Member Boating Courses
One of the main objectives of USPS is “boating safety through education” – we believe that an educated boater is a safer boater. In addition to its Public Boating Course Program, USPS teaches a variety of outstanding members-only courses that include advanced seamanship, piloting and navigational techniques,boat handling, maintenance, and other relavent topics. Check out the Upcoming Classes page.
Boating Seminars
These short seminars are targeted to specific topics and needs with a two-hour format, and valuable take-away guides. Each seminar provides credits toward the soon to be released Boat Operator Certification program, and credit toward elective courses.
Check out the seminar page for a description of available seminars.
Advanced Grades
Five Advanced Grade courses are offered by USPS. Although not required, they are designed to be taken in sequence because each builds on skills taught in the previous course.
Seamanship Building on the basics of recreational boating presented in the public boating courses, Seamanship adds foundational information for continuing boater education. The course contents should facilitate knowledge development for increased safe operation of recreational boats and provide the basis for completion of USCG licensing examination. Emphasis within the course has been placed on higher level boating skills, rules of the road, and marlinspike... Min. class size =6.
Piloting The Piloting course is the first in the sequence of USPS courses on navigation, covering the basics of coastal and inland navigation. This all-new course focuses on navigation as it is done on recreational boats today and embraces GPS as a primary navigation tool while covering enough of traditional techniques so the student will be able to find his/her way even if their GPS fails. The course includes many in-class exercises, developing the student’s skills through hands-on practice and learning.. Min. class size = 6.
Advanced Piloting covers more advanced coastal navigation techniques, navigation in tides and currents, and more advanced GPS usage. Min. class size=10.
Junior Navigation teaches the basics of offshore navigation, including basic celestial navigation using the sun and offshore course planning. Min. class size =4
Navigation is the most advanced navigation course taught by USPS, covering more advanced celestial navigation techniques, emergency navigation, and additional sight reduction techniques.
Elective Courses
Six Elective Courses are offered by USPS. They cover separate and independent topics and therefore may be taken in any order according to a member’s interests and time.
Engine Maintenance covers the operating principles and basic care and maintenance of outboard and inboard engines, including diesels.
Marine Electronics covers installation and maintenance of both boat electrical systems (AC and DC) and marine electronics (VHF radio, radar, GPS, etc).
Cruise Planning covers topics of interest for someone planning a cruise whether for just a weekend or for a year – including preparation and planning, anchoring, security, chartering, and cruising outside the US.
Weather covers weather forecasting and reading weather patterns on-board. This course has much more value in this course than the one sentence indicates. Min. Class size = 8
Sail covers everything from the basic elements of how a sailboat works to sail trim, rig tuning, and sailboat racing. The course has two parts Sail 101 and 102. This course will be sail 102 for those already having passed sail 101.
Instructor Development
teaches effective communication skills for not only USPS instructors but everyone, covering various methods of presenting information to others, effective use of audiovisual aids (including PowerPoint), etc.
Unlike other USPS courses, the Instructor Development course is not designed to enhance boating skills. Rather, its emphasis is on enhancing instructor skills. The course has been designed to demonstrate interactive teaching methods focused on adult learning. Students are required to prepare lesson plans and give four presentations to their peers utilizing a variety of teaching aids and presentation skills. Each presentation is to be given on a topic from one of the public boating classes with the intent that upon completion of the course every student will be qualified to teach or proctor at a squadron boating class.
Instructor Recertification
The revised Instructor Recertification Seminar focuses on new technologies and techniques for presenting to adult audiences. It is a fun and audience participative program designed to renew enthusiasm and enhance presentation skills. It covers the benefits and pitfalls of using Power Point as an aid, as well as the value of manual aids. We have incorporated a lot we have learned from feedback since the inception of PPT in our courses. It is a two-hour seminar which can be more readily run by squadrons as well as districts.
The certification policy has been revised to remove the grand fathering clauses, which expired at the end of 2005 along with the original 4-hour certification seminar. The original seminar was designed to refresh and grandfather current instructors for initial certification and introduce them to the concepts of the new the ID Course. In contrast, the 2006 revision of the seminar is for the re certification of currently certified instructors to keep them enthused and up-to-date with new ideas and concepts. However, it will serve as more than that, as it focuses on presentation skills useful for any kind of presentation whether in a leadership role or as a member providing a program for a membership meeting, etc. As such, the program will need to be revised and refreshed at least every four years.
Notes on class offerings:
- If a course does is not currently scheduled it can be scheduled. Your interest will dictate which courses are offered. Communicate your interests to Ed Walsh, Squadron Education Officer (SEO).
- For enrolling or questions about the courses contact the Education Officer.
- Class schedules are also shown on the main Squadron Calendar.