July 9, 2025
What Are Low Head Dams? Low head dams, often called “run-of-the-river” dams, are small structures—typically 12 feet tall or less—built...

July 2, 2025
It’s different with a PWC! Understanding the Basics of PWC Steering is vital.  Personal Watercrafts (PWCs), like Jet Skis and Sea-Doos,...

June 23, 2025
Understanding Marine Day Shapes: The Language of the Sea When navigating the open waters, communication is key.  Not just through...

June 16, 2025
Ride Smart & Safe: Tips for Operating Personal Watercrafts Operating Personal Watercrafts (PWCs), such as Jet Skis, Sea-Doos, and WaveRunners,...

June 15, 2025
Mastering the Art of Coming Ashore and Docking Docking tips for boaters can be extremely helpful.  Docking a boat can...

June 9, 2025
🚤 Inboard Operating Tips for Boaters: Safe Operating Starts Here Whether you’re a seasoned captain or a weekend warrior, mastering...

June 5, 2025
Reach, Throw, Row, Go: The Smart Way to Save a Life When someone is struggling in the water, your instinct...

June 2, 2025
The Tides in Long Island Sound Tides in Long Island Sound are challenging to say the least.  The Sound connects...

May 28, 2025
What to do in Stormy Boating Conditions. Stormy boating conditions can be a major challenge.  In fact, a general rule...

May 27, 2025
Paddling in Connecticut: A Hidden Gem for Water Lovers Paddling in Connecticut, with its winding rivers, serene lakes, and scenic...

May 13, 2025
The backfire flame arrestor is a critical safety device on boats, especially those with gasoline-powered inboard engines. Here’s a breakdown...

April 8, 2025
Regulatory or Informational Markers are there for a reason. White and orange buoys and markers are often used in maritime...

March 19, 2025
  Sailing in Long Island Sound is a fantastic experience, but safety should always come first. Here are some general...

July 30, 2024
What Is a Mayday Call? Mayday calls serve as an internationally recognized distress signal used in emergencies. Mariners use it...

June 24, 2024
We like to start with “Buoys float and Beacons are fixed” Both can be found on your nautical charts.  And...

June 12, 2024
Digital Selective Calling:  How it works by West Marine DSC “Digital Selective Calling” is a feature built into all Fixed...

January 29, 2024
The Connecticut Coastal Boater Endorsement is a class offered by Connecticut Boating Certificates LLC covering basic navigation skills.  The materials...

December 22, 2022
NASBLA 2022 Accomplishments Top 8!   1.  RECORD DELIVERY OF BOAT PROGRAM COURSES The BOAT Program had a record setting...

October 26, 2022
Clean Drain and Dry The following is an article on the DEEP’s Website. What are Aquatic Invasive Species An increasing...

October 18, 2022
The United States Coast Guard is our 5th branch of the military. This is a small excerpt from their site. ...

September 6, 2022
Boating Tips for Beginners This article from the Boating for Beginners site in my opinion is a fantastic start for...

August 8, 2022
Keeping a Lookout.  The following article from The American Boating Association discusses holidays, inspections, and being aware. The holidays and...

July 27, 2022
What is this report? The 2021 Recreational Boating Statistics Report or often times referred to the “2021 Boating Accident Report”...

July 11, 2022
8 Safety tips for you and your loved ones. The following article is an excerpt from National Oceanic and Atmospheric...

June 13, 2022
Running Aground occurs when there is no longer deep enough water to float a vessel.  This likely occurs due to...

June 6, 2022
Reporting Boating Accidents can be a little tricky.  Check out this blog to guide you through the process.  The key...

May 2, 2022
CT Boating Education FAQ’s is a hot topic.  So here we go.  Please visit the DEEP’s website to learn all...

April 26, 2022
No Discharge Zones:  The following excerpt is from Connecticut DEEP’s website.  Visit the page and read the full article here....

April 19, 2022
Is Boating fun?  Well of course it is! You can check out the full article by Discover Boating by clicking ...

April 12, 2022
OSHA and Boating are nothing new. What is Good Housekeeping on a boat? Good housekeeping implies that we always organize,...

March 29, 2022
This article on Personal Watercraft Regulations is well worth your time.  Check the full article out at United Marine Underwriters....

March 21, 2022
What Makes Long Island Sound Unique? Long Island Sound is 1400 square miles of estuary, a place where saltwater from...

March 15, 2022
Falling overboard is a serious concern. Who is at risk? Falling overboard is nearly a daily occurrence in the commercial...

March 8, 2022
Should you be documenting your vessel? When going into the purchase of a vessel, lots of owners ask whether or...

March 1, 2022
Watch Your Boats Wake The following are excerpts from an excellent article by Randy Troutman on October 15, 2014 (link...

February 21, 2022
The following article regarding Recreational Boating appears on the National Safety Councils site. With more than 11 million recreational vessels...

February 14, 2022
Connecticut Harbor Masters have quite the responsibility.  The following excerpt is from the DEEP’s Boating Division.  Indeed, some content has...

February 3, 2022
Sailboat Lights can be confusing and usually need some explanation. Common Questions: Is the tri-color light all I need when...

January 31, 2022
Who is NASBLA you ask…well they play a major role in modern day boating! Lots of our students have asked...

January 18, 2022
Are Virtual Boating Classes worth it? Lots of people asking if virtual boating classes are worth it and yes, they...

January 12, 2022
What do you need to have Water Ski Jumps in Connecticut? The following excerpt is from the State of Connecticut...

January 3, 2022
The Connecticut Boaters Guide is a free publication.  Its primary function is to enlighten boaters on what’s new in Connecticut. ...

December 15, 2021
What are Aids to Navigation? Aids to Navigation can provide a boater with information similar to those which drivers get...

November 17, 2021
Rendering Assistance:  What is your Obligation? Rendering assistance to a vessel in distress is requirement for all vessel operators.  That...

November 2, 2021
OPERATION DRY WATER The following article is a direct excerpt from the NASBLA Operation Dry Water Home page.  Most people...

October 18, 2021
What is the Beaufort Scale? The Beaufort scale, officially known as the Beaufort Wind Force Scale, is a descriptive table. ...

September 29, 2021
Making a Mayday call will likely be stressful.  Your VHF radio may be your only lifeline.  The VHF may feature Digital...

September 22, 2021
The following excerpt is from the United States Coast Guard. Why should you take the time to prepare a Float...

September 13, 2021
BOATING UNDER THE INFLUENCE (BUI ) IS JUST AS DEADLY AS DRINKING AND DRIVING   The following is a re-post from...

September 9, 2021
This article about winterizing a boat has been modified for our blog.  We thank our friends at Discover Boating for...

September 3, 2021
Lots of people want to know how the Boating Pecking Order applies to everyday boating.  It is a great question. ...

August 3, 2021
FIRSTLY, What is this report? The 2020 Recreational Boating Statistics Report or often times referred to the “2020 Boating Accident...

July 26, 2021
WHAT ARE EPIRBS AND PLBS First of all EPIRBS and PLBS are acronyms.  EPIRB stands for Emergency position indicating radio...

July 15, 2021
Hello friends.  We don’t get to spend a lot of time during our licensing class on Paddling.  As a result...

July 11, 2021
WHAT IS FLY BOARDING Fly Boarding is becoming a very popular sport.  It is done by connecting a fly board,...

July 5, 2021
WHY USE A NAUTICAL CHART Nautical Charts and Boating go way back.  They say that many boaters are judged by...

June 14, 2021
What are the areas of the boat called? The areas of the boat are:  Port (left side), Starboard (right side),...

June 7, 2021
HOW DO LIFE JACKETS SAVE LIVES? Life Jackets provide buoyancy.  That is to say, the ability to float in water. ...

June 1, 2021
The Abandoned Boat Process:  The CT DEEP’s Marine HQ states the following. Abandoned Boat:  Under Section 15-140c of the CGS,...

May 24, 2021
It’s everyone’s job to keep our waterways clean.  You can join the Clean Marina Program and be proud to do your...

May 18, 2021
Anchoring equipment Let’s familiarize ourselves with the equipment when anchoring a boat.  The Anchor Rode consists of all the pieces...

May 10, 2021
LETS GO OVER SOME BASICS When we discuss Navigational Rules for Boating keep in mind that above all, it is...

May 3, 2021
WHAT IS THE SAFE WATER SKIING ENDORSEMENT The Safe Water Skiing Endorsement has been a part of Connecticut boating education...

April 27, 2021
THE NEW LAW ON ENGINE CUT OF SWITCHES The United States Coast Guard announced on April 1, 2021 that the...

April 16, 2021
PREFERRED CHANNEL BUOYS Ah the dreaded Preferred Channel Buoys, what are these beasts?  This buoy sinks vessels in the blink...

April 5, 2021
DRESS FOR THE WEATHER WHILE BOATING Whether you are out on the lakes or on Long Island Sound weather plays...

March 30, 2021
WHAT IS HIGH AND LOW TIDE Tides are the vertical movement of water caused by the gravitational pull of the...

March 23, 2021
WHAT IS THE CAPACITY PLATE The Maximum Capacities Label or Plate is required on powerboats less than 20 feet with...

March 16, 2021
THANK YOU DEEP! The Connecticut DEEP approves online boating courses in 2021.  When the pandemic hit, the DEEP acted quickly...

March 21, 2019
Hypothermia is very real in CT We do cover this in class but this is the time of year people...

March 7, 2019
AGE RESTRICTIONS So everyone always asks what are the age restrictions for a boating, using a Personal Watercraft, and to...

July 23, 2018
What actually is Trim on a Boat? If you ask a bunch of boaters the question what is trimming a...

March 20, 2018
WHAT IS A NO DISCHARGE AREA No Discharge Areas or NDA is a federally designated body of water where the...

May 17, 2016
IS CLOSED BOW RIDING ILLEGAL YES OR NO So you can’t answer this without a little tap dancing.   For this...

May 2, 2016
STRAIGHT UP Boating accidents are nearly one hundred percent avoidable.  Together we can improve the Accident Statistics this year by...

April 18, 2016
TRUTH BE TOLD Pollution in Connecticut waters is an issue.  It can be eliminated if everyone chips in.  In short,...

April 12, 2016
WHAT IS BOAT RAMP ETIQUETTE? Boat ramp etiquette is important and is oftentimes overlooked.  Actually what we need to do...

March 23, 2016
What is this about? Preventing the spread of aquatic aquatic invasive species and plants is a nationwide issue.   Although...

March 17, 2016
What is the difference between hulls you ask? There is a huge difference between hulls and to clarify, there are...

March 8, 2016
WHY IS THE LENGTH OF THE BOAT RELEVANT? It is important for the authorities to distinguish powerboat requirements and length...

February 26, 2016
SAFETY OVERVIEW I’m often asked can safety be taken overboard.  Not always in those exact terms but you get the...

February 26, 2016
CONNECTICUTS RECIPROCITY Connecticut is required by law to teach the Boaters License threefold.  This means we teach the NASBLA Core,...

February 23, 2016
HOW ARE PERSONAL WATERCRAFTS DEFINED Personal Watercraft are defined as a Jet driven vessel that the rider sits, kneels, stands,...