On your vessel does an able seaman's job differ from that of an ordinary seaman?

[PMC]

Or the able seaman more of title that recognizes a certain level of experience. Does your helmsman have to be an able seaman? Specifically, I am inquiring about US flagged vessels greater than 200 tons.

Thanks

[BMCSRetired]

On my boat they all work together and the A/B is in charge. I issue orders to him and he makes sure they get done. If they don't I go to him and he gets the talking to. If everything gets done, they all get an attaboy.

The A/B has more knowledge and gets a few extra rights and privileges and he is also the one that gets the beatings until morale improves. Everybody has an open line of communication to me but they better use their chain of command first to solve because they know once it gets to me, I am going to solve the problem in the way it benefits me most.

Well, not really on that last one but that is what I tell the crew and that seems to keep the problems that get to my level to a minimum.

[PMC]

Let me present this in a different manner:

A requirement for third mate unlimited via the hawsepipe one must have 1,080 days on a vessel greater than 200 tons, of which 180 days must be as an AB, Boatswain or Quartermaster.

the 64 dollar question: as a 1600-ton mate or master on an appropriate sized vessel, and with an AB card in one's pocket, would time as captain or mate meet the requirement for being and AB?

Here is a Catch-22: You can work your way to OICNW on a 1600-ton vessel without ever working as an AB: 1440 days at sea of which 720 days as mate or master while holding a license.
Upgrading from 1660 ton mate to 3rd mate unlimited (with a restriction) requires 1080 days in excess of 200 tons. But then there is that pesky AB requirement.

Does or should being the OICNW (or captain for that matter) of an appropriate sized vessel qualify towards the 180 day requirement as an AB, Boatswain or Quartermaster? To answer that I would like to know what. or if, the AB or Quartermaster position has a unique job description on your vessel. Or do I need to get out of my whites to work another 180 days as a deckhand?

What do you think?

[Kennebec Captain]

Or the able seaman more of title that recognizes a certain level of experience. Does your helmsman have to be an able seaman? Specifically, I am inquiring about US flagged vessels greater than 200 tons.

Thanks

Our COI calls for 6 ABs. I haven't sailed with an OS for the last 20 years.

K.C.

[rigdvr]

I think you are reading the checklist wrong. At the end of that block there is a big, bold "or". One path listed is simply "360 days as master on vessel over 200GRT...while holding an Officer endorsement as master S/M 1600 Ocean/NC"

It gives 5 different scenarios to satisfy the requirements. You only need to meet one fully.

[cappy208]

Re read the Reqs for 1600 ton Mate/Master. Some portion of the time is required to be, AB, wheelsman, quartermaster, or equivalent capacity.

[rigdvr]

Never served in that capacity. I went 100, 200, then 1600 master.

Look at the checklist, the "OR" at the end of the blocks is there for a reason.

[barley]

Re read the Reqs for 1600 ton Mate/Master. Some portion of the time is required to be, AB, wheelsman, quartermaster, or equivalent capacity.

Define "equivalent capacity"

[cappy208]

Define "equivalent capacity"

Someone who submits seatime AS operator on a 100 or 200 ton license is showing time at the wheel which qualifies the requisite time at the wheel for a ( larger than 200 ton) license.

[jdcavo]

Our COI calls for 6 ABs. I haven't sailed with an OS for the last 20 years.

K.C.

You are fortunate. About the same time, the ships I was working both lost their watch standing OSs and had their COIs changed to allow "specially trained" OSs to replace two of the ABs.

[jdcavo]

Define "equivalent capacity"

It's meant to recognize military service, but would apply to a "specially trained" OS serving as a member of the navigational watch (in lieu of an AB).

[fourdegreesc]

Yeah, I haven't worked with an OS since I quit T-boats. Especially now, with so many ABs looking for work, why would any company hire an OS.

Our company actually promotes galley hands to ABs. It's a terrible system, but we nevertheless have ABs in all the OS slots.