A maritime training programme designed to enhance boating safety among novice seamen will soon run at the Bermuda College.

The ten-week seamanship and inshore navigation course begins on February 16, well ahead of the boating season, and is the first of three maritime courses offered by the college throughout the year.

Participants will be introduced to the fundamentals of seamanship and boat handling, including maritime laws, “rules of the road”, navigation markers and safety requirements.

They will also learn how to manoeuvre and dock vessels, understand Bermuda’s extensive system of maritime lights, interpret weather conditions, and use VHF radio and emergency procedures correctly.

The course will focus on inshore navigation, covering the waters inside Bermuda’s reef line where most recreational boating takes place.

Major Jeffrey Patterson, the maritime course instructor at Bermuda College and an officer with the Royal Bermuda Regiment Coastguard, said: “Many people don’t realise how much responsibility comes with being in charge of a boat.

“There are no road markings on the water and conditions can change quickly.

“This course helps people understand their own capabilities, their boat’s limitations and how to operate safely in Bermuda’s marine environment.”

Individuals can legally operate a vessel without formal training in Bermuda as there is no mandatory licensing test for recreational boaters.

However, rescue operations attended by the coastguard help to reinforce the importance of maritime training, Major Patterson highlighted.

One incident involved a family that ended up in the water in deteriorating weather conditions after their boat sank.

The parents, who were not wearing life jackets, clung to the boat while their children, who were wearing life jackets, were swept towards nearby cliffs before all were saved by two rescue boats.

“Basic knowledge such as checking the weather forecast, carrying the correct safety equipment and understanding what a boat can handle can prevent situations like this,” Major Patterson said.

Bermuda College also offers an engine drivers course during the summer, focusing on mechanical and electrical systems, and a chart to electronic navigation course in the autumn, which teaches traditional chart navigation alongside GPS and electronic systems.

Major Patterson added: “As Bermudians prepare for summer boating, the February maritime course provides timely, practical training that can help prevent accidents and save lives on the water.”

The course starts runs until April 6, with classes on Mondays from 6pm to 9pm. Funding support is available.

• For more information, e-mail apace@college.bm