In case you hadn’t noticed all that traffic on the water, there has been an influx of new boaters since the start of the pandemic. Many of those enthusiastic boaters are buying their own boat for the first time, or could use a refresher on the basics of boating.
The Marine Trades Association of Maryland (MTAM) held Welcome to Boating Clinics first in August 2020, then again in May 2021. They were so popular the clinics will return this month with expanded capacity, and Chesapeake Bay Media is a proud media sponsor of this free service to the boating community.
On Sept. 17th and 18th at Sandy Point State Park, new boaters can learn to properly launch, retrieve and load their boat onto a trailer as well as dock the boat. MTAM has brought in the Maryland Department of Natural Resources, the Boat U.S. Foundation, and the Annapolis School of Seamanship (sister company to Chesapeake Bay Media) to help new boaters practice safety on the water and to ensure they become confident and continue boating.
The instruction on docking, launching and safety, taught by Annapolis School of Seamanship and Boat US Foundation, will run for 30 minutes each and repeat four times a day. In addition to docking, launching, and safety, several organizations will be on hand to talk about possible topics of interest, including:
· Flares and other Safety items – Orion Safety Products
· Paint and finishes – Interlux Paint Finishes
· Winterization – Safe Harbor Marinas
· Fuel Dock Safety – Oasis Marinas
· Towing and Anchoring – TowBoat US
· Clean Boating – DNR Clean Marina
· Fishing and Conservation – Coastal Conservation Association of Maryland
The clinics will be held at the Sandy Point boat ramps Sept. 17, 11 a.m- 7 p.m. and Sept. 18, 10 a.m- 4 p.m. They are free to attend, but registration is required. There is a fee to enter Sandy Point State Park. MTAM says boaters should not bring their own boat—all training with be done on Annapolis School of Seamanship boats.
Annapolis Boat Shows is offering discounted tickets to the October boat shows in Annapolis to all who attend.
To register for the clinics follow these links: September 17th  or  September 18th.
-Meg Walburn Viviano
