Why Choose Us
Many successful people are drawn to the allure of sailing yachts.
Traveling under sails with family, friends and acquaintances in the modern world is not only very exciting but also quite accessible.
Our yacht school will help you to gain the necessary knowledge, experience, and become a licensed yacht captain.
Worldwide, in most cases, to operate a yacht, you need to have a captain's license and a radio operator's license.
In the territorial waters of some countries there are additional specific requirements. In the US a special license is required to start commercial activities and take paying passengers onboard. It is called the Commercial OUPV/Six-Pack Captain's License. This license allows you to sail not only for pleasure but also for commercial purposes. This license is for US waters and does not work in other countries.
Many people wonder how to start learning, training, and which license to choose.
In the USA, there are indeed many yacht schools that offer various solutions. Often, these are quite complex and multi-stage training schemes that are challenging for the average person to navigate. As a result, training in these schools can be quite lengthy, expensive, and ineffective, meaning it may not address your needs and problems.
To begin with, you need to understand the type of yachting you are interested in:
1. Perhaps you want to sail occasionally near the coast in the US waters with your family and friends.
In this case, what you primarily need is not a captain's license, but quality knowledge gained through training and practical experience on a yacht with an experienced instructor. In our opinion, training at ISSA certified yacht school is best suited for this purpose.
2. If you want to travel the world on a large ocean-class yacht, then you definitely need an international yacht captain's license and a radio operator's license.
It's crucial to have international licenses that will work worldwide, because in many countries you can operate yachts only with either their national captain's licenses or international licenses.
The ideal choice for this type of yachting is ISSA International license, which is recognized worldwide and gives you the right to operate yachts and catamarans up to 80 feet in length.
3. If you want to use a yacht or catamaran for commercial purposes and take paying tourists on your vessel in the US waters, you'll need a Commercial OUPV/Six-Pack Captain’s License issued by the Coast Guard.
To obtain this license, you must complete an approved Coast Guard training course, pass an exam, and meet specific requirements set by the Coast Guard.
Our CHECK IN SEA Yacht School with partners offers Coast Guard approved online training course with online exam.
It's an exceptional opportunity to choose a course that perfectly suits your schedule while offering the most competitive pricing available in the U.S. market.
4. If you want to become a captain to travel the world, rent yachts in the most exotic corners of our planet, earn income by taking tourists on unforgettable journeys, and transform yachting into not just your hobby, but also your craft, and perhaps even your profession, then we recommend obtaining two licenses.
The International ISSA license is valid worldwide, and the OUPV/Six-Pack Captain’s License will let you do commercial activities in the US waters.
The next important question is the cost of captain's training.
At CHECK IN SEA Inc. Yacht School, this matter is absolutely clear and transparent, unlike many other yacht schools.
- International Captain License ISSA + VHF Short Range Certificate in English or Russian - $399 for the online theory course, including all taxes and fees.
- Commercial OUPV/Six-Pack Captain’s License online course plus examination - $595, including all taxes and fees.
- Commercial OUPV/Six-Pack Captain’s License + International Captain License ISSA + VHF Short Range Certificate - $899, including all taxes and fees.
You save approximately $100 by purchasing training for two licenses simultaneously.
The duration of the training is another important aspect to consider in order to plan the time effectively:
- International Captain License ISSA + VHF Short Range Certificate:
This course consists of 10 theoretical classes (1-2 times a week) lasting 2-2.5 hours each. The training is conducted online through live lectures with an instructor and other students via Zoom or Google Meet. The course takes approximately 1.5-2 months to complete.
- Commercial OUPV/Six-Pack Captain’s License:
This online course has 63 hours of training, and students can follow an individual schedule at their convenience. Access to the online platform and materials is available for 12 months from the start date.
- Commercial OUPV/Six-Pack Captain’s License + International Captain License ISSA + VHF Short Range Certificate:
Live lectures with instructors offer the opportunity to complete training for international captain's licenses within 1.5-2 months.
You'll also be able to get guidance from our instructors on anything concerning the OUPV/Six-Pack Captain's course, which will make the process smoother and faster.
Additional terms:
To obtain the International Captain License ISSA + VHF Short Range Certificate, after the theoretical course, you will need to complete a one-week yacht sea practice (starting at $1089).
The issuance of the International Captain License ISSA + VHF Short Range Certificate costs $390.
To obtain the Commercial OUPV/Six-Pack Captain's License, you will also need to pay the USCG evaluation fee of $165.
Advantages of CHECK IN SEA Yacht School:
- We are the only yacht school in the United States that offers our students the opportunity to simultaneously obtain two types of licenses - an international captain's license from ISSA, which allows you to operate yachts and catamarans worldwide, and complete a training course for Commercial OUPV/Six-Pack Captain’s License, approved by the USCG.
- The cost of training at our yacht school is one of the most competitive in the United States.
- We have years of successful experience in training students to become yacht captains. Within six years of active operation we have graduated over 1500 students from all over the world.
- CHECK IN SEA is also a tour operator. We invite our top graduates to collaborate with us and lead yacht holidays with our tourists worldwide as captains.
- Our training is conducted in two languages, English and Russian. You will always have the opportunity to receive assistance and answers to your questions from our instructors.
We are here to offer you the necessary support and consultations for all your sailing needs. Feel free to get in touch.