Save 50% on BoatUS Foundation online boating courses - March 17-23

Just in time for the boating season, take an online boating course or earn your boating safety certificate from the BoatUS Foundation for Boating Safety © Scott Croft

With boating season just around the corner, now could be the best time to learn new skills by taking an online course from the comfort of your own home and save some money. The nonprofit BoatUS Foundation for Boating Safety and Clean Water offers boaters, anglers and sailors a slew of online courses at 50 percent off regular prices from March 17-23, making it easy and affordable to get instruction on the boating-related topics you've always wanted to learn more about.

Some of the courses available include Modern Marine Navigation, Weather for Boaters, How to Use GPS, All About Marine Radio, Planning Your Cruise, Hurricane Preparation for Boaters, Learn to Sail, Crew at the Helm, AIS for Boaters, and more. Most are regularly priced at $30 but are offered for $15 each during the nationwide weeklong National Association of State Boating Law Administrators (NASBLA) "Spring Aboard" campaign that informs boaters about the benefits of taking a boating-education course. Many of the courses are presented in partnership with United States Power Squadrons.

The BoatUS Foundation also offers the only free online Boating Safety Course that's recognized by the U.S. Coast Guard, approved by NASBLA, and meets the boating-safety certificate requirement in 36 states. Upon successful passage, course takers can easily print their state's proof of completion.

All BoatUS Foundation online courses work well with busy schedules as you can stop and start up again later right where you left off; are optimized for PCs, laptops and tablet devices; and feature interactive animations, videos and photos to give boaters an education that goes well beyond the basics. More than 1.4 million boaters have taken the Foundation's courses since 1997.

For more, go to BoatUS.org/Courses.