Vital to the success of the Coast Guard Auxiliary's national boating safety efforts is an informed and knowledgeable boating public. The Coast Guard and the Auxiliary believe that education is the best approach to preventing accidents. Members of the Coast Guard Auxiliary present public education classes as a service to the boating public.

Available Courses:

Several different types of courses have been designed to cover a wide variety of subject areas. These classes vary in length and subject matter. Although all Auxiliary units teach the same basic courses, an effort is made to personalize the course for the geographic area covered. Here is a brief description of the most frequently offered courses.

America's Boating Course (ABC):  This eight hour boating safety course is designed for skippers and crew of all types of watercraft and provides the student with a comprehensive foundation of boating knowledge.  Subjects that will be discussed include: 

	INTRODUCTION TO BOATING -- types of boats; different uses of boats; outboard, stern-drive, and inboard engines; jet drives.
	BOATING LAWS -- boat registration; hull identification number; required safety equipment; operating safely and reporting accidents; protecting the marine environment; Federal boating laws; and PWCs.
	PERSONAL SAFETY EQUIPMENT -- personal flotation devices ("life jackets"); fire extinguishers; sound-producing devices; visual-distress signals; first aid kit; anchor; safety equipment and PWC.
	SAFE BOAT HANDLING -- bow riding; substance abuse; entering, loading, and trimming a boat; fueling portable and permanent tanks; steering with a tiller and a wheel; docking and mooring; knots; filing a float plan; checking equipment, fuel, weather, and tide; using charts; choosing and using an anchor; safe PWC handling.
	NAVIGATION -- the U.S. Aids to Navigation system; types of buoys and beacons; navigation rules; avoiding collisions; sound signals; PWC "tunnel vision."
	BOATING PROBLEMS -- hypothermia; boating accidents and rescues; capsizing; running aground; emergency radio calls; engine problems; boating problems and PWC.
	TRAILERING, STORING, AND PROTECTING 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, WATERSKIING, AND RIVER BOATING -- carrying hunting gear and weapons in a boat; fishing from a boat; waterskiing safety guidelines and hand signals; waterskiing with a PWC; navigating rivers.

Boating Skills and Seamanship: This course, designed with powerboaters in mind, covers either six or thirteen lessons. The first six lessons are called the core subjects and are the minimum required to receive a certificate. The additional seven lessons cover more subjects. In all, there are thirteen chapters:

The National Association of States Boating Law Administrators (NASBLA) approves all of the adult courses for content. Contact your insurance agent for any applicable discounts. Certificates are awarded to all graduates. The Auxiliary teaches the basic rules of safe boating to thousands of students in multi-lesson courses annually.