How Are Your Boating Skills

With the early arrival of warmer weather, many local boaters are thinkning about or have already taken to the water. Like many of you I have always had a keen interest in boating and spending time of the water is one of my greatest passions. At the risk of dating myself, this will be my 60th summer of boating on Georgian Bay, Lake Huron and up in the North Channel, primarily from my cottage on Manitoulin Island.

  Through sheer experience, I consider myself to be a pretty capable boater. I obtained my Pleasure Craft Operator Card way back in 1999 when the program was in its infancy. My experience with watercraft includes canoes, kayaks, small outboards and inboard-outboard boards up to 23+ feet. I also sail a 16 foot Hobie Cat catamaran which is a tremendous amount of fun.

  This winter I broadened my boating skills by taking a course through the Canadian Power and Sail Squadron (CPS) here in Collingwood.  This is an excellent course and I would highly recommend it to anyone looking to improve their boat handling skills or to gain further insight into navigation and safety related issues. Not only will you increase your knowledge with respect to the handling and safe enjoyment of your boat, but passing the course makes you a full member of the CPS which offers additional courses such as navigating with GPS, a VHF radio licensing course and others. Insurance discounts can also be obtained through the numerous member benefit programs.

  Much of the course dealt with reading charts and plotting courses. Most serious boaters on Georgian Bay will have some sort of electronic chartplotter and other navigational aids onboard but these are no substitute for being able to read, understand and navigate using a traditional “paper” marine chart. I certainly found that aspect of the course to be very beneficial and quite enjoyable.  Taking (and passing) this course certainly broadened my boating skills.  I plan to do some extensive boating this summer on Lake Huron and in the North Channel and my newly acquired navigational skills will certainly enhance the enjoyment and safety of my on-water travels.
  If any of you are interested in joining the and or in taking some courses, visit the Canadian Power and Sail Squadron website and loom under the Blue Mountain Squadron to see what upcoming courses are available.