Captains school, teacher or students?

[Viperspoon Jack]

Friend of mine recently attended Captain Jack's (Sewaren) captains school to get a 6 pack and 100 ton masters license. Bright guy, started on lobster boats, went on to party boats, and wants to make a career in the fishing industry. Class started with 20 students, ended with 2 dropping out. The 18 remaining students took a four part test. 2 students passed. I know my buddy studied his butt off (passed 3 out of 4). I asked him if it was a class full of dummies and he just laughed. The question becomes, if 20 students @$1,200.00/student got their moneys worth. As a teacher if you have over a 90% fail rate you're not doing your job! This could have been an anomaly, I don't know, but am looking for some feedback...

[Suckafish]

I just did my course with 10 of us. Didn’t do jacks did another and had one drop out and other 9 passed. I did the course over a week and two long weekends. Was extremely hard and studied everyday. The questions are worded as trick questions and there are 2 semi right answers. And you have to pick the best of the two. Person next to me was a teacher and said was harder than any college or teaching exam he ever took. Was hard but possible.

[Captain Rich]

Do you want people who passed an easy test running commercial boats, or people who passed a hard test ? There is a tremendous amount of responsibility here, and you got to know your stuff. I don't think this is a reflection on the teacher, there is a ton of material to absorb--100 ton Master.

[Capt. Debbie]

I teach the Safety Cert NY and NJ versions. Close to 5,000 students over past 11 years.


Students get back what they put in.

Even the most excellent of excellent instructors can only explain things if asked. He can not read minds.

Also a knowledgeable instructor does not make him a good teacher either. We've all had those. In that case the work shifts to student to ask question until he understands.


Many people just show up and that's it. And they deserve to fail because they do not know what they are doing. They boated for years and are know it alls. Very obscure crap like night lights on sea planes and submarines are part of the test. Plimsole lines? Dunnage fires? Center of buoyance vs center of gravity? Who will know that unless you teach it or boat it every day? Very very few.

Also I will go out on a limb and say that PROBABLY most licensed mariners would fail the test if retaken 10 or more years later. Simply because they only know what they deal with which is not good enough to pass the OUPV or Master's portions.

[JigOrDie27]

Agreed. I was in that class with suckafish and we had to put in WORK.

Also, there were at least two people (maybe 3) in our course who were there to RETAKE the course. It is a very difficult course and as our instructor told us on day 1, you need to forget everything you know. 1+1=3 was his favorite line.

[shrimpman steve]

I took class very seriously. Passed all four sections with over 90’s and one 100%!
To be honest I studied harder then anything else I have ever done and was very proud of myself. I did it thru sea school and had an excellent instructor. Did the master six months later online course. Also studied hard and passed with a 90+.
Again very proud of myself. Now I am earning a living running airboat Tours in the swamps of Florida and loving my second chance at life!

PS: 30 plus years ago I took the NYS property and casualty broker exam and passed that six hour test first time as well. Not bad for someone who never went to college:D

[Gerry Zagorski]

I did Sea School several years ago. Probably 20 or so in our class a few drop outs during the course. All but 2 or 3 that sat for the test passed.

Hardest part for me was chart plotting but I got through it. Definatley one of the more difficult courses I’ve ever taken and you definatley have to pay attention and study.

The teachers certainly can make a differnce, so does the prep course and the materials and methods used to teach but it’s ultimately the students responsibility to study and prepare for the test.