2nd/3rd Unlimited Renewal Exam?

[prof_mariner]

I hold a USCG 3rd Mate AGT upon Oceans, a Masters limited 100 GT upon Oceans and AB Unlimited. I've not sailed in a long time so will have to take the "open book" test to renew my licenses. I just looked through the NMC website for info on what to expect on the exam and it looks like there are 80 total questions, 30 Rules of the Road questions and 50 "refresher exercise" questions. Has anyone taken this exam recently and can give me an idea what to expect on those 50 "refresher exercise" questions? I didn't see any list of required documents (charts, pubs, etc.) so I'm not sure what sort of "exercises" they're talking about.

[Flyer69]

This from Quality Maritime Training:
To renew a Masters, Chief Mate and/or Mate deck offcier license for vessels over 500GT (ITC), with an STCW Endorsement, you must have one year of credible sea service in the past five years. For those that do not have the year of sea service in the past five years at renewal, or all service is on Inland or Great Lakes waters, there are now four requirements that must be met to renew your license and retain the STCW endorsement:

[1] Demonstration of continued professional competence in keeping a safe navigational watch;
[2] Satisfy the requirements of 46 CFR 10.227 (d)(8)(i) by completing an approved refresher course or complete an open book license renewal refresher exercise (adminstered by the USCG);
[3] Demonstration of continued competence in basic safety by completion of a Basic Safety Training Refresher course (i.e., Personal Survival Techniques, Fire Fighting, Personal Safety and First Aid/CPR);
[4] Radar Observer Re-certification.

[prof_mariner]

@Flyer69 - Thanks but that wasn't my question. I've spoken with NMC and reviewed the renewal requirements on the USCG/NMC website. My question is has anyone taken the 3rd/2nd Mate AGT Oceans renewal open book test? And if so what sorts of things are on the 50 question "refresher exercises"?

[Jeffrox]

I took it, in about 2005. As I recall they were all multiuple choice/T&F questions. I did it over a weekend, I don't recall having to plot anything but there may have been some computations to do, but I don't recall being given any pubs and the like. What I do recall well is that the questions I was presented with concerned some of the most esoteric subject areas posible. Really odd stuff. It's open book, just open the correct books.

[prof_mariner]

Thanks Jeffrox, that's sort of what I suspected was the case. I asked the ladies I spoke with at NMC and they didn't have any information about the tests at all. There used to be a list of subjects for each exam in the CFR's but I've not been able to find anything more about them for the refresher exam. I still have my study materials from when I first sat for the 3rd and pubs like the COLREGS are available on line on the USCG website, so I'm hoping I have everything I will need.

[jdcavo]

I took it, in about 2005. As I recall they were all multiuple choice/T&F questions. I did it over a weekend, I don't recall having to plot anything but there may have been some computations to do, but I don't recall being given any pubs and the like. What I do recall well is that the questions I was presented with concerned some of the most esoteric subject areas posible. Really odd stuff. It's open book, just open the correct books.

The test could include any question in the deck pool that can be abswered without publications like charts, celestial plotting sheets, tide tables, nautical almanacs, stability tables, etc. So generally it won't include navigation or stability problems, but could include just aboput anything else.

[prof_mariner]

Thanks, that's what I hoped to be the case. I have most of the materials that would be in a REC exam room but not all of them so this is a bit of a relief.

By the way, your name sounds familiar, we may have chatted once before. Are you by any chance a NY Maritime alumn?

Edit: Just checked your profile and what do you know, you're the same James Cavo who helped me out the last time I had questions, some 12 years ago! Thanks again for your help!