Ship 11 encourages all adult and youth members to obtain recognized boater safety education courses, in addition to our in-house BSA programs. The California Department of Boating and Waterways offers a wide varity of educational and training materials.

The ABC's of California Boating Laws is an excellant basic on-line reference.

The California Boating Safety Course is a correspondence course to allow boaters to study at home at their own pace. It can be ordered from the State, downloaded to read off-line, or on CD for Ship 11 members (see below).

The Boating Safety Course covers state and federal boating law, rules of the road, boat handling, required equipment, navigational aids, accident reporting, and special topics. It is approved by the National Association of State Boating Law Administrators and is recognized by the U.S. Coast Guard.

This course includes an optional exam with two answer sheets. The exam consists of 50 questions. Once completed, forward the answer sheet to the Department for grading. Those who successfully complete the course are awarded Certificates of Completion which are recognized by many insurance companies for discounts on boat insurance policies.

• Obtain a copy of the course
  • Ship 11 has it on CD, or
  • Download a PDF version of the course to read offline
  • Order a book from the State
• Obtain a Scantron test form:
  • From Ship 11's Officers, or
  • By e-mail a request to pubinfo@dbw.ca.gov, or
  • By calling (888) 326-2822
• Take the 50 question test
• Mail the completed test back to the Department for processings
• If you pass, the State will mail you a certificate of completion