On Mon, 11 Feb 2008 12:51:10 -0800 (PST), Chuck Gould
wrote:

Captain's Class


Do you have the knowledge required to pass a USCG "Captain's License"
exam?
The following questions (and official answers) are extracted from the
pool of questions used on USCG exams.

=========================================

So is there a Captain Chuck in our future?

On Feb 11, 9:31�pm, Wayne.B wrote:
On Mon, 11 Feb 2008 12:51:10 -0800 (PST), Chuck Gould

wrote:
Captain's Class

Do you have the knowledge required to pass a USCG "Captain's License"
exam?
The following questions (and official answers) are extracted from the
pool of questions used on USCG exams.

=========================================

So is there a Captain Chuck in our future?

Probably not. I read the regs probably way-too-strictly to ever
qualify with 360 days at sea. I still say that there isn't any real
wiggle room in the standard that a day of sea service consists of
eight hours *underway*. There is a provision for the sea day to be
reduced to four hours if the operating schedule of the vessel
precludes an 8 hour day, but that's really supposed to mean situations
like a passenger ferry that's only actually "underway" maybe half the
time and the other half time is spent loading/unloading. I can go an
entire year and only get one or two days where I am underway for a
full eight hours. I normally try to make port or drop and anchor after
no more than a 5-6 hour run- (anything longer than that begins to get
tiresome).

And yes, most people self certify and most people lie, egregiously.
In fact, I've sat through seminars in which Captain's License schools
are pitching prospects, and when the subject of sea service comes up
they all but come right and suggest that people lie. One of the
schools actually said, "We'll go over your certification form with
you, and we'll keep working on it until we can show 360 sea days.
Don't worry about that."

I could do the same thing and always be ashamed of my
"accomplishment", or simply figure there are already enough bogus and
unqualified "captains" tottering down the ways and forget about
joining the Joe Six-pack herd. I think I'll go with the second option.
I'd much rather respect myself for being honest than enjoy some
imaginary respect from somebody else because I hung an unearned title
in front of my name.

"Chuck Gould" wrote in message
...
On Feb 11, 9:31�pm, Wayne.B wrote:
On Mon, 11 Feb 2008 12:51:10 -0800 (PST), Chuck Gould

wrote:
Captain's Class

Do you have the knowledge required to pass a USCG "Captain's License"
exam?
The following questions (and official answers) are extracted from the
pool of questions used on USCG exams.

=========================================

So is there a Captain Chuck in our future?

Probably not. I read the regs probably way-too-strictly to ever
qualify with 360 days at sea. I still say that there isn't any real
wiggle room in the standard that a day of sea service consists of
eight hours *underway*. There is a provision for the sea day to be
reduced to four hours if the operating schedule of the vessel
precludes an 8 hour day, but that's really supposed to mean situations
like a passenger ferry that's only actually "underway" maybe half the
time and the other half time is spent loading/unloading. I can go an
entire year and only get one or two days where I am underway for a
full eight hours. I normally try to make port or drop and anchor after
no more than a 5-6 hour run- (anything longer than that begins to get
tiresome).

And yes, most people self certify and most people lie, egregiously.
In fact, I've sat through seminars in which Captain's License schools
are pitching prospects, and when the subject of sea service comes up
they all but come right and suggest that people lie. One of the
schools actually said, "We'll go over your certification form with
you, and we'll keep working on it until we can show 360 sea days.
Don't worry about that."

I could do the same thing and always be ashamed of my
"accomplishment", or simply figure there are already enough bogus and
unqualified "captains" tottering down the ways and forget about
joining the Joe Six-pack herd. I think I'll go with the second option.
I'd much rather respect myself for being honest than enjoy some
imaginary respect from somebody else because I hung an unearned title
in front of my name.

Now that's the kind of honesty I'm looking for in a car/boat/RV salesman. ;-

"Short Wave Sportfishing" wrote in message
...
On Mon, 11 Feb 2008 22:17:50 -0800 (PST), Chuck Gould
wrote:

Probably not. I read the regs probably way-too-strictly to ever
qualify with 360 days at sea. I still say that there isn't any real
wiggle room in the standard that a day of sea service consists of
eight hours *underway*.

Technically, any time can be considered 8 hours. I have that direct
from an MSO. Also, time on the water can be substituted for the
stricter 8 hour nonsense. If you have 30 years of large boat
experience, and can prove it, that kind of eliminates any question
about your necessity of having recency and the 360 hour nonsense. I
also have that direct from a CG Examiner.

Although I agree with you about the schools. Some of them are license
schools.

Talk about teaching a test. :)


I took the course at one of those schools in Ft. Lauderdale one winter that
we were in Florida. (I was planning on doing charter fishing trips on the
Egg Harbor with my brother when we returned to MA in the spring).

Although I passed the test (almost impossible to flunk) and was coached on
how to report the "hours", I lost interest in chartering and never
completed the rest of the licensing process. Kept the syllabus/course book
though and it comes in handy sometimes.

Eisboch

"Short Wave Sportfishing" wrote in message
...


By the way, did you guys close on Soul Source?



Now it's *this* Friday. (was supposed to be last Friday)

Last Thursday, a day before the closing, the buyer decided to finance
through a home equity loan or second mortgage instead of the boat loan he
had originally set up. Kinda ****ed me off, but there's really nothing
that can be done about it. In a boat sale, the buyer holds all the cards
.... the seller just has to adjust.

He was supposed to close on the financing yesterday at 4pm. Then,
apparently there is a 3 day *wait* period in Maryland, so the funds won't be
available until Friday.

I get a kick out of his broker. He sent an email apology for the 11th hour
delay and informed me that the buyer had authorized the release of the
downpayment funds to show "good faith". Big deal. It means the two
brokers get most of their commissions. The seller gets nada. I don't
care much for the buyer's broker. He's a glib motormouth who thinks he's
big shot. Back when we were trying to schedule the sea trial and survey, I
was concerned about the weather at the time and made it clear that the final
decision to get underway would be mine. He tried pulling the legal angle,
reminding me that I "had a contract". That didn't go over very well and
I politely but firmly told him where he could shove his contract. I don't
think he likes me much either.

But, there's nothing to suggest the deal won't happen. The buyer is
actually a pretty decent guy and is looking forward to taking "Soul Source"
to MD this spring.

Eisboch

Eisboch wrote:
"Short Wave Sportfishing" wrote in message
...

By the way, did you guys close on Soul Source?



Now it's *this* Friday. (was supposed to be last Friday)

Last Thursday, a day before the closing, the buyer decided to finance
through a home equity loan or second mortgage instead of the boat loan he
had originally set up. Kinda ****ed me off, but there's really nothing
that can be done about it. In a boat sale, the buyer holds all the cards
... the seller just has to adjust.

He was supposed to close on the financing yesterday at 4pm. Then,
apparently there is a 3 day *wait* period in Maryland, so the funds won't be
available until Friday.


Right of recission, I believe, is what it is called. Mortgages, home
improvements, several other major purchases. Three day wait. Hell, I had
to wait FIVE business days for the check on the sale of my 25-foot
Parker to clear because, my crappy bank said, "well, it was drawn on a
money market account." Now that is what I call living off the float.

Short Wave Sportfishing wrote:
On Tue, 12 Feb 2008 10:01:46 -0500, HK wrote:

Eisboch wrote:
"Short Wave Sportfishing" wrote in message
...

By the way, did you guys close on Soul Source?


Now it's *this* Friday. (was supposed to be last Friday)

Last Thursday, a day before the closing, the buyer decided to finance
through a home equity loan or second mortgage instead of the boat loan he
had originally set up. Kinda ****ed me off, but there's really nothing
that can be done about it. In a boat sale, the buyer holds all the cards
... the seller just has to adjust.

He was supposed to close on the financing yesterday at 4pm. Then,
apparently there is a 3 day *wait* period in Maryland, so the funds won't be
available until Friday.
Right of recission, I believe, is what it is called. Mortgages, home
improvements, several other major purchases. Three day wait. Hell, I had
to wait FIVE business days for the check on the sale of my 25-foot
Parker to clear because, my crappy bank said, "well, it was drawn on a
money market account." Now that is what I call living off the float.

That may not be the bank's fault. I know on the last home deal we
did, we received the funds by check instead of electronic money
transfer - it was the way the buyer's lawyer wanted to do it.

Turns out, the lawyer wanted the float. We deposited the check and
when it was proferred for payment, there was a delay because of the
way the escrow account was set up - payment had to be "authorized".

By that afternoon, the funds had been transferred electronically and
the check returned. It's good to have friends in power on the Bar
Association plus having the son of a former State Supreme court Chief
Justice and a former Superior Court judge as your attorney. :)


It was Bank of America. It was the bank's fault! :- Worst bank ever.
Only reason we keep it is because it has ATM machines about everywhere,
and if we need to withdraw some quick bucks, we can do it without those
damned fees.

But I agree, knowing someone at the Bar Association is helpful.

"Short Wave Sportfishing" wrote in message
...

That may not be the bank's fault. I know on the last home deal we
did, we received the funds by check instead of electronic money
transfer - it was the way the buyer's lawyer wanted to do it.

Turns out, the lawyer wanted the float. We deposited the check and
when it was proferred for payment, there was a delay because of the
way the escrow account was set up - payment had to be "authorized".

By that afternoon, the funds had been transferred electronically and
the check returned. It's good to have friends in power on the Bar
Association plus having the son of a former State Supreme court Chief
Justice and a former Superior Court judge as your attorney. :)


Wire transfers to an active, main account is not a particularly safe way to
transfer money anymore according to some "experts". The fact that you make
your account number available electronically makes it vulnerable to hacking,
they claim.

I was going to do a wire transfer to receive payment for one of the cars I
sold. Instead of using one of our "real" accounts, I opened another account
by deposited 50 bucks in it, to be used strictly for wire transfers.
Problem is, the guy ended up sending a check, I never used the account and I
forgot about it.
About a year later I received a notice from our bank informing me that my
"account" was overdrawn and I was being charged a penalty. I didn't have a
clue what they were talking about at first, but it turns out it was the wire
transfer account. Because it didn't have a minimum balance, the bank
automatically charged a monthly "service fee" to maintain it and the fees
had exceeded the original $50 deposit.

Eisboch

"Short Wave Sportfishing" wrote in message
...
On Tue, 12 Feb 2008 09:55:07 -0500, "Eisboch" wrote:

I get a kick out of his broker. He sent an email apology for the 11th
hour
delay and informed me that the buyer had authorized the release of the
downpayment funds to show "good faith". Big deal.

Ah yes - well, that's the way of it.

Good luck.


Just got another email from the buyer's broker. The financing closing was
held and the buyer is forwarding our check, dated Friday, today. So, it
looks like it's a done deal.

I've promised to meet with him when he comes up in March to go over the boat
again in a more leisurely manner, and to deliver a couple of items that I've
had stored at my house (couch, end table, etc.)

Now, should the GB sell, I am going boat shopping.

Eisboch

Eisboch wrote:
"Short Wave Sportfishing" wrote in message
...
On Tue, 12 Feb 2008 09:55:07 -0500, "Eisboch" wrote:

I get a kick out of his broker. He sent an email apology for the 11th
hour
delay and informed me that the buyer had authorized the release of the
downpayment funds to show "good faith". Big deal.
Ah yes - well, that's the way of it.

Good luck.


Just got another email from the buyer's broker. The financing closing was
held and the buyer is forwarding our check, dated Friday, today. So, it
looks like it's a done deal.

I've promised to meet with him when he comes up in March to go over the boat
again in a more leisurely manner, and to deliver a couple of items that I've
had stored at my house (couch, end table, etc.)

Now, should the GB sell, I am going boat shopping.

Eisboch




You shopping for "fast" or "slow" boat?