Ship / Boat Captain
Quick Facts
Median Salary$80,283
Most Common EducationHigh school or GED
Projected 10-Year Growth+25.77%
Assessment MatchTake the Assessment
What They Do
A Ship or Boat Captain serves as chief officer on a ship or boat. Navigates, oversees operations and directs staff on boats, including cargo ships, yachts, fishing vessels, oil tankers and tugboats.
Core Tasks:
- Direct courses and speeds of ships, based on specialized knowledge of local winds, weather, water depths, tides, currents, and hazards.
- Prevent ships under navigational control from engaging in unsafe operations.
- Serve as a vessel's docking master upon arrival at a port or at a berth.
- Consult maps, charts, weather reports, or navigation equipment to determine and direct ship movements.
- Steer and operate vessels, using radios, depth finders, radars, lights, buoys, or lighthouses.
- Dock or undock vessels, sometimes maneuvering through narrow spaces, such as locks.
- Operate ship-to-shore radios to exchange information needed for ship operations.
- Stand watches on vessels during specified periods while vessels are under way.
- Inspect vessels to ensure efficient and safe operation of vessels and equipment and conformance to regulations.
- Read gauges to verify sufficient levels of hydraulic fluid, air pressure, or oxygen.
- Report to appropriate authorities any violations of federal or state pilotage laws.
- Provide assistance in maritime rescue operations.
- Signal passing vessels, using whistles, flashing lights, flags, or radios.
- Measure depths of water, using depth-measuring equipment.
- Maintain boats or equipment on board, such as engines, winches, navigational systems, fire extinguishers, or life preservers.
- Signal crew members or deckhands to rig tow lines, open or close gates or ramps, or pull guard chains across entries.
- Advise ships' masters on harbor rules and customs procedures.
- Maintain records of daily activities, personnel reports, ship positions and movements, ports of call, weather and sea conditions, pollution control efforts, or cargo or passenger status.
- Observe loading or unloading of cargo or equipment to ensure that handling and storage are performed according to specifications.
- Calculate sightings of land, using electronic sounding devices and following contour lines on charts.
- Learn to operate new technology systems and procedures through instruction, simulators, or models.
- Direct or coordinate crew members or workers performing activities such as loading or unloading cargo, steering vessels, operating engines, or operating, maintaining, or repairing ship equipment.
- Arrange for ships to be fueled, restocked with supplies, or repaired.
- Supervise crews in cleaning or maintaining decks, superstructures, or bridges.
- Purchase supplies or equipment.
What to expect as a Ship / Boat Captain
1Earn a High school or GED Diploma
16% of people achieve this level of education.
2Gain skills and experience
See Ship / Boat Captain related courses on Tallo
3Land a job
481 openings for Ship / Boat Captains
Career Progression
in United States (Nation)
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