The cynical here will say if your credit card clears, you're qualified. That's an exaggeration, but there's no question many captains don't have as much experience as ideal, particularly when something goes wrong. Last year I saw a captain spend a good 45 minutes trying to pull up to the Marina Cay fuel dock, at one point hitting the dock very hard - as in the hull made a loud cracking sound.

Doubt you can count on experienced captains sitting around waiting to bail you out. Why not book a captain for a day. He can familiarize your friend with the boat, and help you all determine if you are good to go.