Find Your Perfect Course

From first-time boat owners to international charter captains, we have the right training for every level and goal.

USCG Licensed Instructors

Nationwide Year-Round

Insurance Discount Eligible

Protect your family

Training for Every Level & Goal

From a first day on the water to chartering yachts in the Mediterranean, SaferBoater has a nationally recognized program for exactly where you are and where you want to go.

Classes for ages 12 and up

Private and public sessions available

Train on your boat or ours

Year-round availability, nationwide

Choose the right course for you →

⛵ Skipper — Small Powerboats

course formats

6 hr

Beginner full course

3 hr

Expert Assessment

24 hr

Large powerboat (3 days)

48 hr

International certification

400+

USCG-Licensed Captain Instructors across the United States

54%

Instructors with military, fire, or law enforcement backgrounds

10+

Years minimum boating experience required to join our network

★★★★★

"Sam was a terrific instructor. He was both thorough and professional. The content was comprehensive and made us feel competent to pilot the boat safely."

Nick

Small Powerboat Course · Capt. Sam Franklin

The Gold Standard in Boating Education

We don't just teach you to operate a boat. We vet every instructor, standardize every curriculum, and partner with insurers, so you get training that actually matters.

400+ USCG-licensed captains, all background-checked and insured

54% have military, fire, or law enforcement backgrounds

ANSI EDU-1 · ABYC NOWS · NauticEd Title 40 compliant

42 objectives, 486 training elements reviewed annually

Untrained Boaters Are a Serious Risk

Boats cost 3.5× the average car, yet most owners receive zero formal training before taking the helm. The statistics are sobering, and they drive everything we do.

75% of boating fatalities involved operators with no safety instruction

43% of first-year claims: hitting the dock, ground, or another boat

42% of new boat buyers leave boating within 5 years after a bad experience

3,844 reported accidents and 564 deaths in 2023 alone

75%

Fatalities had zero formal training

$35.7B

Property damage from boating accidents

43%

First-year claims from avoidable collisions

3,844

Reported accidents in 2023

💰

Insurance Discounts Built In

Our certifications are aligned with major insurer requirements. Graduates typically save enough to offset the full cost of training.

Not Sure Where to Start?

Answer a few quick questions and we'll point you to the right course.

I'm a new boat owner

Start with our small or large powerboat skipper course depending on your vessel size.

🔄 I want to sharpen specific skills

Choose from targeted Skill Builder courses: docking, anchoring, night ops, and more.

I want to charter internationally

Our Bareboat Charter Master program opens 55+ ports across Europe and the world.

Women only

USCG-Licensed Captain Instructors across the United States

★★★★★

"I am so thankful for this course and how it empowered me, especially as a female boater!"

Jennifer

Women Making Waves Graduate

Find a Class

Women Making Waves

Women Make the Decisions. Now Let's Drive.

Women make the majority of boat-buying decisions, but most never learn to take the helm. Our all-female classes change that with certified female captains and a supportive, judgment-free environment.

Taught exclusively by USCG-licensed female captains

Locations in CA, FL, SC — and expanding

ANSI EDU-1 · ABYC NOWS · NauticEd Title 40 compliant

$398–$750 per student · Ages 12+

Ready to Boat with Confidence?

Thousands of safer, more confident boaters started exactly where you are. Find a course near you today.

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