Motorboat Operators
Operate small motor-driven boats. May assist in navigational activities.
2,480 people do this job in the US. $47,520 a year.
of the working time. Estimate.
- 5%
- 0%
- 95%
Measured, from Anthropic's usage data (2025). Counts help on part of a task.
On the chosen pace and reliability. Estimate.
Share of the working time within reach, now to 2030
What each choice means: , , , , . Every pace starts from .
At this date and pace, models finish tasks up to 4.4 h long four times in five.
How far this has come
With GPT-4, measured in March 2023, 0% of this job's working time was within reach at . With Claude 3.7 Sonnet, measured in February 2025, 0%. With Claude Mythos Preview (early), measured in April 2026, 4%. Today's estimate: 5%.
A backcast: today's task data with the best model METR had measured by each date. It shows how fast the models have moved, not what anyone forecast at the time.
The tasks
Sorted by . 16 tasks from .
| Task | Kind | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oversee operation of vessels used for carrying passengers, motor vehicles, or goods across rivers, harbors, lakes, and coastal waters.Done hourly or more by most who do it. | 28% | 3.3 h50 min to 6.7 h | Stays with people | |
| Operate engine throttles and steering mechanisms to guide boats on desired courses.Done daily by most who do it. | 10% | 50 min25 min to 3.3 h | Stays with people | |
| Tow, push, or guide other boats, barges, logs, or rafts.Done hourly or more by most who do it. | 8% | 1.7 h38 min to 4.2 h | Stays with people | |
| Maintain desired courses, using compasses or electronic navigational aids.Done daily by most who do it. | 7% | 50 min17 min to 3.3 h | Stays with people | |
| Organize and direct the activities of crew members.Done daily by most who do it. | 7% | 50 min13 min to 2.5 h | Stays with people | |
| Maintain equipment such as range markers, fire extinguishers, boat fenders, lines, pumps, and fittings.Done daily by most who do it. | 7% | 1.3 h25 min to 2.5 h | Stays with people | |
| Perform general labor duties such as repairing booms.Done hourly or more by most who do it. | 6% | 1.7 h38 min to 3.3 h | Stays with people | |
| Follow safety procedures to ensure the protection of passengers, cargo, and vessels.Done hourly or more by most who do it. | 5% | 25 min13 min to 50 min | Stays with people | |
| Clean boats and repair hulls and superstructures, using hand tools, paint, and brushes.Done daily by most who do it. | 5% | 2.5 h50 min to 6.7 h | Stays with people | |
| Arrange repairs, fuel, and supplies for vessels.Done daily by most who do it. | 4% | 50 min17 min to 2.5 h | 87%Half by now | |
| Service motors by performing tasks such as changing oil and lubricating parts.Done more than monthly by most who do it. | 4% | 1.3 h25 min to 3.3 h | Stays with people | |
| Issue directions for loading, unloading, and seating in boats.Done more than weekly by most who do it. | 3% | 25 min13 min to 50 min | Stays with people |
Within reach, per task: the share of the task's time whose instances are short enough for a model to finish at the chosen date, pace and reliability. Half by: the date half of that time comes within reach.
Jobs that share skills with this one
From O*NET's related occupations. Within reach now and by the end of 2028, long-run pace, four in five.
Where this job works
The industry groups that employ the most of it (BLS, May 2025).
Where the most of these jobs are
The metro areas with the most people in it (BLS, May 2025).