Freedom Boat Club Jacksonville will be offering boating classes to the public as part of a pilot program for BoatClass® from Brunswick. Starting on April 7, classes will be offered at Freedom Boat Club’s Jacksonville Beach location at Beach Marine. Participants can go online to sign up for the Basic BoatClass® or the Intermediate BoatClass® + Advanced Docking. Freedom Boat Club Jacksonville will also soon be offering a class specifically for women. Each class is a three-hour on-water training course with a U.S. Coast Guard Certified Captain. 

“Safety on the water is a number one priority for us and these classes will offer everyone a chance to learn and perfect how to safely operate a boat and the rules of the waterways,” said Lisa Almeida, co-owner of FBC Jacksonville. “Operating a boat is not the same as operating a car and it can be intimidating and dangerous if you don’t know what you are doing. We hope these classes will help both a new generation of boaters and some more seasoned boaters who want to hone their skills and improve their operation techniques. Most of all, we want everyone to get out on the water and enjoy the beautiful assets our area offers.”

The Basic BoatClass® is a three-hour on-water training course that is designed for new boaters to teach the skills needed to safely operate a boat. The course will include lessons in shifting and throttle control, turning and stopping drills, and will show how to back into open water. Students will learn how to pivot and turn the boat, how to manage speed and momentum, and how to dock at the marina. Instructors will also teach the rules of the waterways including the use of channel markers, crossing wakes and waves, right of way applications and speed zone adjustments.

The Intermediate BoatClass® + Advanced Docking is also a three-hour on-water course that offers more complex boating operations lessons. Participants will learn how to maneuver the boat in tight quarters, how to stop the boat quickly and in a controlled manner, and how to properly and safely retrieve items from outside the boat. Instructors will also teach how to trim a boat, how to beach the boat at a sandbar, and how to accurately anchor. The advanced docking instruction will include more complex docking skills needed for winds and currents, how to dock between boats, and how to dock in different slip configurations.

To sign up for the class, visit Jacksonville.TheBoatClass.com to pick your training course time. A basic course is available to four people per class. It is $149 for the first seat and $50 for each additional seat or the entire boat for $299. The intermediate class allows three seats per boat for $199 per seat and $75 for additional seats or $349 for the entire boat. For more information, contact Luke Bickerstaff at[email protected] or call 904-352-5522.