Captains Licence-Government Conspiracy

[Chief Engineer]

There seems to be a hidden govenment conspiracy when it comes to Captains Licencing.

You have Joe Blowe.....a nice enough guy....good to his wife.....good to his kids.....loves his dogs....helps his neighbors......

Then, one day he gets a boat, loves to sail, takes courses and then one night....the vision comes "A CAPTAINS LICENCE".....maybe it was fueled by the multitude of ads......"Get yer licence in 3 easy steps". So....he gets his sea time, takes the courses.....takes the test.....Passes.

Weeks later......and envelope comes......HIS TICKET!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

As he fondles this document, he doesn't realize that the ink contains a powerfull drug, that is absorbed thru his skin, which induces a hallucinations, like being all powerful, all knowing, Napoleonic Behaviour Disorder, and generally just a pain to be around.

Fortunately, for some this is only temporary, for others...oh well!

[Inthewind]

They are called text book Captains.

[ssullivan]

And don't forget the finger printing of the entire hand for intelligence purposes. I'll never be anonymous again, now that I have my ticket.

[David_Old_Jersey]

Originally Posted by ssullivan

And don't forget the finger printing of the entire hand for intelligence purposes. I'll never be anonymous again, now that I have my ticket.

"Those who have nothing to hide have nothing to fear"

What about those of us who do having something to hide?

[Pblais]

What about those of us who do having something to hide?

Don't tell the "Captain"!

[scallywag]

Captain's License Easy? CPR course, Physical, Vision Exam, Government Paperwork, and Now you have to be seen by the issuing personel ! The CPR course needs to be taken each year and of course because you are a Captain you need insurance. I was told by my instructor, that because I have had the course, I have a higher liability profile than the average jump in the vessel and go operator. I was also told that the class will permit you to obtain a Florida License.

John

[ssullivan]

Egging on Chief Engineer: What about the Chief Engineer Licenses? They don't cause the same trouble in the engine room as the Masters Licenses do on the bridge? (poking fun... not getting mean)

Originally Posted by Chief Engineer

As he fondles this document, he doesn't realize that the ink contains a powerfull drug, that is absorbed thru his skin, which induces a hallucinations, like being all powerful, all knowing, Napoleonic Behaviour Disorder, and generally just a pain to be around.

Fortunately, for some this is only temporary, for others...oh well!

[Inthewind]

The Master's license basically lets you run a Coast Guard inspected vessel with more than six paying passengers up to the tonnage level of your license.

[FrankZ]

Does having a license increase your liability? What if you are someone else's boat and they do something stupid? Can you be held liable because you are licensed and *should* know better, or should have taken over command?


Just curious.

[scallywag]

FrankZ,
I can not answer that one. In the class we just discussed what stupid things captains did. Like putting a party boat on autopilot and then going asleep. Or putting out to sea on a party boat knowing there was a rotten plank below the water line because the customer wanted to go. Discussions also revolved around captains going to sleep and letting the 1st mate pilot the vessel causing an accident. The captain was liable. The court found that the captain did not do a good enough job training the 1st mate. Remember stupidity does not protect you either.

John

[ssullivan]

Originally Posted by FrankZ

Does having a license increase your liability? What if you are someone else's boat and they do something stupid? Can you be held liable because you are licensed and *should* know better, or should have taken over command?


Just curious.

I can answer part of this:

Having a Masters dramatically reduces your *risk*, but not your liability. When pleasure cruising with a Masters, you enjoy huge savings on insurance, based on your qualifications on paper.

When operating a vessel for charter, your liability does go up, just like opening up a store or any other place of business. Think "slip and fall" in addition to the possibility of an actual maritime incident. The increase in your liability isn't a reflections of your Masters License though. It's a reflection of having paying customers aboard your boat. I suspect an insurance company would charge a lot more to someone who had paying customers out, but *didn't* have a license (not that it's possible to do so legally).

Adding to the thought of being a passenger aboard a vessel with a license, that is an interesting question. My hunch is that it would depend if you were part of the crew. I couldn't jump into a the bridge of a cruise ship with my piddly little 100 Ton Master's and start questioning the captain. It's the old Chain O' Command. I also couldn't be held liable for any problems the cruise ship had just because I'm a passenger with a license.

However, the point might start getting debatable if I'm on my buddy's sailboat and he doesn't know the rules of the road (cutting off tankers, tugs pulling astern, etc..) and I don't pipe up. I'm sure this is a pretty gray legal area.

[FrankZ]

Originally Posted by ssullivan

However, the point might start getting debatable if I'm on my buddy's sailboat and he doesn't know the rules of the road (cutting off tankers, tugs pulling astern, etc..) and I don't pipe up. I'm sure this is a pretty gray legal area.

Thanks.

This is more in line with what I was trying to ask. If you ran to the bridge of a cruise ship these days you might get shot before you made it.

[Pblais]

Does having a license increase your liability?

Only in the sense that normally if you have a license you use it to make a living thus you are a professional. You are doing it a lot and doing it for hire and responsible for ship, crew and / or passengers. So a paper captain has no more liability than a couch potato. Sean says it well - consider it like business insurance.

Under most maritime laws having or not having credentials is not an exemption from liability. So being an unlicensed idiot won't cut you slack any more than having a license forces you to assume more blame. Command of a commercial vessel without a license is a criminal offense alone. You can't get insurance for criminal activities.

[CSY Man]

like being all powerful, all knowing, Napoleonic Behaviour Disorder, and generally just a pain to be around

Not so: we should all be grateful that somebody steps up to the plate and actually wants to LEARN something.

If every Joe six pack out there would take the time, expenses and effort to get a licences, it would be safer for all of us and cheaper as well due to less accidents and cheaper insurance.

The only sour grapes I hear about the US Coast Guard ticket is from folks who failed the exam or were too lazy to take the course.

Capt. Dag
USCG 100 ton Master, Steam, Motor, Sail and Aux Towing. STW 95, etc.

[Pblais]

However, the point might start getting debatable if I'm on my buddy's sailboat and he doesn't know the rules of the road (cutting off tankers, tugs pulling astern, etc..) and I don't pipe up. I'm sure this is a pretty gray legal area.

Not really. You are in command of the ship or you are a passenger. Not piping up makes you a fool since you know you could be killed by your training and experience. As a passenger you are not held repsonsible for the actions of the captain.

You have no special authority nor duty to take charge of a vessel not your own. Now if it was you at the wheel doing such foolish acts then you are then in command and held accountable even if your buddy tells you to do something stupid. Not knowing the rules of the road is not an excuse so knowing them is no worse only safer.

So on your buddy's boat you pipe up and he gets upset and you insist you would rather not be killed and he gets really mad. He pulls a gun and the gun goes off in the struggle killing the tanker captain and causing it to crash into a ship of small children that all drown. I suppose in that case it could be a gray area.