BoatUS and Freedom Boat Club Offer On-Water Training at Annapolis Boat Show

The nonprofit BoatUS Foundation for Boating Safety and Clean Water together with the United States Powerboat Show and Freedom Boat Club of Maryland will offer a choice of three on-water powerboat training courses taught aboard single engine powerboats: Intro to Boating, Women Making Waves, and Precision Docking and Boat Handling. Courses will be held each day of the Annapolis Boat Show, from October 3 to October 6, at Annapolis City Dock. Admission to the show is included for course-takers.

All courses are three hours long and priced at $149 per person. Class size is limited to four students per vessel, ensuring each student gets time behind the helm under the guidance of a U.S. Coast Guard-certified instructor.

The Intro to Boating course covers shifting and steering, basic docking, open-water handling and basic navigation, and is offered each day of the boat show at 10:30 a.m. and 2:00 p.m.

The ladies-only course, Women Making Waves, offers the same Intro to Boating curriculum and is offered Thursday and Sunday at 10:30 a.m. and 2:00 p.m., and at 11:00 a.m. and 2:30 p.m. on Friday and Saturday.

The Precision Docking and Boat Handling course is offered on Thursday and Sunday at 10:30 a.m. and 2:00 p.m., and on Friday and Saturday at 11:00 a.m. and 2:30 p.m. It covers 180-degree turnarounds, docking on both port and starboard sides, departing from a dock, and how to use the S.C.A.N. (Search, Concentrate, Analyze and Negotiate) method.

The goal of the BoatUS Foundation, United States Powerboat Show and Freedom Boat Club of Maryland courses is to address the high costs typically associated with behind-the-helm training, making hands-on boating education more accessible. The courses also offer area residents the chance to try out recreational boating and give boaters the opportunity to brush up on their boat-handling skills.

Space is limited. Must be 18 years or older. To sign up for a course or seek others, go to BoatUS.org/On-Water