Training Planner
What training do I need?
Pick your target endorsement — see the exact STCW certificates, exam modules, and documents required. Costs included. Mark items as you complete them, or sign up free to track your real credentials.
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I want to become a
Deck Officer
Deck Rating
Towing Vessel
Offshore Supply Vessel
Engineering
Tankerman
Specialty Endorsement
OUPV Near Coastal — 6-Pack Captain
0% readyThe Operator of Uninspected Passenger Vessels (OUPV), or “6-pack,” lets you carry up to six paying passengers on uninspected vessels under 100 GT, out to 100 nautical miles offshore. It is the most common entry point into a paid captain’s career — charter fishing, eco-tours, and small dive boats.
Full OUPV Near Coastal 6-Pack Captain requirements →Estimated cost
$925–$1,700
Excludes optional prep courses and travel. Verify current fees at the NMC.
Time to credential
~1.4 years
Rough estimate at a full-time commercial pace. Sign up to track real days.
Application documents
TWIC Card
$125.25 · 5-year validity · TSA application + biometrics
Physical (CG-719K)
~$100–300 · Valid 12 months from exam date · Any licensed physician
Drug Test (CG-719P)
~$60–80 · Must be within 185 days of NMC receipt · SAMHSA-certified lab
STCW training required
Basic Safety Training
Personal survival, fire prevention, first aid, personal safety. Required for any mariner on an ocean or near coastal vessel.
Written exam — at Regional Exam Center
Exam pass slip
Rules of the Road
COLREGS + Inland Rules — the hardest module for most candidates. 90% to pass.
Deck General
Seamanship, rigging, anchoring, cargo, firefighting. 70% to pass.
Navigation Problems
Plotted on paper training chart — dead reckoning, fixes, speed/time/distance.
First Aid / CPR
Certificate from Red Cross or AHA accepted in lieu of exam module at most RECs.
Click the row to mark the exam as complete.
Sea service
360 days on the water
360 days total, with 90 days in the last 3 years. 90 days must be on near-coastal waters.
Documented with sea service letters from each employer — vessel name, USCG Official Number, gross tonnage, route, position, dates, and total days.
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