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BoatUS Foundation: State Approved/Specific Boating Safety Courses (various states)

Free
w/ Certificate of Completion
+146 Deal Score
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BoatUS.org is offering their BoatUS Foundation: State Approved Boating Safety Courses for Free when you enroll in your state specific Boating Safety Course Catalog, study and pass to receive your certificate of completion.

Thanks to community member CheapyDinglebop for finding this deal

Note, ensure that you sign up for your state specific boater ID (if required) before taking the course.

State/NASBA Approved Boating Safety Courses
Good Deal?

Original Post

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Edited August 1, 2023 at 07:27 PM by
I was tired of paying $10 for only a 3 month temporary boaters license in my state (FL) every time I wanted to rent a jetski and found out that this free safety course is all that is required for a lifetime license. They have every state available but I'm not sure about licensing requirements outside of this safety course. Note: Not necessary if born before 1988 in Florida.

The time limit on each slide is very frustrating but hey it's free..

https://www.boatus.org/free/

I think it takes around 4 to 6 hours but I did a module every couple days when I had time. The company asked for an optional donation.
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Created 08-01-2023 at 05:52 AM by CheapyDinglebop
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Community Wiki

Last Edited by MB1911 August 7, 2023 at 02:17 AM
These BoatUS courses get you NASBLA approved certificates.. And here is the "State Reciprocity" map.. https://www.nasbla.org/nasblamain...eciprocity
Basically, all states are green, except for Louisiana and Connecticut, and have full reciprocity. The link has more info.

I live in New Hampshire, but took the New York one because it did not have an in-person testing requirement like NH one does. The NY one was free, and I just put my NH address. I then paid $15 to get two lifetime plastic cards mailed to me. My wife did the same, but took the Florida one. So, now that I have my plastic NY certificate, I can use it in almost all states, including NH.


--


NASBLA reciprocity may not be all that's needed to operate in other States. Each State has different rules, and it's best to check directly with the State that you'll be operating in, for any requirements.


In the above example, NH accepts:
"A boating certificate issued by another State agency and NASBLA approved." https://www.nhsp.dos.nh.gov/our-s...-education


For New York State, since the BoatUS Foundation is the issuer of the certificate, rather than NYS, this one wouldn't be valid for NH.
The Florida one may be valid in NH, since that one is issued by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, and is NASBLA approved.

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Featured Comments

True... but in this case I do think it's a little nuts that it's been legal to drive a boat/watercraft of any size and power without any kind of education/license in public waterways
Because EVERYTHING in California is MANDATORY...
What I learned in boating school is….

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hothoonie83
08-08-2023 at 06:10 PM.
08-08-2023 at 06:10 PM.
Where is Michigan??? 😢
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grocerylist
08-09-2023 at 08:48 AM.
08-09-2023 at 08:48 AM.
I thought Boat US Foundation safety courses were always free? It was when I got my WA license through them several years ago.
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dchang0
08-09-2023 at 07:59 PM.
08-09-2023 at 07:59 PM.
I jumped on this deal thinking it would be good to get something for free, then I started studying the course and immediately regretted it 10 minutes into section 1. Bo-oring.

But I powered through, yawning all the way, and then a day or two later I saw this news article:

https://apnews.com/article/boat-e...1ec19a1640

Seems they had a massive gasoline fume explosion during or right after fueling.

Suddenly that ultra-boring section on how to properly fuel a boat wasn't so boring any more.
The fueling procedure was on the test when I took it.
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Last edited by dchang0 August 9, 2023 at 08:03 PM.
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synaps3
08-11-2023 at 08:41 PM.
08-11-2023 at 08:41 PM.
Quote from CalmBelieve1514 :
For Pennsylvania residents

Approved permanent Boating Safety Education Certificates for Pennsylvania residents must be issued by the PA Fish and Boat Commission. Out of state boaters must have a certificate issued for a course approved by the National Association of State Boating Law Administrators (NASBLA).

Appears to be a form for $10 they will convert any nasbla to a pa fish and boat commission cert. What scam.

OTHER CERTIFICATIONS ($10) – To convert a U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary, U.S. Power Squadron, or other course approved by the National Association of State Boating Law Administrators (NASBLA) to a PFBC Boating Safety Education Certificate, submit this form, along with a copy of the certificate, and payment. (If mailing the original, include a self-addressed, stamped envelope if you want your current certificate returned.)

So does this mean I could take the free Delaware course and then pay $10 to convert it to a PFBC certificate? If I'm reading it correctly I'm thinking that's a possibility 🤔
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Last edited by synaps3 August 12, 2023 at 06:11 PM.
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hydrorick
08-13-2023 at 01:04 PM.
08-13-2023 at 01:04 PM.
Quote from foefive :
Of course, nothing for Michigan. We're only surrounded by the Great Lakes.
Right! Like we don't share lakes with IL, Indiana and Wisconsin..
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