I am a high school administrator who usually has weekends off and have six weeks vacation during July and the first two weeks of August. I'm thinking about starting a sight seeing business on the penobscot river in Maine. I'm calling it VIPER tours which stands for Verona Island and Penobscot River Tours. I truly am in the beginning stages and need to know what it takes to get licensed to do this. My understanding is that if you limit yourself to six passengers
then you have a much easier time getting licensed. I've been boating all my life but never on a commercial money making venture. Can someone tell me where the nearest coast guard office is and point me in the direction to get started?? I live near Bucksport, Maine where the Penobscot river dumps into the bay. There is a new Bridge spanning the river linking Waldo and Hancock counties now under construction as well historic Fort Knox. I believe running the river around the island and up the penobscot to Bangor is something people would want to do, both tourists and locals. Anybody out there who can give advice??

6 pack is alittle easier to get. no matter what license you have you can only carry six passengers on an uninspected vessel,
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