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3-Hours

On-water course options for beginner and intermediate.

Worry-Free

Led by a Certified United States Coast Guard Captain.

On-Water

Safe training experience where you do most of the driving.

After taking BoatClass®, you'll have the extra skills and confidence you need to enjoy a lifetime of new experiences on the water.

DL Burley
DL Burley
2021-09-03
Bravo for really thinking about first time boaters! I feel more confident than ever to say the least when it comes to navigating the water ways. I’m so happy we had the opportunity to sign up and get a true hands on experience from an amazing professional! Captain Mike gets the award for best instructor ever! Thanks again for dropping the knowledge we so desperately needed!
Michael Burley
Michael Burley
2021-09-03
We had a very pleasantly experience! This course is chocked full of knowledge for first time boaters like me and the wife! We never drove a boat before or had any formal knowledge about safety, rules of the road and the general operations needed to handle and park a boat! 5 thumbs up for this class! We feel very equipped and are ready to go to the advance class! I wish they had more sessions available in the Fall! Captain Mike gets an A+ for patience and his willingness to share knowledge to the new boater! It really is a much needed course for boaters at the novice and intermediate levels.
Jackie DaCosta
Jackie DaCosta
2021-07-25
Capt . Mike was very knowledgeable and patient. He explained everything perfectly. We will def be taking the next class
Elizabeth Hoag
Elizabeth Hoag
2021-07-18
This was a wonderful experience. We loved having Captain Mike show us the proper way to maneuver our own boat. He was knowledgeable and easy going. Would recommend this service to anyone wanting more confidence in their boating skills.
Susan DiRanna
Susan DiRanna
2021-07-02
Captain Mike is very informative and very helpful. He didn’t make me feel too nervous and was prompting me that I could do what needed to be done. So in that aspect I gave 5 stars. Things that could be improved but not his doing: website - I needed to reschedule my original class date due to a sick kiddo. There is no way for you to reschedule yourself. The number I called rang to Captain Mike and he doesn’t have the ability to make the changes. That’s handled by corporate in IL. There was no number for me to reach out to them either, after several phone calls to Captain Mike, someone from corporate finally called me to reschedule. There really needs to be a better method. Also I wasn’t sure if I’d be participating with others - men or women, because the Melbourne location doesn’t offer a woman’s only course like FLL. I don’t think I would’ve been as comfortable or even as willing to try to drive the boat if there were men on board I didn’t know. Obviously imo men have more knowledge/skill with boating. Maybe to offer a more immediate class too. While I took the basic course, I felt that was better than the advance course. I did learn a couple of things I wasn’t sure about, but I’ve driven a boat for over a year - I needed more confidence and skill on docking a boat. More knowledge on speed, reading waves, which direction to point the boat in those waves etc. I was hoping more of those things were in a basic class, but that’s probably more an intermediate learning level. But as I said, Captain Mike gave me some pointers, and some basic info I wasn’t 100% knowledgeable in. He’s a patient teacher and I thank him for his help today!
Alex Sadowski
Alex Sadowski
2021-06-27
Captain Mike is a great teacher! I highly recommend his class if you want to become more confident on the water.
Jesse Arias
Jesse Arias
2021-06-21
I really enjoyed my Boating Class with Captain Mike and would recommend it to anyone else looking to learn the basics on how to boat (this class is not theoretical, they actually provide the boat for you to learn). He was patient, super knowledgeable, really informative and willing to be thorough and take the time to teach me what I needed to know. I decided to take the class because I want to rent a boat in the future with my family and didn't want to be "that guy" out in the water making mistakes so I definitely felt like I got my money's worth. Captain Mike was willing to show me different scenarios as we took the boat out on the water and I was able to learn through trial and error. He taught me how to read the signs out on the water and what they meant like the channel markers, intercoastal highways, no wake zones, approaching overpasses, and red right returning etc. Communication with the Captain was pretty straightforward. You do get a certificate of completion at the end. I am looking to see if I can complete the intermediate course in the future.
Mara McCubbin
Mara McCubbin
2021-06-06
Very informative and knowledgeable. Worth every dollar spent. Captain was great.
Makura Compton
Makura Compton
2021-05-27
Captain Mike is the man. I took the basic and intermediate course with him and learned a ton. I don't know why it's taken so long for someone to come up with something like boatclass! Very affordable and convenient. Highly recommend.
Google rating score: 5 of 5, based on 10 reviews

Find a Boat Class near you

Class Offerings

  • BASIC BOATCLASS®
  • INTERMEDIATE BOATCLASS®
  • WOMEN'S BOATCLASS®

*Classes vary by location. Select a location to see what classes are available.

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Basic BoatClass
women's boat class
Intermediate BoatClass

More About Boat Class

Brunswick Corporation announced the launch of BoatClass, an immersive on-water training program designed to teach boating safety and assist boaters in gaining confidence on the water.

“Safety is the number one priority for all boaters on the water and BoatClass provides an opportunity for new and seasoned boaters to receive world-class training and learn the necessary skills to make the most of their time on the water,” said Brenna Preisser, Brunswick Corporation President - Business Acceleration & Chief People and Strategy Officer.

BoatClass offers boaters a pair of three-hour course options – basic and intermediate levels – led by a Certified US Coast Guard Captain, which consist of 100% on-water training to master techniques such as shifting and throttle control​, turning, stopping, backing drills​, 360- to 720-degree pivot turns​, docking drills​, crossing wakes and wave, speed zone adjustments, anchoring theory and techniques​, utilizing boat trim​, ferrying, and returning to the slip​.

These courses utilize the same training methods that have been successful for decades throughout the Freedom Boat Club network.

“Safety isn’t a trend, it is an everyday focus for us and our consumers,” said Bijoy Jha, Vice President -New Business Ventures, Brunswick Corporation.   “We are welcoming new boaters into our industry every day, and it is imperative that they have access to the best safety and boating education experience.  We are excited to offer BoatClass and look forward to providing a means for new boaters and those considering boating an affordable and fast path to becoming safe and confident at the helm.”

BRANDS WE WORK WITH

FULL LOCATION LIST

BoatClass is closed for the season. Be sure to join our mailing list to stay in the loop about next season

Los Angeles, CA

13524 Bali Way

Marina Del Rey, CA 90292

Merritt Island Marina BoatClass

Merritt Island, FL

1360 S Banana River Dr

Merritt Island, FL 32952

Milwaukee, WI

740 N Plankinton Ave

Milwaukee, WI 53203

Long Island, NY

389 S Main Street

Freeport, NY 11520

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