The minimum service required to qualify an applicant for an endorsement as master of Great Lakes and inland steam or motor vessels of not more than 1600 gross tons is:
(a) Three years total service on vessels. Eighteen months of the required service must have been on vessels of over 100 gross tons. One year of the required service must have been as a master, mate, or equivalent supervisory position on vessels of over 100 gross tons while holding a license or MMC endorsement as master, as mate, or as master of towing vessels; or,
(b) Six months of service as operator on vessels of over 100 gross tons while holding a license or MMC endorsement as master of towing vessels.
The minimum service required to qualify an applicant for an endorsement as master of Great Lakes and inland steam or motor vessels of not more than 500 gross tons is:
(a) Three years total service on vessels. One year of the required service must have been as a master, mate, or equivalent supervisory position on vessels of over 50 gross tons while holding a license or MMC endorsement as master, as mate, or as operator of uninspected passenger vessels.
(b) An applicant holding a license or MMC endorsement as master of ocean, near coastal, or Great Lakes and inland towing vessels is eligible for this endorsement after six months of service as master of towing vessels and completion of a limited examination. This requires three and one-half years of service. Two years of this service must have been served while holding a license or MMC endorsement as master or mate (pilot) of towing vessels, or mate.
(a) Except as noted in subparagraph (d), all endorsements issued for master or mate of vessels of not more than 200 gross tons are issued in 50 ton increments based on the applicants qualifying experience in accordance with the provisions of §11.422. See the tonnage and qualifying service discussion in §11.422 for further clarification.
(b) Service gained in the engineroom on vessels of not more than 200 gross tons may be creditable for up to 25 percent of the deck service requirements for mate.
(c) When the service is obtained on vessels upon which personnel with licenses or endorsements are not required, the OCMI must be satisfied that the nature of this qualifying service (i.e., size of vessel, route, equipment, etc.) is a reasonable equivalent to the duties performed on vessels which are required to engage individuals with endorsements.
(d) When the qualifying service is obtained upon vessels of five gross tons or less, the endorsement will be limited to vessels of not more than 25 gross tons.
(a) The minimum service required to qualify an applicant for an endorsement as master of Great Lakes and inland steam or motor vessels of not more than 200 gross tons is one year of service on vessels. Six months of the required service must have been as master, mate, or equivalent supervisory position while holding a license or MMC endorsement as master, mate, master or mate (pilot) of towing vessels, or operator of uninspected passenger vessels. To obtain authority to serve on the Great Lakes, three months of the required service must have been on Great Lakes waters, otherwise the endorsement will be limited to the inland waters of the United States (excluding the Great Lakes).
(b) In order to obtain an endorsement for sail or auxiliary sail vessels, the applicant must have six months of service on sail or auxiliary sail vessels. The required six months of service may have been obtained prior to issuance of the master's license or MMC endorsement.