Building  on the basics taught in the public boating course, Seamanship is the  recommended first course for new members, both power boaters and sailors. Students learn practical marlinespike, navigation rules, hull design and performance, responsibilities of the skipper, boat care, operating a boat  under normal and abnormal conditions, what to do in various emergencies and  weather conditions, nautical customs and common courtesy on the water. This  course provides a needed introduction to the USPS Educational Program and  a strong foundation for members going on to other Advanced Grades courses  and/or Cruise Planning or Sail.

 

 

Piloting  is the first of the navigational classes focusing
on techniques for piloting  a boat in coastal and inland conditions. The course emphasizes planning and  checking along with the use of GPS for determining position, and introduces  digital charting along with traditional charting, compass and dead reckoning  skills. Plotting, labeling, use of the compass, aids to navigation and a  host of related topics are included in this all-new approach to coastal and inland  piloting.

 

Note:  the insignia for completing both Seamanship and Piloting is two bars, as  shown. The awardee is called a Pilot as well.

 

 

 

 

Advanced  Piloting is the final part of the inland and coastal navigation series. This material continues to build on the base developed in Piloting, and includes  practical use of additional electronic navigation systems and other advanced  techniques for finding position. Among topics covered are: finding position  using bearings and angles, collision avoidance using GPS and RADAR, what to do when the electronics fail, tides, currents and wind and their effect on piloting, and electronic navigation with GPS, chart plotters, RADAR, autopilots, etc. Application of course lectures  takes place through practical in-class and at-home exercises.

 

 

Junior Navigation is the first of a two-part program of study in offshore (open coast) navigation. It is designed as a practical, how-to course, leaving the theoretical  and more advanced techniques for the subsequent Navigation Course. Subject matter includes: basic concepts of celestial navigation; how to use the mariner’s sextant to take sights of the sun, moon, planets and stars; the importance and techniques of accurate time determination; use of the Nautical Almanac; how to reduce sights to establish lines of position (LOPs); and the use of special charts, plotting sheets and other navigational data for offshore positioning and passage planning.

 

 

This  is the second part of the study of offshore navigation. It further develops  the student’s understanding of celestial theory. The student is introduced  to additional sight reduction techniques and develops greater skill and precision in sight taking, positioning and the orderly methods of carrying on the day’s work of a navigator at sea. Of particular interest and importance is the study  of offshore navigation using minimal data and/or equipment, such as when on  a disabled vessel or lifeboat.

 

Learn the fundamentals of safe boat handling and operation, and basic piloting in one comprehensive classroom course.  As an additional feature, this newly revised course includes a digital chart training CD and instructional material on modern navigation techniques as well. 

 

This course meets state specific and National Association of State Boating Law Administrators (NASBLA) requirements for certification. 
And  completion of the course is accepted by most insurance companies.  Since 1914, individual squadrons of USPS have provided courses as a service to  the boating public to over 3 million boaters. 

 

You will learn the basics of what you need to safely and comfortably go  on the water with your boat.  This newly revised comprehensive course  includes lessons on seamanship, boat handling, boat types, rules of the road, navigation aids, regulations, adverse conditions, marine VHF radio,  knots, trailering and introductory piloting. The course includes an extensive  course book, training charts, and basic navigation tools. As a special feature it also includes an introduction to digital charting on CD-ROM  in an appendix, and an overview of electronic navigation. Maptech's Chart  Navigator Training CD includes software and digital charts to gain familiarity with this exciting new technology.