students; Pre-registration required. Contact the squadron at www.boating-stpete.org. (727) 525-0968. Standards Certification, Jacksonville, FL, April 9-11 www.abycinc.org. (410) 990-4460 Marine Systems Certification, Jacksonville, FL, April 16-19 www.abycinc.org. (410) 990-4460 Marine Electrical Certification, Key West, FL, April 23-26 www.abycinc.org. (410) 990-4460 About Boating Safely Courses—Required in Florida and Other Southern States Effective Jan. 1, 2010, anyone in Florida born after Jan. 1, 1988, must take a boating safety course in order to operate a boat of 10 hp or more. Other states require boaters to have boater safety education if they were born after a certain date, meaning boaters of all ages will eventually be required to have taken a course. To learn about the laws in each state, go to www.aboutboatingsafely.com. The course name “About Boating Safely,” begun by the Coast Guard Auxiliary, satisfies the education requirement in Florida and most southern states and also gives boaters of all ages a solid grounding (no pun intended) in boating safety. Other organizations offer other courses which will satisfy the Florida requirements.
The About Boating Safely (ABS) covers subjects including boat handling, weather, charts, navigation rules, trailering, federal regulations, personal watercraft, hypothermia and more. Many insurance companies also give discounts for having taken the boater safety education course. Completion of courses qualifies attendees for Florida’s boater safety card. The following are ABS courses (with asterisks **): **Ongoing — Jacksonville, FL. Mike Christnacht. (904) 502-9154. Generally held once monthly on Saturdays. Go to www.uscgajaxbeach.com for the schedule, location and to register. **Ongoing — Ruskin, FL, Coast Guard Auxiliary Flotilla 75 Offers Home Study Safe Boating Course. Each month. The flotilla has found that many boaters do not have the time to attend the courses, so they are now also offering a home study course at $30. Additional family members will be charged $10 each for testing and certificates. Tests held bimonthly. Entry into the course allows participants to attend the classes. To apply, call (813) 677-2354. **St. Augustine, FL. Ongoing. About Boating Safely. Sponsored by the Coast Guard Auxiliary of St. Augustine, FL, the eight-hour course is held at the St. Augustine campus of St. Johns River State College, 2900 College Drive (off
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