America’s Boating Club | United States Power Squadrons started the on-the-water Boat Operator Certification program in 2006, with the first “passports” approved in 2007 by Rear Commander Chris Windeler. This novel program provided a unique opportunity for America’s Boating Club | United States Power Squadrons to differentiate itself from similar organizations, notably BoatUS and state boater certification programs, which do not offer the personalized on-the-water training that the BOC program does. Now, we need to recognize this nautical gift and seize our teaching advantage by offering our BOC on-the-water safety and skills training classes to the boating community.
The BOC story
Initially, the BOC program aimed to incorporate hands-on training into a classroom training program, with the ultimate objective of enabling student graduates to obtain a boat operator certificate that would be as recognized as state boater cards and some noncommercial U.S. Coast Guard licenses. America’s Boating Club | United States Power Squadrons on-the-water and certification programs now include both certification of boating skills and, uniquely, real on-the-water training and competence. Our on-the-water training program provides hands-on skill development for new boaters. It also provides a practical extension to America’s Boating Club | United States Power Squadrons classroom instruction. Building on our on-the-water training program, our BOC program provides credentials that certify the boating skills and educational achievements of our members and, in some locations, nonmembers at a greater cost.
Administered through the Educational Department and managed by regional directors and assistant regional directors, the BOC program recognizes that members have different levels of recreational boating proficiency. A boat operator certification represents the fulfillment of an America’s Boating Club | United States Power Squadrons training program: an operator who is knowledgeable, competent and safe.
District 28 participates in the southwest U.S. region under Regional Director Shawn Goit and Assistant Regional Director Bob Gibbs. The BOC program on the West Coast now uses the 21-foot Carolina Skiff owned by America’s Boating Club | United States Power Squadrons and chartered for on-the-water training out of Oceanside, California, and San Diego. This trailerable skiff was initially purchased by national headquarters, funded by an on-the-water training grant from the U.S. Coast Guard. Shawn and Bob manage the classes and training, which are currently offered by America’s Boating Club Oceanside and San Diego Sail & Power Squadron.
Several of us recall our first experience with the former America’s Boating Club | United States Power Squadrons training vessel when it was “on the road” and showed up in San Diego in 2013. We all took the first course in the series, Inland Navigator. Katherine Law taught a four-hour class, and Barry Bean conducted the boat training maneuvers such as docking and high-speed stops under the overall management of the late Van Diehl, using a boat that has since been sold.
Don’t call it a comeback
Unfortunately, with Van’s passing and the lack of a readily available training vessel, this was the last such on-the-water activity for several years for many of us. Resurgence came when Shawn began to actively promote the BOC program nationally. His focus first fell to Florida, where one of three training sites was. Over the last two years, Shawn has taken many members out on Passing Wind to train, credential and certify America’s Boating Club | United States Power Squadrons members (some as new BOC certifiers—growing the pool of members who can officially provide on-the-water training).
Shawn trained many of us at the Coastal Navigator, Advanced Coastal Navigator and, along with Adriaan Veldhuisen, the Offshore Navigator level. Largely thanks to Shawn, District 28 now has seven of the 29 total Offshore Navigator-certified members, and four of the 17 Offshore Navigator certifiers. He oversaw the on-the-water portion of this training, taking us out overnight for the training on Passing Wind. Because prerequisites for the advanced BOC grades include successful completion of both Junior Navigator and Senior Navigator, we also are indebted to squadron educational officers Doug Bass of San Diego Squadron, Jan Follestad of Oceanside Squadron, and Jay Higgins of Las Vegas Squadron.
Under Shawn’s leadership, the BOC on-the-water program is alive and well. Shawn and Bob arranged to bring the Carolina Skiff to Oceanside, where it can be used in multiple districts and regions to train members.
Lastly, as a reminder, there are eight BOC regions nationally. Of 286 BOC certificate holders nationally, 29 members have achieved the Offshore Navigator level. So far, there have been more certifications granted in 2024 than in all of 2023, and Shawn had much to do with that.
Together, each of us has finally completed Offshore Navigator, thanks to Shawn and the America’s Boating Club | United States Power Squadrons BOC program.
