(905) 484-BOAT (2628) info@boaterskills.ca

We are Driver’s Ed for Boaters!

 

Boat Handling Clinics | BoaterSkills.ca
Boat Handling Clinics | BoaterSkills.ca

Onboard training – We come to you!

BoaterSkills.ca provides onboard training for boat owners of power and sail across Ontario’s Great Lakes and Cottage Country.

An instructor will meet you at your marina, cottage, or a launch ramp location to provide private instruction for you and your crew. Our instructors are licensed, insured captains. We’ll help you to develop the skills and knowledge to safely operate your boat!

Include up to four of your family or crew members and get everyone trained for one great price! At BoaterSkills.ca, we develop safe, knowledgeable boaters. We also make this essential training more affordable by including up to four of your family/crew members for one great price! We are Drivers’ Ed for Boaters.

We make it safe, we make it fun!

BoaterSkills.ca is registered under the Transport Canada Small Vessel Compliance Program for Recreational Boating Schools.

 

Towing Instruction

If you have recently purchased a trailored boat and are new to towing, our hands-on clinics teach you how to safely launch and retrieve your boat, docking, close quarters maneuvering, open water operation and more!

Prior to booking your clinic, we will coordinate with you to meet at a convenient launch site to begin your 3-hour lesson. Please ensure you vessel is equipped with a minimum of 3 dock lines, 3 fenders, and the required safety equipment for your type and size of vessel.

Here is a link to Transport Canada’s Safe Boating Guide. This guide is an excellent resource for Safety Equipment Requirements, Rules of the Road, a refresher on Navigation buoys and so much more!

Boater Certification Courses

BoaterSkills.ca offers ONLINE certification courses, including ROC-M Radio (VHF) and the Powered Vessel Operator Permit (Toronto Harbour License).

In-person classroom course options are expected to return once COVID-19 safety protocols have been removed and it is deemed safe to once again learn inside.

On-site classes for groups of 8 or more students will then be available for you to book. Contact us to arrange an on-site course for your marina, yacht club, or company.

 

 

Boating Seminars for Power & Sail

BoaterSkills.ca makes available Docking and Close Quarters Maneuvering seminars for yacht clubs and other organizations across the GTA and surrounding communities from January to April. Master Instructor Craig Hamilton will cover topics for power boaters and sailors including how to creating your docking plan, docking in windy conditions, using spring lines, understanding prop-walk, and more…
Duration: 2 hrs

For more information or to book a boating seminar, contact us by email or call 905-484-2628.

 

Have a question?




BoaterSkills.ca is proud to be a member of Boating Ontario. Visit the Boating Ontario website today for lots of great boating information!

BoaterSkills.ca is registered under the Transport Canada Small Vessel Compliance Program for Recreational Boating Schools


“We recently purchased a 34 foot twin engine cruiser…

as our first sojourn into boating. Our learning curve was steep, especially in the area of piloting and docking such a large vessel. We enlisted the support of Craig Hamilton at Boaterskills.ca and had our first hands on lesson aboard our boat. Craig was fantastic at taking us from theory to practice in learning how to safely navigate our boat in and out of the dock at our busy marina. His calm demeanor and highly developed coaching skills greatly reduced our stress level. As former teachers and school administrators ourselves, we were very impressed with Craig and his ability to ” teach us old dogs new tricks”

Laura & George Somerville, Toronto, Ontario

“I am always saying to everybody with whom I meet afterwards…

that the clinic was critical for me. Before it (first 2 times) was a nightmare for me in close quarters, just because of elementary lack of knowledge in simple things. In contrast, after the clinic – I felt completely differently. The tricks and know-hows were extremely useful!
We go boating every weekend and really enjoy it!”

Vasili & Marina Gavrilov, Thorn Hill, Ontario

“We’ve purchased a 43 foot yacht!

Craig’s hands-on boater skills course was invaluable in making us comfortable to operate the boat, and in particular undocking and docking it – no easy task for a boat of this size! We have taken the boat out now on our own with ease, and we enjoyed ourselves. Thanks Craig!”

Bob & Patt Webb, Port Credit, Ontario

“Craig’s boating, navigation and teaching skills are fantastic!

Before long, I was in control of a very expensive vessel – docking it, driving it and anchoring it with ease. I had zero experience, however, Craig kept me in control of my vessel in intimidating situations with calm confidence. I highly recommend Craig’s clinics as they will give you the skills you didn’t know you needed and at a price that defines value! Thank you Craig, your boating skills are truly mind blowing!”

Drew Morana, Toronto, Ontario

“Just touching base to update you on our summer of boating.

We have taken the boat out many times now, including a two day trip to 50 Point. The skills that we learned from you have stood us in good stead, and we are now quite confident handling the boat safely. Thanks again for the excellent preparation.”

David and Mary Johannesson, Bronte, Ontario

“Thanks again for the expert instruction in boat handling yesterday.

After you left we went out to practice to keep it fresh in our minds. Today we needed to go to the gas dock to get a pump out and I am pleased to say that it was a text book docking! Arriving back at the slip, my first approach was a little off, so I used the handling tips to maneuver the boat closer to the slip…and made a perfect landing! Linda is practicing the ropes and getting the knots down pretty good. You’ve really elevated our confidence, and our boating is so much more enjoyable after just one day with you – cheers!”

Alan & Linda Palmquist, Keswick, Ontario

“I am a new boater…

and have read numerous books, viewed popular boat training videos and taken courses, but I was still hesitant about taking our boat out. After a few hours of Craig’s hands-on training, I gained so much more skill and knowledge about handling my boat that it gave me the confidence I needed to take out our boat. I wish I had taken the course sooner.”

Larry Anastasia, Port Credit, Ontario

“We just purchased our first boat, a Bayliner 255 cruiser.

We were extremely impressed with Craig’s extensive boating knowledge, and his obvious long standing experience greatly helped us build our boat handling confidence. Through his dedicated teaching approach, he also convinced us (both teachers), that mastering boating represented a great way for developing good life skills and values, for example related to safety, respect for the environment, concern for others on the water, etc, while having fun. So when some of our children or grand kids are ready to develop boating skills we will be sending them to Craig!”

Owen and Alice Ward, Waterloo, Ontario

“We are first time boat owners…

We went online to find boat handling instruction and found BoaterSkills.ca. Craig’s boat handling clinic met and exceeded our expectations. Thanks to Craig, we have felt very comfortable and confident during our first summer on the lake. Highly recommend it!”

Steve and Wanda Halmo, Kitchener, Ontario