Congrats Captain ! I'm not a "newbie" when it comes to boats in Florida. I owned a Sea Ray 40 'for 5 years and I later acquired a "fishing boat" on the East Coast of Florida that I still own. Apart from my sailing experience in the Bahamas and the Florida Keys and a safety education ID that I acquired in 1998 ... I never thought about getting my license of USCG Captain. That's what I just did to highlight my 65th birthday. I took my courses online with MLS. As English is not my first language, it seemed easier for me to follow the online course. I took my time and studied all the MLS manuals with discipline. I just passed my final exam with a 100% mark for "the rules of the road", 95% for navigation, 90% for "deck general" and 90% for chart plotting. If you invest the same time and the same passion that I have just passed ... you will pass the exam with success.
Can you recall how many people were in your captain's class? How many passed and how many failed? I hear the passing rate is less than 50%. Is that true?
Thanks I'm 71..had boats all my life..including built 51' steel shrimp boat..in Panama city fl..now in Tennessee..gonna get. License to take tours see Sandhill cranes near my 40' hyatt..twin cummins an flybridge .ought be fun..Martell Nelson
Actually the license for a ferry driver and other larger passenger vessels vs small boat guides is different. It is also important to have a clue about all aspects of being a professional captain and what other captains are expecting from you.. Even people in a canoe are trusting you with their lives. It doesn’t sound like you took that very seriously.
Seriously undercutting the safety aspect of everything he just learned. This is the guy that smokes into a crossing situation with a sailboat and ends up getting his head cut off by a bow spirit 🤣
Smallmouth, first congrats on passing your class. As a professional mariner I want to clarify a few things so that we don't discourage other boaters from receiving additional training and seeking licenses. The USCG is a bureaucracy just like DMV. I have found that if you give them exactly what they ask for you will not have many problems. There is no such thing as an "approved" doctor, any doctor or medical professional can examine you for the 719K. I use a Physician's Assistant in upstate NY (12533), she charges $55.00. She also does urinalysis inexpensively. The "approved class" that you took is designed to teach you what you need to know to pass the license exam. If you want safety or etiquette than I would recommend the USCG Auxiliary safe boating or power squadron class. You are correct in the fact that most of the subject matter is not normally relevant, especially to someone operating a small outboard fishing boat. However up here in the "major leagues" it's an entirely different matter. I have to use the rules of the road and navigational skills every day. I really wish more boaters would get trained like yourself so that they understand stand on and give way and act more responsibly when in proximity to the vessels I pilot. For anyone becoming a captain, getting the license is only the start of your training. Working out on the water is where you learn how to put things into practice.
Okay but I'm confused. Do you obtain this license to learn how to be on the water, or once you've already been on the water for years? Seems pointless for the latter, but the application asks for how many years of experience on the water, somehow suggesting the former?
Can you recall how many people were in your captain's class? How many passed and how many failed? I hear the passing rate is less than 50%. Is that true?
James Doolin I am an instructor in this and most maritime training. I can tell you with complete confidence that is not the case. Yes it is a very hard class, and if you don’t put effort into this class, you will not pass. That being said You can see my reply on this video in the comments section. Don’t be scared of your dreams of working on the water.
What 6 packers do not realize is that this is the base license for all other captains licenses. I’m pretty sure putting boat ramp etiquette in our course would really upset the Coast Guard. Once mariners get to the “bigs” they will understand. I’m not knocking the video at all, it has entertainment value, but it has zero educational value.
It's not useless information bro. There's nothing stopping you from using the license to it's full potential. Congrats on passing the test, I think you're going to find that education more valuable in the future than you do now.
Can you recall how many people were in your captain's class? How many passed and how many failed? I hear the passing rate is less than 50%. Is that true?
I enjoyed your straight forward take on getting a captains license. The hearing test was funny. I think I would have walked out. Thanks for the video Mike
One thing about this is you don't need the merchant mariners license for all types of guiding. You can get a guides license which is super easy and cheap to get and that would cover you for shore fishing or non mechanically powered vessels under 16ft, at least here in NY. There is also another guides license for mechanically powered vessels on non federal waters. So really you only need the captains license for federal waters.
It's a crazy process if you have been thru it or know someone who has been thru it. They used to offer a course that was abbreviated for fishing guides.
Thank you for explaining your/their process. If you could you put a price on each step, what would the be the total??? red cross, physical, cpr, application, test, course, drug test, travel, notary, please add here..... BOAT(break out another thousand) Thanks
Hey congrats on making the step to get your captain's license, I'm on the same boat, lol, you remember the name of the doctor you seen in Philly? Thanks
They don't. It doesn't even take a driver's license to own and drive one on the water. There is a Boating License, but that varies state to state and usually under the fishing conditions. A basic 6 pack Captains License trumps it and covers 100 mile travel distance away from shore and up to 100grt vessel. Anyways, it's worth it.
@@jamesjdoolin it allows you to keep your license but not use it for and indefinite period of time. in the future you can reactivate it without taking the course and exam again. I stopped using mine 10 years ago but am now thinking about starting to use it again
Yeah is that license for under six paying souls? Also how long between physicals, I've had a CDL for 20 years and are DOT physical has a max of 2 year's but can be as short as 6 months if you're not 100% like hypertension can tracker a shorter time.
Just started Catfishing from the bank on RU-vid and really stoked about people catching fish on a boat from RU-vid catfish Well I’m starting to get interested in being a guide for it in the sc area how hard is going to Sea school also have a family of 5 lol Just really nervous about going to Sea school is it hard thanks
I completed my online course passing all their tests and waiting to take the real test. WOW. I don't know if I can remember all that information when it comes test time. Do they allow you to use a calculator during the test. What things are you allowed to have with you during the test? Thanks! Please respond.
Can you recall how many people were in your captain's class? How many passed and how many failed? I hear the passing rate is less than 50%. Is that true?
Thanks for this funny informative video. How did you document all your hours on the water? Ive been boating for 40 years and now would like to get my captain's license but it seems impossible trying to somehow research and apply all of my past boating experiences and be able to use those hours as "time on the water"..
Yeah, what? How does that even work? I thought the whole point was to take the test to learn, not to be on the water for years first and then learn everything you need to know
Dude, you are cheapening the process and credential. I have my Inland 100 Ton, OUPV Near Coastal, Auxiliary Sail, and Commercial Towing. In my waters it's not useless information. Boats have sunk in adverse conditions here and people have died. The license is good for all US waters. You could be in command on the raging Pacific all the way to the mud puddle in your back yard. The CG wants to do their best for safe operation with paying customers anywhere.
Boat Ramp Etiquette was taught at your boating license and is not appropriate for your Captain's license. State's need to start requiring boat license refresher courses every 5 years!
@smallmouthcrush I want to get mine too, my question is about the boat drive time. Do I need the 360 day documented before I take the test, or does that come after the test?
I am in the process of getting my license now and i agree, what a total bunch of useless crap they make us study and learn, and how convoluted they make the rules, they are actually less safe IMHO, nobody can remember all this crap after they pass, much less in a high stress situation. Just make it red/green and white, yellow flashing and make them the same for all boats of all sizes. Like I can really tell if a boat over or under 20 meters??? I have been boating all my life and never seen a minesweeper...I saw a sub once.
You can always keep some of those books on the boat with you to refresh your memory if needed. Maybe they could just teach us how to act from the book from the beginning, but I don't know.....
There is no such thing as useless info. On the water and all you did was complain about the entire process. The bay has tons of the stuff you were taught in rules of the road.
I'm helping my husband study now. He is in the same shoes you are in. My suggestion, find someone who understands your difficulties and is patient with you and help you. Im sorry you struggle. Don't give up your dreams.
