The West Point Lake U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is accepting registration for its last boat safety course of the year on Aug. 11. Park Ranger Steven Rector said the classes are in partnership with the Georgia Department of Natural Resources, the U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary Flotilla and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.

Rector said the GDNR’s statewide course is mandatory for those born after Jan. 1, 1998, but everyone is welcome to attend.

“Typically, what we’re doing each year is we’re offering one course each month April through August,” Rector said. “By teaching the Georgia Department of Natural Resources boating safety course, we’re able to make sure that everyone who comes to our class satisfies the requirements of that mandatory education law.”

The free class has a test at the end and if participants pass, they earn their boating safety card. Rector said the class is also recognized by the State of Alabama, so boaters can use their card in both states.

“We really try to cover as much as possible in that six-hour class to make sure that everyone feels that they have a very good handle on safety and what to do out here on the lake,” Rector said.

Rector said they go through almost everything from the Georgia Handbook of Boat Laws, including understanding the types of buoys, how to pass other vessels and how to tell which direction another boat is moving at night.

“We cover how to properly hook your boat trailer up to your truck with the hitch and ball and safety chains and the lights,” Rector said.

The class needs a minimum of five people to participate and only three are pre-registered as of Monday, according to Rector. Pre-registration is open until Aug. 10. To pre-register for the course, visit gooutdoorsgeorgia.com.  The class will be held at the West Point Project Management Office on 500 Resource Management Road in West Point from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.