Last Friday, eight Program Assistants (PAs) completed their second full-day session of a month-long safe powerboat handling course at SUNY Maritime’s Waterfront Center. Dubbed “Driver’s Ed for Boaters” on the center’s website, the course includes both in-classroom lessons and hands-on training out on the water. PAs were able to get behind the wheel in their very first class, when they completed an on-water obstacle course and practiced docking. For those who had never driven a powerboat before, these activities were definitely challenging. But with the encouragement—and loud cheering!—of their peers, everyone was triumphant and felt a great sense of accomplishment at the end of the day. The second class focused on high speed maneuvering and docking.
The training is part of a new initiative—generously sponsored by a $25,000 Youth Service Improvement Grant from the William T. Grant Foundation—aimed at increasing the organization’s capacity to teach sailing and support long distance expeditions. In addition to providing full-time staff with more on-water support, it is a great resume-building opportunity for PAs, who will all receive their NYS Safe Boating License and a U.S. Powerboating Certificate upon completion.
Check back in the coming weeks for a blog post on the PAs’ progress completing another training at SUNY Maritime: a 40-hour basic keelboat course that will earn them valuable sailing experience and a U.S. Sailing Basic Keelboat certificate.
