Captains, Mates, & Pilots of Water Vessels
Boat Captain, Captain, First Mate, Mate
What they do:
Command or supervise operations of ships and water vessels, such as tugboats and ferryboats. Required to hold license issued by U.S. Coast Guard.
On the job, you would:
- 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.
Knowledge
Transportation
- movement of people or goods by air, rail, sea, or road
Safety and Government
- public safety and security
- law and government
Engineering and Technology
- mechanical
Arts and Humanities
- English language
Skills
Basic Skills
- keeping track of how well people and/or groups are doing in order to make improvements
- talking to others
Problem Solving
- noticing a problem and figuring out the best way to solve it
Social
- changing what is done based on other people's actions
- teaching people how to do something
Abilities
Verbal
- communicate by speaking
- listen and understand what people say
Spatial
- know where things are around you
- imagine how something will look after it is moved around or changed
Hand and Finger Use
- keep your arm or hand steady
- hold or move items with your hands
Controlled Movement
- quickly change the controls of a machine, car, truck or boat
Personality
People interested in this work like activities that include practical, hands-on problems and solutions.
They do well at jobs that need:
- Dependability
- Self Control
- Leadership
- Stress Tolerance
- Attention to Detail
- Independence
Technology
You might use software like this on the job:
Spreadsheet software
- Microsoft Excel
Presentation software
- Microsoft PowerPoint
Route navigation software
- FURUNO navigational chart software
- Navigational chart software
Education
Education: (rated 3 of 5)
high school diploma/GED or
certificate after high school
usually needed
certificate after high school
usually needed
Job Outlook
Below Average
New job opportunities are less likely in the future.
Explore More
- Airline Pilots, Copilots, & Flight Engineers
- Motorboat Operators
- Sailors & Marine Oilers
- Ship Engineers
- Transportation Inspectors
You might like a career in one of these industries:
See more details at O*NET OnLine about captains, mates, and pilots of water vessels.