This year’s Miami International Boat Show will feature the “Introduction to Boating” and “Women Making Waves” BoatUS Foundation On-Water Training Program courses after their success and popularity at the Tampa and Norwalk boat shows. The courses use 20- to 26-foot single-engine powerboats for three hours. Each costs $149 and includes show admission. The courses are part of the company’s initiative to add more courses at 39 locations around the country this year, including at other boat shows, marinas
“We asked ourselves, ‘How do you get more people to enjoy recreational boating and improve their on-water safety and confidence?’” says BoatUS Foundation President Chris Edmonston. “Traditional on-water boat training and skills development often isn’t accessible. In many locations there simply are no course providers, and it’s expensive and difficult to charter a boat and hire a captain on your own. We bring professional instruction to you in a format that doesn’t chew up the whole day or your wallet, and provides a high-caliber, practical learning experience.”
Class sizes are limited to four students per vessel, ensuring each student gets sufficient time at the helm under the watchful eye of a U.S. Coast Guard-licensed captain. Curricula were created by the National Safe Boating Council and Freedom Boat Club. Both were verified by an independent third-party as meeting the American National Standard for on-water power boating skills.
“As one of the world’s premier boating events where boating enthusiasts from around the globe gather to view and buy thousands of the latest boats and marine accessories, the 2019 Progressive Miami International Boat Show is the ideal location for the official launch of BoatUS’s on-water training program,” says Thom Dammrich, the president of NMMA. “Getting people on the water to experience the fun of boating firsthand and learn the ropes from certified instructors is an excellent way to create confident, educated and safe boaters and introduce people to the boating lifestyle.”
To learn more about the courses, visit BoatUS.org/On-Water.
