Free Boat Safety Checks
Contributed by Doris Thomas
Free Vessel Safety Checks will be offered by the U. S. Coast Guard Auxiliary on Sunday, May 12 at the Eagle River Walmart and on Saturday, May 18 at Eagle River Fred Meyer. Both exam stations are from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Any boater interested in knowing more about their power or paddle craft’s condition before launching can bring the boat by for a check of its systems and safety gear. These checks are completely voluntary and there is no penalty for not passing the check. Many insurance companies offer a discount for boats that earn the “Seal of Safety” from the Auxiliary. For additional information or to arrange for an examination on a different day, call Mel Kalkowski at (907) 694-5203.
The Auxiliary is also accepting serviceable used adult and children’s flotation devices for donation to the Kids Don’t Float life jacket loaner program.
The vessel safety checks are part of kickoff events for the 2024 North American Safe Boating Campaign, May 18-24, being observed throughout Alaska, particularly in the 10 communities served by Auxiliary flotillas.
For more details about the VSC program, go to http://www.cgaux.org/vsc/.
The U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary is the uniformed civilian component of the United States Coast Guard. Created by an Act of Congress in 1939, the Auxiliary directly supports the Coast Guard in all missions, except military and direct law enforcement actions. The Coast Guard Auxiliary is an integral part of the United States Coast Guard. For more information visit www.cgaux.org.