The Deception Pass Sail and Power Squadron is offering three boating classes beginning in March.
America’s Boating Course
This two-day, introductory class is 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturdays March 2 and 9 at St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church in Oak Harbor.
Completion of the course will qualify individuals for the Washington state boater education card.
The class will cover basic boat handling, safety considerations, federal and state equipment and safety requirements, and the nautical rules of the road.
The cost is $55; $20 for spouses or partners sharing a book.
Free on-the-water training is available.
For more information or to register, contact SEO Pat Waters at frenchsailor@comcast.net The registration deadline is Monday, Feb. 25.
Boat Handling
This course for novice, experienced and non boaters is scheduled for 6-8 p.m. every Tuesday for six weeks beginning March 19 at the First United Methodist Church (room 11) in Oak Harbor.
The course, which is replacing the seamanship class, is designed to teach boaters the knowledge and practical basic skills required to pilot a boat safely.
The six lessons are rules of the road — a practical approach; confidence in docking and undocking — slow speed maneuvering; boating with confidence — handling your boat underway; anchoring with assurance — don’t get carried away; emergencies on board — preparation for handling common problems; and knots and line handling — the knots you need to know.
The cost is $60 for squadron members; $110 for non-members.
Free on-the-water training is available.
For more information or to register, contact SEO Pat Waters at 360-720-2589 or frenchsailor@comcast.net
Piloting
This is the first course in the sequence of Unites States Power Squadron courses on coastal and inland navigation.
Classes are 6-8 p.m. every Thursday for 10 weeks beginning March 21 at the First United Church in Oak Harbor (classroom 11).
This class focuses on modern navigation of recreational boats and embraces GPS technology, as well as covering traditional techniques for navigating if GPS fails.
The course includes many in-class exercises to develop the student’s skill through hands-on practice and learning.
Topics covered in the course are charts and their interpretation; navigation aids and how they point to safe water; plotting courses and determining direction and distance; the mariner’s compass and converting between true and magnetic (and uses of GPS); preplanning safe courses and entering them into GPS (and monitoring progress and determining position by GPS or by traditional techniques); and the “seaman’s eye” — simple skills for checking that one is on course.
The cost is $75 for the text for squadron members, plus $6 for the plotter and $11 for the dividers, if need. Spouses and partners who share a text and equipment pay $35.
Non-members pay an additional $50.
For more information or to register, contact SEO Pat Waters at 360-720-2589 or frenchsailor@comcast.net
