Nice location with realistic fleet of power boats all size to practice docking and maneuvering. Chapman's is a proven classic school, highly recommend for new boaters. Invest the time and $ and take a private docking clinic with one of their experienced Captains. read more

I enrolled in courses at Chapman School of Seamanship and paid $1,300 for STCW Basic Training and $1,140 for an OUPV-to-Master upgrade course. The program I attended ran Dec 2 through Dec 12! Unfortunately, the classroom experience was not what I expected from a professional maritime training school. The instructor typically lectured for about one hour, and students were then left to self-study for most of the remaining five to six hours of the day, occasionally watching a video. Much of the course time involved independent learning rather than structured instruction. A TOTAL WASTE of time for a school that DEMANDS 100% In person attendance! To have to sit and self teach for 5 hours! While there it is important to note that each and every student IN THE CLASS during class time was using US CAPTAIN'S training You Tube Channel to learn what we paid this school to us.. The course materials also made studying more difficult than necessary. The binders were printed entirely in black and white, which made learning the Rules of the Road challenging because the diagrams normally rely on red and green navigation light distinctions. Flashcards offered for purchase also contained some incorrect information, which created confusion.The Movies were about 10 plus years OLD as well! I also experienced issues with administrative policies that are not as advertised . I had dealings with Annie who seems very defensive and has very little business acumen, I canceled an STCW Basic Training class more than 30 days in advance, but was told my tuition would be refunded but not the deposit, so I asked If It would be able to transfer it to my CPR class. NOPE not allowed! No other explanation! See they are very good at taking the money but poor on service and DIALOGUE! I feel it is important to address some of the conduct I personally witnessed and recorded! I observed the instructor sharing what appeared to be his personal prescription medication with a student for her headache. I also witnessed him returning from lunch significantly later than the scheduled time due to handling his mother's banking matters. In addition, a considerable amount of classroom time was spent telling stories about drinking at a local bar with other students, often accompanied by profanity. None of this behavior felt professional or appropriate for a structured training environment. Much of this activity was observed directly, and portions of it were recorded. The larger issue is the overall quality and accuracy of the course materials and instruction. For example, the Rules of the Road book provided to students was dated 2024, and the flashcards that were sold separately contained inaccurate information. Students in the class discovered several of these errors while studying and memorizing the material. This is deeply concerning in a program intended to prepare mariners for Coast Guard examinations, where accuracy is critical. If the school believes it is appropriate to continue teaching Rules of the Road from a 2024 edition when a newer and updated version is already av I had hoped this school would be a convenient option since it is close to my home, but based on my experience I would recommend looking at other programs if you are seeking a structured classroom learning environment. THIS PLACE IS NOT THAT... it's OLD and outdated! And as the staff! The staff is defensive, the instructor "Tom" has apparently been there a very long time and will not be engaging in any extra effort for those who need a slower paced learning experience! He did enjoy leaving the class to learn in their own for many hours which allows him to sit with his phone for several hours, not teaching! I would say it was not a professional presentation, nor was the stories about being in a bar etc! I was taking this Captains license for my own personal satisfaction and found two other schools that are absolutely WONDERFUL! As Much as I had wished otherwise this school is an absolute joke! I would highly recommend if you are thinking of this school, do what I WISH I HAD DONE IN ADVANCE! sit in and Audit a class, you will see all that you need to know! The Instructor does not have the heart of a teacher, teaching the same material for years seems to have left bored him and left him uninspired to teach others! It was there to absorb the information and pass the test NOT just scrape by with the INFERIOR experience that was offered! I would say the measure of success would be out of the 8/9 of my fellow class mates 3 passed tag 4 tests on test day. So based on the quality of the instruction LESS than 1/2 of the students actually passed the All if the REQUIRED tests 6 days after the course was completed. That speaks volumes! Regards, A former student of the Charles Chapman School of Seamanship read more

My son started this program last summer, and it is by far the best summer program I've ever enrolled him in. He's 15 years old and now drives our boat better than most adults on the water. More importantly, he's learned a tremendous amount about boating safety. If you're on the fence about signing up, I can assure you that between the knowledgeable staff and the hands-on experience, this program is absolutely worth it. Thank you WilliamTorres read more

Efficient, excellent teacher who was extremely helpful and accommodating. The school was well run and all I met were resourceful and helpful. Outstanding performance. read more

Just finished the CPC-1000 Basic Power Boat course and I am very happy with the experience. Went from a novice to boating to a confident boater in 5 days! Captain Gregg was really thorough and taught us well both in the classroom and on the boat. I look forward to more advanced classes. Claudio. read more

What an amazing place to learn. I attended the yacht and small craft surveying course and I will say I am a better Mariner would be an understatement. All instructors were extremely knowledgeable and willing to have that extra conversation to ensure you knew exactly what we're questioning. Front office was a breeze to deal with, everything was promptly taken care of and all questions answered. I highly recommend anyone that sees the need or want to attend any of the courses there to do it, you won't regret it ! read more

The boats are a bit rundown because the school is a non-profit that operates on donated boats. But they run fine and are suitable for students to train and beat up. The dean and new program director are awesome and the curriculum is great. read more

Just completed the OUPV and Master's License course up to 100 tons. The course was super informative and gave me all the information and licensing to secure a job immediately. Tom is a great instructor and is extremely helpful with any questions I had. The front office was extremely helpful in offering assistance when needed. The school is very reasonable and does not hide any fees. They are up front about everything. Any other schooling I need I will certainly be returning to Chapman to complete it. read more

The best maritime school for those who wants to become a MASTER of a vessel. I have to say thanks a million times to CHAPMAN SCHOOL because of this school specially to JENNIFER & ROGGER today i am working as a Tractor Tug MASTER holding a MASTER 1600GT upon OCEANS License. Thanks again JENNIFER for not let me drop from class when i thought i could not make it.I will never forget that you offered to bring me a translator at not charge. You had good faith in me and i did it. GOD BLESS YOU !!! Hi JENNIFER & ROGER this is CATALINO "PITIN"SOTO from PUERTO RICO. Class 1987 read more

The place is run down, and the boats even more so. However the instruction was excellent and the price not too bad so I guess it all balances out. read more

Survey class is not worth the money or time. Moody instructor does not have enough material to cover this class. We are being dismissed most days 1-2 hrs early. Most dorm rooms are shabby and have sketchy wifi service. Some are infested with bugs. Running water unsuitable for drinking or cooking. I believe I was gipped out of at least 20 hours of class time. Get some more materials, maybe some speakers, more time on boats but the way it is right now.. not worth it. Would not recommend to anyone. The instructor needs to go! read more

The web site notes they take boats in for use during their training & education - well, apparently nothing that may actually help someone with an older boat. After calling for over a week and leaving 6 mssg's I finally got a hold of "Chris" who informed me they weren't interested in my vessel because it would take to much to update for sale - apparently, they only take newer vessels for teaching on - well, news flash !! a newer boat would normally never be donated since a write off over 50K would make more sense to sell and keep the cash. It seems that any "education" would be on running a boat and not repairing the workings of a vessel, where jobs are available on each coast. read more