Color Vision and My Six-Pack

[Christian Van H]

No, not my abs...I'd like to get my six pack Coast Guard license, but I'm mildly color blind in red / green. Has anyone had any experience applying with a similar handicap? Thanks, Chris

[Soft Air]

Christian that one requires Gord or Hud to be around, if it were your abs I could give you some advice as I am boxer aficionado, lots of situps haha

Gord, Hud please get back to Chris with a proper answer...

[Oceansandmts]

Chris
I have the same red-green color-blindness, as does about 10% of the male population. My understanding is you can get a license with a letter from the eye doc, but could be required to pass the numbers/colored dots test to keep your license at any time in the future, which you probably can't do, as I can't. This would probably only occur in the event of some incident such as a collision which would result in an inquiry.

There is hope. Google red/green color blindness and you will find several sites offering to fit you with tinted lenses that will enable you to pass the numbers/colored dots test, including a guy in Baltimore who guarantees his results (for significant $) and who claims to work with lots of mariners and railroad employees. I have not gone down this road. Several years ago I was seriously considering getting my ticket and doing deliveries to help put together a non-traditional income, but now I am completely focused on finishing my boat and heading out on it. No license needed.

I would be interested to hear your experience if you pursue your license.

[Randy]

The CG physical form 719-K offers a variety of vision tests. I was told that if you can't pass one there's enough differences to possibly pass oneof the others. Certainly being able to distinguish red and green would be important but, I'd talk to your Dr about helping you through that part of the exam.

[captstan]

I am new here. I can find where to post a question. Can some help me?

[scallywag]

Chris,
I am partially color blind (green/yellow). I can not read the correct number displayed on the number test. I can not tell the difference on the light test between yellow and white. In fact when I am out on the water, I can not tell the house lights from the lighted markers. The eye doctor would not issue any kind of letter saying I was okay. His only statement was 'I hope you do not do this for a living." I heard that I could obtain a license but I could not find anything in writing from the license requirements.
John

[Bash]

I am red deficient. Many years ago, during my scuba instructor days, I asked the Coast Guard whether I could take the test prior to going through a training course, because I didn't want to go through the expense if I wasn't going to pass the color test. They responded that I could, but only after I'd logged the necessary sea time. So I went through the laborious process of proving that I had enough sea time to qualify for a captain's license, having logged several thousand boat dives, at which time I was allowed to take the Farnsworth Lantern Test at the Coast Guard Station in Alameda, California. This test shows two lights, one red, one green, and you're supposed to tell the examiner the pattern being shown. I flunked the test so miserably that at the end the examiner told me, "You'd have done better just flipping a coin and guessing."

I petitioned the commander of the Coast Guard station in Monterey to see whether I could get a license with a day-use restriction, since all I wanted to do was take scuba students out on my dive boat. I told them I'd also agree to a restriction not to take passengers more than three miles offshore, if it made them feel safer. The commander replied, formally, that they'd only be willing to make such an exception if I'd served in the Navy or Coast Guard, which was a bit ludicrous since my colorblindness, being a more serious type, precludes me from serving in the Navy, Marines, Air Force or Coast Guard. (For that matter I'm not able to get my ticket punched as an Able Bodied Seaman in the United States Merchant Marine.)

When I took a cross-over course to go from PADI to NAUI instructor certification, a woman in my class who was colorblind had her 6-pack license. I asked her how she got it, and she replied, "I just told the examiner that if I saw a lot of lights offshore, I'd go the other way regardless of what color they were." She was blond and gorgeous, and he passed her.

Sigh.

[David M]

A guy I work with just got his 100 ton license and is partially color blind. So it is possible. Check with the your local Coast Guard Regional Exam Center (REC). If you want you can call him and talk to him directly. Send me a private message if you wish to do this.

[CapnTony]

Several years ago when I was getting ready to get my license so I went to the School of Optometry at the local university and took every color blindness test known to man. I am red/green deficient. I knew I couldn't pass the numbers/colored dot test. I was only able to pass the test they gave Navy pilots at the time. It looked like a buch of bottle caps that you had to align from darkest to lightest. The school provided me a letter that I took the CG and they allowed it. That's been many years ago, so I'm not sure if things have changed...but it's worth looking into.

[noelex 77]

I can only comment about the situation in Australia where if you have a colour vision defect you are required to take the Farnswoth lantern test. This is a good system as it is the most practical of all the colour vision tests and difficut to cheat.
Incidently the "Coloured dot" test is good at deciding if you have a colour vision defect, but very poor at predicting the severity of the defect. You can make a lot of mistakes on this test and have a reasonably mild defect.

[Connemara]

captstan....enter the appropriate forum. About halfway down on the left is a button called "new thread." Click on it.

Connemara

[Christian Van H]

Thank you all so much for your replies! First, I'm gonna check out this Farnsworth test. If I hose it up, I'll really start to worry. I just want to be able to take an occasional charter if the situation presents... Thanks again, Chris

[Randy]

On the CG physical there are 12 options for the color vision test, Farnsworth lantern being one. I don't know the in & outs of them, your Dr. would. I took the Isihara

[anthon]

Bash, pretty much everything you said is a great shame.
Sometimes it's hard to keep faith in people. People just have to tick off boxes and don't (or can't) use their brains

[BigTime]

I just took a farnsworth color test 9. It is a flashlight that is suppose to be = to the orig farnsworth lantern test. I am try now to find out if it is acceptable to the USCG to renew my 100T Master of Near Coastal. Could not see the ishihara but had no problem with "FW Color Test 9" (flashlight w/ red/green/white. If you take this test.....remember there are no orange/yellow.....it is white!!!!! If anyone knows if this test is acceptable let me know asap.