How to Become a Fishing Boat Officer

Fishing boat officers run the show on ships, boats or vessels. They are in charge of everything that goes on aboard. Their responsibility surpasses that of all other officers alongside them. They have the final say and. it is their job on the line when something goes wrong either with the crew or load on board. This sensitive position demands work at virtually any time. Work hours, just like free time, are extremely irregular. This job just shades the position of a deckhand as a more lucrative and worthwhile one.

Two routes can get you titled as a "boat captain" or "boat officer". The first is relatively easy and simple. Buy yourself a boat, take it onto the water and adjudge yourself its captain. It does get more serious than that though. Captains of commercial fishing boats do not require licenses, but to be recognized and paid as a boat captain, you need one. It is usually applied for through the Coast Guard of your country.

To get licensed, you do not need proof that you can sail or dock a boat. The requirement is at least 360 days on water well documented within the last five years, split into at least four hours daily. This means you can't get licensed if you haven't spent much time on the water. If you were under the control of another captain during this period, he or she, licensed or not, will have to append a signature right before your claim of having spent 360 hours on water.

Cooks, deckhands or even maids can work aboard ships to get the sea time they require to be licensed "captain" over time. References are also needed to back your application for a license up. It pays for them to be in a related field. Owning their own boats is the icing on the cake for you.. Aside this, other demands are physical and/or legal. You must pass a drug test, make it through a physical examination and be certified as a first-aider. Some of these tests require some money and your boat company might be willing to help you around the bottlenecks of the tests and eventual certification.

Your social security card is also needed at the licensing office. Your finger prints will be taken too and then there will be tests on deck and safety procedures, general navigation other relevant concepts. Once you have the vital experience and can get yourself licensed, a good job will surely beckon. Boss the ships and get paid handsomely.