[Chgojim]

Hi..I am Chgo Jims wife....sadly he passed in dec of 2012...since then I have kept our boat at a marina near our home ...I have not even taken it out yet this year and only once last year...before I decide to sell it I want to really see if I can learn to handle it myself and just take myself out cruising...The man at the marina tried to help and my sister and I got out a few times in 2013 but then we shifted all the driving to her son and I don't feel comfortable even starting it by myself..I do not want to keep bugging the marina man so I am wondering if there is anyone here in the Mchenry Illinois area with knowledge not only of the boat but the fox river waterway that could possibly teach me... I can pay for lessons if the charge is fair.

hoping to hear from someone Thanks for reading

'Kim"

[mikeyt]

A couple of thoughts on my part.... you should probably take some sort of boating instruction course that will teach you about buoys, markers, right of way etc before you venture out into boating traffic. Unfortunately I'm not aware of what is available in your area. As for some hands-on assistance in operating your boat, hopefully someone here that is in the Chicago area will be willing to assist. Yours should be a fairly easy boat to learn on.

[Chgojim]

Thanks for your reply

[ShabahZ280]

Hi Kim,

Sorry to hear of Jim's passing. MikeyT had a good suggestion about the boater education courses. As a USCG licensed captain, I would highly recommend it for you just to familiarize yourself with the "Rules of the Road". These classes are available through many different options, but usually the best ones are given by the USCG, State Watercraft agency, US Power Squadron, and/or the USCG Auxiliary. Classes are usually given over a weekend, and are about 8 hours long. This class will give you the basics, and are sometimes even mandatory for boaters to take. The classes will be about $50, and will include the materials. There is an online course available too for most states, this takes a few hours to do, and usually fulfills the educational requirements.

I'd be willing to help you, but I'm about 6 hours away. The Power Squadron and USCG Auxiliary are run by volunteers, with people who are passionate about boating. They may be able to help find someone to go out with you for some lessons. Another good resource, if you've got a West Marine store nearby, many independent captains and instructors post business cards and flyers on the bulletin boards there. I'm sure some local marinas could also point you in the right direction, and maybe even check out local yacht clubs or boating clubs if you have any nearby. If you're still having trouble trying to locate some help, drop me a private message and I'll see what I can do!

Good luck, and keep us posted!

[Chgojim]

Thank You for your suggestions...Im going away for a week but top on the list when I get back is class ...I will keep you posted because before the first snowfall I will be out by myself