FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact:
Jake Fish
US SAILING Communications Manager
jakefish@ussailing.org
US SAILING Receives Grant from U.S. Coast Guard
in Support of On-the-Water Powerboat Training
in Support of On-the-Water Powerboat Training
PORTSMOUTH, R.I. (July 28, 2010) – US SAILING, the National Governing Body of the sport, and the U.S. Coast Guard have strengthened their partnership in support of US SAILING’s Small Powerboat Handling program. The U.S. Coast Guard has awarded US SAILING with a significant one-year Drivers Education for Boaters™ grant.
These funds will be used to increase retention and acceptance of safe boating practices, expand our on-the-water training capacity, ensure sustainable powerboat training facilities, reduce accidents, and create effective marketing and branding tools. In addition to this grant, the U.S. Coast Guard has renewed the US SAILING’s Partnering Grant.
Former US SAILING President and current Chairman of the National Safety Boating Advisory Council, Jim Muldoon, had this to say about the significance of these grants, “US SAILING’s partnership with the U.S. Coast Guard continues to play an important role in the growth of our powerboat programs. These grants provide US SAILING with the opportunity to implement on-the-water education and awareness strategies for safe powerboating practices in the U.S. We are extremely grateful for this support and happy for those at US SAILING who have worked tirelessly to help develop this program.”
US SAILING plans on achieving these goals by utilizing powerboat training coordinators in strategically targeted locations, developing and promoting the Drivers Education for Boaters™ brand through a marketing campaign, building our powerboat training capacity by identifying and supporting the acquisition of equipment through partnerships and buying cooperatives, facilitating information exchange and adoption of best management practices, and supporting life jacket wear observations. US SAILING values the importance of expanding on-the-water training to local communities.
US SAILING Certified Instructors provide flexible, entry-level courses for adults and youth and the course may be structured for precision boathandling sessions for support boat operators.
US SAILING developed the first national on-the-water hands-on certification for small powerboat handling. The US SAILING Powerboat Handling Certification Program offers Safe Powerboat Handling™, Safety and Rescue™ / Support Boat Handling™, and Powerboat Instructor courses.
About US SAILING
The United States Sailing Association (US SAILING) is the national governing body for sailing. Founded in 1897 and headquartered in Portsmouth, Rhode Island, the organization provides leadership, promotes integrity, and fosters growth for the sport of sailing in the United States. US SAILING offers training and education programs for instructors and race officials, supports a wide range of sailing organizations and communities, issues offshore rating certificates, and provides administration and oversight of competitive sailing across the country, including National Championships and the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Sailing Teams. For more information, please visit www.ussailing.org.