The easy way to try recreational powerboating: Affordable 3-hour courses begin January in San Diego
by Scott Croft 12 Dec 2021 04:46 AEDT
The need for on-water powerboat handling instruction has increased as more boaters have hit the water © BoatUS
Boating in San Diego is rated among the best in the nation, but if you have no boating experience how do you begin? A new partnership between San Diego based Boater U and the national nonprofit BoatUS Foundation for Boating Safety and Clean Water makes it easy with a series of affordable three-hour courses for beginners as well as experienced boat operators.
Beginning January 22 and taught comfortably aboard Boater U's 20-foot twin engine RIB training vessel, each three-hour course is priced at $175 and will be offered on Shelter Island at 2367 Shelter Island Drive. Courses offered include Introduction to Powerboating, Precision Docking & Boat Handling, Open-Water Boat Handling, and Open-Water Advanced Maneuvering.
Signup can be found at BoatUS.org/sandiego.
Class size is limited to four 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 modular curriculum. The minimum age to participate is 16 years old, and training follows all Covid safety protocols. Early registration is encouraged, and there is a three-person minimum for courses.
Boater U is a part of the maritime training company Training Resources Maritime Institute (TRLMI), the largest maritime training center on the West Coast.
"We are excited to partner with BoatUS Foundation to offer boaters great training options for increasing their skills and becoming safer on the water," said Dave Abrams, CEO of Boater U. "BoatUS Foundation is a recognized leader in the development and promotion of boating safety programs, and we are thrilled that they have chosen us to be their training partner."
Alan Dennison, program supervisor for BoatUS Foundation added, "The Boater U program has had great success so it seemed natural to partner with them to offer our training options on the West Coast. We expect to grow this program significantly in the years ahead."
All of the Foundation's on-water courses can be found at www.BoatUS.org/On-Water