Different class's of boats and different rules

Boats can basically be grouped into 4 classes.

There is the unsuspected class. This includes most small fishing boats, some research vessels such as seismograph vessels, and small inland push boats and tugs. There really is no hard fast rule here but in general this will be correct. The uninspected class vessels have a less strict inspection criteria. Research vessels I have worked on were inspected by ABS and not the Coast Guard.

There is the under 200 ton class. These are smaller boats such as offshore tug boats, Utility boats and crew boats. These boats are inspected vessels but do to their relative small size the required documentation of the crew members is many times less strict than with the larger vessels.

You also have your 200 ton to 1600 ton vessels. This is the area I have spent most of my career and can give the best information on. These include pretty much everything bigger than a utility boat up to a ship. In general these class of vessels have the second strictest regulations for the boat and the crew. More on that later.

Lastly you have the unlimited class vessels. This would be the huge ships you see on TV, A military Aircraft carrier would be unlimited class if it was in the private sector, oil tankers like the Exxon Valdez, which is still around just has a different name now but the same ship. You also have the large cargo carriers, such as RORO ships that carry cars and other large cargo from port to port. You also see in the movies the container ships that are full of big steal boxes, they really do exist. The have LNG ships, very brave men work on those things, you will understand if you decide to work on boats and see what a BLEVE is in your STCW training.

Ok, next I will explain what you need to get a job on a boat. Most of what I explain will be geared toward the 100 ton to 1600 ton class vessels. Some of it will not apply to the uninspected vessels but in general if you don't go straight to the Unlimited class I don't recommend a lot of the uninspected vessel to start out with. I will explain why when I post about the uninspected vessels.

Give me a few weeks and then if you have any questions I will do my best to answer them. I am on a boat and it looks like I may be stuck offshore with Internet for the next 2 weeks.