Quite a story. Glad to hear that it ended with both of you safe. As
someone who only been boating of rthree seasons I can appreciate that you
wnat ot use the boat for it's intended pupose. Many just keep them tied to
the dock. That said, you really need to bone up on the minimum saftey
requirements. Anchoring, while not leagally required, is one of the primary
saftey items, after pfds, on any vessel. You should practice your anchoring
technique before attempting another long trip. As for a Boating Safety
Course - try to take the USCG Auxilarry course before takeing a power
squadron cousre. I've taken both and found that the USCGA Course had more
info on how to handle your vessel.

Good luck,
Sandy K.