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Women & Boating Education -- Another Look

A recent Small Craft Advisory article has prompted dialog about boating safety in Dealer Outlook -- a blog by Norman A. Schultz published on the Soundings Trade Only website.

Schultz discusses the September-October Small Craft Advisory article, Reality Check:  Women & Boating Education, by Jo Calkin with the U.S. Coast Guard's Division of Boating Safety.  Calkin suggests many women are not prepared to operate a boat by their self, because captaining is viewed as a man's role.

In his blog, Schultz adds to the conversation with a suggestion for dealers:

It makes a lot of sense that women boaters should have a chance to acquire the basic skills and knowledge to operate the family boat, if only for an emergency situation. I know of a few dealers who encourage their customers, husband and wife, to take a boating course. Some of those dealers hold the course right in their showroom. I also know one or two dealers that annually hold an on-the-water women-only boating class at their dealership including hands-on boat operating instruction using a new demo boats, of course.

It’s a fact that boating education efforts are an excellent vehicle not only to help your customers become more confident and safer on the water, but to bring them into the store more often. I call that a win-win.

Be sure to read the comments on the blog.  One commenter is compiling a list of women-focused boating education courses.  She indicates that Texas has such a course.  Do you know of other states or organizations offering classes for women?

'Dean of the Waterways,' dies at 99

The recreational boating safety community lost a pioneer this weekend.   From the Knoxville News Sentinel:

W. Claude Fox, a nationally recognized pioneer in boat racing, marine sales and boating safety, died Saturday at the University of Tennessee Medical Center. He was 99.

Mr. Fox, often referred to as "Dean of the Waterways," was the oldest member of the U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary. For more than 30 years, he served as executive director of the Knoxville-based National Outboard Association and officiated boat races throughout the country. He also was former owner of Fox & Co., a Knoxville marine sales and sporting goods company.

From a 1986 interview, Fox talked about boating years ago:

"In the early days, if you went for a boat ride, you always went upstream," he said. "That was so you could float back down in case of a breakdown. It was a rare thing to complete even a short trip without your engine quitting at least once. Nowadays, outboards are so reliable, there are plenty of people who would think nothing of setting out to cross the ocean with one."

According to the News-Sentinel, Fox's greatest contribution to boating was in safety. He helped organize the Coast Guard Auxiliary's Flotilla 12-1, the oldest in the nation. Mr. Fox conducted more than 300 boat safety exams for the auxiliary -- including conducting one for Elvis Presley.  He won numerous honors, including one for saving a man's life on Fort Loudoun Lake.

Fair winds and following seas, Mr. Fox.