The Delta Marine Sheriff’s Patrol, in conjunction with the Discovery Bay Lions Club, will be holding a boating safety seminar on Tuesday, July 7 from 7 to 8 p.m. at the Discovery Bay Elementary School gymnasium. The seminar will address boating rules and regulations, and will provide many safety tips.

“The reason for this seminar is very clear,” said Jim Mattison, a Discovery Bay resident for more than 14 years and Lions Club member. “We are out on the Delta three to five times a week in the summertime, and I am amazed at how naive many boaters are about the waterway rules and regulations that we are all required to abide by. Although many of the careless boaters that use the Delta on weekends may not live in Discovery Bay, it is important that all of us are aware of the laws that govern this activity, especially those designed for our safety. Last year we had nine deaths locally on the Delta, and so far this year, we have already had four.”

Efforts are underway to pass California State Assembly Bill 2110, which would make it mandatory for all watercraft operators in California to take a water-safety class and receive certification to operate a vessel. Actual passage of the legislation, however, might be a couple of years away.

The boating public – those who will operate a boat, wave runner, hold a flag, ski, wake board or participate in any boating activities on the Delta – is strongly encouraged attend the seminar. The Sheriff’s Patrol will also discuss how boaters may receive a reduction on their insurance rates through an easy online course.

Since many boat owners are under-insured or not insured at all, a representative of Foremost Insurance will be present at the seminar to answer questions about boating insurance.