The Gainesville Sail and Power
Squadron is offering the “America's
Boating Course” 3rd Edition, at Gainesville High
School. This is the basic safety boating course designed to
promote safe boat handling in our waterways. Certificates
are awarded upon completion and valid nationally.
If you
are interested in an exciting, in-depth boating safety course, check
out America's Boating Course by the United States Power Squadrons.
Recognized by the National Association of State
Boating Law Administrators, which satisfies the
mandatory state requirements for cited violators and under 21 skippers.
It’s
a great start to getting underway. Many boat insurance
companies will
offer discounts on boating insurance to boaters who successfully
complete America's boating Course. And, this boating
class
will give you the knowledge needed to obtain a boat license or safety
certification in many states.
Florida Law:
Anyone born on or after January 1, 1988 who
operates a vessel powered by 10 horsepower or more must pass an
approved boater safety course and
have in his/her possession photographic identification and a
boating safety education
identification card issued by the Florida Fish and Wildlife
Conservation Commission.
The boat and water safety
course 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 (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.
