Shiver m' timbers, the MN 'get out of jail free' option once again rears its head.
For myself as well as numerous others it worked like a charm although I'd never call it a soft option. Life aboard ship can be conducted at a brisk tempo with the routine often calling for interminable stretches of 6hrs on, 6hrs off. There were times that I thought the MN training establishment was most probably fronting for a slave labour organization firmly under the iron like fist of a latter-day Hitler youth type movement.
Cadets are awarded the jobs that real people (i.e., those who are not cadets) don't like doing and after several months you'll have acquired intimate first hand knowledge of elbow grease powered rust removing equipment and primer, paint brushes and red lead paint along with the technique that, when using rubber tools, best facilitates the removal of residual waxy sludge from oil tanks. The tank dig is best thought of as a long and tiring day out when you'll get to play with your little bucket and spade in oily muck digging away without getting a suntan in an environment that doesn't smell too good. Sounds a bit like the Skegness day trips made in your very early youth doesn't it?
After your first trip to sea you return to college for some high powered theory before more sea time when you'll be grudgingly allowed to haltingly put your newly acquired knowledge into practice. And practice it will take because practice makes perfect and as a consequence, from this point onwards, there is not quite as much time for painting over rust in your future. More periods at college follow more periods at sea, life slowly gets better and then comes the big day when you sit the exams (about 25 in all) that will award you your ticket. The first time pass rate is appalling, second time pass about 50% and lots and lots of potentials who started their MN careers with paint brush and chipping hammer will now leave with nothing to show for their 3-4 years of effort.
Point is, you will have little spare time in which to study aviation related material if you want to successfully get a class 3 ticket, earn some cash and then move on to better things. The academics in the MN (maths+ physics) far exceed anything you'll need for the ATPL and some of the crossover material such as met, nav, radio nav, radar, etc., gets covered in much greater depth. Just worry about the MN requirements until you've got the ticket in the bag. I did most of my serious ATPL study in the two years it took me to earn sufficient funds for flight training once the class 3 (2nd mate's) ticket was safely out of the way. I honestly enjoyed my time in the MN although it's a young persons game and I'd certainly never even consider going back to it.
Things to increase your earning ability: Defer leave earned as a cadet to cash it later at a much higher rate of pay once qualified, deferring leave also gets the training completed at an accelerated rate. Schedule any foreign flight training along with sea going trips to stay out of the country long enough to avoid paying income tax.
Above all, when planning the course of your future flying career remember that places in the MN are fiercely competitive and that what ever you do, don't mention your aviation ambitions to the interview board. Even in my day they weeded out the less than ( seemingly) truly committed. Finally, beware when taking the endless written psych tests; they'll tell you "there is no wrong answer''....... but they lie. You get the idea, now go do some serious research.
I think something nautical would be an appropriate header for this posting. A happy yellow fish will do nicely.
Regards,
XL5