If you like the idea of spending your working hours in an active role that can be demanding at times and completely relaxed at others, consider a career as a dive boat captain. Not only are there opportunities available at resorts and other venues, there are many areas which are sorely underserved when it comes to charter availability; with the right combination of skills and resources, you could very well open up your own dive operation. You might be surprised to discover that this in demand career is fairly simple to get into.
Learn to Navigate a Vessel
Navigating a boat is a lot like driving a car, although there are very few “road signs” along the way, and conditions are often variable, depending upon where you work. The good news is that once you’ve made the decision to learn to navigate a vessel and familiarized yourself with the equipment onboard, you have equipped yourself with a valuable skill that will last your entire life.
While some smaller boats operate with a skeleton crew, others have dedicated navigators to work with tools like GPS, radar, and other equipment so the captain can focus on actually operating the vessel. Many boats are equipped with autopilot, so once you’re out of the harbor, you set your course then simply watch to ensure all goes well.
Navigators must learn to use tools such as navigational charts and compasses, and skilled captains also learn to navigate using ancient celestial navigation methods. Outdated though these may seem, they are essential as modern equipment can occasionally malfunction.
To learn to navigate and pilot a boat, you can take boating and boating safety classes, and if you have friends or relatives who have the skills you wish to learn, you can ask them to help you learn the basics. While some skills take time to learn, others simply require practice and focus. The more often you’re able to practice, the more confident and capable you will become.
Some professional boating schools offer at least part of the coursework required online, enabling you to work toward your qualifications anytime you have a few minutes to spare.
Learn Special Skills for Running Dive Boat Operations
Once you’ve learned basic navigation skills and are comfortable with operating a boat safely under a variety of circumstances, you’re ready to move on to bigger and better things. To work as a professional, you will need a captain’s license; licensing requirements vary from one nation to another. Often, you will need to be a qualified Dive Master as well, and good working local knowledge can help you accomplish the “tourist guide” portion of the job.
Once you have gained some experience, then you may consider purchasing your own dive boat and opening a business of your own. Requirements and regulations vary by location, but as diving is a growing sport around the world, your investment is likely to show returns quickly.
If you are interested in this fun and rewarding career, think of the best experience you ever had with a dive boat captain, and consider whether you are suited to fill his or her shoes. Do you like people? Are you able to multi-task effectively? Are you detail oriented? If so, then you may just have what it takes to become a dive boat captain.