Wednesday, March 28, 2007

The Master's Course and Various Endorsements

Since the Coast Guard requirements for the Master's license are exactly the same as those for the OUPV (Six Pack) license, and the Master's is a tonnage (25, 50 or 100) that allows you to captain a boat up to that tonnage in either inland or near coastal waters up to the maximum passengers it is rated for (based on your experience), I figured I'd just go ahead and take the course.

So I did.

Once again Captain Keith Jackson gave the course at the Nyack Boat Club, just north of the Tappan Zee bridge. He made a stultifying course entertaining!

The first day was looking up stuff in the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR). Apparently it's a skill the Coast Guard wants you to have. If you have a question about boats, ships, tugs, or anything marine, and someone somewhere cared, it's in the CFR. It describes everything. What's on the Certificate of Inspection (inspected vessels) and why. Load lines, Plimsoll marks, loading marks, fire and safety, lighting, you name it. It is, apparently, horribly expensive to have your vessel inspected, too, because of all the requirements. That's why the Six Pack - for uninspected passenger vessels.

That said, though, the CFR is not, and I repeat this, not, written for the faint of heart. It is at times very difficult to wade through. But that's lawyers for you.

Anyway, in addition, I took the towing endorsement (so I can, in theory, run a towing vessel) and the sailing endorsement (meaning, in theory I know how to sail). Interestingly enough, the test for the towing endorsement didn't contain any questions about towing. That was sort of amusing.

The first day, Friday, was from 9:00 am to 9:30 pm because of the towing endorsment class. Sunday, too, was long because of the sailing endorsement.

Of course, the weekend was very pleasant - too pleasant to stay indoors.

Now, all I have to do is get my logs together, a physical and urine test, and I'm off to the Coast Guard office at the Battery (New York City) for swearing in (at), and Bob's your uncle!

I can't wait!

See you on the water!

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

Capt Bob,

I was Googling Gulfstar Hirsh boats, and came across your blog. I have the newest Gulfstar Hirsh 45 (1987) that had a $23K refit last year. She's in Jersey City and will be going up for sale in a couple of weeks. Here are some links to her, if you are intersted. We can't afford this boat, so we have to downgrade.

You can contact me at: seansullivanjobs (at) yahoo.com

I have a survey, more photos, and it's right in Jersey City. The boat was featured on NY1 news last summer.

I'm offering it at $89,900 firm, to save myself and the buyer the headache of negotiation. That's my "walk away" price, so why not just say it, I figure. Saves the buyer money too. Here are the links:


http://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/f64/45-hirsh-gulfstar-pictures-89-900-ssullivans-boat-4479.html

Here is another link to a site we had it up for sale on. More equipment, more background of the boat's life, etc...:

http://www.sailingtexas.com/sgulfstar45a.html

And this link is very good. There is also a link off this site to a video of our boat sailing as featured on the news:

http://www.1001boats.com/single-ad.asp?Recnumber=3232&SearchMethod=1

This link has the equipment list:

http://www.bnboceanescape.com/sailing.htm



Thanks,
Capt Sean

Zen said...

Congrats again Captn

Zen said...

Alright... so where R U???

we're waiting...