Vessel Safety Check

It is a free check of a vessel’s equipment for compliance with federal and state safety requirements. The vessel examiners performing this service have been trained to look for some of the more common problems, which might occur in your boat or its associated safety equipment. Some of the items we check are;

• Proper display of numbers
• Registration/Documentation
• Personal Flotation Devices; Life Jackets
• Visual Distress Signals
• Fire extinguishers
• Ventilation
• Backfire flame control
• Sound producing devices
• Navigation lights
• State requirements
• Overall vessel condition 

If a vessel meets all of the Vessel Safety Check (VSC) requirements it is awarded a VSC decal.

U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary boating courses provide instruction to boaters at all levels, from the fundamental to the advanced. Our courses (virtual and classroom) are taught by experienced and knowledgeable instructors committed to the highest standards of the U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary.  Two of the popular courses we teach are Boat America (Boating License / Requirement) and Suddenly in Command.  

Boat America is a boating certificate class that offers an in-depth and interesting boating safety course, and provides the knowledge needed to obtain a boating certificate. Some insurance companies will also offer discounts on boating insurance to boaters who successfully complete this course.

• Introduction to Boating – Types of power boats, boating vocabulary, sailboats, paddle boats, powering boats, and engine types. 
• Boating Law – Boat registration, regulations, hull identification numbers, required safety equipment, Federal boating law, state boating law, and reporting accidents. 
• Safety Equipment – Life jackets, fire extinguishers, sound-producing devices, visual distress signals, anchors, and other safety equipment. 
• Safe Operation and Navigation – Buoys and beacons, aids to navigation, navigation rules, docking, and the dangers of alcohol on the water. 
• Boating Emergencies – Hypothermia, boating accidents, man overboard, capsizing, emergency radio calls, carbon monoxide dangers, and weather. 
• Trailering – Types of trailers, lights, hitches, towing a trailer. 
• Sports and Boating – Water-skiing, hunting and hunting gear, PWC operation, and other boating tips.

The captain becomes incapacitated or falls overboard; you purchase a new boat for the first time. You are Suddenly in Command. This boating safety primer is designed for those not generally at the helm, and will help you to be prepared with the basics in case of an emergency.

You will learn about your vessel, nomenclature, and operating principles such as starting the engine, basic boat handling, and your on board equipment. Included descriptions of what causes boating mishaps and how to minimize them. This course is a must for family members in case something happens to the boat operator.

Surface Operations and the Boat Crew Training Program are at the heart of most flotilla activities.  Boat Crew members and Coxswains are qualified in accordance with the current Auxiliary Boat Crew Training Manual.  The Coxswain requests and receives orders for a patrol that is multi-mission in nature. Patrols are carried out in accordance with the Auxiliary Operations Policy Manual.