What are my chances?

You'll be alright. Not sure if I would bother with QMED for yachting, I'd look through the Minimum Safe Manning rules for yachts >500 ton. I'm not sure where QMED falls into the picture (MSM is just getting started in yachts) if at all. If you are going for engineer type position, if you don't qualify yet for DDE 4000 (or whatever the USCG entry Engineers licence is now), I would be looking at the MCA system and see if you qualify for one of the Y* (I think Y2 is the entry grade, MPT or IYT will be able to provide some guidance there) licenses. Since many yachts operate under one of the Red Flags (in yachting "Red Flag" isn't the Bravo flag hazardous load/fueling you are used to, it is one of the British "empire" nations vessel flags), this will do you more benefit in the job market. Do not expect the schools to actually teach you any of the engineering skills, they teach you what you need to pass the test.

As for commercial experience transferring to yachting, it depends on the owner. Deck engineer is a position of value since nearly every yacht runs minimally crewed and everybody has to be able to do some job cross over. I'm captain and often cross over as stew, cook, and engineering. Yacht crew as a team where people can cover each other is the only way it works.

Hi,

Henning , If you pull your head out long enough to take breath you will find the correct description is Red Ensign not Red Flag.

Just another thing where you claim to be the expert but have yet again been shown to be full of it

If you weren't so busy trying to increase your post counts there might be something useful amongst everything you post.

Red Ensign

Maybe this will help Henning and others not familiar...

http://www.redensigngroup.org/

The guy is new to the business. When he gets to Ft Lauderdale, he is not going to hear "Red Ensign Yacht", he is going to hear "Red Flag Yacht".

You're really a twit, you know that right? Following me around to nitpick, really.... What does a post count have to do with anything? Am I getting a paycheck out of this?

You can use your seaman's book, it's not the same value as when you ship deep sea. You may consider getting the MCA/yacht type version for recording time in the yacht industry. Yes, MCA will issue licenses to foreign nationals, just pony up your $$$$.

I don't know why you would want to go the MCA route. The US license is recognized worldwide for both yachts AND commercial vessels. If you go the MCA route and then decide that you would like to return to the commercial market, you'll be starting from scratch.

That's not true, his sea time will still count towards a USCG license. There's also nothing that says he can't hold both licenses. If he doesn't yet thave the time for the USCG license but can obtain the MCA license, he can up his position and pay grade be working it while he gets some more time and qualifications in. Besides, it's the MCA ticket most yachts are asking for.

the sea time might be considered by the NMC evaluator but all sea time is not alike and yacht sea time will only amuse the evaluator or subject the aged applicant to charges of perjury.

That is because most crew agents and yacht captains don't know anything about licensing.

Tell me Henning, are you working on a foreign flag yacht? What license do you hold? Do you have an MCA CeC? If so what level?

Hi,

Last time I was told of the situation ,the UK MCA will not accept any yacht time towards Merchant Navy Certificates ( New sittings, upgrades) except for those who hold them by having been through the normal route to get them and are renewing them.

That isn't surprising, they won't even accept the silly things as valid for taking a paying passenger across a canal on a rowboat.

Please show me the cites from the CFRs that distinguishes between types of vessels for sea time. There are several distinctions, none of them have anything to do with the vessel being a yacht or commercial. 720 days at sea is 720 days at sea regardless the occupation and flag of the vessel. The tonnage of the vessel dictates the tonnage (and in the case of engineers, the horsepower and energy source) of the license you may apply for, but the vessels purpose is unmentioned except IIRC for MODUs.

Yes, I currently run a foreign flag yacht. My license reads Master 1600/3000 ton upon Oceans, 500/1600 ton Sail Aux upon Oceans and Master of Towing Vessels. 200 some days of my time to upgrade to 500 tons was spent as captain on a large French flagged sailing yacht. I hold no MCA ticket and don't need one as the Caymans (current flag), Marshal Islands, Belgium, Germany, France, Vanuatu and Panama (other flags I've operated under) all accept my USCG license. I was going to get my MCA CoEC, did the Business and Law class for them, but haven't seen the need to spend $3000 to sit my orals for them.

You are completely incorrect about amusing the evaluator with yacht time and the statement that using it is perjury is completely ridiculous. The only time it could be considered so is if the time attested to on the yacht was false.

What licenses and CoCs do you hold?

Congratulations!
Henning- You've done it yet once again. Taken a good thread by a new user and mucked it up with a bunch of banter, arguments, insults, and drivel.
Seriously. Back away from the keyboard for a bit. Take a break, just once.

Let's hope the new user gets an answer to his question and isn't tainted by the total and complete thread jack.

Thanks for saying so. Over 600 posts in 4 months is surprising since I would consider myself a regular and have only slightly more posts over 4 years here.

Geez Henning, you are so predictable.

If you read 46CFR11 you will notice that time served on foreign flag vessels must be substantially the same type of service as required by service on US flag ships. The MCA sea service definitions are a far cry from what the USCG describes. That was the basis of my comments about an aged applicant submitting yacht sea time for a USCG license. By the time a young man collected enough yacht time he would no longer be a young man.

I realize you are much too serious and involved in too many important issues to have much of a sense of humor but for f*** sake, take a day off once in a while.

Thank you for making my point regarding the complete absence of a need to obtain an MCA CeC or CoC. I didn’t ask what license you had because I give a s**t, I asked because I knew you didn’t need anything from the MCA and probably didn’t have one.

As far as your hyper-defensive demand to know what I hold, they are unlimited chief engineer and an expired limited master’s, as if that has anything to do with your condition or the validity of my comments.

P-ss on you buddy, Marmot is the one who screwed the pooch. I just gave the guy accurate info. You can f-k yourself.

You said his time on a yacht would not count towards a USCG license and alluded to it's use being purgery, and that was incorrect. I never said he needed an MCA ticket, I said he could get it quicker/easier than a USCG one and would qualify him for a better paying position than a QMED which is of dubious value in the yachting industry.

And with that remark, we've just taken YF down a notch on the evolutionary scale.

This thread is closed.