The Educated Captain

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Wilmington, NC
The Educated Captain

We didn’t build another boring boating course…
We built the one people actually need.

The Qualified Captain State Boating Course is officially approved by the National Association of State Boating Law Administrators (NASBLA) and is now live in Florida, North Carolina, California and Maryland with more states soon to come! Designed to go beyond the basics, this course uses real-world scenarios to teach boaters what actually happens on the water, not just what’s in a textbook.

- Earn your state-recognized boating safety certificate
- Learn from real incidents
- Gain the confidence to operate legally and safely

Whether you’re new to boating, have years of experience, or just turned the legal age to get your boating license in your state, this course is built to help you do it the right way.

👉 Click the link in our bio to get started

10/14/2026

Boating early or late in the season brings additional safety conditions. Specifically, cold water. It's important to plan for this and take it seriously. The key is wearing warm clothing and good flotation AND utilizing a PLB or EPIRB for a rapid rescue. Time is of the essence! For more tips to keep you safe while boating consider taking our NASBLA-approved online boating course. Click the link in our bio to learn more. #

10/10/2026

I can't over emphasize how important it is to wear an engine cutoff device and an inflatable PFD when underway. I responded to this accident in Sarasota and saw the consequences of this mishap first hand. Totally avoidable consequences! Please make this a part of your normal boating safety routine. Also, consider taking our NASBLA-approved online boating safety course to become more knowledgeable. Click the link in our bio to learn more.

10/03/2026

We see it on a regular basis, people getting injured, people falling overboard, and boaters who almost sink their boats. Here's some good advice for anyone who runs inlets. Especially, Haulover Inlet or any rough inlet. For more information on how to stay safe, consider taking our NASBLA-approved boating safety course or our non-NASBLA-approved course titled, "How to Properly & Safely Run an Inlet". Click the link in our bio to learn more.

09/30/2026

Pre-underway checklists are a very important procedure before leaving the dock. Often times these will remind you of things you've forgotten or even save you from your boat from sinking. Click the boating safety course link in our bio then "Boater Education" -> Non NASBLA Approved Courses -> View all Products

09/28/2026

Multiple injuries from a boat accident on the St Joseph River near Elkhart, Indiana. There's been no official announcement on what actually happened or what caused the accident. It's safe to say they weren't going slow and they obviously hit something. Unsafe speed, operator inattention, and collision with a fixed object may all be factors (as usual). We'll see though. We hope all the victims recover well. As always, if you're unsure of the rules consider becoming educated. We offer a NASBLA-approved online boating safety course that's the most impactful, educational, and entertaining for sure. Click on the link in our bio to learn more.

09/25/2026

10 year anniversary of the boating death of Miami Marlins player, Jose Fernandez. Fernandez and two others were killed when they went out for a joy ride on his 32' Sea Vee. They were running at 60+ mph at 3:30 in the ocean and hit the north jetty of Govt Cut in Miami. Toxicology tests showed Co***ne and an alcohol level nearly twice the legal limit. The final factors were BUI and reckless speed. Of course, deciding to go for a joy ride at 60+ mph in the ocean at 2-3am after partying was the real poor decision. Bad decisions on boats don't care who made them. The end result is often the same. Be smart and be safe. Take our NASBLA-approved online boating safety course regardless of how old you are and if you've taken one before because our course shows real world mishap videos that are extremely impactful and will drive home the messaging much better than any other course. Click the link in our bio to learn more.

09/22/2026

A boat crash on East Okoboji Lake occurred last weekend. The boat hit a dock and ended up WAY far away on a road. We don't know what caused the crash yet but speed definitely played a role. Ya think? That's a lot of distance covered. There's a lot to learn about boating before you ever get behind the wheel. Consider taking our NASBLA-approved online boating safety course. Click the link in our bio to learn more.

09/20/2026

In this situation it's way safer to guide the boat using a bow line vs standing on the slippery algae between the boat and trailer. Glad it all worked out ok though. Consider taking our NASBLA-approved online boating safety course to become a safer boater.

09/15/2026

These are the boat photos from the accident on East Lake Okoboji. Two of the photos in last nights post were from a prior accident on the lake earlier this year. These are always so brutal to see. Usually, so avoidable too. Prayers to everyone involved and make it a point to always travel at a safe speed for the given conditions. If you don't, it might completely alter your life and the lives of others. Remember, this is your do over.

09/14/2026

Speed strikes again. Two terrible boating accidents over the weekend. One on Lake Havasu and the other on East Lake Okoboji. Investigations are ongoing but speed was definitely a factor in the LH accident and likely a factor in the ELO accident. Speed is obviously what "speed" boats do but speed has consequences. Prayers to all involved and remember to always travel at a safe speed given the conditions. ⚓️

Address

6789 Market Street
Wilmington, NC
28409

Website

https://thequalifiedcaptain.com/pages/state-boating-course

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