Boating Skills and
Seamanship Class Graduation
Fourteen boaters recently completed the U. S. Coast Guard
Auxiliary Boating Skills and Seamanship (BS&S) class in
Newport Oregon. The class concluded with a graduation dinner
on the 16th of December 2005 at USCG Station Yaquina Bay.
The pot-luck dinner was hosted by the station, which
provided a main course of beef stroganoff and green beans.
Petty Officer Second Class Steven Williams was the master
chef who prepared the dinner, and he was ably assisted by
Seaman Sarah Graf. A graduation talk was given by Petty
Officer Second Class Mike Carola who also assisted in
handing out graduation certificates. They all did an
outstanding job, and their assistance was greatly
appreciated by everyone who attended.
The BS&S class is a 13 week course presented by members
of Flotilla 54 of the Coast Guard Auxiliary at the Englund
Marine facility. The course provides participants with a
strong foundation in boating skills, and focuses on boating
safety and how to reduce or eliminate boating accidents.
Some of the diverse areas covered during the course were:
navigation, weather, radio, tailoring, aids to navigation,
personal water craft, knowing your boat, rules of the road,
and powering your boat.
Some participants already own a boat, some are thinking
of buying one, and some just wanted to learn about boating
safely. All participants qualified to receive the
Oregon State Marine Board Boater Education card which is now
required for all persons age 50 or younger. Graduates
of the class were: Jerry Burger, Donna Cox, Linda Eggert,
Rudy Eggert, Gary Kaplan, Merrick Kriz, Jesse Montgomery,
Shannon Montgomery, Horst Peppel, Judy Peppel, Louis Reed,
Ray Washington, Lucinda Wilson, and Steven Wilson. Russell
Johnson was the Lead Instructor for the course, and was
assisted by other members of the Flotilla. Members
participating were: LeOra Johnson, Bernie Coler, Ralph
Koontz, Race Morningstar, Don Ashley, Frank Lamberson, Chuck
Gerttula, Bev Divis, and Larry Cox.
Several one-day boating courses will be scheduled soon.
If interested, phone Larry Cox, 541-764-3504 or Rus Johnson,
541-265-2977.
Submitted by Auxiliarist Donna Cox, Flotilla 54 Public
Affairs Officer
