# Are ships' captains allowed to marry people at sea? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cecil's Columns/Staff Reports\ **Created:** [July 6, 2005, 10:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-ships-captains-allowed-to-marry-people-at-sea/311357 "2005-07-06T22:56:35Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 16\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![etler](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/74df32/32.png) [@etler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/etler)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2005, 10:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-ships-captains-allowed-to-marry-people-at-sea/311357/1 "2005-07-06T22:56:35Z")
[http://www.straightdope.com/classics/a2\_329.html](http://www.straightdope.com/classics/a2_329.html) The CFR reference in Paragraph 2 of the article is out of date. As of 10/15/1999 the section of the CFR is 32 CFR 700.844 (Title 32, Subtitle A, Chapter VI, Subchapter A, Part 700, Subpart H, Section 844. Cf. 64 FR 56062, 56075.) The wording is the same. ---
**Author:** ![samclem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a9a28c/32.png) [@samclem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/samclem)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2005, 1:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-ships-captains-allowed-to-marry-people-at-sea/311357/2 "2005-07-07T01:00:24Z")
**Dex** is the go-to guy who sees that previous columns are corrected, etc. He’s away for a few days. Have patience, and thanks for updating this. BTW, are you a ships’ Captain? Just curious. ---
**Author:** ![etler](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/74df32/32.png) [@etler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/etler)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2005, 5:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-ships-captains-allowed-to-marry-people-at-sea/311357/3 "2005-07-07T05:40:19Z")
\> BTW, are you a ships’ Captain? Just curious. Heh nope, just an obsessive geek who’s into law. Though I was a coxswain in college. Never tried to marry anyone though. ---
**Author:** ![Mathochist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c89c15/32.png) [@Mathochist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mathochist)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2005, 11:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-ships-captains-allowed-to-marry-people-at-sea/311357/4 "2005-07-07T11:04:41Z")
> [@etler](#): > > I was a coxswain in college. Such language! ---
**Author:** ![Baldwin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/baldwin/32/7264_2.png) [@Baldwin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baldwin)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2005, 11:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-ships-captains-allowed-to-marry-people-at-sea/311357/5 "2005-07-07T11:43:49Z")
Another myth shattered. When you see something presented as true in countless movies, it’s strange to find out that it’s just not so. ---
**Author:** ![Raguleader](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/258eb7/32.png) [@Raguleader](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Raguleader)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2005, 1:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-ships-captains-allowed-to-marry-people-at-sea/311357/6 "2005-07-07T13:11:25Z")
Easy way to clear up confusion on this: Require all ship’s captains to become ordained ministers and Justices of the Peace. That way they can marry people at sea. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![C\_K\_Dexter\_Haven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/b2d939/32.png) [@C\_K\_Dexter\_Haven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/C_K_Dexter_Haven)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2005, 1:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-ships-captains-allowed-to-marry-people-at-sea/311357/7 "2005-07-07T13:51:40Z")
For the record, it’s actually **TubaDiva** who works with **Ed Zotti** for technical updates to old columns. I have passed this over to her. And, yeah, in theory I’m on vacation at the moment. Hah. ---
**Author:** ![Princhester](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/3e96dc/32.png) [@Princhester](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Princhester)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2005, 7:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-ships-captains-allowed-to-marry-people-at-sea/311357/8 "2005-07-11T07:04:03Z")
> [@Raguleader](#): > > Easy way to clear up confusion on this: Require all ship’s captains to become ordained ministers and Justices of the Peace. That way they can marry people at sea. 😃 Could be problematic for them to become ordained ministers when most of those I know aren’t of the Judeo Christian persuasion. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2005, 5:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-ships-captains-allowed-to-marry-people-at-sea/311357/9 "2005-07-15T17:40:58Z")
[QUOTE=etlerThough I was a coxswain in college.[/QUOTE] 'Ow many oars did you cock? 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2005, 6:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-ships-captains-allowed-to-marry-people-at-sea/311357/10 "2005-07-15T18:44:31Z")
> [@](#): > > Could be problematic for them to become ordained ministers when most of those I know aren’t of the Judeo Christian persuasion. How so? ---
**Author:** ![Baldwin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/baldwin/32/7264_2.png) [@Baldwin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baldwin)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2005, 7:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-ships-captains-allowed-to-marry-people-at-sea/311357/11 "2005-07-15T19:29:41Z")
> [@](#): > > Could be problematic for them to become ordained ministers when most of those I know aren’t of the Judeo Christian persuasion. In the U.S. at least, I’m pretty sure a minister of any recognized faith can conduct a wedding. ---
**Author:** ![Princhester](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/3e96dc/32.png) [@Princhester](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Princhester)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2005, 10:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-ships-captains-allowed-to-marry-people-at-sea/311357/12 "2005-07-16T10:31:57Z")
But you wouldn’t usually use the term “ordained minister” about the respective holy men of Hindus, Moslems etc would you? ---
**Author:** ![vetbridge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b5e925/32.png) [@vetbridge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vetbridge)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2005, 1:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-ships-captains-allowed-to-marry-people-at-sea/311357/13 "2005-07-16T13:08:11Z")
> [@Baldwin](#): > > In the U.S. at least, I’m pretty sure a minister of any recognized faith can conduct a wedding. I can only speak for Pennsylvania, but as an ordained minister with the Universal Life Church, I have performed 3 weddings. Each Church has their own requirements for ordaination(?). The Universal Life Church requires you to click “yes”. ---
**Author:** ![Raguleader](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/258eb7/32.png) [@Raguleader](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Raguleader)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2005, 9:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-ships-captains-allowed-to-marry-people-at-sea/311357/14 "2005-07-16T21:14:56Z")
> [@Princhester](#): > > But you wouldn’t usually use the term “ordained minister” about the respective holy men of Hindus, Moslems etc would you? You’re picking at nits here, I was just saying that if all of the Captains had the authority of their respective faiths to do weddings, then that would eliminate the confusion! ---
**Author:** ![Crandolph](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/7cd45c/32.png) [@Crandolph](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crandolph)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2005, 2:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-ships-captains-allowed-to-marry-people-at-sea/311357/15 "2005-07-24T02:10:15Z")
> [@vetbridge](#): > > I can only speak for Pennsylvania, but as an ordained minister with the Universal Life Church, I have performed 3 weddings. Each Church has their own requirements for ordaination(?). The Universal Life Church requires you to click “yes”. Of course with our Quaker history I believe we have a somewhat more generous take on this than most states, see b) below: > [@](#): > > § 1503. Persons qualified to solemnize marriages. > > (a) General rule.–The following are authorized to solemnize marriages between persons that produce a marriage license > > issued under this part: . > > 1. A justice, judge or district justice of this Commonwealth. > > 2. A former or retired justice, judge or district justice of this Commonwealth who is serving as a senior judge or senior district justice as provided or prescribed by law. > > 3. An active or senior judge or full-time magistrate of the District Courts of the United States for the Eastern, Middle or Western District of Pennsylvania. > > 4. An active or senior judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit who is a resident of this Commonwealth. > > 5. A mayor of any city or borough of this Commonwealth. > > 6. A minister, priest or rabbi of any regularly established church or congregation. > > (b) Religious organizations.-Every religious society, religious institution or religious organization in this Commonwealth may join persons together in marriage when at least one of the persons is a member of the society, institution or organization, according to the rules and customs of the society, institution or organization. [Anabaptists & Quakers…] > > (c) Marriage license needed to officiate.–No person or religious organization qualified to perform marriages shall officiate at a marriage ceremony without the parties having obtained a marriage license issued under this part. The startling thing to me is that your _mayor_ can marry you - cool. Oh, and there was a joke in the original article that a captain can marry anyone he wants as this is a free country… of course, if the captain is gay this doesn’t apply… ---
**Author:** ![clairobscur](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/839c29/32.png) [@clairobscur](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/clairobscur)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2005, 2:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-ships-captains-allowed-to-marry-people-at-sea/311357/16 "2005-07-24T02:34:58Z")
> [@Crandolph](#): > > The startling thing to me is that your _mayor_ can marry you - cool. In France, you can _only_ be married by a mayor or a deputy-mayor. Any town hall has a marriage hall for this purpose.