Boating Course – Three Boating Course Myths That Hamper Your Safety

 

A good boating course, where you learn the basics of navigation, and where you can understand latitude and longitude and how to read nautical charts, is essential for anyone who wants to operate watercraft. There’s so much you need to learn about the tides and currents, and about navigational lights, and other marine topics before you get your boat license. However, there are some myths that keep boaters from doing their duty and getting educated.

 

All kinds of boaters can avail of any of the staggering number of courses available in the U.S., some at minimal cost and many for free. One of the advantages of taking a course is that besides learning all that is necessary to get a boating license or safety documentation, you can get discounts from boat insurance companies. Many boating courses are available online, with self-study manuals and CDs.

 

A number of states now require powerboat operators to take a boating operation course and carry a license or certificate proving successful course completion any time they’re on the water. You should learn the rules of the sea before taking the helm, just as you learned the rules of the road before you sat in the driver’s seat. Studying the fundamentals of boat operation and safety is best done before you take your first trip to the dock or launch ramp.

 

According to Florida statistics, individuals most likely to be operating a vessel involved in an accident are males between the ages of twenty-two and fifty who have one hundred hours or more of boating experience, but no formal boater education. Many boating accidents can be prevented if boaters make safety a priority, which includes taking a safety course before entering the waterways.