The Maine legislature has for a number of years been considering a number of bill requiring everyone operating a noncommercial motorboat or PWC to have a valid boater education certificate with them while operating in Maine waters.

As of  3/20/2008 this legislation was once again voted ought not to pass and placed in legislative files as Dead.

Thing you need to know:

Certificates from US Coast Guard Auxiliary's About Boating Safety, Boating Skills & Seamanship and Sailing Skills and Seamanship are approved by the National Association of State Boating Law Administrators, and the certificates earned in these classes are valid in all states which now require boater education certificate.  

Lost Certificates:

Every effort should be made to safeguard your certificates and maintain copies of any records you have proving you successfully completed the course. Before State Safe Boating Education Laws went into effect, most boater safety educators, including the US Coast Guard Auxiliary, did not maintain central databases of graduates.

Students who took a class more than 10 years ago would benefit from re-taking the class today.

As far as we can tell at this time, Casco Bay Flotilla's records go back to 1981.  However there may be a year or two missing.   Records from 1995 to present are electronic.  Over the coming years we hope turn our paper records, from 1981 to 1994, into electronic records.   If you took our course in the Portland or surrounding areas there is a good chance that we still have your records.

Students who can provide evidence of having completed one of our classes, such as a copy of the original certificate, wallet card, year they took the course along with other requested identification that would be in our records to identify you, may request replacements from the Public Education Officer.   If such evidence is not available, contact the Public Education Officer  and provide as much information as possible, such as the date and instructor's name. If flotilla records can be located indicating that you completed the class, a replacement can be issued.

Replacement cards and/or certificates require a $10 materials and administration fee.

State and national rules prohibit providing replacement cards if evidence of class completion can not be found.