Atlanta Sail and Power Squadron
By Lisa Beers

Group offers boating classes to get ready for the season

As always, the winter months means education at the Atlanta Sail and Power Squadron, Atlanta's Boating Club!

First up on February 11 is our Boat Smart class. Here you can learn the basics of boating, such as boat handling (docking and trailering), safety equipment and procedures, navigation basics (the rules of the road), and boat types and terminology. This class is great for adults and teens; you can enjoy learning as a family! The class is approved by the State of Georgia Department of Natural Resources (GA DNR) and by the National Association of the State Boating Law Administrators (NASBLA). The location is at 1050 Buford Dam Rd., Buford. The class runs from 8:30 a.m.-5:30 p.m. Cost is $35 and families may share. Please visit our website atlantasboatingclub.com for more details and how to sign up.

Most of our advanced boating class series got under way in January, but there’s still time to join our Piloting class, which begins February 20. Piloting is the first of a two-part program of study of inland and coastal navigation. Focus is on the fundamentals of basic piloting – keeping track of your movements on the water, determining where you are at any given moment, and laying out a course to your planned destination. Included are a thorough study of charts and their use, aids to navigation, mariner’s compass, variation and deviation, bearings, dead reckoning, and developing skill at plotting and labeling. Classes are held on Monday nights from 7 until 9. in Atlanta. See atlantasboatingclub.com for additional information, the class syllabus, and how to sign up.

Did you get a fancy new GPS for Christmas, but not sure how to use it? The organization is holding a GPS Seminar on Saturday March 10 from 9:30 a.m.-11 a.m. at West Marine in Buford. The basic seminar is a great “starter” for getting the most out of your GPS device.

February is always a special month for our squadron, as we celebrate our Change of Watch, installing a new bridge of officers and kicking off a new year. We appreciate and thank our outstanding leadership in 2011 and look forward to an outstanding 2012!

Visit our website atlantasboatingclub.com and “friend” us on Facebook (Atlanta Boating) to keep up with all the social and educational opportunities we offer throughout the year!

The club offers a special “thank you” to their 2011 Commander, Lisa Herndon.

The Atlanta Sail and Power Squadron (ASPS) is Atlanta’s Boating Club. With activities focused on boating that is safe, smart and fun, ASPS members have access to some of the best resources available to recreational boaters. Whether you own a sail boat, a houseboat, a cruiser, a fishing boat, a ski boat, a pontoon boat or a personal watercraft, ASPS can enhance your boating experience. Please visit us at www.atlantasboatingclub.com to find out more. You are also welcome to contact us by phone at 770 734-6412.