Commercial boater's licence

[WinniChris]

Hey guys, I was wondering where I could get education and obtain a commercial boater's licence. I would like to have it soon. Any information would be great! Thanks, Chris

[Skip]

Knew a guy who took the OUPV (six-pack) class from these guys before he started up a small tour boat business on the seacoast.

Good luck,

Skip

[Skipper of the Sea Que]

Hi,

In addition to Skip's information it might help to know which type of commercial license you are looking to get. The Coast Guard offers almost 60 different licenses and certificates. Check out the link for info on exam centers, approved schools and the exam questions.

USCGA Boating FAQ (with links) on Capt. & Commercial Licenses

Good luck.

[GWC...]

Originally Posted by WinniChris

Hey guys, I was wondering where I could get education and obtain a commercial boater's licence. I would like to have it soon. Any information would be great! Thanks, Chris

Where will you be using it?

[GWC...]

Since when did you need a CG license to operator a tour boat on the Lake?

Take the written test.

Relocate the boat to Glendale MP area.

MP inspects the boat and then officiates your driving test.

If the boat and you pass, a commercial license is issued.

[Rick]

If you are looking for a commercial license for inland waters such as Lake Winni then you will need to take the commercial boaters test thorugh the department of safety- marine patrol. This is a written test, taken at marine patrol in Glendale, which will grant you a 2 year license to operate a commercial boat. The commercial boat must be inspected by the marine patrol each year before they give you your registration stickers for the boat. The state requires that you maintain commercial insurance for the boat. There is no on the water test for the license and the state does not recognize a coast guard license for inland waters. The commercial license costs $4 for 2 years. Interesting if you pass the commercial boaters license test this cannot be substituted for the recreational boaters license. So you actually can be licensed to operate a commercial boat but not your personal boat!

[Airwaves]

Originally posted by Rick:
Interesting if you pass the commercial boaters license test this cannot be substituted for the recreational boaters license. So you actually can be licensed to operate a commercial boat but not your personal boat!

If you have a Commercial boating license issued by the USCG or NH you do not need to take the safe boating course or have the certificate (it's not a license) to operate your personal recreational boat as long as the commercial license is valid.

The following is from the NH Public Safety website:

“A person who is licensed by the State of New Hampshire or the United States Coast Guard to operate a commercial vessel will not have to take the safe boater education course and will be exempt from the requirements of the law as long as they maintain their commercial license”.

If it were me I would go for the USCG 6-pack or 100 Ton Masters license. That way if you want to carry passengers for hire somewhere else your license is recognized everywhere, the NH Commercial license may not be recognized anywhere else, so if you're going to invest the time you might as well invest it in the license recognized everywhere.

While I could find references to a commercial license being granted by the State of NH I couldn’t find out what the requirements are, how closely they parallel the Coast Guard requirements, or how much they vary or even where to get the study guide!

Anyone have any idea?

[WinniChris]

thanks everybody. My boss runs a rental boat company and he was looking into having me get a commercial license so that if people wanted someone else to drive or take them water skiing I could do it. Thanks for the info.!

[Rick]

Airwaves you are correct--my mistake. As long as I continue my commercial license I am exempt from the recreational license. But if I give up the commercial license I must then take the recreational license test. The commercial test is more involved than the recreational test so I find it strange that a commercial operator would need to take the recreational test once they no longer hold a commercial license.

[Will]

Go all the way, do sea school, get some hours and go get your 100 ton and your towing endorsement. If it ever comes to it, you can run charters out on the ocean. Get the real captains license. I got mine and never looked back, keep in mind, some insurance companies still will not cover you even though you have the Marine Patrols play license. Some actually require the real captains license....


Cheers,
Will

[Airwaves]

I am curious why NH would insist that a NH Commercial license test be required in addition to a USCG 6 pack, or 100 Ton Master, or above, license to operate on state waters!

If I pass a 6-Pack or 100 ton test from the USCG then I would assume that I am more than qualified to carry passengers or cargo for hire on NH waterways. I certainly would be qualified on the open seas anywhere on the planet Earth, including the 18 miles of NH seacoast! (There are limits on how far offshore you can go with each class of license).

If it were up to me, I would suggest that NH adopt the COLREGS (Inland and International) as law, then add NH penalties to the COLREGS as needed.

If I were a commercial master and found myself in NH waters I would follow my COLREGS training. (Admiralty Court is funny about that) COLREGS are accepted everywhere on the planet! Execept NH?

So, NH is right and the rest of the planet is wrong? Or perhaps it's time for NH to join the rest of the world?

Just FYI, Admiralty Court does not apply to recreational boating but it certainly does apply to commercial shipping and passenger shipping.

[lakershaker]

The written test for the NH Commercial License is not more complicated than the Safe Boating Certificate. In fact, if you take the full class for the safe boaters, I think you have learned more than if you just take the commercial written test. The big difference between the USCG license and the NH Commercial is that NH deals more with the navigation aides on inland waters, and some NH specific laws. It also goes over general rules of the road and safety issues. I can not remember if you needed to be sponsored by an entity that requires commercial operators in order to sit for the test or not.

The NH test does not require previous boating experience like USCG - the same test is given to the captain of the Mount, as is to most of the camp counselors at summer camps get if they will be driving other people or using a commercially registered boat. I would guess though that that captain of the Mount has something in addition to just a NH Commercial license...

[Airwaves]

I would guess though that that captain of the Mount has something in addition to just a NH Commercial license...

I certainly hope so

[SBC]

Originally Posted by Rick

Airwaves you are correct--my mistake. As long as I continue my commercial license I am exempt from the recreational license. But if I give up the commercial license I must then take the recreational license test. The commercial test is more involved than the recreational test so I find it strange that a commercial operator would need to take the recreational test once they no longer hold a commercial license.

WinniChris seems interested in local operations and doesn't have the time to go to USCG or others. As people of the new millennium we want instant gratification and WinniChris can have it too. This is New Hampshire and it is never simple. One thing that is simple is the ability to obtain a commercial license for boating. A $4.00 application fee and a bit of studying from the information supplied by NH Safety Services, i.e. Marine Patrol, will get anyone from a camp councilor from Australia to an island taxi driver ready for a test. Comprehensive knowledge of the Boater's Guide of NH and the Boat NH Course Guidebook is necessary and again, those docs are easily obtained from the kind folks at Marine Patrol at no additional charge. Often a test can be arranged within ten days of obtaining course materials and that can be done in Glendale. If it is a summer camp with several candidates the MP may even be able to go to the location to administer the tests. Upon successful completion of the test (70% or better on 60 questions I believe) a certificate is immediately issued and good for two years. If the holder does not renew their commercial standing in two years and wants to continue to boat in NH they must take the 'civilian' course to obtain a lifetime certificate. Sounds silly? Consider that laws change and that some of those commercial licenses were for folks who will never operate in NH waters again.

If WinniChris moves down the river to pursue commercial ventures in coastal waters then is the time to make the investment in the other courses offered. Rest assured that anyone that has had those more extensive courses since 1996 will be welcomed as certified operators by the state of NH, however, there is nothing like a little refresher for the nav aids, safe passage, etc. laws of NH whether self taught or by auditing a boating ed class.

Oh and "Will", it is OK to "have the Marine Patrols play license". As long as you respect the laws and navigation rules. Some of those who have the "the real captains license" may never know the difference as they arrogantly plow by the in their multi-ton cruiser because the one with the play license will have seen Captain Chump bearing down on him for some distance. I never realized we had a hierarchy of boating castes except when it comes to the right of way.

[Airwaves]

SBC you seem to have a handle on this, so are you saying that for $4, I can obtain a NH Commercial vessel operator's license, assuming I pass a written test?

Do I need ANY prior boating experience?

Do I need to show that the license is required for my work?

Do I need to do anything except pass the written test?

Please tell me that there is more to it than I have read into this!

[Seaplane Pilot]

Originally Posted by Airwaves

SBC you seem to have a handle on this, so are you saying that for $4, I can obtain a NH Commercial vessel operator's license, assuming I pass a written test?

Do I need ANY prior boating experience?

Do I need to show that the license is required for my work?

Do I need to do anything except pass the written test?

Please tell me that there is more to it than I have read into this!

The answer is no to all. I've held a NH Commercial Vessel Operator's license for about 20 years. Simply contact Marine Patrol to arrange for a written test only. Once you pass you get the license that is good forever as long as you pay your $4.00 and renew every two years. I've inquired with the state as to whether I could pay once to get a lifetime license, but have never received a reply. The biggest pain in the butt is the renewal every two years - other than that it's a no-brainer.

[SBC]

What Seaplane Pilot said....it's that simple.

Call 603-293-2037 (NHMP) and ask for a clerk named Tracy. She can get you the info you need.

[Airwaves]

WOW I am shocked! That is unbelievable!!!!!

[Will]

SBC, see thats what I dont agree with. You cannot sit there and tell me that the Marine Patrol's course and license will give you as much experience as 300-400 hours on the water, and a large test. I remember when I got mine, 360 hours, a physical, and a 1400 question test with the towing endorsement. Theres no way that the same experienced is gained through the marine patrols "play license"

Cheers

[codeman671]

I was thinking about buying an airboat and doing rides in the winter for other islanders, this would certainly make life easier than having to meet CG requirements/testing...I wish this one could be done online too...

[SBC]

Originally Posted by Will

SBC, see thats what I dont agree with. You cannot sit there and tell me that the Marine Patrol's course and license will give you as much experience as 300-400 hours on the water, and a large test. I remember when I got mine, 360 hours, a physical, and a 1400 question test with the towing endorsement. Theres no way that the same experienced is gained through the marine patrols "play license"

Cheers

I agree with you, the Marine Patrol course will not give you that experience. It is only a test of your knowledge related to NH Boating laws and the requirements of equipment on board a commercial vessel. With the NH commercial license you need OJT (on the job training). WinnChris asked about the need for previous experience. Fortunately, or unfortunately depending on you viewpoint, you don't need previous experience but it sure would help. Sounds a little 'catch 22-ish' doesn't it?

You have to wonder if you were the director of a summer camp would you hire a person to be your waterfront manager if they did not have any experience with boats and then ask them to obtain their commercial boating license? Let's hope that common sense prevails in a scenario like that.

Thought: let's start a common sense and courtious operator epidemic on the NH waters and hope that it spreads rapidly.

[Coastal Laker]

The Coast Guard license is a completely different animal than the one you receive from the Marine Patrol. I have a 50 ton license that involved an 8 hr test in five parts, all of which must be passed to get the license. The one part on navigation took 2 hours and was only 10 questions. Passing score is a 90 on just that one part. The rules themselves had more questions also with a passing score of 90. The merchant ship stuff had a lower pasing score. Basically, it's not an easy exam. There's a high expectation since you are responsible for the lives of others.

The NH commercial test took me less than 30 minutes and was not much different than the recreational boaters test. Theoretically, you could know nothing about commercial operation and still pass it. There were only 5 questions related to commercial operation - and if you read the 3-5 pages of material on commercial use, you were all set. I don't recall what the passing score was. Many of the people who take this test are crew members on the commercial boats on the lake. I have noticed that a good majority of "operators" do have the CG license as well. I believe it brings comfort to passengers to know they have more credentials than they actually need.

[Kamper]

Would it be correct to expect the state's license would only be recognised in NH waters?

[Misty Blue]

From what you say about the rental business I expect that the NH license will do everything that you need. It's easy to get and maintain. It really does not prove that you are a competent mariner (half of the kids running the summer camps have one) but it does give the state some control and also something that they can take away if you mess up.

As for CG instruction, "Boatwiswe" was awsome. Capts. Rick and Sue are true professionals but I warn you they are tough! No "gimmies" from them. Also this instruction is expensive. With the instruction, drug testing, exam fees, travel, etc. you can drop between one and two grand.

One last thing. I do not know how the state deals with this but once you post that ticket on you bulkhead you will be held to a higher standard than joe boater by the CG and admiralty courts.

Misty.