BOAT TOUR FIELD GUIDE
Edge of the Boat: Mastering Maritime Rescue Swimmer Operations off New Jersey
A focused, four-day Maritime Rescue Swimmer course for fire, water-SAR, dive and boat teams taught by instructors with real-world rescue-swimmer and maritime special-operations experience.
Edge of the Boat: Mastering Maritime Rescue Swimmer Operations off New Jersey.
This Maritime Rescue Swimmer course trains fire, water search-and-rescue, dive and boat crews in the specific skills of deploying and recovering a swimmer from small rescue craft in open water. The curriculum emphasizes the unique dynamics of boat-to-water deployment and recovery—techniques that differ from inland swiftwater rescue—and is led by instructors with rare, real-world maritime rescue experience.
Highlights
Course Highlights
Boat-to-Water Deployment & Recovery
The course focuses on the discipline of deploying a rescue swimmer from a small craft, with or without a tending line, and safely recovering both swimmer and survivor to the rescue craft—a set of techniques distinct from swiftwater rescue.
Real-World Rescue Swimmer Experience
Instruction is delivered by practitioners who have operated as Coast Guard rescue swimmers and in maritime special-operations, bringing operational lessons learned in both military and civilian rescue contexts.
Open-Water Sites on the Jersey Shore and Rivers
Courses run on New Jersey coastal and riverine settings—Northern and Central Jersey Shore venues and the Navesink River—so trainees practice in the mixed conditions they’ll encounter operationally.
What the day feels like
How the four-day course unfolds
Over four days, teams cycle between classroom briefings and on-water evolutions that simulate real maritime rescue scenarios. Trainees work from rescue craft to deploy swimmers, practice tending-line and free-swimmer techniques, and execute coordinated recoveries—building crew coordination, coxswain skills and swimmer craft-handling under the guidance of experienced instructors.
THE DISCIPLINE
Boat-to-Water Deployment & Recovery
The course focuses on the discipline of deploying a rescue swimmer from a small craft, with or without a tending line, and safely recovering both swimmer and survivor to the rescue craft—a set of techniques distinct from swiftwater rescue.
THE INSTRUCTORS
Real-World Rescue Swimmer Experience
Instruction is delivered by practitioners who have operated as Coast Guard rescue swimmers and in maritime special-operations, bringing operational lessons learned in both military and civilian rescue contexts.
THE GROUND
Open-Water Sites on the Jersey Shore and Rivers
Courses run on New Jersey coastal and riverine settings—Northern and Central Jersey Shore venues and the Navesink River—so trainees practice in the mixed conditions they’ll encounter operationally.
Suitability
Who it's for
Who this course is for—and who it isn’t.
Practical planner
Details to review before reserving
Participants and agencies should provide their own rescue craft and swim fins; come prepared with any agency-specific on-water equipment you routinely use.
If your agency works with helicopters, the course can address helicopter-related rescue considerations in addition to boat-based techniques.
If you have a preferred location for training, contact the operator to confirm the site is appropriate for maritime rescue swimmer work.
Review cancellation policies before reserving.
Frequently asked questions
Planning Your Outing
How long is the course?
The Professional Rescue Swimmer course is a four-day training program.
What does the course cost per person?
The course costs $699 USD per person.
Who is this training intended for?
The course is intended for fire rescue teams, water SAR teams, dive teams, boat crews and other professional rescue personnel seeking maritime swimmer deployment and recovery skills.
Are there age or other participation restrictions?
Participants must be 18 or older; agencies should have access to a rescue craft and swim fins for trainees to use.
Can the course cover helicopter rescue operations?
Yes—if an agency works with helicopters, the course can include helicopter-related training as part of the curriculum.
Where are courses held?
Courses are run on the Northern Jersey Shore, Central Jersey Shore and the Navesink River; operators can research and confirm alternative locations if you have a preferred site.
Who teaches the course?
The program is delivered by instructors with operational maritime rescue experience, including a designer who is a former Coast Guard helicopter rescue swimmer and Army Special Forces maritime operations team member.