us sailing safe powerboat handling course

• Safe Powerboat Training
• Safety & Rescue Boat Handling

Get out of the classroom and behind the wheel!

US Powerboat Training offers the nation’s best and most comprehensive hands-on powerboat courses. Whether you’re looking for your first experience at the helm or aiming to improve your skills, we can help. As the National leader in on-the-water powerboat training and education, our goal is to empower students with the skills and confidence they need to get more out of their boating experience and become more comfortable behind the helm.

Whether you are looking to operate a powerboat under or over 26 feet, we have a course to cover it.

The best on-the-water powerboat instruction available, our courses.

Whether you are a lifelong boater looking to brush up on your skills or have never been on the water before, we have opportunities available for you! We offer a range of boating courses for individuals of all skill levels. Our hands-on, on-the-water courses get you out of the classroom and behind the wheel for an educational experience unlike any other!

Search & Rescue Training

Safety & Rescue Boat Handling

Happy Boaters

“We had the best boating experience!!! Kevin was so helpful and great to work with!! He went above and beyond expectations. He took us to the sandbar to search for sand dollars!! We also saw two dolphins in the intercostal. One of the best days ever!!”

COLLEEN STEPENSON RETTINGER

“I couldn’t have been more lucky to be out on the water learning and experiencing sailing, power boating, rules of the water, and knots with such a great instructor. Kevin is very knowledgable and calm on the water. If you haven’t been on the water this would be the best way to start. Kevin has great people to help him out when needed. I never felt unsafe or uncomfortable. These courses gave me the confidence and skills to take my boat out.”

“If you’re looking for the best instruction on how to sail or operate a power boat, Kevin is your guy. Through his relaxed and calm demeanor and detailed instruction, I gained the confidence I needed to dock a boat and change tack to dodge the ferries. He will practice with you until it becomes second nature.”

Meet The Team

Capt. Kevin Hennessey

Kevin has been boating for 25 years. His love and passion for teaching and boating awarded him Instructor of the year from American Sailing Association for 2015.

Capt. Al Noble

Al has over 25 years on the water and tens of thousands of cruising hours under his belt. He maintains his 100 Ton Captians license and when he isn’t sailing can be found kayaking or fishing for trout in western North Carolina with his wife. Al has a passion for the sea that is unrivaled and experience that surpasses most.

OUR MISSION

Our mission aligns closely with the strategic objectives of the U.S. Coast Guard’s Boating Safety Division. We aim to support them in their mission to make America’s water ways safer for all and to minimize property damage, personal injury and loss of life by creating a new generation of educated and experienced recreational boaters.

[email protected]

606 W West St, Southport, NC 28461

• Charter A Yacht on San Francisco Bay
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• Safe Powerboat Handing Course
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16 Hours of On-The-Water Instruction

Achieving greater skill and confidence through private learning.

This course is a 16 hour hands-on, on-the-water course and is your jumping off course either as a beginner or a returning boater needing to refresh skills.  In this course you will learn how to safely operate a small motorboat and gain or improve your boat handling skills.

The US Coast Guard and the National Association of State Boating Law Administrators (NASBLA) have approved this course for the California Boater’s Card. The state of California recognizes this course as meeting their requirements for the California Boater’s Card.

The Safe Powerboat Handling course covers all the required education topics for you to operate safely and confidently on a small motorboat to 25′.  There are no prerequisites to taking this course.

• Private Class for up to 2 students
• Instructor, fuel, boat, materials, and insurance included
• $3,400 for one person. Add a second person for $1,500

On-the-Water Sessions

• Engine & electrical systems
• Starting procedures
• Leaving & returning to a slip
• Close-quarters maneuvers
• Steering a range
• Proceeding to a destination
• Person in Water rescue

Classroom Sessions

• Safety, preparation & weather
• Maneuvering concepts
• Registration & capacities
• Equipment requirements
• Preparation & fueling procedures
• Navigation rules of the road
• Aids to navigation
• Environment regulations

Prerequisites

• None, no experience necessary!

Suggested Age

• 10–adult (may be affected by state minimum age)

Certification(s) Earned

• US Sailing/US Powerboating Safe Powerboat Handling Certificate (NASBLA Approved)
• You’re ready to take the California Boaters Card Test

Get two free online sailing courses

Prerequisites:  None Required! Recommended Age:  10 - Adult Location : Your boat or Ours!

All classes are 16 hours and include:

Classroom sessions  .

Starting and Safety Safety, preparation & weather Maneuvering concepts

Boating Equipment Registration & capacities Equipment requirements Preparation & fueling procedures

Navigation and Rules of Driving Navigation rules of the road

Aids to Navigation and Environmental Regs Aids to navigation Environment regulations

Exam Review Session Review for the Final Exam (separate session)

On-the-Water Boat Lessons

On-The Water (Deck Hand) Engine & electrical systems Starting procedures

Docking Leaving & returning to a slip Close-quarters maneuvers

On-The Water (Deck Hand) Anchoring Steering a range Proceeding to a destination Person in Water rescue

Final Exam Skill

Certified Drivers License, Certified in all states! Earn your boat insurance savings by joining boat lessons.

• Blue Lane Rentals

Safe Powerboat Handling

Drivers Education for Boaters TM

US Coast Guard Approved

This 16-hour hands-on, on-the-water course is for anyone who wants to learn how to safely operate a powerboat or improve their on-the-water boat handling skills. No experience necessary. The topics are covered using a variety of techniques in the classroom and dockside, emphasizing on-the-water practical application of all skills. Topics covered include:

Instructor: US POWERBOATING Certified Instructor

Age: 12-adult

Group Size: 4 – 8

Time: 9:00 am – 6:00 pm

Certifications Earned:  Safe Powerboat Handling certificate

Fee: $400/per person ($450/per person if less than two weeks before course), includes all books, safety equipment and on-the-water instruction.

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Powerboat Training

WHO SHOULD TAKE THIS COURSE: Anyone looking to learn to operate a powerboat safely, improve on-the-water boat handling skills and/or obtain US Powerboating/US Sailing Safe Powerboat Handling Certification. This is a hands-on driving course. CERTIFICATIONS: US Powerboating Safe Powerboat Handling Certification PREREQUISITE: None SKILL LEVEL: All levels AGES: 12 and up

Mondays, Sept. 18 – Oct. 23, 4:00 – 6:30 PM   Learn how to drive a powerboat… after school! Get your US Powerboating Safe Powerboat Handling Certification while getting out on the water to learn how to operate a powerboat safely!

Wed. March 6 & Thur. March 7, 2024, 6 pm - 10 pm Two 4-hour classroom sessions providing strong foundational knowledge for safe boating. Taught by experienced and certified instructors, this course focuses on information that will keep you safe and legally compliant on the water. Click link above for more info.

WHO SHOULD TAKE THIS COURSE: Anyone looking to learn to operate a powerboat safely and improve their boat-handling skills. This class is a mixture of on-the-water and classroom time. CERTIFICATIONS: US Powerboating Safe Powerboat Handling Certification. This is a NY State and NASBLA approved course. PREREQUISITE: None SKILL LEVEL: All levels AGES: 10 & up

- Ever wonder what you would do if someone fell overboard from your boat?

- Do you have a plan to deal with heavy weather if you can't reach a safe harbor?

- Are you interested in selecting the right emergency communications equipment or storm sails, but you're not sure what to buy?

Storm Trysail's Safety at Sea Seminar at SUNY Maritime College will help you answer these questions and more!

Would you like to make a tax deductible donation to our Dr. Marie DeAngelis Scholarship fund? Your generosity allows kids that might not otherwise have the opportunity to participate in camp and our other Waterfront community programs.

Become a US Powerboating Safe Powerboat Handling Instructor! In this 3-day course for advanced powerboat operators who will operate boats 26 feet and under, instructor candidates will learn the fundamentals of on-the-water instruction. Click above for more info.

WHO SHOULD TAKE THIS COURSE: Anyone who wants to work as a launch driver. CERTIFICATIONS: US Powerboating Safe Powerboat Handling Certification; SUNY Maritime College Launch Tender license. Click link above for more info. PREREQUISITE: None, but you will need to meet requirements for your USCG license application. SKILL LEVEL: All levels AGES: 17 to take the class, 18 to apply for the license

Sat. April 27 & Sun. April 28 WHO SHOULD TAKE THIS COURSE : Anyone who wants to work as a Launch Driver CERTIFICATIONS : US Powerboating Safe Powerboat Handling Certification; SUNY Maritime College Launch Tender License. PREREQUISITE : None, but you will need to meet requirements for your USCG License application.

Home  Course Types  Safety & Rescue Boat Handling

Course Types

Safety & rescue boat handling, course description, this 8-hour hands-on, on-the-water course is for anyone who will be using powerboats to perform safety and rescue functions. it is designed for regatta personnel, marine patrols, police and fire rescue personnel, park rangers, and on-the-water sailing instructors and coaches..

US Sailing Membership is not required to participate in a Safety and Rescue Boat Handling Course.

On-the-Water Sessions

• VHF radio communications
• Boat rescues, incl. capsizes
• Person in Water rescue
• Towing: astern & alongside
• Williamson turn
• Steering a range in/outbound
• Intercepting & maintaining position with moving vessel
• Use of bearings & GPS
• Search pattern

Classroom Sessions

• Weather & water briefings
• VHF radio procedures
• Safety & rescue equipment & procedures
• Towing concepts
• Search patterns concepts
• Plotting a position
• Calculating tides & currents

Prerequisites

• US Sailing/US Powerboating Safe Powerboat Handling Certificate

Suggested Age

Certification(s) earned.

• US Sailing/US Powerboating Safety and Rescue Boat Handling Certificate

Find a Course Near You

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Home  News  2024 Youth Sailing World Championships Mid-Week Update  

2024 Youth Sailing World Championships Mid-Week Update  

Racing is underway at the 2024 Youth Sailing World Championships at the beautiful venue of Lake Garda, Italy with 14 US Youth Team athletes competing across 9 classes. Athletes were selected based on the US Sailing Athlete Selection System and Requirements for the Youth Sailing World Championships .  

The Youth Sailing World Championships bring together over 400 top youth sailors from over 70 countries racing across 10 miles of Lake Garda shoreline.   

“Team USA is ready for the competition ahead,” shared Youth Performance Manager and Team Leader Phil Muller following the practice races, pointing out that they proved to be “a good opportunity to identify what to expect in each racing area, and confirm a lot of what we know about this venue.”   

Lake Garda is an esteemed sailing venue, known for the “Ora,” – the name for the southerly breeze that funnels down the lake. “There’s still a lot of learning to do and this racetrack demands high execution of fundamentals,” said Muller.  

The US Youth Team athletes are reveling in the opportunity to represent the USA against the world’s best. “Racing against teams from other countries is super exciting because even though it’s tough competition on the water, you still get to make friends with and meet many different people from all different types of backgrounds.” said International 420 Class athlete, Michelle Kaneti.  

After two days of racing, Team USA has 7 top 10 rankings, including 4 classes in the top 5.  

Overall Results as of July 17:  

• Male/Mixed Skiff – 29er  
• 6 th place: Fynn & Pierce Olsen (Miami Beach, FL)  
• Female Skiff – 29er  
• 5th  place: Molly Bonham (Annapolis, MD) & Annie Sitzmann (Severna Park, MD)  
• Male/Mixed Two Person Dinghy – i420  
• 8 th place: Freddie Parkin (Riverside, CT) & Estella Morris (Larchmont, NY)  
• Female Two Person Dinghy – i420  
• 5 th place: Ava McAliley (Miami, FL) & Michelle Kaneti (Mamaroneck, NY)  
• Male One Person Dinghy – ILCA 6  
• 25 th place: Jake Homberger (Palm Beach Gardens, FL)  
• Female One Person Dinghy – ILCA 6  
• 4 th place: Isabella Mendoza Cabezas (Miami, FL)    
• Male Windsurfer – Youth iQFOiL  
• 6 th  place: Makani Andrews (Kaneohe, HI)  
• Female Windsurfer – Youth iQFOiL  
• 17 th place: Sage Andrews (Kaneohe, HI)  
• Mixed Two Person Multihull – Nacra 15  
• 4 th place: Dylan Tomko (Canyon Lake, TX) & Casey Small (Houston, TX)  

The experience of competing at Youth Worlds is unlike any other and the young athletes are greatly appreciative of their time at Lake Garda. Before week’s end, 29er Class sailor, Fynn Olsen has plans to “Do everything I can and leave it all on the racecourse.”  

“World Sailing this year is pulling out all the stops, as you can imagine the food is incredible and the host has scheduled entertainment every day for the competitors,” said Muller on the overall experience the competitors and coaches are having. “But all one really needs to do is look up at the mountains cradling this town. Everywhere you look new beauty is revealed. We are extremely lucky this week to have this opportunity.”  

Day 1 Highlights: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IhZxS4s7I4o  

Day 2 Highlights: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1de8IAsbpBQ  

To follow along:   

Youth Sailing World Championships News: https://worldsailingywc.org/competition/  

US Sailing Youth Racing Central Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/youthracingcentral/    

Live Race Tracking: https://www.metasail.com/live/582/    

Results: https://worldsailingywc.org/2024-results-centre/    

YouTube Livestream: https://www.youtube.com/@WorldSailingTV/streams  

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