The U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary San Juan Islands Detachment and the San Juan County Sheriff’s Marine Unit will offer a free Washington basic boater education course on Orcas Island. The class will be held from 8:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m., Saturday, July 28 at the Orcas Ferry Landing Community Room. Pre-registration is required and the class is free.

Everyone wishing to learn or share their safe boating skills as well as review our local boating regulations is invited to attend. Upon successful completion of the course, attendees may submit a copy of their individual “Certificate of Accomplishment” with $10 for issuance of a Boater Education Card by the Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission.

All Washington residents must carry a Boater Education Card while on the water operating a power-boat greater than 15 horsepower. This includes people over 12 years of age and applies to anyone who was born after Jan. 1, 1955.

Anyone can take this course online but by taking the class in person, boaters share their experiences and discover new aspects of boating. The in-person class provides attendees an opportunity to explore and understand the challenges of boating in and around the San Juan Islands. In previous classes Olympians, masters of unlimited tonnage, and 9-year-old mariners have shared sage advice about boating.

If you plan on boating in jurisdictions outside of the state of Washington, you are encouraged to determine what the state, territory, and nation’s boater education and competency requirements need to be satisfied prior to getting underway.

To register, contact David Tribolet 360-376-3994 or tribolet@orcasonline.com.

The Coast Guard Auxiliary is the uniformed civilian component of the U.S. Coast Guard and supports the Coast Guard in nearly all mission areas. The auxiliary was created by Congress in 1939. For more information, visit www.cgaux.org.