Able Seaman with Lifeboatman Limited
$850.00
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An Able Seaman is a credentialed seaman which falls below officer but above ordinary seaman. Credentialed Able Seaman may fill roles such as a watch-stander, leader in the deck department, or numerous other responsibilities.
Able Seaman (AB) requires qualifying sea service and training. Below is a description of AB ratings and required sea service.
Able Seaman with Lifeboatman Limited
$850.00
- AB Unlimited - 540 days of qualifying sea service on the deck of vessels operating on Great Lakes or ocean waters.
- AB Limited – 360 days deck service on vessels 100 GRT or over, not exclusive to rivers & smaller inland lakes of the U.S.
- AB Special - 180 days of qualifying sea service on vessels operating on any navigable waters of the US.
- AB Fishing - 180 days of deck service on any navigable waters of the U.S. "Combi" is not deck service (Valid only on fish processing vessels).
- AB OSV (Offshore Supply Vessel) - 180 days of qualifying sea service on the deck of vessels operating on any navigable waters.
- AB Sail – 180 days of deck service on sailing school, oceanographic research vessels powered primarily by sail, or equivalent sail vessels on any navigable waters of the U.S (Valid only on sailing school vessels.)
- AB MODU – 360 days of service on vessels 65 feet or over on any navigable waters of the U.S
- Be at least 18 years old.
- Be a U.S. Citizen
- Speak English
- Be TWIC eligible
Exams
There are three exams and two practicals, 1 demonstration of competency in Knot Tying and Splicing and a Lifeboatman practical. If you fail one exam, you can retake that exam up to two more times. If you fail it a third time, you must repeat the class. The exams can be taken at one of our nationwide approved testing sites or online! Below are the descriptions of the exams and practical competency:- Rules of the Road/Navigation: 50 questions: 70% minimum passing score.
- Deck General and Safety: 50 questions. 70% minimum passing score.
- Lifeboatman: 50 questions. 70% minimum passing score.
Practical Competency
Knot Tying- Demonstration of competency in Knot Tying and Splicing—10 knots in 15 minutes. Required Knots include Bowline, Square knot, Clove Hitch, Sheet Bend plus six additional knots selected by the evaluator.
- Schedule this practical with the Pathfinder team over a 30 minute Zoom call. Only approved NMC proctors can sign off on page 1, knot tying.
- Demonstration of Lifeboatman competency: This is a practical assessment, required on your NMC application.
- Any Master can sign-off on the practical. It must be completed in-person.
- What do you mean by "Master"? Mariners who have shipboard experience on vessels of at least 200 GRT/500 GT with assigned duties as the person in charge of a lifeboat (for PSC) or a survival craft (for PSC-LTD). See page 12.
- The Lifeboatman practical is the responsibility of the student.
- Any Master can sign-off on the practical. It must be completed in-person.
Application Help
Pathfinder and MM-SEAS have partnered to provide the ultimate licensing experience. All Pathfinder Maritime courses come with a two-year MM-SEAS Pro subscription! When you enroll in a Pathfinder course you will have the opportunity to opt into this program at no additional cost. Your MM-SEAS PRO membership will include unlimited application support and they will help you complete a perfect application. MM-SEAS software guides you through every step of the way to create a perfect USCG license application and you will have unlimited access to a dedicated licensing expert if you need any help from a live person. Learn more about the MM-SEAS experience here.
Payment Plans
Pathfinder is happy to now offer payment plans through PayPal. There are two ways to pay, choose between monthly payments or pay in 4. Pay in 4 offers interest-free payments every 2 weeks, starting today. Pay Monthly offers to split your purchase into equal monthly payments. When you are ready to purchase, select the PayPal Pay Later button under the course price. Then, choose how you'll pay. Find out if you’re approved in seconds. Then pick the plan that works best for you.
Common Questions
- How does the online exam work? Pathfinder offers automated, on-demand assessment exams. The process for online, video proctor sessions is relatively simple and consists of four steps. You will need a computer, a clean work surface and a good internet connection. Learn more.
- Are you approved by the NMC? Yes! You can see our approval by going to the NMC website > Training & Assessment > Approved Courses > Page 614.
- How do I get started? Purchase the course here by adding it to your cart and checking out through PayPal. After successful payment, an automated email will be sent to the email you used at checkout with course login credentials. You can then immediately begin your course in the Student Dashboard.
- Can I complete this course at my own pace? Yes, this course is available on demand. You can go through the course as fast, or as slow, as you'd like.
- Why is this course priced so differently from others? We do not offer the Lifeboatman Practical as part of our course so we can offer a lower price. Students must complete this on their own by finding a Master to sign off on it for them. Also, we want to help you earn your license at an affordable cost!