Newport Coast Maritime Academy

Writing Newport Coast Maritime Academy provides a wonderful learning environment with a strong focus on growth, confidence, and development. The staff are welcoming, supportive, and dedicated to creating a positive experience for students. We’ve been very impressed with the overall atmosphere and would highly recommend the academy to families in the Newport Beach area! ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

I recently took a boat academy class with Captain Andrea Bill, and I honestly couldn’t have asked for a better experience. She made the entire class so much fun while still being incredibly knowledgeable and professional. Andrea has a way of explaining things that makes everything click, whether you’re brand new or just looking to build confidence. She created such a comfortable, supportive environment, which made it easy to ask questions and really learn without feeling overwhelmed. By the end of the class, I felt so much more confident and capable driving my boat. If you’re thinking about taking a class, I highly recommend Captain Andrea Bill—she’s an amazing instructor!

My experience with Captain Ron and Newport Coast Maritime Academy was top notch! This training was extremely easy to set up, and Captain Ron was an absolute pleasure to work with! I learned so much on docking, maintenance, navigation, and overall boat operation. This was very appreciated training, and my confidence in setting sail on trips has been greatly enhanced. Thanks so much to you all!

Knowledgeable Captains who can teach you to operate your vessel while keeping it fun. Hard to imagine a better team.

Extremely knowledgeable Captain versed in all aspects of the boat, engines, mechanical and navigation. Could not have chosen a better Captain for my needs.

My wife and I recently took a Powerboat lesson with Captain Todd from Newport Maritime Academy, and I couldn't be more pleased with the experience! From start to finish, everything was well-organized and professional. Captain Todd was knowledgeable, patient, and made sure I understood the fundamentals before taking the boat out on the water. The lesson was hands-on, which we appreciated. We quickly learned everything from basic boat handling to more advanced maneuvers like docking and turning. The instructor was great at explaining the technical aspects of operating a motorboat while keeping things easy to understand. They also emphasized safety protocols, which gave me confidence in our ability to handle the boat responsibly. We felt supported and safe the entire time, and we left the lesson with a solid understanding of powerboat operation. We highly recommend this course to anyone interested in learning how to drive a powerboat—whether you're a complete beginner or just want to brush up on your skills. It’s an experience I’ll never forget!

Jackson is a real pro who we have sincerely enjoyed getting to know. He is a very effective communicator and has a great ability to impart technical and nautical knowledge in a very clear and concise manner.

Captain Andrea was amazing. Her calm demeanor gave everyone the confidence they could do whatever she asked. We worked great with me, my wife and adult son tailoring her explanations in a way we each could understand. It was like being out with a Friend. Jackson was great to deal with for all the details. I would highly recommend this academy.

Jackson has put together a team and a program that is top notch. I was very impressed with the knowledge and the process of transferring the knowledge to me as a new "big boat" owner. I highly, highly recommend this team.

First class service. Their Captain Chris Kehrli was a great teacher and gave me both the instruction and confidence I needed to handle my new boat safely. Highly recommended.

Great company

Professional

Jackson is an amazing instructor, and captain! He is extremely patient, and methodical with a calm, relaxing demeanor. He is also extremely accommodating, when I needed him to help me take my boat to the shipyard to be pulled out for repairs. He rearrange his schedule to accommodate my needs. I highly recommend Jackson and his team of professional captains for all of your boat training needs. With the deepest of respect, Linda Conforti (Photo of Jackson checking water depth prior to our boat anchoring lesson).

I can’t say enough about Captain Andrea. My husband and I purchased a 52 prestige flybridge, and she provided amazing training. She is incredibly knowledgeable, has a great personality, and is fun to be with! I highly recommend Newport Coast Maritime Academy for captain lessons and learning new boats. Both Captain and Andrea and Captain Jackson are Superstars!

I bought a new power boat after 30 years of sailboats and Jackson helped me make the transition. He was great to work with. Insightful and knowlegable, with just the right touch as a teacher. After several sessions practicing anchoring, docking, cruising etc. I felt ready to be on my own. The true test came a week later as I was pulling into my new slip alone for the first time. I noted the 8 kt crosswind as I approached and as always seems to be the case with a complicated docking, there was an audience waiting on the dock. 3 couples on the boat in the slip to port, and two guys from the slip to starboard were all watching me land my shiny new 52 foot boat single handed in an 8 kt crosswind. Not sure what they were expecting but they all came out and lined the dock on both sides shouting random instructions. Channeling Jackson, I tuned them all out and focused on the dock... and pulled off an absolutely perfect docking. There was literally applause as I climbed down from the flybridge and handed one of them a line to tie off. It was a good day. Thanks Jackson. -Jon Snoddy

Prompt, thorough and thoughtful. This was a pleasantly intense and helpful experience, in my boat and off my dock. Could not have been better!

Our training with NCMA has been great, from first contact with Jackson to hands on training on our boat with Chris Kehrli. Chris was very patient and thorough with us and trained my wife to the same level as me. We both feel completely confident taking our boat out. Thank you.