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Capt Ed: 602-363-9395 / Capt Debbie: 623-780-8787

Your boating seamanship, training & information resource.

Your boating seamanship, training & information resource.Your boating seamanship, training & information resource.Your boating seamanship, training & information resource.Your boating seamanship, training & information resource.

Captains Debbie & Ed

Helping you and those you care for

stay safe on the water.


Home of L.A.S.T.™

(Learn About Sailing Things)™


Capt Ed: 602-363-9395 / Capt Debbie: 623-780-8787

Your boating seamanship, training & information resource.

Your boating seamanship, training & information resource.Your boating seamanship, training & information resource.Your boating seamanship, training & information resource.Your boating seamanship, training & information resource.

Captains Debbie & Ed

Helping you and those you care for

stay safe on the water.


Home of L.A.S.T.™

(Learn About Sailing Things)™


About Us

Licensed Coast Guard Captains with 25 years of boating education, training and coaching expertise.

Capt Debbie Huntsman

USCG Auxilary Coxswain (Ret).

Licensed Coast Guard Captain.

US Sailing certified sailing instructor.

Creator of She Sailor Sea Story™

Creator of L.A.S.T. (Learn About Sailing Things)™

US Sailing Safety at Sea course Moderator.

Past President, National Women's Sailing Association.


Capt Ed Huntsman

US Coast Guard, (Retired)

US Powerboat certified instructor.

US Sailing Safety at Sea course Moderator.

ASA certified basic keel boat sailing instructor.

Arizona Game & Fish Department Education Branch Program Manager (Ret).

Drowning Prevention Coalition of Arizona Subject Matter Expert - Open Water

Recreational Boating Safety Program Manager, Eighth Coast Guard District (Ret).

Licensed Coast Guard Captain with sailing and assistance towing endorsements.

Find out more

Your fun and safety on the water is our goal.

  • Recreational boating safety consulting, education and  instruction.
  • Just need a brush up? We offer on the water instruction or coaching on your boat.
  • Information on NASBLA approved boating safety education courses conducted on the water and in the classroom.
  • Information on US Sailing / ISAF certified Safety at Sea courses from approved Moderators.


Need a California boater education card?

Effective January 1, 2024 a NASBLA and California state certified boater education card is required for all California residents age 60 and under boating in California. The course is availablie online or through Capt Debbie & Capt Ed who can provide a guided private or group classroom (home study) course for your California boater education card! Contact us for details via email at AZ Boat Captains

About Us

Capt Ed Huntsman

Sailing & Powerboat Instruction and coaching by an experienced professional with more than 25 years experience in providing curriculum development, course review, skills based on-water and knowledge based classroom instruction and coaching on power and sail boat operation, no matter inland, near coastal or off-shore water safety. Contact Capt Ed

Capt Debbie Huntsman

Women - prefer to learn from another woman. Capt Debbie has been providing quality sailing & powerboat coaching and instruction for more than 20 years to both women and men. She has experience providing both on-water and in classroom instruction for power boats, sail boats and paddle-craft. And Capt Debbie created She Sailor Sea Story™, L.A.S.T. (Learn About Sailing Things)™ exclusively for women. She has extensive inland, coastal, near-coastal, off-shore and international on-the-water cruising and racing experience and is an excellent resource for women sailors. Capt Debbie founded WOWaZr! (Women on Water Arizona Regatta) for the National Women's Sailing Association held at Lake Pleasant, Arizona, north of Phoenix in 2019 and 2023 with Tumbleweed Sailing.


Need information about the National Women's Sailing Association's Adventure Sail® for girls and young women that otherwise wouldn't be exposed to sailing? How about scholaships and awards? Contact Debbie!

Debbie teaching

Nationally certified woman instructor

Capt Debbie is a U.S. Coast Guard licensed Captain, a US Sailing certified instructor and Safety at Sea Moderator. She is an excellent and experienced sailing instructor and coach that helps new, or not-so-new sailors improve their skill set, seamanship and confidence.

East Coast Affiliate in Ohiopyle, PA

Boating safety consultants,

nationally certified master instructors

for paddlesports, rafting and powerboat.


CHAMBERS & ASSOCIATES

Virgil H. Chambers, NSBC Exec. Director, emeritus

Pam Dillon, Ohio Boating Law Administrator, Ret. 

email vhchambers@aol.com or pamsdillion@aol.com

US Sailing Safety at Sea Course Information

Have you ever wondered why take a US Sailing Safety at Sea course? Courses  are available both in-person and online, to prepare you for coastal or offshore cruising and racing.

  1. Wonder what you would do if someone fell overboard from your boat?
  2. Do you have a plan to deal with heavy weather if you can’t reach a safe harbor?
  3. Are you interested in selecting the right emergency communications equipment or storm sails, but you’re not sure what to buy.


A US Sailing Sanctioned Safety at Sea Course will help you answer these questions and more!


Join us at our next course during the Midwest Women's Sailing Conference at Milwaukee Yacht Club, Friday, May 17th.  This course is geared toward women learning with other women, and will be taught by women.

L.A.S.T. (Learn About Sailing Things)™ Coaching or instruction - your choice!

L.A.S.T.™ training seminars are offered by Capt Debbie to provide specific hands-on instruction and information to women friendly classes. Contact Capt Debbie directly for more information on the next L.A.S.T.™.


Nationally certified and experienced instructors that will help you operate your boat safely with confidence offshore, near coastal cruising or inland on your boat.

She Sailor Sea Story™

She Sailor Sea Story™ Created by Capt Debbie so women sailors can share yarns of their adventures in the  online storytelling series, She Sailor Sea Stories featured on the National Woman's Sailing Association's website. Tune in for an evening of intrigue, laughter and community. Join LIVE or at your convenience here for the  replays.


Contact Capt Debbie directly for more information

on the next She Sailor Sea Story™.

Resources to help keep your boating fun!

Maintain a proper lookout through S.C.A.N.

The BEST way to maintain a proper lookout to avoid on-water mishaps through S.C.A.N.

Click here:  https://www.boatus.org/findings/56/

Check out these quick informational videos!

US Sailing's Safety at Sea courses (This is what we do)

https://youtu.be/iVg30O6U4a4


Overview of a Safety at Sea / ISAF Course

https://youtu.be/PrS1q1Vo9mI


New life jacket Labeling information:

https://www.dailymotion.com/video/x792bbd 


Lethal Loophole

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=JbaTyDqitSM


Almost a Perfect Day

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=-WKMyr16FZ8


SPLASH! Boating Safely in Arizona

https://youtu.be/C6W7HBAQvOE


Additional Resources!

USCG Float Plan


Resources from NOAA


Cold Water Bootcamp


National Safety Council


Discover Boating's 14 Tips


Arizona Boating & Watersports

Powerboat Handling Instruction or Coaching

Certified Instructor

  • This 16-hour hands-on, on-the-water course is for anyone who wants to learn how to safely operate a small  motorboat and improve their boat handling skills.
  • The National Association of State  Boating Law Administrators (NASBLA) have approved this course and an  increasing number of states have recognized it as meeting their  requirements for a State Boating Education Certificate.

US Sailing Basic Keel Boat Certification

The Basic Keelboat graduate will have  successfully demonstrated the ability to responsibly skipper and crew a  simple daysailing keelboat in familiar waters in light to moderate wind  and sea conditions.


Basic Keelboat Certification requires the successful completion of the  following knowledge and skill requirements. These requirements are  expected to be able to be performed safely with confident command of the  boat in familiar waters with a wind range of 5 to 15 knots. Some  regions may have stronger prevailing conditions, which are acceptable if  the candidate can safely control the boat and be aware of his or her  limitations in these conditions. The certified candidate will be able to  skipper a tiller-steered keelboat up to 27 feet in length.

American Sailing Association (ASA) Certification

ASD 101 - Basic Keelboat


Learn to skipper a 20' - 27' sloop-rigged keelboat by day, in light to  moderate winds and sea conditions. Learn basic sailing terminology,  parts and functions, helm commands, basic sail trim, points of sail,  buoyage, seamanship and safety including basic navigation rules to avoid  collisions and hazards.

US Sailing Safety at Sea Course Information

Contact us for information and details on the US Sailing Safety at Sea course offerings - both online and hands-on. Or review the online details on US Sailing's website. Both Capt Ed and Capt Debbie are Moderators.


Join us at our next course during the Midwest Women's Sailing Conference at Milwaukee Yacht Club, Friday, May 17th.  This course is women friendly, learning with other women, and taught by women.

Boating Information Links

United States Coast Guard Office of Boating Safety information links

United States Coast Guard Office of Boating Safety information links

United States Coast Guard Office of Boating Safety information links

Learn more about Federal requirements and general boating safety here.

Arizona boating safety information

United States Coast Guard Office of Boating Safety information links

United States Coast Guard Office of Boating Safety information links

Need to know Arizona information?

https://www.azgfd.com/Boating/



Additional information and access to FREE boating safety education courses at https://www.boatus.org/free/


California boating safety information

United States Coast Guard Office of Boating Safety information links

California boating safety information

*As of January 1, 2024, if you're 60 years old or under and not qualified for an exemption, you must have a California Boater Card in your possession to operate a power vessel in California waters.


More info? Click Here.

More Info!

National Women's Sailing Association

National Women's Sailing Association

National Women's Sailing Association

Need to know more about women's sailing? Click on image for your link for information!


Click here for information on NWSA's Adventure Sail® for girls and young women.


U.S. Sailing

National Women's Sailing Association

National Women's Sailing Association

Interested in learning more about US Sailing, sailing education or Safety at Sea seminars & courses? US Sailing is your one-stop shop!

American Sailing Association (ASA)

National Women's Sailing Association

American Sailing Association (ASA)

ASA offers a variety of courses ranging from beginner to advanced world-wide cruising education.


Sign up for ASA 101 and  start sailing. While you wait for your day on the water get a head start  on learning vocabulary, the physics of sails and wind, safety  procedures, and other sailing knowledge. We have compiled a list of  helpful ASA t

ASA offers a variety of courses ranging from beginner to advanced world-wide cruising education.


Sign up for ASA 101 and  start sailing. While you wait for your day on the water get a head start  on learning vocabulary, the physics of sails and wind, safety  procedures, and other sailing knowledge. We have compiled a list of  helpful ASA tools to help you feel prepared when you step aboard a  sailboat for the first time.



Safer boating through education

Arizona's leading water safety advocates

Safer boating through education

Founded in 1958, the National Safe Boating Council (NSBC) serves as a  national catalyst for developing a safe boating culture by providing  educational resources, outreach programming, and training opportunities  for industry partners and the boating community to influence safe,  secure, and responsible boating.

American Canoe Association

Arizona's leading water safety advocates

Safer boating through education

The gold standard in any paddlesports education is the American Canoe Association (ACA).

Arizona's leading water safety advocates

Arizona's leading water safety advocates

Arizona's leading water safety advocates

The Drowning Prevention Coalition of Arizona, a community based organization comprised of parents, health and safety professionals and business leaders, exists to provide a forum to prevent fatal and non-fatal drownings through the promotion of education, legislative action and enhanced product safety.

Copyright © 2021 Arizona Boat Captains, LLC - All Rights Reserved.

L.A.S.T. Learn About Sailing Things™ and She Sailor Sea Story™ are Registered Trademarks, all rights reserved.

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