BoatHowTo Avis 

A very well organised online course. The chapters are structured and cover all areas, from the basics to the semi-professional area. All participants can set their own learning pace. Highly recommended.

Both Nigel and Jan bring a positive attitude to problem solving. Very few of us are expert physicists, chemists, technicians, etc. BoatHowTo navigates the student through challenging subjects with logical progression, fun anecdotes, and satisfying solutions.

After completion of both the electrical and engine courses, my wife (never been on a boat before) and I left on our new to us 60+ foot "high latitude explorer yacht" for our 4-month shakedown cruise on the Baltic Sea. Not only did these courses provide a great amount of confidence, but the specifics in the course also gave me the background to troubleshoot and fix many issue ... not to mention the knowledge to understand how the many systems functions.

This was a fantastic electrical course it's extremely well presented enjoyable and easy to follow anyone interested in boating electrics at any competency level there is something to learn for everybody! I cannot thank Jan and Nigel enough, i truly believe you would benefit greatly by enrolling at 'Boat How To'

I learned so much from the courses they offered. Electrical basics along with how to plan and wire a boat were the highlights of my experience.

If you maintain or refurbish boats the courses these well-known experts offer are worth it at almost any price.

I have owned boats for nearly 40 years and have done extensive work myself and have learned from making more than one mistake. If I had been able to take this course 40 years ago I would have been able to avoid those mistakes and could have saved thousands of dollars in hiring “professionals” to do work I wasn’t comfortable doing myself.

I’ve take all of their courses including electrical and mechanical and now have the knowledge to complete nearly all aspects of boat upgrades and mechanical diesel engine maintenance. I also appreciate how they point out areas where a professional should be hired due to the complexity or for safety reasons. I am about to complete an extensive upgrade of batteries, alternators, inverter/chargers, solar panel installation and battery to battery chargers as well as improve my grounding, bonding and lightening protection. This course gave me both the theoretical and practical knowledge so that I feel comfortable completing those upgrades.

Another bonus is that I can always refer back to the materials if I forget or need to refresh my memory and they also take time to answer any questions that I might have as I undertake such a huge project.

Additionally, as I sail offshore these courses have given me the tools and confidence to solve almost any issue that arises and helped me establish a spare parts list.

Many Thanks to Jan and Nigel!

Nigel and Jan bring boat knowledge I trust because of their years of direct experience and testing. They back up their knowledge with clear examples. I recently requested their feedback on a wiring issue after signing up with Boat How To electrical course. The ABYC electrician I hired sized the wire correctly, but we disagreed about the effect of differing "lengths" to the common bus bar. I trust the reason and experience Nigel shared with me about what would be a trivial detail that would have slow to discover effect on the lifespan of my battery bank. Having direct access to the instructors was crucial to translate the class example to my particular boat situation. If you want to know the "why" behind a best practice, trust these guys give you all the details.

I am having a great experience with the instructional boat electrical course! The program is comprehensive but also delivered in a clear and concise mannerI feel confident that I can trust the recommendations and bring my older boat up to current standards.

The class videos and course material is first rate and exhaustive. I cruise full time and it is nice to be able to learn at my own pace. I have taken both engine and the electrical courses and I am now going back over the material to make sure I really learned it.

I really appreciate being able to ask questions any time I get stuck in an issue.

Nigel has a unique but effective teaching style which coupled with his vast knowledge makes his in-person seminars outstanding.
Best money I’ve ever invested to increase my Marine Electrical Knowledge .
Attended Spring 2025 seminar in Portland, ME.

I apprenticed with shipwright and became a knowledgeable and competent rigger, and general boat systems repairman. I had a special interest in electrical work and had been reading Nigel Calder's Mechanical and Electrical Manual, when Boat How To popped up on my radar. The courses are friendly enough but get right to the the point. They are well organized and the videos make it easily digested. They really unlocked my potential. I now work on electrical systems with confidence, and have solid foundational knowledge for when I am explaining to clients the myriad of items that are part of boat maintenance. And at every opportunity I suggest to every new and old boat owner, they buy Nigel's book and sign up for the Boat How To courses. These courses have the potential to demystify boat maintenance and dispel some of the improper, and sometimes unsafe, anecdotal information in the boating world. Thank you guys so much for putting these together. BoatHowTo is a gamechanger.

I took the 101 electrical course pretty early on and have since done the advanced electrical course as well as the more recent diesel one. To summarize my experience, it is the best money I ever spent on my sailing passion and I think the courses are very reasonably priced.

Why is that? First of all, Nigel wrote the bibel on these topics and his expertise is unquestioned; we can trust the information to be correct and up to date. Second, the material is clearly and logically presented so that, starting with the 101 course, you can build your knowledge to tackle your own projects with confidence.

Whether you are a novice or more experienced boat DIYer you will learn a lot and importantly, you will have continued access to the online material if you need to refresh your memory.

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.

I took both courses: diesel engine and electric 101. While I consider both immensely thorough and helpful, the diesel engine class is my favorite. The organization of information into fuel supply, coolant, etc. works for someone like me - a total newby. It’s how I think about my engine now. Before I took this class, I was looking at a bunch of metal. Now, I can actually recognize and name the components and I am not afraid of my engine anymore. That’s huge for me! Thank you.

These two gentlemen have an exceptional course in multiple aspects of sailing, in particular, cruising. I have not hesitation in recommending them highly. A great experience and well worthwhile.

Practical well laid out information. Personal feedback on your situation. Thorough explanations of why things are done a certain way instead of just instructions. More than enough detail so that you can understand options beyond what you knew existed, a deep learning experience.

Everything was very clear. The best part about the videos is that I can rewatch them anytime, much better than in person classes!

Have taken marine electric, advanced electrics and and diesel courses. All are very well done, easy to follow. Love the way they build you up from the basic principles and then apply them to real world situations. If you’re thinking of taking these classes - don’t debate. It’s a no brainer. Highly recommend!

Great content in bite sized chunks. There's high level overviews and then it gets into the details. With very little prior knowledge, I learnt a LOT.