— CAPTAIN'S COACHING PROGRAM
Every safe and successful journey begins before you even leave the dock. Preparing the boat and crew. The value of a Float Plan. Route planning to identify hazards to navigation, safe harbors in case of emergency, and waypoint identification for situational awareness. OCS emphasizes Preparation, Planning, and Practice to enhance your safety, knowledge, and confidence on the water.
01
Docking & Departure
Every captain's most visible moment is entering and leaving the dock. This module covers everything that happens before, during, and after — pre-cruise engine room checks, shore power and generator management, coordinating with your first mate and crew, assessing wind and current, understanding how your boat's stern drives the maneuver, approaching the dock with control and intention, proper use of spring lines, and the post-cruise checks that protect your investment. Most importantly, it covers the value of practice — because docking is a skill, and skills are built by repetition.
02
Running Your Boat
Open water has its own set of rules, hazards, and decisions. This module covers marina etiquette and right of way, using channel markers to navigate harbor entrances and exits, adjusting trim tabs and engine trim for changing conditions, marine radio etiquette and proper channel usage, man overboard procedures, and knowing where hazards exist along your route before you leave the dock. It also covers something most new captains underestimate — knowing and respecting your own limitations on the water.
03
Anchoring
You've seen that guy. He pulls into the anchorage, drops the hook, and an hour later drifts into the boat next to him. Nobody likes that guy. This module covers determining proper scope, setting and weighing anchor correctly, anchor light protocol, proper use of an anchor bridle, and communication with your first mate so that the whole operation goes smoothly from bow to stern.
04
Trip Planning
The Great Lakes are an extraordinary cruising ground — and preparation is what separates a great voyage from a stressful one. This module covers successful navigation for extended runs, planning each day for time, distance, and ports of call, using wind and weather apps effectively, and making reservations so your destination is ready when you arrive. Whether you're circumnavigating Lake Erie or pointing north to Lake Huron and beyond, this module gets you ready for the trip you've been thinking about.
05
Captain's Log
Experienced captains keep records. A well-maintained ship's log tracks general maintenance, fuel burn, travel days, harbor experiences, weather patterns, marina notes, upgrades, repairs, and invoices. It's the document that tells the story of your ownership — and on the day you're ready to sell, it's proof that you took the best possible care of your vessel.
EXCLUSIVE PROGRAM
The First Mate Coaching Package
Deck leadership, dock lines, VHF radio, trip planning, and what to do in the terrifying event that your own captain has been injured a suffers a medical emergency. Your decisions and actions as the First Mate matter.
Let OCS bolster your knowledge and confidence. The only program of its kind on the Great Lakes.
