Pat Anderson
New member
My friend Capt. Richard Rodrigues writes the Bitter End Blog on Facebook. He is a professional maritime trainer and also a Tow Boat U.S. captain out of Anacortes. If you do Facebook, this is one blog that is always interesting and worth subscribing to! This is a copy and paste of his post from this morning!
I am in 100% agreement!
BitterEnd Blog
Personal blog · 888 followers
Maritime ramblings of Capt. Richard Rodriguez, Director of Operations for Zenith Maritime.
RANT - What’s wrong with professional maritime training.
In a nutshell, it’s the antiquated regulations of the NMC (National Maritime Center). This is the arm of the Coast Guard, based in Martinsburg, West Virginia that oversees schools like Zenith Maritime. Most of you know that I am a partner, instructor, and Director of Operations for Zenith Maritime. What follows is my personal opinion and does not represent Zenith.
Let me give you a few examples.…
Chart Plotting: As NOAA sunsets paper (raster) products there is really no plan they (NMC) can offer. When I asked the Seattle Regional Exam Center (NMC’s local testing office) what was being done, I was told they ordered all the training charts (for testing) they could find. My question was, “Isn’t that like ordering all the buggy whips you can find?” I got total silence. Don’t get me wrong the basics are important, but the CG needs to approve apps or plotters that don’t require a 6-pac guy to purchase or be trained on a huge and expensive ECDIS: https://www.dco.uscg.mil/ECDIS/. Most small vessels, those less than 100’, don’t and didn’t have the room for plotting on a 3x4’ paper chart.
Solution: NOAA and the CG need to approve a basic set of guidelines for app makers to meet the needs of small vessels. For example, use NOAA ECDIS chart symbols and colors, and make the charts updatable to the weekly Notice to Mariners. If the FAA can create a system that allows pilots to use an iPad for flight, the CG can do the same for vessels. Create a curriculum that teaches to these standards.
Tides and Currents: NMC wants us to include tide and current corrections from tables that NOAA has stopped producing. NOAA now has an interactive website, that requires an internet connection. It just offers stations, no harmonic or secondaries. When I stated that most people use apps on small boats, I was told we had to teach it and test to the old standard.
Solution: Like charts, approve a set of standards that meet basic criteria for tides and currents.
Deck Safety: What’s the benefit of teaching mechanical advantage (block and tackle)? This was the standard used to load vessels during WW II. Calculating line size - oh I have a Man Overboard (MOB), let me find the breaking strength of my line, oops you’re SOL buddy. Well, ok the basics here are important, but you get the idea.
Solution: Teach the importance of the Master creating culture that allows for mariners to grow and advance. Guide students in how to procure the correct equipment. All line manufactures give specs when you purchase product. Make sure students know the importance of the correct line size, as opposed to knowing how to calculate it based on manila line that was used on sailing ships 100 plus years ago.
I do understand the importance of oversight, but the NMC needs to be more realistic.
I am in 100% agreement!
BitterEnd Blog
Personal blog · 888 followers
Maritime ramblings of Capt. Richard Rodriguez, Director of Operations for Zenith Maritime.
RANT - What’s wrong with professional maritime training.
In a nutshell, it’s the antiquated regulations of the NMC (National Maritime Center). This is the arm of the Coast Guard, based in Martinsburg, West Virginia that oversees schools like Zenith Maritime. Most of you know that I am a partner, instructor, and Director of Operations for Zenith Maritime. What follows is my personal opinion and does not represent Zenith.
Let me give you a few examples.…
Chart Plotting: As NOAA sunsets paper (raster) products there is really no plan they (NMC) can offer. When I asked the Seattle Regional Exam Center (NMC’s local testing office) what was being done, I was told they ordered all the training charts (for testing) they could find. My question was, “Isn’t that like ordering all the buggy whips you can find?” I got total silence. Don’t get me wrong the basics are important, but the CG needs to approve apps or plotters that don’t require a 6-pac guy to purchase or be trained on a huge and expensive ECDIS: https://www.dco.uscg.mil/ECDIS/. Most small vessels, those less than 100’, don’t and didn’t have the room for plotting on a 3x4’ paper chart.
Solution: NOAA and the CG need to approve a basic set of guidelines for app makers to meet the needs of small vessels. For example, use NOAA ECDIS chart symbols and colors, and make the charts updatable to the weekly Notice to Mariners. If the FAA can create a system that allows pilots to use an iPad for flight, the CG can do the same for vessels. Create a curriculum that teaches to these standards.
Tides and Currents: NMC wants us to include tide and current corrections from tables that NOAA has stopped producing. NOAA now has an interactive website, that requires an internet connection. It just offers stations, no harmonic or secondaries. When I stated that most people use apps on small boats, I was told we had to teach it and test to the old standard.
Solution: Like charts, approve a set of standards that meet basic criteria for tides and currents.
Deck Safety: What’s the benefit of teaching mechanical advantage (block and tackle)? This was the standard used to load vessels during WW II. Calculating line size - oh I have a Man Overboard (MOB), let me find the breaking strength of my line, oops you’re SOL buddy. Well, ok the basics here are important, but you get the idea.
Solution: Teach the importance of the Master creating culture that allows for mariners to grow and advance. Guide students in how to procure the correct equipment. All line manufactures give specs when you purchase product. Make sure students know the importance of the correct line size, as opposed to knowing how to calculate it based on manila line that was used on sailing ships 100 plus years ago.
I do understand the importance of oversight, but the NMC needs to be more realistic.
