Marco Island’s U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary Flotilla 9-5 Boating Safety Course

Submitted

‘It’s time to develop or refresh your safe boating skills.

The Marco Island U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary will be holding the “Boating Skills & Seamanship” four week – eight session course beginning on Monday, July 6. The course includes information about equipment for your boat, handling your boat, rules of the road, weather, course navigation, knots, Florida boating law and more. In addition, the Marco Island Flotilla tailors the course to address the nuances of the Marco Island waters.

Educating the boating public on recreational boating safety as a means of “preventative search and rescue” has been one

of the U. S. Coast Guard Auxiliary’s cornerstone missions since its inception seventy-six years ago.

In 1939, Congress created the Auxiliary as the civilian, nonmilitary component of the U.S. Coast Guard. Penned “America’s Volunteer Lifesavers,” the nearly 30,000 men and women members teach boating safety in classrooms across the United States. They also perform search and rescue, assist boaters in distress, conduct safety examinations of recreational vessels, and assist the active duty Coast Guard in virtually all their missions, except direct law enforcement and military actions.

Although the mission of the Auxiliary has broadened over the years, teaching

boating safety has always been one of its strengths. In January 1948, the Auxiliary’s public education program was launched when it offered free public instruction at the National Motor Boat Show held in New York City’s Grand Central Palace. Boaters responded with enthusiasm.

In January 1950, the Auxiliary initiated an eight lesson “Basic Seamanship” course. By the mid- 1950s more than thirty- thousand men and women had taken an Auxiliary boating course. In 1972, a new “Boating Safety and Seamanship” course was expanded to 12 lessons. Within four weeks of its release, 20,000 copies of the new

materials had been requested.

The main core of boating and safety courses include the advanced level powerboat course, “Boating Skills and Seamanship.” Many of the Auxiliary safety courses are approved by the National Association of State Boating Law Administrators (NASBLA) and the U.S. Coast Guard. Also, insurance companies recognize the value of boating safety education, and many provide lifetime discounts for passing a NASBLA approved boating course.

For more information about the Marco Island U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary classes, or to enroll in this course, contact Joe Riccio at flotilla95swope@gmail.com or call (239) 384-7416.