You can captain your own vessel if you have a US Coast Guard captain license and meet all qualifications. As the captain and owner of the vessel, you are limited to 6 passengers maximum, regardless of the type of license you hold.
The maximum length of yacht you can drive by yourself is typically around 75 to 100 feet. This range is not a strict legal limit but rather a guideline based on practicality, regulations, and insurance requirements.
No, you are no required to hire a captain if the vessel is registered as a pleasure craft. That said after about 40 feet you will most Likely need crew to safely run it.
The captain network is a group of USCG-licensed captains vetted and approved by Boatsetter. Captains are available for trips requiring their expertise, ensuring safety and compliance for renters and owners.
A person who owns their own boat can call themselves captain, but that usage is often an informal one, and does not have the same legal significance because it is often not based on testing by a government agency for a license or certificate of competency.
But unlike many boating questions, this one has a refreshingly straightforward answer: It's not about size. The U.S. Coast Guard doesn't require a captain's license based on the size of the boat, but based on what the boat is used for.
Virtually all commercial ships have captains who are credentialed by their nation's maritime agencies.
A boat's size does not necessarily dictate whether a captain's license is required. Rather, financial consideration for operational services, the presence of paying passengers, or insurance companies will determine if a captain's license is required.
Required Documents Provide a copy of the safety course cert and your ID. Must be 18 years or older to rent a boat.
The State of Florida doesn't have classic “boating licenses,” but offers Boating Safety Education Identification Cards. These are absolutely mandatory for anyone born on or after January 1, 1988 who wants to rent a boat of 10 horsepower or more.