Renew a USCG 100 ton ticket..Test or no test?

Coming up on the magic date again.

Guess I have the choice of taking a test or documenting sea-time?

Last time, 5 years ago I had enough recent sea-time to not only renew
but also to upgrade from 50 to 100 tons.

This time I am pretty lean on recent experience and will have to dig pretty
deep to find enough days @ sea.

Question: How is the test? Same as initial or an easier and perhaps "open book" test....?

I do have a few months left and could get the sea-time by taking my boat to the Exumas for 4 weeks and do other stuff to get the required time, but curious on the test or exam..Anybody done that one recently?

Located Fort Lauderdale, this will be the 4th issue.

Got that already..Thanks for the reminder to bring it though..

Same test as initial..?
(Was hoping the renewal test would be easier, OR "Open BooK"...Not ?)

Speaking of sea time...I forgot: 90 days in 5 years or 360 days in 5 years or what..? (Yeah I could go to the USCG web page but this is easier...Lazy is my middle name.. )

Uh okay...I scored good on the initial test as well, but I sure as hell don't want to do it again: Hard work it was.

(Acutally I screwed up: Got my 6-pack in St. Croix back in 1986, then 5 years later I let it expire. Went to school for my 50 ton in 1999 and realized the test, etc had changed..Much more difficult this time around and I had to cram for the exam...Not good.. )

Okay and thanks Gents.

Will have to ask around what they mean with comprehensive...

Don't have enough sea-time this time around to log 360 days, only done a few Exuma cruises on my boat and a few local deliveries now and then, nothing big and nothing full-time..

I need to brush up on everything, heck I have to move my lips when I read "Red-Right-Returning"

I saw on the USCG page Capt. New York provided above that one can do an "approved" refresher course in lieu of an exam or the required sea-time, will shop around for such a course and hopefully it will not be too "Comprehensive"

Thanks again and beer is on me....(After I get my ticket renewed. )

Yeah, and we also have this one

http://www.mptusa.com/

Did my course there 10 years ago and was pretty impressed with the organization.

Been there many times since to look at the job-board and to get another T-shirt.
(We were told the day before the final exam that it would be good luck to purchase a company T-shirt from the onboard store..The teacher said so with a stern face, and most of us bought the T-shirt because, uh, ya never know... )

I passed with a good grade and get another T-shirt every 2 or 3 years for good measure, and to chat with the friendly staff about this, that and the other.
The place feel like home..Highly recommended and I hope they run one of these courses pretty soon.

Best of all, they are only 5 minuttes from my house.

I could and should have stopped by to ask about the renewal, but did it on this here board instead...
Got a free T-shirt here after all, thanks Carl.

yeah, yeah..I know..

Not too active in the Yachting business these days.

My primary gig is flying airplanes and the last 4 or 5 years I have been airborne with a pay-check, hence not enough boating to keep meh ticket valid..

That being said, a few years ago there was plenty jobs here in Fort Lauderdale: Some of the jobs was driving boats, but many more deck-hand and non-skilled..Great opportunity for a youngster wanting to get some sea time and make a few bucks while learing the trade.

Quiet lately however: Broker and surveyor friends are on a diet these days..So are the yards: In the past there was a waiting list for yard hauls and contractors and high-end carpenters. Nowadays you don't have to wait long for experts and contractors to call ya back.

Ha-ha, you of course are correct Sir, but there was not enough money printed to for me to take that piece of piece of xxxx down the river and across the Gulfstream..Allah knows I was offered good money to do it, but I could not look myself in the mirror the next morning if I took it..

Lean times all over it..Hell of a good time to buy stuff instead. Fire sale at condos behind Fort Lauderdale Marine Center up the New River...These condos sold for $200K 3 years ago, now ya can get one for $50K..
http://www.marinaoakscondos.com/
Unbelivable and good investment I hope..Putting my money where my mouth is.

Aye, no cut to me..I was just glad to get rid of the boat..

Forgot the details, but I think there was more money involved than $1,200.00
The mate got $600, and the skipper more than that, plus money for airfare.

Wrong again Sherlock, not selling condos, just informing the esteemed readership on these pages of an oportunity..

Contact any realtor for the MSL listing on those condos..The cheap units I am talking about are all forclosures and some short-sales..Some of those are listed at $45K. There is about 140 available that the owners walked away from after the bubble burst..Some Europeans are buying for investment, picking up 2 and 3 at the time.

Shouldn't you be out on the water driving boats now instead of sitting in front of the 'puter and undoubtedly surfing web pages of questionable moral character.?

Not sure there is any money in selling condos or anything else these days.
My realtor has not had a closing in months.

The beauty of a chaep condo is renting it out, then having a positive cash flow of $400 to $500 per month as the mortgage rates are low and the purchase price is low...Then when the economy swings around, real estate prices should increase and one could sell with a tidy profit.

That is the theory anyway...Your milage may vary..