National Safe Boating Week Activities

May 16-22 is National Safe Boating Week this year and Flotilla 4 has a variety of events planned to kick off the boating season.

"Spring into Safe Boating” is scheduled for May 17th at Saylorville Lake in conjunction with National Safe Boating Week. The event will consist of Vessel Safety Inspections by the United States Coast Guard Auxiliary and WS games by the US Army Corps of Engineers and the Iowa Department of Natural Resources. The event will be hosted at the Lakeview Boat Ramp from 10am-2pm with prizes for active participants. Vessel Inspections will be available at Lake View Ramp and Cherry Glen Ramp.

The Coast Guard Auxiliary will also be conducting Vessel Safety Inspections around the lake on Saturday, May 16th.

As part of National Safe Boating Week, the three agencies will also host a free Boater Education Course. The course will be held over three consecutive evenings at the Saylorville Lake Visitor Center on May 18, 19, and 20 from 6:00 to 8:30 pm. If you would like a completion certificate following the course there will be a $5 cost incurred. Attendees will also be eligible for boating safety equipment giveaways.

The course is designed to promote safe and responsible boating practices and to instill a sense of responsibility while making the students aware of their actions and potential consequences of these actions. This course meets the State of Iowa requirements for any person 12 years of age or older but less than 18 years of age to operate any vessel propelled by a motor of more than ten horsepower.

These events are geared to prepare boaters for the Memorial Day Weekend and to kick off the boating season.

In addition to these events, Flotilla 4 members will visit their Recreational Boating Safety Partners such as boat dealers, bait shops, and outdoors stores to offer free literature to customers on a variety of water safety topics.