In 2007, the Virginia General Assembly enacted a law to establish a boating safety education compliance requirement. The operators of any vessel with 10 horsepower or greater will be required to have a boating safety education course completion card on board when operating the vessel. This requirement will be phased in by age to 2016 when everyone must comply. All PWC operators, regardless of age, and motorboat operators 30 years of age or younger are required to meet the requirements by July 1, 2012. This will include committee boat and chase boats as well as any auxiliary powered sailboat.

FBYC will be the sponsor of this course again this year to be presented by Flotilla 66 of the US Power Squadron on March 10th at the FBYC clubhouse. Registration will begin at 8:30 am with coffee and Danish with the class beginning at 9:00 am. Lunch will be provided and the course concludes with an exam at about 3:00 pm. This is a continuation of the club's efforts to provide continuing education via Safety at Sea. The cost will be $10. Sign up early as space in limited. Chairperson: Andy Soyars asoyars@verizon.net 

For additional information on the requirements see the Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries website at http://www.dgif.virginia.gov/boating/education/boating-safety-education-requirement.asp