The Marine Trades Association of Maryland (MTAM) will host a Safety at Sea seminar March 28 and 29 at the Maritime Institute of Technology and Graduate Studies (MITAGS) in Linthicum Heights, Maryland.
The one-day program fulfills the hands-on training requirement for the International Offshore Safety at Sea Certificate — often required for participation in offshore races — but its value extends well beyond racing sailors. Anyone planning offshore passages, coastal voyages, or simply wanting practical emergency training will benefit from the curriculum. Prerequisites are required for the certificate.
Each day offers the same eight-hour course, combining instruction with real-world application, including in-the-water pool exercises using life rafts and inflatable life jackets. Participants must have their own PFD and are encouraged to bring a harness, and tether.
Chesapeake sailors may remember MTAM previously hosting Safety at Sea seminars for many years at the U.S. Naval Academy. The nationally recognized program traces its origins to lessons learned from the 1979 Fastnet Race, where Navy Sailing participated then came home to create a better safety protocols, shaping decades of modern offshore safety standards in the process.
The seminar is divided into short sessions led by experienced safety professionals covering emergency communications, flares and firefighting, damage control, and crew-overboard rescue techniques. Lunch is included.
Cost is $395 and space is limited.
Details and registration: MTAM.org/safety-at-sea
