By Joan Crothers
Guest Writer
Warm weather is here and more boaters are out on the water. The Coast Guard Auxiliary is still teaching on line safety courses; however, the Georgia Department of Natural Resources has opened in-person classes as long as Georgia CDC guidelines are being observed. We hope everyone will be safe by taking a free boating safety education course. Several experienced Coast Guard Auxiliarists from our local Coast Guard Auxiliary Flotilla 23 are volunteering their time to serve as instructors for the Georgia DNR classes.
Is boating education required in Georgia? Answer: as of July 1, 2014, all persons born on or after Jan. 1, 1998 who operate any motorized vessel on the waters of the state must have completed a boat education course approved by the department prior to such operation. A person is exempt if he or she is a person licensed by the U.S. Coast Guard as a master of a vessel; a person operating on a private lake or pond; a non-resident who has in his or her possession proof that he or she has completed a National Association of State Boating Law Administrators approved boater education course or equivalent examination from another state.
These Georgia Boating Safety classes will meet this mandatory education requirement. To register for these classes, visit the Georgia DNR website: www.gadnrle.org/boating-education.
Below are the six DNR boating safety classes offered in our area over the next few months. Set up and late registration for each class is 8-8:30 a.m.; class begins at 8:30 a.m. and ends at 4:30 p.m. with a 45 minute lunch break.
• Saturday, April 24 - Union County Civic Center, 165 Wellborn Street, Blairsville, Ga.
• Saturday, May 15 - Towns County Civic Center, 67 Lakeview Circle, Hiawassee, Ga.
• Saturday, June 19 - Towns County Civic Center, 67 Lakeview Circle, Hiawassee.
• Saturday, June 26 - Lake Rabun Civic Association, 1757 Lake Rabun Road, Lakemont, Ga.
• Saturday, July 24 - Union County Civic Center, 165 Wellborn Street, Blairsville.
• Saturday, Aug. 14 - Towns County Civic Center, Lakeview Circle, Hiawassee.
For details, call Douglas Townes (404) 971-5077 or Polly Royster (209) 598-3303.