Many a boater has seen a cruise turn sour when encountering conditions he had not anticipated. The very essence of a cruise depends on just how well you have planned and prepared. To this end, the Peace River Power Squadron is presenting a series of classes on cruise planning that are open to the general public. A boater must first be aware of all of the conditions and legal requirements he may encounter before he can begin to plan and acquire the necessary provisions and equipment. The class, presented by experienced cruisers John and Marilyn Jorgenson, is aimed at both power boaters and sailors. It covers those cruising on their own vessel as well as boaters planning to charter a boat. Local coastal cruisers, long-distance cruisers and even those planning a cruise to another country will find plenty of useful information. While you may never cruise more than a day from home, it is a great educational experience just to know what all of these other trips require.

Topics covered in the class include preparation and planning, anchors and anchoring, security, chartering, crew and provisioning, managing your voyage, communications, navigation basics, weather, handling emergencies, boat and equipment preparation and requirements, and a very interesting segment on cruising outside of the United States.