another AB to Mate question

**FerrySurfer** · February 21st, 2011, 11:19 PM

Hey, im new here, but just did some searching through the forum as well as some googling. im going to be upgrading from AB limited to 1600 ton Near Coastal Mate. I've already registered for my radar and fire fighting near by however I'm trying to find a place for the prep course and exam. I have all the sea time etc. but i looked at a post by someone else and most of those places are for oceans or unlimited. anywhere on the east coast that does the near coastal 1600 ton mate? somewhere sunny lol? its been a bad NY winter.

Houston Marine is ok, but i think i'll get in trouble down in New Orleans. plus i have to call them because they dont have a schedule posted.

btw, my company is paying so im not worried about location too much. any help, or advice is appreciated.

thanks

**Capt. Lee** · February 22nd, 2011, 03:33 AM

I think Mid Atlantic Maritime Academy is starting a license prep course. I know it may be intimidating to try this on your own, but I am telling you can can teach yourself almost everything you need in home study courses. Get the Murphy Books, Capt. Joe's CD, Lapware, the training plotting chart, Maneuvering Boards, tides and currents tables for testng, Nautical almanac for testing, Bowditch, Universal plotting sheets for celestial, some triangles, dividers, pencils, a calculator and you are ready to rock and roll. I have been at the Coast Guard with guys that went to Houston Marine for study programs and LE Fletcher study program and those guys were failing their tests. I know there are success stories out there for them, also. Just stating my experience. Then there were the lapware and Captain Joe's self study guys there and those guys were knocking it out of the park. I initially took a study class for my 100 ton at Sea School in Mobile, AL. I went for ten straight days and I took the test right there. They gave me a certificate and I turned that into the Coast Guard for my 100 ton. Then I did a study class for my 500 ton Master license Near Coastal at Passport Marine in Pensacola, FL. I went there everyday and stared at a computer screen. I was thinking shit. I can stare at a computer screen at my house and not have to drive 60 miles each way to do it. I did pass the test, but it had nothing to do with the instruction I received from the guy. It was the material and what I did with it. After, that I did the Joe's, Lapware and Murphy books and have had great results. If you put in the study time you will pass the test.

**FerrySurfer** · February 22nd, 2011, 07:17 AM

Thanks Capt. Lee, i was originally going to do the studying on my own. I spent a few years at New York Maritime and still remember alot from there. however i know myself and im not the best at putting free time aside for studying. if i was out at sea i would be able to, but im home pretty much everyday after working a 10hr shift. plus my company pays me back for all the course fees, hotel, rental car, etc. i figured why not do a prep class. all the guys at work go to New Orleans, i was just wondering if there was another place. i heard florida but cant find one for the near coastal 1600. i'll try mid atlantic

**B ry** · February 22nd, 2011, 09:06 AM

L E Flecher with Capt. Bruce was excellent . It's a go at your own pace deal up to a year . I took a hitch off for a total of two months off passed all the test for my 500 t nc osv license . I spent a total of 18 days in the classroom . Would advise anyone to take the class .Capt. Bruce makes the formulas easy to comprehend . Good luck with your upgrade .

**B ry** · February 22nd, 2011, 03:40 PM

Originally Posted by FerrySurfer

Hey, im new here, but just did some searching through the forum as well as some googling. im going to be upgrading from AB limited to 1600 ton Near Coastal Mate. I've already registered for my radar and fire fighting near by however I'm trying to find a place for the prep course and exam. I have all the sea time etc. but i looked at a post by someone else and most of those places are for oceans or unlimited. anywhere on the east coast that does the near coastal 1600 ton mate? somewhere sunny lol? its been a bad NY winter.

Houston Marine is ok, but i think i'll get in trouble down in New Orleans. plus i have to call them because they dont have a schedule posted.

btw, my company is paying so im not worried about location too much. any help, or advice is appreciated.

thanks

If you will give me your email I'll send you some study material on charts and terrestrial for 500 t mate osv

**FerrySurfer** · February 22nd, 2011, 05:59 PM

SurferJ4@hotmail.com

Thanks alot B ry

i think im just gonna study at home, i'll start studying a little here and there. i'll study in my hotel when i go to NJ for fire fighting. and then a couple weeks before im ready to test, i'll take weekdays off from work to devote fully to studying. i called Houston Marine down in New Orleans today and the lady basicly talked me out of giving them my money. i didnt like the idea of paying so much money and taking time off from work just to study by myself. i would rather have an instructor to help me out if i needed it. im not very good at studying on my own, i know from colllege, im not the best at getting work done outside class
anyone done it this way? pros cons? suggestions?

**Oldsalt206** · February 22nd, 2011, 06:07 PM

I would highly recommend Maritime Professional Training in Ft Lauderdale, FL. I went there and loved it. The lady who teaches the prep class is named CG... that's her name, honest.

**Mr 100-ton** · February 22nd, 2011, 06:37 PM

teaches celestial too, a wizz at it

**B ry** · February 23rd, 2011, 03:29 AM

Originally Posted by FerrySurfer

SurferJ4@hotmail.com

Thanks alot B ry

i think im just gonna study at home, i'll start studying a little here and there. i'll study in my hotel when i go to NJ for fire fighting. and then a couple weeks before im ready to test, i'll take weekdays off from work to devote fully to studying. i called Houston Marine down in New Orleans today and the lady basicly talked me out of giving them my money. i didnt like the idea of paying so much money and taking time off from work just to study by myself. i would rather have an instructor to help me out if i needed it. im not very good at studying on my own, i know from colllege, im not the best at getting work done outside class
anyone done it this way? pros cons? suggestions?

Capt. Bruce at Fletcher is what you are looking for the kind of studying you are describing . He gives you your work at your pace . If you have any trouble you can go back up as many times as you like till you get it . The formulas are hard but the way Capt. Bruce shows you it's not that hard .The material I sent you was from fletcher . He also shows you all the "trick questions" that you might get .You only study what's on your test not everything like on say Capt. Joe's CD. I'd advise you to call Fletcher and ask for Capt. Bruce just to see what you need to study for . He keeps up with the Coast Guard changes ,people call him all the time asking for advice .I sent you 3 study areas terrestrial ,rules of the road,and charts . You will still need to study for deck general ,deck safety ,and nav. General I have the material just not on a PDF file . You will also need more study guide for rules of the road . It's alot of material , I was overwhelmed but I didnt have a clue what to study . I think you can do it without going to a prep class if you have someone to show you how to do the problems I sent you . Learn stability the principles and how to work the problems it will be a big part of deck general or deck safety . I was told I would only have 3 or 4 problems I had 10 out of 50. You will need someone to show you how to do stability . Best of luck I hope this helped . I just passed my test in nov. so I know how it feels . I wanted to study on my own .I'm glad I went to a prep class I was better prepared passed all my test except for deck general/safety the first time . If I had learned stability I would have passed them all the first time . Like I said best of luck I'm sure you will do fine .

**jdcavo** · February 23rd, 2011, 05:02 AM

Originally Posted by FerrySurfer

Thanks Capt. Lee, i was originally going to do the studying on my own. I spent a few years at New York Maritime and still remember alot from there. however i know myself and im not the best at putting free time aside for studying. if i was out at sea i would be able to, but im home pretty much everyday after working a 10hr shift. plus my company pays me back for all the course fees, hotel, rental car, etc. i figured why not do a prep class. all the guys at work go to New Orleans, i was just wondering if there was another place. i heard florida but cant find one for the near coastal 1600. i'll try mid atlantic

It may be difficult to find a near coastal only prep course. You might consider looking for an oceans course and skipping the classes on celestial navigation and the other oceans only topics.. Try asking for course schedules from the prep courses and see if that would work for you.

**FerrySurfer** · February 23rd, 2011, 06:13 AM

Originally Posted by B ry

Capt. Bruce at Fletcher is what you are looking for the kind of studying you are describing . He gives you your work at your pace . If you have any trouble you can go back up as many times as you like till you get it . The formulas are hard but the way Capt. Bruce shows you it's not that hard .The material I sent you was from fletcher . He also shows you all the "trick questions" that you might get .You only study what's on your test not everything like on say Capt. Joe's CD. I'd advise you to call Fletcher and ask for Capt. Bruce just to see what you need to study for . He keeps up with the Coast Guard changes ,people call him all the time asking for advice .I sent you 3 study areas terrestrial ,rules of the road,and charts . You will still need to study for deck general ,deck safety ,and nav. General I have the material just not on a PDF file . You will also need more study guide for rules of the road . It's alot of material , I was overwhelmed but I didnt have a clue what to study . I think you can do it without going to a prep class if you have someone to show you how to do the problems I sent you . Learn stability the principles and how to work the problems it will be a big part of deck general or deck safety . I was told I would only have 3 or 4 problems I had 10 out of 50. You will need someone to show you how to do stability . Best of luck I hope this helped . I just passed my test in nov. so I know how it feels . I wanted to study on my own .I'm glad I went to a prep class I was better prepared passed all my test except for deck general/safety the first time . If I had learned stability I would have passed them all the first time . Like I said best of luck I'm sure you will do fine .

wow bryan... 80 emails of study material! thanks so much i'll go though it all tomorrow. that was way more help than i was expecting.

Originally Posted by jdcavo

It may be difficult to find a near coastal only prep course. You might consider looking for an oceans course and skipping the classes on celestial navigation and the other oceans only topics.. Try asking for course schedules from the prep courses and see if that would work for you.

thats a good idea. i'll see if thats possible and if i can make that happen.

thanks for everything

**CaptAndrew** · February 24th, 2011, 09:13 PM

Quality Maritime Training in St Pete FL can do it for you.

**FerrySurfer** · February 26th, 2011, 07:14 PM

for some reason my computer wont let me go on that site. it says tab recovered and then error. even if i just type in the address without clicking the link. weird

**Swampfox** · February 27th, 2011, 04:59 AM

I don't know about stuyding on my own.....I have a hard enough time studying at night after class. I am currently in the 500/1600 ton prep course at Quality Maritime, and the school is great. The instructors give you a routine of exams to complete daily, and any questions you have they answer in a way you understand. I also took the terrestrial and coastal nav. courses, and they were great. Not easy, but learned a lot. I believe the prep classes are held once a month, I'm not sure. Right now, they are trying to teach me one on one celestial. These guys really care about you learning.

**seaocean** · March 7th, 2011, 04:05 AM

try MPT in ft. lauderdale (mpt)( mariner professional training) they do most of the STCW for mate and master oicnw as well.

**cobaltbomb** · May 9th, 2012, 11:25 PM

greetings everyone, i just signed up and i am approved to sit for the mate 1600 ton/near coastal license, money is very tight at the moment and i was wondering if anyone had access to any old/extra/free study materials that would assist me in my quest. i know just starting out that this is not the best way to make friends amongst my fellow mariners but times are difficult at the moment though things are looking up and 2013 is the year when i pray that jobs and day rates will out number the mariners needed to fill them! thank you all in advance and i will keep my eyes and ears open in case i may be able to assist anyone in their venture, by your leaves!

**bryanx220** · May 9th, 2012, 11:27 PM

If you will send me your email I'll send you some study material . Bryanx220@me.com

**cobaltbomb** · May 10th, 2012, 05:09 PM

bryanx220, i really appreciate this, my email address is odellbuckeye@yahoo.com, by your leave!

**cobaltbomb** · May 12th, 2012, 11:21 PM

bryanx220, i have been having a difficult time signing online, have you had time to respond, thanks again and the state of texas froze my bank account so i am dead serious about money being tight.

**buzzy12** · August 30th, 2012, 08:08 PM

Going from your AB to a 1600 ton? Now don't you have to have seatime as a master to get the 1600 Ton? Im approved for my 500 ton and you have to have a certain amount of time as a master/mate, and a certain amount of that time you must be serving on your license isn't that correct or am I misreading my paperwork which I've done numerous times before haha