Taking the SeaSchool Online Course : Questions

Hey Guys/Gals:

I’m going through the seaschool online program and there’s a lot of bs in here in my opinion, but I know that it’s all going to be on the CG exam. Really? I know that there are a lot of you who navigate the Charleston harbor on a regular basis so I would appreciate any advice. Seriously, how many of you display day shapes and display the correct lights, etc? As far as the COLREGS go, it seems like a big deal. Just wondering. I’m taking this all in from a testing perspective, but I never thought about my boat’s display other than red left green right up front and white 360 in the back.

Let me know your thoughts.

Matthew K. Mizell
Columbia, SC
Sea Pro 190CC
Johnson 115 4-Stroke

A good bit of the info is superfluous to the weekend warrior or even part time charter guy. It’s all good to know for the test but there’s a lot of it you probably won’t ever use. When I did my stuff 4 years ago, I never thought I’d need to know about sea planes and right of way but I quickly found out that it was useful knowledge this past summer. Knowledge is never a bad thing to have and I kept my SS books just to look over and refresh my memory every once in a while.

I’m interested as to why you chose the online course over classroom course. I found the classroom instruction and Q&A time to be invaluable.

I’m with Chris, knowing that stuff can save your life. It’s saved mine. I’ve taken 3 Sea School classes, not on-line, and they were first rate. No knowledge gained is useless.

I still remember all my lights by Sea School training…

Red over red, the captain is dead
Red over green is a sailing machine
Green over white fishing at night
Red over white trawling at night
White over white towing tonight
3 whites in a row, got a very long tow…this is the one that saved my life!
And so on…

Capt. Larry Teuton
Cracker Built Custom Boats

“Ships are the nearest things to dreams that hands have ever made.” -Robert N. Rose

I took it 18 yrs. ago in Irmo and it was informative and enjoyable.

‘87 Pacemaker 31’ SF
‘04 Renegade 29’ 2 225’s
‘97 Maycraft 17’ 40 hp

How do you like the online format? I cant decide if I want to do it online or take the classes. I took some online grad classes several years ago and didn’t really like them…

Red Right Returning…got it.

Redfish Baron Extraordinaire

www.baturinphotography.com

Fog horn … Move out of its way!

I took the class over 15-years ago. At the time Al Gore was just inventing the Internet so online was certainly not an option. I found the class room experience to be excellent and the instructors ensured they reinforced all items that were on the test. After I received my license I spent the next 4-years working on the water and I used items from the class including rules of the road and lights extensively. I have changes jobs, so now I am pretty much a weekend boater now, but still find myself using the info and due to format of institution I still remember the key points. New Reels Catch Fish So Purchase Some!

How about “falling down drunk add whiskey” ?

I took my first Sea School class over 30 years ago and still remember and use a lot of what they taught me. It stuck. I’ve taken a lot of different courses on a lot of different subjects over my life, but never had better instructors than at the Sea School Classes

Capt. Larry Teuton
Cracker Built Custom Boats

“Ships are the nearest things to dreams that hands have ever made.” -Robert N. Rose

Any of those class’s are what you make of them. The most useful class I’ve taken was ARPA, where as the radar class is pointless.

21 Contender

Wow, thanks for all the ■■■■■■■■. I actually forgot all about posting this.

I like the online format of Sea School. I would have rather taken it in the classroom because I agree that the extra discussion and interaction is a big help. There just wasn’t a good time for me to get settled and into the live class because I travel so much for my primary job.

I still have a direct line to an instructor anytime there are questions I can send email or call an instructor so the added flexibility has its costs and benefits.

This will be my first level of instruction and testing for OUPV so I am in full on absorption mode and have learned so much. Since Charleston is a port city there will be things I’m learning that I will use even though I do not necessarily expect to yet.

Thanks again for all the ■■■■■■■■. I’ll make sure I warn y’all when I get through the process. Hopefully I won’t get ragged too much about being a rookie captain. Just want to take it slow and learn things the right way.

Matthew K. Mizell
Columbia, SC
Sea Pro 190CC
Johnson 115 4-Stroke

quote:
Since Charleston is a port city there will be things I'm learning that I will use even though I do not necessarily expect to yet.

Since it’s a cold rainy night and TV sucks, I’ll tell you a sea (school) story that saved my wife and my life’s one night. You don’t necessarily know what you need to know, until you come across it and learn that you really needed to know it.

Several years ago we were delivering a 36’ sailboat from Marco Island, FL to Georgetown, Antigua. We were in the Florida Straits, south of the Dry Tortugas, east of Cuba. It was about 0300. I was asleep and my wife at watch. We had a 25 kt NE wind blowing against the stream, trying to stay inside it, sailing almost due south in a 8-10’ sea, in a ketch/cutter rigged boat with 4 sails out, guyed and trimmed for a beam reach on a port tack. Didn’t expect to change course or sails for 12 hours at least. We are making a solid 9 kts, which is real good for a sailboat. She knows to wake me if anything didn’t look right, feel right, or seem right. Then came the dreaded call.

“Larry, you need to get out here, something is wrong”

I clipped my safety harness to the jackline and stuck up my head. Nobody goes on deck at night without a harness.

“What’s wrong?”

“There is a ship crossing ahead that I’m passing behind, it keeps flashing it’s lights and acting weird”

I, sleepy headed, been up for 36 hours, slept for 2, scanned to port and see nothing, I scan to starboard and see a medium size ship that has crossed our bow from port to starboard about a half mile off, Mrs. Cracker has altered course to pass it well astern. At first glance all seemed safe. But it’s deck lights are flashing, as well as it’s spotlight. In 5 interval flashes. That means danger! I woke up quick and did a better scan. The ship was lit with normal running lights, but th


“I am constantly amazed at the stupidity of the general public.”
~my dad

Equipment:
190cc Sea Pro w/130 Johnson
1- 19 year old (boy of leisure)
1 - 1 year old (fishing maniac)
1 - wife (The Warden)

ECFC

Sailboats are the #1 issue we deal with. I’ve had more then enough close calls with WAFI’s.

21 Contender

I have come to dislike blow boats…

SAFMC you suck!

Great story. Thank you for sharing that.

Matthew K. Mizell
Columbia, SC
Sea Pro 190CC
Johnson 115 4-Stroke