MANNING OF CERTAIN VESSELS 139 



provided in section 569 of this title, shall be permitted to depart from 

 any port of the United States unless she has on board a crew not less 

 than 75 per centum of which, in each department thereof, are able 

 to understand any order given by the officers of such vessel, nor unless 

 65 per centum of her deck crew, exclusive of licensed officers and 

 apprentices, are of a rating not less than able seamen. Every person 

 shall be rated an able seaman, and qualified for service as such on the 

 seas, who is, nineteen years of age or upward, and has had at least 

 three years' service on deck at sea or on the Great Lakes, on a vessel 

 or vessels to which this section applies, including decked fishing vessels, 

 and vessels, in United States Government service; and every person 

 shall be rated an able seaman, and qualified to serve as such on the 

 Great Lakes and on the smaller lakes, bays, or sounds who is nineteen 

 years of age or upward and has had at least eighteen months' service 

 on deck at sea or on the Great Lakes or on the smaller lakes, bays, or 

 sounds, on a vessel or vessels to which this section applies, including 

 decked fishing vessels and vessels in the United States Government 

 service; and graduates of school ships approved by and conducted 

 under rules prescribed by the Commandant of the Coast Guard may 

 be rated able seamen upon graduation in good standing from said 

 school ships: Provided^ That no boy shall be shipped on any vessel 

 to which this section applies unless he meets the physical qualifica- 

 tions contained in regulations to be prescribed by the Commandant 

 of the Coast Guard and that no boy shall be placed on the lookout or 

 at the wheel except for the purpose of learning, and that in narrow 

 and crowded waters or in low visibility none below the rating of able 

 seaman shall be permitted at the wheel : Provided further^ That no 

 deck boy shall be held qualified to fill the place of ordinary seaman 

 until he has had at least six months' service as deck boy: Provided 

 further. That upon examination, under rules prescribed by the Coast 

 Guard as to eyesight, hearing, and physical condition, such persons 

 or graduates are found to be competent : Provided further^ That upon 

 examination, under rules prescribed by the Coast Guard as to eyesight, 

 hearing, physical condition, and knowledge of the duties of seaman- 

 ship, a person found competent may be rated as able seaman after 

 having served on deck twelve months at sea or on the Great Lakes, 

 but seamen examined and rated able seamen under this proviso shall 

 not in any case compose more than one-fourth of the number of able 

 seamen required by this section to be shipped or employed upon any 

 vessel. 



Members of engine department 



46 U.S.C. 672(e) 



No vessel to which this section applies may be navigated unless all 

 of the complement in her engine department above the rating of coal 

 passer or wiper and below the rating of licensed officer shall be holders 

 of a certificate of service as a qualified member of the engine depart- 

 ment. The Coast Guard shall, upon application and examination 

 as to competence and physical condition, as prescribed by the Com- 

 mandant of the Coast Guard, issue such a certificate of service. An 

 applicant for such rating shall produce to the Coast Guard definite 

 proof of at least six months' service at sea in a rating at least equal to 



