Central Florida Boating Association Inc. is a 501 (c) 3 U.S. public charity. EIN 93-4254201.

Central Florida’s lakes and rivers give families and friends a great place to go boating, but they also come with real responsibility. Too many boaters—new and experienced—still head out without the practical, on-the-water training that builds real skills and confidence. Statistical data shows that new boaters who receive hands-on, on-the-water instruction are significantly less likely to be involved in an accident or fatality. That gap between boat ownership and solid boat-handling skills is exactly what the Central Florida Boating Association exists to close.

The Need for More Training

Our current programs—Adult Power Boat Lessons, Teen Skipper Club, and one-on-one instruction on the student’s own boat—are running near capacity. Students are learning docking, close-quarters handling, open-water maneuvers, docking, and emergency skills with USCG-licensed captains on the same lakes and rivers they actually use. Demand is growing faster than we can meet it with our existing instructors and boats.

What Your Gift Makes Possible

Your contribution helps us expand capacity and keep lessons accessible. In the coming months we plan to bring on additional licensed captains so we can train roughly 50 more students. Longer term, we want to add a dedicated 24-foot center console as a dedicated training vessel so we can run more sessions without relying solely on borrowed or student boats. We are also adding quarterly free youth camps focused on training and mentoring teens so they develop good habits and stay safer on the water as they gain experience.

Your Impact

Every dollar supports the practical costs of instruction—fuel, safety gear, instructor time, and the boat students need to practice close quarter maneuvers, docking, and open water boat handling. When a teenager learns how to handle a person-overboard situation or a family practices docking in real conditions, those skills stay with them. Your support helps keep our waters a place of enjoyment rather than avoidable incidents.

We invite you to join us. Real training on real water creates a safer tomorrow for everyone who uses Central Florida’s waterways.

CFBA - On the Water Safe Boating Lessons

Providing the skills and education needed for boating safely