USPS Course Descriptions

SQUADRON BOATING COURSE

The USPS Squadron Boating Course is our primary civic effort toward public instruction in the fundamentals of safe boating. The course is designed to familiarize the student with the fundamentals of safe boating and qualify for certification in most states that require boating education before operating a watercraft. This course is an introduction to boating and to additional advanced and elective courses that are available to members of the United States Power Squadrons.
Topics include:
  • Boat handling under normal conditions
  • Adverse conditions and emergencies
  • Types of boats and boating terminology
  • Required and recommended equipment
  • Boating regulations and navigation rules
  • Lines and knots
  • Charts and aids to navigation
  • Piloting techniques (in Boating only)
  • Marine radiotelephone usage
  • Trailer boating

SEAMANSHIP

Building on the basics learned in the Squadron Boating Course , the Seamanship course is an important foundation for other "advanced grade" courses.
Topics include:
  • Basic marlinespike seamanship
  • Hull design
  • Navigation rules
  • Operation under normal and adverse conditions
  • Responsibilities of the skipper
  • Fire prevention and control
  • Basic first aid
  • Common courtesies on the water
  • Boat care
  • Nautical customs and flag etiquette

PILOTING

This course is the first of a two-part program studying inland and coastal navigation. Its focus is on the fundamentals of piloting - keeping track of a boat's movements, determining one's position at any time and laying out courses to a planned destination.

Topics include:

  • Charts and their use
  • Aids to navigation
  • The mariner's compass
  • Variation and deviation of the compass
  • Plotting and steering courses
  • Dead reckoning
  • Plotting and labeling charts

ADVANCED PILOTING

This course is the final part of the inland and coastal navigation series. Its emphasis is on the use of modern electronic navigation systems and other advanced techniques for finding position.
Topics include:

  • Tides and currents and their effect on piloting
  • Finding position using bearings and angles
  • Simple use of the mariner's sextant
  • Electronic navigation - RADAR, LORAN, GPS, etc.

JUNIOR NAVIGATION

Junior Navigation is the first in a two-part program of study in offshore navigation. It is designed as a practical "how to" course.
Topics include:
  • Precise time determination
  • Use of the Nautical Almanac
  • Taking sextant sights of the sun, moon, planets and stars
  • Reducing sights to establish lines of position
  • Special charts and plotting sheets for offshore navigation
  • Offshore navigational routines for recreational craft

NAVIGATION

This course is the second part of the study of offshore navigation, further developing the student's understanding of celestial navigation theory.
Topics include:
  • Additional sight-reduction techniques
  • Honing skills in sight taking and positioning
  • Orderly methods for the navigator's day's work at sea
  • Navigating with minimal resources, as in a lifeboat

CRUISE PLANNING

This course is designed for members who plan to cruise for a year or just a weekend - in either a sail or power boat.
Topics include:
  • Planning a voyage
  • Financing a voyage
  • Managing commitments back home
  • How to equip a cruising boat
  • Crew selection
  • Provisioning
  • Voyage management
  • Entering and clearing foreign ports
  • Emergencies afloat
  • Security measures

ENGINE MAINTENANCE

This course attempts to make students more self-reliant afloat, with trouble-diagnosis and temporary remedies given special emphasis. Topics cover both marine gasoline and diesel engines, including concepts of operation, maintenance and repair of:
  • Cooling systems
  • Electrical systems
  • Fuel systems
  • Lubricating systems
  • Power train components
  • Ancillary propulsion components

INSTRUCTOR DEVELOPMENT

Unlike other USPS courses, ID is not designed to enhance boating skills.  Rather, it deals with effective communications for speaker and teacher - a quality that benefits the individual in all walks of life.  It offers practical instruction in -
  • Preparing for teaching assignments
  • Preparing for meeting presentations
  • Effective teaching techniques
  • Conducting efficient meetings
  • Selection and use of audio-visual aids

MARINE ELECTRONICS

This course teaches essential knowledge about a boat's electrical and electronic systems.
Topics include:
  • Proper wiring
  • Grounding
  • Corrosion and electrolysis control
  • Batteries and their maintenance
  • Depth finders
  • Marine radiotelephones
  • RADAR
  • LORAN, GPS, and other electronic positioning systems

WEATHER

The Weather course is designed to teach a student how to make weather observations and predictions for more enjoyable boating.
Topics include:
  • Awareness of weather phenomena
  • How to read a weather map and the sky
  • How to understand and anticipate weather developments
  • Structure and characteristics of the atmosphere
  • Factors considered in weather forecasting
  • Sources and use of weather reports and forecasts
  • Instrument and visual observations the skipper can make

SAIL

Currently a two module course consisting of Sail 101 Basic Sailing and Sail 102 Advanced Sailing, this course will be revised with a new edition consisting of a single modue to be published in 2007.

Sail 101 Basic Sail
  • Sailboat Rigs
  • Sail Plans
  • Boat Design and Hull Types
  • Sails
  • Standing Rigging
  • Running Rigging
  • Wind
  • Preparing to Sail
  • Sailing Upwind
  • Sailing Downwind
  • Docking and Anchoring
  • Marlinespike Seamanship
  • Navigation Rules
Sail 102 Advanced Sail
  • Wind Forces
  • Stability
  • Balance
  • Sail Shape
  • Tuning the Rig
  • Steering and Helmsmanship
  • Spinnaker Handling
  • Heavy Weather Sailing
  • Storm Conditions
  • Sailing Safety
  • Sailboat Racing
  • Race Management
  • Navigation Rules II

Vessel Safety Check (VSC)

A Vessel Safety Check is a courtesy examination of your boat (Vessel) to verify the presence and
condition of certain Safety Equipment required by State and the Federal regulations. The Vessel
Examiner is a trained specialist and is a member of the United States Power Squadrons or the US Coast
Guard Auxiliary. They will also make certain recommendations and discuss certain safety issues that
will make you a safer boater.

This is not boarding or a law enforcement issue. No citations will be given as a result of this encounter.
We will supply you with a copy of our evaluation so that you may follow some of the suggestions given.
Vessels that pass will be able to display our distinctive VSC decal. This does not exempt you from law
enforcement boarding, but you can be prepared to make this a positive encounter.
  • Complete 5 hours of class room instruction.
  • Complete 5 initial vessel inspections with instructor to qualify.
  • Complete 5 vessel inspections per year to maintain qualification.