[Misty Blue]

Here is a case against the eight hour safe boating course.

When the state(s) started to require safe boating certificates to operate on state waters a problem arose. Prior to that if you wanted to take a safe boating course you would go the the USCG auxiliary or the USPS for instruction. Both VERY good courses. They took a minimum of eight two hour classes and often ran for 12 to 14 weeks.

Unlike the eight hour (what I will call the MacBoat-ed) class, this gives the instructors time enough to teach and more importantly the students time to learn safe boating. Giving one of the origional classes I would expect the students to complete 20 to 30 hours of homework in their 8 to 12 weeks. How much homework did the state ask you to do to complete their course.

The weekly subjects would include one 2 hour class on:

Weather, marine engines, navigation, piloting, marlinspike seamanship and...
SAILING. The latter so that the power boater understands the constraints that a sailboat operates under.

The eight hour class may be good enough to keep you out of major trouble but it is not a well rounded education.

The bad news is that most people just want to do the minimum to get the ticket. Lets face it they don't want to spend a lot of Lake time sitting behind a desk and in the winter it is not a priority. The good news is that even if you have your boaters course you can still take the long course from the above instructors. The fact that we have our discussions on the boating forum tells me that you are intrested in expanding your skills. Give it a try. It is very rewarding.

Misty Blue.