Pilot, River or Bar

Exam

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Education

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Experience

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Background check

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Maritime pilots command ships to steer them into and out of harbors, straits, sounds, rivers, lakes, and bays. They direct the course and the speed of the ship based on their knowledge of wind, weather, tides, currents and local geography. (Compulsory pilotage: With the exceptions listed in ORS 776.405, no person shall pilot any vessel upon any of the established pilotage grounds in Oregon without holding a state-issued license.) The pilot license is issued for a specific pilotage ground, of which there are 4 in Oregon: Columbia River Bar Columbia and Willamette River Coos Bay Yaquina Bay For the Coumbia and WIllamette River pilotage ground there are 4 grades of license (C, B, A & Unlimited). Please see OAR 856-010-0012 for details. A part-time pilots license is available for the Yaquina Bay bar pilotage ground for those who anticipate less than full-time employment.