USCG Captain Class

A Lighthearted Approach
By Captain Debbie Graham

Searching for a little light reading, I've picked up a favorite book, the Annapolis Book of Seamanship. As I randomly turn pages, I'm taken back to when I was a young girl. I would spend hours reading my Girl Scout Handbook. Of course, the badges were the best. I wanted them all, well almost all. The housekeeper and cooking badges seemed a bit boring. Dreams of the troop camper, gypsy, photographer and rambler badges held high adventure! Having acquired these badges a shy, young girl could be transformed into a strong, bold and fearless explorer! These days I still want my badges. First there was a Safe Boating Course, my ASA Basic Keelboat and my I've chartered in the islands badge. It was just incredible when Captain Jack signed my Log Book for the ASA Sailing Instructor Certifications. Once again itâs time to set new goals, expand my horizons and stretch my sea legs again. I want to be called Captain!

Seeking out my Captainâs license was the next step for me as a professional mariner. The USCG Captain's Class was the place to start. I was so excited to find that Captain Jack would be teaching this class. Captain Jack is The Boating Education Coordinator for the State of Texas, and you know how big Texas is! He wears a lot of hats and not just because heâs bald! He holds titles with Texas Parks and Wildlife, the Safe Boating Commission, the American Sailing Association and the U.S. Coast Guard. Heâs probably logged a zillion sea service miles! He's like a boating GURU! Oh, no! Guru doesnât describe Captain Jack. Drill Sergeant is more like it! Heâs tough! When he speaks, you listen! During my ASA Instructor Clinic, I was so impressed with his lecture on the extreme importance of life jackets; I began wearing mine in the car! Just kidding. With Captain Jack as a sailing instructor, I learned from the best. I want to be just like Captain Jack·only with hair.

The Captain's License' begins with the OUPV (operator of uninspected passenger vessel), AKA the 6-pack. That means I can take up to 6 paying passengers on a 100 Gross Ton Vessel! Wow 100 Ton, how big is that and why do they call it gross? This entire process took several road trips to Captain Jack's training facility (Dyess Maritime Consultants) in Ft. Worth, followed by a trip to the USCG Regional Exam Center in Houston. There I took my oath. On my honor, I will try to do my duty to God and my country and to obey the Girl Scout Law. Oops, wrong oath!

If this were listed in the Girl Scout handbook, the requirements might read something like this: Know all the Navigation Rules and learn what every possible combination of lights and sound signals mean. Know your Latitudes from your Longitudes. Take CPR and First Aid. You must have a physical, an eye exam, drug test, be of good moral character and, oh yea, you must be sane. At this point, that one seems questionable. Did you know that a boat can be underway and not making way at the same time? Did you know there are 14, 000 possible questions in the Coast Guard database? As for me, I have only one tiny question. Does anyone out there have a 50 Ton vessel that I can practice parallel parking? It doesn't have to be gross.

Captain Debbie Graham is the owner of Island Fever Sailing School. Her school was started 2 years ago and has had great success. She is a regular contributor to a local magazine, The Grand Xplorer's, where her articles on sailing appear regularly next to others on community happenings.

Photo: Here is Debbie Graham posing with her OUPV class

All articles are copyrighted by the American Sailing Association

Top