Boaters’ Safety Course: Answers to Three Most Frequently Asked Questions

 

Boating is a very popular water sport. Taking a boaters’ safety course to be aware of the basic safety rules about boating will help you and your passengers to stay safe on the water. Emergencies do happen, and you should have a plan ready to deal with whatever crops up. Here are three of the most frequently asked questions, gleaned from websites and other publications, about boaters’ safety course options:

 

Check with the Red Cross or Coast Guard Auxiliary for recognized courses that will teach you all safety techniques and rules. Make sure you have complete knowledge of these rules before taking control of any boat. Even after taking the course, you and all your passengers must always wear a life jacket, because you may not be able to put one on in the middle of an accident or emergency.

 

The only way to find the answer to this one is to find out from public officials, for example your local game and parks commission. In some cases, for example in Nebraska, the boaters’ safety course offered by the state is required of all power boaters under the age of eighteen. Nebraska’s six-hour class covers everything from equipment requirements to safe boat operation and accident prevention.

 

Yes – there are online courses you can take to help you meet the requirements for a boat license, and which can show boaters of all ages how to stay safe on the water. Still, nothing beats hands-on classroom instruction, and the best option is to take the online program as a supplement to a recognized boating course. The vast majority of boating accidents and fatalities involve operators who have never taken a boating safety course.