October 2026 Edition: Issue #29 of Our Boating Newsletter
Welcome to our October Edition!
Ahoy, Reader!
October brings a change of pace on the water—but at In-Command, there’s plenty happening as one boating season begins to transition into the next.
This month, our focus shifts toward fall training, private instruction, and planning ahead. We’re looking for experienced instructors to join our team for the 2027 season, registration is open for our January OUPV / 6-Pack Captain’s License course, and we’re already preparing new educational opportunities for the winter and early spring.
For recreational boaters, training doesn’t have to end when our boats come out of the water. We can continue working with you aboard your own boat, weather permitting, while New Owner Training remains an important resource for boaters learning a new or unfamiliar vessel.
⭐ Featured This Month
🧑🏫 We’re Seeking Instructors: Join the In-Command instructional team for the 2027 season
👩🏫 Women In-Command Instructors Wanted: Help us grow this popular program
⚓ OUPV / 6-Pack Registration Is Open: Start planning now for our January 2027 course
🛥 New Owner Training: Customized training for new and transitioning boat owners
🧭 Coming This Winter: Navigation 101 with Navionics
🚤 Private Training Continues: Train aboard your own boat, weather permitting
The boats may be coming out of the water, but learning, training, and preparing for what comes next don’t have an off-season.
Let’s make the most of fall—and start getting ready for what’s ahead. ⚓
🛥 We’re Seeking Instructors for the 2027 Season!
We’re already looking ahead to next season—and we’re growing our instructional team.
In-Command Seamanship Training is seeking experienced boating instructors interested in joining us for the 2027 season.
Our team brings decades of practical experience to the classroom and the helm, helping boaters become safer, more knowledgeable, and more confident on the water. We’re looking for instructors who share that commitment and enjoy working directly with boaters.
Opportunities may include working with our recreational and professional training programs throughout the season.
⚓ Interested in Joining the Crew?
We’d love to hear from you.
📩 Contact Captain Carol Beecher at carol@incommandri.com for more information.
🌊 Women In-Command – We Want You!
As we plan for the 2027 season, we’re looking for experienced female boating instructors to join our Women In-Command instructional team.
Women In-Command is designed to give women a supportive environment to build practical boating skills, gain confidence at the helm, and become more active participants in every aspect of boating.
We’re looking for female instructors who enjoy teaching, sharing their knowledge, and helping other women become safer and more confident on the water.
👩✈️ Interested in Teaching Women In-Command?
We’d love to talk with you about opportunities for the 2027 season.
📩 Contact Captain Carol Beecher at carol@incommandri.com to learn more.
🧭 Coming This Winter: Navigation 101 with Navionics
Boating skills don’t have to go into storage for the winter.
This winter and early spring, In-Command will offer US Powerboating’s Navigation 101, a beginner-friendly introduction to electronic navigation using Navionics charts.
Whether you’re new to boating, unfamiliar with electronic navigation, or simply want to become more comfortable planning and following a route, this course will help you build practical navigation skills you can take back to the water next season.
It’s also a great opportunity to use the quieter months to strengthen your boating knowledge—so when spring arrives, you’re ready to get underway with greater confidence.
📅 Winter & Early Spring 2027
Course dates coming soon.
⚓ New Boat Owner Training – In High Demand!
Buying a boat is exciting. Learning how to confidently operate your specific boat is what turns that purchase into an enjoyable boating experience.
Insurance companies may require new boat owners to complete documented training, particularly when purchasing a larger or unfamiliar vessel. And we’ve been busy helping owners do exactly that.
So far in 2026, In-Command has worked with 13 new boat owners, providing customized training aboard their own vessels.
Every program is built around your boat, your experience, and your goals and can include:
- Vessel systems and safety
- Rules of the Road
- Docking and close-quarters maneuvering
- Open-water handling and cruising
- Anchoring
- Shore power and onboard systems
- Familiarization with your vessel’s specific equipment
Whether you’ve purchased your first boat, moved up to a larger vessel, or simply want to become more comfortable with the boat you already own, we’ll build the training around what you need to know.
🛥 Your boat. Your equipment. Your dock. Your goals.
🍂 Fall Bareboat Charters: One More Getaway on the Water
October brings a different kind of boating to Rhode Island.
Quieter harbors, fewer boats on the water, crisp fall days, and changing colors along the coastline make this a beautiful time for experienced boaters to enjoy a final getaway on Narragansett Bay.
Our bareboat charters give qualified boaters the freedom to set their own itinerary and explore at their own pace.
🌟 Available for Fall 2026:
✔ Lorelei – Classic elegance meets modern comfort
✔ Rendezvous – The perfect balance of performance and style
✔ Elan – A spacious cruiser for relaxing getaways
📌 Charter Requirements:
Prior boating experience OR completion of the Powerboat Cruising Course.
Whether you’re heading toward Newport, Block Island, or simply spending a few quiet days exploring Narragansett Bay, fall offers a more relaxed way to experience Rhode Island from the water.
⏳ Fall availability is limited as the boating season winds down.
🚤 Last Chance for Private Training on Our Boats
The clock is ticking on our 2026 recreational boating season.
Private lessons aboard In-Command boats are available through Columbus Day, making this your final opportunity this year to schedule hands-on recreational training on one of our vessels.
If there’s a skill you’ve wanted to improve—or something that never quite felt comfortable this season—now is a great time to get some focused, one-on-one instruction before our boats come out of the water.
Private training can focus on:
- Docking and departing
- Close-quarters maneuvering
- Throttle and steering control
- Handling wind and current
- Crew communication
- Specific skills you want to improve
Your session is customized around your experience and the areas where you want more practice and confidence.
📅 Final private lessons on our boats: Through Columbus Day
But training doesn’t have to end when our boats come out of the water. If you have your own boat, we can continue working with you throughout the fall, weather permitting.
🛥 Our Boats Come Out. Your Training Doesn’t Have to Stop
After Columbus Day, private training can continue aboard your own boat, weather permitting.
In fact, training on your own vessel offers an important advantage: everything you practice applies directly to the boat, equipment, dock, and conditions you encounter when you’re boating on your own.
We can customize your training around:
- Twin-screw handling
- Joystick maneuvering
- Single screw + bow thruster
- Docking at your home slip
- Close-quarters maneuvering
- Wind and current
- Crew communication
- New or unfamiliar equipment
- Your specific boating goals
Whether you want to solve a particular boat-handling challenge, become more comfortable with your vessel, or sharpen your skills before the boat comes out for the season, we’ll build the training around what you need.
Your boat. Your equipment. Your dock. Your goals.
🍂 Private training on your own boat continues throughout the fall, weather permitting.
🌸 Women In-Command: Create Your Own Private Course
Want to build your boating skills alongside women you already know?
Gather three friends or family members and create your own private Women In-Command course. With four participants, you can enjoy a supportive, hands-on day designed to help you become more confident at the helm—or a more knowledgeable and capable crew member.
Led by experienced female instructors, the one-day course combines classroom learning with practical on-the-water training.
📚 Morning Classroom Topics
✔ Seamanship terminology & parts of a boat
✔ Safety checklists, line handling & knot tying
✔ Rules of the Road, radio communication & crew responsibilities
✔ Navigation basics, situational awareness, weather & tides
🚤 Afternoon On-the-Water Training
✔ Boat handling & maneuvering
✔ Docking, anchoring & mooring
✔ Refueling
✔ “Suddenly! In-Command” scenarios
Whether you boat with a partner, family, friends, or on your own, Women In-Command gives you practical skills that can make every trip safer, more comfortable, and more enjoyable.
“I used to just go along for the ride. Now I feel empowered to take part—and take charge.”
✨ Private group sessions are available for four or more women.
📩 Interested in creating your own Women In-Command group?
Contact Captain Carol Beecher at carol@incommandri.com.
🌍 Planning to Charter Abroad? Start with Powerboat Cruising
If an international bareboat charter is on your future travel list, now is a good time to start thinking about the training and credentials you may need.
Our 5-day Powerboat Cruising course, combining Basic, Inshore, and Night Operations, provides comprehensive hands-on cruising experience and qualifies you to apply for your International Proficiency Certificate (IPC).
Conducted aboard a Sabre 36 Express, the course builds practical experience across multiple aspects of cruising and prepares you to operate with greater confidence when venturing farther from home.
⚓ Powerboat Cruising Includes:
✔ Basic powerboat handling
✔ Inshore cruising skills
✔ Night operations
✔ Multi-day practical experience
✔ Eligibility to apply for your IPC upon successful completion
📅 Next Session Dates Coming Soon
Planning ahead for an international charter? This is a great time to get Powerboat Cruising on your radar for the upcoming season.
📩 Want to schedule Powerboat Cruising on your own boat?
Contact us at carol@incommandri.com
⚓ Professional Training Continues This Fall
October brings another opportunity to build professional skills with In-Command.
Our Launch Operator course begins this month, providing training for those interested in working at marinas, yacht clubs, harbor launch services, and other waterfront operations.
📅 Starting This Month:
🚤 Launch Operator – October 11 & 18
This U.S. Coast Guard-approved course provides a pathway toward a professional maritime credential while building the practical knowledge needed to take on greater responsibility on the water.
And if earning your OUPV / 6-Pack Captain’s License is one of your goals, registration is now open for our next course beginning in January 2027.
Fall is a great time to start planning your next step.
🧑✈️ Start 2027 with Your OUPV / 6-Pack Captain’s License
80-Hour U.S. Coast Guard-Approved Course
If becoming a licensed captain is one of your goals for 2027, now is the time to start planning.
Our next Operator of Uninspected Passenger Vessels (OUPV) course—commonly known as the 6-Pack Captain’s License course—begins January 12.
Approved by the U.S. Coast Guard in lieu of the written examination, this 80-hour course prepares you for the OUPV license application process and covers the knowledge needed to operate passenger vessels upon Near Coastal, Great Lakes & Inland Waters.
⚓ Course Topics Include:
- Shiphandling – docking, maneuvering & close-quarters control
- Coastal Navigation – plotting, chart reading & route planning
- Emergency Procedures – including man-overboard and onboard incidents
- Navigation Rules – understanding and applying the Rules of the Road
- Pollution Prevention – compliance & best practices
- Watchstanding – safe vessel oversight & responsibilities
📅 January 2027 Course
Course Dates: January 12 – February 20, 2027
Price: $1,400
Class Size: Maximum 10 students
Location: In-Command Seamanship Training Center — One Phillips Street, Wickford, RI 02852
📋 Want Help with Your License Application?
You can also register for the OUPV Course + License Application Assistance Consultation package for $1,595.
This option combines your OUPV training with personal assistance completing the paperwork required for your Merchant Mariner Credential application.
Additional Licensing Requirements Include:
- TWIC Card
- Physical Exam & Drug Test
- Coast Guard Evaluation and Licensing Fees
Registration is open now for January 2027.
Contact Captain Carol Beecher at carol@incommandri.com or 401-4SAFETY (472-3389).
🚤 Become a Licensed Launch Operator
16-Hour U.S. Coast Guard-Approved Course
Work at a marina, yacht club, harbor launch service, or other waterfront operation?
Our Launch Operator course begins this month and is designed for those looking to earn their Launch Operator License and operate launch tenders up to ½ nautical mile from shore.
This 16-hour U.S. Coast Guard-approved course covers the knowledge required for eligible Launch Operator licensing routes.
⚓ Course Topics Include:
✔ Deck General
✔ Navigation & Rules of the Road
✔ Safety Procedures
✔ Pollution Prevention
📅 Next Class: October 11 & 18
📌 Recommended Co-Requisite: CPR & First Aid Certification
Whether you’re beginning a career on the waterfront or adding a professional credential to your existing experience, Launch Operator training can help prepare you for the next step.
The course starts October 11—reserve your place now.
🌊 Take It to the Water: Launch Operator Lab
The classroom gives you the knowledge. The Launch Operator Lab gives you an opportunity to put professional boat-handling skills into practice on the water.
Designed to complement Launch Operator licensing, this hands-on training focuses on the real-world situations launch operators encounter while transporting passengers and working around docks, moorings, and other vessels.
🚤 On-the-Water Training Includes:
✔ Passenger loading and unloading
✔ Dock approaches
✔ Mooring transfers
✔ Boat handling in wind & tide
✔ Professional communication
The Launch Operator Lab can be scheduled individually or as part of a discounted package with Launch Operator licensing.
It can also be a valuable training option for marinas, yacht clubs, and harbor launch services looking to strengthen the practical skills of their launch crews.
📩 Want to Schedule a Launch Operator Lab for Your Team?
Contact Captain Carol Beecher at carol@incommandri.com or 401-4SAFETY (472-3389).
📍 Train at Our Facility—or We’ll Bring the Training to You
Not every professional training need fits into a standard course.
Whether you’re an individual looking to sharpen your boat-handling skills or a marina, yacht club, or waterfront business investing in your team, In-Command can customize training around your vessels, your location, and your operation.
Train at our facility—or we’ll bring our instructors directly to you.
🛥 Professional On-the-Water Training Can Include:
- Departing and returning to the dock
- Approaching and departing moorings
- Safe passenger loading and unloading
- Docking in wind and current
- Coming alongside customer vessels with confidence
- Local navigation, fuel docks, channels & anchorages
- Professional communication & passenger safety briefings
💼 Customized Training for Marinas & Yacht Clubs
We can train your crew directly on your launches and workboats, allowing instruction to reflect the vessels, docks, conditions, and situations your team encounters every day.
Each program is tailored to your operation, helping your staff develop greater skill, consistency, and confidence while delivering a safer, more professional experience for your customers.
Ideal For:
- Yacht clubs
- Marinas
- Harbor launch services
- Sailing schools
- Commercial waterfront operations
📩 Ready to Build a Training Program for Your Team?
Contact Captain Carol Beecher at carol@incommandri.com or 401-4SAFETY (472-3389) to discuss a customized training program.
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🌊 Wickford Boat Rentals: 🌊 Stay Connected with the Captain’s Club
As another Rhode Island boating season begins to wind down, it’s never too early to start thinking about your next one.
The Captain’s Club keeps you connected with Wickford Boat Rentals throughout the year, with member benefits, seasonal promotions, and updates to help you get more out of your time on the water.
⚓ Captain’s Club Members Receive:
🚤 Exclusive rental offers
🌊 Seasonal promotions
⚓ Early announcements and member updates
📢 Invite a Friend, Earn Rewards
Know someone who should be spending more time on the water?
Refer a friend to the Captain’s Club and you’ll receive 10% off your next Wickford Boat Rental or In-Command training course after they join.
Already a Member?
Don’t forget: Captain’s Club members receive 10% off their first rental of the season as our thank-you for being part of the Wickford Boat Rentals community.
The boats may be getting ready for winter, but we’re already looking forward to another season on Narragansett Bay.
⚓ The Season Changes. The Learning Continues.
October may signal the close of another recreational boating season, but at In-Command, it also marks the beginning of what comes next.
Fall training continues, private training can continue aboard your own boat weather permitting, and registration is now open for our January OUPV / 6-Pack course. New winter and early-spring learning opportunities are also on the horizon.
Whether you’re working toward a professional credential, becoming more confident aboard your own vessel, preparing for a future charter, or simply thinking ahead to next season, this is a great time to keep building your skills.
And as we look toward 2027, we’re also growing our instructional team and preparing for another season of helping Rhode Island boaters become safer, more knowledgeable, and more confident on the water.
The boats may be coming out of the water, but learning, training, and preparing for what comes next don’t have an off-season.
We’ll see you in the classroom—and back on the water.
⚓ Fair winds and following seas,
📣 Stay Connected
- Blog updates
- Course announcements
- Anniversary content
- Fleet reveals
🌟 Share the Joy of Boating!
If you love what we do, why not share the experience with friends and family? By sharing this newsletter, you can invite them to join our warm and welcoming community of boating enthusiasts.
We’re passionate about building a vibrant community; your referrals mean the world to us. Together, let’s make 2026 our best season yet!
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Your journey on the water is important to us, and we're here to support every step of the way. Whether you're charting a course toward professional boating or enjoying the seas recreationally, In-Command Seamanship Training and Wickford Boat Rentals are your trusted partners.
We're just an email or phone call away for any questions or to register for our courses and rentals. Here's to smooth sailing and the adventures ahead!
Warm regards,
The Team at In-Command Seamanship Training & Wickford Boat Rentals
Captain Carol Beecher, carol@incommandri.com
Captain Dave Fetherston, dave@wickfordboatrentals.com