For 106 years, the United States Power Squadrons, aka America’s Boating Club, has helped make boating better through wide-ranging educational and safety programs. Now the organization has announced the kick-off of its latest initiative to increase boating safety with the “Boat With Confidence” campaign.
Recognizing there’s no dealer or manufacturer that wouldn’t agree that educated boaters are better boaters, the USPS developed its newest educational effort. But what really triggered it was the revelation in the Coast Guard’s 2020 Recreational Boating Statistics that accidents, injuries and fatalities increased by 25 percent from 2019 to 2020. Indeed, an alarming reversal from many consecutive years of trending downward.
To help reverse this trend, the Boat With Confidence campaign established a nonprofit-corporate partnership with boat and other marine manufacturers to champion safety and education. Funds raised through the campaign will allow the Power Squadrons to provide boaters with an extensive suite of in-person, online and on-water training opportunities that nurture safe practices.
During its governing board meeting in September, the organization launched the campaign and welcomed its first Boat With Confidence “champion,” Grady-White Boats.
Grady-White vice president of marketing Shelley Tubaugh said stepping up as the first campaign champion was a no-brainer. “From the very beginning, our owner, Eddie Smith, established safety as a top priority for our team members and for our customers,” she said. “So partnering with an organization that has been teaching boating safety for over 100 years is a natural fit for us. We hope more marine industry companies join this campaign to help keep our waters safe through boater education.”
To lend support to this initiative, according to Tammy Brown, marketing director for the Power Squadrons, publisher Bonnier Corp. will provide an added incentive to marine manufacturers joining the campaign.
“Bonnier has agreed to provide one free ad in any of its publications to Boat With Confidence champions,” Brown said. “Thanks to the support of Bonnier, Grady-White and other campaign champions, we can continue our work of ensuring that boaters receive the education, skills training and safety resources they need to boat with confidence.”
I can attest to the quality of the educational opportunities offered by the Power Squadrons. My wife and I took the basic and advanced courses when we bought out first boat together. We eventually completed the “S” Seamanship level. It’s education that has served us well for nearly 50 years of boating on the Great Lakes, the Atlantic and Bahamas, Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean. And, proudly, I can say we haven’t stopped boating and fishing.
For more information or to join the Boat With Confidence Campaign, contact Brown at [email protected]. Click here to learn more about America’s Boating Club and its mission.
