CPW Ranger offers boating safety class for teens 14 to 17 as law changes
Bill VogrinSoutheast Region Public Information Officer
719-466-3927 / [email protected]
Nov. 1, 2023
CPW Ranger offers boating safety class for teens 14 to 17 as law changes
TRINIDAD, Colo. – Colorado Parks and Wildlife’s Charlee Olson, senior ranger at Trinidad Lake State Park, wants to make sure everyone is ready next summer when a new law will require boaters 14-17 to take a boat safety class before they can legally operate a vessel on state waters.
So Olson is offering a monthly online Boating Safety Class, beginning Nov. 4, to get everyone in compliance and ready when the law takes effect July 1, 2024.
“I want to help get these kids certified now, while it’s slower, before the summer gets here,” Olson said. “This course is required for anyone who wants to operate a motor boat, personal watercraft also known as jet skis, or a sailboat.
“Not only will the material help students stay smart and safe on the water, it can also save participants 10-15 percent on boat insurance.”
Students must be 14 at the time of the class and must register for the course at least seven days in advance. It costs $15 and requires attendance at a 2-3 hour review session.
The course is a combination of home study and classroom hours. Students must read and study the 60 page manual prior to attending a review session with a boating instructor.
To receive a manual, purchase it online here. If you are unable to purchase and use the electronic manual, please call 303-291-7575 or email [email protected] to request a physical manual.
The review session will run 2 to 3 hours, depending on class size. Students will take a written test at the end of the session and must pass with a score of at least 70 percent to receive a boater identification card.
###
Photos courtesy of Colorado Parks and Wildlife
Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW) is an enterprise agency, relying primarily on license sales, state parks fees and registration fees to support its operations, including: 43 state parks and more than 350 wildlife areas covering approximately 900,000 acres, management of fishing and hunting, wildlife watching, camping, motorized and non-motorized trails, boating and outdoor education. CPW's work contributes approximately $6 billion in total economic impact annually throughout Colorado.