The Boat License: A First Step Toward Fun on The Water

Those of us who enjoy high performance boats know it's all about fun: the fun of owning a fast boat, sharing good times with friends, visiting new places and coming back at the end of the day with lots of great memories. But the important key here is coming back at the end of the day.

It seems that every boating season is marked at one time or another by tragic stories of operators who got a little careless, didn't understand the rules of navigation, or simply never took the time to understand what it takes to operate a boat safely. That's even more important with high performance boats, because speed magnifies the dangers and makes the margin for error so much smaller.

This is precisely why having the proper safety instructions, and obtaining any required boating license is so important. Offshore performance boaters sometimes have an undeserved reputation for being reckless and rowdy - but in truth, our group has always been supportive of strong safety measures.  That includes proper training, responsible behavior and protecting our passengers with quality safety gear. Fortunately, ensuring safety on the water with solid training is easier than ever....especially with resources like BoaterExam.com

Exam Time

Those of us who are older--or who have been boating for many years--often take our boating "rules of the road" for granted. But laws and requirements can change, and it's important to keep on top of changes, so you're always compliant with state and federal regulations.

But training is even more critical for younger boaters, as most states now require younger operators to obtain a Boater License or Boater Education Card to operate a boat legally on the water. In Florida, anyone born after Jan. 1 1988 needs one. In Wisconsin, it's 1989...in North Carolina, 1985...and in Ohio, anyone born after Jan. 1 1982 operating a boat over 10hp must have a Boater Education Card [BEC].

Online training courses like those offered by BoaterExam.com are not only convenient, comprehensive and fully-approved by state agencies, they are amazingly affordable. In fact, the online study guide and chapter quizzes are FREE - you only pay when you pass the course.

Best of all, these courses are actually FUN, and they are a great way to get younger people interested in boating safety and responsible operation. I sat through local Power Squadron training prior to purchasing my first high performance boat, and while it was okay, the classes took 6 weeks, traveling back-and-forth was a hassle, and the content seemed a little dated. If I'd had a great online option like this available,  I definitely would have used it; in fact, I'm planning on reviewing the online course as a pre-season refresher.

So, if you need to get qualified as a boat operator in your state...or want to introduce a son or daughter to a world of fun and fast boating...be sure to check out a top-notch education program like BoaterExam.com.

This Sponsored safety post courtesy of www.boaterexam.com.