CCBC Dundalk Course Leads to Coast Guard-Issued Captain's License

If you've ever wanted to captain a boat that carries paying passengers, The Community College of Baltimore County wants to help you achieve that dream.

The college will hold a U.S. Coast Guard-approved captain's licensing course at its Dundalk campus starting Tuesday.

Successful completion of the course and a passing grade on the Coast Guard's test will lead to a master's license that will allow holders to captain water taxis, fishing charters, tow boats and other similar passenger-carrying, for-profit vessels, according to course coordinator Jim Fitch.

"There are a lot of captain's courses out there but not many are approved by the Coast Guard," he said. "Ours is."

The course recently went through a stringent reaccreditation process and has the Coast Guard's seal of approval for five more years, according to Fitch.

The course will meet for five Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays from 6 to 10 p.m. and on five Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Students will take the licensing test on the final Saturday.

One of the benefits of the course is the assistance offered by instructors who can help students navigate the paperwork necessary to take the test and receive the license, according to Fitch.

"Many of our students have attempted to get the license on their own," he said. "But it's a very difficult, complex process and we can help them through the process."

Course instructors include several maritime professionals, including a docking pilot, a dinner boat captain, a ship pilot and a private yacht captain, according to Fitch.

There are about a dozen criteria that have to be met for licensing, the most important of which is the completion of 360 days of boating experience.

"By that, we mean 360 days of boating that involve a trip of at least four hours, out and back," Fitch said. "And students should have their sea time completed and documented before taking the class."

Of that sea experience, 90 days of it must have occurred in the past three years.
Students must also be U.S. citizens, must have current CPR and first aid certification and procure three letters of recommendation, among other criteria, before getting the license.

"And applicants will undergo criminal and traffic background checks and will be drug-tested by the Coast Guard," Fitch said.

The cost of the course for Baltimore County residents is $1,043, which covers all books, charts and the test, according to Fitch. Other Maryland residents pay a slightly higher fee. Out-of-state residents pay roughly double the county fee, Fitch said.

A few openings still exist in the course, which has a limit of 14 students.

For more information, call Fitch, 443-840-1237, or send an email to jfitch@ccbcmd.edu.