Boating Without the Boys

AMSEA is conducting a Boating Without the Boys class in Sitka, Alaska. “Boating Without the Boys” teaches women the skills and confidence required to operate a small vessel or to assist in an emergency. The workshop is suited to inexperienced boaters, experienced boaters that are new to Alaskan waters, or women that have relied on the boating skills of a male companion. The course length varies, as this basic course can be tailored to the needs and desires of groups such as teenage boaters, hunters who boat in winter conditions, kayakers, etc.

Topics in this class may include:

• Float plans

• Boating trip risk assessment

• Reading the weather and navigational charts

• Essential items for every boating trip

• Handling an outboard engine malfunction

• Retrieving someone who falls overboard

• Types of PFDs and their uses

• Cold water survival skills

• How to use a VHF radio

• How to make a proper Mayday call

• Types of emergency signals, including flares, and their proper use

• Tying knots and docking techniques

Additional topics can be added depending upon the needs of your group.