Cape Coral Power and Sail Squadron announces April boating safety course
Due to high demand for America’s Boating Course, the Cape Coral Power and Sail Squadron, America’s Boating Club Cape Coral has added an April session. The response to the classes held in January and March filled the squadron’s classroom as boaters new to local waters came to learn more about how to boat safely in Southwest Florida.
With more than 50,000 registered vessels on area waters, boaters new to Lee County find boating in one of Florida’s largest estuaries not like anything they experienced “back home.” The importance of learning the rules and regulations governing vessel operation is one key to becoming a safe boater in coastal cities.
The United States Power Squadron’s America’s Boating Course helps a boater become safer on the water. Covered in the course are federal, state and local regulations, along with boating basics and what to do during an emergency. The instructors also work help students apply this information to situations that can arise in local waters.
The April course starts on the April 8 at 7 p.m. and meets on April 10, 15, 17, 22, and wraps up on April 24 with a test and graduation party.
Classes fill up quickly so be sure to register early. If you are unable to attend in April, this course will also be offered again starting on May 6.
America’s Boating Course is not the only course the Cape Coral Power and Sail Squadron offers.
Some of the squadron’s other offerings include, Introduction to Charting which is designed to help new boaters learn how to read and use paper and electronic charts; Weather for Boaters, designed to help you understand how to predict changes in the weather; Boat Handling, tailored to graduates of America’s Boating Course and digs deeper into six key topics that are touched on in America’s Boating Course.
Coming up in May will be the annual Hurricane and Boats seminar. This seminar is designed to help you understand the many things you need to do to prepare for and protect your boat during the next hurricane.
All currently offered courses and seminars are listed online at ccsaps.org where you can complete your registration. Students may also stop by the squadron’s offices at 917 SE 47th Terrace in Cape Coral which is open, Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday from 9 a.m. to noon. The club’s volunteer staff is happy to provide more information about course offerings and you will also find other valuable boating information along with some items for sale, like local charts and books including, “Safe Boating in Southwest Florida, Your Guide to the Many Channels on our Waterways” written by a club member.
If you are out and about on Saturday stop by the squadron’s booth at the Cape Coral Farmer’s Market at Club Square. Squadron members have a great deal of local knowledge and are happy to answer any questions you have about local boating, the club’s courses, seminars, and benefits of being a member of the largest boating club in Cape Coral.