The United States Power Squadrons received the 2015 National Association of State Boating Law Administrators (NASBLA) Innovations Award, sponsored by Boat Ed, at the 2015 Annual NASBLA Conference in Wichita, Kansas. The NASBLA Innovations Award is presented annually to the program or initiative that demonstrates the highest level of innovation leading to advances in boating safety.

The Innovations initiative was established to bring greater visibility to exemplary state, corporate or public-private partnership programs and to encourage the sharing of these initiatives with other agencies and recreational boating safety stakeholders.

United States Power Squadrons received the 2015 NASBLA Innovations Award for its development of the Boating Skills Virtual Trainer (BSVT), the industry's premier interactive simulation-based boating skills program and powerful instructional tool. The BSVT is a simulation training unit with advanced water physics modeling developed by USPS and Virtual Driver Interactive (VDI) and produced under a grant from the Sport Fish Restoration and Boating Trust Fund, administered by the U.S. Coast Guard. Supporting partners include Canadian Power Squadrons (Escadrilles canadiennes de plaisance), Brunswick Marine Corporation, BoatUS Foundation, Mercury Marine, Boston Whaler and the National Safe Boating Council.

The BSVT simulates on-the-water training in a series of life-like virtual boat handling lessons incorporating the real physics of boating on the water; it is modeled based on a 21-foot open motorboat operating on an interactive lake that takes into account human and environmental factors such as operating speed and weather conditions. The program features include navigation aids, a variety of boating exercises in day or night scenarios and a full marina for practicing close quarters maneuvering and docking. The simulator is versatile and adaptable with the ability for instructors to present a variety of boating education topics, accommodate varying competency levels and incorporate up-to-date national recreational boating education and safety standards as they emerge.

This training program is designed to be fully portable to expand its impact nationwide and has provided a powerful tool in boating education using the first training simulator of its kind for the recreational boater and one that provides experiential learning and promotes situational awareness without the inherent risks associated with live on-water training.

About United States Power Squadrons
United States Power Squadrons is a national nonprofit, educational, and recreational boating organization founded in 1914 and is recognized as a 501(c)3 tax-exempt organization by the Internal Revenue Service. The primary mission of USPS is to promote recreational boating skills and boating safety through education, hands-on training and service to the national boating community. The United States Power Squadrons carries out its mission through its members, who serve in volunteer positions throughout the organization, with logistical support from its Raleigh, N.C., headquarters. To learn more about the United States Power Squadrons, visit www.usps.org

About NASBLA
The National Association of State Boating Law Administrators is a national nonprofit organization that works to develop public policy for recreational boating safety. NASBLA represents the recreational boating authorities of all 50 states and the U.S. territories. NASBLA offers a variety of resources, including training, model acts, education standards and publications. Through a national network of thousands of professional educators, law enforcement officers and volunteers, the organization affects the lives of over 76 million American boaters. To learn more about how NASBLA continues to make the waterways safe, secure and enjoyable, visit www.nasbla.org.

About Virtual Driver Interactive, Inc.
Virtual Driver Interactive is well known for its innovative simulation-based training. From training corporate fleets to new teen drivers, VDI delivers effective training. VDI offers highly portable, affordable and effective solutions. Titles include Virtual HD® (Virtual Hazard Detection), designed specifically for corporate fleets; One Simple Decision®, a deterrent to distracted or impaired driving; Virtual DE™ (Virtual Driving Essentials), a driver training and assessment program teaching critical skills; and Boating Skills VT™ (Boating Skills Virtual Trainer), industry's leading simulation-based boating safety program. VDI is a privately-held company headquartered in El Dorado Hills, California. For more information, please visit www.driverinteractive.com.