To the California Boater

Hear That? The Water's Calling You!

No matter where you are in California, a water adventure awaits you—each one as big and unique as the state itself.

It can be as majestic as paddling a kayak around San Francisco Bay within view of the Golden Gate Bridge. Or as heart-thumping as riding the raging flows of the Lower Kern. You can canoe the quiet might of the lower American River in fall, or fish the mountain splendor of Lake Almanor. Something wilder? Make waves on a personal watercraft at Lake Perris. Getting away? Set sail with friends on the crystal Pacific out of Mission Bay.

So many adventures—all a lot more fun for you and everyone else when you learn how to boat safely and confidently and prevent accidents. This course will cover the basics to show you how.

Play It Safe

Almost one million pleasure craft are registered in California and the number grows every year. That’s a lot of Californians having a lot of adventures. Unfortunately, many boaters will get hurt. The Coast Guard reports about 7,000 boating accidents each year in the United States—causing nearly 800 deaths, thousands of injuries and over $25 million damage. The good news—boaters can prevent many of these accidents when they learn safety and use common sense.

What You'll Learn

This course will teach you:

• Personal safety
• Basic boating guidelines
• Boating law and rules of the road
• Basic operation of a variety of vessels
• Accident prevention and rescue

You’ll also develop the skills and knowledge to make the most of your adventure on California's waterways. Who knows? You may even make boating your career.

Playing it safe doesn’t make you a wimp. Your boating adventures will be thrilling enough without the fear of not knowing how to prevent accidents.