Towing Officer Assessment Record

TOAR Class Details

DIAMOND MARINE SERVICES has access to towing vessels and designated examiners that can help you with your advancement to Mate (Pilot) of Towing or Master of Towing. Since 2009, we have helped many mariners by providing a platform to complete both the maneuvering requirements as well as discussion based assessments in the Towing Officer Assessment Record. Our program utilizes a working tug and barge with a full crew in the presence of a USCG approved designated examiner.

Do I qualify to participate?

Our program is reserved for experienced mariners. Mariners holding an OICNW endorsed license (STCW II/1 or II/3) can complete all the assessments in the TOAR. If you do not hold an OICNW endorsement, you may be able to join us but we may not be able to complete the TOAR in its entirety. In addition, the extra sea service needed to upgrade to a mate or master of towing from a lower level license is often a surprise to many. For these reasons, we request to open a line of communication so we can better assess your needs. Mariners holding licenses LESS THAN 500 GRT (master or mate) or those without an OICNW endorsement are accepted into the class on a case by case basis. For more information about this, please submit an inquiry via the contact form below.

Location Details:

Please visit our LOGISTICS page for more information.

Inquiry Form

Check out some recent reviews of our TOAR Class

Avg: 5.00 Stars based on 393 reviews.
Reviews Date
Excellent service as usual
★★★★★ October 30,2026
Sam and the staff at Diamond Marine Services take all of the stress out of the process of getting renewals, upgrades, etc. They walk ypu through every step and keep you informed during the process. Diamond Marine is highly recommended and I will never use another service.

-- Jared
 2026-10-30
The best way
★★★★★ October 29,2026
I hired Sam to consult on my license and he is and has been professional and available. Took his TOAR assessment today with Captain Simon. Simon is knowledgeable, concise and a pleasure to go thru this assessment with. I recommend highly Sam and Simon as well as this form of assessment to obtain your TOAR.

-- Jonathan Ramey
 2026-10-29
5 Stars + 10/10 – I Cannot Recommend Sam Zapadinsky & Diamond Marine Services Enough
★★★★★ July 13,2026
From my very first conversation with Sam, I knew I was talking to someone who genuinely cared. He never made unrealistic promises. He simply said, “There’s no guarantee, but let’s see what we can do.” Then he got to work. He carefully reviewed everything, dug into my case, identified exactly where the breakdown occurred, and ultimately confirmed what I had believed all along I had fulfilled my responsibilities, and the issue resulted from mistakes during the credentialing process, not from anything I failed to do. Sam handled the appeal process, navigated the bureaucracy, and advocated for me every step of the way. One thing I also appreciated was his professionalism. Even though I was frustrated with the Coast Guard, Sam reminded me that many of the people working there are doing the best they can with limited resources and heavy workloads. That perspective meant a lot because it showed he wasn’t interested in pointing fingers he was interested in solving problems. Because of Sam’s knowledge, persistence, and dedication, I ultimately received my captain’s license. Today I’m working in the maritime industry, making good money, and building the career I worked so hard for. That simply would not have happened without his help. If you’re thinking about submitting your Coast Guard paperwork yourself, there’s absolutely nothing wrong with that. But after what I went through, I can confidently say that hiring Sam from the beginning would have saved me months of stress, uncertainty, and frustration. He knows the system. He understands the regulations. He’s a mariner himself. Most importantly, he genuinely advocates for the people he represents. There are no gimmicks. No fluff. No false promises. Just honesty, professionalism, experience, and results. From now on, any Coast Guard credentialing, renewals, upgrades, or paperwork I ever need will be handled through Diamond Marine Services. I also highly recommend U.S. Captains Training to anyone looking to earn maritime certifications. Sue’s compassion and willingness to point me in the right direction completely changed the course of my career. To Sam and Sue thank you both. Your professionalism, integrity, and willingness to help truly made a life-changing difference for me. 10/10. Five stars isn’t enough. I recommend them without hesitation. - Part 2

-- Christopher Jones
 2026-07-13
TOAR Class
★★★★★ February 19,2026
I recently attended the TOAR Class offered by Diamond Marine, and it was a great experience. Sam helped explain the course outline and the registration process, dedicating the time to ensure that the class was a good fit. The course itself was fantastic. Captain Simon fostered a comfortable learning environment and was thorough and patient in teaching the skills. The ability to practice on a vessel out on the water was an invaluable aspect of the course and made all the difference. I cannot offer enough praise for the TOAR program offered by Diamond Marine; it is excellent. I highly recommend it.

-- Nicholas CM Perkins
 2026-02-19
Great hands on class
★★★★★ February 18,2026
Great hands on class that you cannot get in a simulator course. Very knowledgeable Instructor named Cat. Simon that really made it fun to learn.

-- Ben Graffius
 2026-02-18
Check out our REVIEWS page for more!

How much?

One day TOAR Class

Our one day TOAR Class costs $2000. We ask for a $300 deposit to hold your spot in the class. The balance of $1700 can be paid on our website prior to the start of the course. Class schedule and availability are in the table below.


What happens next?

In order to really get a handle on things, we strongly recommend filling out our INQUIRY FORM. This way we can get in touch with you with detailed information and keep you informed of class dates for the future. (We do not share or sell information to anyone and chances are if you made it this far, you could benefit from our helping you specifically!)

Submit Inquiry


TOAR Assessment Schedule. Click on the blue date link, to sign up.
Class Date Location Seats Available
Stasinos Marine Pier There is 1 Seat available

Towing licenses explained

Not all licensed mariners can operate towing vessels. In order to serve as a Mate or Master on towing vessels including push boats, wire boats, tractor tugs or ATBs, you need to hold a Mate of Towing license or a Master of Towing license. We used to call these towing endorsements but they are now viewed by the USCG as licenses that have their own evaluation requirements as well as their own renewal requirements. ALL towing licenses require you to complete a practical demonstration of maneuvering a tug & barge as well as complete a series of discussions specific to towing vessels. The assessment of these demonstrations are observed by a Designated Examiner and recorded in your Towing Officer Assessment Record.

Sample checklists for towing licenses may be found here:
Master of Towing checklist
Mate of Towing checklist
NOTE: Checklists change frequently. Please visit the NMC website for the latest checklists.

What is a TOAR?

As outlined in NVIC 3-16, the Towing Officer Assessment Record or TOAR is required to document the demonstration of proficiency in the presence of a Designated Examiner.

The TOAR is broken out into seven sections:

    1. Vessel Familiarization
    2. Navigation & Piloting
    3. Watchstanding
    4. Maneuvering
    5. Rules of the Road
    6. Safety & Emergency Response
    7. Environmental Protection

A TOAR is required if you are applying for any of the following:
  • Mate of Towing while holding a license as 200 GRT Master or less
    • 1080 days as Master required (on NON towing vessels)
    • 30 days of training & observation on towing vessels required
    • NOTE: Mariners holding a license as a Master 200 GRT or less must serve 360 days as a mate of towing before applying for Master of Towing
  • Mate of Towing while holding a license as 500 GRT Mate (or higher)
    • 30 days of training & observation on towing vessels required
  • Mate of Towing as a raise-in-grade from Apprentice Mate
    • 360 days serving as apprentice mate required
  • Master of Towing while holding a license as 500 GRT Master (or higher)
    • 30 days of training & observation on towing vessels required
  • Adding a new route to your current towing license
  • Renew current towing licence without required sea service

    • You can check out some sample TOARs below:
    TOAR GL-Inland
    TOAR NC-Oceans

    The above is a real BASIC explanation of towing licenses. With over a decade of experience helping mariners complete the steps necessary to transition into the towing industry, we can really help you figure your way through this! If you are interested in getting more information or just want to talk to someone regarding your specific situation, please submit your inquiry via our contact form at the bottom of the page.

    Look and sound confusing? That's why we're here.

    Inquiry Form

    Check out our REVIEWS page for more!