Certification Means Something

LA Powerboat Academy is one of the few companies providing powerboat certification on the West Coast. The truth is, powerboating has little regulation, so if you want to learn, there’s no shortage of “guys that have driven a boat” that fancy themselves as instructors. And some of them are probably good, too. But if you want a certified instructor that uses the National validated skill-based standards for powerboats, you want LA Powerboat Academy teaching you (especially if you want National Certification yourself). There is simply no substitute for proven experience with US Powerboating, and that means being a true National Certified Powerboat Instructor.

Meet Your Instructors

Our captains have two things in common – they are highly experienced, and they hold certifications across a wide variety of boat and boating-related proficiencies. Plus, they understand boating is supposed to be fun, and they exude that with every lesson we do!

Captain Richard

Captain Charles

Captain Joel

Captain Richard

Captain Richard Waite: USCG Master Captain Richard has over 30 years’ experience and 2,000 hours of “On-the-Water” as a powerboat instructor on twin-engine motor yachts. Richard is a certified powerboat instructor for both ASA’s Recreational Powerboat and US Powerboating and is the driving force behind Yachts 4 Fun. His primary goal in starting the company was offering expert powerboat lessons and luxury yachts for bareboat charters. Richard enjoys teaching the art of boating and the finer points (and tax benefits) of a boat in a charter business.

Captain Charles

Captain Charles, a Maine native is a lifelong mariner. He has held a USCG Captain License for the past 10 years. He takes pride in being a professional power boat instructor and charter boat captain. After cruising the Maine coast, Eastern seaboard, Caribbean and Bahamas he has found his way to the coast of Southern California. Charles’ love of the sea, meeting new people, boating and fishing is his trademark.

Captain Joel

Captain Joel started boating in 1968 and taught sailing classes for the Department of Recreation and Parks for the City of Los Angeles and sailing classes for U.C.L. A. He received his Coast Guard license in 1976 and is a certified powerboat instructor with U.S. Powerboating and National Safe Boating Council. Joel is very familiar with both motor and sailing vessels of all sizes. “I get great satisfaction in coaching beginning students to achieve their goal of learning a new sport”.