We're ready to teach you how to safely navigate your boat on-the-water

Sailing, Powerboating and Yachting Programs

As an accredited US Sailing, US Powerboating, and National Safe Boater Council school, we offer a wide range of courses, certification opportunities, and customized skill-building training. Our courses are taught on the water from 3 to 54 hours, with a wide array of classes. Our instructors are top-notch. We are open year-round.

Earn US Sailing & US Powerboating & NSBC Certifications at SaferBoater

We are proud to be a certified US Sailing School. US Sailing is the governing body over the sport of sailing. US Powerboating, their sister branch, is the only organization the European Union authorizes to issue an International Proficiency Certificate (IPC) for Motoryachts in the US, now allowing us to offer sailing and yacht IPC certification.

For those looking for less intense studies, we provide 3-hour on-the-water skill builder courses through our partners, National Safe Boating Council and BoatUS. These are perfect for those looking to skill up on docking or close water maneuvering.

Our Programs

Sailing

Certified US Sailing Courses:

We are the only organization which is IPC certified by the United States and the European Union. To learn more about the IPC certification process click here.

Basic Keelboat

The course begins with the basics of day-sailing thru fine-tuning your sailing skills on boats up to 30 feet .

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Basic Cruising

The course teaches students how to responsibly operate an auxiliary powered cruising sailboat during daylight hours.

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Bareboat Cruising

This course is structured with the charterer in mind, providing helpful tips in planning bareboat vacations.

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Coastal Navigation

The is a three day, in-class course to study the coastline, exercising pinpoint navigation with and without the aid of electronic navigation devices. (Not a certified course)

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Coastal Passage Making

This course entails offshore, coastal sailing for significant distances with brief layovers in various ports-of-call.

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Ocean Passage Making

This course is designed to take all sailing topics previously covered to an advanced level providing the sailor with the final ingredients for true self-reliance at sea.

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SaferBoater will give you the opportunity to challenge/test-out of any of the certified sailing courses under the supervision of a SaferBoater Captain. To learn more, contact us.

Other Sailing Courses:

Intro to Sailing

Intro to Sailing is a great primer course to see if the Basic Keelboat course is something you are interested in.

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3hrs

Skill Builder

Our skill builder classes are designed for any sailor who would like to strengthen or refresh specific sailing skills.

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1/2 Day / Full Day

Race Clinics

Whether you are building racing skills from scratch or could simply use a little fine tuning, there is no better program than SaferBoater Race Clinics.

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Team Building

Give your executives and managers a team building experience they will never forget. Your corporate group will have a unique opportunity to exercise effective communications, teamwork, and leadership skills, while learning to sail.

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Powerboating

Certified US Powerboating Courses:

Our certified powerboating courses include comprehensive classroom and on-the-water instruction in order to earn the "Certification - Boaters Drivers License". To learn more about the certification process click here.

Safe Powerboating

Learn how to safely operate a small motorboat and improve your boat handling skills. No previous experience is required.

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2 Days • 16 Hrs

Powerboating - Youth

Saferboater offers this course only in the summer for individuals ages 10 - 17 yrs old.

4 Days • AM/PM Sessions

Powerboating Safety & Rescue

Details coming soon

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Challenge a Course - SaferBoater will give you the opportunity to challenge/test-out of the certified powerboating course under the supervision of a SaferBoater Captain. To learn more, contact us.

National Safe Boating Council (NSBC) Powerboating Courses:

These 3 hour courses do not qualify for a Boater Education Certification Card

Introduction to Powerboating

Module 1 - This course will teach you the basic parts of the boat, rules of the water, operating instructions, handling waves & wind, and safety checklists.

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3 hrs

Precision Docking & Boat Handling

Module 2 - You will master the basic handling requirements for common situations on the water, such as dock departure, turning the boat around 180 degrees and docking approaches.

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3 hrs

Open Water Boat Handling

Module 3 - Focus will be on real-world boating handling situations on the open water, learn to read navigational signals, and learn how to avoid over-steering and course correction issues when traveling a long distance.

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3 hrs

Open Water Advanced Maneuvering

Module 4 - You will learn how to reach and come down from planing mode without getting stuck plowing your boat through the waves and more.

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3 hrs

Other Courses:

Docking

Learn how to successfully dock your boat.

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Skill Builder

Our skill builder classes are designed for any boater who would like to strengthen or refresh specific powerboating skills.

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Boat Trailering

We will teach you how to confidently master boat ramp and trailering.

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2 hrs

Yachting

Certified Yachting Courses

Yacht Training (Yachts 35 ft - 100 ft.)

To receive an IPC for Yachts, there are two classes, combined for 56 hours over the course of a week. The two classes are Basic Powerboat Cruising and Inshore Powerboat Cruising. We add the nighttime operation. All classes require skills evaluation and knowledge tests.

Our instructors will travel to you and teach you on your yacht. If you don't have a yacht, join the waiting list and we will notify you on upcoming classes. To learn more about the IPC Yacht certification process click here.

Basic Powerboat Cruising

Equipment - Minimum 26’ with single or twin screws and appropriate equipment. Curriculum (16 hours)

· Basic Boathandling
· Maneuvers
· Systems
· Anchoring
· Safety
· Weather
· Navigation Rules
· Navigation Aids
· Command & Control
· Knots & Line Handling
· Charts & Symbols
· Powerboat Theory
· Emergency Procedures

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Inshore Powerboat Cruising

Equipment - Minimum 34’ with single or twin screws and appropriate equipment. Curriculum (24 hours)

· Intermediate Boathandling
· Maneuvers
· Systems
· Spring Lines
· Anchoring ( two anchors, powercat bridle )
· Mooring
· Command & Control
· Provisioning
· Cruise Planning
· Piloting
· GPS
· Radar (optional)
· Use of Navigation Publications
· Documentation
· Emergency Procedures
· Dinghy Management

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Why Choose Us?

Our hands-on courses, taught by Certified Sailing/Powerboat Instructors empower students with the skills and confidence they need to get more out of their boating experience, all while allowing them to become safer boat operators. We are an accredited school for US Powerboating and US Sailing

SaferBoater students learn quicker because we teach all lessons first in a classroom, and then on a boat! Our hands-on training approach dominates the boring classroom-only or online style used by other schools.

Classes are held year-round, with Specialty Programs catering exclusively to women, families, private groups, teens & youth aged 10+, and first-time boat owners.

Locations: SC - Charleston, Georgetown, Hilton Head, Myrtle Beach, Pawleys Island, Columbia, Greenville | GA - Savannah | ME-Augusta

US Sailing/Powerboating is the national leader in on-the-water training and education.

US Powerboating is an affiliate of US Sailing, the National Governing Body for the sport of sailing in the United States. It is nationally approved by NASBLA, the National Association of Boating Administrators, in all 50 states.

Courses taught with the NSBC are approved by NASBLA and are offered in 3-hour sections on the Boatus.org website.

Our Supporters

South Carolina Department of Natural Resources

South Carolina Boating and Fishing Alliance

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Want to find out more?

We offer courses for the beginner to the experienced operator...if you have questions, we have answers.