This blog series continues to celebrate the efforts and impact of our Safe Boating Campaign partners around the world. Recently we interviewed Safe Boating Campaign partner Captain Sarah Lawrence, owner of Chesapeake Boating Academy, to learn more about her team’s safe boating outreach efforts. Chesapeake Boating Academy was established to empower boaters and promote safe boating through hands-on boating courses.
Outreach efforts over the last year have included building meaningful relationships with students, consistent safety messaging on social media, partnering with West Marine and boat dealers, as well as attending boat shows and kids’ camps. Sarah and team are looking forward to expanding their boating school to include locations in both Annapolis and Kent Narrows, MD. They are also adding an additional training boat and a floating classroom (houseboat used for the first day of their Safe Powerboat Handling Course) to Chesapeake Boating Academy in 2024.
The academy is intentional about promoting life jacket wear and fostering like-minded partnerships. This year, the academy hosted life jacket giveaways and partnered with TowBoatUS and Inspired by Hannah. Comprehensive dockside safety, pre-departure briefings using visual aids, engaging questions, stories, and interaction with students are a part of the academy’s “DNA” in advancing the safe boating message.
Sarah’s philosophy is to remember why you are boating: to have fun and enjoy the water with family and friends. This is best accomplished when you are a prepared, safe, and skilled boater. Practice makes progress. Educating yourself through online, classroom, and hands-on training is the best first step in developing skillsets that translate into a fun and safe boating day. It is important to lead by example and treat every day like it’s your first on the water. This means never becoming complacent or skipping important steps. Sarah emphasizes always checking the weather, tides, charts, and boat equipment. Always have a working VHF radio and know your location. Boaters should also always leave a float plan with a friend or family member.
For interested local residents, Chesapeake Boating Academy offers NSBCs Boat Control On-Water Training Course as well as Safe Powerboat Handling courses. Additionally, you can find Sarah and team at boat shows and free events at local boat dealerships promoting safety and offering hands-on training.
In addition to the academy, Sarah also operates the local marine towing and salvage company TowBoatUS Kent Narrows & Knapps Narrows. Because it is a 24/7/365 business, they work closely with the U.S. Coast Guard, Maryland NRP, and local fire departments, occasionally assisting in search and rescue cases. Sarah confirms when people are found in the water wearing a life jacket, most of the time, they are alive. “Life jackets work, and we see real examples of this through the season around the Chesapeake Bay,” she says.
Sarah’s top safety tips for boaters include boating with a buddy, checking the weather, using a VHF radio, and wearing a life jacket fitted with both a personal locator beacon and SOS emergency light beacon. She adds, “We are huge fans of the wireless engine cut-off switch technology. If you don’t have the wireless option, be sure to wear or use a wired engine cut-off switch.”
Sarah’s shares, “I believe that if you are having fun in a relaxed and safe learning environment, students will have a much higher retention rate. Building confidence is accomplished through repetitive practice and positive verbal feedback. Making mistakes is absolutely okay and should not discourage boaters. This is part of the process and how we learn. Teaching multiple learning styles is the key to ensure that all students aboard are benefiting from the class.”
When not doing on-water training, Sarah enjoys spending time with family, traveling, hiking, sailing, and spending time aboard their houseboat.
Learn more at www.chesapeakeboatingacademy.com.
Know of someone who should be featured on the blog? Email us at outreach@safeboatingcouncil.org.