January 2024 Beacon

NEWS From BoatUS Boat Owners AssociaƟon of The United States What 222,000 Boaters Got Wrong

ANNAPOLIS, Md., Jan. 10, 2024 – The BoatUS FoundaƟon for BoaƟng Safety and Clean Water offers a range of online boaƟng safety training courses — including 36 free state boaƟng safety courses — that make boaƟng safety educaƟon affordable and accessible. More than 220,000 boaters took one of these boaƟng cerƟficaƟon courses last year, which require students to correctly answer some quesƟons at the conclusion of each course. Which quesƟons did course takers get wrong most oŌen? While we can’t outright give you the answers, here are some topics that course takers – or any boater – would be wise to study. Do you know which way air moves? If you had said “from the prevailing direcƟon,” you’d be incorrect. Air ulƟmately moves from high-pressure areas to low-pressure areas, caused by the uneven heaƟng of the earth’s surface. Weather for Boaters has more. You’re in Mexico on the hook and you see a yellow (Q) flag flying on the boat next to you. Being a friendly type, you welcome the neighboring crew to port with coffee and muffins, but they politely decline. What’s up? Did you just happen to have bad luck to find yourself next to the only cranky boat crew in Baja? While the flag indicates the vessel is healthy, it also means it is requesƟng approval – under quaranƟne – to enter port. Therefore, it’s best to hold off on the kaffeeklatsch unƟl they’ve cleared in. Whether you’re headed near or afar, Planning Your Cruise will help you stay on the right side of the law. There’s a lot of new technology on boats today, and one of them growing in popularity is AIS, or AutomaƟc IdenƟficaƟon System, which can help you steer clear of ship traffic. How does it work? AIS uses VHF radio frequencies to broadcast the AIS informaƟon, including a vessel’s unique idenƟficaƟon, posiƟon, course and