Back in 2001 I took a class with a local captain on navigation in my home port of Beaufort, NC. From there I purchased Charlie Wing's book "Get Your Captains License" and went through it several times over. It also came with a DVD that showed the nav lights and mastered those (master may be a bit too strong) by shear repetition. While the USCG site lists the questions and answers I found the book most helpful (old school you know) and I'm not sure an online course was available at the time. Between the class on navigation and Wing's book I drove down to Charleston, SC to take the exams. It took me 8 hours to complete all the sections but I came away with a Nearshore Master w/ sail and commercial assistance towing endorsement. The paperwork was almost as hard as the exam, physical, reference letters, drug test, time on the water, etc. I had to go back 20 years to accumulate the 720 days sea time. The NC wildlife division was most helpful in providing me with certified ownership going back that far. Be prepared for a fair amount of [FONT="]bureaucratic wrangling. At least that was my experience. I have renewed mine twice since then and noticed they are becoming increasingly more strict on renewals as it relates to health issues.
Hope this helps,
Steelydon[/FONT]