On Saturday, May 9, 2026 the U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary's Woods Hole Flotilla will be conducting the one-day BOAT AMERICA boating safety class. The class will be held at the Sea Education Association at 171 Woods Hole Rd, Falmouth MA 02540. The time of the class is 8:30am (registration) until approximately 5pm. The cost is $25 per person.
This is an approved National Association of State Boating Law Administrators (NASBLA) 8-hour (one day) class. It provides the general knowledge needed to obtain the U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary Boating Safety Certificate and the Massachusetts Environmental Police (MEP) safe boating "license".
Currently, the MEP license is required for youth ages 12 through 15 to operate any motorized vessel alone, as well as youth ages 16 and 17 to operate a personal watercraft (Jet Ski®) alone. This course also meets the requirements for the new Massachusetts Safe Boating Act which will require persons of all ages who operate a motor vessel in Massachusetts to have an MEP license. Operators born after January 1, 1989, must obtain this license by April 1, 2026. Those born on or before January 1989 have until April 1, 2028.
TOPICS INCLUDE: Introduction to: Boat types, Boating Law, Boat Safety Equipment, Safe Boating, Navigation, Boating Problems, Trailering, Storing and Protecting Your Boat.
Registration confirmation is done by email and students must be registered by Thursday prior to the event.
Contact the Flotilla Staff Officer for Public Education:
Stephen Wagner at captwags@comcast.net or 774-392-6193