[Speedwake]

but only a moment ok?

I joke about having a drink in hand when I'm driving the boat, but I'm kidding. Those of you who know me, know I'm pretty safety conscious... No, I don't volunteer for the Coast Guard Auxiliary to give safety inspections, but I always make sure my passengers are safe and know the rules of navigation, can read and understand charts and know alot of weather (getting a Pilot's license helped a lot in the weather department).

I'd like to know what courses folks have taken.

I've taken the USPS basic course and advanced navigation and also took a class in Celestial Navigation where I learned how to use a Sextant, do sun, moon and star sights. It was a great learning experience.

So let's hear about the classes you've taken.

Jeff

 

[OldMagicfloat]

Ok,serious only for a moment.My wife and I took coast guard safety classes. I think it was about a 8 week class and was pretty interesting. I still can't tie a knot worth a damn.I beleive it also qualified us for about a 10 percent discount on our insurance.

JEFF Quote:
I joke about having a drink in hand when I'm driving the boat, but I'm kidding.

(1boatnut)Call me a prude,but I do not drink when I am driving the boat.
I only drink when driving my car,it's safer

Jeff: Quote
I learned how to use a Sextant, moon . It was a great learning experience.

(1boatnut)I like to think I already know the sex thingy your talking about,and I'm 1 hell of a mooner too!!!!!!!
:laugher:

Don't wanna get to serious,I could hurt someone-even me

 

[insptech]

USPS basic course.

Also certified as a MD safe boating instructor. Prepping for my six pack but I keep putting it off.

My wife and 12 year old son have also passed the MD boating course.

I don't drink on the boat till the fridge opens:laugher: No, seriously not while underway or if I have to leave where I'm at.

I do drink like a fish while operating the Sea Doo though, just so I can keep up the bad reputation of PWC operators

 

[Red Stripe]

Somebody say six pack

 

[laster]

I took the USPS basic course followed by Seamanship, Piloting and Advanced Piloting. The last course was something like 11 weeks and I spent more time working on charting. Good thing I had a good supply of erasers - damn it's easy to make one small mistake on a plotting exercise and not notice it until eight steps later when your plot runs up on land. Erasse the last eight legs and start over and after just 30 minutes to an hour you are right where you should have been earlier. After that I decided that I had had enough courses so I started teaching the public safety course. I meet a lot of nice people that way and (I hope) get them started on their way to a safe boating future. BTW, I get my insurance through the Power Squadron and it was 200.00 lower than the nest best quote.

 

[Scarab3DMC]

POWER SQUARDRIN...26 YEARS OF ON WATER TIME!!

 

[Stuchamp]

Sorry, I have never attended any boating type classes. But does 45 years experience on the "Ole Miss" count ?
I also have read many books on the subject, Chapmans, etc.
If I was boating on the coasts or Great Lakes, I would definately need more instruction.
I was taught at a very young age that safety is rule #1, always.
After that the other rules will easily fall into place, plus some common sense will go a long ways.
I do allow drinking on the boat, but if you drink, you don't drive or ski. Since I don't get to drink anymore (none since '84), I almost always drive. Man, am I thirsty!

I do think taking courses is an excellant idea, especially for people who are new to boating and never have been on the water much before.

 

[P5NAV]

USCG "Boating Safety & Seamanship" way back when;
went ahead and got the 50 ton Master's License a couple of years ago.

If anybody is thinking about the "six-pack" license - when I took my class, there wasn't much difference between the six-pack and the master - a couple extra questions in two of the test sections.
The test "methods" have changed since then, this may not be the case anymore.

 

[Aggressor Tom]

I have been driving performance boats since I was 14 (the old man's 426 hemi in the Sanger flatbottom) and have had a half dozen boats myself. I decided to take the Power Squadron boaters safety course this pass winter. I learned a hell of a lot, especially the fact that I still have a lot to learn.

Jeff, I'm glad to see you make the comment about your view on driving and drinking, I almost had my doubts before, keep up the smart boating promotions. I don't know about the Chesapeake, but here in Michigan we have more than our share of stupidity accidents.

 

[Red Stripe]

I don't know about the Chesapeake, but here in Michigan we have more than our share of stupidity accidents.

Thats for sure!!

 

[obnoxus]

I took a boating safety class once,,, but I was so drunk I slept through it !!!!

 

[obnoxus]

And for those of you with no sence of humor,,,, yes I was kidding,,, actually we don't drink on the boat at all...... I drive crazy enough with boatnut as it is without adding alcohol to the mix !!!