Captain in a box: 6 ok vs 25/50/100

[Gilligan8]

How different is the training material.

If I could get the 26/50/100 over the 6 pack should I?

Or is it one of those things that I'd be getting more than I bargained for and should stick to the 6 pack of that's all I need to learn?

Gilligan

[CapnCuervo]

Greetings Gilligan,

I just went through this and will share my experience.

The OUPV is tougher, in my opinion, because the breadth of material is pretty impressive. You will cover a lot of ground (water?) in the course of your studies. I took my time and tried to really learn, and it took me several months. I had one big life interruption along the way but kept at it. I started around Halloween last year and took and passed my exams, including the sailing endorsement, about 90 days later. It’s certainly possible to speed that up, but that timeframe worked for me doing self-paced study.

Once I had completed my OUPV exams, I dithered back and forth about pursuing becoming a Licensed Master. Finally, I decided to do it, mainly because I wanted to keep learning. Also, I had already purchased the upgrade curriculum, so I figured I might as well. My spouse/first mate was not particularly delighted that I was going back down the rabbit hole for more study.

You have to decide why you are pursuing this. I do not plan to do this professionally, so I won’t necessarily realize a lot of the obvious benefits, but I really enjoy learning and increasing my knowledge.

I started around the first of March and passed my Licensed Master exams on April 7, and in retrospect, I am very happy I did this. I learned a solid amount. I found the material to be easier than the OUPV, and I learned things that were highly applicable to my life on the water. The material builds on what you will have learned in OUPV, and some of it (e.g. firefighting) overlaps quite a bit. If money is not a huge issue here, I would say “go for it”, but that is a highly personalized decision. I don’t think it made economic sense for me, but I am glad I did it and would do so again.

[Pandor]

No, no, no. You should definitely apply straight for the 100 GRT license and skip the OUPV if you have the sea service time. The tests are almost identical and really cover the same material. If you are going for NC rather than inland and have more than 360 days but less than 720, you should sit for master inland and OUPV NC simultaneously.

If you are serious about licensing, always chase the biggest ticket you are eligible for. In fact, if you believe you are only eligible for a 25 GRT license, you should still apply for 100. Let USCG work out what you qualify for. A while back before they moved to West Virginia, they were wildly inconsistent about how they interpreted the rules. So you always ask for more than you think you are eligible for and let then tell you otherwise.

[denverd0n]

Originally Posted by CapnCuervo

It’s certainly possible to speed that up, but that timeframe worked for me doing self-paced study.

What self-study material and/or approach did you use?

[CapnCuervo]

I used Mariners Learning System. It combines online study with reading materials. A lot of the time, the e-learning was just audio of a guy reading COLREGS, but I’m an auditory learner, so I made the most of it.

[CapnCuervo]

What? The exams I took were most definitely not “almost identical”. In fact, most of the material was not even close. The OUPV is a series of four exams that cover things like charting, lights, sounds and day shapes, and the differences between the Great Lakes and connected waterways and off shore navigation and rules. I did not encounter any of that in the Licensed Master exams. The LM covered items related to maritime law, lifesaving, life boat operations, rigging, ship construction, and safety. You could say they had quite a few elements in common, but the material and the exams was quite different overall.

[Pandor]

Originally Posted by CapnCuervo

What? The exams I took were most definitely not “almost identical”. In fact, most of the material was not even close. The OUPV is a series of four exams that cover things like charting, lights, sounds and day shapes, and the differences between the Great Lakes and connected waterways and off shore navigation and rules. I did not encounter any of that in the Licensed Master exams. The LM covered items related to maritime law, lifesaving, life boat operations, rigging, ship construction, and safety. You could say they had quite a few elements in common, but the material and the exams was quite different overall.

I don't know how to explain your experience. The subjects for deck officer endorsements including OUPV are provided in 46 CFR §11.910. If you look up the table in there it shows that for NC licenses, the subjects are almost identical between OUPV NC and less than 100 GRT NC. The same thing applies for inland only.

Also, the Deck and Engineering Guide for the Administration of Merchant Marine Examinations is available at https://www.dco.uscg.mil/Portals/9/N...of_3_24_14.pdf
and this shows that if you already have OUPV, you only need one additional module (Q165- Navigation and Deck General/Safety) to upgrade from OUPV to 100 GRT.

Edit: I suspect that what you might have done is upgraded from OUPV to the 100 GRT. If this is so, you didn't have to take the full exam since you already had the modules for OUPV. That is how similar the two exams are... upgrading from OUPV only requires a single additional module.

[Gilligan8]

So I guess what I really am asking is that if I get the system pictured here, I should have no problems getting the 6 pack license or the 25/50/100 one?

I just don't want to get this package and it be more of an "addendum" or "you should already know what was in the 6 pack course so here is the new stuff." type of thing.

[Pandor]

Yes, you will be covered for taking OUPV or limited master or both simultaneously (only take both if master inland and OUPV NC).

Honestly, the only reasons anyone should want OUPV instead of the limited master is if they need NC and don’t have all of the required NC sea service for the master license. In that case, apply for limited inland and OUPV NC. The only other reason for OUPV is if you aren’t a US citizen (required for master).

If you are self-studying and intend to take the exams at an REC, USCG doesn’t charge extra no matter how many endorsements you apply for.

[Gilligan8]

Thanks

[JasonS]

My partner and I are both Masters. She is 100 ton and I am currently 50 ton, both with sailing endorsements.

The Mariners Learning System is excellent and economical. We are actually now educational partners. Please take a look at the updated materials. MLS has really continued to innovate.

Happy to answer any questions or refer you to helpful people at MLS

https://www.marinerslearningsystem.com/breathesaildive

[Gilligan8]

Just picked up that 25/50/100 course with a towing add-on for $88 bucks!

#SteadyAsSheGoes

[CapnCuervo]

Good luck to you in your studies!

[jmschmidt]

Some misleading stuff here. An OUPV requires 360 days of documented sea time (from the age of 14) in vessels of any tonnage (GRT). An MMC Master requires 720 days of sea time in vessels at or over 5GRT. For a 100GRT authorization for an MMC Master a certain amount of documented sea time in vessels above 50GRT is required. For a 50GRT authorization for an MMC Master a certain amount of documented sea time above 25 GRT is required.

I have heard that the USCG no longer offers an MMC for 25GRT Master.

The training curriculum I did 15 years ago was identical for OUPV and tonnages from 25 to 200GRT with the exception that an extra module for stability calculations was required for the 200GRT applicants.

It is also a little know fact, or at least it was, that any MMC Master authorization of any tonnage is good for OUPV (6-Pack) operations up to vessels of 100GRT. But don't use this exemption and go off with a 99GRT vessel before reviewing all the limitations dealing with what you may carry (obviously only six paying people max) and where you may take them.

[Pandor]

Originally Posted by jmschmidt

Some misleading stuff here. An OUPV requires 360 days of documented sea time (from the age of 14) in vessels of any tonnage (GRT). An MMC Master requires 720 days of sea time in vessels at or over 5GRT.

A 100 GRT master NC requires 720 days. A 100 GRT inland requires only 360 days. An OUPV requires 360.

The age USCG starts counting at now days is 16.