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Lines can snap or other hardware can be
loosened or broken while towing. Under certain
conditions, this can cause severe injury or
fatality.
A - 11 BOATING EDUCATION
A. Boating Courses
Boating education classes are offered t hrough out
the country. The United States Coast Guard Auxiliary
offers free courses on different topics usually during the
off-season. The most popular course is the "Boating
Skills & Seamanship Course," and information can be
obtained by calling 1 800-336-BOAT (2628) or by
visiting their website at: www.boatus.com/courseline.
The United States Power Squadron also offers free
courses ranging from basic seamanship to celestial
navigation. For information, contact your local Power
Squadron, or write: USPS, P.O. Box 30423, Raleigh,
NC 27622 or visit their website at: www.usps.org.
The World Wide Web contains many websites devoted
to boating and boating safety. One such site is www.
discoverboating.com which contains many informative
articles and website links for both the new boater as
well as the experienced boater alike.
The Canadian Power and Sail Squadron offers sea-
manship courses. Information may be obtained by
visiting their website at www.cps-ecp.ca/.
B. Boating Manuals or Literature
A good source of information is the US Coast Guard's
home study book called "The Skipper's Course". This
book may be purchased through Superintendent of
Documents, US Government Printing Office, Washing-
ton, DC 20402, Stock # 050-012-00159-6.
Another good source of boating information is Chap-
man's "Piloting, Seamanship and Small Boat Handling".
Also, check the local library or book store for additional
information on boating.
C. Charts and Maps
US nautical charts are sold throughout the coun try at
Governmental Printing Office stores and other agents.
Chart catalogs are available by visiting the National
Operation - Section A
Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration website
at http://nauticalcharts.noaa.gov/mcd/ccatalogs.
htm#state.
In addition, many federal agencies publish recre-
ational maps, including the US Army Corp of Engi-
neers, the Forest Service, the National Park Service,
and the Tennessee Valley Authority.
Addresses of all state boating law administration of-
fices are found in the "Boating Basics, A Guide to Re-
sponsible Boating", included in your owner's packet.
Additional copies may be purchased by contacting
the publisher.
D. Laws and Regulations
The US Coast Guard is the authority of the water-
ways; they are there to help the boating public. State
boating regulations are enforced by local authorities.
You are subject to marine traffic laws and "Rules of
the Road" for both federal and state waterways; you
must stop if signaled to do so by enforcement of-
ficers, and permit to be boarded if asked.
There are many pamphlets, prepared by the US
Coast Guard, available to you. These pamphlets ex-
plain "Rules of the Road," signal lights, buoys, safety,
international and inland regulations and other infor-
mation which goes beyond the scope of this manual.
For more information contact your local US Coast
Guard Unit or visit the US Power Squadron website
at www.usps.org.
A - 12 BOAT OWNER REGISTRATION
Federal and state laws require that every boat
equipped with propulsion machinery of any type must
be registered in the primary state of usage. Registra-
tion numbers and validation stickers must be dis-
played on the boat according to regulations. In most
states, this means registration with the designated
state agency. In a few jurisdictions, the Coast Guard
retains registration authority. Your dealer will either
supply registration forms or tell you where they may
be obtained. The registration agency will issue you a
certificate that must be carried on board when the
boat is in use. Some states require additional regis-
tration when an out of state boat is used within their
boundaries.
Owner's Manual Page 21
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