USCG Approved Captains Licensing and Master Upgrade Courses in San Francisco Bay and Long Beach, CA
Located in San Rafael, California, Advanced Maritime Education (AME - SmartCaptains) provides instructor-led U.S. Coast Guard captain's licensing classroom courses and exams in San Francisco Bay and Long Beach, CA. The school leverage hands-on industry experience, shared piloting skills, intuitive instructional design and an engaging classroom environment to help ensure success.
The courses are designed specifically to connect with multiple learning styles and those students who may not have excelled in the classroom in the past. The instructors are current, active commercial vessel captains and maritime educators with decades of professional boat handling experience and a passion for teaching and are excellent resources for information on employment, estimating sea time and operating vessel-for-hire enterprises.
AME courses are taught using colorful, intuitive PowerPoint presentations, industry-leading texts, whiteboard demonstrations, and most importantly open, engaging, instructor-led, group-discussion learning.
Training Programs
Captains License Programs
- OUPV 6-Pack Captain's License Course (Three Consecutive Weekends): Upon satisfactory course completion, students will receive our USCG documented certificate to be included in their USCG License application packet. The certificate indicate you have competed all the approved, exams in-house with us and exempts you from taking exams at the USCG.
- Upgrade to Master 25/50/100-Ton Course (Three Consecutive Days): If you plan on piloting commercial, inspected vessels (ferrys, dining cruise vessels, etc.), the Upgrade to Master 25/50100-ton course is taught over three days.
Other Programs
- USCG-Approved CPR / First Aid
- Physical & Drug Test
Last updated Jul 27, 2026
