Blogs – Boater's Secret Weapon

KYMA Boats Review

KYMA Boats Review: My Experience and Why I’m Being Careful About What I Share If you’re searching for a KYMA Boats review, you may be looking for firsthand information from someone who has actually dealt with the company. I have. (I’ve also created a video review of KYMA Boats but have been advised not to […]

Mistakes New Boat Owners Make

The Truth About Capt. Matt & Boat Buyer’s Secret Weapon

What Your Boat Salesman Won’t Tell Your About New Pontoons (and Tritoons)

What Your Boat Salesman Won’t Tell You About New Boats

The Boat Buyer’s Academy and Magic Money Saving Method for buying the perfect boat at the absolute best price without the confusion, overwhelm and frustration most experience. And, discover the 7-Savvy Steps to buying your perfect new or used boat and ensure you don’t pay too much. Click here to enroll in The Boat Buyer’s Academy […]

All You Need to Know About Jet Boats (Yamaha, Scarab & Vortex by Chaparral) Which One Is the Best?

Enroll Today In The Boat Buyer’s Academy And Get The ‘Magic Money Saving Method” For Free To Ensure You Don’t Over Pay For Your Perfect Boat.

How to Buy a Used Center Console for Sale WITHOUT Getting Ripped Off by Boat Dealer or Private Seller

Common Problems with Tri-Toon Pontoon Boats for Sale

How to Buy a Used Cruiser (24′ to 50′) for Sale without Getting Ripped Off

Researching used cruisers for sale? Then you need to watch this video before buying your next used boat.

Avoid These Boating Scams When Buying a New or Used Boat

If you are buying a used boat and want to verify the history of it based on the Hull Identification Number (HIN), this is the provider that has access to the most complete data in the industry. Click here to get a special offer from our preferred provider of boat history reports.

Tony Bruno

I had a hell of a time trying to doc my pontoon in a tight slip. Watched Captian Matt’s video a few times and boom! Now it’s easy. Thanks Captian Matt!

Timothy Schertz

Captain Matt, I hope you and the family are doing well and on the water as much as possible! I just wanted to say that I greatly appreciate your passion for boating and willingness to share your expertise with the world! My family got into boating about 6 years ago when I inherited my Grandfather's fishing boat. I grew up enjoying lake time with family friends so was "novice" when it came to vessel operation. Since then we purchased a 24' bowrider and have not looked back. We have a slip and boat lift at Clinton Lake in Illinois. It has a nice remodeled Marina with a restaurant, 6 docks (~12-25 slips each), curtesy slips, and a fuel dock. I took a boater safety course and subsequently my wife and both children did as well (16 and 14 years old). I also wanted to share that I received my IDNR (Illinois Department of Natural Resources) Boater Safety Instructor certification!! I am super excited to share boating safety and vessel operation skills with anyone I can. Our Family's passion for boating and your videos made it clear that I wanted to contribute to safe boating so thank you! Who knows, maybe someday we will meet on the water...."life is better on the water"! Best Regards, Tim Schertz

Beth Terry

Captain Matt was a lifesaver. I needed to buy a boat but knew nothing about it. He walked me through the type of boat I should get and what to watch out for. I sent him several boats I was thinking of purchasing and he put together incredible videos showing me what was wrong or right with each boat. He also helped us determine how much to offer. I would recommend him 1000 times!!!

Simon

Great material. Matt knows his stuff.

chris jordan

I thank Captain Matt for the classes. I have actually tested some of your docking tips. I picked up my new boat on 3/22 and launched at Lake Ray Hubbard. Because of the tips, I was prepared to dock my boat in a windy situation. Not that I would ever boat again in a 15-mph-hour day, but having the knowledge in my back pocket was a game changer. My wife thought I owned a boat before, lol.

Dan Lazzaro

Excellent program! Even with over 45 years of exposure to boating, I still learned some neat tricks from the handful of videos that I have gotten through so far. Thank you Capt. Matt for sharing your passion of boating!

Rob Kaufmann

I've been boating for over 50 years. The videos are not only perfect for new boat owners, but they highlight and reinforce concepts that are essential to safe, pleasurable boating. The theory and application of the "Pivot" was also a great aid to first time boaters and veterans alike . Definitely Worth your investment in time and money.

Larry Oreskes

We recently bought a lake house and are fairly new boaters. My wife and I took Captain Matts Best Boat Captain course and could not be happier. 100% worth it if you want to be more comfortable driving the boat in both open water and docking/operating in tight spaces.

Ed Pomeroy

It’s an older boat, probably 15 years old built here in Belize. It’s a Pelican 31’ with twin Yamaha 200’s 2-cycle engines. I really didn’t need nor want a boat this size, but I got a fantastic deal on it as it came with the house we purchased here in Belize. Engines are only a year old with 25 hours on them, I’ve put another 10 on them this week getting familiar with the boat. Here in Belize all motorized watercraft require a Captains license to operate, so I took the written test got my Apprentice license, now have to wait 6 months and log 20 hours of time with a captain then sit for a driving test to get my Captains license.

Donald Dunn

I went from a novice first time boat owner to a captain with some confidence. I have a ways to go but I’m excited for this summer!

Ron Naples

recommends

Captain Matt is enjoyable to listen too and full of knowledge

Owner's reply
Thanks Ron, Appreciate the review!

Seth Lederman

I found Boater’s Secret Weapon after a docking collision that was humbling, educational, and let’s just say… memorable. 😅 My confidence took a hit, so instead of crossing my fingers and hoping for the best next time, I decided to actually learn how to dock properly. Best decision I could have made. I joined specifically to improve my docking and close quarters handling, and the training absolutely delivered. Captain Matt and Captain Eddie break everything down in a clear, practical way that actually sticks. No complicated theory, just real world techniques you can use immediately. Before this program, docking felt like a performance sport with an audience I did not ask for. After the training, it feels calm, controlled, and (dare I say) almost boring, which is exactly how docking should be. My confidence on the water has gone way up, and I now approach tight marinas without breaking into a sweat. If you’re new to boating, or even experienced but tired of white knuckles at the dock, this program is worth every penny. Highly recommend to anyone who prefers smooth landings over “learning experiences.” Thanks again for the fantastic training.

Owner's reply
Seth Lederman - So glad you found us and appreciate the awesome review!

Kevin Hargreaves

I joined Boater’s Secret Weapon thinking I’d pick up a few tips… and instead I accidentally leveled up from “guy who owns a boat” to “person who looks like he knows what they’re doing.” Before this program, docking felt like defusing a bomb in front of a live audience. Now it’s more like… parallel parking with confidence and fewer witnesses. The lessons are clear, practical, and don’t assume you grew up captaining a naval fleet. If you’re a newer boater and want to skip the “learn everything the hard way” phase (and avoid becoming the entertainment at the marina), this program is absolutely worth it. The training is straightforward, practical, and actually fun — no fluff, no ego, just useful knowledge delivered in a way that sticks. It’s like having a calm, experienced captain in your pocket instead of ten conflicting opinions from the dock peanut gallery. Bonus: my stress level dropped, my confidence went up, and my neighbors no longer pretend they “need to check on something inside” when they see me approach the dock. 10/10 — would recommend to anyone who prefers smooth landings over viral YouTube moments.

Owner's reply
Kevin Hargreaves - appreciate the amazing review!

Captain Matt, I hope you and the family are doing well and on the water as much as possible! I just wanted to say that I greatly appreciate your passion for boating and willingness to share your expertise with the world! My family got into boating several years ago when I inherited my Grandfather's fishing boat. I grew up enjoying lake time with family friends, however, was "novice" when it came to vessel operation. Since then we purchased a 24' bowrider and have not looked back. We have a slip and boat lift at Clinton Lake in Illinois. It has a nice remodeled Marina with a restaurant, 6 docks (~12-25 slips each), curtesy slips, and a fuel dock. I took a boater safety course and subsequently my wife and both children did as well (16 and 14 years old). I also wanted to share that I received my IDNR (Illinois Department of Natural Resources) Boater Safety Instructor certification!! I am super excited to share boating safety and vessel operation skills with anyone I can. Our passion for boating and your videos made it clear that I wanted to contribute to safe boating so thank you! Who knows, maybe someday we will meet on the water...."life is better on the water"! Best Regards, Tim Schertz

Owner's reply
I love it, thanks for the kind words Timothy!

Captain Matt was a lifesaver. I needed to buy a boat but knew nothing about it. He walked me through the type of boat I should get and what to watch out for. I sent him several boats I was thinking of

Owner's reply
Awesome, thanks Beth. Hope you and your husband have a fantastic summer on the water!

If you are thinking about taking the Best Boat Captain or any other of Captain Matts courses just do it. 100% worth it. A must have for any new boater, or for any boater who just wants to feel more comfortable on the water and in tight spaces.

Owner's reply
@Larry Oreskes, thank for the 5-star review!

David Pouliot

Boaters Secret Weapon is a must have for any new boat owner. I have been renting boats for family vacations for over 25 years. After I bought my 1st boat 2 years ago, I bought this program, and it was a game changer for me. I never felt as much in control as I did after taking the Boaters Secret Weapon training program. I recommended this training to others, both new boat owners and experienced boating veterans, and all of them thought it was great training. We trailer our boat, so after taking the Boaters Secret Weapon training I purchased the Trailering Like A Pro training and it was equally as good.

Owner's reply
David, Thank you so much for the amazing review and referrals

Ricky Theriault

Amazing course content and passion from Captain Matt! Learned everything I needed to know while stepping out onto my first boating adventures and felt a lot more confident! He is very responsive and you can tell cares deeply about making sure everyone has a fun and safe day on the water. Couldn't recommend his teachings more!

Owner's reply
Ricky Theriault - thanks for the amazing review, very much appreciated! Here's to some boating weather soon!

Jace Mouse

Matt not only has great experience in his courses, but he also went above and beyond to answer the specific questions I had.

Owner's reply
Thanks for sharing your experience!

The Connecticut River

Great "How To" anything boat related. Really helped me the first two years of boating.

Owner's reply
The Connecticut River, thanks for the review!

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