Trainee mate sea time

[troy]

I've been sailing on ocean going tugs. I currently have my application in for my 1600 oceans (mate). I need 180 days as mate over 100 gross tons to qualify (120 12 hr. days). I have about 65 days as trainee mate and 57 days as second mate (12 hr days). Does my time as trainee mate count for this? I was standing my own watches after about 3 weeks of training with the other mate.

Any help would be appreciated.

[seadawg]

what license do you currently hold??

[troy]

I hold a 1600 mate NC, Master 200 NC, mate of towing NC. I've met all of the other requirements, I just need 180 days as mate over 100 gross tons.

[Jeffrox]

It all depends on how your sea-time letter is written...there's also the matter of an oceans exam if I'm not mistaken

Mate Oceans
o 1600 GRT (46 CFR 10.414; STCW Reg. II/1): 1080 days deck service with 360 days over 100 GRT, 360 days as master, mate, or equivalent supervisory position while holding a license,(whatever that means!) 180 days of licensed service must be on vessels over 100 GRT; or 1080 days deck service on vessels over 200 GRT with 180 days as AB while holding MMD with AB

[jdcavo]

Were you serving as the officer in charge of the watch? If not, it's probably not considered to be "as mate." Were you on watch with a mate or the captain? If so, it's probably not "as mate."

[troy]

I was working with the second mate for about a month, then I was in charge of a watch the rest. The problem was the company had me down has trainee mate as far as pay, but I was standing my own watch. The company didn't want to list me as full second mate because we had too many of them so I was running as a third mate (but paying me ab wages until a spot opened up and I got promoted). The celestial exam I took covered the coast gaurd exam, but expires in Jan. I do not want to take that over again. My application expires in Nov. and I already used an extension. I believe I have to take a Nav Gen OC test which I'm not worried about.

"...equivalent supervisory position while holding a license..." -I would assume that this would count.

[jdcavo]

"...equivalent supervisory position while holding a license..." -I would assume that this would count.

Not necessarily. This is most commonly used with military time. Commercial vessels normally are not credited for "equivalent to mate" as they have mates. If you were serving as the mate, you should try to get a letter that says that.

[troy]

Update: No trainee mate time will be counted regardless... If it says trainee mate on discharge or service letter then you will be viewed as trainee mate.

Does anyone know if I can extend the expiration date on my celestial nav ticket a couple months?

[cappy208]

I've been sailing on ocean going tugs....... I was standing my own watches after about 3 weeks of training with the other mate.

Any help would be appreciated.

I am confused. What watches were you standing? Do you have your towing endorsement? Were you the 'extra 6 minute plotter' to satisfy a customer? Did you actually man a navigation watch alone? If you did stand a watch alone, with the companies knowledge, then why wont they write you a sea service letter showing that?
For example, john jones served as trainee mate XX 12 hour days (equals XX x 1.5 days) and served as Mate for XX days (equals XX x 1.5 days) totalling XXX days.

If the company wont write you a sea service letter, then I suspect you weren't actually standing your own watch! Just IMHO

[troy]

I was standing my own navigational watches after the captain decided I could handle it. We were doing 3-9, 4-8 and 6-6 depending on what the captain(s) wanted. The company is a big one and the sea service letter showed that I was a trainee mate because that's what my pay scale was. They would send me as trainee mate because they had no mate spots available and didn't want to pay mate wages. The captain would then see that I was competent and let me stand watches and him float. Once a spot opened up I became a second mate. The bottom line is that the company wrote me a bad service letter, even had me listed as AB when I was mate... I turned in the letter (after repeatedly telling them it was not going to work) and was asking if trainee mate time would be considered if I was standing watches.

[cappy208]

you didnt answer the Q. do you have a towing endorsement? if you don't then you CAN'T be serving as a mate. which in turn explains why the letter is written the way it is. If you don't have your towing endorsement, then you were illegally standing a watch. I am sure you could see why the company won't put that in writing!

However, if you DO have the towing endorsement, then you CAN have the company re write your sea service letter to accurately reflect the job you were doing.
One thing I do.... K- now about is that S om E companies will A buse employees and not stand up and help them out. Even when favors are done and manning issues are being over looked!. This is why I do NO favors for the office, because I know where I stand in the respect chain!

[troy]

I do hold a mate of towing NC. It's not like the company is trying hide anything, its just bureaucracy at its best. I did ask for a new revised letter and my evaluator said they recieved the exact same letter... I'm over it. I only need 42 days and I'll just turn in my discharges and bypass the company all together... The only problem is my application will expire and my celestial nav certificate will expire. I already used an extension.

[cappy208]

if they wont let you test, and then submit the 42 days, ask them if you can get the 1600 ton mate NC upgraded to mate ocean, and then later (when you have the 42 days) apply and then get the oceans applied to the 1600 master. At least that way the celestial isnt wasted, so you have to take it again. Im not sure they are so flexible, but you could ask?