Captain's License Curriculum

[unbusted67]

Hey guys, I have a great opportunity teaching some high school kids as part of a work study program for the school on my island community.

I am trying to put together a curriculum that mimics what one might get if one were to take a real captain's license course. I am hoping to use the CF group mind to help hunt down said curriculum. The practice tests the USCG provides all seem to be for 200 ton and up. I am looking for 6 pack or 100 ton curriculum.

[nhschneider]

I just completed a 2-week course that was designed to prepare someone to take the USCG 100-ton license exam. It was a fast-paced class that started at 0800 and went to 1700 with several hours of homework assigned each evening and even more assigned on the weekend.

The two main topics were Navigation and General Deck knowledge. A big part of Navigation was Rules of the Road (a student must score at least a 90% grade to pass the exam on RotR), charting (also requires a score of at least 90% to pass), communications, Aids to Navigation, using the Coast Pilot and Light List, tides and currents, advanced navigation (eg, calculating set and drift), electronic navigation and weather.

Under General Deck and Safety were the topics: Using CFRs (Code of Federal Regulations), marlinspike seamanship, boat handling, anchoring, safety, drills and emergencies, life rafts and survival, firefighting, pollution control and principles of stability.

Even though I had been sailing for most of my life, I learned a lot and found the class to be worthwhile. I think any person (young or not-so-young) could learn a lot of life-long lessons from a similar curriculum. By the way, I did pass the exam.

Good luck, fair winds and calm seas.

[unbusted67]

Originally Posted by nhschneider

I just completed a 2-week course that was designed to prepare someone to take the USCG 100-ton license exam. It was a fast-paced class that started at 0800 and went to 1700 with several hours of homework assigned each evening and even more assigned on the weekend.

The two main topics were Navigation and General Deck knowledge. A big part of Navigation was Rules of the Road (a student must score at least a 90% grade to pass the exam on RotR), charting (also requires a score of at least 90% to pass), communications, Aids to Navigation, using the Coast Pilot and Light List, tides and currents, advanced navigation (eg, calculating set and drift), electronic navigation and weather.

Under General Deck and Safety were the topics: Using CFRs (Code of Federal Regulations), marlinspike seamanship, boat handling, anchoring, safety, drills and emergencies, life rafts and survival, firefighting, pollution control and principles of stability.

Even though I had been sailing for most of my life, I learned a lot and found the class to be worthwhile. I think any person (young or not-so-young) could learn a lot of life-long lessons from a similar curriculum. By the way, I did pass the exam.

Good luck, fair winds and calm seas.

Thanks, I too have my captain's license and have taken one of the courses. I should be more specific. I am looking for study material, specifically online that will help me prepare the kids to eventually take a class. These guys are 16 so aren't eligible to take the exam for another couple of years.

[belizesailor]

There are apps, web sites, YouTubes for study of lights & shapes and COLREGS. Like that?

[CaptTom]

Years ago, I was able to download the entire exam database as a text file. Something about the fact that it was created with taxpayer dollars, so it was in the public domain. Not sure it's still out there in that format, but...

If you could collect as many exam and/or practice questions as you can find around the web, then re-arrange them by topic, you might find you have a pretty good curriculum.

Sounds like a fun project! You could also take a trip over to the mainland and see what the folks at MMA in Castine can do to help.

[nhschneider]

Originally Posted by unbusted67

Thanks, I too have my captain's license and have taken one of the courses. I should be more specific. I am looking for study material, specifically online that will help me prepare the kids to eventually take a class. These guys are 16 so aren't eligible to take the exam for another couple of years.

I still have the text books that I used for the course I took and, of course, I’d like to hang on to them. They’re substantial enough that scanning them for you would be an enormous task and, as much as I’d like to help you, I’m not willing to spend days scanning text books for you. However, I bet if you were to approach any one of the schools (similar to the one I attended) and described what you’re intending to do, you just might find a sympathetic person who would be willing to share their course with you. After all, you’re not really competing with them for students.

Again, I send you my very best wishes for fair winds and calm seas.

[GordMay]

OUPV (6 Pac) License Practice Tests ➥ https://www.uscgq.com/oupv-license-practice-test

[Scott Berg]

I'd break the course into 5 parts: Introduction to Boating, Rules of the Road, Basic Navigation, Advanced Navigation, Deck/Seamanship. Within those you'd have Compass to True in Basic Nav and Set/Drift in Advanced. Intro to boating would cover the parts of the boat, points of sail, etc. Deck would cover firefighting, dewatering, etc. Does this make sense?

[MV Wanderlust]

Originally Posted by Scott Berg

I'd break the course into 5 parts: Introduction to Boating, Rules of the Road, Basic Navigation, Advanced Navigation, Deck/Seamanship. Within those you'd have Compass to True in Basic Nav and Set/Drift in Advanced. Intro to boating would cover the parts of the boat, points of sail, etc. Deck would cover firefighting, dewatering, etc. Does this make sense?

That sounds like a good curriculum for high schoolers.