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.

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.

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.

You forgot USCG physical exam, eye exam, passport photo's, a refresher course if you don't have the documented seatime (which is harder to do nowadays in NYCAP's case where he's running many different boats), and something else. But again, it's really a drop in the bucket and a day or two of Captaining wages can pay for it. I wouldn't let mine lapse when I got old, unless the doctor told me I got too old! What sucks is the passport style, doesn't have the issue # on it anywhere like the old letter size licenses.

Not five. TWIC needs to be renewed every 3 years, I just did mine and it was $65.

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.

WELL, considering everyone got a TWIC during the same year because it was mandated and implemented, everyone is facing the same 3 year patch right now and don't need to do the 5 year renewal. I supposed in 3 years, then everyone can worry about renewing it.

Why would anyone pay almost double to renew it at this point with a 5 year renewal at $129.75 and 2 TRIPS to the enrollment center, when the 3 year is $60 and only 1 trip.

But you are right there is a 5 year renewal available, but no logical person would choose it except under very special circumstances.