Os, ab, stos

**Michojay** · July 11th, 2011, 06:14 PM

So...how many hours do you need to move from os to ab and what exactly is an stos? Sorry I know these are elementary questions but curiosity gets the best of me.
Thanks in advance

**Diesel** · July 11th, 2011, 06:42 PM

Originally Posted by Michojay

So...how many hours do you need to move from os to ab and what exactly is an stos? Sorry I know these are elementary questions but curiosity gets the best of me.
Thanks in advance

Here is a link to the checklist you need. http://www.uscg.mil/nmc/checklists/M...0+AB.pdf&B1=GO!

I honestly have no idea what a stos is????? You might mean STCW if so don't forget about the RFPNW requirement so you can sail beyond inland waters. Hope this is what you needed.

**seadog!** · July 11th, 2011, 06:48 PM

It's days, not hours.
Could be 8-hour days or 12-hour days.
There are several flavors of AB.
stos is a new one on me.

towmasters.com has a handy dandy chart that lays it all out.
(I only give them a plug because they are big supporters of Gcaptain.)

Using the search function on this site will direct you to a wealth of already answered questions like this one.

**Michojay** · July 11th, 2011, 07:00 PM

Ha maybe I'm mistaken I don't know? I thought my friend said he got "stos" which was basically an ab without the time. Who knows I'd ask him but he's out right now. Anyway thank you guys for the answers and sorry I have a shit load of questions most dumb but....

**GetMo** · July 11th, 2011, 07:06 PM

STOS- Specially Trained Ordinary Seaman. You take part of the RFPNW assessments and you can work on deck but not on the bridge. Once you get the rest of your seatime you would finish the assessments and then you can become a Watchstander.

**Michojay** · July 11th, 2011, 08:04 PM

So I didn't just make that up, thank god. Haha. Thanks for the info!

**DeckApe** · July 12th, 2011, 12:04 AM

STOS is an SIU creation. It isn't a Coast Guard anything. An STOS is an ordinary seaman with at least a RFPNW-lookout only.

This is SIU's way to cockblock an off the street OS from getting an SIU OS job without going threw their apprentice program. Many SIU OS jobs are STOS.

Getting a RFPNW only from the USCG as an OS is a huge hassle as it requires 180 days of sign-offs on bridge watch. Who would pay an OS to stand on the bridge when he can't replace an AB?

However, if you go threw the SIU apprentice program you somehow got a RFPNW even if you only worked on an NCL ship cleaning the galleys on night shift...

**Diesel** · July 12th, 2011, 12:30 AM

Deck Ape check it out, now that I see where this is going it makes sense. STOS is on your STCW . My STCW states II/4, Any Able Seaman or specially trained OS. Actually, it makes a lot of sense given AB unlimited requires 1080 days, but II/4 RFPNW only requires 180. So... an OS can get II/4 and to my understanding should be able to stand a bridge watch just like an AB with RFPNW. I don't know where SIU could take advantage, but it does work out for them as they get an extra watchstander but don't have to pay them as much.

Originally Posted by DeckApe

STOS is an SIU creation. It isn't a Coast Guard anything. An STOS is an ordinary seaman with at least a RFPNW-lookout only.

This is SIU's way to cockblock an off the street OS from getting an SIU OS job without going threw their apprentice program. Many SIU OS jobs are STOS.

Getting a RFPNW only from the USCG as an OS is a huge hassle as it requires 180 days of sign-offs on bridge watch. Who would pay an OS to stand on the bridge when he can't replace an AB?

However, if you go threw the SIU apprentice program you somehow got a RFPNW even if you only worked on an NCL ship cleaning the galleys on night shift...

**jdcavo** · July 12th, 2011, 03:51 AM

Originally Posted by GetMo

STOS- Specially Trained Ordinary Seaman. You take part of the RFPNW assessments and you can work on deck but not on the bridge. Once you get the rest of your seatime you would finish the assessments and then you can become a Watchstander.

You're confusing "Rating Forming Part of a Nav. Watch - Lookout Only" with STOS. There is no definition in the CFR of STOS. But, since an STOS is allowed to tyake the place ofan AB for manning purposes, they would likely need to have full (non-restricted) RFPNW,

It's not an SIU creeation, it's been around a long time. The COI of the tankers I was sailing on were changed about 1982 to allowSTOS to replace up to 2 of the required 6 ABs.

STOS would be listed on an STCW as a "Limitation" The capacity would be RFPNW. It's used when the mariner holds RFPNW, but does not hold an AB endorse,ment (I guess that answers the question about what an STOS is...)

**injunear** · July 12th, 2011, 06:38 AM

During a microscopic vetting from a major oil company a few years ago, the vettor said they prefered that the DEUs be at least STOS.

**DeckApe** · July 12th, 2011, 09:45 AM

Originally Posted by injunear

...the vettor said they prefered that the DEUs be at least STOS.

I'm sure they would prefer their deckhands to have licenses and their cooks to be Iron Chefs.

**injunear** · July 12th, 2011, 12:11 PM

Originally Posted by DeckApe

I'm sure they would prefer their deckhands to have licenses and their cooks to be Iron Chefs.

Come to think of it, the last couple of crews I sailed with, most of the AB/tankermen held some sort of license and the DEUs were ABs with at least their PIC class behind them. The last two cooks left a lot to be desired though.....

**Michojay** · July 13th, 2011, 09:27 PM

Well, got my twic today, BST class starts on the 25th then my mmc,stcw I think the more rfpnw-ab-os-stos.......... I hear the more confused I get as to what it all means. I'm working at it though. Haha.