America's Boating Course Curriculum:
Note that one or more sessions may be combined
depending upon the overall length of the course (1 day, 2 days, 4 days).
Chapter 1 - Know Your Boat
- Powerboats and Their Parts
- Runabouts
- Cruisers
- Personal Watercraft
- Sailboats and Their Parts
- Length of Boats
- Types of Boat Hulls
- Hull Shapes
- Types of Boat Engines
- Outboards
- Stern Drives
- Inboards
- Jet Drives
Chapter 2 - Before You Get Underway
- Your Boat's Capacity
- File a "Float Plan"
- Pre-Departure Check
- Trailering Your Boat
- Have the Right Trailer for Your Boat
- Before Leaving Home
- On the Road
- Launching Your Boat from a Trailer
- Retrieving Your Boat
- Courtesy on the Boat Ramp
- Fuel Your Boat...Safely!
- Fueling a PWC...Safely!
- Fuel Selector Switch on a PWC
- Boat Maintenance
- Boating Accessories
- Preventing Theft
- Lines and Knots
Chapter 3 - Navigating the Waterways
- Navigation Rules
- Navigation Lights
- Navigation Lights on Tows
- Night Navigation
- Sound Signals
- U.S. Aids to Navigation
- Lateral Markers
- Intracoastal Waterway (ICW)
- Western Rivers System
- Non-Lateral Markers
- Finding Your Way on the Water
- Charts
- Steering Compass
- Global Positioning System
- Buoy System on Waterway
- Navigation Chart for Waterway
- River Navigation, Dams, Locks and Bridges
- Tides on Coastal Waters
Chapter 4 - Operating Your Boat Or PWC...Safely
- Operating a Boat
- Load Gear and Passengers Properly
- Displacement, Plowing and Planing Modes
- Steering Pull ("Torque") on Outboard
Engines
- Turning, Backing and Stopping
- Handling Waves and Wakes
- Courtesy on the Water
- Prepare to Cast Off
- Casting Off
- Boat Docking
- Tying to Floats and Piers
- Anchoring
- Choosing the Correct Anchor
- Common Types of Anchors
- Anchoring Guidelines
- How to Set Your Anchor
- How to Retrieve Your Anchor
- Operating a Personal Watercraft
- Steering and Stopping a PWC
- Courtesy on the Water
- Environmental Considerations
- Other PWC Considerations
- Reboarding a Capsized PWC
- Ignition Safety (Engine Shut-Off Switches)
Chapter 5 - The Legal Requirements of Boating!
- Your Boat or PWC's Certificate of Number and Decal
- Other Facts About Titling and Registering Your Boat
or PWC
- Hull Identification Number
- Who May Operate a Boat or PWC
- Negligent and Reckless Operation
- Alcohol and Drugs
- Obstructing Navigation
- Personal Flotation Devices (PFDs)
- PFD Descriptions and Requirements
- Fire Extinguishers
- Backfire Flame Arrestors
- Proper Ventilation
- Mufflers
- Navigation Lights
- Power-Driven Boats Less Than 20 Meters Long When
Underway
- Sailboats and Boats Under Oars When Underway
- Anchored Boats
- Visual Distress Signals
- Sound Producing Devices
- Other Equipment and Local Regulations
- Requirements Specific to PWC
- Towing a Person Legally with a Boat or a PWC
- Waste, Oil and Trash Disposal in State and Federal
Waters
- Discharge of Sewage and Waste
- Discharge of Trash
- Discharge of Oil and Other Hazardous Substances
- Waste Management Plan
- Boat and PWC Accidents and Casualties
- Enforcement and Penalties
Chapter 6 - Boating Emergencies...What To Do!
- Risk Management
- Increased Risk Due to Boating Stressors
- Increased Risk Due to Dehydration
- Minimize Risk of Boating Accidents -- Avoid
Alcohol
- Minimize Risk of Drownings -- Wear PFDs
- Boating Accidents
- Falling Overboard
- Capsizing and Swamping
- Collisions
- Running Aground
- Fire Emergencies
- Personal Injuries
- Carbon Monoxide Poisonings
- Responding to Other Serious Injuries
- Hypothermia
- Weather Emergencies
- How to Avoid Being Caught in Foul Weather
- What to Do If Caught in Foul Weather
- What to Do If Caught in Fog
- Summoning Help
- Helping Others
Chapter 7 - Enjoying Water Sports With Your Boat!
- Responsibilities of a Boat or PWC Operator
- Responsibility to Your Passengers
- Responsibility to Others You Allow to Operate Your
Boat or PWC
- Responsibility to the Environment
- Responsibility to Others Using the Waterways
- Swimming
- Scuba Diving and Snorkeling
- Water Skiing
- Canoeing, Kayaking and Rafting
- Windsurfing
- Sailing
- Fishing
- Hunting
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