June 3, 2019
We're making waves at the National Safe Boating Council! As a catalyst for recreational boating safety, we are dedicated to providing fun and safe recreational boating experiences. Thank you for your support in this shared mission! Read through all of Anchorline to find challenge questions at the end. Answer the questions correctly and be entered for a chance to win a case of youth activity books.
Rolyan Buoys® Educational Buoy Set
NSBC members receive $20 off a Rolyan Buoys® Educational Buoy Set. And for a limited time, with each order you will receive a commemorative token to celebrate the Rolyan Buoys® 50th Anniversary of helping to keep our waterways safe.
Boating and Water Safety Resources
The summer boating season is in full swing! At the National Safe Boating Council, we believe the best boating experience is a safe boating experience. You don't want to miss this opportunity for resources to support your local boating and water safety efforts.
Our Safe Boating Campaign offers box sets - Safe Boating Brochures Box, Safe Boating Campaign Box, and Safe Boating Campaign Banner Box - with materials to educate boaters about safely enjoying the waterways. Due to limited quantities, only one of each box set is available per entity while supplies last. Looking for downloadable resources? From infographics and posters to social media templates and videos, our Resources Library has downloadable resources that you may customize for your local outreach efforts.
The NSBC Online Store has additional resources that are great for outreach events to remind the public to wear a life jacket and promote the fun boating lifestyle. Hurry while supplies last! Save big with up to 50% savings on educational activity books for kids. Boating Safety Navigation Rules books for kids now only $50 + shipping (each case has 250 books). Let’s Go Boating activity books are $150 + shipping (each case has 180 books) and The ABCs of Boating coloring books are $125 + shipping (each case has 150 books). NSBC instructors receive half-off important boating safety equipment and gear for your training needs. Get your Instructor Kit for only $495. Order these resources and more at safeboatingcouncil.org.
ilearntoboat.com: A Fully Interactive Boating Safety Course
For years, online boat safety course content has been limited to video, illustrations and text material. However, boaters looking to complete their online boating education have a new alternative, as Kalkomey Enterprises, LLC recently released ilearntoboat.com, a fully interactive boat safety course. This groundbreaking course is the first boater safety course of its kind to be approved by NASBLA and state agencies.
“The interactive safety course takes students on a virtual adventure like never before,” said Edward Cossette, VP of Education at Kalkomey. He further added, “The storytelling in the course engages students, while opportunities to explore varying outcomes adds to the user experience.”
In the course, the student player goes on a boating adventure with four friends. All friends have varying degrees of boating experience. While the student player interacts with the course, the four friends—through their actions and dialogs—help the student player learn various boating concepts.
In addition to safe boating practices, the course covers state legal requirements. Students can learn safe boating skills, such as casting off and docking, traffic laws of the water, state-specific rules and regulations, how to deal with emergencies, and much more, by taking this course.
Students can complete the interactive course at their own pace, starting and stopping at their convenience. Most students can complete the game within a few hours. This course is designed to be taken on any desktop or mobile device. For more information on the course, visit ilearntoboat.com.
NSBC Certified Instructor
The National Safe Boating Council is building a network of certified powerboat instructors and instructor trainers. Our curriculum is the only national nonprofit curriculum approved through a third-party conformity assessment process to meet the American National Standards for on-water instruction for powerboating. Becoming a National Safe Boating Council Certified Instructor validates a boat operator’s skills in boat control, technical knowledge, and teaching techniques. Whether you are based in a marina environment, fire department, or police department, our course provides the skills and assessment necessary to train-the-trainers on close quarters and open-water boat control. Please contact Peg Phillips for information on participating in a course at pphillips@safeboatingcouncil.org.
Thanks to West Marine and Absolute Outdoor
For more than 50 years, West Marine has been the premier retailer of boating, fishing, sailing and paddling gear. With more than 240 stores located in 38 states and Puerto Rico and an eCommerce website reaching domestic, international and professional customers, West Marine is recognized as a leading resource for cruisers, sailors, anglers and paddlesports enthusiasts. West Marine partnered with the NSBC to raise awareness for National Safe Boating Week held May 18-24. Throughout the month of May customers could purchase a West Marine “Wear It” paper life jacket in all West Marine stores. All proceeds will support West Marine’s BlueFuture and the NSBC to continue our combined mission of promoting boating and life jacket safety to boaters. Learn more about West Marine's BlueFuture at westmarine.com/BlueFuture.
Absolute Outdoor specializes in bringing market leading innovation to the outdoor, sporting goods and marine markets. Their brands include Full Throttle®, Onyx®, ArcticShield®, and Kent Safety Products. Absolute Outdoor partners with the NSBC frequently and their Full Throttle and Onyx brands offer boaters stylish and comfortable life jacket options. Throughout the summer they will be continuing to promote the life jacket safety message, and remind the boating public to “think safety and proper preparation” before going out on the water to ensure their summer boating season is a success. Absolute Outdoor supported the NSBC during the International Boating and Water Safety Summit, National Safe Boating Week and for a boating safety video shoot with life jacket donations. Learn more about Absolute Outdoor.
American Boating Congress
American Boating Congress brings together the industry’s diverse range of stakeholders, shapes public policy, and presents a unified front on issues that impact marine businesses. Thank you to the National Marine Manufacturers Association and sponsors for making this unique opportunity possible with over 400 attendees at the 2019 annual American Boating Congress in Washington, DC from May 13-15.
Participants gathered from across the nation to learn, network, and partner with each other on legislative issues impacting recreational boating. Teams were coached prior to meeting with members of congress to discuss a variety of topics from the impact of E15 fuel, tariffs, and recreational boating safety. Safety topics included mandatory use of engine cutoff devices and funding for on-water training. Most importantly, ABC offers the rare platform to meet directly with members of Congress and advocate on recreational boating policies.
The NSBC joined the ABC teams to create positive change for the boating industry. Data from the Bureau of Economic Analysis reveals that outdoor recreation contributes $734 billion annual gross economic output. Boating and fishing are the #1 contributor to the outdoor recreation industry’s real gross output. Congratulations to the NMMA team for a very successful American Boating Congress, with special recognition to Thom Dammrich, Robert Newsome, and Nicole Vasilaros.
National Recreational Boating Skills Standards
As an NSBC member, you know the importance of quality recreational boating instruction. NSBC recommends all boating safety instructors reinforce the quality of their beginner-level boating safety courses by ensuring they follow the new National On-Water Standards (NOWS). NOWS were developed by hundreds of the best boating instructors as part of a larger U.S. Coast Guard initiative to increase boating safety on our nation’s waterways.
Start small. Choose one sailing, powerboating or human-propelled craft beginner course and self-assess it against the NOWS. Then promote that the course follows national quality standards. If you wish, pursue third-party verification as well. NSBC has already third-party verified its Essentials of Close-Quarters and Open Water Boat Control Course curriculum follows NOWS.
The best part is that NOWS are free to use. Learn more. Please contact Brian Dorval, NOWS Program Facilitator, at brian.dorval@usnows.org with any questions.
We're Making Waves
Our team is committed to advancing our shared mission of safe boating, exploring new partnerships and leading outreach opportunities. From the International Boating and Water Safety Summit to on-water training and from Wear Your Life Jacket to Work Day to National Safe Boating Week, here's a snapshot of what our team was up to over the last few months. Click on a photo to enlarge.
Did you read all of Anchorline? Try your luck at answering the challenge questions for a chance to win a free case of youth activity books!
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