With spring quickly approaching, outdoor enthusiasts will soon be hitting the lake, making this the perfect time to get your boating certification.

During the Tri-Cities Boat Show at the East Tennessee State University Mini Dome on Saturday, March 12th, members of the Tri-Cities Boating Club will be teaching the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency’s (TWRA) Safe Boating Course. The class, which encompasses Operating Your Boat Safely, Legal Requirements of Boating, Boating Emergencies, Your Boat, Getting Underway, Water Sports With Your Boat, and a test review, is open to the public and starts at 10:30 a.m. and ends at 4:30 p.m.

While the class is free, in order to get a Tennessee Boat Operator Permit, exam participants must be at least 12 years old. There is no upper age limit, but anyone born after January 1, 1989 must carry the license in order to operate a watercraft. The TWRA’s Type 600 Boating Safety Exam Permit needs to be purchased in advance and brought to the class. They are available for only $10 at any TWRA hunting/fishing license vendor including Walmart, Kmart, sporting goods stores, marinas and bait stores.

Keep your Type 600 receipt because not only will it allow you entrance into the exam, it will be your temporary certificate when you pass the exam. Just in case you don’t pass the test the first time, you can use the receipt to take the exam as many times as needed for you to pass it.

The exam will take place on Saturday afternoon, and while you don’t have to attend the classes prior to the test, you might want to do a bit of studying in the Tennessee Boating manual. You can call TWRA’s Boating Division at 615-781-6682 or Email them to have study materials sent to you. You can also visit this Website and study online by clicking on the Study Guide tab at the top of the page.

The exam takes about an hour and if you pass you’ll receive your wallet card within a few weeks.

Already licensed and looking for more specialized training? Join the Carefree Boat Club and incredible courses like Close Quarters Maneuvering, Open Water Training, and many more are included in your membership.

If you’re anxious to get out on the water and haven’t yet taken the class and received your certification, there’s no time like the present. We’ll see you Saturday at ETSU!

The Tennessee Safe Boating Course covers Your Boat, Getting Underway, Operating Your Boat Safely, Legal Requirements of Boating, Boating Emergencies What To Do, Enjoying Water Sports With Your Boat and Test Review. Contents are approved by TWRA, NASBLA and recognized by the U.S. Coast Guard.

This class will be presented by members of the Tri-Cities Boating Club which is a member of the United States Power Squadrons, a national non-profit, educational organization dedicated to making boating safer and more enjoyable by teaching many different boating classes to the public and its members.