Escadrilles canadiennes de plaisance

Name

Escadrilles canadiennes de plaisance

Legal name

Canadian Power and Sail Squadrons / Escadrilles canadiennes de plaisance

Website

https://canboat.ca

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Boating Safety Education and Certification

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Navigation, Seamanship & Offshore Operations (EDAOANAE)

Keywords

• Recreational boating education
• Boating safety certification
• Pleasure craft licensing
• Maritime radio training
• Boating navigation courses

Headquarters

HQ city

Toronto

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Course Fees and Certifications: Primary revenue from sale of boating courses including PCOC ($49.95), VHF ROC(M) certification courses, and various navigation and boat handling courses ranging from $20 to $300+ depending on complexity. Revenue is one-time per certification with the PCOC being valid for life.
2. Annual Membership Dues: $60 per year for primary membership, $30 per year for additional family members. 25% first-year discount available within 60 days of course completion. Members receive 20% discounts on courses and access to partner discounts.
3. Product Sales: E-commerce revenue from 117+ products including course materials, printed manuals, ePub kits, flags, plaques, clothing, and marine accessories. Products range from $5 to $265+.
4. Replacement Cards and Administrative Fees: Revenue from replacement card services ($20 for PCOC, $20 for ROC(M) cards), exam packages, and administrative processing fees.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Canadian Power and Sail Squadrons / Escadrilles canadiennes de plaisance (operating as CanBoat / NautiSavoir) delivers accredited recreational boating education and certification. Core offerings include the Transport Canada-accredited Pleasure Craft Operator Card (PCOC) course, the VHF Maritime Radio ROC(M) certification course, a tiered curriculum of boat handling and navigation courses, and an annual membership program with member discounts and partner benefits.

Product overview

CanBoat / NautiSavoir, operated by Canadian Power and Sail Squadrons / Escadrilles canadiennes de plaisance, is a comprehensive boating education and certification organization offering a portfolio of products centered around recreational boating safety and training. The core offerings include the Transport Canada-accredited Pleasure Craft Operator Card (PCOC) course and the VHF Maritime Radio ROC(M) certification, both legally required for operating boats in Canada. The organization provides a structured course pathway from basic boat handling through advanced navigation (Boating 1-7), supported by printed and ePub manuals, student kits, and supplemental seminars covering topics like weather, celestial navigation, AIS, and chart reading. Membership ($60/year) provides 20% course discounts and access to partner benefits including insurance discounts and marine gear partnerships. Additional offerings include branded merchandise, gift cards, and an interactive community-driven boating destinations map.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Pleasure Craft Operator Card (PCOC) Course Transport Canada-accredited online course and certification required to legally operate a motorized boat in Canada; recognized by the US Coast Guard and NASBLA. The card is valid for life with no renewal fees and priced at $49.95 (tax-free).
• VHF Maritime Radio ROC(M) Certification Course Course leading to the Restricted Operator Certificate (Maritime) with DSC endorsement, required for operating VHF marine radios on Canadian waters. Includes printed manual kit or ePub option.
• Boating Mini-Courses 2-hour online mini-courses covering topics such as docking, tides, and basic boat handling skills for new boaters and those needing a refresher. Prices range from $12 to $160.
• Seamanship and Coastal Navigation Course Advanced course equipping boaters with knowledge for coastal and large-lake journey planning and execution, including offshore passage skills.
• Basic Navigation & Boat Handling Course Comprehensive navigation and boat handling course covering basic to advanced navigation skills for recreational boaters.
• Boating Course Materials, Manuals and ePub Kits Student kits, printed manuals, and ePub digital manuals supporting PCOC, VHF Radio, navigation, weather, and other boating certification topics.
• Boating Seminars (Chart Reading, AIS, Weather, Celestial Navigation) Supplemental seminar offerings covering Chart Reading, AIS, Weather, Tides, and Celestial Navigation topics.
• CanBoat Annual Membership Annual membership ($60/year for primary member, $30/year per additional family member) providing 20% discounts on courses and products, subscription to Canadian Boating Magazine, insurance and marine assistance partner discounts, and access to the national boater community.
• CPS-ECP Branded Merchandise Branded merchandise including flags, plaques, pins, clothing, and decals for members and supporters.
• Salus Marine Wear Products Marine safety wear products including PFDs, life jackets, vests, floatation coats, and suits available with member discounts.

Quantifiable outcome

• PCOC certification valid for life with no annual renewal fees
• +1 more outcomes

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.

• Transport CanadacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOfficial accreditation relationship for PCOC certification. Transport Canada designates CPS-ECP courses as accredited boating education programs meeting Canadian regulatory standards for pleasure craft operator certification.
• National Association of State Boating Law Administrators (NASBLA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOnly Canadian course approved by NASBLA, enabling cross-border recognition of the PCOC certification for American boaters and Canadian boaters operating in US waters.
• United States Coast GuardcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOfficial recognition by USCG makes the PCOC valid for operating boats in US waters, providing seamless cross-border boating certification recognition.
• Cowan Insurance GroupmajorGTM or Marketing PartnerExclusive insurance partnership offering up to 15% discount on boat insurance for members, with additional home and auto insurance savings. Includes 12-month navigation coverage with no lay-up period required and emergency towing.
• C-Tow Marine AssistancemajorGTM or Marketing PartnerMarine assistance provider offering 15% off member packages including towing, fuel delivery, jump starts, fog shepherding, minor on-scene repairs, and soft groundings.
• Carefree Boat ClubminorGTM or Marketing Partner$1,200 savings on Carefree Boat Club 'Cruiser' upgrade level for CanBoat members, providing access to boats up to 30' plus PWC at all Carefree Boat Club locations globally.
• Dock LinksminorGTM or Marketing Partner30% discount on marina dockage, fuel at participating marinas, plus 2000+ discounts from restaurants, clothing providers, and entertainment companies.
• Canadian Boating MagazineminorGTM or Marketing PartnerComplimentary annual subscription to Canadian Boating Magazine included with membership, plus The Port Hole newsletter as insert.
• Icom CanadaminorGTM or Marketing Partner$10-$50 discounts on Icom marine radios including submersible, floating hand-held VHFs with built-in GPS and DSC features.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Royal Yachting Association (RYA): The RYA is the UK national governing body for yachting and boating, offering a structured path of recreational boating certifications internationally recognized. Comparable in mission (boating education and certification) and curriculum depth, but operates at significantly larger scale and broader international scope.

Emerging players

• NauticEd: NauticEd is an international online recreational sailing and boating education and certification platform serving a global audience. Comparable in course catalog (basic to advanced navigation), online delivery, and direct-to-consumer certification model, though without Transport Canada accreditation.

Others

• Canadian Safe Boating Council (CSBC): The CSBC is a Canadian nonprofit umbrella organization promoting boating safety awareness across stakeholders (government, industry, recreational boaters). Not a direct competitor but a peer in the Canadian boating safety ecosystem with overlapping advocacy mission.

Direct peers

• BoatUS Foundation: The BoatUS Foundation is the US nonprofit counterpart to CanBoat, offering free and low-cost boating safety courses and the Boating Safety Education Certificate recognized by individual US states. Directly comparable in mission (boating safety education), nonprofit status, and certification model.
• US Coast Guard Auxiliary: The US Coast Guard Auxiliary is the US federal civilian volunteer boating safety organization offering boating courses, vessel safety checks, and public education. Comparable in mission (boating safety education), volunteer/squadron-based delivery model, and nonprofit structure.
• Kalkomey Enterprises (Boat-Ed.com): Kalkomey operates Boat-Ed.com, the dominant online platform for state-approved boating safety courses in the US. Directly competes with CanBoat on online PCOC-equivalent certification delivery, course modality, and e-commerce-style direct-to-consumer course sales.
• BoatSmart Canada: BoatSmart is a Canadian provider of Transport Canada-approved Pleasure Craft Operator Card courses, competing directly with CanBoat in the same Canadian market, with the same regulatory accreditation, and using a similar online/digital delivery model.
• America's Boating Club: America's Boating Club (formerly US Power Squadrons) is a US nonprofit member organization providing recreational boating education, advanced courses, and squadron-based community programming. Closest structural analog to Canadian Power and Sail Squadrons in both mission and operating model.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCC2nRsNFwwGxVNm8ffgtnLg
• Facebookfacebook.com/CPSboat
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/canadian-power-&-sail-squadrons
• Instagraminstagram.com/canboatnsavoir

Compliance4 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Escadrilles canadiennes de plaisance