How to Make Money With Your Captain’s License

I decided to get my captain’s license after retiring (the first time) at 38 and sailing around the world. My mom gave me the final push. Before she died, she wrote me a note telling me to follow my dreams and earn my captain’s license. 

Someone recommended that I should get the highest-level license I qualified for, so I took the test for a Master captain’s license.

I earned my license for me and my mom. I never intended to use it professionally. But three weeks later, I ran a boat delivery. After one year, I earned more than $100,000. 

Today, that captain’s license — and the school it inspired me to start — has generated more than $40 million.

I always tell people that a captain’s license is like a key. If an opportunity presents itself, you can choose to go around the door or through it. But if you don’t have that key, you don’t have that choice. 

I didn’t plan to make money with my captain’s license. But the more keys I have, the luckier I keep getting.

Let’s explore the doors you can open with a captain’s license.

Common Ways to Make Money With a Captain’s License

Your captain’s license is an investment, no matter how you decide to use it. Maybe you’re simply investing in yourself and your safety on the water. But if you want to start or join a business, you can follow any lucrative path to maximize your investment. Here are a few options to consider.

Boat Deliveries

Boat delivery captains relocate vessels on behalf of other boaters. For example, you may move boats northeast before hurricane season or bring boats to in-water boat shows. As a boat delivery captain, you’ll traverse all kinds of waterways both locally and internationally. 

I was on the boat show circuit for a while, taking boats from the Newport Boat Show to Atlantic City, then onward toward Annapolis, and finally finishing in Ft. Lauderdale or Miami. For the most part, you’ll live onboard a boat — that everyone but you will be cleaning and caring for — and your clients will pay for all your fees and food. Plus, you’ll be part of some pretty spectacular moments at the shows.

While it’s lucrative, you might not get rich doing it, but it’s a cool lifestyle if you have the time.

Boating Instructor

Boating instructors aren’t limited to teaching kids a few rope tricks at camp. They can teach all difficulty levels in lakes, oceans, bays, and beyond. For example, we have a recreational mariner program that progresses through three levels:

• Crew member: A step above a safe boating course, this course details all the information you need to know to be a contributing member aboard a boat.
• Skipper: This course provides deeper instruction on the operation of a boat.
• Master skipper: This course is the highest level of recreational education and thoroughly prepares students to operate day or night in fair or rough weather.

Whether you want to be a sailing instructor or a powerboat instructor, you must have a captain’s license if you take people on your boat. We recommend getting a Master’s license for this role, as it shows you’re a highly trained captain and grants a competitive edge.

Fishing Charters

Becoming a charter boat captain is a common way of turning your passion into profit. In most cases, you can deduct the cost of your fuel, fishing equipment, and dockage on your taxes because your boat is your business. This reduces your boat ownership cost.

With a Six-Pack captain’s license, you can take up to six paying passengers out on lakes, rivers, bays, and oceans for a great experience.

Sailing Tours

Sailing tours are common at every main waterfront, such as Annapolis, Newport, San Diego, and San Francisco Bay. Tourists love going out on the water for an hour to see great views and learn about an area of interest.

Tours are typically short and may not be particularly lucrative. Still, they can be combined with additional tour experiences, like massages or golfing, to be more profitable.

Some more sailing tour ideas include:

• Eco tours
• Whale watching
• History tours
• Dinner and sunset cruises

As a licensed captain, you can perform a wedding while out on the water, but as soon as the lines hit the dock, the marriage will be annulled (for some, that’s the best way of doing it!). 

Water Taxi

Water taxis are common at just about any waterfront location — and each boat needs a captain. You likely won’t make much money with your captain’s license in this role. Still, it’s a great option for someone looking to break into the commercial side of boating or move up by gaining additional experience.

Towing Service

As a captain working for Sea Tow or BoatUS, you can aid in assistance towing or help people who run aground or run out of fuel. Basically, this service is the AAA of the water.

Do What You Love

One of the mantras I live by is, “Once you find a job you love, you never go back to work.” If you’re interested in ways you can make money with a captain’s license, follow your passion. I did when I earned my license and started Mariners Learning System.

Whatever path you choose, focus on doing your best and differentiating yourself. For example, if your marina has five captains with a Six-Pack license, being the only captain with a Master’s license will help you stand out and get business.

Licensing Requirements for Your Business Ideas

As mentioned earlier, a Six-Pack captain’s license allows you to take up to six paying passengers aboard your boat. If you want to take more, you need a Master captain’s license.

Some jobs require additional endorsements, such as a Towing Endorsement or a Sailing Endorsement.

I have a Master’s license, a Sailing Endorsement, and a Towing Endorsement. However, I’ve never used any of them professionally at the level they were issued. This isn’t to say that extra licenses or endorsements aren’t worth the investment — quite the opposite! Having those on my resume set me apart from my competition and earned opportunities I wouldn’t have otherwise gotten.

We always recommend getting the highest-level license you can.

What It Takes to Be a Career Captain

To make money with a captain’s license, you need more than technical skills and boating experience. Having a successful career as a captain requires certain personality traits, including:

• Decisiveness: You can’t be wishy-washy as a captain; you must make quick decisions.
• Resilience: Boating doesn’t always go your way, but you still need to find solutions on the water.
• Adaptability: When clear days turn stormy or customers get sick or unruly, you must change your plans to match unexpected conditions.
• Confidence: If your knowledge and experience can’t instill confidence in your clients, you probably won’t have a good trip.

You also need to have business acumen as a captain. For the most part, this means thinking and planning strategically. Consider how seasons, locations, equipment, and competition affect your business and profitability.

I always talk to people about starting with a business plan. If the plan doesn’t work out and you can’t make money, you should walk away.

Here are some more business skills you’ll need to master:

• Finances: Running a boat-centered business has more costs than simple upkeep. You also need equipment, crew members, advertising — the list goes on. And don’t forget taxes!
• Marketing: Starting a business is one part, but finding business is another. You have to find ways to market yourself.
• Negotiation: Even if you do the work yourself, a business is never a one-person operation. You’ll need to form relationships with your insurance agent, marinas, equipment vendors, and customers, then negotiate fair deals with everyone.
• Risk management: If you risk financial stability, the return must be worth it. Balance risk with reward through your business plan.

Start Making Money With Your Captain’s License

You’ve decided you want to make money with your captain’s license. Before diving in, I advise researching and understanding licensing requirements — from insurance to dockage.

Education and hands-on experience are the best ways to gain the necessary knowledge. You can invest in your future — and your future business — by taking additional courses or working for someone else before starting on your own.

Finally, be prepared to make a financial investment and take some losses. The sun doesn’t always shine, the fish don’t always bite, and the people don’t always come, but you can still succeed as a captain by investing in yourself and your business.

Don’t just knock at the door of opportunity — open it up! Earn your captain’s license online and on your own schedule with Mariners.