In Oregon you can get the certification with an on-line course and exam. As a sailor with many years experience I found:

1. It took about 1 hour. It's open book so you can have a browser open to the course and another to the exam.
2. Most of the questions were easily answered except several on boat trailers, their weight classes and hitch requirements.
3. I learned a few useful things.

I think it is a good program. Now if some dirt-ball blows through the anchorage at speed they can't claim ignorance about the 200 foot rule. They are still a dirt-ball but at least they have no excuse.