Value of a USCG Captain's License?

[valhalla360]

Originally Posted by CSY Man

Last time I checked the test was included with the class and there are no annual dues.

So you pay $0 for your initial license and it is a lifetime license with no fees associated?

As for insurance, looks like every insurance company have different rules.
Boat US wants $3,000+ to insurance my boat, Charter Lakes for the same coverage charges $1,944 but a license is required for the policy.
The license is good for 5 years before renewal, savings on insurance $5,280.
I was hired once to look after and run a big boat for a month for $5,000 cash, paid in advance. (Not a commercial operation, but the owner's insurance company required a licensed Captain onboard)

OP said he's not interested in commercial operations.
If you want to do commercial operations that's a different question.

Some people may not want to get a license, fine, but to say it has not value may not be entirely correct.

Several people keep getting confused. The original point was that the OP didn't want to use it for commercial purposes. If you want to do commercial work, of course, it's valuable because it's illegal not to have it.

[belizesailor]

Originally Posted by IslandHopper

I'm not sure of the regulations in SW Florida, and I may have misconstrued your post, but where I am you cannot take any paying passengers on your own vessel unless said vessel is surveyed and registered for such purposes, no matter what licence you may or may not hold.

Taking a bunch of mates out for the day and splitting the costs is fine, but having a group of tourists come along and pay you for taking them out is a big no no unless the vessel is surveyed for commercial use, just having a licence doesn’t mean your vessel qualifies for such activities.

Apologies if I misinterpreted your post…..

Not so in the USA for Uninspected Passenger Vessels carrying no more than 6 passengers. You still have to comply with regulations, but Coasties do not do an annual inspection to confirm (as they do w inspected vessels). You can run an uninspected vessel commercially with just an OUPV lisence.

[CSY Man]

. So you pay $0 for your initial license and it is a lifetime license with no fees associated?

Either you are being difficult, argumentative or just plain dense.
Just read again what I said: The test is included with the course and there is no annual fees.

As for commercial operations, looking after a private yacht is not commercial, but a license may be required by the insurance company.
Can't explain any further, pretty basic and there is several ways of making the license pay for itself and yield a profit without doing Commercial Operations. (Merchant Mariner, sailing or boating and doing it for a living.)

[IslandHopper]

Originally Posted by belizesailor

Not so in the USA for Uninspected Passenger Vessels carrying no more than 6 passengers. You still have to comply with regulations, but Coasties do not do an annual inspection to confirm (as they do w inspected vessels). You can run an uninspected vessel commercially with just an OUPV lisence.

Thanks for the reply, obviously a little more relaxed over that way....

[CSY Man]

Originally Posted by IslandHopper

Thanks for the reply, obviously a little more relaxed over that way....

Not so fast.
You need much more than an OUPV license to run a charter:
The boat and equipment has to be in compliance within a narrow set of rules:
This guide is a good start:

https://www.uscg.mil/pvs/docs/UPV_GU..._rev052017.pdf

Get that memorized, be in compliance, then invite the Coast Guard for an examination to get your sticker.

Not difficult, but not quite the land of the Free either.

[IslandHopper]

Originally Posted by CSY Man

Not so fast.
You need much more than an OUPV license to run a charter:
The boat and equipment has to be in compliance within a narrow set of rules:
This guide is a good start:

https://www.uscg.mil/pvs/docs/UPV_GU..._rev052017.pdf

Get that memorized, be in compliance, then invite the Coast Guard for an examination to get your sticker.

Not difficult, but not quite the land of the Free either.

Still, a lot more relaxed than down here in Aus

[CarinaPDX]

Don't leave out the insurance. You need a commercial license for the skipper, the boat has to be documented for commercial (passenger-carrying) service and meet the appropriate standards, and you will need commercial liability insurance as well.

The six-pack business (up to 6 passengers) has lower standards than full-on commercial, but there are still standards. And you will generally require commercial liability insurance.

The bare-boat charter business exists in an odd niche, as the boats are rented without skipper (although they may require an experienced or even licensed skipper). If the boat owner is also the skipper then it is not a bareboat charter and the requirements go up.

Having a license and doing work for someone else is a good potential source of income. On your own boat it adds complexity and costs.

Greg

[CSY Man]

Originally Posted by IslandHopper

Still, a lot more relaxed than down here in Aus

Ok.
Your turn:
What do you have to go through to charter your boat in Oz?

[IslandHopper]

Originally Posted by CSY Man

Ok.
Your turn:
What do you have to go through to charter your boat in Oz?

Way way to involved for this thread, but if you have a few hours to spare try wading your way through these links, especially the second one...

https://www.qld.gov.au/transport/boa...ion/commercial

Vessels - Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA)

Note "Non-survey permits and exemptions".......

[belizesailor]

Originally Posted by CSY Man

Not so fast.
You need much more than an OUPV license to run a charter:
The boat and equipment has to be in compliance within a narrow set of rules:
This guide is a good start:

https://www.uscg.mil/pvs/docs/UPV_GU..._rev052017.pdf

Get that memorized, be in compliance, then invite the Coast Guard for an examination to get your sticker.

Not difficult, but not quite the land of the Free either.

Yes, you so still have to comply with regulations, but that and an OUPV are all you need...and a boat of course.

[Uricanejack]

If you are worried about increased liability
Then you are not the ready to get a license

[CSY Man]

Originally Posted by belizesailor

Yes, you so still have to comply with regulations, but that and an OUPV are all you need...and a boat of course.

A well equipped boat of course, to comply with the requirements.
Yes, all you need is everything that is required, easy

[CSY Man]

Originally Posted by IslandHopper

Way way to involved for this thread, but if you have a few hours to spare try wading your way through these links, especially the second one...

https://www.qld.gov.au/transport/boa...ion/commercial

Vessels - Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA)

Note "Non-survey permits and exemptions".......

Did not do the whole study, but understand you blokes learned bureaucracy from them Brits and you almost perfected it like the East Indians.
I can sympathize, especially after getting a pilot's license in Japan, after that gig, everything is easy.

[valhalla360]

Originally Posted by CSY Man

Either you are being difficult, argumentative or just plain dense.
Just read again what I said: The test is included with the course and there is no annual fees.

As for commercial operations, looking after a private yacht is not commercial, but a license may be required by the insurance company.
Can't explain any further, pretty basic and there is several ways of making the license pay for itself and yield a profit without doing Commercial Operations. (Merchant Mariner, sailing or boating and doing it for a living.)

So you are saying you don't need for a license: a physical, TWIC, and you don't have to pay for a new copy every 5yrs? It's free forever? Not being dense just pointing out the flaw in your argument that there is no cost.

Also, the classes for the license may not be focused on the tasks that would provide someone the best learning experience as they are typically taught with the primary goal being the ability to pass a test. Better to take a class that focuses on what you want to learn.

Again, the OP wasn't asking about doing commercial work, just handling his own boat for personal use where there is no requirement for a license, so why pay for something that provides no benefit to someone not doing commercial work and within typical size ranges, insurance companies don't require a license.

[CSY Man]

. So you are saying you don't need for a license: a physical, TWIC, and you don't have to pay for a new copy every 5yrs? It's free forever? Not being dense just pointing out the flaw in your argument that there is no cost.

No, never said that.
Lemme try again:
The test is included with the course and there is no annual fee.
That is all I said and it is true, unless something changed the last few months.

Medical, drug test, TWIC, the initial course, it all cost money, obviously, but it does not contradict the above.