Boating certification classes offered in March

Submitted by U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary

Prepare for the boating season early, with a boater education class from the U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary.

Flotilla 41-7 9WR of St. Charles will hold three Boating Education Classes during March throughout the area. Classes are certified by the National Association of State Boating Law Administrators and taught by Coast Guard Auxiliary instructors.

Scheduled class locations include Gander Mountain in Geneva on Saturday, March 9; Carl Stirn’s Marine in Aurora on Saturday, March 23; and Cabela’s in Hoffman Estates on Saturday, March 30. The eight-hour class includes classroom instruction, reviews, stories, videos and final exam covering federal, state and local boating laws; required safety equipment; safe boating; basic navigation; boating problems; and moving and storage of boats.

Upon completion of the class, students are awarded a certificate and wallet card. The certificate of completion is accepted by the Illinois Department of Natural Resources under the Illinois Boat Registration and Safety Act of 1978, which requires persons under the age of 18 to carry on their person a certificate of completion or competency to operate a personal watercraft or a motorboat on any public body of water in Illinois.

For more information or to register for a class, visit www.flotilla41-07.org, when registering use promo code “DH22313” for additional savings.

The U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary, the uniformed civilian, volunteer component of Team Coast Guard assists the active duty Coast Guard in all of its varied missions, except for military and direct law enforcement. These men and women can be found on the nation’s waterways, in the air, in classrooms and on the dock, performing Maritime Domain Awareness patrols, safety patrols, vessel safety checks and public education classes.

The auxiliary was founded in 1939 by an Act of Congress as the U.S. Coast Guard Reserve and re-designated the Auxiliary in 1941. Its 40,000 members contribute millions of hours annually in support of Coast Guard missions. For information on U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary Flotilla 41-7 9WR, visit www.flotilla41-07.org.