10 Valuable Boating Subscriptions and Courses no texting & tacking

Here are very valuable boating subscriptions and courses. Every course I list is highly valued by experienced boaters – ourselves and our cruising community.

To make our cruising safe and enjoyable, we purchased a few very useful subscriptions and courses. They offer important skills and help on the water.

Browse my suggestions and pick the ones, which would be most useful for you.

1. Google Fi Cell Plan

We have crossed quite a few borders with our Google Fi.

Google Fi cell plans are easy and work well. They are also month-to-month and very reliable.

We have had ours for a few years now and switch between the variations as needed.

A Google Fi plan means a reliable connection anywhere there is a cell tower (almost every Caribbean island).

We are now traveling by land and have been carrying our cell phone with the Google Fi plan along, it switches between countries smoothly. No complicated roaming settings and problems.

A note about Google Fi – after a few months out of the US, the data portion of the plan is dropped. However, the calling and texting feature is still on, which is super helpful.

2. PredictWind Weather App

Pridict Wind App image of wind along US East Coast

Predict wind is reliable and widely used on the water.

They have a free version (what we used), as well as three comprehensive plans offering detailed planning, routing options, and so on. The plans can be purchased for 3 months or 1 year.

Some of us use other free apps and websites as well, and we compare results. It is always a good idea to check more than one source of weather data.

3. Boat U.S.

a boy on one of the trampolines of a catamaran

Boat US have saves thousands of disabled vessels along the US coast.

They even rescued our dinghy when it broke loose in the middle of the night, in Miami. It broke loose, and I was too scared of sharks and crocodiles to jump after it.

I am so grateful to the bewildered BoatUS agent, who sent for help – maybe they are still telling the tale of the scared boating lady in Miami…

BoatUS has a few plans to choose from, but the one, which most people purchase (including us), is the Unlimited Saltwater Towing Membership.

The southern alternative to Towboat US is Sea Tow, which covers Florida. However, BoatUS covers all of Florida as well, so we did not feel the need to switch, while cruising the southern US coast.

4. Celestial navigation class

a boat in the middle of the night, in the middle of the ocean

Being self-sufficient on the water is critical.

GPS and internet are very reliable these days, but celestial navigation is not going away ever, and it can be a life-saving skill.

The ASA offers such class. It will make an excellent gift for boaters.

Add a sextant

Sextants are fascinating. And it goes with the celestial navigation class.

We had one aboard and even though no one had taken a class, it was not hard to learn the basics online.

A a nice sextant would pair perfectly with a skilled class, or will make a great boating gift on its own.

5. ASA Sailing classes

If you have never sailed before, after that inspiring chartered trip, take an actual sailing course. It can help you when negotiating insurance rates, when buying a boat.

The classic ASA offers excellent classes to give someone a taste of sailing, before more money is spent on the dream.

As Joe already knew how to sail, he only took the free BoatUS Boating Safety class. He taught the rest of us the basics of sailing and we improved as we kept cruising together.

6. Cruise-coaching

Sailing Totem — *SV Totem. They offer TRU Coaching*

Personalized coaching will help you set sail faster.

From help with choosing the right boat for you, through transition to cruising life, to navigating ocean passages – coaching is like having a pair of experienced hands aboard (two pairs, actually), without having to share the space!

We met many cruisers, who made their sailing dream a reality thanks to TRU Coaching by Sailing Totem.

Behan and Jamie are well-know, respected and actively sailing as a family (on the photo above). Here is a link to their coaching services: Sailing Totem’s TRU Coaching.

7. A First Responder Class

Wilderness First Responder Classes provide life-saving skills.

While we mostly need Band-Aids and sunscreen aboard, having the skills to assist if needed are invaluable. Here are some courses to consider.

While on the topic, take a look a a few very detailed post on safety:

First Aid Kit Aboard
15 Safety Gear Essentials for the High Seas.
Seasickness Sucks – 21 Tried and Tested Tips to Stop it.

8. Red Cross First Aid Class

Even though I think Wilderness First Responder classes are the best option for cruisers sailing to remote islands, they are a bit more expensive and long.

If there are teens and young adults aboard – a Red Cross Basic First Aid class will give them the necessary skills to feel better prepared.

As a nurse, I definitely recommend such a class as the bare minimum skill set.

The more common version is very user-friendly, easy and skills checks classes are all over the US and abroad.

Here is a link to the Red Cross classes.

9. Diving Course

The deep blue ocean is a universe of its own. Once you drop anchor and dive in, the world as we all know it, with its stresses and troubles disappears.

Scuba diving courses are needed for anyone wishing to explore the deep ocean. If they plan to have the gear, they will need the course.

It will also make an excellent gift.

We were only snorkeling, but our close friends from a different boat had their sons take the classes and they enjoyed them very much.

Here is a website to check course within the US and its territories.

10. Starlink

Starlink is becoming very popular with boaters.

We sold our boat right as it was becoming the go-to internet choice for cruisers, so I just have to mention it.

As much as we loved being in remote locations, having access to internet without searching for local sim cards and plans sounds fantastic.

Here is the maritime Starlink option.

Helpful tips for gifting boating courses and subscriptions

Boating subscriptions and courses make excellent presents and are totally minimalist-friendly.

Having said that, they can be a bit more involved, requiring specific personal data and additional costs. So here is what to keep in mind:

Discuss any courses and classes with the boater/s.
Check with the provider, if maybe a gift certificate for a course is available.
Gift something that goes with the course.
If a course comes with books and materials, try to include them as well.
First Aid classes are very doable by teenagers.
If they have a plan, upgrade them to a better one.

Would you like to be featured in this article?

Send me your suggestion of a great course / subscription for boaters and a why you enjoyed it, and I can include it in here, to make this list even more helpful!