BoatBanter.com - View Single Post

wrote in
oups.com:

I had occassion to sit through the last 20 minutes of a presentation
by one of the local "Captain's License" schools to a group of people
interested in meeting the USCG qualifications for
"six pack" and 100-ton certification.

Much of this points up my problems with the USCG having total control of
licensing/documentation of licenses.

Although we work in the same "medium", how we go about it and what we
have to know can be, and frequently is, two different animals.

The process of documenting ones time is open to much creativity in the
smaller (SixPac -25ton) grades, that I must agree, can be and always
will be subject to some disgression. This to me is not a serious
problem. The problem arises at the "testing" level.
With all due respect to those members of the USCG, giving those test
...... IF they do not have the time, experience needed to hold that
license, they are not qualified to pass on someone else's ability to
hold that license. A straight forward multiple choice exam, tells you
only how well an individual takes exams and not how well they actually
know the subject and/or can perform the required task...... I've met too
many good seamen who have a tough time with exams and too many bad ones
who with a bit of study, can pass any exam. There are many members of
the USCG, well trained and experienced to give these lower grade
licenses, but they should be allowed to review these test and come up
with practical and essay type exams that will make it apparent when
someone's "time" is real or bogus.

otn