Captain Mark Combe
Southern Oregon. Master's Degree in Teaching. Sailing instructor. Jet boat pilot on the Rogue River. USCG Licensed Captain who built the prep tool he wished existed when he was studying for his own exam.
It started with a $300 sailboat
Captain Mark grew up on the water. Southern Oregon has rivers, lakes, and enough coast to keep a curious kid busy for a lifetime — and that's exactly what happened. By the time he was old enough to do something about it, boats weren't a hobby. They were a way of life.
It officially started with a $300 Buccaneer sailboat that had no business being on any body of water it actually ended up on. That boat was the beginning of a lot of adventures — and the beginning of a genuine obsession with seamanship, navigation, and what it means to actually understand the water you're on.
Today, Mark teaches elementary school during the school year, gives sailing lessons on the side, and in the summer he pilots jet boat tours on the Rogue River — one of the most technically demanding waterways in Oregon. The Rogue doesn't forgive inattention. Neither does the USCG exam.
Still working on boats
When Mark went through the USCG licensing process himself, he found the study materials lacking. The question banks were raw and unexplained. The prep courses were expensive and generic. Nothing was written by someone who had actually driven a boat for a living.
So he built The Chartroom — a practice system written the way he wished he'd been taught. Every explanation cites the actual regulation. Every question is calibrated to the difficulty and style of what you'll actually see at the REC. The adaptive engine drills your weak spots until they're no longer weak spots.
He also wrote the OUPV Captain's License Study Guide — a book built alongside The Chartroom, covering the same material in the same voice.
The goal has always been the same: give people who are serious about earning their license a prep tool built by someone who actually knows what it means to be responsible for a vessel, a crew, and everyone aboard.
The Study Guide
OUPV Captain's License Study Guide
A brief, focused guide covering every topic on the USCG OUPV exam — written in plain language by a working captain. No filler. Just what you need to know, explained the way a real captain would explain it. The Chartroom was built to be the practice companion to this book.
View on Amazon →Credentials & Experience
USCG Licensed Captain
Near Coastal master — licensed to operate commercial passenger vessels
Rogue River Jet Boat Pilot
Seasonal commercial pilot on one of Oregon's most technical rivers
Sailing Instructor
Certified sailing instructor teaching on the Pacific Coast
Master's Degree in Teaching
A trained educator — knows how to explain complicated things clearly
Published Author
OUPV Captain's License Study Guide — a brief, focused exam prep book on Amazon
View on Amazon →
Builder of The Chartroom
Designed and built the USCG exam prep platform you're using right now
Study with someone who's been there
50 free practice questions. No credit card. Built by a working captain who sat the same exam you're preparing for.
Start Studying FreeNo credit card required