About Our Owner:
Patrick M. Kilby
Patrick Kilby has spent more than two decades on Connecticut's waterways — first as a marine patrol officer, then as an maritime investigator, and today as the founder of the state's leading maritime education & consulting company.
As the Owner and Lead Instructor of Current Boating Education, LLC, Patrick brings a rare combination to the classroom and the dock: real, frontline law enforcement experience paired with a genuine passion for teaching people to operate on the water safely and confidently.
He founded Current Boating in 2018 with a simple goal — to give Connecticut boaters an education grounded in what actually happens out on the water, not just what's written in manuals.
On patrol. Patrick currently serves as a 19-year Marine Patrol Officer with a local Police Department, where he patrols local waterways, enforces marine safety laws, and responds to on-water emergencies.
Before that, he served as Chief of Marine Patrol for the Lake Housatonic Authority for fourteen years and as a Marine Patrol Officer for the Candlewood Lake Authority. In addition to his marine law enforcement career, he spent nearly a decade working in state government and the private insurance industry previously, developing a legal background that continues to shape his approach to boating education and investigation today.
In the classroom. A Connecticut DEEP–certified boating instructor for more than fifteen years, Patrick was named the State of Connecticut's Boating Instructor of the Year four years running (2010–2013). He is also a National Safe Boating Council–certified On-Water Boat Control Instructor, and his courses covered everything from first-time certification to advanced operator training — delivered in partnership with local law enforcement and community organizations.
Behind the scenes. Patrick's expertise extends beyond the classroom and into the courtroom. He holds advanced NASBLA certifications in Boating Accident Investigation (Levels 1 and 2) and Boating GPS Forensics, and he's regularly relied on by attorneys, insurance adjusters, and private clients as a subject-matter expert on maritime casualty investigation and accident reconstruction. He has testified in Connecticut Superior Court on multiple boating-related cases.
Off the water, Patrick stays closely involved in his community, previously serving as Chair of his local Inland, Wetland & Watercourses Commission, Charter Revision Committee and prior Board Member appointed by the Governor of the State of Connecticut — one more way he carries a commitment to public safety and stewardship into everyday civic life.
Whether he's teaching a first-time boater the rules of the water, patrolling a Connecticut lake, or helping an attorney understand what really happened in an accident, Patrick brings the same thing to every part of his work: hands-on experience, hard-won credibility, and a genuine care for keeping people safe on the water.
Credentials:
CT DEEP-Certified Boating Instructor (15+ years) · National Safe Boating Council Certified Instructor · NASBLA Boating Accident Investigation, Levels 1 & 2 · NASBLA Boating GPS Forensics · State of Connecticut Boating Instructor of the Year, 2010–2013 · Cornell University Educated in HR & Business Contracts · 2 Time Awardee By Chief of Police For Meritorious Actions On The Water