Try this:

Take your $200K and put $190K in a one year CD.I thnk they pay a bit
over 4.5% now Hold out $10K and buy a boat over 5GRT. Liveaboard, fix
it, sail it, and have lots of fun. Make sure its the biggest piece of
junk you can buy. When you peal off some paint docking, run aground, or
even sink it you're bucks ahead plus have lots of OJT.

Do three years of that and then self report your "sea service" as owner
of a vessel over 5 GRT to qualify for your 50 GRT Master/100 ton Mate
Near Coast license. Spend another 180 days working on the water then
upgrade to 100 GRT Master. Go to the gulf and drive a crewboat around.
Yo Ho Ho, there ya go mate. Within 360 days you may be looking at 200
Master/ 1600 mate.

Sea ya down there.
Bob