Question

[xoibsurferx]

Hello everyone! I'm currently in Charlotte, NC with dreams of moving to the coast of NC/SC. I'm looking to start a business at the coast and it'll be dinghy rides (rigid inflatable). I know normally to have people aboard for hire I'll need a captains 6 pack at a minimum which allows me to carry 6 passengers plus crew. Would I need the 6 pack to take people for rides in a powered dinghy (25-50HP/depending on which I buy).

I contacted the coast guard and haven't gotten a response and have looked online everywhere and haven't found anything about it.

Maybe someone on here may know.

[Amapola]

I don't know what credentials are required but you'd have a lot of competition from the go fast thrill rides offered at the coast. What market are you looking to serve?

[Benz]

I believe that if you're taking people out for hire, you must have a captain's ticket. Even the harbor shuttle people around here need a ticket, though I think it's one of less rigor than a six pack. Like the poster above asked: where do you hope to take people in your dinghy? Anywhere past the COLREGS line requires additional permitting and equipment. There are lots of tour companies tooling along the waterway doing manatee watching and bird watching and all that. Why not get a job with one of those for a while and get the lay of the land, so to speak? It might be that the cost of permits and slip fees and advertising and insurance and ticket selling will prove beyond your willingness to deal with, or it may be that you'll find it easy to do and enjoyable as well, and can then launch into it (pun intended) with a little more knowledge of all that's involved.

[Capt Gary]

Yes, you will need at a minimum a six pack (OUPV) Captains License whenever you are taking anyone out for hire. Additionally, even though theOUPV is for "uninspected" vessels, the boat still needs to meet certain safety requirements as well as being documented or registered for charter use.

[xoibsurferx]

Originally Posted by Capt Gary

Yes, you will need at a minimum a six pack (OUPV) Captains License whenever you are taking anyone out for hire. Additionally, even though theOUPV is for "uninspected" vessels, the boat still needs to meet certain safety requirements as well as being documented or registered for charter use.

I finally heard back from the coast guard and they told me the same that I'll need the OUPV captains 6 pack to take passengers for hire aboard any vessel inflatable or not.

Where can I find the safety requirements and how to register the vessel for charter use? I know that due to the jones act it'll have to american made which the inflatable I have chosen to use will be USA built and certified by the USCG.

[Bash]

Originally Posted by xoibsurferx

I know that due to the jones act it'll have to american made which the inflatable I have chosen to use will be USA built and certified by the USCG.

The Jones Act just stipulates that the keel needs to be laid in the USA. Back in my scuba instructor days, I had a 20' Zodiac System Pro 530 with a rigid hull built by Hurricane (USA) and tubes made in France. That was fine.

[Capt Gary]

You can also get a Jones Act Waiver if the boat is more than 3 years old. Depending on your budget, Protector makes a great 28' Inflatable, and there are also some other quality RIBs out there. The Safety requirements are basically the standard CG Safety requirements for whatever size boat you get. You can find them in any good reference like a Chapmans. They will also cover them when you take your Captains Course. Although you don't HAVE to take a course to get your Captains License (you just have to pass a four part test) I highly recommend it. There are any number of Nautial Schools out there that will either provide a classroom setting, or an online course to help you through the Captains Licensing process. As far as the Boat goes, if you plan on getting USCG Documentation for it, there is a section in the paperwork for "Endorsements" and "Primary Use". The endorsement will be "Coastwise" and the Primary Use will be "Passenger (under 6 people)". Each State also has their own Registration requirement to identify Charter boats vs recreational boats. Hope that helps. Good Luck!