Posted By Gail Kulp,
Wednesday, June 11, 2025
Updated: Thursday, March 27, 2025
The Sea Tow Foundation™ is showcasing the winners of the 2024 National Boating Safety Awards via individualized blog posts that answer specific questions posted to each winning company.
Freedom Boat Club won the 2024 National Boating Safety Award in the category of Top Marine Business.
Photo provided courtesy of Freedom Boat Club.
1. Please brieflydescribe your winning entry and tell us about the process of creating/launching it.
Freedom Boat Club's winning entry for the National Boating Safety Award involved a comprehensive, year-round approach to promoting boating safety through training, outreach, and community engagement. The project included the development of educational materials, safety protocols, and hands-on training for both new and experienced boaters. With more than 400 locations and 100,000+ members globally, we are proud of our ability to scale our access to training and resources. We continue to lead the Club with a safety-first culture. Our goal is to ensure each member feels comfortable and confident at the helm to maximize their time on the water.
2. What does winning this award mean for your company?
Winning the National Boating Safety Award is a tremendous honor and a validation of our dedication to boating safety. It reinforces our commitment to ensuring that our members are equipped with the knowledge and tools to boat responsibly. While we’ve always prided ourselves on our focus on safety, receiving this recognition serves as a reminder that our efforts are making a positive impact on the boating community.
3. What partnerships, media coverage and/or opportunities have you received because of winning this award?
Winning this prestigious award has provided several opportunities for collaboration and exposure. We’ve strengthened our partnerships with safety organizations, local boating communities, and other industry leaders. Media coverage has allowed us to expand our message of boating safety to a wider audience, and the recognition has prompted more boaters to seek out Freedom Boat Club as a trusted resource for safe and enjoyable boating experiences. Our commitment to safety has long involved working with others since this is not our first boating safety initiative; we have consistently promoted safety through programs like our three core boater safety courses, which are all National Association of State Boating Law Administrators (NASBLA) verified courses plus our on-going partnership with the Sea Tow Foundation to promote the Sober Skipper™ program. Our work with other partners is part of an ongoing effort to make boating as safe as it is enjoyable.
4. What was a key takeaway you received because of working on this project or campaign?
A key takeaway from working on this initiative has been the reinforcement across our Club that boating safety requires a continual, collective effort. While training and education are fundamental, safety on the water is also about creating a culture where every boater feels empowered to make responsible decisions.
Posted By Gail Kulp,
Friday, November 15, 2024
Updated: Thursday, November 14, 2024
Last month, the spotlight was on boating safety at the International BoatBuilders' Exhibition & Conference (IBEX) in Florida as we announced the winners of the 2024 National Boating Safety Awards. The Sea Tow Foundation™, alongside our Boating Safety Advisory Council, recognized companies for their exceptional efforts in promoting safe practices on the water. These organizations, from manufacturers to media outlets, have shown a commitment to spreading life-saving messages and encouraging responsible boating behavior.
Now in its sixth year, the National Boating Safety Awards continue to honor innovative campaigns across the marine industry. This year’s winners stood out for their ability to engage diverse audiences through creative and impactful campaigns.
Let’s take a closer look at the standout efforts that earned these industry leaders their well-deserved recognition:
Marine Manufacturer Award: Bayliner Boats
Bayliner Boats earned the Marine Manufacturer Award for their National Safe Boating Week Daily Safety Tips campaign. Through a combination of engaging videos and social media posts, Bayliner illustrated their dedication to promoting safe boating practices. Their partnership with Freedom Boat Club during National Safe Boating Week helped amplify their safety message.
Yamaha received an Honorable Mention for their National Safe Boating Week Campaign featuring safety ambassador Hunter Bland.
Gear & Equipment Manufacturer Award: Garmin
Garmin earned the Gear & Equipment Manufacturer Award for their 2024 Safe Boating Campaign. They partnered with The Qualified Captain during National Safe Boating Week to extend their year-round efforts of promoting safe boating practices, ensuring that both new and experienced boaters are better equipped to stay safe on the water.
Marine Trade Assocaition Award: National Marine Manufacturers Association (NMMA)
The National Marine Manufacturers Association (NMMA) won the Marine Trade Association Award for their Discover Boating Top Safe Boating Tips video series in partnership with Progressive. By utilizing platforms such as YouTube, social media and email, NMMA successfullly reached millions of boaters across the country. Their freely available materials allowed other organization to share these critical safety messages, furter extending the campaign's reach.
BoatClass won the Social Media Influencer Award for their Organic Social Media Boating Safety & Instruction Campaign. Using short-form reels, BoatClass created engaging, safety-focused content and built effective partnerships with other marine industry companies. Their strategy sparked high viewer engagement, with audiences actively participating in discussions around alternative safety practices.
Marine Business - General Award: Freedom Boat Club
The Marine Business - General Award was given to Freedom Boat Club for their New Member Safety Orientation and Comprehensive Training Program. Combining face-to-face orientations, dock briefings and digital tools, Freedom Boat Club provided essential safety instruction to boaters, emphasizing the importance of proper training and safe boat operation.
Community Boating Education Award: BoatClass & Whitman Marine Training
This year’s Community Boating Education Award resulted in a tie. BoatClass was recognized for their on-water training program, which offered comprehensive instruction to new and experienced boaters through partnerships with key industry players such as NASBLA and Freedom Boat Club.
Whitman Marine Training stood out for their extensive community outreach and training programs, combining classroom instruction, on-water training modules and partnerships with local marinas to effectively teach boating safety to their community.
The 2024 National Boating Safety Award winners have made an incredible impact in advancing safety on the water. By encouraging responsible boating and raising awareness through creative campaigns, these companies continue to make a difference in the industry and within their communities.
Thank you to everyone who participated – we are already looking forward to next year’s awards! For more information on this year’s winners and next year’s application, visithttps://www.boatingsafety.com/page/Awards
Posted By Gail Kulp,
Wednesday, July 7, 2021
Updated: Tuesday, July 6, 2021
Launch A Rental Boat, While on Vacation
Tips for Renting A Boat with content from our friends at Freedom Boat Club
For most boaters, it wouldn’t be a true vacation without spending some time on the water. But what if you don’t own a boat or can’t take your own on vacation? You could go on a charter boat, but many families like the freedom to decide their own itinerary on the water. Fortunately, taking the helm of a rental boat or being part of a boat club is an easy and often an affordable option for you and your family.
If you make the decision to rent a boat while on vacation, here are some helpful tips to make it a successful day on the water.
Start with Research
While planning your vacation, do some online research for what rental boat options are available in the areas where you are vacationing. It’s also a good idea to check the boating regulations where you are going. Some states require you to take an online class and pass a test before you can rent a boat. And don’t forget to research the local waterways so you’re familiar with changing tides or other precautions you may need to take.
Boat Rental Types and Price Estimates
Pricing of a rental boat depends a lot on what type of boat you choose and how competitive the boat rental market is.
Pontoon boats are popular rentals because they are roomy, easy to drive, stable and allow for a wide range of activities. Costs for a 20–24-foot pontoon boat ranges from $220-$400 for a half-day to $300-$700 for a full day rental.
If you are headed to an area with tides and potential rough water, center console boats or runabouts are great choices for inshore and/or offshore boating. Rental prices can range from $300 for a half-day to more than $1,000 for a full day rental.
If there are certain activities you enjoy on the water, choosing the right boat is a must. If water skiing or wakeboarding is your hobby, a ski boat rental may be available to you. If you and your family want to fish, check to see if fishing-compatible rentals are available.
The Benefits of a Boat Club
If you travel or vacation a lot, a boat club could be a perfect solution to your away-from-home boating desires.
There are many benefits to boat clubs, which offer a fleet of boats in various sizes and styles. And, depending on the club, they may be located across multiple states. Larger boat clubs like Freedom Boat Club have more than 285 locations around the world and also take care of all maintenance and storage fees as well as provide hands-on boat operation training to all club members.
Help is Always Available
As a Sea Tow member, you are covered on any boat you rent, wherever you plan to go. If you have additional questions about boat rentals , don’t forget to reach out to the local Sea Tow captain in the area where you’ll be vacationing. You can find the local captain via Sea Tow’s website, and you can even connect with their social media account to get up to date information such as local boat traffic, weather, tides and much more.
Final Thoughts
Renting a boat while on vacation can be an easy solution that prevents you from having to tow your boat over long distances, find trailer parking, fuel, etc. But remember, having the right boat to fit your needs is a must. Also, remember to designate a Sober Skipper so you and the rest of the passengers aboard can boat safely. With enough research, you’ll be at the helm of a rental boat and enjoying your vacation in no time!
If you found this article helpful or entertaining, please consider a donation to the Sea Tow Foundation today to help us continue our efforts to educate boaters and keep them safe on the water. You can donate securely online at www.boatingsafety.com/donatetoday or by clicking on the DONATE tab at the top of the page.
Posted By Gail Kulp,
Monday, March 8, 2021
Updated: Thursday, February 25, 2021
Interview with Freedom Boat Club – Winner of the 2020 National Boating Industry Safety Awards
Video Blog
Freedom Boat Club won the 2020 National Boating Industry Safety Awards in the Marketing & Outreach Category. As the presentation of the award was done virtually at the MRAA’s Dealers Week, we decided to sit down to talk with Nick Gosselin and Nic Thomas to find out a little more about their award-winning entry and plans for 2021.
The Freedom Boat Club’s “Boat Safe Have Fun” initiative includes three levels of training and education for members that are completely free and unlimited to make sure they can have a safe and fun time on the water and be comfortable behind the helm.
Freedom Boat Club also received a special Sober Skipper Award in 2019 for its adoption of the Sober Skipper Campaign at all of their 250+ locations.
You can find out more about Freedom Boat Club and their locations at www.freedomboatclub.com
Check out their video interview below.
Freedom Boat Club Venice Laguna dockstaff team showing off the Award.
Pictured from left to right are Pete B., Maribeth P. and Glenn V.
Posted By Gail Kulp,
Saturday, May 16, 2020
Updated: Thursday, April 9, 2020
May 16 - Sober Skippers Belong on Every Boating Trip
A full day in the sun enjoying the open water is on the agenda. Your friends are invited and everything is ready to go, but first, before the day gets started, you need to know who is your sober skipper? Let’s make that plan now!
Launched in 2015, the Sober Skipper program encourages boaters to be or to designate a sober skipper before every boating trip in an effort to eliminate accidents and deaths related to Boating Under the Influence (BUI). Sober Skippers are identified by wearing a yellow wristband indicating that the person has accepted the responsibility before the boat leaves the dock and that the Sober Skipper is a qualified, non-alcohol drinking operator in charge of the boat.
Sober Skipper wristbands are free and can be requested online at www.soberskipper.com.
One of the biggest supporters of the Sea Tow Foundation’s Sober Skipper program has been Freedom Boat Club. Designed for folks who want to access a versatile fleet of boats on a regular basis, at an affordable cost of entry, Freedom Boat Club is part of 150 groups in 145 cities across 29 states. They collaborate with the Sea Tow Foundation to promote the Sober Skipper Program in each of their local communities.
The wind, vibration, noise, and the sun that you experience while boating can impair balance, coordination and concentration all on their own. Adding alcohol or drugs intensifies these effects. And since alcohol use is the leading contributing factor in boating accidents every year, it is critical to ensure that every boat has a Sober Skipper at the helm.
Posted By Gail Kulp,
Sunday, December 1, 2019
Updated: Tuesday, May 30, 2023
The Sea Tow Foundation announced the winners of its inaugural National Boating Industry Safety Awards at the Elevate Summit in Orlando. The awards were sponsored and judged by the newly established North American Sober Skipper Advisory Council and funded through a grant from the Sport Fish Restoration & Boating Trust Fund, administered by the U.S. Coast Guard. The awards were established to recognize the best boating safety work in the for-profit sector of the recreational marine marketplace occurring within the United States.
The National Sober Skipper Advisory Council and the Sea Tow Foundation were very pleased by the caliber of candidates and the submissions received for our first awards recognition. We are all delighted to see the great work being done by recreational boating industry organizations and look forward to continuing to support and bring well deserved recognition to outstanding achievers and safe boating champions throughout the recreational marine industry.
Top Marine Manufacturer Award for Boating Safety – Sea Ray Boats
Top Marine Retailer Award for Boating Safety – MarineMax
Newly established Sober Skipper Award presented to Freedom Boat Club in recognition of its outstanding adoption and promotion of the Sober Skipper program.
For more information about the North American Sober Skipper Advisory Council and the National Boating Industry Safety Awards, please visit https://www.boatingsafety.com/page/STFBSAC
The Sea Tow Foundation selected 13 marine industry stakeholders to serve on its newly launched North American Sober Skipper Advisory Council, with the goal to collaborate on current and future boating safety messages including its popular Sober Skipper campaign.
"The Sea Tow Foundation is uniquely positioned to bridge the gap between the non-profit recreational boating safety community and the for-profit boating industry with the launch of the Sober Skipper Advisory Council,” said Executive Director Gail R. Kulp. “The highly qualified group of individuals that were nominated and subsequently appointed to serve on this inaugural council bring extremely valuable insight and unique perspectives which will help us to strengthen industry messaging, awareness and adoption of boating safety initiatives.”
Members of the inaugural Sea Tow Foundation North American Sober Skipper Advisory Council will serve a two-year term. Appointees in alphabetical order include:
• David Connolly, Partner, TH Connolly & Sons Inc.
• David Dickerson, VP State Government Relations, NMMA
• Jim Emmons, Non-Profit Outreach Grants Director, Water Sports Foundation, Inc.
• Kevin Falvey, Editorial Director, Boating Magazine/Bonnier
• Mike Hankins, Operations Director, Crevalle Boats
• Will Higgins, Public Policy Manager, MRAA
• John Jost, Director of Marine Solutions, Ken Cook Co.
• Captain Keith Lake, Delivery Captain, MarineMax
• Dave Marlow, Director, Product Integrity/Government Affairs, Brunswick Corporation
• Captain Frank Stoeber, Team Development Manager, Regal Boats
• Nic Thomas, Corporate Director of Dock Operations, Freedom Boat Club
• Annamarie Worrell, Boat Club & Marketing Manager, Emerald Coast Marine Group
In addition, an executive committee of four will direct and facilitate advisory council efforts including Gail R. Kulp, Sea Tow Foundation Executive Director; Michael Wesolowski. Sea Tow Foundation Director of External Relations; Kristen Frohnhoefer, Sea Tow Foundation Board President; and Wanda Kenton Smith, President, Kenton Smith Marketing.
“Our executive committee was extremely pleased by the high level of interest and the positive response when we announced plans a few months ago to establish this council and extended the nationwide call for nominations,” said Kulp. “While our new council membership represents broad segments of the boating industry, everyone involved shares a strong passion for and commitment to boating safety. Our executive committee is very excited to get underway and to collaborate with these industry stakeholders in this important effort.”
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