Welcome aboard America’s Boating Club^®!

Your boating home on the water.

At America’s Boating Club, you’ll find a course or seminar designed to build your boating skills for where you do your boating, whether freshwater lakes and rivers or coastal and offshore waters. If you are a beginning boater, we’ll help you get certification to operate your boat that is accepted in most States. We can teach you how to dock and operate your boat easily and safely. Would you like to learn more? We can help you learn about things like weather, engine maintenance, GPS, and other electronic navigation devices, how to use a VHF radio to communicate and call for emergency assistance, and much more. And these courses may qualify you for boat insurance discounts as well!

Click on the links below to find courses and seminars that are either online or available at a local club/squadron near you.

ALL BOATING COURSES

ALL BOATING SEMINARS

ONLINE BOATING EDUCATION

Local Clubs Offer Top-Notch In-Person Training

When you want in-person boating education from certified instructors, we offer several types of training to meet your needs. You can dive deep with 6–8 week courses, get your feet wet with 2-hour seminars and take the helm with our flexible on the water boating instruction led by certified volunteer instructors who are boaters just like you. Our clubs offer instruction tailored to the needs of local boaters.

Find a Class Near You

Dive Deep With Courses

Beginner, intermediate, or advanced—whatever your skill level, we have in-depth courses to boost your knowledge and confidence on the water. Our courses will prepare you to boat safely whether you’re near shore or out on the deep blue. Courses take anywhere from 6–8 weeks.

Explore Our Courses

Get Your Feet Wet With Seminars

Round out your knowledge or discover something new by taking a brief seminar led by experienced volunteer instructors. Running about two hours, our focused seminars provide a thorough overview on a variety of subjects.

Explore Our Seminars

Take the Helm With Hands-On Training

Feel more confident and look more confident handling your powerboat. Our hands-on training program helps you develop handling skills and techniques that last a lifetime. Our experienced, certified instructors combine classroom learning with on-the-water coaching. That means with technical education plus real-world techniques, you get onto the water and into fun, safer, and faster!

Explore Hands-On Training

Members Get More With Boat Operator Certification

As a member, you can access our Operator Certification Program with four levels of certification from inland to offshore. You can establish boating credentials, upgrade your resume for chartering, or meet state requirements.

Find a Local Squadron

Dive Deep With Courses

Beginner, intermediate or advanced — whatever your skill level, our in-depth boating education courses will boost your knowledge and confidence on the water.

• America’s Boating Course gives you the basics you need to get out on the water safely, and it meets most states boating education requirements. Now available in Spanish.
• Boat Handling (Formerly Seamanship) builds your competence and confidence on the water with an in-depth look at the practical boating skills.
• Marine Navigation (formerly Piloting) and Advanced Marine Navigation  (formerly Advanced Piloting) give you the skills you need to get where you’re going using charts and marine electronics as well as a knowledge of winds, currents, and tides.
• Offshore Navigation (formerly Junior Navigation) and Celestial Navigation, (formerly Navigation) a must for oceangoing captains, teach you about planning and monitoring your voyage using modern marine electronics and how celestial observations can help you estimate your vessel’s position with confidence.
• Cruising and Cruise Planning prepare you for a multi-day voyage.
• Engine Maintenance gives you information on how engines work and basic maintenance procedures, as well as how to recognize problems.
• Marine Electronics
  – Marine Electrical Systems provides information on Alternating and Direct current, as well as boat electrical systems
  – Marine Communications Systems explains the different types of radios and communication options
  – Electronic Navigation gives you basic information on the various electronic devices available today that help you navigate and select routes
  – Radar for Boaters gives you basic information on radar
• Sail provides information on sail terminology, the types of sailboats, and operation
• Weather is a detailed study of the causes of weather, various types of storms, clouds, and predicting weather

America’s Boating Course

Become a Better Boater, Take an In-Person Boating Course

The most comprehensive in-person boating course available, America’s Boating Course gives you the skills you need to enjoy your time on the water and boat with confidence.

Our boater safety class meets most states’ certification requirements and is available in both Spanish and English.

Taking a boating class reduces your risk of accidents and injuries, saves you money on boat insurance, and qualifies you for a state boat license or operator certificate in most states.

Our in-person boating course includes a comprehensive introduction to boating, covering boat types, boat engines, boat selection, and more.

You’ll learn about boating laws and regulations as well as boat registration and licensing. Get in-depth knowledge of boating safety equipment, and learn how to become a safe boater by learning the dos and don’ts of boater safety.

Gain practical knowledge of navigation, rules of the road, handling emergencies and mechanical problems on the water, the basics of towing and trailering, important information for hunters, anglers and water sports enthusiasts, and so much more.

For the best, most comprehensive boating education available, take America’s Boating Course with an expert instructor near you or take America’s Boating Course or one of our other online courses.

Time

6–8 weeks

Cost

Varies; members get a discount

Boat Handling

Learn how to handle your boat in a variety of situations and become the skipper you want to be. Gain confidence in docking, underway, anchoring, and other seamanship skills.

Our new Boat Handling course is intended for newer recreational boaters who have completed a basic boating class (like America's Boating Course) and want to gain more knowledge, skill, and confidence to boat safely and have more fun in a variety of situations.

Boat Handling covers these topics:

• Rules of the Road: A Practical Approach
• Confidence in Docking and Undocking: Slow-Speed Maneuvering
• Boating with Confidence: Handling Your Boat Under Way
• Anchoring with Assurance: Don't Get Carried Away
• Emergencies on Board: Preparation for Handling Common Problems
• Knots and Line Handling: The Knots You Need to Know

Each topic is also available as a free-standing seminar.  Click on the above links to learn more.

Our instructors will enrich the course with local knowledge, experience, and discussion that will help you expand your boating horizons.

Ask your local squadron about on-the-water coaching to help you grow in your situational awareness, knowledge of what to do in each situation, and ability to perform boat-handling skills that will help you enjoy boating more and with the confidence you desire.

The course also includes an optional online test, which covers material contained in both the Student Guide and the six online modules.  Members of America's Boating Club who take this online course and pass the online exam will get credit for Boat Handling and qualify for Seaman.  Many boat insurance companies offer savings for America's Boating Club courses.

Dive Deep With Courses

Beginner, intermediate or advanced — whatever your skill level, our in-depth boating education courses will boost your knowledge and confidence on the water.

• America’s Boating Course gives you the basics you need to get out on the water safely, and it meets most states boating education requirements. Now available in Spanish.
  
  
• Boat Handling (formerly Seamanship) builds your competence and confidence on the water with an in-depth look at the practical boating skills. Marine Navigation (formerly Piloting) and Advanced Marine Navigation (formerly Advanced Piloting) give you the skills you need to get where you’re going using charts and marine electronics as well as a knowledge of winds, currents, and tides.
  
  
• Offshore Navigation (formerly Junior Navigation) and Celestial Navigation, (formerly Navigation) a must for oceangoing captains, teach you about planning and monitoring your voyage using modern marine electronics and how celestial observations can help you estimate your vessel’s position with confidence.
  
  
• Cruising and Cruise Planning prepare you for a multi-day voyage.
  
  
• Engine Maintenance gives you information on how engines work and basic maintenance procedures, as well as how to recognize problems.
  
  
• Marine Electronics
  
  
  • Marine Electrical Systems provides information on Alternating and Direct current, as well as boat electrical systems
  • Marine Communications Systems explains the different types of radios and communication options
  • Electronic Navigation gives you basic information on the various electronic devices available today that help you navigate and select routes
  • Radar for Boaters gives you basic information on radar
    
    
• Sail provides information on sail terminology, the types of sailboats, and operation
  
  
• Weather is a detailed study of the causes of weather, various types of storms, clouds, and predicting weather