From June 24th to the 28th Lake Champlain Maritime Museum held a week-long summer camp, which allowed youth grades 8–12 to obtain a Vermont Boating Safety Education Certification Card. Over the course of week campers were able to get out on the water in Canoes, a sailboat, and a motorboat. With instruction from Captain Jeff Hindes and AmeriCorps Member Mike Hunyadi campers learned how to operate watercraft in a safe and responsible manner.
On day one campers learned the basics of nautical terminology, parts of a boat, what to do before leaving the dock, and essential knots to know before getting on the water. On day two campers learned to read a chart, the rules of navigation, and the meanings of different aids to navigation. Day three included a lesson on the importance of anticipating weather on the water and a recap of the previous skills.
On day four campers took a field trip to the Burlington waterfront to see the Shelburne Shipyard, tour United States Coast Guard Station Burlington, VT and see the the schooner Lois McClure. Day five included a recap of all the skills learned as well as time to complete online coursework in order to get their boaters card. This course is an excellent way for youth to become familiar with boating and provides the knowledge necessary to safely operate a vessel on the water.