Boat types
Pontoons, bowriders/runabouts, and surf/wake boats.
RULES & AWARENESS
Navigation & Rules of the Water – who goes first, and why.
Turn the rules into practical habits so you can predict what other boaters will do—and be predictable yourself.
WHO IT'S FOR
Is this the right course for you?
Recommended for anyone who has never taken a formal boater education course or is new to Okoboji.
Experience level
New captains, new-to-Okoboji boaters, or spouses/partners who want to share helm duties.
Where we train
Primarily on West Lake Okoboji, with other Iowa Great Lakes by request.
WHAT YOU'LL PRACTICE
Key skills in this module.
- Right-of-way basics (meeting, crossing, and overtaking situations).
- Understanding buoys, markers, and typical local no-wake zones.
- Navigation lights and what they tell you about other boats at night.
- Simple radio/phone etiquette and what to do in low-visibility conditions.
EXAMPLE SESSION
How a typical session might flow.
- Dockside review of key rules using diagrams and local map references.
- On-the-water examples of crossing and overtaking situations (when safe to do so).
- Practice reading buoys and no-wake boundaries from the helm.
- Wrap-up Q&A so you can ask about scenarios you’ve already encountered.
ILLUSTRATION
Visual reference for this course.
