Community Corner

Coast Guard Safe Boating Class Set for Feb. 8

Need to take the state's boating safety course? The Branford Flotilla will host its next session on Saturday, Feb. 8.

The following is a press release from the United States Coast Guard Auxiliary Flotilla 24-01 in Branford.

United States Coast Guard Auxiliary Flotilla 24-01, Branford, Connecticut, will teach the safe boating course required to obtain a state Boating/Personal Watercraft Operator certificate on Saturday, February 8, from 8 am to 6 pm at its Training Center located at 99 Indian Neck Avenue, Branford.

PRE-REGISTRATION IS REQUIRED. No walk-ins permitted. There are no age restrictions for this class. The cost for the About Boating Safely course is $65 per person and includes Danish and coffee, soft drinks, snacks and lunch for those who sign up.  The cost includes all materials needed to attend and complete the course. A proctored exam follows full completion of the course. Certificates for passing scores will be delivered on site after testing is complete.

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Please go to our website,  HYPERLINK "http://a0142401.uscgaux.info/" coastguardauxiliary.com for the registration form: Click on “Click to enter,” then “Boating Class,”then “About Boating Safely Course (ABSC)”, then “Class Schedule.” Scroll down to “Printable Application” and click there. You’ll be taken to the registration form. Print out the form, complete it in full and mail with check for $65 per person, made payable to Flotilla 17-01 Inc. to Branford Flotilla 17-01, Inc., P.O. Box 916, Branford, CT 06405.

You will need to obtain your Conservation ID number from DEEP before taking the class. This may be done online by visiting https://www.ct.wildlifelicense.com/InternetSales/Sales , where you should follow the onscreen instructions to apply for your Online Sportsmen License.

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SAFE BOATING 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 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.

For more information, please call Mark Haines, Public Education Officer, at 203-488-5349, or email him at boater1701@comcast.net, or leave a message with your name and return phone number at 203-488-5349. 

One of our staff members will return your call. Free parking is located in the Indian Neck School parking lot adjacent to the VFW building at 12 Melrose Avenue. where you may walk through via a sidewalk to 99 Indian Neck Avenue and our Training Center. Directions to our Training Center are also on our website coastguardauxciliary.com


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