# Marine Activities (MARA) courses Orange Coast College · 2026-2027 Catalog · 14 courses Source: https://catalog.cccd.edu/orange-coast/course-descriptions/credit-courses/mara/ "Offered" lists sections in this catalog year's class schedules: Fall 2026, Spring 2027. ### MARA A136 — Introduction to Sailing - **Units:** 1 - **Hours:** 9 lecture hours; 27 lab hours - **Prerequisite:** Ability to swim 50 yards and tread water for five minutes; This prerequisite will be validated in class during the first week of the course. - **Transfers to:** CSU, UC (with credit limitation) - **Offered:** Fall 2026, 2 sections (/c/orange-coast-college/schedule/fall-2026/mara.md); Spring 2027, 2 sections (/c/orange-coast-college/schedule/spring-2027/mara.md) - Grading Mode: Standard Letter, Pass/No Pass - Transfer Credit: UC: Credit Limitation: Any or all of these ATHL, DANC, KIN, MARA, PE Activity courses combined: maximum credit, 4 units Introduces the novice to the fundamentals of sailing through dockside lectures and hands-on experience in Lido 14 dinghies. Points of sail, basic terminology, tacking, jibing, theory, and safety are emphasized. Enrollment Limitation: KIN A136; students who complete MARA A136 may not enroll in or receive credit for KIN A136. ### MARA A137 — Intermediate Sailing - Intro to Keel Boats - **Units:** 1 - **Hours:** 9 lecture hours; 27 lab hours - **Prerequisite:** MARA A136 or KIN A136; and Ability to swim 50 yards and tread water for five minutes; and Basic sailing ability; These skills will be validated the first week of class. - **Transfers to:** CSU, UC (with credit limitation) - **Offered:** Fall 2026, 1 section (/c/orange-coast-college/schedule/fall-2026/mara.md); Spring 2027, 1 section (/c/orange-coast-college/schedule/spring-2027/mara.md) - Grading Mode: Standard Letter, Pass/No Pass - Transfer Credit: UC: Credit Limitation: Any or all of these ATHL, DANC, KIN, MARA, PE Activity courses combined: maximum credit, 4 units Introduces the intermediate sailor to the fundamentals of sailing through dockside lectures and hands-on experience in Shields 30 sloops. Points of sail, basic terminology, tacking, jibing, theory, and safety are emphasized. Enrollment Limitation: KIN A137; students who complete MARA A137 may not enroll in or receive credit for KIN A137. Students completing MARA A137 may not receive credit for KIN A137. ### MARA A138 — Introduction to Ocean Sailing - **Units:** 1 - **Hours:** 9 lecture hours; 27 lab hours - **Prerequisite:** Ability to swim 50 yards and tread water for five minutes; Knowledge of basic sailing principles; This prerequisite will be validated in class during the first week of the course. - **Transfers to:** CSU, UC (with credit limitation) - **Offered:** not on the Fall 2026, Spring 2027 schedules - Grading Mode: Standard Letter, Pass/No Pass - Transfer Credit: UC: Credit Limitation: Any or all of these ATHL, DANC, KIN, MARA, PE Activity courses combined: maximum credit, 4 units Introduces the fundamentals of ocean sailing through dockside lectures and hands-on experience aboard large sailing vessels. Sail handling, winch operation, steering, reefing, and line handling are emphasized. Enrollment Limitation: KIN A138; students who complete MARA A138 may not enroll in or receive credit for KIN A138. ### MARA A150 — Coastal Navigation - **Units:** 3 - **Hours:** 45 lecture hours; 27 lab hours - **Transfers to:** CSU - **Offered:** Fall 2026, 2 sections (/c/orange-coast-college/schedule/fall-2026/mara.md) - Grading Mode: Standard Letter, Pass/No Pass Starting with the basics of navigation, students will be able to interpret charts, plot positions and courses, utilize navigational publications, and determine the effects of tides and currents relating to coastal piloting. Passage planning and boating safety legal requirements will be included. ### MARA A151 — Maritime Industry - **Units:** 2 - **Hours:** 36 lecture hours - **Transfers to:** CSU - **Offered:** Fall 2026, 2 sections (/c/orange-coast-college/schedule/fall-2026/mara.md) - Grading Mode: Standard Letter Students will learn about marine industry careers, maritime terminology, types of vessels and vessel protocol. Job skills and career paths for the marine industry are covered. Personal conduct, customer service skills, resume writing and interviewing skills are included to improve employment opportunities. This is a required course of the Professional Mariner Program. A facility fee will be charged for field trips. ### MARA A152 — Boat Handling and Seamanship - **Units:** 3 - **Hours:** 36 lecture hours; 54 lab hours - **Prerequisite:** Student must be able to swim 50 yards, tread water for 10 minutes. - **Transfers to:** CSU - **Offered:** Spring 2027, 1 section (/c/orange-coast-college/schedule/spring-2027/mara.md) - Grading Mode: Standard Letter Students learn safe boating practices and regulations. Practical training while operating small motor boats includes docking procedures, underway maneuvering, anchoring and overboard rescue drills. Time on the water provides experience in crew teamwork, standing watch, maintaining a lookout and general seamanship. This is a required course of the Professional Mariner Program. A facility fee will be charged. ### MARA A153 — Marine Basic Safety Training - **Units:** 4 - **Hours:** 72 lecture hours; 18 lab hours - **Prerequisite:** Student must be able to swim 50 yards and tread water for 10 minutes. - **Transfers to:** CSU - **Offered:** Spring 2027, 1 section (/c/orange-coast-college/schedule/spring-2027/mara.md) - Grading Mode: Standard Letter, Pass/No Pass This course is the basic safety training (BST) as specified by the U.S. Coast Guard (USCG). Basic firefighting, personal survival, personal safety, social responsibility, and first aid in marine situations are covered in this hands-on program. Students with satisfactory level of completion will be qualified for First Aid and CPR cards and Certificates of Completion for STCW-95 compliance as well as a World Sailing Safety at Sea certificate. This is a required course for the Professional Mariner Program. An optional facility fee will be paid to a Fire Training Facility. ### MARA A154 — Vessel and Engine Maintenance - **Units:** 2 - **Hours:** 18 lecture hours; 54 lab hours - **Transfers to:** CSU - **Offered:** Spring 2027, 1 section (/c/orange-coast-college/schedule/spring-2027/mara.md) - Grading Mode: Standard Letter This course offers hands on experience in vessel; cleaning interior & exterior surfaces. Students will learn the practical operation and routine maintenance of mechanical systems aboard vessels, diesel inboard engines and gasoline outboard engines. Skills practiced include painting, varnishing and routine engine maintenance. This is a required course of the Professional Mariner Program. ### MARA A156 — Maritime Environment - **Units:** 2 - **Hours:** 36 lecture hours - **Transfers to:** CSU - **Offered:** Fall 2026, 2 sections (/c/orange-coast-college/schedule/fall-2026/mara.md) - Grading Mode: Standard Letter Students will learn about the systems that drive global weather patterns and conditions commonly found along major shipping routes as well as hubs of recreational yachting. Global and regional physical oceanography will be covered as it relates to navigational challenges to the mariner. Understanding oceanography and weather will aid the student in understanding pollution regulations and the responsibilities of the mariner to the environment in which he or she works. This is a required course of the Professional Mariner Program. A facility fee will be charged for field trips. ### MARA A157 — Radar Observer - **Units:** 2 - **Hours:** 40 lecture hours - **Advisory:** MARA A150 or MARA A153. - **Transfers to:** CSU - **Offered:** Fall 2026, 2 sections (/c/orange-coast-college/schedule/fall-2026/mara.md); Spring 2027, 2 sections (/c/orange-coast-college/schedule/spring-2027/mara.md) - Grading Mode: Standard Letter Students will learn fundamentals of marine Radar, its uses, limitations, and how to interpret data from a radar system. Primary focuses will be on Radar Navigation and Collision avoidance. Students with satisfactory level of completion will be qualified for a Certificate of Completion for U.S. Coast Guard Radar Observer license endorsement, establishing competency in the operation and utilization of marine radar equipment. This endorsement may be added to any U.S. Coast Guard Deck Officer License. ### MARA A200 — Professional Mariner Internship - **Units:** 2 - **Hours:** 120 other hours - **Prerequisite:** MARA A150, MARA A151, MARA A152, MARA A153, or MARA A155. - **Corequisite:** MARA A201. - **Transfers to:** CSU - **Offered:** Fall 2026, 1 section (/c/orange-coast-college/schedule/fall-2026/mara.md); Spring 2027, 1 section (/c/orange-coast-college/schedule/spring-2027/mara.md) - Grading Mode: Pass/No Pass A supervised internship related to classroom-based learning at a maritime related work site. This course is designed as a supervised internship course for the Professional Mariner student. The student will gain experience in a marine related position that bridges classroom based learning with career goals. This 120-hour work experience course is designed to assist students to acquire career awareness, work habits, attitudes and skills for the professional mariner program. Credit for occupational work experience may be accrued at the rate of one to 8 units per semester for a total of sixteen units. Additionally, this course is for 2 units and students must work a total of 120 hours. ### MARA A201 — Professional Mariner Internship Lecture - **Units:** 1 - **Hours:** 18 lecture hours - **Corequisite:** MARA A200. - **Transfers to:** CSU - **Offered:** Fall 2026, 1 section (/c/orange-coast-college/schedule/fall-2026/mara.md); Spring 2027, 1 section (/c/orange-coast-college/schedule/spring-2027/mara.md) - Grading Mode: Standard Letter This course provides instructor-guided preparation related to classroom-based learning at a maritime related work site. This course is designed as a supplement to the supervised internship course for the Professional Mariner student. ### MARA A210 — USCG License Exam Preparation - **Units:** 4 - **Hours:** 68 lecture hours; 12 lab hours - **Advisory:** Due to the requirements to obtain a license from the US Coast Guard, students are expected to have 360 days of documented sea service; If a student has less than 360 days documented, then prior approval from the instructor is required. - **Transfers to:** CSU - **Offered:** not on the Fall 2026, Spring 2027 schedules - Grading Mode: Standard Letter, Pass/No Pass Students will learn the required material to take the USCG exams for an OUPV or 100 Ton Master/Mate endorsement. Topics include rules of the road, navigation and chart plotting, deck general, deck safety and environmental protection, and navigation general. ### MARA A215 — Rating Forming Part of a Navigational Watch (RFPNW) - **Units:** 1 - **Hours:** 18 lecture hours; 9 lab hours - **Prerequisite:** MARA A152 with a minimum grade of B, or sixty days of sea time as a deckhand, watchstander, or greater responsibility. - **Transfers to:** CSU - **Offered:** Fall 2026, 2 sections (/c/orange-coast-college/schedule/fall-2026/mara.md); Spring 2027, 1 section (/c/orange-coast-college/schedule/spring-2027/mara.md) - Grading Mode: Standard Letter, Pass/No Pass Students will be trained to stand watch as a competent member of a bridge team on commercial and private vessels. Steering, following helm commands, understanding the navigation rules for collision avoidance, and emergency procedures are included. Along with required sea time, this course is intended to qualify students for the international "Standards of Training Certification and Watchkeeping" (STCW) designation as "Rating Forming Part of a Navigational Watch" (RFPNW). It is designed to satisfy RFPNW training requirements as designated by the US. Coast Guard and the International Maritime Organization.