By Bob Currie, Recreational Boating Safety Specialist
U. S. Coast Guard Auxiliary Station Galveston Flotilla
As much as we harp about the dangers of having alcohol on board your board, there are times when a six-pack is a requirement- a six-pack captain, that is. A Six-Pack Captain is someone who is licensed to carry up to six paying passengers on their boat. Getting (and keeping) that license is an extensive process. Before you go out on any type of boat charter you need to make sure that your captain is properly licensed by the Coast Guard. This column will address what it takes to become licensed as a six-pack charter captain (officially known as an Operator of an Uninspected Passenger Vessel, or OUPV license) and what you have to do to actually take paying passengers out.
The Station Galveston Flotilla of the US Coast Guard Auxiliary operates out of the USCG Station Galveston base on Galveston Island. They aid the Coast Guard by providing maritime observation patrols in Galveston Bay; by providing recreational boating vessel safety checks; and by working alongside Coast Guard members in maritime accident investigation, small boat training, providing a safety zone, Aids to Navigation verification, cooking in the galley, on the Coast Guard Drone Team and watch standing.
Requirements to be a Licensed Six-Pack Captain
I looked at getting my Six-Pack license, but not so I could take paying passengers out in my boat. Instead, I wanted the knowledge provided by the course. I ended up joining the Coast Guard Auxiliary instead and learned the same thing by taking Coast Guard Auxiliary courses and becoming qualified in various Coast Guard competencies such as Boat Crew. But for those who want to learn about seamanship as well as be able to take paying passengers out, the Six-Pack License is the entry level license for them. Here are the requirements:
- Be at least 18 years of age
- Have a minimum of 360 days boating experience, with 90 days within the last three years
- Be a United States citizen or show lawful admittance to the United States for permanent residence if not a citizen
- Pass a physical exam and a drug test
- Hold a valid CPR and First Aid card
- Obtain a Transportation Worker’s Identification Credential (TWIC card) which includes a background check done by Homeland Security
- Pass a US Coast Guard approved OUPV/Six-Pack course
What Size Boat is Required?
There is no minimum size boat requirement. The regulation applies to boats taking paying passengers aboard. A big requirement is that the boat must be US registered and US built. The U.S.-build requirement may be waived in some cases by submitting an application to the U.S. Maritime Administration. However, many six-pack charters are conducted aboard foreign-built boats without a waiver, simply because this requirement is rarely enforced for uninspected boats. Regardless of the risk of getting caught, this is obviously not a good idea. An illegal charter may result in thousands of dollars in fines, and a possible denial of insurance coverage.
Another regulation is the requirement that all vessels be operated by a licensed captain when carrying at least one paying passenger. Like other regulations, this regulation is effective even when the boat is tied to the dock. The requirement for a boat to be US-built is emphasized in a Marine Safety Alert released by the Coast Guard in 2012, copied below. Although recent enforcement efforts have addressed crew requirements, you could spend thousands of dollars in fines for violating the US-built requirement.
The Coast Guard’s Office of Auxiliary and Boating Safety has become aware of instances where recreational type boats are being manufactured and sold but do not meet federal construction requirements. In some cases persons holding Uninspected Passenger Vessel (UPV) Operator licenses are operating such vessels while carrying passengers for hire. This alert reminds UPV operators both six-pack and twelve pack, to ensure that they are aware that all vessels operated as UPVs are in compliance with the appropriate U.S. laws and regulations.
The laws applicable to UPVs are found at 46 USC 4105(a); recreational vessels are addressed in 46 USC Chapter 43. The regulations based on those laws are found in 33 CFR Parts 181 and 183 and are the minimum safety standards for recreational boat manufacturing and include the requirements for:
- certification
- identification of boats
- display of capacity information
- safe loading
- safe powering
- flotation requirements (for both inboard and outboard powered boats (including airboats)
- electrical systems
- fuel systems
- ventilation requirements
- start-in-gear protection
- navigation lights
It is the responsibility of U.S. Coast Guard licensed Masters that operate UPVs in passenger-for-hire operations to ensure compliance with all federal requirements applicable to the vessel.”
As you can see after reading the above, just having a Six-Pack license is not enough. You must operate a boat that falls within the regulatory requirements.
Are All Six-Pack Licenses the Same?
You know it can’t be that easy. The Six-pack captain’s license, also known as the OUPV license, is a designation awarded by the United States Coast Guard that allows the holder to take up to six paying passengers and crew out on the water. The OUPV/Six-pack license is issued in three forms: Inland, Great Lakes & Inland, and Near Coastal.
- The Inland Captain’s License allows the holder to operate “commercially” on bays, sounds, rivers, and lakes.
- The Great Lakes & Inland License allows you to operate on both the Great Lakes and inland waterways.
- The Near Coastal Captain’s License permits you to operate on both Inland waterways as well as Near Coastal waters (out to 100 miles offshore).
What is the OUPV License Exam Like?
You must take an approved OUPV/Six-Pack course. Your course provider will also proctor your exam. A proctored exam is one in which an in person proctor monitors you while you take the exam. Proctors also provide you with guidance in taking the exam. The exam has four different sections or modules:
- Rules of the Road: International and Inland – 50 Questions – 90% to pass
- Navigation General: Near Coastal – 50 Questions – 70% to pass
- Chart Navigation – 10 Questions – 90% to pass
- Deck General Safety – 10 Questions – 70% to pass
You can take the exam in multiple sessions so you can review and study between sessions. Once you start the final examination you have 90 days to finish. You have three chances to pass each exam module. If you fail any exam module three times the Coast Guard requires you to retake the entire final exam. There is no testing with the Coast Guard. Your course provider is certified to give you the exam.
Passengers Beware
Before you go out on a charter boat, be sure that a licensed captain is aboard. The Coast Guard estimates that there are hundreds of unlicensed charters operated in our area of the Gulf of Mexico. Unlicensed captains do not provide the safety on the water that a licensed captain does.
For more information on boating safety, please visit the Official Website of the U.S. Coast Guard’s Boating Safety Division at www.uscgboating.org. Questions about the US Coast Guard Auxiliary or our free Vessel Safety Check program may be directed to me at [email protected]. SAFE BOATING!
[Mar-1-2022]
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