Capt's license renewal

[Fr. Frank]

I'm looking for recommendations for a company who does Capt's license courses. I let my 100 ton Master/Ocean Operator license lapse back in 1990, and am considering renewing it. USCG tells me that since over 5 years have passed, I have to redo the whole thing as if new. Since I am not gifted in Math (I failed college Algebra 101 three times before receiving mercy) I'm not looking forward to the Navigation portion of the test. I'm up to date with Rules, Safety, etc. But paper chart navigation is something I haven't done since I took the test originally in 1976.
Since all I think I need is the Nav portions, anybody have any recommendations?

[Old'sCool]

Sea School. The one here in Chas. SC has bunks/showers, nice facility.

[wavelength]

Mike Adams he's in the Inglis phone book.
web page

[cSickNick]

Hi Frank,

Not sure about schools down your way, but have some advice that may help you and others about schools that were run up here in the NE. There are 4 parts to pass(Rules of the Road (COLREGS), Deck General, Navigation and Chart Plotting). The school I attended would go over all 4 parts, then you take the exam on all 4 parts when done. Another school goes over 2 parts, then take 2 part exam, go over next 2 parts and take exam on last 2 parts.

There is a lot of information in the 4 parts and with the mix of memorization of Rules of the Road and hands on of Plotting and then Deck & Navigation can be overwhellming. I have 5 years of an Engineering degree background to my advantage of "overwhellming" but I could see the panic in my buddies eyes and other classmates at the exam time grew closer. So a 2 part / 2part should be a better fit and easier to pass in my opinion. Also there was a question that how can a school do a 2 part'er at a time and the answer is that if the school is a USCG certified, then that is OK by the USCG.

I would not sweat the plotting, a lot is simple math mainly D=SxT. (Distance = Speed x Time). If I recall correctly, there are only 4 types of plotting problems. But they are many version of the 4 plotting problems worded in many different ways to try and at times to confuse you. So, the tricky part was to learn how to recognize the problem and know which type of the 4 types of plotting problems it refers to. Solving it was the easier part with basic math & plotting. When I seen enough plotting examples, I would just look for data in the example to solve(ex; distance, time, heading etc) and ignore all the "wordy" confusing stuff.

I would have to say I am very proud of my buddy. Plotting was giving him a hard time, but mainly it was due to failure in his mind. Once he started to get some confidence(with some help ), he was fine and passed!

The last tip I have during exam day is take your time! Up here you can retake a section up to 3 times within one year. But the more you pass the first time the less material you will have to re-study and retake. Of course if you pass all 4 sections the first time it is a big relief.

Go for the Masters again too. If you do not in one year, you have to take the Rules of the Road over again. I have no immediate plans for the Masters but did it and added the Towing Endorsement also.

I would think this info would be the same in Fl, if not .... nevermind .....

Capt Nick
50 GT Masters and slamming of the docks with authority!

[Skiblet]

I second Mike Adams. Did all my stuff through him from 6 pack to masters to towing.

[JohnB]

I went through Sea School. They pretty much teach you the test, not much else. If you decide to take it, I have an online quiz/test program that test you on ALL the possible questions that will be on the test. If you get through that, than it's pretty much navigation. Let me know, and I can send you the link.

[Fr. Frank]

Thanks, all. I remember really sweating the Nav portions of the test back in '76, although I passed 1st try.

John, if you'd send me the link to all the questions, I'd be grateful.

Mike Adams has a course coming up in May, but I'm out of town that week, so I'll be digging out my Chapman's and Bowditch from the my library. (My Chapmans is only about 6 years old). Then I guess it's lots of practice on navigation problems.

You guys are great, Thanks!

[kerneltugboat]

I know they are not close to your neighborhood, but I figured I would mention it for the benifit of the guy's up North. I went through Capt Bill at the Nautical School, Nauticalschool.com He is based in NY, but does a class in Waltham Ma every year, this year it is May 3-11 (He does it in 9 straight days, all day on the weekends, amd nights during the week. 4 tests on the last day. He is really funny and everyone (Almost everyone%2

[kerneltugboat]

I know they are not close to your neighborhood, but I figured I would mention it for the benefit of the guy's up North. I went through Capt Bill at the Nautical School, Nauticalschool.com He is based in NY, but does a class in Waltham Ma every year, this year it is May 3-11 (He does it in 9 straight days, all day on the weekends, amd nights during the week. 4 tests on the last day. He is really funny and everyone (Almost everyone) passed the tests. It was around 700 bucks, and drinks at the legion are really cheap. He does the Masters upgrade on a 3 day weekend a week or two later.

[JohnB]

Here is the link to the test questions.

http://www.deep-blue-sea.org/seascho...tquestions.htm

There is a "pool" of questions, and you will get a subset of these when you take the test. Here is the pool of all the questions. If you can answer these questions, all you have to do is the navigation part, and your good to go.

Good luck