The weather is getting warmer and that means the Columbia River will be full of boats before you know it. It also means it’s time to the Washington State Boater’s Safety Course if you haven’t done so already.
Do I Have to Take the Course?
In short, yes. It is required by law for anyone that recreationally operates a boat on waters in Washington State to carry a Boater’s Education card. It doesn’t matter if you are a resident of the State or not, you still need a card if you’ll be on waters in ‘The Evergreen State’ if you fall under this criteria:
- You were born after January 1, 1955
- You operate a water craft with a 15hp motor or more
- You are 12 years of age or older.
Washington State Parks Boat ED
The Benton County Sheriff’s Office will be offering a Boater Education Course on Saturday May 20th from 8am to 4pm at the Richland Yacht Club located at 350 Columbia Point Drive. The Class is free but there only a certain number of spaces. If you would like to register you can contact Deputy Brett Hansen at brett.hansen@co.benton.wa.us to hold your place.
Google Street View
If you can’t make the class in person you can take the course online through the Washington State Parks website. Once you complete the course you’ll receive your card in the mail. The nice thing about taking the course and receiving your card is it lasts your lifetime. You only need to take the course once and your card never expires.
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