Take to the water with 3-hour on-Water Boat Training Course in Lake Hopatcong, N.J.
by Scott Croft 28 Mar 2021 10:27 PDT
Learn boat-handling basics during three-hour on-water training courses this spring at Bridge Marina on Lake Hopatcong © Scott Croft
If you have never tried getting behind the wheel of a boat before, now is your time. Bridge Marina, in partnership with the nonprofit BoatUS Foundation for Boating Safety and Clean Water, is offering an easy way to try out recreational powerboating.
Two courses, "Intro to Boating" and "Precision Docking and Boat Handling," will be held April 16 and 30, and May 7, 14 and 21, from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m., at the marina's location at 89 Brady Road. Course details and signup can be found at BoatUS.org/On-Water. Additional dates are also expected to be announced.
Taught aboard single-engine powerboats, the semi-private lessons all are priced at $299 with class size limited to just two students per vessel, ensuring each student gets sufficient time at the helm under the watchful eye of a U.S. Coast Guard-licensed captain certified to teach the National Safe Boating Council curriculum. The minimum age to participate is 18 years old, and training follows all COVID safety protocols. Early registration is encouraged.
The "Intro to Boating" course covers centering the wheel, shifting gears, predeparture checklist and station holding, or staying in one place while wind or current effect the boat.
"Precision Docking & Boat Handling" courses cover 180-degree turnarounds, docking on port and starboard, departing from a dock, and using S.C.A.N. procedures to avoid distracted boating.