Grants

ASSESSING KNOWLEDGE RETENTION FOR RECREATIONAL BOATING SAFETY COURSES

NASBLA has received grant funding to investigate the efficacy of online and classroom recreational boating safety courses that have been approved by NASBLA as meeting the American National Standard, ANSI/NASBLA 103-2022 Basic Boating Knowledge - Plus Power. This grant project will conduct original research through a nonrandomized knowledge retention study to determine if retention of boating safety standards knowledge is comparable between (a) traditional online training (static content presentation), (b) interactive online training, (c) classroom (face-to-face) training, and (d) virtual classroom courses, 4 months after completing training. Overall, the goal of this oneyear effort is to reduce recreational boating fatalities, injuries, and property damage by cultivating a boating public better knowledgeable and equipped to engage in safe boating behaviors. Also, this project's goal is to strengthen the delivery of knowledge instruction for recreational boating safety courses. This grant project was awarded funding for one year.

BOATING INCIDENT INVESTIGATION & GPS FORENSICS COURSES

NASBLA has received funding to improve the reliability of incident reporting and data collection through the effective training of law enforcement and incident investigators. NASBLA will continue to deliver Boating Incident Investigation and GPS Forensic courses. Officers calls for service to investigate boating incidents continue to rise with the increase in recreational boating activity nationwide. This emphasizes the importance and the demand for professionally trained officers and investigators in the technical role of incident investigation across the nation. Additionally, as GPS technology continues to become more affordable and commonplace on most all vessels from the dealer, officers nationwide realized the incredible value of the data these units could provide for an investigation of a boating related incident. This project was awarded funding for three years in FY23, and will be entering into its second year of funding in FY24.

BOATING UNDER THE INFLUENCE DETECTION & ENFORCEMENT TRAINING

Under funding from this grant, NASBLA will conduct a series of training courses to combat boating under the influence of alcohol (BUI) and drugs (BUI-D). NASBLA will deliver Boating Under the Influence Train-the-Trainer courses designed for marine law enforcement officers who wish to teach other officers the BUI Course, an Advanced BUI Detection and Enforcement Training Course and BUI Instructor Workshop. This grant project was awarded funding for three years in FY23, and will be entering into its second year of funding in FY24.

BUI AWARENESS & ENFORCEMENT CAMPAIGN: OPERATION DRY WATER

Grant funding will be used to deliver the Operation Dry Water (ODW) campaign. Operation Dry Water is a yearround national boating under the influence awareness and enforcement campaign with the mission of reducing the number of alcohol- and drug-related incidents and fatalities through increased recreational boater awareness and by fostering a stronger and more visible deterrent to alcohol and drug use on the water. The campaign takes place in every U.S. state and territory with participation from local, state and federal law enforcement agencies. As a result of the three-day heightened enforcement weekend, hundreds of impaired operators will be removed from the waterways and thousands of boaters will be educated about safe boating practices. This grant project was awarded funding for three years in FY23, and will be entering into its second year of funding in FY24.

STANDARDIZING STATE RECREATIONAL BOATING SAFETY STATUTES & REGULATIONS: NASBLA & THE STATES

NASBLA has been awarded funding to partner with and support the states, the U.S. Coast Guard and the recreational boating safety (RBS) community by fostering standardization and reciprocity among state boating safety statutes, regulations, and rules, and how they are administered and enforced. NASBLA, through the states and a well-established volunteer policy committee structure, will develop or update model state boating safety policies, standards, and best practices as well as guidance for their administration and enforcement. Through this grant project, NASBLA will facilitate hands-on coordination of state efforts and the establishment of cooperative environments, to include workshops and conferences where state officials can discuss issues, resolutions, policies, and best practices, and improve their management of the RBS programs. This project was awarded funding for three years in FY23, and will be entering into its second year of funding in FY24.