Everyone has tried to find the silver lining in the pandemic, and many are spending their free time out on the water to maintain social distance from others. This is an excellent way to keep safe and we love to see the fun people are having! With increasing numbers of new boaters, it is important to remain up-to-date on boating safety. Retake boating safety courses or take them for the first time to make sure you’re keeping yourself, your family, and other boaters safe while out on the water.
BoatUS Foundation
BoatUS boating safety courses are a fan favorite and we love our neighbors! This Annapolis based non-profit worked tirelessly to provide courses, training, and even hands-on experiences (when people can gather again). They offer some boating safety courses, which are a must if you’re a new boater. We cannot recommend this enough. They also offer free courses that include spill prevention and how to be a clean boater while on the water. We are big fans of eco-boating and eco-tourism, so check that course out if you are too! There are a ton of other courses that do have a fee including how to use GPS, hurricane readiness, sailing lingo and more. All of the BoatUS courses can be done from the comfort of your own home too! As long as you have a computer and WiFi, you’re set to become an expert in no time.
Boat-Ed Boating Education
While writing this we discovered that most boating safety courses originate from Maryland, but what can we say? Maryland really is one of the boating capitals of the world. Next safety course we recommend is Boat-Ed. If you are looking to just enjoy a boat-ride but have no interest in driving the boat, you should definitely learn basic boating safety. However, Maryland and others in the United States require whoever is driving the boat to have certification of completed boating safety courses. The Boat-Ed safety course is perfect for those looking to actually try their hands at the wheel. This one time course provides you with a lifetime certification.
U.S. Coast Guard
Of course, there are the well-known and respected United States Coast Guard boating safety courses. These courses are dependent on your zip code, so head here to find when they are available near you.
