Looking for a guest speaker for your yacht club, professional organization, or other maritime-related group? Ask one of the U.S. Coast Guard licensed captains of the Chesapeake Area Professional Captains Association (CAPCA).
The Annapolis-based group has set up a new Speakers Bureau designed to provide knowledgeable, experienced captains as guest speakers, primarily for organizations in the Annapolis, Baltimore, and Washington, D.C. areas. More information can be found by clicking on "Speakers Bureau" on the CAPCA homepage, where you'll find an online form to submit to the Speakers Bureau coordinator.
The Speakers Bureau, which includes more than 20 captains, is part of CAPCA's efforts to expand its public outreach to the maritime community. Other outreach efforts include: opening CAPCA meetings to the public (mariners may hear the speakers that the organization invites to its own sessions); providing easy access to maritime links on the CAPCA homepage; opening to the public some continuing education classes; offering the public informative email messages; and serving as co-sponsor of public service events.
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CAPCA's 300-member organization serves U.S. Coast Guard-licensed captains in the Chesapeake area, providing a clearinghouse for job opportunities, continuing education classes, networking, mentoring, guest speakers, field trips, and discounts on marine-related purchases. Members hold operator's or master's licenses that qualify them to work as captains of tour boats, water taxis, towboats, charter boats, private yachts, or larger vessels. Some also serve as delivery captains of vessels in transit throughout the East Coast and Caribbean.
CAPCA meets on the fourth Monday of each month at the Annapolis Elks Lodge, 2 Pythian Drive, Edgewater, MD. Social hour begins at 6:30 p.m., and the meeting starts at 7:15 p.m. For more information and a calendar of events, visit the CAPCA website. There are no monthly meetings in August and December.
