100 Ton Masters License -

Increase in Scope to Near Coastal

Upgrade Your Inland Great Lakes Master to Near Coastal waters!

Enroll Today -   Upcoming Courses (you will be re-directed to Explorers Guide Midwest)

 You worked hard to get your Masters Inland Great Lakes credentials. Now you get a chance to work of of Florida or another near coastal waters.However, you need to upgrade your license. What are your options?

You could redo the 24-hour Masters course. However, a better option is Explorers Guide Maritime Academy's 8-hour Increase in Scope course.

If you have 720 days of sea service of which 360 are on the Great Lakes or near coastal waters, you can now upgrade your 100 Ton Masters license to near coastal waters. Explorer's Guide Maritime Academy now offers a National Maritime Center approved 8-hour class both in the classroom and online. Online course is available 24/7; Classroom normally is a one day class with exams. 

Topics Modules Include: Ocean Currents, MARPOL, Other International Instruments, Weather Charts, and Receiving Survivors from lifeboats/life rafts. If you have a colregs restriction on your license, you will need International Rules of the Road.

Fee: $245.00 includes course materials, instruction, one sitting of the final proctored exams, and Certificate of Completion. The cost is the same as classroom due to the cost of seeting up individual procptred exams vs quarterly reginal exams. 

Required sea service - 720 days of which 360 days are Great lakes or near coastal and 90 days in the last 3 years.

Exams: Deck General 50-quesrtions 70% correct; Navigation General 50-questions 70% correct. If you have a colregs restriction on you credentials, you will need to take the 50-questions 90% Navigation Rules of the Road exams. To avoid taking the rules exam, we will need to see credential page with your endorsements. 

Have more questions? Feel free to call us at (920) 733-5500

Security Awarness and Vessel Personnel with Designated Security Duties offered by Midwest STCW LLC

With recent changes in international laws any person part of the crew (nonpassengers)  on a vessel beyond the boundray line must have securioty awareness. If you are responsible for dutes such as boarding passengers you need the upgrade course in Vessel Personnel with Designated Security Duties.

Midwest STCWE LLc is approved by the NMC to teach and give exams for both endorsements

Security Awarness ($125) is a 4-hour class with one 20-questions exam. Topics covered include:

01.1 - Relevant Provisions of the Vessel Security Plan
02.1 - The meaning and consequential requirements of different MARSEC levels,
          including emergency procedures and contingency plans.
03.1 - Recognition and detection of dangerous substances and devices
04.1 - Recognition of characteristics and behavioral patterns of persons who are likely to threaten security
05.1 - Techniques used to circumvent security measures;
06.1 - Relevant aspects of the TWIC program and how to carry them out

Vessel Personnel with Designated Security Duties ($225) is an 8-hour class covering

VSO-LSN 1 – Current security threats and patterns
VSO-LSN 11- Relevant Provisions of the Vessel Security Plan
VSO-LSN 7 – Emergency procedures and contingency plans
VSO-LSN 13 –Meaning and requirements of different MARSEC levels,emergency procedures and contingency plans.
VSO-LSN 14 - Relevant aspects of the TWIC program and how to carry them out
VSO-LSN 3 - Recognition of characteristics and behavioral patterns of persons who are likely to threaten security
VSO-LSN 2 – Recognition and detection of dangerous substances and devices
VSO-LSN 4 –Techniques used to circumvent security measures;
VSO-LSN 6 – Security related communications
VSO-LSN 8 – Operation of security equipment and systems
VSO-LSN 9 – Testing and calibration of security equipment and systems, and their maintenance while at sea
VSO-LSN 10 – Inspection,control, and monitoring techniques
VSO-LSN 5 – Crowd management and control techniques
VSO-LSN 12 – Methods of physical screening of persons, personal effects, baggage, cargo, and vessel stores

We have course to meet your needs. Captains License 6-Pack, OUPV, Masters 100 Ton, Master Upgrade, OUPV to 200 Ton Mate, Assistance Towing, Auxiliary Sail, and Able Seaman

With our Captain's License classes, you can transform your passion for the water into an exciting on-the-water career. Explorer's Guide Maritime Academy offers USCG approved captains license courses for all mariners, whether you're new to the marine trade or a seasoned boater. We understand the adult learner and will work with you so that you successfully understand and complete the course material to get your credentials

 Captains License, aka 6-Pack

Operator of Uninspected Passenger Vessels is better know as a 6-pack or captains license. This is a starting point for most mariners and ideal for fishing guides, dive operators, etc. We offer courses for Inland, Great Lakes and Near Coastal waters both as online or classroom classes. What is the difference? Only the route which is based on your on the water time (sea service)

  For more information  OUPV Inland, Great Lakes, or Near Coastal

Master 100 ton Upgrade Courses

Which Masters is right for me? If you want to operate an inspected vessel, more then 6 passengers, you need to upgrade your license (Merchant Mariner Credentials) to a Master's. The actual tonnage endorsement and route depends on your sea service. Our course is approved to 100 tons for Inland, Great Lakes or Near Coastal waters.

For more information .. Master Upgrade to Inland Great lakes or Master upgrade to Near Coastal

If you want to change the scope of your masters fron Inland/Great Lakes to Near Coastal our change in scope course is for you. For more information ...Master change in scope to Near Coastal waters.

If you operate an inspected vessel on the Great Lakes or Tidal waters you will also have to have an FCC Marine Radio Operators Permit. For more information...  Marine Radio Operator Permit (FCC)

Endorsements for Your Captains License

There are several endorsements you may want to add to your license. If you want to commercially tow other boaters in, you need to add the Assistance Towing endorsement. This can be added to either a oupv or masters license  ... Assistant Towing Endorsement

Auxiliary Sailing for Master License is only for captains working on an inspected sailing vessels... Auxiliary Sailing Endorsement

Commercial Courses

We offer several classes for larger commercial vessels.

If you are interested in working as a rating on tugs and larger boats, we offer an able seaman course. To learn more ....  Able Seaman, including Lifeboatman Survival exam course.

Oupv to Mate 200 ton endorsement with proper sea service you can upgrade to Master 200 tons without further examination.You can go from OUPV with one year os sea service on vessels over 67 tons to Master 200 ton with this program

  Upgrade your OUPV license to includes to Mate 200 Ton.

Captain license Classroom classes are held in: California - Grass Valley; New York - Buffalo; Minnesota - St Paul; Wisconsin - Appleton, Milwaukee, and Sturgeon Bay. Additional sites may include Minneapolis/St. Paul, Upper Peninsula of Michigan, Hilo HI, Chicago, IL, and other cities. Call us to see if we have an upcoming class scheduled in your area, or click on the button below to see the full schedule of classes at each location.

Our friendly maritime academy staff will assist you with captains license course registration and answer any questions you may have on the different types of licenses, sea service time, license requirements, and course funding. 

"I was very impressed with the course as I have never taken an online class. Everyone I have talked to and e-mailed have been very polite and professional. I will recommend this school to the people I work with. I have been an operator of tugboats for over 30 years and found this class an eye opener to what I had forgotten."
Former Student Luther Edwards

The staff at Explorer's Guide Maritime Academy will work with you from start to finish. We can advise you on the type of license you need, answer any questions you may have on licenses and application documents, and assist you with your enrollment. Instructors work with each of their students to ensure they understand the material and are prepared for the final exams. We want you to be knowledgeable and safe boaters and successful in your careers. Just let us know how we can help.

"Fair Winds and Following Seas"
Captain Gary Kulibert - Explorer's Guide Maritime Academy

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What are Federal Waters?

The Federal Code of Regulations (46 cfr 10) requires anyone taking consideration (money) from a passenger to be on a vessel on federal waters, to have a merchant mariner credentials (Captains License).

So what are federal waters? Normally if it is connected, so as the water flows to the ocean, it is federal waters. In general, federal waters begin three to nine nautical miles offshore to the 200 mile limit of the Gulf of Mexico. From Texas and Florida, federal waters begin nine nautical miles out, and from Mississippi, Louisiana and Alabama, federal waters begin three nautical miles out.

However, nothing is that clear cut. The US Army Corp of Engineers, the US EPA, and USCG are involved in designating federal waters.

Listed below are links to PDF files which indicate what waters are federal waters. This is not an inclusive list. If in doubt call the USCG headquarters office for that area. 

Capt Gary

Alaska Federal Waters

District Nine (Great Lakes) list of Federal Waters for the following states

Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Minnesota, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin

Washington, Oregon, Montanta, and Idaho Federal Waters