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The About Boating Safely program is presented by the Coast Guard Auxiliary, America's Volunteer Lifesavers. Maximize your knowledge and your family's safety.
Cost is only $25 for materials.
Program begins 7:30 a.m. and ends 5:00 p.m.
Captain's Club
13363 Beach Blvd.
Benefits of this program:
-Meets Florida legal requirements for boater education.
-Most insurance companies offer discounts to program graduates.
-Meet your fellow boaters.
-Have more fun on the water and have it safely.
TOPICS INCLUDE
- Introduction to Boating –
Types of power boats; sailboats; outboards; paddle boats; houseboats;
different uses of boats; various power boating engines; jet drives;
family boating basics.
- Boating Law –
Boat registration; boating regulation; hull identification number;
required boat safety equipment; operating safely and reporting
accidents; protecting the marine environment; Federal boat law; state
boating laws; personal watercraft requirements.
- Boat Safety Equipment –Personal
flotation devices ("life jackets"); fire extinguishers; sound-producing
devices; visual-distress signals; dock lines and rope; first aid kit;
anchors and anchor lines; other boating safety equipment.
- Safe Boating –
Bow riding; alcohol and drug abuse; entering, loading, and trimming a
boat; fueling portable and permanent tanks; steering with a tiller and a
wheel; docking, undocking and mooring; knots; filing a float plan;
checking equipment, fuel, weather and tides; using charts; choosing and
using an anchor; safe PWC handling; general water safety.
- Navigation –
The U.S. Aids to Navigation system; types of buoys and beacons;
navigation rules (sometimes referred to as right-of-way rules); avoiding
collisions; sound signals; PWC "tunnel vision."
- Boating Problems –
Hypothermia; boating accidents and rescues; man overboard recovery;
capsizing; running aground; river hazards; strainers: emergency radio
calls; engine problems; equipment failures; carbon monoxide (CO); other
boating and PWC problems.
- Trailering, Storing and
Protecting Your Boat –
Types of trailers; trailer brakes, lights, hitches, tires, and bearings;
loading, balancing, and towing a trailer; towing (and backing) a
trailer; boat launching and retrieving; boat storage and theft
protection; launching, retrieving and storing a PWC.
- Hunting and Fishing,
Water-skiing and River Boating –
Carrying hunting gear and weapons in a boat; fishing from a boat;
water-skiing safety guidelines and hand signals; water-skiing with a
PWC; navigating rivers, and other boating tips.
To print a Registration Form, click HERE
Boaters…Save a Life - Yours!
Education, Planning, Preparation, and Life Jackets Save Lives.
The media has been saturated with the gripping story of four athletes who went fishing off Clearwater, Florida last week. National Football League players Victor "Marquis" Cooper and Cory Smith along with former University of South Florida football players Will Bleakley and Nick Schuyler were thrown into the sea when their boat capsized. Schuyler was rescued and is recuperating from the effects of exposure. These men set off confident in their knowledge and skill, but were overpowered by nature. The tragic result of an enjoyable outing of four friends reminds us all to take proper care when setting out upon the waters.
According to the Center for Disease Control, the number of people who die in recreational boating accidents each year is about the same as those who perish in general aviation accidents. There is a high perception of the potential dangers inherent in aviation, while boating is thought to be relatively safe. In most places a person with no boating experience can rent a boat and take to the high seas - no questions asked. The same is not true for operating an airplane or even an automobile.
Most boating accidents are preventable. It starts by everyone on a boat wearing a properly fitting U.S. Coast Guard approved life jacket. Wearing a life jacket will keep you afloat and help delay the effects of hypothermia. LIFE JACKETS SAVE LIVES. Education, planning and preparation are also vital to a successful boating outing.
Education: Whether your state requires boater education or not, the U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary urges that every boater takes a Boater Education class. Just like an automobile or an airplane, operating a boat requires more than just throttling up or setting a sail and getting underway. There are navigation rules, weather considerations, knowing how to respond to a person overboard, knowing how to place a distress call and knowing how to respond when you are physically unable among other bits of knowledge. EDUCATED BOATERS SAVE LIVES; take a boating safety class.
Preparation and Planning: Have your boat checked out to make sure it complies with applicable Federal and State regulations for boats. These checks conducted by the Coast Guard Auxiliary help make sure that you have needed safety equipment on your boat. SAFE BOATS SAVE LIVES; get a Vessel Safety Check.
File a Float Plan (www.floatplancentral.org) with a friend or other relative. Make sure they know where you plan on boating and when you plan on returning. They also need to know who to call if you do not return at the indicated time.
Make sure you have effective communications for your boating outing. A marine band VHF-FM radio can be extremely valuable, but has limited range. Additionally, cell phones become less effective the further you are from shore and may receive no signal at all beyond 15-20 miles.
Take a lesson from the Boy Scouts - Be Prepared for sudden and dramatic changes in weather whether you are couple of miles offshore or twenty miles away from land. It is common for fog to develop or strong winds to start blowing. Listen to weather forecasts before you go and on your VHF-FM marine radio while underway. Many times, weather near shore is significantly calmer than weather offshore and knowing the forecast for your intended destination can help you decide whether to leave the dock, stay in more protected areas or even stay at home.
What if you do end up in the water unintentionally? If you are wearing your life jacket you're half way there. If the boat does capsize, keep everyone together and stay with the boat. Electronic Position Indicating Radio Beacons (EPIRB's) and Personal Position Indicating Radio Beacon or PPIRB's are life savers. PPIRB's are attached to your lifejacket. We'll call them all EPIRB's from now on. When an EPIRB gets activated, it sends a signal to the Coast Guard telling us you are in distress and providing your exact location.
Flares, mirrors, strobe lights, whistles, and other signaling devices allow rescuers to quickly locate people who are already in the water and need help. The Coast Guard will search at night as well as during daylight and anything that will make you more visible significantly aids your ability to be detected.
Always wear a life jacket!
Webpage was modified:
01/24/12
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