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Ship & Boat Captains

Also called: Captain, Boat Operator, Charter Boat Captain, Ferry Boat Captain

What they do:
Command vessels in oceans, bays, lakes, rivers, or coastal waters.
On the job, you would:
  • Steer and operate vessels, using radios, depth finders, radars, lights, buoys, or lighthouses.
  • Compute positions, set courses, and determine speeds, using charts, area plotting sheets, compasses, sextants, and knowledge of local conditions.
  • Inspect vessels to ensure efficient and safe operation of vessels and equipment and conformance to regulations.

Knowledge

Safety and Government
  • public safety and security
  • law and government
Transportation
  • movement of people or goods by air, rail, sea, or road
Business
  • customer service
  • management
Education and Training
  • teaching and course design

Skills

Basic Skills
  • talking to others
  • listening to others, not interrupting, and asking good questions
Problem Solving
  • noticing a problem and figuring out the best way to solve it
Social
  • changing what is done based on other people's actions
  • teaching people how to do something

Abilities

Verbal
  • communicate by speaking
  • listen and understand what people say
Attention
  • pay attention to something without being distracted
  • do two or more things at the same time
Ideas and Logic
  • notice when problems happen
  • use rules to solve problems
Spatial
  • know where things are around you

Personality

People interested in this work like activities that include
leading, making decisions, and business.
They do well at jobs that need:
  • Dependability
  • Integrity
  • Leadership
  • Stress Tolerance
  • Attention to Detail
  • Self Control

Technology

You might use software like this on the job:

Route navigation software
  • Jeppesen Marine Nobeltec Admiral
  • Maptech The CAPN
Data base user interface and query software
  • KNMI TurboWin
  • Log book software
Facilities management software
  • Computerized maintenance management system CMMS software

Education

Education: (rated 3 of 5)
some college or
associate's degree
usually needed

Get started on your career:

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Job Outlook

Average Outlook
New job opportunities are likely in the future.
Salary
$63,920
per year, on average
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See more details at O*NET OnLine about ship and boat captains.