TAMPA – The New Year will bring about changes in Florida’s boating laws.
Effective Friday, Jan. 1, 2010, Florida boat operators born on or after Jan. 1, 1988 must complete and pass an approved boating safety education course to operate a motorboat of 10 horsepower or more.
The new law changes the age threshold for Florida boater education requirements; in 2010 it is to be based on whether or not boaters were born on or after Jan. 1, 1988.
Boaters in this age group must have in their possession photographic identification (i.e. driver’s license) and a Boating Safety Education Identification Card issued by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC). The card is valid for life.
The U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary offers region-wide safe boating programs which meet the new Florida requirements. Upon successful completion of any course, the Auxiliary issues a handsome certificate and a form that participants use to apply for the Florida Boating Safety Education Identification Card from the FWC.
Participants completing the course may be eligible for boat insurance discounts.
One Auxiliary program, Boating Skills and Seamanship, is the most comprehensive safe boating presentation available to the public and is available at several Auxiliary flotillas around Tampa Bay. It presents the marked differences between off-shore and protected waters boating, boat handling and trailering techniques, on-board safety equipment required by state and federal law for recreational vessels and demonstrates marine VHF radio use. Presented in 12 easily-digestible increments, topics include:
- Weather - Understanding wind, waves, currents and other factors affecting boats.
- Boat Equipment - Operation/safety items; BUI/substance abuse issues, PFD use.
- Boat Handling - Heavy weather handling; anchoring: docking; man overboard retrieval.
- ‘Highway’ Signs - Buoyage systems; chart reading; electronic navigation.
- Rules of the Road - Inland/International rules; stand-on/give-way issues.
- Navigation - Course plotting; compass/chart/GPS use; speed-time-distance calculations.
- Marine Radios - Operation; DSC technology; distress/urgency/safety call procedures.
In Tampa, the BS&S program is offered at the Coast Guard Auxiliary Flotilla 79 building, 5108 W. Gandy Boulevard (Gandy Boat Ramp). The program runs on Wednesdays, from 7:30 PM -9:30 PM and is scheduled on a looping basis – boaters begin any Wednesday and continue until all 12 chapters are complete. Cost is $60 per person and includes textbook, certificate and wallet card. Details are available by calling 813-835-4118 or by visiting cgwebs.net/flotilla79 and using the ‘public programs’ link.
The Coast Guard Auxiliary offers safe boating programs in Brandon, Gulfport, Ruskin, St. Petersburg, St. Petersburg Beach, other Pinellas County communities and in Hernando, Manatee, Pasco and Sarasota counties.
To find a course, visit cgaux.net and use the “Flotilla Finder” link.
More information about FWC boating laws is available at: www.myfwc.com/SAFETY/Safety_Boat_Safety
Founded in 1939, the U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary is the civilian, all-volunteer arm of the U.S. Coast Guard. Its primary mission is to provide boating safety education and to support Coast Guard missions. The Auxiliary is the nation’s most active boating educator, offering programs to over 100,000 boaters annually.
In the Tampa Bay area, more than 500 Auxiliarists perform boating education, underway port security and safety patrols and other duties in support of Coast Guard missions.
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