United States Coast Guard Auxiliary National Commodore, Everette L. Tucker, Jr., today announced an agreement with the United States Coast Guard, which will restructure and enhance the historically successful Courtesy Marine Examination (CME) Program started in 1947 by the Auxiliary in promoting boating safety to keep pace with America’s passion for recreational boating. The USCG Auxiliary, a civilian all volunteer organization, was originally created in 1939 by Congress to assist the Coast Guard in its mission of promoting recreational Boating Safety.

Under the agreement, with the Coast Guard, the Coast Guard Auxiliary is officially designated the National Director and Executive Agent of the a new, enhanced Program to be known as the VESSEL SAFETY CHECK (VSC) Program.

The existing Courtesy Marine Examination Program will now be phased into the new, upgraded VESSEL SAFETY CHECK Program in which the Coast Guard Auxiliary will have the responsibility to establish, maintain and manage the VESSEL SAFETY CHECK Program. The types of recreational boats that are eligible for the free Vessel Safety Check and the criteria for awarding the new safety decal to boat owners will be based upon a finding the

The Auxiliary is also charged with the exclusive responsibility of creating training materials, establishing national program management procedures to report results, reward performance and ensure program integrity.

One major element of the new Vessel Safety Check Program is for the Auxiliary to develop and implement an effective national outreach program that will educate recreational boaters and inform them of their responsibilities as safe recreational boaters.

The concept behind the Vessel Safety Check Program is to promote the interest and gain support of recreational boaters to voluntarily conform to federal and state boat safety requirements and to provide the boater with additional information regarding the benefits of boating safety education and safe, enjoyable boating practices.

The tremendous growth in recreational boating activity has resulted in a proportional increase in boating related accidents that has generated serious concerns about the lack of boating safety education and lack of operator proficiency in today’s recreational boat owner/operator.

Under the new Vessel Safety Check Program, the Auxiliary is also empowered to identify other boating safety organizations and to enlist their active participation into the Vessel Safety Check Program.