NauticEd: Why We Built Competence-First Boating

Welcome to NauticEd. In this video, Grant Headifen (Founder + Global Director of Education) shares the history of NauticEd and why the company was created in 2008: to build real competence for boaters—not just a certificate. NauticEd was born from running a fractional boat sharing company operating 30–40ft sailboats, where competence mattered: safer families, better decision-making, and fewer costly marina mistakes. That’s when we defined competence as a simple, practical framework: Theory knowledge (rules, navigation, right-of-way) Practical skills (on-water training with an instructor) Experience (real-world conditions that build judgment) Today, NauticEd delivers boating education through multimedia online courses and a global instructor network, growing from one course to 34 online courses and instructors worldwide. Students: Sign up at NauticEd to start your competence-first learning path: https://www.nauticed.org/two-free-sailing-courses?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=video&utm_campaign=vqPM-x7hMOI Instructors: Sign up at NauticEd to join the instructor network and help build competent, confident boaters worldwide: https://www.nauticed.org/instructor/signup #sailingschool #boating #sailing #yachting