NORTH FORT MYERS, Florida - The National Association of State Boating Law Administrators (NASBLA) has recognized the course and approved new course materials for Basic Power Boating (P-101), one of the popular live-aboard courses offered by Florida Sailing & Cruising School (FS&CS).

P-101 teaches students how to safely operate a displacement power vessel of 30 to 40 feet on known waters during daylight hours under fair weather conditions. FS&CS recently published a student guide for P-101, a 36-page textbook/workbook used in combination with hands-on training on a vessel and as a reference book. In his December 27 letter of approval, NASBLA's Charles A. Sledd, education committee chairman, told Capt. Barb Hansen of FS&CS, "Your work in educating the boating public to enhance the safety of our waterways is very much appreciated."

Skills taught in the P-101 course include radio communications, mooring, docking and wharf landing. Based from Marinatown Marina in North Fort Myers, Florida, the three-day course is limited to four students who stay onboard a trawler while taking the course. Courses are scheduled for the convenience of the students.

Reservations also are being accepted now for Inland Powerboat Cruising, a three-day course that teaches students how to plan, provision, and execute an inland waterway cruise. Students may also reserve their participation in Combination Handling and Cruising (P-101 and P-102), a comprehensive six-day course. FS&CS also conducts an eight-day Offshore Powerboat Cruising (P-103) course that includes a round-trip cruise from Fort Myers to Key West. All courses are taught by U.S. Coast Guard-licensed captains.

Florida Sailing & Cruising School is a division of Southwest Florida Yachts, Inc. which operates one of the largest yacht charter fleets in Florida.

NASBLA is a professional association consisting of state, commonwealth and territorial officials responsible for administering and/or enforcing state boating laws.