Boating Safely
is a eight-hour, eight-chapter course designed to appeal to hunters,
anglers, personal watercraft operators and other boaters who cannot
find time for a full, comprehensive course. Boating Safely was
developed by the U. S. Coast Guard Auxiliary in cooperation with the
U. S. Power Squadrons and is approved by the National
Association of State Boating Law Administrators (NASBLA).
Topics
include:
INTRODUCTION TO
BOATING -- types of boats; different uses of boats; outboard,
stern-drive, and inboard engines; jet drives.
BOATING LAWS --
boat registration; hull identification number; required safety
equipment; operating safely and reporting accidents; protecting the
marine environment; boating laws and PWCs.
PERSONAL SAFETY
EQUIPMENT -- personal flotation devices ("life
jackets"); fire extinguishers; sound-producing devices;
visual-distress signals; first aid kit; anchor; safety equipment and
PWC.
SAFE BOAT HANDLING
-- bow riding; substance abuse; entering, loading, and trimming a
boat; fueling portable and permanent tanks; steering with a tiller and
a wheel; docking and mooring; knots; filing a float plan; checking
equipment, fuel, weather, and tide; using charts; choosing and using
an anchor; safe PWC handling.
NAVIGATION -- the
U.S. Aids to Navigation system; types of buoys and beacons; navigation
rules; avoiding collisions; sound signals; PWX "tunnel
vision."
BOATING PROBLEMS
-- hypothermia; boating accidents and rescues; capsizing; running
aground; emergency radio calls; engine problems; boating problems and
PWC.
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,
WATERSKIING, AND RIVER BOATING -- carrying hunting gear and
weapons in a boat; fishing from a boat; waterskiing safety guidelines
and hand signals; waterskiing with a PWC; navigating rivers.
Many insurance companies
will offer discounts on boat insurance to individuals who successfully
complete this course.
Individuals who
successfully complete the course and exam are awarded certificates and
cards.
