own HVAC business for the past Ten years. I would have to agree Get paid for the learning experience join the CG, If you have the licence and the resume` you will go far.
And that is what seems so crazy to me. You can go out on a jon boat and get your hours. Just riding it, never even touching the wheel (or tiller as the case may be). Then go and qualify for a captain's lisc. Riding on a boat and running a boat are two very different things in my mind. It seems they would change the requirements, at least some, and require both deck time, as you're speaking of, and time running a boat of some reasonable size. And require offshore hours for an 'offshore license'. I understand the basic 6 pack shouldn't require running a 50'er for years. But I do know the USCG is making the captain's lisc. is less and less valuable to have because it's too easy to get it. And from what I've seen and heard, way too many guys just make up the hours anyway.
Well, you can't walk into the MSC and get a (legitamate >100T) Masters liscense with time spent on a jon boat. To get a liscense you have to have documented sea time, usually in the form of a letter from a vessel operator/owner testifying that you have logged so many days of sea time. Riding around on a pleasure boat and living and working on a commercial vessel are two very different things.
understood. I was speaking of just the basic capt lisc. not the Masters. Again, from all I've seen, most guys do not have a log book. Which I can certainly understand. Most guys don't keep one year in and year out. And it's impossible to remember a date 10 years back when you might have been out on a boat. Yet they require you to sign the application saying it's true. It just doesn't work for most people.
Thanks for the replies guys. As far as the hours and sea time days... in the past year and 1 month I have put 510 hours on my boat. How do I know? becauseI bought the boat brand new end on June last year and when I got off the water today I checked my hour gauge. I have worked on boats up to 98' either part time or full time for the past couple winters to pass on the slow season. No problem with getting my sea time.
Ben, not questioning your hours. I'm just questioning the way the USCG goes about it. Problem is, I guess I shouldn't complain unless I can offer up a better way. Anyone have ideas on how they could do it better/more reasonably? I just don't think it's reasonable to expect someone to remember a date many years back, then make them sign saying it's true, under penalty of five years in prison if they're wrong!!
I didn't talk to a single person, from the USCG folks to the class instructor to ALL the people in my class that said anything other than "Just put down the time as best you can remember it". How many people can remember a specific date they were on the water from (in my case) 25+ years back?? It's BS. Now this wouldn't bother me so much if 1) I didn't have to sign that form saying it's absolutely correct and true and 2) there are lawyers out there that can check into your time and rake you over the coals if you were in a serious boating accident. Change the wording of that form where you have to sign it and I'd feel a whole lot better about the process.
RE: Help with 100 ton masters career options 
