BALTIMORE – The Coast Guard Auxiliary, the Coast Guard and Maryland Natural Resources Police are sponsoring a National Safe Boating Week kickoff event at the Annapolis City Dock in Annapolis, Md., Saturday.
Beginning at 10:00 a.m., boaters can receive a free vessel safety examination from Auxiliarists who check for compliance with all federal and state regulations and issue a highly visible sticker for compliance.
Additionally, examiners will suggest ways to bring a boat into compliance, but do not report any violations found during the check. The examiners can provide safe boating advice and literature. Boats can be inspected on trailers and in the water. Also, boaters can schedule vessel examinations and boater safety classes for future times at their dock.
In addition to safety inspections, beginning at 10:00 a.m., the event also features:
- A proclamation by Gov. Martin O’Malley, the governor of Maryland, Flip Walters, a representative for the mayor of Annapolis, and Capt. Mark O’Malley, the commander of Coast Guard Sector Baltimore, declaring Safe Boating Week.
- Games will be available for children such as a life ring toss and a race to see who can put on their life jacket the fastest.
- The Coast Guard Cutter James Rankin, a 175-foot coastal buoy tender, will moor at the Annapolis City Dock and offer free tours from 1 p.m., until 3 p.m.
- The Coast Guard Auxiliary will have a life jacket display and safe boating classes will be available either on the spot or can be scheduled.
- A search and rescue boat from Coast Guard Station Annapolis
Most activities will end at 4:00 p.m. This event is free to the public.
The United States Coast Guard Auxiliary is composed of uniformed, non-military volunteers who assist the Coast Guard in all of its varied missions, except for military and direct law enforcement. These men and women can be found on the nation’s waterways, in the air, in classrooms and on the dock, performing safety patrols, vessel safety checks and public education.
