Courses for Advanced Boat Operator Certifications.
There are a number of advanced courses available for recreational boating operation. The Boat New Mexico Course represents a basic Inland Navigation entry level of certification.
Aside from the basic Captain license from the US Coast Guard that allows one to have up to 6 passengers for hire on board, there are essential skill courses and advanced levels of certification available from multiple sources.
The United States Power Squadrons focuses on motor boating and power yachts both with and without sails and have Coastal Navigation (CN), Advanced Coastal Navigation (ACN) and Offshore Navigation (ON) along with elective topics on essential skills such as Marine Weather, Marine Engine Maintainance, Marine Electrical Systems, Marine Communications, Marine Electronics and Cruise Planning and Sailing. www.usps.org
The American Sailing Association focuses on different levels of sailing from Basic Keelboat to International Chartering. The main interest is training at a series of independently owned sailing schools to get a level of certification that will enable one to rent or charter sail vessels throughout the world. http://www.asa.com/find_a_sailing_school.html
The U.S. Sailing Association has more of an emphasis on sailboat racing but has a parallel system to that of the American Sailing Association for making different levels of skills. http://www.ussailing.org/training/