US Coast Guard Auxiliary, Flotilla 2-12 of the Ninth Western Region

Safe boating requires knowledge and skill on the part of the boat operator. Auxiliary Public Education courses provide instruction to recreational boaters at all levels, from the fundamental to the advanced. Flotilla 12 Chicago offers courses taught by experienced and knowledgeable instructors committed to the highest standards of the Coast Guard Family.

Our courses are given in Chicago. If the locations and times are not convenient you may wish to check the district web site for U. S. Coast Guard Auxiliary courses in Indiana, Wisconsin and other Illinois locations.

Below are three sections:

CURRENT 2009 CLASS SCHEDULE
REGISTRATION
COURSE DESCRIPTIONS

ABS	About Boating Safety	$50.00	8 hrs (3 weeks, or 1 day seminar)
BS&S	Basic Skills and Seamanship	$75.00	9 weeks
SSS	Sailing Skills and Seamanship	$95.00	8 weeks
HRNC	How to Read a Nautical Chart	TBA	2 hr seminar
NAV	Navigation		13 weeks

Current 2009 CLASS SCHEDULE

Sailing Skills and Seamanship
ILLINOIS
Start Date	City	Location	Contact	Web/e-mail	Classes
7 APR 09 6:30 - 8:30 PM	Chicago	600 W. Washington Blvd. FREE Parking!	773-252-5288	safeboat@gmail.com	8

REGISTRATION

TO REGISTER ONLINE - click on the Pay Now PayPal button to pay for the desired course using a credit card or PayPal account, and then contact the public education coordinator, at safeboat@gmail.com

TO REGISTER BY MAIL - print and complete the Register by Mail Form and mail it to the address indicated.

COURSE DESCRIPTIONS

ABS - ABOUT BOATING SAFETY - This beginner boating class will give you the knowledge needed to obtain a boat license or safety certification in many states. Many boat insurance companies will offer discounts on boating insurance to boaters who successfully complete America's Boating Course.

Topics Include:

Introduction to Boating - Types of power boats; sailboats; outboards; paddle boats; houseboats; different uses of boats; various power boating engines; jet drives; family boating basics.
Boating Law - Boat registration; boating regulation; hull identification number; required boat safety equipment; operating safely and reporting accidents; protecting the marine environment; Federal boat law; state boating laws; personal watercraft requirements.
Boat Safety Equipment - Personal flotation devices ("life jackets"); fire extinguishers; sound-producing devices; visual-distress signals; dock lines and rope; first aid kit; anchors and anchor lines; other boating safety equipment.
Safe Boating - Bow riding; alcohol and drug abuse; entering, loading, and trimming a boat; fueling portable and permanent tanks; steering with a tiller and a wheel; docking, undocking and mooring; knots; filing a float plan; checking equipment, fuel, weather and tides; using charts; choosing and using an anchor; safe PWC handling; general water safety.
Navigation - The U.S. Aids to Navigation system; types of buoys and beacons; navigation rules (sometimes referred to as right-of-way rules); avoiding collisions; sound signals; PWC "tunnel vision."
Boating Problems - Hypothermia; boating accidents and rescues; man overboard recovery; capsizing; running aground; river hazards; strainers: emergency radio calls; engine problems; equipment failures; carbon monoxide (CO); other boating and PWC problems.
Trailering, and Storing Your Boat - Types of trailers; trailer brakes, lights, hitches, tires, and bearings; loading, balancing, and towing a trailer; towing (and backing) a trailer; boat launching and retrieving; boat storage and theft protection; launching, retrieving and storing a PWC.
Hunting and Fishing, Water-skiing and River Boating - Carrying hunting gear and weapons in a boat; fishing from a boat; water-skiing safety guidelines and hand signals; water-skiing with a PWC; navigating rivers, and other boating tips.

BS&S - BOATING SKILLS & SEAMANSHIP - The U. S. Coast Guard Auxiliary's Boating Skills and Seamanship (BS&S) course is a comprehensive course designed for both the experienced and the novice boater. The course, now in its 12^th edition published in 2002, consists of 6 core required two- to four-hour lessons 2 added optional lessons that are normally included in the core course, plus five elective lessons, providing up-to-date knowledge for handling boats in all conditions.

Topics Include:

Which Boat Is For You? - Boater's language; types of boats; outboard motors and sterndrives; hull design; uses of boats; other power plants; materials for constructing boats; your intended use; the Coast Guard Customer Infoline; marine surveyors; buying a boat.

Equipment For Your Boat - Requirements for your boat; your boat's equipment; legal considerations; substance abuse; boating accident reports; Courtesy Marine Examinations.

Trailering Your Boat - Legal considerations; practical considerations; the towing vehicle; balancing the load; handling your trailer; pre-departure checks; preparing to launch; launching; retrieving; storing your boat and trailer; theft prevention; Zebra mussels; float plan.

Handling Your Boat - Leave with a full tank; fueling your boat; your boat's propeller; cars and boats; twin screws; jet drives; loading your boat; getting started; leaving a pier; "man" overboard; docking; mooring to a permanent anchor; anchoring; towing a skier; heavy weather; small boat safety.

Your "Highway" Signs - Protection of ATONs; buoyage systems; waterway marks; how waterways are marked; light characteristics; chart symbols; light structures; lights on bridges; electronic aids to navigation; a word to the wise; navigation publications.

The Rules You Must Follow - Two sets of rules; to whom do the rules apply; what is a vessel; the general responsibility rule; general considerations; conduct in narrow channels; traffic separation schemes; vessel traffic services; stand-on or give-way; rules for special vessels; risk of collision; bend signals; restricted visibility; vessel lights and shapes; vessels at anchor; diving operations; distress signals; drawbridge signals; penalties.

Inland Boating - Types of inland waters; inland navigation; inland seamanship; river currents; maintaining inland waterways; dams; locks; river charts; commercial traffic; before you go. (This lesson typically will not be taught in coastal courses)

The Rest Of Our Story - Small boat safety; personal watercraft; hypothermia; motorboats and sailboats; carbon monoxide poisoning; float plan; U.S. Coast Guard District Offices; instructions for using a course plotter; metric conversion system.

Many insurance companies will offer discounts on boat insurance to individuals who successfully complete this course.

Individuals who successfully complete the course and exam are awarded certificates and cards.

HRNC - HOW TO READ A NAUTICAL CHART - A three hour seminar course unraveling the mystery of charts.

When navigating on land you use a map. It depicts the various thoroughfares, their directions and names. Major areas such as parks, lakes etc. would also be noted. By selecting the prescribed route, you would be able to reach a desired destination.

At sea there are no streets, no separate areas, no differences from abutting or surrounding areas. With no land mass over the horizon, everything looks the same. For navigating at sea, we use a chart.

By knowing our latitude and longitude, we can locate our position anywhere on earth. Navigators must also be warned of dangerous areas, leading them through safe passages and directing them within set patterns to prevent collisions. For this, Aids to Navigation are depicted on nautical charts.

Other available information on nautical charts includes, but is not limited to, depth of water, bottom type, magnetic variations affecting the compass, chart scales, and inter-tidal information.

This course will provide the navigator with the knowledge to interpret the chart’s contents to navigate safely to their destination and return to port. Text and training chart included.

SAILING SKILLS & SEAMANSHIP (SSS) The U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary’s Sailing Skills and Seamanship Course (SS&S) is a comprehensive course designed for both experienced and novice sailboat operators.