OUPV(6 pack) and a 100ft m/y legal?

It's about $1,500, plus a lot of dealing with the government, a lot of running around and a lot of liability. The TWIC money grab was the last straw for me. Now, if an owner wants to light a joint or something, it's none of my business. No license to protect. Besides, who wants an old geezer when they can have a young hard-body (except for those smart enough to want my experience).

How does it come to $1500?

License, drug test, physical, TWIC, at least one or several days of my time, a trip to Manhattan. gas running around. I've said before that if I were just entering this field today, I wouldn't. It's all paperwork, regulations and your first mistake could cost you your home. Not needed and not worth it.

License renewal and issue: $95
Drug test: $75
Drug test consortium membership $60
TWIC: $130

Holding a valid license: Priceless

That adds up to less than $1500 in the old math. It is not like you have to take enough time off work to do everything the same day or week ... if you are working 365 days a year then maybe you need to find another job altogether.

You usually have to pay for your own medical physical checkout. PLUS Vision test, hearing test, ekg, drug test. Then the TWIC rip-off. Then transportation to an ap center, (Miami for me).
I'm just starting to get my renewal package together and wondering about the same things NYCAPT has considered.
My customers and their insurance companies did not have any problems with my support before my license, Don't see any issues after my license expires.

And, It's been 20 years, I may indulge if an owner lights one up after hours.

Honestly, if you're just tired of the industry and the profession and ready to retire then nothing wrong with that. In fact, I'd say do it and enjoy life. I think everyone deserves that at the appropriate time.

That's a whole lot different than giving up a license over a few hundred dollars.

You can renew online, pay the CG fees online, and unless you have hearing or heart problems you don't need an audiometer or EKG.

It really is easy and not very expensive unless your job pays so little that a couple of hundred bucks every 5 years is a heavy strain on the family finances.

Paperwork? For a domestic lower level license there really isn't any to speak of.

I'm not a full time captain. I do make deliveries for my customers. I do have my towing endorsement and again, just assist my customers.
I make more money dock side and in the bilges when I can.

It must be nice to call $1500 a few. Can I wash your boat?

I stroked my left ear wall diving (glad to be vertical). Did not check that off. They found out about that.

I don't have heart disease. My aorta blew (very glad to be vertical). It was not checked on the health form either but they found out about it also.

AND eye / color test.

I had to go to an OSHA shop once to prove I could climb a ladder and drag dead weight.

Whether the dollars are $360 or $1500, I don't know of any profession that doesn't require some similar expense. Many require continuing education. I had to complete 80 hours of continuing education to maintain a license I don't use last year. Maybe next year I'll choose to let it expire. Belle has to take college/grad school courses to renew her certification. This is at her expense since she isn't employed by a school district. But if she let her certification expire then there would be much more required to reinstate it. She does nothing that really requires it as all her work is volunteer. I guess we both worked too hard for our licenses to let them go. I'm sure one day when we're older we will do so.

My point though is that the cost of renewing a Captain's license is not different from any profession.

We also have no real need for Captain's licenses but just for ourselves we'll not let them go quickly. We have tremendous respect for those of you who Captain or Engineer or are otherwise active in this profession as your career.

Well, first I think the $1500 is an exaggeration and ultimately we're talking around $100 per year since it covers more than one year.

Last time I added it up $360 or so wasn't anywhere near $1500. For most people it is a few hundred. If working as a Son of Magellan doesn't pay enough to set aside $75 a year for a renewal it really is time to find another job.

You don't even have to do it all at once, you can spread it out over a 12 month period if you can't afford the $95 all at once. Worst case, renew for continuity.

Seems to be a lot of silliness to find an excuse not to renew ... like the Older guy said, if you don't like playing the game, just walk away, you don't need to justify it to other people.

When I renewed it was about $300 in cost. The twic is one time thing, so unless big brother comes up with another scam within 5 years it will be even cheaper. The biggest PIB was trying to find a lab that would do the drug test.

You can pay on line, I went to the CG office as it s a few minutes from here but I m pretty sure you can submit the renewal paperwork online as well.

Renewal every 5 also.

Called to find new TWIC station location. They moved again.
After application, new card may take over 30 days.

Most of the problem here is that even license holders don't seem to know what they hold and what they have to do to renew. No wonder someone who is thinking about getting a license might get scared off by all the nonsense posted here.

Wanna see why your TWIC only cost $65?

That is a one time patch because they screwed up the implementation so badly. In 3 years you will have to get a 5 year TWIC unless they come to their senses and abolish the stupid thing and since it is a welfare payment to Lockheed that ain't gonna happen in our lifetime.

https://www.uscg.mil/nmc/twic/pdfs/twic_expiration_policy_bulletin_06-14-2012.pdf

There (hopefully) comes a time when a man no longer wants his profession. Who knows, I might even enjoy boating again.