Captain Development
in Chicago
Sail Shop Chicago supports the full path from recreational sailor to USCG-licensed captain — OUPV, 100-Ton Master, sailboat endorsement, and professional mentorship on Lake Michigan.
USCG License Levels
Your Merchant Mariner Credential (MMC) is the federal license that authorizes you to operate commercially. There are two main license levels for Chicago charter captains.
OUPV (Six-Pack)
Operator of Uninspected Passenger Vessels
The entry-level USCG credential. Authorizes you to carry up to 6 paying passengers on uninspected vessels. The most common commercial captain credential in Chicago's charter market.
Requirements
100-Ton Master
Master of Vessels Up to 100 Gross Tons
Covers larger inspected vessels and corporate charter operations. Required to run vessel fleets, work for larger companies, or operate excursion vessels with more than 6 passengers.
Requirements
The Path to Your MMC
Get 360 sea days documented
Logbook every trip. Date, vessel, hours underway.
Complete first aid + CPR
USCG-approved course. Valid 2 years.
Pass a physical / drug test
Any USCG-approved physician. MMC physical is CG-719K.
Submit your MMC application
Apply at an REC (Regional Examination Center) or by mail to NMC.
Pass the written exam
Multiple modules at a USCG-approved testing facility.
Receive your MMC
Issued by the National Maritime Center (NMC). Valid 5 years.
Endorsements
Endorsements are added to an existing MMC and expand what you’re authorized to do commercially.
Sailing Endorsement
Required to carry passengers under sail commercially. Added to an existing OUPV or Master MMC. Sail Shop Chicago supports every Chicago captain pursuing a sailboat endorsement — following a tradition Grant Crowley of Crowley's Yacht Yard established for generations of Chicago captains.
Near Coastal Endorsement
Extends your operating area beyond inland waters to coastal routes. Required for operations in the Great Lakes beyond defined inland waters.
Assistance Towing
Authorizes commercial towing operations. Common add-on for captains working the Chicago harbor system.
Captain Mentorship Program
Sail Shop Chicago pairs aspiring captains with licensed USCG captains for sea-day accumulation, exam prep, and career guidance. Chicago Captain David Lobo holds an active MMC and provides direct mentorship to captains working toward their credential on Lake Michigan.
The program follows a tradition established by Grant Crowley of Crowley’s Yacht Yard — who has personally funded sailboat endorsements for Chicago captains for decades. Sail Shop scales that tradition through a nonprofit model.
Starting from scratch?
Get ASA certified first. ASA 101 through ASA 104 gives you the sailing foundation — and the documented sea time — that your OUCV application requires.