News

NSBC Member Connection

Sponsored by Sealite! News and updates about NSBC programs, industry happenings, and more from the National Safe Boating Council. In this issue: Meet the Boat Boss, The Qualified Captain, and Twiggy the Water Skiing Squirrel at IBWSS; Members-Only Benefits; Wear It For Them; Be Prepared for the Winter Weather with Sealite Mooring Sticks, and more!

Yvonne Pentz Attains Certified Recreational Boating Professional (CRBP) Certification

On February 5, 2024, Yvonne Pentz of the National Safe Boating Council passed the Certified Recreational Boating Professional (CRBP) exam, earning her CRBP certification. The National Association of State Boating Law Administrators (NASBLA) is pleased to recognize Yvonne Pentz as one of the recent achievers of the CRBP credential.

NSBC General Membership Meeting Notice

The NSBC General Membership Meeting will be held in conjunction with the 2024 International Boating and Water Safety Summit in Albuquerque, NM at the Embassy Suites by Hilton on Monday, April 8 from 3:00 – 4:00 PM at the Embassy Suites by Hilton Albuquerque.

Confidence Looks Good on You

Embark on an on-water boating course this spring with BoatUS! In just 3 hours, gain vital skills for confident, enjoyable boating—safety, navigation, equipment, and maneuvers. Hands-on practice boosts confidence and proficiency, ensuring safer waters ahead.

Staying Afloat: The Vital Role of Life Jackets

The National Safe Boating Council is passionate about reaching the next generation of boaters with the safe boating message. Check out this article written by West Ottawan student writer, Anne Uzelac.

NSBC Member Connection

Sponsored by Sealite! News and updates about NSBC programs, industry happenings, and more from the National Safe Boating Council. In this issue: Meet the Boat Boss, The Qualified Captain, and Twiggy the Water Skiing Squirrel at IBWSS; Members-Only Benefits; Wear It For Them; Be Prepared for the Winter Weather with Sealite Mooring Sticks, and more!

Sea Tow Foundation Announces Session and Speaker Lineup for First-Ever Online Conference

The Sea Tow Foundation, a non-profit organization dedicated to boating safety, is excited to unveil the session and speaker lineup for its inaugural Life Jacket Loaner Conference. Set to take place March 5-7, 2024, the virtual conference will feature a variety of engaging sessions focused on boating safety, networking and best practices for Life Jacket Loaner Stand hosts.

Anne Dunbar Promoted to IBEX Executive Director

Having successfully steered IBEX for more than a decade, Dunbar has played a pivotal role in making it the largest marine trade show in North America. In her new role, she will continue to strengthen IBEX’s strategic vision by spearheading important initiatives and long-term plans for the show.

9 TowBoatUS Captains Honored for Lifesaving Acts

When recreational boats break down on the water, need a battery jump, run out of fuel or run aground, the nation’s largest fleet of on-water towing and assistance, TowBoatUS, responds 24/7 to get them home. Sometimes, however, matters aren’t so routine and the captains that helm TowBoatUS response vessels choose to step in as good Samaritans to help save lives as well.

Peg Phillips Awarded Certified Recreational Boating Professional (CRBP) Certification

On January 6, 2024, Peg Phillips, National Safe Boating Council (NSBC) Executive Director, passed the Certified Recreational Boating Professional (CRBP) exam and was awarded her CRBP certification. The National Association of State Boating Law Administrators (NASBLA) is pleased to recognize Peg Phillips as the latest individual to achieve the CRBP credential.

Anchorline, Sponsored by Sealite

You don’t want to miss this issue of Anchorline, the National Safe Boating Council’s digital newsletter sponsored by Sealite! IN THIS ISSUE: A Note from the Executive Director, Wear It For Them Initiative, NSBC Boating Data Unlocks Boating Insights in the United States, Nominate a Boating Safety Leader, Boating Standards Panel Welcomes New Members, NSBC Member-Only Discounts, Meet Twiggy the Waterskiing Squirrel at IBWSS, Boating Safety Resources, and more.

NSBC Boating Data, powered by DECKEE, Unlocks Boating Insights in the United States

CLEARWATER, Florida – The National Safe Boating Council (NSBC), a national catalyst for recreational boating safety, has partnered with the award-winning boating app DECKEE to establish a ground-breaking boating data service in the United States. The new service called NSBC Boating Data (https://www.safeboatingcouncil.org/data/) offers unprecedented insights and analysis of privacy-protected boating activity and behavior informed by GPS movement capture and boater data inputs.   “We are thrilled to partner with DECKEE to provide anonymized boating activity data to empower the boating industry to better understand waterway activity,” said Peg Phillips, executive director of the National Safe Boating Council.  “Boaters, anglers, sailors, and paddlers log their on-water activities with the free DECKEE mobile app every week. With respect for the community’s privacy, DECKEE and the NSBC strip this dataset of identifiers and aggregates it. What is left is a vast source of trends and insights,” continued Phillips. With thousands of new activities added every month, DECKEE’s data set of billions of deidentified GPS points offers an entirely new way of understanding and analyzing boating patterns and behavior at a local level.  “NSBC Boating Data provides insights about where, when, and how people move around waterways,” said Mike McKiernan, CEO of DECKEE. “This data empowers stakeholders and decision makers to go beyond census data and answer questions about the waterways that were previously considered unanswerable, unlocking significant public safety, economic, and environmental outcomes.” Since its launch in 2019, the free DECKEE app has been used by over 530,000 boaters worldwide, and provides representative samples of privacy-approved boating insights for U.S. states and cities. “Our mission at DECKEE is to help the boating community worldwide stay safe, informed, and enjoy their time on the water,” continued McKiernan. “We are excited to partner with the National Safe Boating Council to offer these essential boating insights in the United States.” Visit https://www.safeboatingcouncil.org/data/ to learn more about how NSBC Boating Data can provide custom boating data analytics and reporting.  About the National Safe Boating Council  Founded in 1958, the National Safe Boating Council (NSBC) serves as a national catalyst for developing a safe boating culture by providing educational resources, outreach programming, and training opportunities for industry partners and the boating community to influence safe, secure, and responsible boating. www.safeboatingcouncil.org About DECKEE DECKEE is a mission-driven technology company using data, innovative problem solving, and a cooperative industry approach to drive measurable behavioral change that creates significant public safety, economic, and environmental outcomes. DECKEE provides ground-breaking insights and analytics for activities on the world’s waterways. www.deckee.com ### Media Contact: Yvonne Pentz, National Safe Boating Council, ypentz@safeboatingcouncil.org, 440-670-1294

IBWSS Speakers Announced

You don’t want to miss a great line-up of speakers at this international event, including Boat Boss, The Qualified Captain, Twiggy the Water Skiing Squirrel, and boating leaders from around the world. Explore the program. 

NSBC Member Connection

Sponsored by Sealite! News and updates about NSBC programs, industry happenings, and more from the National Safe Boating Council. In this issue: Meet the Boat Boss, The Qualified Captain, and Twiggy the Water Skiing Squirrel at IBWSS; Members-Only Benefits; Wear It For Them; Be Prepared for the Winter Weather with Sealite Mooring Sticks, and more!

Mustang Survival and Wing Group Enter Year with New Leadership at the Helm

Outdoor industry professional Kenny Ballard has been appointed Mustang Survival’s new President. Ballard takes over responsibilities from Juanita Killen, who stepped into the role of Interim President in 2023, leading the company through a challenging year of growth and evolution. Additionally, Lance Richardson, an expert in domestic manufacturing and efficiency, takes on the newly created role of VP, Manufacturing and Innovation for the Wing Group, Mustang Survival’s parent company.

National Boating Standards Panel Welcomes New Members

The National Association of State Boating Law Administrators (NASBLA) and the members of the National Boating Standards Panel (BSP) would like to welcome three new members to the BSP! Peg Phillips, Wendy Flynn, and David Fuller officially joined the fifteen-member panel on January 1, 2024.

Safe Boating Campaign Launches Wear It For Them Awareness Initiative

The National Safe Boating Council (NSBC), a national catalyst for recreational boating safety, has launched an awareness initiative to encourage all boaters to always wear a life jacket for themselves and everyone that depends on them. Wear It For Them is part of the NSBC’s Safe Boating Campaign, a worldwide effort focused on encouraging responsible boating practices. 

Satellite Access Smartphone – iPhone 15 Capabilities

At the National Safe Boating Council, we are committed to sharing boating safety information that will help make the waterways a safer place. It’s our goal and responsibility to equip you with the knowledge to make safer boating decisions.

NSBC Member Connection

Sponsored by Sealite! News and updates about NSBC programs, industry happenings, and more from the National Safe Boating Council. In this issue: Happy Holidays from the NSBC, Save $100 with Early Bird Registration for IBWSS, NSBC Receives Three Viddy Awards, Sealite and Sabik – Family brands of SPX Aids to Navigation, Join the NSBC Instructor Network, and more.

SaferBoater Welcomes New CEO Chris Edmonston

SaferBoater is thrilled to announce the appointment of Chris Edmonston as CEO. With an impressive 28-year history of unwavering dedication to keeping waterways accessible, safe, and clean, Chris brings valuable expertise to SaferBoater.