Boaters Education and Information from captnmike.com

Take a Safe Boating Class

• Take a Safe Boating Class U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary Classes for the public in Washington State

Important Handouts for Boaters

• Important Seattle Area Boating Information (pdf):
  Includes Lake Washington, Lake Union and Speed Zones (2 pages)
• Bridges in the Seattle Area (pdf):
  Opening Information, Bridge Clearances and more (2 pages)
• Washington State Boater Education Card application (pdf):
  Send this application in with a copy of proof that you completed an approved Boating Safety Class (1 page)
• Float Plan Central
  An Auxiliary web site with fill in the blanks electronic PDF Float Plan, also instructor information for teaching Float Plans and more.

Useful Web Sites for Boaters

• Get a FREE Vessel Safety Check
  Check Your Safety Equipment Before You Need It
• West Point Weather
  NOAA Weather Site with a link to Puget Sound Marine Weather Forecast
• Washington State Ferry Weather
  Wind speeds observed on Washington State Ferry Routes
• Ballard Locks
  How to transit the locks, guides, hints, videos and information on their free Locking Through Class
• Local Notice to Mariners
  Thirteenth District Local Notice to Mariners, Seattle, Puget Sound and the Pacific Northwest
• United States Coast Guard - Sector Seattle
  13th District - Guardians of the Pacific Northwest

Useful Safety Information & Handouts

• Rules of the Road (pdf):
  Quick Overview of Marine Rules of the Road ( COLREGS ) with Self Test
• Chart Overview (pdf):
  Quick Overview of Marine Charts
• Compass Information (pdf)
  Quick Compass Overview and how to Correct and UnCorrect a Compass Reading
• Distress Signals (pdf):
  Distress Signal Overview.
• Navigators Quick Charting Reference (pdf):
  Common abbreviations, Speed / Distance / Time Formulas, Correcting and Uncorrecting a Compass (TVMDC), Common navigation Drafting Symbols and Their Usage, Conversion Factors on a two sided 5 x 8 inch card.
  Navigators Quick Charting Reference 5 1/2 x 8 1/2 inch version (1/2 of a letter size page (pdf):
  
  
• Boating Handbook (pdf):
  Washington Boating Handbook PDF Version - Washington Boating License Laws and Safety Guide.
• Boating Handbook Supplement (pdf):
  Very Nice State-Specific Boating Law Supplements for America's Boating Course - Boat Ed.

General information and Hints for Crew, Guests and Skippers

• Crew Tips From George (web):
  Tips on how to be a good crew member from 35 years on boats.
  Formatted for Printing Crew Tips From George (pdf):
  
• Man Overboard!! (pdf):
  30 knot winds, 35 / 40 knot puffs, a hard knockdown, jammed lines and the Skipper Overboard.
• Boating Etiquette (web):
  What a skipper expects your mother to have taught you about proper boating manners. Tips on proper etiquette when a guest on a boat.
  Or hints on how to be invited back aboard again.
  Formatted for Printing Boating Etiquette (pdf):
  
• How to tie a Bowline with your left hand (pdf):
  Help for left handed people tying a Bowline using their left hand.

Hypothermia

• Hypothermia (pdf):
  Quick Hypothermia Overview Symptoms and Treatment, remember hypothermia is a year around concern in Puget Sound, Lake Washington, Lake Union and the Seattle area.
• Cold Water Boot Camp Web Site:
  “Professor Popsicle” (Dr. Giesbrecht) takes eight volunteers and dunks them in 45 degree F water to show you what really happens in sudden cold water immersion and what happens as a person gets hypothermia. Graphic video shows why you should wear your lifejacket.
  
  Professor Popsicle has developed the 1-10-1 guide to help understand what happens to people in cold water:
  Cold Shock (1 minute to get your breathing under control).
  Cold Incapacitation (10 minutes to self rescue yourself before your hands, arms, legs stop working).
  Hypothermia (About 1 hour before you become unconscious) IMPORTANT NOTE – If you are not wearing a lifejacket only the first 10 minutes are relevant. Treatment of hypothermia is also covered. There are several must see videos on their site for everyone that is around cold water.
  Instructors guide and quick reference I assembled from the Cold Water Boot Camp site materials (pdf 9 pages)
  

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