Ordinary Seaman

Transport Canada put out TP10038-e in 2003, the small fishing vessel safety manual which is a pretty general guide to boating and the marine environment. You could view this publication as a sort of primer for the deck curriculum; as all of the topics covered in this publication are covered in greater depth as a mariner progresses in their marine career. (also available offsite here)

Bridge Watchman Rating

This is usually a deckhand's first 'ticket', obtained after proving a certain degree of seaman's knowledge and working at sea for a short period of time. This is where I first started out... If you are a canadian citizen and are indigenous or a woman (or both dare I say..?) then this course is offered for FREE by 2 training institutions in British Columbia (BCIT in Vancouver/Camosun in Victoria) as the 'Enhanced Bridge Watch Rating'. I am first nations myself and want to work in an industry with more first nations people, and I want to see a future where women aren't a minority in the industry anymore.

Chartwork and pilotage level 2 is the highest level of chartwork certification available and is defined in page 167 of TP2293E. The syllabus covers definitions of earth's geometry, ability to plot courses on a chart accounting for wind and tide, practical position fixing, tidal calculations, and ability to use publications for passage planning. The most basic equipment needed for chartwork are a parallel ruler (or 2 large protractor triangles) and a navigation divider.

exam difficulty: 3/5
focus on: taking the time to learn chartwork properly without rushing work, light mathematics review

Meteorology level 2 is the highest level of meteorology certification available. Meterology level 2 can be challenged without holding any prior level of meteorology certification. The syllabus for MET2 is laid out on page 57 of TP2293E, and the syllabus for MET1 is on page 139.

exam difficulty: 3/5
focus on: a broad range of content is covered, so use the sample exams to narrow down the content you need to focus on understanding.

The navigation safety level 1 syllabus is laid out on page 171 of TP2293E, and covers the content of the collision regulations, principles of the STCW code, and recommendations from the international conference on training and certification of seafarers 1978 (or from any colregs textbook including these welcome additions.

overall difficulty: 4/5
focus on: reading the rules carefully and creating a system early on for note taking or memorization. do not be afraid to challenge and fail this exam the first time.

Communications level 1 and 2 are in the process of being merged into one curriculum, but in TP2293E (page 47/8) are still split into 2 seperate small syllabuses. The content is use and recognition of international code flags, and other internationally recognized systems for communication in distress. Examination is partially open book.

overall difficulty: 1/5
focus on: memorize flags and some associated morse, familiarize with publications beforehand. TP2293E says the morse portion is to be tested during oral exams so don't forget to review it even if it's defunct...

The syllabus for GSK level 3 is on page 173 of TP2293E. The content covered is largely publication based and the examination is open-book, allowing access to 22+ international and canadian publications.

overall difficulty: 3/5
focus on: familiarity with publications and the differences between domestic and international regulations. know which publications to look in for answers as this is an open book examination.

EPS is a prerequisite for SEN-O or SEN-1, as part of the simulation training portion. EPS is issued by a training institute and is defined in a seperate publication than other courses, TP4958. This course is about the equipment used onboard for navigation and focuses on how it works, and the margins of error in all shipboard equipment and systems.

overall difficulty: 2/5
focus on: memorizing definitions. try to line the course up with SEN-O, which requires this course as a prerequisite, or ECDIS, which enhances the learning in that course.

This is an in-person course that must be taken through an institution. This is the most expensive course to take, and may have a longer waitlist to get into. Prerequisite exams and certifications for SEN-O are CP2, NS1, SEN-EPS, and ROC-MC. I have no notes to share as this is a practical course, where collision avoidance and safe navigation are the focus.

course difficulty: 4/5
everything comes down to the final passage done with the marine examiner's supervision. trust in yourself, your judgement and your knowledge.