Pontoon Boat Guide - Your Guide to On-Water Fun!

Boater Education Opportunities Helpful pontooning hints from the staff of the Pontoon Boat Guide.


Pontoon boating is one of the most accessible forms of recreational boating. If you’re new to the lifestyle and have spent little time on the water, however, please consider taking a boater education course to learn more about such topics as boat handling, navigation and safety. Educated boaters are responsible boaters.

Since 1984, the BoatU.S Foundation has supplied boaters with information about boating safety courses around the nation through its free Courseline service. The courses featured in this database are usually instructed by volunteers; in some cases, they may charge a fee to cover course materials. Other courses are provided by state agencies or private course providers.

In addition to signing up for an appropriate course, you can also contact an instructor in your area to get information about arranging a free Vessel Safety Check through the U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary and the U.S. Power Squadrons.

The BoatU.S. Foundation also provides an online boater-education course for those who would like to learn from the comfort of their own homes or offices. To learn more, call the BoatU.S. Foundation Courseline at (800) 336-BOAT or visit the Courseline Web site at www.boatus.com/courseline/

You may also wish to contact the following organizations directly:

Even boaters who have a bit more experience might want to research course offerings to see if some continuing education might be appropriate. For example, in addition to its multiple-day courses on seamanship, safety and navigation, the U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary provides one-day seminars that include “How to Read a Nautical Chart,” “GPS for Mariners” and, for those who are also keen to play with water toys, “Personal Watercraft Safety.” The organization even offers two special courses for boating kids: “Boating Fun” and “Waypoints.”

In addition, there are several online options for boaters to learn more about the basics of boating. These include:

The more you learn about boating, the more fun you and your family will have on the water — and the more you will embrace the pontoon boat lifestyle choice you have made. So sign up for a course or two, and get out there!

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