Powerboat Training & Courses

For additional information or to attend a training course, email info@mattsail.com or complete the form below.

Sign up now for the powerboat courses we offer at Cruising Florida Powerboat Academy in St. Petersburg, Florida, and create a learning experience that will last a lifetime. We employ a unique “underway floating classroom” approach which places students at the helm of a training vessel with a USCG-licensed and Recreational Powerboat Association (RPBA)-certified instructor. Providing additional insurance discounts upon completion of the courses.

RPBA-Certified

To become one of the RPBA Power Boat Schools, our academy accomplished all the rigorous qualification standards which are internationally recognized. Our RPBA-certified courses offer hands-on training for power boaters of all experience levels.

NASBLA-Approved

The courses we provide are all approved by the National Association of State Boating Law Administrators (NASBLA). Our safe boating courses meet the known mandatory education and licensing requirements in all the jurisdictions of the United States.

Classes

• Single Inboard
• Single Outboard
• Twin Inboard
• Stern Drive Outboard

Training Locations

You have the option to train aboard your personal boat, but you can also join our classes held at The Renaissance Vinoy Resort. Make it a weekend getaway and enjoy the downtown St. Petersburg waterfront, restaurants, nightlife, as well as the following amenities:

• Heated Pool
• Hot Tubs
• State-of-the-Art Fitness Center
• Steam, Sauna, and Indoor Whirlpools
• Full-Service Day Spa and Salon
• Room Service Directly to Your Boat

Join our powerboating classes now at Cruising Florida Powerboat Academy in St. Petersburg, Florida. Our slots are limited, so we advise you to make a reservation right away upon notification of available classes. For your convenience, we always schedule a class for two students.

RPBA1101: 8-Hour Clinic

New or seasoned mariners learn fundamental knowledge and skills essential to all powerboat skippers. The goal is to prepare students to skipper their own boat safely and with confidence. Essential skills are best learned through practical experience, therefore the students engage in hands-on exercises during specially designed underway learning sessions. Classes are conducted aboard a single or twin inboard or outboard/stern drive boat. Participants may choose to learn aboard the propulsion type that best suits their individual needs. The practical skills we offer include:

• Precision Boat Handling in Close Quarters
• Docking
• Route Planning
• Using Aids to Navigation
• Applying Rules of the Road while Underway
• Basic Boat Systems

Tuition: $495/PP

RPBA1101 & RPBA1102: 2-Day Course

Participants turn their floating classroom into a hands-on, live aboard experience. The primary objective of this course is to teach you how to safely operate a 30- to 45-foot displacement vessel on inland waters (to include the Intracoastal Waterway or ICW). In this course, we also take an in-depth look at the boat systems and safety equipment. The topics introduced in our RPBA1101 course are significantly expanded to include skills necessary for coastal/ICW cruising, and they include the following:

• Anchoring
• Route Planning
• Chart Plotting
• Rules of the Road
• Handling Waves and Wakes Safely
• Emergency Handling
• VHF Radio Use

Tuition: $749/PP

RPBA1103: 3-Day Course

This course combines the above curriculum and adds an overnight excursion into the ICW where participants can put to use the skills developed in the previous classes. Participants can practice anchoring overnight in a designated anchorage. They also get to do the following activities:

• Practice the Use of a Dingy to Go Ashore
• Plan Their Own Route
• Practice Navigation and Chart Knowledge
• Provision for the Crew
• Plan Meals
• Assign Crew Responsibilities Underway

Tuition: $995/PP, Fuel Not Included