We didn’t build another boring boating course…
We built the one people actually need.
The Qualified Captain State Boating Course is officially approved by the National Association of State Boating Law Administrators (NASBLA) and is now live in Florida, North Carolina, California and Maryland with more states soon to come!
Designed to go beyond the basics, this course uses real-world scenarios to teach boaters what actually happens on the water, not just what’s in a textbook.
- Earn your state-recognized boating safety certificate
- Learn from real incidents
- Gain the confidence to operate legally and safely
Whether you’re new to boating, have years of experience, or just turned the legal age to get your boating license in your state, this course is built to help you do it the right way.
👉 Click the link in our bio to get started
Boating Safety Month Giveaway #3! A brand new @garminemarine OnBoard system
People falling overboard and going missing is becoming far too common. There are a lot of solo fishermen out there taking risks that are easily preventable. 3 have gone missing in the past 30 days in the state of Florida alone.
Beyond an EPIRB or PLB, the new @garminmarine OnBoard System may be one of the most important safety upgrades you can add to your boat.
The Garmin OnBoard System uses wireless MOB (man-overboard) tags worn on a wristband, keyring, or carabiner. If someone falls overboard, the system automatically sounds alerts, marks a GPS waypoint, and if it’s the captain’s tag, it can cut the engine for maximum safety. It pairs with compatible Garmin chartplotters and supports up to 8 tags, protecting family, crew and even pets.
How to enter to win:
• Follow @garminmarine and @thequalifiedcaptain and @theeducatedcaptain
• Tag 3 friends in the comments below
Winner will be announced Monday next week!
Boating Safety Month Giveaway #2
Huge shoutout to @mustangsurvival for donating:• 3 inflatable PFDs (Personal Flotation Devices)• 1 foam-filled PFD
And another big shoutout to @acrartex for donating a PLB (Personal Locator Beacon) to attach directly to your PFD.
Around 87% of drowning victims were NOT wearing a life jacket. Wear your life jackets, guys!!
HOW TO WIN:
Tag 3 friends in the comments
Follow @mustangsurvival
Follow @acrartex
Follow @theeducatedcaptain
ALSO — tomorrow is Wear Your Life Jacket to Work Day!! 😎🤙🏻
Wear your life jacket to work, tag @thequalifiedcaptain and @theeducatedcaptain , and we’ll give you a shoutout!
#qualified #boatingsafetymonth #WearYourLifeJacketAtWorkDay
May is National Boating Safety Month, and the most important piece of safety gear on your boat is the one you wear!
According to the U.S. Coast Guard, around 75–85% of drowning victims in recreational boating accidents were not wearing a life jacket. A properly fitted PFD can save your life in seconds when the unexpected happens.
If you’re getting out on the water this season, make sure you’re properly educated too. The Qualified Captain’s new NASBLA-approved boating safety course is available now, allowing you to earn your state boating license online and boat with confidence. Click the link in our bio to learn more.
Huge shoutout to @mustangsurvival for continuing to raise the standard with gear built for real-world conditions, comfort, and safety on the water.
In accidents where the operator’s boating education was known, approximately 75% of deaths occurred on boats where the operator had NOT received boating safety instruction.
Most states only require certain age groups to complete a NASBLA-approved boating safety course — typically younger operators. That means a large percentage of boaters on the water today have never taken a formal safety course at all.
At @thequalifiedcaptain and @theeducatedcaptain , we see the real-world consequences of that every day.
That’s why we believe boating education shouldn’t stop at a minimum requirement..It should be something every boater, regardless of age or experience, takes seriously!
Our course is designed to go beyond just checking a box. It’s built to teach what actually happens on the water, using real scenarios to prepare boaters for situations they’re likely to face.. not just what’s written in a handbook.
The Qualified Captain State Boating Course is officially approved by the National Association of State Boating Law Administrators (NASBLA)
Once completed you will…
- Earn your state-recognized boating safety certificate
- Learn from real incidents
- Gain the confidence to operate legally and safely
Whether you’re new to boating, have years of experience, or just turned the legal age to get your boating license in your state, this course is built to help you do it the right way.
Tag someone who should take this course!
👉 Click the link in our bio to get started
Great tips for Boating Safety Month from @uscg AST3 Eric Sorensen and Dylan Flack, recently featured on @thequalifiedcaptainpodcast , where they shared the story of a serious offshore incident and how Dylan and his crew handled it under pressure.
“Better to have and not need, than to need and not have.” 👈 Every boat owner should live by this mindset.
Also, how will you and everyone onboard react if things go wrong? Have that conversation with your crew before leaving the dock… especially if you’re heading far offshore without cell service!
Comment below 3 things you carry onboard that aren’t required, but could help save lives when things go wrong.
I have…
• The Qualified Captain Trauma Kit
• @acrartex ditch bag with EPIRB, PLB, and tools
• A life raft
Boating safety month tip: Make a Float Plan
Before you leave the dock, take a minute to make a float plan. Share where you’re headed, your route, who’s onboard, and when you expect to return. If something goes wrong, that information can be the difference between a quick response and a long search.
@thequalifiedcaptain State Boating Course is officially NASBLA-approved and now live in Florida, North Carolina, California, and Maryland — with more states on the way.
Built by captains who’ve seen it all on the water, this course goes beyond the basics and teaches what actually matters.
If you’ve followed The Qualified Captain, you’ve seen how things go wrong out there. This course breaks down real incidents. The kind that make you stop scrolling so you understand what happened and how to avoid it.
✔️ State-recognized certification to get your boating license
✔️ Real-world incident training
✔️ Built by experienced captains
👉 Get started — click the link in bio
It always blows my mind how many people try to push a boat off a sandbar right next to a spinning prop. Even at idle speed, that prop is still spinning 600-800 rotations per minute.
And remember, that’s full rotations. If it’s a 3-blade prop, that’s 3 blades passing the same point every rotation, so at 3,000 RPM you’re looking at roughly 150 blade passes per second. That’s a damn blender straight to the leg…
Half the time the prop or skeg is still grinding bottom. Trim it ALL the way up first and then turn the motor off. Or better yet just wait for the tide.
Shoving the stern while in gear doing much… but it can cost you a leg. Not worth it!
#qualified #roostertail #scary #toocloseforcomfort
📸 @_katymorgan_
In case you didn’t get the memo…
@thequalifiedcaptain State Boating Course is officially NASBLA-approved and now live in Florida, North Carolina, California, and Maryland — with more states on the way.
Built by captains who’ve seen it all on the water, this course goes beyond the basics and teaches what actually matters.
If you’ve followed The Qualified Captain, you’ve seen how things go wrong out there. This course breaks down real incidents. The kind that make you stop scrolling so you understand what happened and how to avoid it.
✔️ State-recognized certification to get your boating license
✔️ Real-world incident training
✔️ Built by experienced captains
This is boating education, done right.
👉 Get started — click the link in bio
Boating safety month begins!
Giveaway #1
Huge thank you to @acrartex for donating a Their ditch bag. Alll critical tools for staying safe on or off the water.
@acrartex is one of the most trusted names in emergency beacons. Since 1956, @acrartex has supplied gear to NASA, the U.S. military, and countless explorers and adventurers around the globe. Every product they make serves one purpose: to save lives.
To enter:
• Follow @acrartex and @thequalifiedcaptain
• Tag 3 friends in the comments below
Winner will be announced this Sunday!
#qualified #BoatingSafetyMonth #BoatingSafetyWeek
