Sea Tow Foundation Celebrates Boating Safety Award Winners

The Sea Tow Foundation^™, a national non-profit dedicated to reducing boating-related accidents and fatalities, in partnership with its Boating Safety Advisory Council, announced the winners of the 2026 National Boating Safety Awards. Now in its eighth year, the awards recognize outstanding efforts within the recreational boating industry that promote safe and responsible boating to help build more confident boaters.

The 2026 National Boating Safety Awards were presented at IBEX (International BoatBuilders’ Exhibition & Conference) in Tampa, Florida, on October 6.

New this year, the awards feature nine categories focused on how boating safety is being promoted across the industry by recognizing outstanding education, community engagement, digital initiatives, technology, partnerships, campaigns, and advocacy.

The winners of the 2026 National Boating Safety Awards include:

The Best Boating Safety Education & Training Program award was presented to BoatClass for its hands-on boating courses that put participants behind the wheel with certified captains to practice boat handling, docking, navigation, anchoring, VHF use and emergency response.

The Best Youth Boating Safety Initiative award was presented to SUNY Maritime College for its Maritime Adventure Boat Camp. Through multiple two-week summer sessions, the program introduces youth, many with little or no previous boating experience, to powerboating, sailing, kayaking, swimming and marine education.

The Best Boating Safety Community Engagement Program award was presented to Sawyer Paddles and Oars for Fit to Float, a statewide life jacket education initiative developed with the Oregon State Marine Board and community partners.

The Best Boating Safety Digital Initiative award was presented to The Qualified Captain for its new NASBLA-approved online boating safety course.

The Best Boating Safety Product or Technology Innovation award was presented to Garmin for its OnBoard Wireless Man Overboard Detection and Engine Cutoff System.

The Best Boating Safety Partnership/Collaborative Initiative award was presented to the U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary Paddlecraft Safety Division and Cross Currents Leadership for the 2026 Spring Auxiliary Training.

The Best Marine Dealer Boating Safety Effort award was presented to Causeway Marine for its Become a Better Boater campaign.

The Best Integrated Boating Safety Campaign award was presented to ACR Electronics for its campaign educating boaters about Electronic Visual Distress Signaling Devices (eVDSDs), or electronic flares.

The Best Individual Boating Safety Advocate award was presented to John Sewell, Director of Safety for Freedom Boat Club, for building a comprehensive safety program across 170 locations in 11 states and two countries.

Among this year’s category winners, SUNY Maritime College was selected to receive the Boating Safety Excellence Award, the Sea Tow Foundation’s highest recognition, for its Maritime Adventure Boat Camp and its lasting impact on the future of boating. For nearly two decades, the program has expanded access to boating while building safety into the experience from the beginning, helping develop the next generation of confident, responsible boaters.

For more information about the 2026 National Boating Safety Awards and this year’s winners, please visit www.boatingsafety.com/awards.