What Annapolis School of Seamanship does

Annapolis School of Seamanship is a US Coast Guard-approved maritime training school based at Annapolis City Marina in Maryland, founded in 2002. It delivers hands-on boating education across four course families: technical skills (Marine Diesel, Electrical, Systems and Plumbing), navigation (Basic Piloting, iNavigation, Celestial), USCG captain's license preparation (Master 100-Ton, OUPV 6-Pack, License Renewal, Rules of the Road, Towing and Sail Endorsements), and on-water/youth programs (Docking, Women at the Wheel, Basic Boat Operator, Jr. Captains, Mini-Mariners). Courses are team-taught by licensed captains and credentialed trade experts, including ABYC-certified diesel and electrical technicians and the author of The Art of Seamanship.

The school's physical infrastructure differentiates its curriculum from lecture-based competitors. A full-size ship bridge simulator integrates with the iNavx mobile navigation application for integrated electronic and traditional navigation training. Custom-built training aids include a working/cutaway diesel engine and electrical circuit boards developed specifically for the electrical troubleshooting course. Class sizes are deliberately small — typically capped at 4-8 students — to preserve the hands-on instructional model. The Rules of the Road course is offered both in-person (USCG-approved) and online via Litmos; the latter is for preparation only.

The business operates on a direct-to-consumer, single-site model with a bootstrapped, founder-owned capital structure. Revenue is generated primarily from one-time course registration fees, supplemented by a paid USCG application assistance service staffed by two full-time employees (original license $145, renewal $95, TWIC $125.25). Captain's license courses are paid via 0% interest three-payment plans. Marketing relies on the company website, a Constant Contact email newsletter, and third-party registration platforms (RegFox, Ticketspice). The customer base spans recreational boaters, professional mariners pursuing USCG credentials, women boaters, and youth (ages 8-16), with all in-person training delivered at the Annapolis location and occasional multi-day training voyages to the Pacific Northwest.

Name

Annapolis School of Seamanship

Legal name

Annapolis School of Seamanship

Website

https://annapolisschoolofseamanship.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2002

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Annapolis School of Seamanship is a US Coast Guard-approved maritime training school in Annapolis, Maryland, offering hands-on boating, navigation, diesel/electrical systems, and captain's license preparation courses to recreational boaters, professional mariners, women, and youth.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Maritime Training

NAICS

Technical and Trade Schools (6115)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Navigation, Seamanship & Offshore Operations (EDAOANAE)

akta.pro secondary industries

Merchant Marine & Deck Operations (EDAOANAA), Marine Engineering & Engine Room Operations (EDAOANAB), Maritime Safety Management Systems & Training (ISM/ISO 45001, Drills, Competency) (TLAHANAF)

Keywords

• Maritime training
• Boating education
• Captain's licensing
• Marine diesel training
• Vessel maintenance courses

Headquarters

HQ city

Annapolis

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Course Registration Fees: Revenue generated from registration fees for various courses including classroom courses, hands-on classes, on-water training, and online courses. Courses include Captain's License (Master 100 Ton, OUPV 6-Pack), diesel, electrical, navigation, systems, safety, weather, and kids programs. Payment plans available (three payments of $475 for Masters, $400 for OUPV).
2. USCG Application Assistance: Packet assist program to help mariners submit applications to USCG. Staffs two full-time employees for application assistance. Fees include $145 for original license application, $95 for renewal, $125.25 for TWIC card.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Annapolis School of Seamanship is a US Coast Guard approved maritime training school offering hands-on courses in marine diesel, electrical, navigation, weather, systems, and safety, plus USCG-approved captain's license preparation (Master Mariner 100 Ton, OUPV 6-Pack, endorsements, renewals). It also offers on-water practical training, youth programs, and USCG application packet assistance. Courses are taught in-person at its Annapolis, MD facility with some online components.

Product overview

Annapolis School of Seamanship is an educational training institution offering a comprehensive portfolio of maritime courses for both recreational boaters and professional mariners seeking USCG Captain's licensing. The program consists of multiple course categories: (1) Hands-on technical skills courses including Marine Diesel (Basics and Level II), Marine Electrical Systems (Basics and Level II), and Marine Systems and Plumbing; (2) Navigation courses including Basic Navigation and Piloting, Navigation II: iNavigation, and Introduction to Celestial Navigation; (3) Weather courses including Marine Weather Basics and Level II; (4) USCG-licensed Captain's preparation courses including Master Mariner 100-Ton, OUPV 6-Pack, License Renewal, OUPV to Master Upgrade, Rules of the Road (in-person and online), and endorsements for Auxiliary Sail and Assistance Towing; (5) On-water practical training including Docking, Women at the Wheel, Basic Boat Operator, and Jr. Captains programs for ages 8-16; (6) Safety courses including First Aid & CPR with AED and 1-Day Basic Boaters Course. The school is USCG-approved for Captain's licensing and supplements classroom instruction with on-water training vessels and a full-size ship simulator.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Marine Diesel Basics 12-hour introductory class covering diesel engine principles, anatomy, maintenance, and basic troubleshooting for recreational boaters and professional mariners, combining lecture with hands-on instruction using a working diesel engine and cutaway demonstration engine.
• Marine Diesel Engines: Level II Advanced 2-day hands-on course for diesel basics graduates focused on troubleshooting failures (failure to crank, overheating, misfiring) and performing maintenance and repair procedures including compression tests, valve clearance adjustments, and injector servicing.
• Marine Electrical System Basics 2-day class teaching basic electrical theory, DC system design, maintenance, troubleshooting, and circuit installation for recreational boaters and professional mariners, including hands-on multimeter training and circuitry exercises.
• Marine Electrical Systems: Level II Advanced 2-day course for basics graduates focused on troubleshooting electrical failures, designing and installing new equipment, and creating balanced systems, covering shore power, AC generators, galvanic isolators, and alternative power sources (solar and wind).
• Marine Weather Basics Two-day introductory course providing a foundation in marine weather terminology, tools, resources, and forecasting principles, including cloud identification, Beaufort Scale, tide/currents effects on sea state, and electronic resources/apps.
• Marine Weather: Level II Two-day advanced class building on weather basics foundation, introducing 3-D weather aspects including 500 Mb upper air flow charts, ridges, and troughs for weather routing decisions, essential for offshore voyaging.
• Basic Navigation and Piloting Two-day class teaching chart plotting, route creation, position fixing (three-bearing fixes, running fixes, electronic fixes), use of government publications (tide tables, Light List, Coast Pilot), and dead reckoning using charts, plotting tools, and workbook exercises.
• Navigation II: iNavigation Two-day advanced course blending traditional navigation with networked electronic aids including GPS chartplotter, radar, AIS, ARPA, VRM, and EBL, using iNavx and other mobile apps with the school's full-size ship simulator for integrated navigation experience.
• Introduction to Celestial Navigation 12-hour class teaching celestial navigation using sextant, Nautical Almanac, and Sight Reduction Tables, providing a practical method for finding position at sea without GPS dependency.
• Marine Systems and Plumbing Introductory 2-day class taking a holistic look at boat systems including black, fresh, and raw water systems, pumps, piping, corrosion, battery and AC systems, air conditioning, refrigeration, propane, steering, and crisis management, including hands-on marine head disassembly.
• First Aid & CPR with AED 8-hour First Aid & CPR with AED class approved to satisfy USCG Captain's license requirements, covering general first aid, medical emergencies aboard vessels, AED use, and waterborne accident-specific training, with USCG-accepted certificate upon completion.
• Rules of the Road (in-person) Two-day USCG approved course covering 72 COLREGS and US Inland Rules in detail with practical examples; seats limited to 4 students per class, meets first two days of Masters or OUPV course, and yields a USCG approved course certificate.
• Rules of the Road (online) Self-paced online course covering Rules of the Road with detailed explanations, diagrams, and videos, intended for preparation and knowledge only and not replacing USCG approved class for licensing purposes.
• Master Mariner - 100 Ton Captain's License 80-hour USCG approved course for obtaining Master Mariner license up to 100-gross tons, covering operation of both uninspected and inspected vessels, with certificate valid for one year at any USCG Regional Exam Center (REC).
• OUPV (6-Pack) Captain's License 56-hour USCG approved course for Operator of Uninspected Passenger Vessels license, allowing operation of vessels carrying up to six passengers for hire on uninspected vessels up to 100 gross tons and 65 feet, including Navigation General and Chart Plotting modules.
• License Renewal USCG approved course for mariners renewing OUPV or Master Mariner licenses up to 100 gross tons who lack 360 days sea service since last issuance, with certificate accepted by USCG in lieu of exam at a Regional Exam Center.
• OUPV to Master Mariner Upgrade Course for mariners with existing OUPV license to upgrade to Master Mariner license up to 100-gross tons, covering Deck General and Deck Safety, with certificate valid for one year at any USCG Regional Exam Center.
• Auxiliary Sail Endorsement USCG approved course required for Master Mariners to operate sailing vessels carrying passengers for hire, covering sailing basics, procedures, sailboat design, and types of sailboats, requiring 180 days sea service on sailboats for Inland Endorsement.
• Assistance Towing Endorsement USCG approved course for Master Mariners and OUPV holders to operate commercial assistance tow boats, covering towing safety, procedures, and equipment, with certificate valid for one year at any REC.
• Docking Training One-day on-water workshop aboard single-outboard powered training vessels covering pre-departure checklists, docking and maneuvering, and use of docklines and springlines, with a minimum of 2 students per class.
• Women at the Wheel (Level 1 and Level 2) On-water courses offering women skills and confidence to skipper powerboats; Level 1 covers safety, radio communications, knots, docking, and operating at speed, while Level 2 covers more docking, chart navigation, anchoring, and Ego Alley procedures.
• Basic Boat Operator Onboard workshop covering boat-handling, docking, maneuvering, on-water safety, knots, line handling, rules of the road, operating at speed, and weather, taught in classroom, on land, and aboard training vessels, and includes the Maryland Safe Boating certificate upon completion.
• Jr. Captains Course 5-day (15-hour) on-the-water powerboating instruction for kids ages 12-15 covering safety, boat handling, docking, fueling, navigation, line handling, knots, and weather awareness, with Maryland Safe Boating certificate awarded upon completion.
• Jr. Captains Level 2 Advanced on-water course for ages 12-16 who completed Jr. Captains Level 1, upgrading certification from Class A (under 16 feet) to Class 1 (16 to 26 feet) vessels with expanded area of operation to Bays and Sounds.
• 1-Day Classroom Basic Boaters Course One-day classroom course covering Rules of the Road, Aids to Navigation, Docking and Line Handling, Safety and Emergency Equipment, and Anchoring, designed for new and experienced boaters.
• Canvas Repair and Basic Sewing Hands-on class covering canvas repair and basic sewing techniques for boat owners.
• Pacific Northwest Training Trips Training voyages to the Pacific Northwest and Princess Louisa Inlet conducted several times per year, providing students with practical offshore and coastal navigation experience.
• Private Instruction Customized private instruction sessions available by phone booking for individual training needs.
• USCG Application Assistance Packet assist program staffed by two full-time employees to help mariners submit applications to the US Coast Guard, with fees of $145 for original license application, $95 for renewal, and $125.25 for TWIC card.

Quantifiable outcome

• Graduates receive USCG-approved certificate accepted in lieu of exam at any Regional Exam Center
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration1 record

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered minor.

• Marriott (Courtyard Annapolis)minorOthersCourtyard Annapolis By Marriott offers discounted rates for Annapolis School of Seamanship students. Students can access discounted rates through a corporate booking link.
• Candlewood Suites AnnapolisminorOthersOffers discounted rates for Annapolis School of Seamanship students. Students can mention the school to receive discounted pricing.
• Hampton Inn & Suites AnnapolisminorOthersOffers discounted rates for Annapolis School of Seamanship students through corporate booking links.
• The Inn at Horn PointminorOthersClosest accommodation to the school (0.4 miles). Family owned and operated. Offers discounted rates for ASOS students with special booking links provided in registration email.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Chapman School of Seamanship: Long-running maritime training institution originally affiliated with Chapman Piloting. Offers USCG license prep (Master, OUPV), Rules of the Road, and seamanship courses. Directly comparable to ASOS in USCG-approved captain's licensing focus and recreational-to-professional mariner curriculum, with similar heritage in practical seamanship education.
• Sea School: Multi-location USCG-approved maritime training school offering Captain's license prep and recreational boating courses across the southeastern US. Comparable to ASOS in regulatory-approved training offerings and direct-to-consumer enrollment model, but with broader geographic reach and larger course volume.
• Maritime Institute: San Diego-based USCG-approved maritime training school offering Captain's license (Master/Mate/OUPV), STCW, and continuing education courses. Comparable to Annapolis School of Seamanship in regulatory positioning, course catalog (Master/OUPV, Rules of the Road, endorsements), and direct-to-consumer GTM, but operates multi-state with a larger campus footprint.
• Maritime Professional Training Academy (MPTA): USCG-approved maritime training provider focused on Captain's license preparation and professional mariner courses. Comparable to ASOS in regulatory standing and captain's licensing curriculum, with similar emphasis on small-group professional credentialing.

Broad incumbents

• United States Power Squadrons (America's Boating Club): Long-established volunteer boating education organization offering USPS-certified courses in seamanship, navigation, and piloting. Comparable to ASOS in recreational boating education focus and USPS offers America's Boating Course accepted by states for mandatory boater education, but at significantly lower cost and without USCG Captain's license approval.

Regional players

• Northeast Maritime Institute: New England-based maritime training institution offering USCG-approved courses and credentialing programs. Comparable to ASOS in regulatory-approved maritime training but serves primarily a different geographic region (Maine/Massachusetts versus Mid-Atlantic).
• Pacific Maritime Academy: Pacific Northwest maritime training provider with USCG-approved courses for licensing and endorsements. Regionally comparable to ASOS's Pacific Northwest training trip offerings and serves an overlapping customer base interested in PNW cruising.

Emerging players

• Maritime Training Services (MTS): Provider of USCG-approved maritime training including STCW and license prep courses. Comparable to ASOS in regulatory-approved training space but focused more heavily on professional/tanker credentialing than recreational hands-on education.
• BoatUS Foundation: Non-profit offering free online boating safety courses approved in multiple states. Overlaps with ASOS's recreational boating curriculum (Maryland Safe Boating certificate, Basic Boating Course) but competes primarily on free/online accessibility rather than hands-on premium training.

Others

• Maryland Department of Natural Resources Boating Education: State agency providing free Maryland Boating Safety Education Certificate required for operators born after July 1, 1972. Adjacent to ASOS because ASOS's Maryland Safe Boating certificate is required by 49 states; the agency is the regulator/alternative for the basic certification pathway ASOS bundles with its courses.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/AnnapolisSchoolofSeamanship
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/annapolis-school-of-seamanship

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Annapolis School of Seamanship