Whether you're looking to charter this winter season, join a boat club or plan your first cruise aboard your own vessel, the new online course "Cruising Boats and Systems" will help you have a safer and more enjoyable cruise.
A new online course, “Cruising Boats and Systems” helps boaters have a more enjoyable cruise. Photo courtesy of Beneteau
ARTICLE COURTESY OF BOATUS NEWS
Published: October, 2019
Whether you’re looking to charter this winter season, join a boat club or plan your first cruise aboard your own vessel, the new online course “Cruising Boats and Systems” will help you have a safer and more enjoyable cruise.
Offered in partnership by America’s Boating Club, the United States Power Squadrons, and the nonprofit BoatUS Foundation for Boating Safety and Clean Water, “Cruising Boats and Systems” is great for first-time cruisers and can be taken anytime from home, office or mobile device by going to BoatUS.org/courses.
The online course covers both powerboats and sailboats. It covers how to select your cruising vessel and goes over a boat’s mechanical and electrical systems, navigation systems and safety gear, anchoring and electronic communications. Short quizzes help students understand key points and a downloadable handout is included.
“There is no single boat that’s perfect for cruising,” said BoatUS Foundation Director of Education Amanda Suttles Pérez. “We’ll help you look at what you may want to consider for a cruising boat and how to address your specific type of cruising needs. We’ll also show you everything you’ll need to have a fun, stress-free multi-day cruise.” Most course takers will complete the course in about two hours.
Normally $30, “Cruising Boats and Systems” can be taken for an introductory price of $19.95 by using the coupon code “CRUISING” when registering. All BoatUS Foundation/America’s Boating Club online courses can be completed at your own pace—started, stopped, and picked up again at any time, which makes them easy to fit into busy schedules.
The BoatUS Foundation for Boating Safety and Clean Water is a national leader promoting safe, clean and responsible boating. Funded primarily by donations from the more than half-million members of Boat Owners Association of the United States (BoatUS), the nonprofit provides innovative educational outreach directly to boaters and anglers with the aim of reducing accidents and fatalities, increasing stewardship of America’s waterways and keeping boating safe for all.
You can find a wide range of boating safety courses—including “Planning Your Cruise,” “Weather for Boaters,” “Modern Marine Navigation,” “How to Use GPS” and 36 free state courses—at BoatUS.org/courses.
