(a) An applicant for an endorsement as first-class pilot need not hold any other officer endorsement issued under this part.

(b) The issuance of an endorsement as first-class pilot to an individual qualifies that individual to serve as pilot over the routes specified on the endorsement, subject to any limitations imposed under paragraph (c) of this section.

(c) The OCMI issuing an endorsement as first-class pilot imposes appropriate limitations commensurate with the experience of the applicant, with respect to class or type of vessel, tonnage, route, and waters.

(d) A license or MMC endorsement issued for service as a master, mate, or operator of uninspected towing vessels authorizes service as a pilot under the provisions of § 15.812 of this subchapter. Therefore, first-class pilot endorsements will not be issued with tonnage limitations of 1,600 GRT or less.

(a) The minimum service required to qualify an applicant for an endorsement as first-class pilot is predicated upon the nature of the waters for which pilotage is desired.

(1) General routes (routes not restricted to rivers, canals and small lakes. The applicant must have at least 36 months of service in the deck department of self-propelled vessels navigating on oceans, coastwise, and Great Lakes, or bays, sounds, and lakes other than the Great Lakes, as follows:

(i) Eighteen months of the 36 months of service must be performing bridge watchkeeping duties under the supervision of the master or a qualified officer.

(ii) At least 12 months of the 18 months of service required in paragraph (a)(1)(i) of this section must be on vessels operating on the class of waters for which pilotage is desired.

(2) River routes. The applicant must have at least 36 months of service in the deck department of any vessel including at least 12 months of service on vessels operating on the waters of rivers while the applicant is performing bridge watchkeeping duties under the supervision of the master or a qualified officer.

(3) Canal and small lakes routes. The applicant must have at least 24 months of service in the deck department of any vessel including at least 8 months of service on vessels operating on canals or small lakes.

(b) A graduate of the Great Lakes Maritime Academy in the deck class meets the service requirements of this section for an endorsement as first-class pilot on the Great Lakes.

(c) Completion of an approved or accepted pilot training course may be substituted for a portion of the service requirements of this section in accordance with § 10.404 of this subchapter. Additionally, roundtrips made during this training may apply toward the route familiarization requirements of § 11.705 of this subpart. An individual using substituted service must have at least 9 months of shipboard service.

(d) An individual holding a license or MMC endorsement as master or mate of inspected self-propelled vessels of more than 1,600 GRT meets the service requirements of this section for an endorsement as first-class pilot.

(a) The Officer in Charge, Marine Inspection (OCMI) has jurisdiction and determines within the range limitations specified in this section, the number of roundtrips required to qualify an applicant for a particular route, considering the following:

(1) The geographic configuration of the waterway.

(2) The type and size of vessels using the waterway.

(3) The abundance or absence of aids to navigation.

(4) The background lighting effects.

(5) The known hazards involved, including waterway obstructions or constrictions such as bridges, narrow channels, or sharp turns.

(6) Any other factors unique to the route that the OCMI deems appropriate.

(b) An applicant holding no other deck officer endorsement seeking an endorsement as first-class pilot must furnish evidence of having completed a minimum number of roundtrips, while serving as quartermaster, wheelsman, able seaman, apprentice pilot, or in an equivalent capacity, standing regular watches at the wheel or in the pilot house as part of routine duties, over the route sought. Evidence of having completed a minimum number of roundtrips while serving as an observer, properly certified by the master and/or pilot of the vessel, is also acceptable. The range of roundtrips for an endorsement is a minimum of 12 roundtrips and a maximum of 20 roundtrips. An applicant may have additional routes added to the first-class pilot endorsement by meeting the requirements in paragraph (c) of this section.

(c) An applicant who currently holds a deck officer license or MMC endorsement seeking an endorsement as first-class pilot for a particular route must furnish evidence of having completed the number of roundtrips over the route, specified by the OCMI, within the range limitations of this paragraph, for the particular grade of existing license or MMC endorsement held. The range of roundtrips for an endorsement is a minimum of eight roundtrips and a maximum of 15 roundtrips.

(d) Unless determined impracticable by the OCMI, 25 percent of the roundtrips required by the OCMI under this section must be made during the hours of darkness.

(e) One of the roundtrips required by the OCMI under this section must be made over the route within the 6 months immediately preceding the date of application.

[USCG-2004-17914, 78 FR 77909, Dec. 24, 2013, as amended by USCG-2004-17914, 79 FR 55657, Sept. 17, 2014]

(a) An applicant for an endorsement as first-class pilot, except as noted in paragraph (b) of this section, is required to pass the examination described in subpart I of this part.

(b) An applicant for an extension of route, or an applicant holding a license or MMC endorsement as master or mate authorized to serve on vessels of more than 1,600 GRT seeking an endorsement as first-class pilot, is required to pass those portions of the examination described in subpart I of this part that concern the specific route for which endorsement is sought.

(a) This section applies only to an individual who pilots a vessel of 1,600 GRT or more.

(b) Every person holding an MMC endorsement as first-class pilot, or a master or mate serving as a pilot under § 15.812 of this subchapter, must have a thorough physical examination each year. This annual physical examination must be completed by the first day of the month following the anniversary of the individual's most recently completed Coast Guard-required physical examination. Each annual physical examination must meet the requirements specified in 46 CFR, part 10, subpart C, and be recorded on the form CG-719K.

(1) Every five years, in accordance with the medical certificate requirements in §§ 10.301(b), 10.302(a), and 10.304(d) of this chapter, the results of the most recent physical examination must be submitted to the Coast Guard.

(2) The results of the physical examination must also be submitted to the Coast Guard no later than 30 calendar days after completion of the physical examination in any of the following circumstances:

(i) The examining medical practitioner documents that the individual does not meet the physical ability requirements as set forth in § 10.304(c) of this subchapter;

(ii) The examining medical practitioner documents that the individual has a condition that does not meet the general medical exam requirements described in § 10.304(a), the vision requirements described in § 10.305, or the hearing requirements described in § 10.306 of this subchapter;

(iii) The examining medical practitioner documents on a CG-719K that the individual is not recommended for a medical certificate or needs further review by the Coast Guard as set forth in § 10.301(a) of this subchapter; or

(iv) If the Coast Guard requests the results of an examination, they must be submitted no later than 30 calendar days after the date of the request.

(c) An individual's first-class pilot endorsement becomes invalid on the first day of the month following the anniversary of the individual's most recently completed Coast Guard-required physical examination, if the person does not meet the physical examination requirement as provided in paragraph (b) of this section. The individual may not operate under the authority of that endorsement until a physical examination has been satisfactorily completed.

(d) A master or mate may not serve as a pilot on a vessel 1,600 GRT or more under § 15.812 of this subchapter if the person does not meet the physical examination requirements provided in paragraph (b) of this section.

[USCG-2004-17914, 78 FR 77909, Dec. 24, 2013, as amended by USCG-2020-0069, 87 FR 66590, Nov. 4, 2022]

(a) In order to obtain a first-class pilot endorsement authorizing service on vessels of unlimited tonnage over a particular route, the applicant must have sufficient experience on vessels of more than 1,600 GRT.

(b) For purposes of this section, an applicant is considered to have sufficient experience if the applicant has 18 months of experience as master, mate, quartermaster, wheelsman, able seaman, apprentice pilot, or in an equivalent capacity, standing regular watches at the wheel or in the pilothouse as part of routine duties, on vessels of 1,600 GRT or more, and two-thirds of the minimum number of roundtrips required for the route have been on vessels of 1,600 GRT or more.

(c) If an applicant does not have sufficient experience on vessels of 1,600 GRT or more, the endorsement will be for a limited tonnage until the applicant completes a number of additional roundtrips, as determined by the OCMI, within the range contained in § 11.705(b) or (c), as appropriate on vessels of 1,600 GRT or more.

(d) For purposes of this section, for experience with respect to tonnage on towing vessels, the combined gross tonnage of the towing vessels and the vessels towed will be considered. However, the Coast Guard may require that all or a portion of the required number of roundtrips be obtained on self-propelled vessels of 1,600 GRT or more, when the Coast Guard determines that due to the nature of the waters and the overall experience of the applicant, self-propelled vessel experience is necessary to obtain a first-class pilot endorsement that is not restricted to tug and barge combinations.

[USCG-2004-17914, 78 FR 77909, Dec. 24, 2013, as amended by USCG-2004-17914, 79 FR 55657, Sept. 17, 2014; USCG-2021-0348, 87 FR 3223, Jan. 21, 2022]

(a) If a first-class pilot has not served over a particular route within the past 60 months, that person's license or MMC endorsement is invalid for that route, and remains invalid until the individual has made one re-familiarization round trip over that route, except as provided in paragraph (b) of this section. Whether this requirement is satisfied or not has no effect on the renewal of other licenses or MMC endorsements. Roundtrips made within the 90-day period preceding renewal will be valid for the duration of the renewed license or MMC endorsement.

(b) For certain long or extended routes, the OCMI may, at his or her discretion, allow the re-familiarization requirement to be satisfied by reviewing appropriate navigation charts, coast pilots tide and current tables, local Notice to Mariners, and any other materials that would provide the pilot with current knowledge of the route. Persons using this method of re-familiarization must certify, when applying for renewal of their license or MMC endorsement, the material they have reviewed and the dates on which this was accomplished. Review within the 90-day period preceding renewal is valid for the duration of the renewed MMC endorsement.