Bringing the Gold Card Home!
What if there was a quick, free way to create safer waterways in your state while rewarding boaters who complete a written safety course and on-water evaluation. That is what the Gold Card Program does. Think of it like Drivers Education for your boat.
The Gold Card is an Enhanced Boater Safety Certification Program open to ages 12 and older. Approved by NASBLA, it combines the American National Standards for boating knowledge with the National On-Water Standards for boating skills.
To earn this prestigious credential, participants must complete a NASBLA-approved written course, pass a knowledge exam and take a 77-point on-water skills evaluation.
The Gold Card Program Meets & Exceeds State Requirements
How Does the Gold Card program Work?
The Gold Card Program equips the growing number of new boat owners with essential knowledge and practical skills necessary for safe navigation of busy US waterways.
To support this vital initiative, we have partners in the boating industry, (including marine retailers, marinas, boat dealerships, and service providers) that are willing to offer discounts or services to Gold Card Members.
To obtain a Gold Card for your state, a boater must meet two requirements.
Complete An Approved
Boaters Education Course
Complete An Approved
On-The-Water Training Course
Boaters will Complete An Approved Education Course
To fulfill the requirements of Part One, existing providers of your state's approved boaters education course are invited to list their course on your state's personalized Gold Card Website (more about this in the Program Launch section) .
While most states already require completion of a written course and exam, we can help arrange one if your state does not have a formally approved written course.
Below are some common course providers found in many states, but your state site will only contain partners approved to work in your state.
Boaters Complete an On-The-Water Training Course
To fulfill the requirements of Part Two, the boater must demonstrate their skills in a hands-on evaluation on the water.
The on-water course curriculum covers 77 critical maneuvers which are taught by certified instructors. Students learn the maneuver and then demonstrate their mastery to the instructor. The curriculum adheres to NASBLA-approved national boating knowledge and safety standards. By passing this course, students are demonstrating a thorough understanding of navigation, collision avoidance, and emergency procedures.
Below are some common course providers found in many states, but your state site will only contain partners approved to work in your state.
Ready To Make Your State's Waterways Safer?
How Quickly can we Launch the Gold Card Program?
From decision to launch, the total turnaround time typically takes just 4 weeks.
You have full control over your level of involvement—whether you prefer to be hands-on, hands-off, or somewhere in between. Alternatively, you can entrust the entire setup and management of the program to SaferBoater, allowing us to handle everything from start to finish with seamless efficiency.
Steps to Launch
1. SaferBoater will develop a custom Gold Card website for your state
2. Existing state-approved providers are invited to list their course
3. Boaters will use the website to setup and complete both parts of the Gold Card Requirement:
- Written Course with exam
- On-water course with evaluation
4. Boaters will submit certificates of completion through the website
5. NASBLA will receive and verify training completion
6. Gold Card Certificates are issued
Digital certificates are often FREE. You decide if they are:
- Issued by SaferBoater (standard option)
- Issued by your office
Physical Gold Cards are available to boaters
- If you handle them, you decide a price and then process, print and mail them directly
- If SaferBoater handles them, we will charge a fee (typically $20) SaferBoater keeps $15 to cover processing and mailing costs and $5 is sent to you as a donation
Bring The Gold Card To Your Local Boaters
State and Boater Gold Card Benefits
The Gold Card Program offers a wealth of exclusive benefits, delivering unparalleled advantages to both states and individual boaters alike.
State Benefits
Because the program is essentially a "Drivers Education" program for boats, it results in safer waterways due to more competent and confident boaters.
In addition, the program provides real financial incentives for students to become trained without the state needing to pass laws and regulations.
Finally, the program is absolutely FREE for your state, and there is even an opportunity to receive monetary donations from the physical Gold Card purchase as well.
Boater Benefits
We have partnered with a handful of insurance providers who are willing to offer discounts to boaters who receive this comprehensive boater training.
In addition, we also have several industry partners such as marinas, manufacturers, dealers, outfitters and service companies that offer benefits such as discounts and memberships for those that complete the training.
The benefits for both the state and boaters in general are expanding every day. As more industry partners and state agencies learn about us and approach us with partnership opportunities, the greater impact we can all have in our mission to make our waterways a safer place for everyone to enjoy.