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Save This PageCan't remember what side of a boat "port" is? How about "starboard"?
Those are two of the things you'll need to know to pass a boating-safety class to comply with a new Virginia law.
Instructors say they have seen more interest in boating-safety classes since the General Assembly decided last year to require all operators of boats that are 10 horsepower and greater in Virginia to become certified. The only people exempt are those with a Coast Guard captain's license.
The first group of boaters affected by the law have a year to take and pass an approved safety course and exam by July 1, 2009. That's anyone 20 and younger as of that date seeking to operate a personal watercraft, commonly known as a Jet Ski.
"Hopefully, it will mean fewer accidents and fewer people dying on the water," said Charlie Sledd, boating-safety director for the Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries. About 250,000 boats are registered in Virginia, according to department figures.
Boaters report between 135 and 150 accidents each year in Virginia waters, Sledd said. "In terms of fatalities, last year we had 12, but for a lot of years we were up around 20. Boating is not risk-free, but hopefully what you learn will help you manage the risk better."
The department's Web site lists six online sources for safety instruction and certification. Various boating groups and Coast Guard auxiliaries around the state also offer classroom instruction. Sledd said the online instruction and test take about 6 hours.
The legislation established dates for different age groups to meet the requirement for safety training. After the 20-and-younger set are:
By July 1, 2016, any operator must have passed the class regardless of age.
Under the law, an uncertified operator is legal if he or she is under the direct on-board supervision of a certified passenger, Sledd said.
Out-of-state boaters must simply meet the instructional requirements of their home state.
"I think it's a good law," said Bill Crump, a Middlesex County sailor and boating-safety teacher.
"There are horror stories," he said. "I teach defensive boating. I tell my students that on a busy weekend, half of the boaters out there don't know what they're doing, and half of them don't care what they're doing."
Nearly 80 percent of those who die in water-related accidents are people who have never taken a safe-boating course, said Brian McArdle, public-affairs officer for the Division 3 Coast Guard Auxiliary on the Northern Neck.
The group offers one boating-safety class a month through September in Kilmarnock. "Our first couple of classes were sold out, and we had to turn some people away," he said.
