Back Close

How to Catch Fish Fishing Knots and Rigs Fishing Gear & Tackle Fishing with Lures Fishing with Live Bait Fishing Safety Fishing Tips When to Fish Types of Fishing Fishing and Conservation View All

When to Saltwater Fish Saltwater Bait and Lures Saltwater Fishing Tackle & Knots Types of Saltwater Fishing Saltwater Fishing Gear Saltwater Fish Species View All

Types of Freshwater Fishing When to Freshwater Fish Freshwater Bait and Lures Learn About Freshwater Fish Species Freshwater Fishing Gear Freshwater Fishing FAQ View All

Fly Fishing Basics Fly Fishing Gear Fly Fishing Flies Fly Casting View All

Ice Fishing Basics Ice Fishing Gear Ice Fishing Techniques View All

Boating Basics How to Boat Boating and Water Safety Choose Your Boat Use our Boat Explorer Tool Get on the Water View All

Select a state to find fishing and boating information:

Alabama Alaska Arizona Arkansas California Colorado Connecticut Delaware District of Columbia Florida Georgia Hawaii Idaho

Illinois Indiana Iowa Kansas Kentucky Louisiana Maine Maryland Massachusetts Michigan Minnesota Mississippi Missouri

Montana Nebraska Nevada New Hampshire New Jersey New Mexico New York North Carolina North Dakota Ohio Oklahoma Oregon Pennsylvania

Rhode Island South Carolina South Dakota Tennessee Texas Utah Vermont Virginia Washington West Virginia Wisconsin Wyoming

Get A Fishing License

Get started fishing today, purchase your fishing license online, check regulations and more.

Online Boating Courses Teach You These Surprising Things

Debbie Hanson

3/25/2016

Free online boating courses are a good way to learn more about boating laws and safety from your own home or office. In fact, you'll probably be surprised by some of the things that online boating courses can teach you about boating. Check out a few examples of the types of helpful tips you can learn by taking an online boating course.

Boat Preventative Maintenance. You'll learn why it's important to change your engine oil each season, inspect all belts and hoses, check fluid levels, and check the condition your boat battery. Proper boat maintenance helps keep you and your crew safe while helping to avoid unnecessary repairs.
Gross Axle Weight Ratings and Gross Vehicle Weight Ratings. Online boating courses don't just teach you about how to operate your boat safely once it’s in the water. You'll also learn about gross axle weight ratings and gross vehicle weight ratings so that you know the amount of weight that your vehicle and trailer can safely tow.
Fuel Conservation. You can learn about how to save fuel by keeping your boat in good operating condition, leaving extra "stuff" at home that you don't need, evenly distributing your cargo and passengers, and paying attention to your boat gauges.
Pre-departure Checklist. Boat trips are much easier to prepare for when you use a pre-departure trip checklist. This list may include, but is not limited to, personal flotation devices, sound-signaling devices, navigation lights, flashlight, visual distress signals, an anchor, fenders, fire extinguishers, and necessary documentation. Find out how to create a checklist that includes everything you need for a fun and safe day on the water.
Aquatic Nuisance Species. Aquatic nuisance species are defined as non-indigenous species that threaten the diversity or abundance of native species, the ecological stability of infested waters, or commercial, agricultural, aquacultural or recreational activities that are dependent on such waters. Online boating courses will teach you how to thoroughly examine your boat and gear for aquatic nuisance species before leaving a launch area.

Now that you know about a few of the surprising things you can learn from online boating courses, find out which local and national organizations offer boat safety courses and register for a course today!

Photo Courtesy of Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission

Boating, Safety

Debbie Hanson

Debbie Hanson is an outdoor writer, blogger, and avid angler who has written articles on fishing and boating for publications such as USA Today Hunt & Fish and Game & Fish Magazine. She is a member of the Florida Outdoor Writers Association. Visit her personal blog at shefishes2.com and follow her on Twitter at @shefishes2.