Internationally Recognized Certifications

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Sailing

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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.

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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2 Days

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

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3 Days

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

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3 Days

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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3 Days

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

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7 Days

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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6-10 Days

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.

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SaferBoater Sailing Courses

These classes can be personalized and taken on your boat or a captain's boat.
Don't see a specific class you want? Contact us.

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

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

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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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

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Certified US Powerboating Courses:

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

Powerboat Handling

The Original Safe Powerboating class.  Learn how to safely operate a small motorboat up to 25 feet and improve your boat handling skills. This course is held in person over 2 consecutive days and consists of alternating In-Class & On the Water Training Sessions

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2 Days • 16 Hrs

Our Famous Safe Powerboat Handling course tailored to empower women to safely and confidently maneuver boats up to 25 feet.  Class is taught by two experienced female captains, and sessions alternates between Classroom & On the Water Training.

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2 Days • 16 Hrs

The On the Water portion of our Famous Safe Powerboat Handling course.  Since there is no classroom element of this training, it is NOT approved by the U.S. Coast Guard or the National Association of State Boating Law Administrators (NASBLA) to meet state boater safety education requirements.

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8 Hrs

Our Famous Safe Powerboat Handling course reimagined for ages 10 - 17 yrs old. Offered only in the summer. Participants will learn how to safely operate a small powerboat up to 25 feet. Broken up over 4 Days.

4 Days • AM/PM Sessions

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.

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National safe boating council

National Safe Boating Council (NSBC) Powerboating Courses:

These Public 3 hour Skill Builder courses are an excellent way to build your confidence.  They do NOT meet the criteria for Boater Education Certification.

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

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3 hrs

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

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3 hrs

Module 3 - Focus will be on real-world boat handling situations on the open water, learning 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

Module 4 - You will learn how to reach planing speed, handle wakes, sharp maneuvers and man-overboard tactics.

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3 hrs
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SaferBoater Skill Builder Courses :

These Private classes can be personalized and taken on your boat or a captain's boat.

New Boat?  Bring the family together and let us teach your Entire Family how to operate, care for and enjoy your new investment!

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3 hrs

Learn and Master the Art of expertly departing and returning to a dock or boat slip.

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3 hrs

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

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3 hrs

Already a Licensed Captain but ready to take it to the next level? Earn Instructor & Mastery certifications and become a Master SaferBoater Captain.

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Learn how to quickly & confidently master the boat ramp and trailering with several crucial techniques.

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(Watch Video for Details)

2 hrs

Yachting

Certified Yachting Courses

Yacht Training (Yachts 35 ft - 100+ ft )

To receive an IPC for Yachts, the Basic & Inshore Powerboat Cruising classes last a combined 46 hours over the course of a week.  All classes require skills evaluation and knowledge tests.

If you own a yacht, our instructors will travel to you.  If you don't have a yacht, join the waiting list and we will notify you of upcoming classes.

Click to learn more about the IPC Yacht certification process.

 

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Course 1 : 16 hour Curriculum 
(No Pre-Requirements)

Equipment - Minimum 26’ with single or twin screws 

· 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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Course 2 : 24 hour Curriculum
(Pre-Requirement : Basic Powerboat Cruising)

Equipment - Minimum 34’ with single or twin screws 

· Intermediate Boat handling
· 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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(Successful completion of this class qualifies you for your IPC certification)

Course 3 : 4-6 hour Curriculum
(Pre-Requirement : Basic Powerboat Cruising)

Equipment - Minimum 34' with single or twin screws

The Night Operations Endorsement is a valuable course that will teach you how to responsibly operate a powered cruising vessel at night.

· Preparation
· Night Navigation Planning
· Night Systems and Procedures
· Night Vision Factors
· Leave and Return to Dock/Slip
· Leave and Enter Harbor
· Identify Vessel Traffic & Aids to Navigation
· Simulated PIW Rescue

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All-In-One Course 
(No Pre-Requirements)

Equipment - Minimum 34' with single or twin screws

Our instructors will move your yacht, and you get to join the crew. 

During the trip, you will learn the curriculum of all 3 courses:

· Course 1 : Basic Powerboat Cruising
· Course 2 : Inshore Powerboat Cruising
· Course 3 : Night Operations Endorsement

2 people will be trained & certified during the trip.

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(Successful completion of this class qualifies you for your IPC Certification)

  • We are proud to be a Certified US Sailing School, and one of the few authorized to offer both a sailing and yacht IPC certification.
  • We remain open Year-Round and our instructors boast the highest level of certifications & training in the industry.
  • As an internationally accredited Training School, you have access to a wide variety of education classes, certification opportunities, and personalized skill-building training.
  • All courses are taught on the water, with classes ranging from 3 to 46 hours, depending on the level of skill or certification desired.

Are you a casual boater?  For those looking for less intense studies, our captains also provide 3-hour on-the-water skill builder courses on your boat or ours.  Developed through our partnerships with National Safe Boating Council and BoatUS, these are perfect for those looking to enhance their docking or close water maneuvering skills.

The SaferBoater Difference - Why Choose Us?

Any licensed captain is theoretically capable of teaching you how to drive a boat. So what benefits come with SaferBoater?

To Start, we offer certified training courses that are recognized in all 50 States as well as internationally in over 30 countries.  This means that not only are you able to operate & rents boats in each state that requires a boating license, but we can help you meet the requirement (and even save money) with most insurance carriers as well.

SaferBoater students also 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.

Each course is hands-on and water based, and taught by Certified Sailing/Powerboat Instructors.  We 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 one of only a handful of accredited schools for US Powerboating and US Sailing

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

NC - Hampstead, Washington

GA - Savannah

We will be expanding Nation-Wide throughout 2023.

 

FL - Bradenton

NY - Ballston Spa

RI - Barrington

ME-Augusta

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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.

Partners & Supporters

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Boat US Foundation
South Carolina Department of Natural Resources
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National Safe Boating Council

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We offer courses for beginners up to master captains...so if you have questions, we have answers.