Coast Guard Auxiliary offers boating skills class

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The Martha’s Vineyard Detachment of the Coast Guard Auxiliary will offer a 10-week Boating Skills and Seamanship (BS&S) course. The course will begin Wednesday, March 7, and meet weekly from 6 to 8 pm through May 16 at the Martha’s Vineyard Regional High School.

This in-depth course will cover applicable topics and techniques of value to recreational boaters to foster safe boating on nearshore waters, according to a press release. The detailed subject matter will include: choosing a boat; equipping a boat; legal considerations; trailering a boat; boat handling; aids to navigation; navigation rules; nautical charts and basic piloting; powering a boat; knots and lines; weather; marine radio; and safety issues.

The course is approved by the Massachusetts Environmental Police. Upon satisfactory completion of the course, youths 12 to 15 years of age are eligible to apply for licensure under the Massachusetts State Boating Regulations so they may legally operate a power boat alone.

Pre-registration is required for admission. For information or to reserve space, call Chris Scott, Auxiliary Instructor at 774-930-0921. There is a $50 fee to cover the cost of textbooks and materials used in the course.