The United States Coast Guard Auxiliary Tri-State Flotilla, Massachusetts, will be instructing The Boat America Course (BA) that meets current state-mandated educational requirements.

The program was developed to provide the skills and confidence needed to explore the coast and inland waters by boat. Basic knowledge and skills are needed to have safe and enjoyable boating experiences. This course is perfect for families that have just purchased or are planning to purchase any type of boat, as well as for the boater who wants to keep informed of changes to boating regulations and laws. 

The class is scheduled to begin on October 13, 2026. The two-session course will meet on Tuesdays and Thursdays at Bay Path Regional Vocational Technical High School with a fee of $65.

The Hanson-Milone Boater Safety Act, signed into Mass. law, now requires all Mass. motorboat operators over 12 years of age to complete an approved Safe Boating Certificate course before April 1, 2026, for anyone born after 1/1/1998, and by April 1, 2028, for boaters born before 1/1/1998. Enforcement of the new law will begin on September 1, 2026. Personal watercraft and Jet Ski operators are required to be at least 16 years of age are also included. A certificate, required to be carried onboard, will be issued by the state to resident motorboaters.

Successful completion of this BA course meets this requirement and inclusion into the Mass. Environmental Police Boating Safety Database. Approved by the National Association of State Boating Law Administrators (NASBLA) it will also cover the requirements to operate a vessel in most other states where boating safety education is mandatory including New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Connecticut.

You will receive the additional USCG Auxiliary certification and a possible discount on premiums for most boating insurance companies for successful completion of this course. Some basic marlinespike seamanship (knots etc.) will also be included as part of the course. Participants 16 years old and under must be accompanied, in person, by a registered parent/guardian. Space is limited so register soon.

Register online at www.baypath.augusoft.net  – Sports & Leisure - Class ID 43489. Or call Sheri Dreitlein 508-248-5971 or email her at [email protected] You can also contact the Flotilla Commander Kyle Cimochowski 860-227-7274 or Marc French at 508-318-7152 for additional information.

To locate these and other USCG Auxiliary courses go to: cgaux.org/boatinged/class_finder/index.php

The Coast Guard Auxiliary is the uniformed civilian component of the U.S. Coast Guard and supports the Coast Guard in nearly all mission areas. The Auxiliary was created by Congress in 1939. For more information, please visit www.cgaux.org