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Boating 201

You know the basics — now it's time to learn the local secrets. Boating 201 is built for boaters who want real-world knowledge of Ocean City's waterways, inlets, and the unique conditions that come with running a boat around here.

This three-hour course covers navigation of the shallow back bays from south to north — Sinepuxent Bay, Isle of Wight Bay, and Assawoman Bay — along with instruction and considerations for running the Ocean City Inlet. You'll learn how to use trim effectively, understand weight distribution while running in tide and wave activity, and handle the wind and current conditions that catch newcomers off guard. Topics from Boating 101 are also included, so even if you skipped that course, you'll be covered.

If you own a boat, rent one regularly, or plan to spend time on OC's coastal bays, this is the course that turns a nervous boater into a confident one.

Expectations

Departure — This course is held at our 118th Street headquarters (Food Lion Shopping Center, 11703 Coastal Highway). Please arrive 5 minutes before the scheduled start time.

Duration — Approximately 3 hours.

Bathrooms — Our 118th Street kiosk has a bathroom available.

What to Bring — Sunscreen, water, and a notepad if you like to take notes. Dress for the weather — portions of this course may take place outdoors and on the water.

Weather — Unless the weather poses a threat to passenger safety (e.g., lightning, high winds) or would make the trip extremely uncomfortable (e.g., heavy rain), the trip will proceed as scheduled. If the captain cancels due to weather, you will be notified and your money refunded. If the conditions are unpleasant but remain safe, we will run the trip. Sometimes if this situation arises we will offer to cancel/reschedule/refund but as long as the trip is safe then our Captains generally want to make this happen!

Trip Minimum — Please be aware that we cannot run this course if fewer than 2 people book. We will notify you at least one hour before the scheduled start if the minimum has not been reached and offer a full refund or rebook you onto another course.

Trip Details

Date

Location

OC Bay Hopper Kiosk- 118th Street

Food Lion parking lot, 118th Street

Departure

Return/Arrival

Duration

3 hours 30 minutes

Select DEPARTURE

at OC Bay Hopper Kiosk- 118th Street

About the Weather

Aligned with the goal of ensuring all OC Bay Hopper customers have a great experience, we will only run trips that are deemed safe by our Captains. Generally, the weather on the coastal bays of the Ocean City area is very pleasant but sometimes storms and thunderstorms do occur.

In the event that your trip is cancelled, you will receive a full refund. Sometimes, the weather conditions, particularly high winds causing choppy seas, will allow us to run a safe trip that is a bit unpleasant.

Our captains will always strive to let people know when conditions will be less than ideal and if conditions warrant a possible refund you may choose to not take the trip. (But sometimes those rough passages make for the best experiences!)