When you become a member of the Jacksonville Boat Club, you will go through training to ensure you can properly operate the boats we offer. It starts with a free course from BoatUS Foundation and continues with our own extensive training. 

The BoatUS Foundation course is an online course and it's offered for free. This safety course is approved by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission and provides the following:

• Six complete lessons with 10 question quizzes

• Ability to complete at your own pace

• Available 100% online with a computer, smartphone, or tablet

• A final exam with 75 questions

The entire course takes 2-3 hours to complete. Once you've completed the course, you will be able to print your certificate of completion, which never expired.

Single Engine Training from Jax Boat Club

Along with the safety course offered by the BoatUS Foundation, you will be required to go through the Jax Boat Club single-engine training and orientation. The goal of this training is to help you become familiar with our vessels and ensure you know how to operate a boat safely and properly on the water.

We cover seven key areas of training including:

1. Evaluation of your boating knowledge and experience

2. Basic knots, such as the bowline, half hitch, and cleat tie

3. A general boat orientation

4. Boat handling

5. Docking

6. Anchoring technique

7. Safety and general boating procedures

8. Fishing

If you're concerned about joining the Jax Boat Club because you're new to boating, our training will help to ensure you gain confidence when operating any of our vessels. 

The general orientation portion of our training will help to ensure you understand what you're responsible for and how the boat checkout procedure works. We will go over the following during this portion of the training:

• Member’s responsibilities

• Engine on and off procedures

• Boat refueling procedure

• A review of charts including no wake zones

• And more

Once we have completed the general orientation, you will be trained on basic boat handling and docking.

Boat Handling & Docking Training from Jax Boat Club

Our boat handling training will help you become familiar with what we expect when handling one of our boats. You will learn how to use the throttle, review the gauges, all about wakes, right of ways on the water, and more. 

Docking is another important part of our training and will be included after basic boat handling training. We will show you how to dock properly and practice coming alongside the fuel dock and pulling into a slip. We will also discuss how wind and current effects docking. When docking, always remember – only go as fast as you are willing to hit the dock!

Throughout your Jax Boat Club training, we will discuss many safety procedures with you. We will also take the time to go over these procedures, along with several others, during our safety and general procedures training. 

Finally, your training will end with the fishing section. While we will not be teaching you how to fish, we will provide information and training on what to expect from Jax Boat Club when it comes to fishing, such as self-service free ice and returning your fishing boat in a "field clean" condition. 

Our training provides all the necessary information you will need to feel confident taking one of our boats out on the water. We also offer assistance over the phone if you're ever out on the water and you're not sure what to do. Of course, you can ask us questions at any time and we will be happy to help!