WBTW Courses

Overview

Every woman comes to us with a different level of experience and with different boating interests. That's why we've split the Women Behind the Wheel course into two groups. Our courses have been named after two famous female boaters, to pay tribute to their accomplishments and to remember that boating is not an activity reserved for men. Please read on to find out more about these amazing women and the courses that have been named after them.

Course Specifics

Date: various dates in May, June, & July (see events calendar)

Time: 8:30-4:30 (can vary depending on course)

Location: Buckeye Marine

Contact Person:Carly Poole

Sign up using our events registration form

Prior Knowledge & Credentials

PCOC
     - No prior knowledge or credentials required!

Towing
     - Must be 16 years of age and possess a valid driver's license (G2 class at minimum)
     - Must be able to operate an automatic transmission vehicle
     - Must have passed her PCOC exam

Captaining
     - Must wear a Canadian Coast Guard Approved personal floatation device
     - Must have passed her PCOC exam and have a strong understanding of the rules on the water

Courses Offered
Ida Lewis Course for Beginners

In the mid-19th century, the lighthouse at Lime Rock in Newport Harbour was maintained by a young Ida Lewis. The former lighthouse keeper had been Ida's father, who, after suffering from a stroke in 1857, was no longer able to perform lighthouse duties. Ida would become one of the most famous lighthouse keepers in North American history. Ida's fame was motivated by her bravery and lifesaving abilities. Ida performed her first rescue mission when she was still a teenager, saving the lives of four young men whose small boat capsized. This was not the last life-saving mission Ida would go on. Most famously, in March of 1869, while suffering from a cold, Ida jumped into her boat without shoes or a jacket to save the lives of two soldiers caught in a snow storm. For her constant efforts to save the lives of people on the water, we have named our Women Behind the Wheel beginner course after Ida Lewis.

Course Information

This beginner course is designed for women who do not already have their boating license. The morning of this full-day course is devoted to safety on the water. A PCOC certified instructor will teach a full safety course and then administer an examination after all have learned the applicable information. This is to ensure that every woman has her boater's license before she captains the boat in the afternoon.

After a health-conscious lunch, the afternoon will be spent learning how to feel comfortable while hauling and backing up a trailer, and captaining and docking your boat.

The fee for the Ida Lewis full day course is $150/person (price includes all materials, instruction, lunch & snacks).

Ida Lewis Course for Beginners who have their PCOC
Course Information

This course is for those women who have already earned their Pleasure Craft Operators Card and would like to gain some hands-on experience captaining a boat and manoeuvering a trailer. This course is only a half-day and includes a health-conscious buffet lunch. Taught by long-time women boaters, you will learn the skills needed to feel comfortable captaining and docking a boat, as well as hauling and backing up a trailer.

The fee for this half-day course is $80/person.

Mabel Bacon Course for Advanced Boaters

In 1910, Mabel Bacon became the first woman to enter a power boat race. She and her husband, together with one other man, set out in their 46 1/2' cruiser, Yo Ho, from David's Head, New York, and raced to Hamilton, Bermuda. The crew began the race on June 25 and finished it 90 hours later, on June 29. As one of only three crew members, Mabel regularly took her turn captaining the cruiser. The team finished an impressive second place. As a result of her willingness to participate in a boating event and her skill at captaining, we named our advanced course after Mabel Bacon.

Course Information

Our advanced course includes different aspects of boating such as learning how to captain and trailer boats as well as on-water safety. The advanced course has been developed to accommodate those women who already have some boating experience including their Pleasure Craft Operators card, but who are looking for practical advice and experience captaining and trailering their boat in a private or semi-private setting. This specifically can include docking, towing a skier and launching and loading. The beauty of this course is that we can meet your boating needs whether it be inboard or twin captaining, navigating the locks, or any other boating challenge you face.

The fee for the advanced Mabel Bacon Course is $60/hour.

Click here to go the Events Calendar and find the closest date.

To sign up, fill out our events registration form or contact Carly for more info.