Welcome to
Anna Maria Island
Sail & Power Squadron

Announcements and Latest News

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The May AMISPS General Meeting will be held on Thursday May 2, at 5:30PM at the New Location: The Cortez Road Baptist Church at 4411 100th St West Bradenton, FL 34210. - ALCOHOL & TOBACCO FREE- hospitality will begin at 5:00PM. We will have our usual Pot Luck Dinner.

Did you know that a Florida Boating Education ID card is required for anyone born after January 1, 1988, to lawfully operate a personal watercraft (e.g., Jet Ski ®) or any other vessel with at least 10 HP? America's Boating Course is approved by the US Coast Guard and qualifies you for the Florida Boating Education ID card.

If you are a new boater, sign up for America's Boating Course. Upon successful completion of this course, you will receive a Florida Boater Card or Boating Safety Education I.D. Card, which is a requirement for all boaters born after 1988.

America's Boating Course (ABC3)

Dates & Times:

Oct 17 Knots class 6:30 pm at church. RSVP to 941-447-7845
Oct 24 Charting class 6:30 pm at church. RSVP 941-447-7845

C & Rs

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Sep 5, General meeting at Anna Maria Oyster Bar at 6 pm. Special Prime Rib.
RSVP to Beverly at 941-383-1269 or bevroot2@msn.com

Sep 12, Lunch Bunch at Judy's Restaurant at 10:00

Sep 14, C & R. Arrive by 11:00 at Dry Dock, 412 Gulf of Mexico Drive, LBK.
RSVP to Beverly at 941-383-1269 or bevroot2@msn.com

For the most current listing of activities:
See Calendar under Events tab above.

AMISPS Location

Classes and most monthly meetings:
Cortez Road Baptist Church
4411 100th Street West, Cortez, FL 34210
Phone: 941-447-7845

About Us

Anna Maria Island Sail & Power Squadron (AMISPS), dba America's Boating Club for the Bradenton Area, is a unit of America's Boating Club ® the world's largest non-profit boating organization.

The United States Power Squadrons, dba America's Boating Club, comprises over 20,000 members in 300+ clubs around the nation. America's Boating Club is divided into Districts made up of several clubs. We also has an active presence on Facebook.

AMISPS is part of ABC District 22, a group of clubs located along and near Florida's Gulf Coast. If you are interested in other west coast areas, check out the District 22 web site for news and links to other club/squadron websites.

Our commander welcomes you.

Manatee County is immediately south of Tampa Bay. Anna Maria Island is a barrier island with the cities of Anna Maria, Holmes Beach, and Bradenton Beach. Just to our south is Longboat Key, the northern part of which is also in Manatee County.

We live in a wonderful vacation area with very good boating opportunities and world class beaches. However, much of the water we have is referred to locally as "skinny" (shallow) water. Appearances can be deceiving, and some of our large expanses have very shallow water, so local knowledge and understanding how to navigate the Intracoastal Waterway is essential. This applies even more to sailboats. If you are new to boating or new to boating in Florida, please consider taking our America's Boating Course (see more below), which is recognized by the State as meeting the requirements to operate a powerboat of 10 HP or greater on State waters for anyone born on or after 1 January 1988.

Whether you are a power boater, sailor, kayaker, canoeist, or prefer a SUP board, AMISPS is an organization that may hold interest for you.

History

The AMISPS STORY began in 1958 and in common with all USPS squadrons it is has a three-part mission: education of the public and our members about all aspects of boating, civic contributions of time and expertise, and being a social club where members get together on and off the water to enjoy each other's company.

Its operation is directed by the Bridge, elected officers and members-at-large to guide its various activities. The squadron holds monthly social/dinner/business meetings at our building, frequent boating events and land events. About once a month we hold a "Cruise and Rendezvous," which is usually lunch at a place accessible by boat. However, many members attend by iron dinghy.

To appreciate the fun things we do, please visit our Facebook page.

For detailed information on our squadron organization and mission please review our Membership Manual.

If you consider becoming a member, please contact us, so we can invite you to one of our events.

Make sure your boat is safe!

America's Boating Channel has helpful videos for teaching and learning boating skills.

Boat Live 365 advocates to create a safe recreational boating culture 365 days a year.

Events

Several times a year the squadron holds Public Boating Courses and seminars.

Courses include multiple sessions, while seminars are one-session, ranging from 2-4 hours. Our courses are taught at the Cortez Road Baptist Church, 4411 100th Street West, Cortez, FL 34210. Our instructors are seasoned mariners who, collectively, bring over 150 years of nautical experience to the classroom setting.

The entry-level course is America's Boating Course, 3rd Edition (ABC3). Participants in ABC3 will learn essential nautical terms, the basics of boat handling, the USCG-required and recommended safety equipment, the navigation rules, how to interpret light and sound signals on the water, the State and federal regulations, how to operate a Personal Watercraft (PWC), how to handle adverse weather conditions, how to anchor, the basics of paddle sports, and how to communicate over a VHF radio. This course is typically taught from 6:00 to 9:00 PM on consecutive Mondays (3) and Wednesdays (3), with the last Monday session comprising a thorough review of the course material and a State-required examination. If there is sufficient demand, we offer the course on two consecutive Saturdays, with a mid-week review via a virtual meeting. Once you have completed ABC3, you are ready to consider more advanced courses and seminars.

The next logical course is Boat Handling, which goes into much more detail the topics covered in ABC3 and then some. Some other courses we offer include Marine Navigation, Advanced Marine Navigation, Weather, Sailing, and Cruise Planning.

Seminars include Charting (how to use a nautical chart to determine your location, plan a course, adjust bearings from true magnetic to compass (steering) courses, etc.) and Essential Nautical Knots (knots and line handling techniques that every mariner should know). All these courses and seminars are offered at a nominal cost, primarily to cover the costs of materials required to present them.

As a public service the squadron performs free Vessel Safety Checks. These are done by some of our very experienced members to see that your boat is in compliance with state and national regulations.

Bridge

Commander: Lt/C Matthew Kuber
Executive Officer: Lt/C Marc D. Christman, P
Admin Officer: Lt/C Kelly Gitt
Asst Admin Officer: Danny Wood, S
Education Officer: Lt/C Cliff Root, P
Treasurer: Lt/C David French, S
Secretary: Lt/C Sandra Cutcliffe

Past Commander: R/C, BPECom J. Dave Haddox, S

Members at Large

Lt Beverly Root, AP
Lt Alice French, S
Lt Jay Winters, S, Webmaster, Instructor

Welcome to Anna Maria Island Sail & Power Squadron