Experienced boaters are my latest heroes. This, because most know or have learned the "rules of the road" for our waterways. Moreover, they know port from starboard and bow from stern, they know about PFDs, buoys, navigational definitions (give way vs stand on, "can" vs "nun", etc.), the fine points of fire extinguishers, how to approach other vessels, bridges, locks ... This is not easy stuff. It's certainly not easy stuff for a swabbie.
Luckily, this swabbie stumbled into the Free Online Boating Safety Course offered by Boat US Foundation. Studying navigational protocols is not easy for someone with a mild case of left/right dyslexia and, until recently, no context for what is required for safety in the navigational world.
Nevertheless, I persisted and, today, passed the final exam.
Excited, I told a friend about my success and he said, "Now I'll have to call you Captain."
Not so fast. That title is a responsibility I'm not yet ready to take on. I like being a swabbie. I like incrementally learning the ropes, toeing the line, cutting the muster. Perhaps, one of these days, I might feel ready to step from the Swabbie rung to Petty Officer, but I'm not in a rush.
Meanwhile, if you are American and you haven't done that set of quizzes and final exam yet, I encourage you to do so. If you're a lowly swabbie like me, the exam might give you more insight into the complexities of boating. Or raise your awareness about just how much more there is to learn.
For now, clutching my Certificate of Completion, I plan to stay humble (rather than petty) and work slowly toward proficiency.
If you are interested in other free to low cost course offerings, visit http://www.boatus.org/courses/.
Here's a sampling of what they offer:
- Offshore Sailing School's Learn To Sail Online
- Partner in Command- An Essential Intro for Every Crew Member
- Boating on Rivers, Locks and Lakes- Navigating Inland Waterways and Locks with Confidence
- Weather for Boaters- A Boater's Guide to Forecasting, Winds and Storms
- Hurricane Preparation for Boaters- Protect Your Boat from the Next Big One: Storms, Floods and Wind
- All About Marine Radio- Choosing and Using a VHF Radio for Your Boat Planning Your Cruise- Boating Beyond the Day Trip
- How to Use GPS- A Boater's Guide to Electronic Navigation
- Free Clean Boating Course
- Modern Marine Navigation
