Bay Village boating program helps set world record

On May 19, the students in the Bay Village Schools' Boating Education Program and students in Bay High's Project Earth club helped set a world record for wearing life jackets. This was the first day of National Safe Boating week and the Ready, Set, Wear It campaign organized groups around the world to attempt to set a new record for life jacket wear. 

There were 52 participants at the event at the Bay Boat Club at noon. The new worldwide record is 3,993 participants in 146 events on that day. There were 1,092 in inflatable life jackets and 2,901 in inherently buoyant life jackets worn by the participants.  

The 38 participants from the Bay Village boating program took a break from the Ohio Boating Education Class to take part in the event. These seventh-grade students all passed the class and the exam as part of the Spirit of America program. They now have met the Ohio requirement that anyone born on or after Jan. 1, 1982, is required to successfully complete a NASBLA-approved boating course in order to operate a vessel with an engine over 10 horsepower. 

The students are now participating in the hands-on portion of the program, learning to operate power boats, sail boats, paddle craft, personal watercraft, and taking a ride on the 45-foot U. S. Coast Guard search-and-rescue vessel stationed at Cleveland Harbor Station. 

This program is free to students and paid for by a Boating Education Grant from the ODNR Division of Watercraft. No local tax dollars are used to fund this program. To view photos of all the events, go to www.readysetwearit.com

George Christ

I am coordinator of the West Cuyahoga Spirit of America Safe Boating Program.

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Volume 4, Issue 13, Posted 10:17 AM, 06.26.2012