United States Maritime Academy - 206

I have been taking classes to get my Coast Guard captains licence. This is an intensive process that includes drug testing (I passed) a physical (still have to do visual and hearing), documenting your sea time (minimum of 360 days) attending 80 hours of class, getting a CPR licence and passing examinations. Oh, and 1200.00 for the class not including gas, testing, and physical. I figure that I will have 2 grand wrapped up in this by the time I am done. The closest USMA class is in Chicago, a 4 hour drive for me. Two to three times a week. So yes, I have once again proved that I am completely insane. There are closer classes, but not in the format USMA teaches with quality instructors, at least not that I could find with a 2 hour web search. I feel that this organization is worth the drive and the extra hassle. So far they have been excellent, and the rest of the class is quality, which also says much about the organization. You can have the best instructors in the world, but if the students they attract are fencepost IQ you yourself will not learn much, and believe me I speak from 20 years experience in the automotive field. What can I do with this licence? Captain a ferry, dive boat, charter boat, deliver a boat, charge people for a trip on my boat, teach a captain's class, and have that nice warm glow inside knowing that I accomplished something that others wont because they think I am crazy while they change the channel with the remote control.