Hello current and future Captains and crew members of power and sailing vessels.

My name is Captain Ed Jarvis.

I am the Founder of the Academy of Boating.

I recognized the need for a comprehensive program of instruction while navigating my first coastal, solo trip on my 45 foot motor yacht from Boston, Massachusetts, South to the state of North Carolina and continuing South to the State of Florida.

It didn't take me long to realize that not only were my skills not where they should be, BUT, CLEARLY... almost every recreational boater's knowledge and skills were erratic at best. Most operators that I came into contact with lacked the necessary experience and knowledge to operate their vessels in a professional manner and in accordance with the Rules & Regulations developed by the United States Coast Guard.

I decided to do research on the subject of Boating Navigation and Safety. My research revealed that there are over seventeen million recreational boats in the United States and that only one operator out of 500 has a United States Coast Guard credential.

Not everyone who owns a recreational boat desires to complete a formal educational program which can take hundreds of hours to complete and can cost thousands of dollars.

This program is designed for YOU if your goal is to increase your overall boating knowledge.

I was surprised to learn that seventy five percent of all boating accidents involve collisions.

Also, not surprisingly, eighty five percent of these collisions are caused by operator error.

Armed with this knowledge, I decided that something needed to be done.

I have created this educational program which will I will narrate and be presented with the help of several avatars.

It is my objective for this program to be both educational and entertaining.

To assist you in learning, we have taken hundreds of subjects and broken them down into modules of six minutes in length. New modules are added every week.

Our program will ensure that you have the skills and knowledge necessary to provide you with the confidence to address many boating challenges. This program is being developed using the content from Captain courses I teach to both new and experienced Captains in North Carolina.

Our initial program modules include: Collision Avoidance, Right of way, Life jackets, An understanding of Tides, Lookout Responsibilities, Visual Distress Signals, Navigation Lights, Carbon Monoxide poisoning, Safe Speed, United States Coast Guard Safety Checks, Management of Crossing Situations and Head On Situations.

As the developer and presenter of this program, my credentials include three undergraduate degrees, one graduate degree, a United States Coast Guard Master Captain of self-propelled vessels of less than 100 gross tons,

A United States Coast Guard Operator of UnInspected Passenger Vessels (OUPV) Certification.

A permit by the Federal Communication Commission as a maritime radio operator.

Approved instructor status by the United States Coast Guard.

It is my sincere hope that this program exceeds your expectations.

Safe Boating!