Is skill in swimming required?

[lid431]

I am interested in SUNY Maritime's engineering program, but I could not swim,
is swimming required for graduation?

Thanks

[Capt. Nemo]

I am interested in SUNY Maritime's engineering program, but I could not swim,
is swimming required for graduation?

Thanks

Learn to swim. It's a pretty natural skill and not difficult. I've seen guys go into the water who couldn't swim and, suddenly, were able to.

Practice and get some instruction from someplace like the YMCA. I went through AB and Survival Craft classes with a couple of guys from Caldive who "couldn't swim". They did, with a little help and encouragement.

I helped them swim. They helped me get my fat old ass into that liferaft. They did more work than I did. Lord, to be twenty-five again.

If you're going to work on the water, learn to swim and wear a PFD. They'll both keep you alive for a while if you're in the water and hadn't planned to be.

Nemo

[Captain Electron!!]

Learn to swim. It's a pretty natural skill and not difficult. I've seen guys go into the water who couldn't swim and, suddenly, were able to.

Practice and get some instruction from someplace like the YMCA. I went through AB and Survival Craft classes with a couple of guys from Caldive who "couldn't swim". They did, with a little help and encouragement.

I helped them swim. They helped me get my fat old ass into that liferaft. They did more work than I did. Lord, to be twenty-five again.

If you're going to work on the water, learn to swim and wear a PFD. They'll both keep you alive for a while if you're in the water and hadn't planned to be.

Nemo

I was a rescue swimmer in the USCG and taught BST / open water swimming etc . . This is absolutely correct and excellent advice!

Don't be shy or embarrased to go to a local Y or somewhere. There is a large percentage (I've heard up to 30% quoted from official sources) of Americans who just aren't swimmers, as they've never had the need or desire to learn.

The other angle is the number of "weak swimmers" who have not been in the water for many years. The latter is a VERY common catagory, in fact they say that any given time, up to 90% of active mariners actually haven't been in he water swimming in the previous 12 months, and should be considered "weak" swimmers.

If you're not comfortable in the water at this point, don't sweat that either. Just let them know when you go for a class - They teach this thing all the time . .

[bluejay]

Please learn to swim. I was working on deck in some heavy seas, water around the ankles, and noticed an OS who was wide-eyed and unable to concentrate on the job at hand. When I realized he couldn't swim, I also realized that his deficiency put all of us at risk.

It's not right that so many get 'passed on' during BST and personal survival courses. I've seen it.

My son made it to his early teens and wasn't a strong swimmer. To move through Boy Scouts he had to master swimming. It took me two seasons to help him get there, but now he is an accomplished swimmer/snorkeler and will soon be learning scuba diving.

Many non-swimmers had parents who never taught them, sadly it becomes intergenerational.

Anyone can swim given enough patient training.

[jdcavo]

Yes. In the past it was simply a school requirement, now it is part of STCW Basic Safety Training that is required to obtain the license and STCW certification.

On a related but irrelevant note, my wife had to learn to swim to graduate from Penn State. Apparently there was a rash of drownings in Pennsylvania farm ponds and the school's charter asan agricultural school included a requirement that graduates be able to swim.

[lid431]

Thanks for all the advices, I will be attending some YMCA swimming courses this summer if I have time.

And I don't really plan on working on ship, I prefer Suny Maritime b/c it is an engineering school.
Are there others out there that choose to work offshore after graduation?
And does Maritime still offer 100 percent job placement? including none maritime related jobs?

Thanks

[Robert]

Yes. In the past it was simply a school requirement, now it is part of STCW Basic Safety Training that is required to obtain the license and STCW certification.

On a related but irrelevant note, my wife had to learn to swim to graduate from Penn State. Apparently there was a rash of drownings in Pennsylvania farm ponds and the school's charter asan agricultural school included a requirement that graduates be able to swim.

I believe the STCW requirement is to swim while wearing a life jacket -- not too high a bar really!

[Mr 100-ton]

stcw BST required us to swim 2 laps, any style to the end of the pool an back,,, u can do it in the shallow end 4 feet deep,, only 50 feet each way,, spend 1 week in a pool at a gym and you will be fine,,, just remember to breath air and not water,, fat floats most people can float for hours just treading water,,,,easy 2 do,,, just get over the fear and in no time you will b swimming in the ocean with the bikini babes

[lid431]

is it common for people to choose non maritime related jobs after graduation?

[Robert]

stcw BST required us to swim 2 laps, any style to the end of the pool an back,,, u can do it in the shallow end 4 feet deep,, only 50 feet each way,, spend 1 week in a pool at a gym and you will be fine,,, just remember to breath air and not water,, fat floats most people can float for hours just treading water,,,,easy 2 do,,, just get over the fear and in no time you will b swimming in the ocean with the bikini babes

I do not see that requirement in the STCW code.

[jdcavo]

stcw BST required us to swim 2 laps...

The school you went to required you top swim 2 laps. That requirement is not from the Coast Guard, and it's not in STCW. The USCG BST assessment guidelines call for, as already noted, swimming 50 feet while wearing a PFD.

[lid431]

The school you went to required you top swim 2 laps. That requirement is not from the Coast Guard, and it's not in STCW. The USCG BST assessment guidelines call for, as already noted, swimming 50 feet while wearing a PFD.

By the way, is BST a test that all merchant marines need to pass in order to obtain a license from the Coast Guard?

[terminalvelocity16]

As stated before it's not exactly mandatory to be able to swim, but STCW does state you need to be trained to right a life-raft while in the water, as well as jump into the water in a life jacket, as well as properly don a cold water immersion suit in under 2 minutes, as well as float in it. In addition to that, there is a mandatory swimming class which is designed to enhance everyones swimming skills. I.e, swimming 10 laps in 15 minutes, treading in open water for at least 10min. These are not requirements per se, but they are going to make you learn.

[silverbk]

Swimming is required, Swimming and Water Safety PE100 is a required class for all degrees. This is where you will have your STCW skills assessed (for the water related skills.)

The final exam is swimming 500 yards in under 12 minutes. It's not a high bar but students that blow off their laps during the semester struggle with it. I have never seen anyone that actually shows up fail the course. However if you do, like any other course you can simply take it again. A better strategy would be to "audit" the class for a semester before taking it for the credit.

I recommend that you have some competency before you come here, but this is not Navy Seal School, the class is designed to teach you not to drown.

[jdcavo]

Swimming is required, Swimming and Water Safety PE100 is a required class for all degrees. This is where you will have your STCW skills assessed (for the water related skills.)

The final exam is swimming 500 yards in under 12 minutes. It's not a high bar but students that blow off their laps during the semester struggle with it. I have never seen anyone that actually shows up fail the course. However if you do, like any other course you can simply take it again. A better strategy would be to "audit" the class for a semester before taking it for the credit.

I recommend that you have some competency before you come here, but this is not Navy Seal School, the class is designed to teach you not to drown.

As I posted in response to asimilar comment earlier in this discussion, this is not the Coast Guard standard, it's set by the school. The Coast Guard requirement is less.

[mslilith2000]

It has been my observation that people who can't swim (adult or child) often have difficulty putting their face in the water. With kids, for example, if you are very careful not to get any water on their faces (other than a damp washcloth) while giving a bath, they don't get used to getting water in their face. It doesn't matter if it's from a squirt gun or a pool - it makes them panic. All of the non-swimming adults I've asked had a parent who didn't let the slightest drop of water near their face in the tub and these adults continue to feel uncomfortable with water in their face.

If this is something that makes you nervous, you can practice in the tub or the shallow end of a pool. Or, you can start with a soaking wet washcloth on your face for a few seconds, leaving it on a bit longer and longer each time. Then work up to partially submerging your face (up to the nose for example) in the shallow end of the pool. Eventually, you can work up to putting your entire face underwater. And it's ok to hold your nose - we're not talking winning a gold medal here.

I know this sounds stupid but feeling comfortable with putting their face in water really can be an issue for people who don't know how to swim. I've taught a lot of friends (and their kids) to swim by slowly getting them used to getting their face wet. Once they get the hang of that the rest is far less intimidating.

[richard8000milesaway]

learn to swim. it is a good survival skill regardless of where you end up in life. can you imagine sitting on the bank of a river gnashing your teeth and pulling your hair as your 4 year old son drowns and you can't save him??? screw that. learn to swim. please.