OFFICERS AND MERCHANT SEAMEN 177 



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 seamanship, 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. 



Certificate of service as able seaman 



46 U.S.C. 672(b) 



Application may be made to the Coast Guard for a certificate of 

 service as able seaman, and upon proof being made to the Coast 

 Guard by affidavit and examination, under rules approved by the 

 Commandant of the Coast Guard, showing the nationality and age 

 of the applicant, the vessel or vessels on which he has had service, 

 that he is skilled in the work usually performed by able seamen, 

 and that he is entitled to such certificate under the provisions of 

 this section, the Coast Guard shall issue to said applicant a certificate 

 of service as able seaman, which shall be retained by him and be 

 accepted as prima-facie evidence of his rating as an able seaman. 



Exception to section 672; certain persons as able seamen 



46 U.S.C. 672-2 



Notwithstanding any provision of section 672 of this title, every 

 person may be rated as an able seaman for the purpose of serving 

 on vessels of not more than five hundred gross tons, on bays and 

 sounds, when such vessels are not carrying passengers, who is nine- 

 teen years of age and upward and who has had at least twelve 

 months of service on deck at sea or on the Great Lakes or on the 

 bays and sounds connected directly with the sea. 



Exception to section 672; seagoing barges 



46 U.S.C. 672b-l 



Notwithstanding any provision of section 672 of this title, every 

 person may be rated as an able seaman for the purpose of serving 

 on seagoing barges who is nineteen years of age and upward, and 

 who has had at least twelve months of service on deck at sea or 

 on the Great Lakes or on the bays and sounds connected directly 

 with the seas. 



763-778 O — 65 13 



