Boat Captain Resume Sample & Skills

Updated on: March 2, 2023

A resume is your only chance to tell the employer that you are ready for the challenges that he offers.

Make no mistakes and your chances of employment double. Make one and you can start rehashing your resume for the next employment opportunity.

Building resumes take a lot of time. There is so much detail that one has to put in that you cannot simply be done with writing a resume in 15 minutes.

So before you sit down to write your resume, make sure that you have enough time on your hands and that you are in a “resume writing frame of mind”.

To help you with your resume writing endeavors, here is a resume example for a boat captain position:

Sample Resume for Boat Captain Position

Anthony Smith
276 SE Winchester Road
Lees Summit, MO 27352
(000) 141-7474
a.smith @ email . com


BOAT CAPTAIN

SUMMARY
Dedicated maritime professional with documented success in steering and operating large and small floating vessels using depth finders, radars, lights, and buoys. Deep insight into navigating the waters owing to extensive experience on the sea.

CAREER HIGHLIGHTS
• Hands-on experience in computing positions, setting courses, and determining appropriate boat speeds
• Qualified to inspect vessels to ensure efficient and safe operation and conformance to regulations
• Demonstrated expertise in performing dedicated maritime activities including checking for oil spills and patrolling beaches
• Proficient in directing and coordinating crew members in activities such as loading and unloading cargo and operating engines

CORE SKILLS & COMPETENCIES
• Course setting • Engine operations
• Vessel inspection • Preventative maintenance
• Panel instruments use • Line handling
• Vessel maneuvering • Oceanographic equipment
• Onboard safety • Weather prediction
• Passenger services • Cargo handling

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

Boat Captain
LUCAS GROUP, Lee Summit, MO
6/2015 – Present
• Greet passengers as they embark on the boat and ensure that they are securely seated
• Ensure that all deckhands and the first mate are aware of the route that needs to be taken
• Provide passengers with information on following safety instructions properly
• Compute positions and set courses to the designated destinations
• Determine speeds by using charts, area plotting sheets, and compasses
• Measure water depths using depth-measuring instruments
• Supervise crew members performing cargo loading and unloading duties
• Monitor the embarking and disembarking of passengers to ensure their safety
• Steer boats along plotted routes and ensure that destinations are reached in a time-efficient manner
• Calculate sightings of land by using electronic-sounding devices
• Inspect the boat before each cruise to ensure that it is in good working order
• Check for spills and other pollutants and ensure that land staff/company is made aware of the findings
• Instruct crew members to collect fares from passengers and handle light bookkeeping duties
• Respond to passengers’ inquiries and ensure that they are kept safe during inclement weather conditions
Selected Accomplishments
• Successfully led the designated vessel to its destination amidst a severe tornado alert
• Won three banana boat races between the years 2020 and 2022
• Trained 15 deckhands to perform support work on large vessels, 6 of who have now been qualified to work as first mates
• Wrote a book Safety on the Seas, now considered a survival’s guide amongst crew members and passengers in the circle

Senior Deckhand
CANEEL BAY RESORT, Lee Summit, MO
1/2011 – 6/2015
• Provided direction to the daily activities of the boat crew to ensure that they worked in accordance to the rules
• Greeted passengers on board and ensured that they were seated comfortably and safely
• Educated passengers in the use of safety equipment during emergencies
• Oversaw the work of custodial staff to ensure that the boat is kept clean before, during, and after the voyage
• Stood to watch to determine weather conditions and danger of oncoming vessels
• Operated and maintained ship equipment such as engines and generators

EDUCATION
High School Diploma
AAA High School, Lee Summit, MO


The central force behind the decision to hire an individual is skills. The skills portion of the resume is what makes a boat captain’s resume complete.

Even though many of us do not bother highlighting our skills in our resumes, it is an important part of the document. Some employers may hire you by simply judging that you are a good fit through your opening sentence – the qualifications summary. But many will bank highly on how well you have articulated your skills in a dedicated section on your resume.

Forcing your skills down the employer’s throat is imperative. Making them obvious is the only surefire way of letting him or her know that you have much to show. While you must not brag overtly, it is important to show a little enthusiasm when defining your skills.

Long sentences are okay if you know how to use the language effectively but do not go overboard. Shorter sentences such as skilled in steering a boat won’t make you come forward as a good candidate, as they do not tell the employer how you steered the boat.

When writing your skills, you need to make sure that you do not write anything which is not applicable in the job for which you are applying. Relevance is a key factor here, as you will see from the list of skills mentioned in the list below:

Sample Skills for Boat Captain Resume

• Highly experienced in steering and operating boats by making appropriate use of radios, depth finders, and buoys.
• Skilled in docking and undocking vessels by maneuvering through narrow spaces.
• Ability to operate navigation equipment and adjust it according to weather conditions.
• First-hand experience in inspecting vessels to ensure efficient and safe operations in accordance with regulations.
• Skilled in reading gauges to verify sufficient levels of fluids, air pressure, and oxygen.
• Proficient in conducting safety drills with crew members as part of their ongoing training.
• Competent in computing positions, setting courses, and determining speeds by making effective use of charts, area plotting sheets, and sextants.
• Proven ability to measure water depths by making efficient use of depth-measuring equipment and devices.
• Effectively able to signal crew members and deckhands to rig tow lines and pull guard chains.
• Deep insight into operating direction-finding compasses, fire suspension systems, and marine craft communication systems.
• Exceptional communication skills aimed at ensuring that orders are properly followed and that any problems are handled effectively.
• Critical thinking abilities aimed at handling complex emergency situations with tact and according to marine procedures and protocols.