Are You Ready To Be A Captain?

Many boaters dream of earning their captain’s license. But what does it really take?

We’re all captains of our own boats, but if you want to make that title official, you’ll need to earn a Merchant Mariner Credential (MMC) from the U.S. Coast Guard. A captain’s license primarily allows you to take out passengers for pay, but there are many other reasons you might want one: continued education, on-the-water confidence, and even lower insurance rates are all possible side benefits. Plus, of course, the cool hat and the ability to insist your friends call you “captain.”

You must also be able to prove your “sea time.” OUPV and lower grades of Master’s credentials require you to document at least 360 days of time on the water, 90 of which must have been within the past three years. Higher grades of Master’s credentials require 720 days. You must have been underway for at least four hours to count as a “day,” and actively involved in the boat’s operation as skipper or crew.

What Is A ‘Captain’s License’?

There are multiple credentials that fall into the unofficial category of “captain’s licenses.” The most common for recreational boaters is the Operator of Uninspected Passenger Vessels (OUPV) credential, sometimes called a “6-pack” license. A “6-pack” is what many charter operators hold, and it allows you to take up to six paying passengers aboard an uninspected vessel that is less than 100 gross tons. An OUPV credential could be restricted to inland, nearshore, or Great Lakes waters.

Another option is a Master’s credential, which is essentially one step up from an OUPV. Master’s credentials require more written tests and usually more sea time but allow you to take more than six paying passengers aboard inspected passenger vessels. A Master’s also comes with geographic restrictions ranging from inland to offshore, as well as vessel tonnage ratings, often 25, 50, 100, 200, and unlimited.

Are You Eligible?

Before signing up for the next available class, make sure you’re eligible for the credential you’re after. To apply for any MMC, you must be a U.S. citizen and be able to pass a Transportation Security Administration (TSA) background check, Department of Transportation (DOT) drug test, and a medical evaluation that includes vision and hearing tests, physical tasks like lifting 40 pounds, and discussion of any conditions that could interfere with the duties of a captain.

You must also be able to prove your “sea time.” OUPV and lower grades of Master’s credentials require you to document at least 360 days of time on the water, 90 of which must have been within the past three years. Higher grades of Master’s credentials require 720 days. You must have been underway for at least four hours to count as a “day,” and actively involved in the boat’s operation as skipper or crew.

To document sea time aboard your own boat, you’ll need to submit proof of ownership, such as a copy of the title or registration. For time aboard someone else’s boat, you’ll need to get the owner to sign the form for you. The sea time you submit determines which grade of license the Coast Guard ultimately offers you. If you’re going for an OUPV, you’ll receive a designation for “Inland,” “Near Coastal,” or “Great Lakes,” based on where your sea time was recorded. For a Master’s, you’ll receive a similar geographic designation as well as a tonnage cap, depending on the size(s) of the boat(s) your time is recorded on.

If you’re unsure whether you can document at least 360 days on the water, it’s best to hold off on the class and exams until you can. Much of the required paperwork, including a passing test grade, expires if not submitted within a year.

What Do They Teach In Captain’s Class?

If you can meet the basic requirements and have at least 360 days of sea time, you’re ready to start preparing for the written tests. Technically, you don’t have to take a class – but I highly recommend taking a class anyway. There are online, weekend-only, and immersive multiweek classes available for every kind of schedule and learning style, and they’re all well worth the money. The kind of material on the Coast Guard’s exams is far more advanced and specific than many boaters naturally encounter, even those with decades of experience.

The OUPV and Master’s exams are very similar and consist of four multiple-choice modules (five for Master’s). The first, Rules of the Road, includes navigation lights, day shapes, sound signals, and right-of-way rules. That may sound simple, but I assure you there’s far more to it than meets the eye. Have you ever seen a big ship in the distance with a dozen nav lights on and thought to yourself, “Huh, that’s a big ship!” By the time you’re done with a captain’s class, you’ll be able to say, “That’s a trawler under 50 meters with nets out” or “That’s a tug under 50 meters with a tow over 200 meters.” Be prepared to dust off the flashcards for this one!

The next test is Navigation General, which covers compasses, nautical charts, Aids to Navigation, navigation electronics, tides, and currents. Many experienced boaters pick up this content fairly easily because it’s more relatable to our daily lives on the water.

The third test is Navigation Problems.

Many captain’s classes spend a disproportionate amount of time focused on this section, because it involves using dividers and parallel rulers to plot courses on traditional paper charts with a high degree of precision. This is well worth taking your time to practice.

The final test is Deck General, and for Master’s there’s also Deck Safety. Some of the content on these tests will be familiar to many boaters, like best practices for VHF radios, while others, like shipboard firefighting techniques, may be more alien.

Some captain’s schools will administer these tests to you in the final days of class and provide you with a certificate that you’ll submit to the Coast Guard. Some schools, however, don’t administer the exam itself; you’ll need to make an appointment at a Coast Guard testing facility to take it there.