US Coast Guard Approved Marine Training in St. Petersburg (FL), Ft. Lauderdale (FL), Jacksonville (FL), Panama City (FL), Bayou La Batre (AL), Charleston (SC), Freeport (NY), Toledo (OH), and Online
Established in 1977, the SeaSchool is a nationally renowned U.S. Coast Guard approved training school with convenient locations along the Eastern Seaboard, Gulf Coast and the Caribbean. The SeaSchool has over 40 years experience in dealing with Coast Guard Licensing, Regulations, and Maritime Education and its USCG Certified Licensed Instructors have extensive knowledge and experience in commercial vessel operations and instruction.
The School has campuses in St. Petersburg (FL), Ft. Lauderdale (FL), Jacksonville (FL), Panama City (FL), Bayou La Batre (AL), Charleston (SC), Freeport (NY), Toledo (OH), and Online. Sea School also conducts programs at various Yacht Clubs, Marinas and Companies apart from the above locations.
Sea School has accommodations at some of the Sea School campuses. Dorms and meals are available in Mobile Al campus, dorms are available in Charleston SC campus and limited sleeping facilities are available in Panama City FL campus.
All other Sea School’s will have a list of nearby hotels and possibly discounted rates for Sea School students.
Training Programs
USCG & STCW Courses
- OUPV (6-Pack): This license is properly termed Operator of Uninspected Passenger Vessel (OUPV) and commonly referred to as the 6-pack. The word uninspected means that the equipment required and the design of the boat are less regulated. 6-pack refers to the 6 passenger limitation placed on the license when operating as a captain on an uninspected vessel. OUPV licenses are issued with a particular route. Your license can be for Inland routes (meaning bays, sounds, rivers, lakes, etc.), Near Coastal (NC) routes (out to 100 miles offshore) and the Great lakes route. NC covers all three routes.
- Upgrade to Master: A Master license is required if you operate inspected vessels. Inspected vessels are those that carry more than 6 passengers. Additionally, to become inspected the vessel must be built in accordance with rigid USCG Commercial Vessel Inspection standards. This license is also issued with a particular route (Inland, Near CoastalL and Great Lakes) with varying tonnage allowances based on your experience.
- STCW Courses: Basic Safety Training (BST); Global Maritime Distress and Safety System (GMDSS); Automatic Radar Plotting Aids (ARPA); and Bridge Resource Management
Online USCG Courses
- OUPV Captain's License: All OUPV licenses are for vessels less than 100 Gross Tons. Throughout this online instruction you will learn practical aspects of boating, including Rules of the Road , Radio Operation, Survival Techniques, Distress Signaling, Boating Terminology, Boat Equipment, Use of Flares, Use of Life Jackets, Techniques of Seamanship, Anchoring, Aids to Navigation, Boat Registration, Navigation, Knot Tying, Firefighting and more. After completing the course, students take Sea School's exam. The test is based on the course material and you should be ready to test after reviewing the material. Testing is conducted at Sea School offices in Freeport, NY, Charleston, SC, St. Petersburg, FL, Ft. Lauderdale, FL, Panama City, FL, Mobile, AL, Aston, PA, San Juan, PR and at various classroom locations on the Atlantic Coast, the Caribbean and the Gulf of Mexico.
- Master / Mate 25-100 GRT Online: This course is an add-on to Sea School's OUPV (6-Pack) course. If you do not already have your OUPV license, you will need to start there as it is the first part of this course. You do not have to get your OUPV license but you will have to complete that course and then go on to this course. After you have successfully completed both courses and tests, you may then apply for your Master 25, 50 or 100 GRT license.
- Upgrade to Master: If you already have your OUPV license then the Upgrade process from OUPV to MASTER is quite straightforward. Requirements for this upgrade license are additional sea time, physical, and drug screen along with the license application from the Coast Guard. Your next step is to take a tough USCG exam at the Regional Exam Center near you or you can complete our Upgrade Course and proctored test in lieu of that CG exam.
- License Renewal Online: Sea School is approved by the Coast Guard to teach a one-day Renewal/Refresher Course for Deck Licenses (under 200 GRT). A short quiz at the end of the class will conclude the course. Sea School will then issue a certificate of completion. This certificate is mailed to the Coast Guard along with your application. The Coast Guard then mails your new license to you.
- Auxiliary Sail Endorsement: Any Master licensed captain who wishes to operate an inspected sail vessel for hire, must have an Auxiliary Sail endorsement added to his or her license. This USCG approved course will cover all required information in regard to inspected sail vessel operation. You will need to show 50% of your required time on sail or Auxiliary Sail vessels. At the completion of the course and proctored test, Sea School will issue a certificate of completion which you will submit to the Coast Guard. The Coast Guard will then add the endorsement to your license.
- Assistance Towing Endorsement: Any USCG 6-Pack or Master licensed captain up to 200 tons, who wishes to assist disabled for a fee must have a Commercial Assistance Towing Endorsement added to his or her license. This USCG approved course will cover all required information in regard to assistance towing vessels. At completion of the online course and proctored exam, SeaSchool will issue a certificate of completion which you will submit to the Coast Guard. The Coast Guard will then add the endorsement to your license.
- License Renewal: SeaSchool is approved by the Coast Guard (under 4G CFR 10.227) to teach an online Renewal/Refresher course for Deck Licenses up to 200 tons. A short quiz at the end of the online class will conclude the course. SeaSchool will then issue a certificate of completion. This certificate is mailed to the Coast Guard along with your application. The Coast Guard then mails your new license to you.
Blended Courses
- STCW Basic Training - Renewal (Blended)
Classroom Courses
- Able Seaman
- Active Shooter Response Training
- Advanced Firefighting Revalidation
- Apprentice Mate Steersman
- Apprentice Mate Steersman - 2 Day Upgrade
- Assist Towing
- Auxiliary Sail
- Basic & Advanced Firefighting Combination
- Basic Firefighting
- Bridge Resource Management
- CPR and First Aid
- Crisis Management and Human Behavior
- Crowd Management
- ECDIS
- FCC-MROP
- Flash Light Tutoring
- Inland to Western River Routes for Towing Vessels
- Launch Tender - Limited Master
- Leadership and Managerial Skills
- License Renewal (No More Than 200 GRT)
- Maritime Security Awareness
- Maritime Security Awareness with Security Duties
- Master / Mate 25-100 GRT
- Master / Mate Upgrade 200 GRT / 500 GT
- PSC - Proficiency in Survival Craft
- PSC - Proficiency in Survival Craft - Refresher
- QMED - Oiler
- Radar Inland
- Radar Observer Endorsement
- Radar Observer Recertification
- Ratings Forming Part of a Navigation Watch (RFPNW)
- Rules of the Road
- Son of a Seacook - Cooking School
- STCW Basic Training
- STCW Basic Training - Revalidation
- Tankerman Barge - PIC
- Visual Communication Flashing Light
- Western to Inland Rivers Routes for Towing Vessels
Distance Learning
- Launch Tender - Distance Learning
- Master / Mate 25-100 GRT - Distance Learning
- OUPV - Captain’s License - Distance Learning
- Assist Towing - Distance Learning
- Auxiliary Sail - Distance Learning
LAST UPDATED ON Apr 24, 2024