500 Master inland upgrade to 500 master near costal.

**Hbsurf** · August 26th, 2011, 04:47 PM

Hello all, I am wondering if anyone knows what the upgrade process is for Master 500 inland to 500 Master Near Coastal. I currently hold a 500 Master inland with Master of towing vessels, and a 200 Master near coastal. I want to know if there is an established upgrade possess, or will I be upgrading like I just have a 200 Master near coastal. Any information or experience is greatly appreciated.
Brandon

**danh** · August 26th, 2011, 07:38 PM

I am dealing with a similar upgrade. I know that the you have to test again for 500 ton Near Coastal. The inland and Near Coastal tests are different. Also, for 500 ton Near Coastal you have to take BST, AB, Basic and Advanced Firefighting, flashing light, GMDSS, Lifeboatman / PSC, and something with OICNW. If you have taken any of those classes for your 200 Ton Near Coastal you are in better shape than me. I am upgrading to either 500 Ton Near Coastal or 500 Ton Inland from 100 Ton Near Coastal. Hope that helps and good luck to you!

**Capt. Phoenix** · August 26th, 2011, 08:25 PM

You have to complete the OICNW assessments on a vessel voyaging beyond the boundry line.

**tradsailor** · August 27th, 2011, 11:09 AM

Go to the coast guard national maritime center's website homeport.uscg.mil or something close to that. On the left hand side you'll see a handfull of popup menus. Under one of those you'll find an option for application checklists. You should be able to find one for master 500/1600 NC. It will list what you need. Also on that website you'll find a link to the deck exam guide. A little exploring in that document and you'll find a list of the modules that will be your test. When i tested a couple of months ago i had six modules: rules of the road, deck general, navigation general, deck safety&environmental protection, nav problems-chart plotting, nav problems-near coastal. You need a 90 on rules and the two nav problem modules, 70 on the rest to pass

**Diesel** · August 28th, 2011, 12:48 AM

Originally Posted by Capt. Schmitt

You have to complete the OICNW assessments on a vessel voyaging beyond the boundry line.

You do not have to do the OICNW assessments... you have to have completed the RFPNW assessments. You do not have to have the Rating just complete the assessments which can be done in a simulator course.

**Capt. Phoenix** · August 28th, 2011, 02:47 AM

Originally Posted by Diesel

You do not have to do the OICNW assessments... you have to have completed the RFPNW assessments. You do not have to have the Rating just complete the assessments which can be done in a simulator course.

I was replying to danh who did not specify if he was 500 mate or master. I just assumed mate, my bad.

**mradventure** · August 28th, 2011, 11:00 PM

Originally Posted by Hbsurf

Hello all, I am wondering if anyone knows what the upgrade process is for Master 500 inland to 500 Master Near Coastal. I currently hold a 500 Master inland with Master of towing vessels, and a 200 Master near coastal. I want to know if there is an established upgrade possess, or will I be upgrading like I just have a 200 Master near coastal. Any information or experience is greatly appreciated.
Brandon

Hello if you read the fine print for a 500 master look a what it says for also having a master of towing endorsement . You should be allowed to do a LIMITED exam since you have a master of tow . Also be sure that ALL sea time letters you submit have in them that regular safety and training drills were done on an on going basis. it will help skip some stcw requirements ..I just went from 100 NC with master tow to 500 NC with no problem then did my celestial for my oceans all very recently ( this year) even though you have a little difference that I did it should work. And LIMITED exam is 3 modules ONLY,2 deck safety mods 011x1 and 203 ,054 is rules .011x1 is a cross over from chief mate/1600 master with allot of Nav general in it and stability in it also. dont worry you can do it. Oh yea there were alot of CFRs in it on oil transfers dockside KNOW cfr 33 and remember NO flashing light and NO gmdss. MAKE SURE YOU APPLY FOR A LIMITED EXAM. Good luck!

**Diesel** · August 29th, 2011, 12:06 AM

Originally Posted by mradventure

Hello if you read the fine print for a 500 master look a what it says for also having a master of towing endorsement . You should be allowed to do a LIMITED exam since you have a master of tow . Also be sure that ALL sea time letters you submit have in them that regular safety and training drills were done on an on going basis. it will help skip some stcw requirements ..I just went from 100 NC with master tow to 500 NC with no problem then did my celestial for my oceans all very recently ( this year) even though you have a little difference that I did it should work. And LIMITED exam is 3 modules ONLY,2 deck safety mods 011x1 and 203 ,054 is rules .011x1 is a cross over from chief mate/1600 master with allot of Nav general in it and stability in it also. dont worry you can do it. Oh yea there were alot of CFRs in it on oil transfers dockside KNOW cfr 33 and remember NO flashing light and NO gmdss. MAKE SURE YOU APPLY FOR A LIMITED EXAM. Good luck!

Good catch, I totally overlooked the fact that he had a Master of Towing...that will ease his testing, but he will still need to meet the STCW requirements.

**troy** · August 29th, 2011, 02:27 AM

Will this work for 1600 ton also? (limited exam having master of tow).

**mradventure** · August 29th, 2011, 10:45 AM

no just for 500.

**mradventure** · August 29th, 2011, 10:46 AM

some but not all trust me if he puts in the correct imfo in his sea time letters.

**Stan Bible** · October 2nd, 2011, 03:18 PM

i will be testing in 2 weeks for 1600 inland and osv mate. i too would love whatever practice modules you have. i was told i would have to retest for my third after i finish my assessment book. Is there any way to bypass the cnav sign off for 3rd and just go near coastal?
i honestly dont think im ready to test yet. been studying 10 hours a day this hitch. going to spend the next two weeks home studying also. 9 modules.

**Carlisle Lucas** · October 2nd, 2011, 04:17 PM

I just got my Master 500 GRT Inland/ 150 GRT Near Coastal this summer and this thread has been very helpful. I would like to get to 1600 Master Near Coastal eventually and was wondering what the best route to go would be as far as sea time. I am currently working on passenger vessels but need to get onto bigger vessels to advance. Thinking about the towing industry or the offshore OSV industry. I wonder which is the better way to go?

**Stan Bible** · October 2nd, 2011, 05:26 PM

Originally Posted by Carlisle Lucas

I just got my Master 500 GRT Inland/ 150 GRT Near Coastal this summer and this thread has been very helpful. I would like to get to 1600 Master Near Coastal eventually and was wondering what the best route to go would be as far as sea time. I am currently working on passenger vessels but need to get onto bigger vessels to advance. Thinking about the towing industry or the offshore OSV industry. I wonder which is the better way to go?

this should help you a bit
http://www.uscg.mil/nmc/training/dec...ring_guide.pdf

**Hbsurf** · October 7th, 2011, 04:55 PM

I have looked at the checklists, but I don't hold a 500 NC and a NC master of tow. I only have a 500 inland, and a inland master of tow, however I do have a 200 NC. I don't think that that upgrade applies to me. Hopefully I don't have to do a complete upgrade test. Any advice would be appreciated.