If you have OUPV or Master 100 GRT and want to carry passengers for hire on sailing vessels, you need the Sailing Endorsement. Add-on exam prep with everything you need to pass.
No account required. No credit card.
Our prep covers every topic on the sailing endorsement exam — seamanship, rigging, rules, and safety.
Add the Sailing Endorsement to any base license. Bundle everything with Captain's Complete.
Add to OUPV or Master. All sailing content unlocked.
OUPV + Master + Sailing + Towing. Save $494.
Yes. If you hold an OUPV (Six-Pack) or Master 100 GRT and want to carry passengers for hire on a sailing vessel, you must have the Sailing Endorsement. Without it, your license is limited to motorized vessels. Operating a sailing charter without the endorsement is a federal violation.
Yes. The Sailing Endorsement requires a separate exam at a USCG Regional Exam Center covering sailing seamanship, rigging, sail trim, and sailing-specific rules of the road. It is added to your existing OUPV or Master credential.
Yes. You need at least 12 months of sea service on sailing vessels (or a combination of sail and power). At least 6 months must have been on sailing vessels. This sea time can overlap with your base license sea time.
The Sailing Endorsement allows you to carry passengers for hire on sailing vessels. If you are teaching sailing and charging for instruction on a vessel with students, the endorsement covers that activity. ASA certifications are separate from the USCG credential and cover instructor qualifications, not federal licensing.
The sailing exam covers sailing seamanship (sail trim, tacking, jibing, heavy weather), rigging (standing and running rigging, furling systems), sailing right-of-way under COLREGS Rule 12, and sailing-specific safety (capsize, knockdown, MOB under sail). Questions are nautical multiple-choice format.
Yes — and our Captain's Complete bundle includes both. Many sailing charter operators apply for OUPV and the Sailing Endorsement simultaneously, presenting both sets of sea time together. The exams are taken separately but you can schedule them back-to-back at any Regional Exam Center.
Free guides relevant to sailing captains — no account required.
All 38 Rules including Rule 12 — sailing vessel right of way.
Navigation lights for sailing vessels: underway under sail, motor-sailing.
Anchoring under sail, scope, holding ground, and Rule 30 anchor lights.
Voyage planning for bluewater sailboats: weather routing, waypoints, watch systems.
Reading weather for sailors: fronts, barometer, Beaufort scale, VHF.
Sailing-specific sea time documentation for the endorsement application.
⚓
A free weekday email teaching one fascinating maritime rule — with exam tips and practice questions. Master the captain's license exam 5 minutes at a time.
Start with the free app — no account, no credit card. See the real exam format and know what you're preparing for.
Start Studying FreeGet notified when we add new content and features: