If You Have Your Master Captain’s License And Want to Sail….

Source: Mariners Learning System, By Captain Bob Figular

Do you know what a keelboat is? If yes, you’re well on your way to your Auxiliary Sailing Endorsement. Can you correctly identify where a gooseneck is on a sailboat? If yes, you’re well on your way to your Auxiliary Sailing Endorsement. Have you signed up for the Mariners Learning System Sailing Endorsement course yet? If the answer is no, you still have a few knots to go.

The Auxiliary Sailing Endorsement offers one with a master captain’s license the opportunity to operate an inspected sailing vessel that carries seven or more passengers. In order for the master to qualify for a sailing endorsement, he needs to fulfill certain sea requirements as well as pass the course and subsequent examination.

The USCG requires that a Master with an Inland License have at least 180 days of sailing experience since his 15th birthday. For a Master with a Near Coastal License, the USCG requires at least 360 days of sailing experience since his 15th birthday to qualify for this endorsement; 90 of those days must be within the past three years.

If you have your six-pack captain’s license, you do not need your sailing endorsement as it works for both power and sailing vessels. However, the six passenger limit is still mandatory. If your goals are more ambitious, the Master Upgrade and Auxiliary Sailing Endorsement would be the course to take.

As with all Mariners Learning System courses, the Auxiliary Sailing Endorsement is a comprehensive pedagogical approach that will prepare you for the exam and real-life situations out in the water. In the course, you can expect to learn about the types of sailing ships, the parts of a sailing ship, the physics of sailing, the sailing rules of the road, sailing terminology, and so much more. By exam day, you will be ready to command your own sailing vessel. See you out in the water!