"Dennis Pogson" wrote in news:TXPxj.2486
:

just curious to know if such
training and examination facilities exist in the US

Not in Charleston. They make you install a manual bilge pump if you don't
have one, but noone inspects it to see if it's there.

The qualifications to race here are to have a boat that has at least one
sail that's not ripped to shreds and some kind of tiller so you can turn it
'round towards the start line without running over the race committee's
bouys.

They get all excited, too, if you steer right towards the yacht club dock
with the spinnaker haulin ass...(c;

No dead crew members are allowed. Boozed up is normal.