That's a good question. After getting bored I stopped bothering about
boats but I am sure they have a max meter, I just don't think you gain
anything. Others who concern themselves over 100% will probably say it
is needed for that.  You can find odd boats earl on by flying or
swimming near the coast of land masses but they tend to be close
enough so that once you have jumped on one it will trigger stars
unless you have opened the land mass or have no stars. I am sure like
the others you'll ramp up as you drive. I used to use a boat for
gathering oysters til I realised it was better to get them all done
while swimming as it helps build your strength and I am sure it ramped
up quickly. anyway...

From Gamefaqs...

4.  Boat School
   Starting Point: Bayside Marina
   Difficulty: Varies
   Just over the Gant Bridge from San Fiero lies the Bayside Marinia,
home to
   the boating school.  Like the driving school, this consists of
various
   skills that need to be completed at a certain level to pass.
Again, bronze
   is all that is required, but the better medals produce better
spawning
   vehicles here at the docks.

   Basic Seamanship - Difficulty: 1/10
   Go forward, then stop.  There's probably the correct time to lay
off the
   gas and hit the brake for the gold, but I don't know it.  I don't
know if
   stopping directly in the middle gets gold, or doing it fast.

   Plot a course - Difficulty: 2/10
   Go through the buoys, and do it fast.  Don't hit the buoys.  And
don't
   oversteer - use your radar.  Once the symbol is pointing almost
where you
   need to go, quit turning.  The camera angle will throw you off,
but this
   worked better for me than anything.  First person might also help.

   Fresh Slalom - Difficutly: 2/10
   Same as previous lesson, but with a different boat.  I found this
one
   easier to pilot.

   Flying Fish - Difficulty: 2/10
   Hit the ramp straight and as fast as you can.  Pull back on the
stick when
   you hit the ramp for extra air.  Push down after the apex of the
jump to
   glide forward, and if the nose touches first, it's a little extra
distance.

   Land, Sea, and Air - Difficulty: 2/10
   Same as the two course missions above, but with a few jumps.

On Oct 8, 7:56 pm, "Buckaroo Banzai"
<blisteringlogicREMOVETORE...@yahoo.com> wrote:

Have a look in the stats to see if boat skill is listed along with
driving/cycling/bike/pilot skills.  I don't remember seeing it or a
"boating skill upgraded, you can now chew gum and sail in a straight
line" message.

As far as missions go, I think the only one where you have to travel
fast over water is in the hovercraft near the end.  Boat school is
good prep for that but not mandatory.

Now I'm haunted by the feeling that you've done 100% seven times and
I'm teaching my Grandmother to suck eggs.

Laters, innit.