Anna Maria Island Sail & Power Squadron, AMISPS, is a unit of United States Power   Squadrons ®. We are America's Boating Club TM, the world's largest non-profit boating organization.
AMISPS is part of USPS District 22, one of the many squadrons located on Florida's Gulf Coast.

Manatee County is south of Tampa Bay. Anna Maria Island is a barrier island with the cities of Anna Maria, Holmes Beach and Bradenton Beach and just to our south is Longboat Key. It is a wonderful vacation area with very good boating opportunities and world class beaches. However, we are blessed with large expanses of very shallow water, so local knowledge is essential. Be especially careful if you have a sailboat.

NOTICE TO USERS:
This website is undergoing major reconstruction. If you are interested in attending a boating course or having a vessel safety check performed please contact us as described below.

America's Boating Course, 3rd Edition (ABC3)

Anna Maria Island Sail & Power Squadron, dba America’s Boating Club for the Bradenton Area, periodically offers America’s Boating Course, 3rd Edition over five (5) sessions from 6:00-9:00 PM starting on a Monday and continuing on the following Wednesday, Monday, Wednesday, and Monday (five sessions total). If there is sufficient interest, once or twice a year we offer ABC3 over two consecutive Saturdays (9:00 AM – 4:00 PM) with a mid-week Zoom Meetings review.

All classes are in-person at our HQ at 1200 71st St. NW, Bradenton, FL 34209.

 Experienced mariners will teach you what you need to safely operate a boat. We will explain the laws, describe the required equipment, and teach you the basics about navigation aids, VHF radios, anchoring, docking, and much more. Our instructors know the material firsthand and teach in a comfortable, engaging style supported by slides, demonstrations, and a comprehensive manual—to ensure you leave a safer, more confident boater.

Did you know that a Florida Boating Education ID Card is required for anyone born after January 1, 1988 to lawfully operate any power vessel (including personal watercraft, such as a Jet Ski®) with at least 10 HP on Florida waters? America’s Boating Course is approved by the US Coast Guard and the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) and qualifies for the Florida Boating Education ID Card.

The cost is $55.00 per person or $85.00 for two people sharing one manual. We only accept cash or checks made out to “AMISPS.”

To learn more about the next offering of America’s Boating Course, 3rd Edition (ABC3), please call/text 941.447.7845.
Come explore the adventure and fun of safe recreational boating!

Vessel Safety Checks

Under a Memorandum of Understanding with the United States Coast Guard, Qualified Vessel Examiners will perform a voluntary, free check of your vessel, in water or on land, to ensure that you have the equipment and documentation that is required by federal and state law. Any federal or state law enforcement officer can board your vessel without cause, so give yourself peace of mind by knowing you have everything the law requires on board.

Vessels passing a VSC will be awarded a decal to signify that the vessel has passed the safety check. Decals are good for the calendar year.

Vessels that fall short will receive a USCG check list of what is needed to pass. Once the equipment on the checklist is on the vessel, an Examiner will return and complete the VSC.

If you would like to arrange a VSC, please call 941.447.7845.
 

 


Updated Aug 05, 2022
 
Contact AMISPS Commander
 941 447 7845
amispsbridge@gmail.com
Building and Address
For information on the United States Power Squadrons organization use the links below.
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