Coast Guard Boating Course – Becoming Licensed in Just Three Steps

 

Any boater thinking about carriage of passengers for hire or starting their own charter business in the United States will need to take a coast guard boating course in order to get a suitable license. An Operator of an Uninspected Passenger Vessel (OUPV) with a coastal endorsement can carry up to six passengers up to a hundred miles from the coast. You too, can become an OUPV, and make a profit from your boat, if you follow the strategies below.

 

Better yet, bring along your entire crew for the training. Eighty-five percent of fatalities involve operators who did not have formal boating education. The Coast Guard Boating Course will teach you the basics of seamanship, and enable you to get your charter license. The knowledge you will gain by taking the boat course will be used over and over again as you operate your vessel.

 

The Coast Guard boating course includes lessons on reading nautical charts, finding latitude, longitude and distance, finding direction, and boater safety. You can practice for the boater exam using the quizzes provided with the course material, so that you will successfully complete the examination, and ultimately get your license to carry passengers.

 

Of course, safety does not end with getting licensed to operate your charters. You need to make sure you have enough lifejackets on board for everyone, and you’ll also need safety equipment like flares, sound producing devices, and fire extinguishers.

The U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary and the United States Power Squadrons offer boating safety courses in most areas. They are basically free except for the cost of the course materials. A lot of companies will offer discounts on boat insurance to persons who successfully complete a USCGA or Power Squadron course.