For boaters ready to run paid charters with up to six passengers. Complete your 56.5-hour USCG-approved course and exam 100% online, at your own pace.
$499
No classroom, no testing center.
Fishing, sailing and sightseeing trips.
Launch a charter or take paid captain work.
Our exam replaces the Coast Guard's.
Turn your sea time into a professional captain’s credential without sitting in a classroom or traveling to a Coast Guard testing center. Confident Captain gives you the USCG-approved training and exam you need in one straightforward online program.
Start anytime, work at your own pace, and take our exam online from home. When you need help, you reach an experienced captain-instructor, not a call center or a marketing company. Pass our exam and receive the course certificate you’ll submit with your Merchant Mariner Credential application.
Every approved course leads to the same Coast Guard credential. Ours is $499.
When you need help, you reach an experienced captain-instructor, not a call center or a marketing company.
You don't need your sea time or paperwork finished to begin. Train now, complete the rest as you go.
Take up to six paying passengers out fishing.
Run paid day sails and sailing trips.
Offer harbor, coastal and sunset tours.
Get hired to run other owners' charter trips.
1
Check out online and begin the course immediately.
2
Work through 56.5 hours at your own pace, then pass our USCG-approved exam online.
3
Submit your course certificate with your Merchant Mariner Credential application to the National Maritime Center.
You don’t need every Coast Guard application requirement completed before you enroll. Start your training now, then complete your sea-service documentation, physical, drug test, TWIC, CPR and First Aid, and application package before you submit your credential application.
You need at least 360 days of sea service, with at least 90 days within the last three years. Your sea service must be on vessels of appropriate size for the license you’re applying for.
You must be at least 18 years old for an OUPV license. All sea time you document must be earned after age 16.
You must pass a USCG-approved physical exam and either show enrollment in a USCG-approved drug testing program or pass a drug test within the last six months.
You must get a TWIC card, which includes a TSA security background check. It also gets you TSA PreCheck when you fly.
You need a valid CPR and First Aid certification from a USCG-approved provider such as the American Red Cross or American Heart Association.
Submit a complete application package, including all required documentation, forms and fees, to the National Maritime Center online.
Become a Professional Captains Association member and unlock exclusive pricing on Confident Captain courses, plus ongoing professional resources, industry updates and tools for your career.
“I would never have felt appropriately prepared to take my yacht master practical examination if not for Kent and his team. Peter’s tutelage opened my eyes to areas that I hadn’t previously considered nor explored. I would not have been nearly as successful without his guidance and Kent’s encouragement to pursue this through Confident Captain.”
Anderson Reggio, Professional Sailor/Navigator
“It was a once in a lifetime experience that you hope you never have to experience at sea. The instructors were amazing and made sure you knew the content before you left the classroom each day.”
Participant, STCW course
You’ll need these for the course. They’re available from your local marine retailer or online.
56.5 hours, fully online. Start anytime.
$499
Sign up for more details.
