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The first time boat buyer will meet a maritime professional for the first time in the form of a surveyor. 

Why? How to use it? And the reasons to follow the surveyor closely and take notes.  

Maritime regulations are there to make you safe, prevent pollution to the environment, and provide suitable working standards. 

Training is very much apart of regulations. 

If you are buying a 27 ft sail boat with an outboard engine to 160 foot mega yacht all of what I’m going to discuss is important to some degree, but mostly it is important for the captain’s confidence and calm state of mind. 

Periodic surveys and inspections of ships are carried out to ensure the safety and seaworthiness of vessels. With maritime laws becoming more stringent with each passing year, sea-going vessels have to go through a series of inspections to meet minimum requirements to continue sailing.

Annual surveys by classification society are a vital part of a ship’s trading eligibility. Thus for a vessel to continue trading, various periodical surveys and certifications by classification society are mandatory to ensure its continued compliance with International regulations and endorsement.

Various certificates require annual endorsement after the class surveyor verifies that the conditions, functioning and operational and maintenance requirements of the vessel are complied with.

After the class surveyor verifies the same, he endorses the certificates for the annual survey. Annual surveys are namely Safety equipment survey, International oil pollution prevention certificate survey, International air pollution prevention certificate survey, and Safety Radio Survey.

Before all these surveys, the companies appoint independent servicing agencies, which are approved to conduct annual servicing and maintenance of equipment such as fire extinguishers, fixed fire extinguishing installations, annual foam compound analysis for fixed foam fire fighting installation, annual servicing and maintenance of lifeboat equipment and launching appliances.

Your flag and the rules and regulations. Annual servicing and inspection of equipment systems can be performed by various institutions such as accredited laboratory, service company, maker or manufacturer trained personnel, shore-based maintenance provider, class approved service applier, and service personnel authorized by the flag.

The criteria for inspection are being laid by classification societies acting as recognized organizations on behalf of flag states so that requisite certificates are revalidated or issued in line with international regulations.

Every flag has streamlined its requirements, and thus accordingly, the classification society develops checklists of inspection programs to harmonise the same.

Hauling out your boat before the sale. What is the surveyor looking for?

A safety construction survey will be focused on the structural strength of the vessel. It will be assessed for any excessive corrosion of deck or hull, along with the condition of watertight doors, bilge pumping and drainage systems, fire protection equipment, and fixed and portable fire fighting equipment.

Fire contraol 

International shore connections fixed firefighting equipment. 

Training Prerequisites for Operator of Uninspected Passenger Vessels (OUPV/”6-Pack”)

The National OUPV license is limited to uninspected vessels, of less than 100 gross tons, operating on U.S. domestic waters ONLY. Also limited to carrying six or less paying passengers. You must meet all of the requirements established by the USCG National Maritime Center in order to apply for this license. The USCG checklist of requirements is located here on the National Maritime Center website:https://www.dco.uscg.mil/nmc/checklist/. Under National Officer Endorsements for Deck, click on National OUPV Less Than 100 GRT.

Important sea service requirements for OUPV:

• Must be at least 18 years old.
• Must be able to document 360 days of experience on a vessel, of which at least 90 days must be on Near Coastal/Ocean waters otherwise license will be limited to Inland Waters ONLY. (See: What Counts as Sea Service)
• 90 days of sea service must be within the last 3 years of when you apply.
• 90 days of sea service must be on Ocean or Near Coastal waters or otherwise the license will be limited to Inland Waters only.
• If you are not a U.S. Citizen, you can apply for this license but it will be limited tonnage and restricted to undocumented vessels.

Prerequisites for Master up to 100 Tons on Inland Waters/Great Lakes

With a Master license you may operate inspected/commercial vessels and also take more than six paying passengers. You must meet all of the requirements established by the USCG National Maritime Center in order to apply for this license. The USCG checklist of requirements is located here on the National Maritime Center website:https://www.dco.uscg.mil/nmc/checklist/. Under National Officer Endorsements for Deck, click on National Master 100 GL and Inland.

Important sea service requirements for Master Inland/GL:

• Must be at least 19 years old.
• Must be able to document 360 days of experience on a vessel. (See: What Counts as Sea Service)
• 90 days of sea service must be within the last 3 years of when you apply.
• The tonnage of the license (25 Ton, 50 Ton, or 100 Ton) that you get, is determined by your experience. See USCG checklist in the paragraph above for the specific tonnage qualifications.

If you plan on operating an inspected sailing vessel, you must have a sailing endorsement along with the Master Inland/GL license. The required amount of sea service for a sailing endorsement on a Master Inland/GL license is: 180 days on sail or auxiliary sail vessels.

Prerequisites for Master up to 100 Tons on Near Coastal Waters

With a Master license you may operate inspected/commercial vessels and also take more than six paying passengers. You must meet all of the requirements established by the USCG National Maritime Center in order to apply for this license. The USCG checklist of requirements is located here on the National Maritime Center website:https://www.dco.uscg.mil/nmc/checklist/. Under National Officer Endorsements for Deck, click on National Master 100NC.

• Must be at least 19 years old.
• Must be able to document 720 days of experience on a vessel, of which at least 360 days must be on Near Coastal/Ocean waters. (See: What Counts as Sea Service)
• 90 days of sea service must be within the last 3 years of when you apply.
• The tonnage of the license (25 Ton, 50 Ton, or 100 Ton) that you get, is determined by your experience. See USCG checklist in the paragraph above for the specific tonnage qualifications.

If you plan on operating an inspected sailing vessel, you must have a sailing endorsement along with the Master Near Coastal license. The required amount of sea service for a sailing endorsement on a Master NC license is: 360 days on sail or auxiliary sail vessels.

6 pac to 100ton near coastal and ocean upgrades to inspected vessels 200t to 1500 ton captain third mate on ships, advanced firfighting, radar plotting and observation and first aid courses. 

Able seaman

Tanker man

Hazard waste protocols etc. 

There is a host of courses and certifications that can be gotten through certified maritime training institutes. 

Training becomes part of the package including hull inspections, fire water, environmental oil, etc, electrical safty equipment like resuce boat operators  towing and sailing aux. 

Understanding SOLAS: Safety of life at sea 

Under the regulation, ships should have adequate strength, integrity and stability to minimize the risk of loss of the ship or pollution to the marine environment due to structural failure, including collapse, resulting in flooding or loss of watertight integrity.

MARPOL :The International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships (MARPOL) is the main international convention covering prevention of pollution o