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Captains, Mates, & Pilots of Water Vessels

Also called: Boat Captain, Captain, First Mate, Mate

Where in the military? In the military: see titles from the Air Force, Army, Coast Guard, Marine Corps, or Navy.

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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 Hot Technology
Presentation software
  • Microsoft PowerPoint Hot Technology
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

Get started on your career:

Find Training Find Certifications Find Licenses Apprenticeship.gov

Job Outlook

Below Average Outlook
New job opportunities are less likely in the future.
Salary
$81,640
$37,240
$159,690
Check out my state Local Salary Info Find Jobs

Explore More

See more details at O*NET OnLine about captains, mates, and pilots of water vessels.