During the annual United Stated Sailboat Show and the United States Power Boat Show, the United States Power Squadrons (USPS) had the pleasure of introducing the Boating Skills Virtual Trainer (BSVT) to the Chesapeake Bay boating community. The BSVT is the industry’s premier interactive simulation-based boating safety program and powerful instruction tool. The BSVT is a USPS training unit funded by a grant from the U.S. Coast Guard with advanced water physics developed by Virtual Driver Interactive (VDI). Supporting partners include Brunswick Marine Corporation, BoatUS Foundation, Mercury Marine, Boston Whaler and the National Safe Boating Council.
The BSVT is a simulator model jointly developed by the USPS and Virtual Driver Interactive that allows boaters to practice the basics of recreational small boat handling. The program consists of nine preplanned lessons that cover basic maneuvers and safe boating practices.
The BSVT allows students to maneuver a “Boston Whaler” on a lake of 3.5 miles x 4 miles in a virtual mode. Exercises are built in to allow an instructor to direct maneuvers from basic to advanced, by adjusting wind and current direction and strength. The lesson environments include: departing the dock, fairways, pivot turns, moorings, docking, slalom, crossing/overtaking/meeting, and emergency stop.
This future captain was unafraid of the throttle and the horn as he mastered the boating simulator at the boat show.
In November, the BSVT will be available for use at the following West Marine locations:
- Rockville West Marine Store, 5250 Randolph Road, Rockville, MD
- Saturday November 8 through Sunday November 16.
- Hosted by the Rockville Sail and Power Squadron.
- For further information contact [email protected]
- Alexandria West Marine Store, 601 S Patrick St, Alexandria, VA
- Saturday November 22 and Saturday November 29,
- Hosted by the Northern Virginia Sail and Power Squadron.
- For further information contact the Northern VA SPS at [email protected].
For a current and complete list of all of the USPS boating courses and seminars in Montgomery County check the Rockville Sail and Power Squadron’s webpage: www.rspsonline.org.
For a current and complete list of all of the USPS boating courses and seminars in Northern VA contact the Northern VA Sail and Power Squadron’s webpage: www.nvsps.org.
