Mighty Merloe

MR.CLEAN

MR.CLEAN

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Rasputin22 said:
I have always had some doubts at any sailor that proclaims themselves as 'Captain' and uses it in their name. Even those who do have USCG masters licenses. My Dad was a USN Captain in rank but I never heard him introduce himself as 'Captain'. "Captain Lawson" seems to allude to having a US Merchant Marine captains license or rank but I can find no evidence that he was ever attended the MM Academy. He does like to flaunt his NJROTC midshipman days and says he reached the rank of Commodore of his detachment. However it was Naval Junior Reserve Officers Training Corps in HIGH SCHOOL! I did the same program in 10th grade and it was the biggest joke I ever saw. I did it to impress my Dad and I had always known I would join the Navy but the Junior program was such a farce and embarrassment I only did one year. The only Captain was an old retired Captain from WW2 who would just put on old 'Victory at Sea' videos and turn the lights down and snore in his desk chair. My Dad had been commanding officer for the college level NROTC detachment at Rochester University and I spent a lot of time at their facility when I was in second grade. I invited my Dad to the High School version and he just went ballistic on the old fool running it but but his lip and showed some respect. I even spent a week at Boot Camp at Marine Corp Recruit Depot in Pt Loma, San Diego but that was it for me and any military involvement. Whatever recruiting and PR plebe that came up with High School NJROTC probably was the reason they had to instate the draft towards the end of the Vietnam era...

Lawson claims he was given a appointment at US Naval Academy in Annapolis but couldn't pass the physical due to asthma. He did manage to get a civilian job as with the USNA sailing team but not sure how that earned him the Captain moniker. As it turns out he passed the Annapolis Sailing Academy (civilian commercial school) 100 Ton certificate after 80 hours of study which is acceptable for one year by the USCG instead of a real 100 ton Master and can be renewed every year at the school instead of taking the real exam given by the USCG testing centers and earning the real Master LICENSE which is renewed every 5 years.
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Accurate, but for your implication that the 'real exam' is anything but a pathetic joke, and the "USCG testing centers" are just slightly more ambitious versions of the guys who rent an old trailer, buy some plastic cups and labels, and start a SAMHSA drug testing center.

The entire US regulatory regime up to 200 ton master is a worldwide joke, regardless of whether the 100T 'certificate' is a slightly bigger joke. There isn't an easier master's license program in the industrialized world, thanks to typical privatization practices.
 
Rasputin22

Rasputin22

Rasputin22
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MR.CLEAN said:
Accurate, but for your implication that the 'real exam' is anything but a pathetic joke, and the "USCG testing centers" are just slightly more ambitious versions of the guys who rent an old trailer, buy some plastic cups and labels, and start a SAMHSA drug testing center.

The entire US regulatory regime up to 200 ton master is a worldwide joke, regardless of whether the 100T 'certificate' is a slightly bigger joke. There isn't an easier master's license program in the industrialized world, thanks to typical privatization practices.
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I hear you Clean, the St. Thomas Testing Center in the 70's was the biggest joke of them all!
 
L

longy

Overlord of Anarchy
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Waay back when I was just getting started in all this sailing shit & had LOTS of sea time, one thing that dissuaded me from getting a license was that every booze cruise waitress in Lahaina had a 100 T license. Pay rates were shit, & I wanted no part off that job sector
 
Rasputin22

Rasputin22

Rasputin22
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longy said:
Waay back when I was just getting started in all this sailing shit & had LOTS of sea time, one thing that dissuaded me from getting a license was that every booze cruise waitress in Lahaina had a 100 T license. Pay rates were shit, & I wanted no part off that job sector
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As a result of any cute girl with the price of a airline ticket to St Thomas and willing to sleep with the skipper of the booze cruise dayboats could bet a 50 USCG licence from the Sea School 'pay to play' test givers. We called those girls '90 Day Wonders'. Some of them went on to make great sailors and crew I will have to admit. Especially the ones that worked on the big daysail catamarans from St Martin or St Croix.
 
L

longy

Overlord of Anarchy
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Unfortunately I dated one for a while. She did a private day charter once where the stop button for the engine wouldn't work - so she just left it running the whole day.
 
Rasputin22

Rasputin22

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longy said:
Unfortunately I dated one for a while. She did a private day charter once where the stop button for the engine wouldn't work - so she just left it running the whole day.
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I was hoping you were going to say that her personal stop button wouldn't work and she left her dynamo humming all night!

I met a couple of those back in the day... Those S. African girls in the St Martin-St Barts fleet of Spronk cats were the most dangerous in that respect!

 
MR.CLEAN

MR.CLEAN

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Rasputin22 said:
As a result of any cute girl with the price of a airline ticket to St Thomas and willing to sleep with the skipper of the booze cruise dayboats could bet a 50 USCG licence from the Sea School 'pay to play' test givers.
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Every testing center is the same. 200 ton and under are the volume and therefore profit centers because of self-verification of sea time and the fact that every erstwhile 'guide' with a Grady-White wants a six-pack so he can write off his fishing expenses. They know no one gives a shit that these tickets are evidence of only the following:
  1. You passed a drug test
  2. You got a CPR card
  3. You did two hours of basic firefighting and whatever other STCW is required these days
  4. You wrote a check for $999 or whatever the course costs these days
Anyone who assumes any more than this based solely on a 25-200 ton master or (worse yet) OUPV ticket is negligent.
 
CapDave

CapDave

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MR.CLEAN said:
Every testing center is the same. 200 ton and under are the volume and therefore profit centers because of self-verification of sea time and the fact that every erstwhile 'guide' with a Grady-White wants a six-pack so he can write off his fishing expenses. They know no one gives a shit that these tickets are evidence of only the following:
  1. You passed a drug test
  2. You got a CPR card
  3. You did two hours of basic firefighting and whatever other STCW is required these days
  4. You wrote a check for $999 or whatever the course costs these days
Anyone who assumes any more than this based solely on a 25-200 ton master or (worse yet) OUPV ticket is negligent.
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I have a 200 Ton USCG Master (expired), and also a Yachtmaster Ocean Commercial (expired) and an MCA Officer Of the Watch 3,000 tons (expired). If I'd kept going, I would have needed a year of sea time with the OOW ticket, and then could have gotten an MCA Master (Yachts) 3,000 tons. In my experience it would not require any actual skills to get the USCG Master 200 Tons if you can memorize the study materials for the multiple choice tests and are willing to lie about the 720 days of sea time.

The Yachtmaster Ocean Commercial and OOW 3,000 Tons require actual skills. The former requires demonstrated celestial navigation skills and navigation & pilotage skills, among others, and an on the water test with an actual sailing vessel, and is (was) a prerequisite for the latter. The OOW required an in person oral exam by a Master Mariner in Southampton. Not open book. Not trivial.
 
L

longy

Overlord of Anarchy
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Yes, the Yachtmaster licenses require actual hands on proof of talent. Unfortunately, there is no reciprocity to US CG licenses. USCG testing is all about the book.
 
Rasputin22

Rasputin22

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While I was in the NJROTC program in High School in Long Beach, CA I was also a Navy Brat member of the Navy Sailing Club at the Long Beach Naval Station. There was as Special Services funded and operated sailing club facility right out on the breakwater that enclosed the Navy base waters and piers that was called the Mole. We had about 8 Coronado 15's as trainers and 5 Coronado 25's for open water qualification. The wonderkind of sailing on the West Coast at the time was Henry Sprague who had won the Kennedy Cup (college championships), and then the Congressional Cup (US Match Racing championships) and a Finn World Cup. With the draft pending Henry joined the Navy as a SEAL much to the dismay of his father who was an Admiral I think. Just to piss his Dad off more he became a rescue swimmer for the Prime Recovery Carrier RANGER which was conveniently berthed right next to the Sailing Facility. I can't imagine having a better environment and mentor for a kid who wanted to sail more than anything else (except for maybe surfing...)

I went up through the progressive sailing proficiency ranks in no time thanks to Henry's tutoring and challenges. I soon could reserve a C-25 for the weekend and invite my Dad (Navy Commander at the time) to take a long weekend cruise to Catalina. One of the proudest moments was pulling up to the Clubhouse early on a Saturday with a Coronado 25 fueled up with ice and water and ready to sail over the horizon (almost as you could see Catalina on a clear day) and when my Dad joined me at the checkout desk the old retired chief asked my Dad, "What can we do for you today Commander?" My Dad said, "We are here to sign if for a C-25 for the weekend and a cruise to Catalina.

The old chief took a look at the reservation list and said something to the effect, "I don't see your name of the reservations list or the offshore qualification roster. Sir but perhaps you will be joining our newest Offshore rated sailor, your son for the weekend..." and gave me a welcome aboard and knowing nod.

The look on my Dad's face was priceless but he corrected himself and we had the best time on that cruise ever!

The moral of the story was that the hands on training and on the water skills evaluations at the Navy Club were far more effective and useful than any of the 15 years of testing and certifications and licenses I got later in my career as a Mariner.
 
Crump's Brother

Crump's Brother

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Back on topic.

Seems a pattern is emerging based on that Dug fella from S/V Seeker and the Capitan in this thread. That is, set up a 501c3 charity and use it to support your lifestyle.

Now I do not doubt at all that both have good intentions, especially the Capitan that is passionate about DE&I and sharing sailing. But...to use the donation seeking charity (you set up) to support your hobby and at the same time setting (unrealistic) expectations to your donors?

It seems that the Captain is making this all about HIM and not his charity, Dark Seas, judging by his social media content. Same with the Seeker.
So here are a few suggestions for the Capitan if he ever stops by SA:

1. Rename MM > Dark Seas after the charity YOU set up.
2. Put together a Dark Seas crew of underrepresented but competent sailors. Be a leader and have some humility.
3. Dark Seas Racing 501c3 helps offset travel and expenses for said underrepresented competent sailors to train and practice on Dark Seas ORMA 60.
4. Your Dark Seas program and crew is promoted via social media professionally. Your messaging RIGHT NOW makes you appear very self centered. It's not about you, but your charity and your new crew and racing program.
5. Dark Seas Racing 501c3 with an all African American crew campaigns Dark Seas ORMA 60 in some west coast events R2AK outside route, Transpac, others.
6. As Dark Seas 501c3 gains traction, Dark Seas funding should grow allowing the program to grow.
7. Budgeting should be left to the professionals.
8. Make it about your charity, your new crew, sailing and racing.
9. Forget all the solo 'world records'. You want to make an impact, you and your Dark Seas Racing crew race here in the USA where we need you.
10. It's not about you, but your charity and crewmates, spreading to love of sailing no matter skin color.
11. You don't have to win and set records. You may not have the experience yet, but you and your crew will inspire in other ways. Visit cities, speak and promote. Now you have a crew from all over the USA that can do the same.

I don't think there is anyone here that would not get behind this effort.

'Dark Seas Racing (501c3), spreading the passion of sailing to everyone.'

And drop the 'capitan' for god's sake!
 
M

munt

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Sir Rasputin, the first boat I actually bought was a Coronado 15. I lived in Redondo Beach where there's no functional launch ramp so I'd tow it down to Long Beach or up to MDR. I had no idea how to sail it correctly, I bought it cuz it looked like a big surfboard and that's about all I thought about back then. But even with my cromagnon abilities I was able to sail circles around most of the boats out there, those little C15s can scoot! So if there were no waves I'd go thrash the Coronado mercilessly, Long Beach is a great venue for that kind of sailing. Remember PCH back in the day? The weird yellow street lights, real life pimps and hos on the stroll and all the toxic refineries. Driving through that area in the dark was always an adventure. That's when Snoop Doggy Dog was still a pup in the LBC! There was a homeless dude that lived around the refineries over there and he was covered in toxic soot from head to toe. I swear he was roaming around there for years, always looked exactly the same. We speculated that he was the ghost of a worker that fell into a toxic vat...
 
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Hitchhiker

Hitchhiker

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I was down in Cabrillo yesterday looking at a yacht on the same dock.

This story does not look to end well for Merloe.......

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