• Offering boating safety courses is a traditional civic
    service of the United States Power Squadrons. For over
    half-a-century, KSPS has offered public courses to
    anyone who wished to attend. To date thousands of
    residents of Southwest Michigan have taken boating
    courses.  

  • Currently KSPS offers Americas' Boating Course,
    (formerly Boat Smart) a course designed to cover topics
    useful to the angler in an outboard, or to the skipper of
    a large cruiser or sailboat, as well as those operating
    Personal Water Craft PWC or wave runners.

  • Successful completion qualifies you for a discount on
    boat insurance rates from most insurance companies
    and membership in USPS and KSPS.

  • There is also a home-study version available.

  • A special boating course for youth ages 12 to 16 is
    offered in Kalamazoo.

  • KSPS also offers member discounted courses.
    Beginning in 2011, non-members may also take these
    courses, but there is a substantially lower cost per topic
    for USPS and KSPS members.
  • The Experienced Boater program recognizes that many experienced boaters have
    already mastered the fundamentals of safe boating.  Therefore, we are making
    available to experienced boaters the opportunity to demonstrate their qualification
    for KSPS membership through a skills evaluation process.   For more information,
    please contact our Squadron Education Officer:  Wally Corder  (269) 365-3398

  • Guides and Seminars:  A series of short guides on a wide variety of subjects of
    interest to boaters are also available; these are known as USPS Guides. Some
    Guides are also available to the public at various marine supply stores and book
    stores. These items may be used in USPS® classroom courses and seminars or for
    home study.  Click here for link to seminar topics.   

  • USPS is preparing a series of short seminars open to the public on a variety of
    topics of interest to today's boating public.
Public Boating Courses
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ABC 3
America's Boating Course
The state of Michigan has taken steps to make
boating education mandatory
Beginning November 1, 2012, a person who is born
on or after July 1, 1996 shall not operate a motorboat
on the waters of Michigan unless the person has been
issued and is in possession of a boating safety
certificate.  By the year 2050 that will include everyone
under the age of 54.