The Sea Tow Foundation is accepting applications for this year’s National Boating Safety Awards. The awards recognize outstanding efforts that promote safe and responsible boating and help build more confident boaters.

Winners will be announced Oct. 6 during the International BoatBuilders’ Exhibition and Conference.

New for 2026, the nine new award categories focus on how boating safety is being promoted rather than the type of company or individual submitting the entry. This shift allows campaigns, programs, products, partnerships and other efforts to be evaluated based on their strength, reach and impact.

“The Sea Tow Foundation is incredibly proud to celebrate the creativity, leadership and commitment to safety found throughout the recreational boating industry,” executive director Gail R. Kulp said in a statement. “The nine new categories allow us to recognize the many different ways companies, organizations and individuals are reaching boaters, and celebrate the efforts that are helping create more responsible and confident boaters.”

The National Boating Safety Awards categories include:

  • Best Boating Safety Education & Training Program – Recognizes outstanding boating safety classes, workshops, certifications, training initiatives and hands-on education.
  • Best Youth Boating Safety Initiative – Recognizes boating safety efforts focused specifically on children, teens and young boaters.
  • Best Boating Safety Community Engagement Program – Recognizes efforts primarily focused on reaching and engaging a specific audience within the boating community.
  • Best Boating Safety Digital Initiative – Recognizes safety efforts delivered through digital platforms, such as videos, podcasts, websites, email, webinars, social media and e-newsletters.
  • Best Boating Safety Product or Technology Innovation – Recognizes a new product or technology that has a direct impact on boating safety.
  • Best Boating Safety Partnership/Collaborative Initiative – Recognizes formal collaborations between two or more organizations working together through a shared program, campaign or initiative.
  • Best Marine Dealer Boating Safety Effort – Recognizes a marine dealer or retailer demonstrating a high level of commitment to boater safety through education, events, training, outreach, employee engagement or community leadership.
  • Best Integrated Boating Safety Campaign – Recognizes a strategic campaign using three or more channels under a unified strategy, creative theme and measurable objective.
  • Best Individual Boating Safety Advocate – Recognizes an individual within the marine industry who has demonstrated exceptional leadership and advocacy in promoting boating safety.

Additionally, the Sea Tow Foundation Boating Safety Advisory Council will select one category winner to receive the Boating Safety Excellence Award, the program’s highest honor. All entries will be considered for the award, presented to the best overall safety initiative of the year.

Eligibility information, complete category descriptions and applications are available here. Applications must be submitted by Aug. 31.