I’ve spent more than 30 years as a professional captain, participated in thousands of marine assistance and rescue operations, and helped train more than 10,000 mariners. I built Confident Captain so you can learn from a captain—not a publishing house.
As a professional captain and maritime instructor
Of marine assistance and rescue operations
Developing and delivering Coast Guard-approved training
Mariners trained
These courses were not created by anonymous content writers. They were built from decades of professional experience on the water, in the classroom, and inside the maritime industry.
Because our courses are Coast Guard approved, you do not complete the training and then go somewhere else to sit for a separate Coast Guard examination. You study our material and take our approved exam.
We teach the material so you understand what the answer means and why it matters. That makes the exam easier—and gives you knowledge you can actually use after you leave the dock.
Online training should not mean being left alone. When you need help, you can reach experienced captains and instructors who understand both the material and the challenges of earning a license.
Study when your schedule allows, move at a reasonable pace, and return to the material as needed. The course is structured to be manageable without lowering the standard.
Confident Captain is part of a professional maritime community. Through the Professional Captains Association, graduates can continue learning, building relationships, and developing throughout their careers.
I earned my first captain’s license in 1992. Back then, captain’s school was mostly about memorizing enough Coast Guard questions to pass an exam.
I passed the test. The real education came later—on the water.
It came through thousands of marine assistance and rescue operations, towing and salvage work, passenger operations, training professional mariners, building maritime businesses, and making decisions when the consequences were real.
More than 30 years later, too many people are still being taught how to pass an exam without being taught how to think like a captain.
I built Confident Captain to change that.
Our courses are practical, straightforward, and built around understanding the material—not merely memorizing possible answers. You learn from experienced captains, receive help when you need it, and take our Coast Guard-approved exam when you are ready.
The goal is certainly to help you earn your license. But it is also to help you become the kind of captain others can trust.
Then give this its own large pull quote:
My name and reputation are attached to every course we offer. I take that seriously.
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Capt. Kent Dresser has spent more than 30 years as a professional captain, maritime instructor, business owner, and small-craft operations expert.
He earned his first captain’s license in 1992 and went on to participate in thousands of marine assistance and rescue operations throughout Southern New England. His career has included towing, salvage, passenger operations, maritime safety, accident investigation, consulting, and the development of Coast Guard-approved training and examination programs.
Kent has helped more than 10,000 mariners earn professional credentials and become safer, more capable captains. His clients and training partners have included professional mariners, first responders, public utilities, government agencies, nonprofit organizations, and members of the United States Armed Forces.
He holds a Bachelor of Arts in Marine Affairs from the University of Rhode Island and graduate degrees in business administration and philosophy from the University of Mary. He is currently completing doctoral research focused on judgment, virtue-based leadership, organizational culture, and decision-making in high-consequence organizations.
Confident Captain brings all of that experience together in one place: practical training, Coast Guard-approved examinations, and direct support from people who know the work.
In addition to founding Confident Captain, Captain Dresser has consulted with government agencies, public utilities, private industry, and nonprofit organizations on leadership, risk management, safety, and organizational performance. His practical experience, combined with graduate research in leadership and ethics, shapes every course we teach.
Throughout his career, Captain Dresser has remained committed to one simple belief: people deserve more than a course that teaches them how to pass an exam. They deserve practical instruction that helps them understand the material, build confidence, and become better captains long after the test is over.
That philosophy continues to guide every course, every lesson, and every learner who joins Confident Captain.
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