About Us

The Door County Sail & Power Squadron is one of approximately 430 local units of the United States Power Squadrons. Local Squadrons are divided into 33 Districts throughout the US, Hawaii, Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands and Japan. Door County and 9 other Squadrons in Wisconsin and Minnesota comprise District 10.

The United States Power Squadrons®, was organized in 1914, as a non-profit, educational organization dedicated to making boating safer by teaching classes in Seamanship, Navigation, and related subjects. Our members are boating families who contribute to their communities by promoting safe boating through education. Quite frankly, we save lives on the water through our “Safe Boating” classes.

USPS is America's largest non-profit boating organization and has been honored by six US presidents for its civic contributions. Those presidents are Franklin Delano Roosevelt, Dwight Eisenhower, Richard Nixon, George Bush, Bill Clinton, and George W. Bush. In fact, FDR was an honorary USPS member and, before he was president, as Assistant Secretary of Defense, he utilized the USPS instructional program for training the Navy in 1917. Over 5,000 men who attended these classes entered the armed services and, based in significant part on the quality of their USPS training, many were appointed officers.

The Door County Sail & Power Squadron was chartered in 1954 as the Sturgeon Bay Power Squadron. Over the last half century, the Squadron has grown to more than ninety members and encompasses the entire county of Door, including Washington Island. Members of the Squadron provide a valued civic service to the community with a variety of Safe Boating Classes and Seminars, as well as on-the-water training offered to the public. Furthermore, each season, numerous Vessel Safety Checks are performed for recreational boaters who reside in or visit the area. In addition, the Squadron’s cooperative charting program allows members to supply information to the Marine Chart Division of NOS/NOAA resulting in corrections to nautical charts, small craft charts, and Coast Pilot publications.

Squadron members benefit from camaraderie with fellow boaters via diverse cruises each year, both lengthy and short, along with various social events. Gatherings range from formal dinners, such as the Change of Watch, to fun get-togethers, a 50’s diner-style Rock ‘n Roll Fitting Out Party, for instance.

The Squadron’s major fundraiser is the annual Holiday Party Auction, where members each bring a beautifully wrapped one-pound item – anything from diamonds to donuts – to be auctioned off with the contents unknown.

The Door County Squadron has oftentimes been referred to as the “little Squadron that could”. At slightly under 100 members, we have received much special recognition over the years. The Squadron was awarded “First in Nation” for Outstanding Educational Achievement and proudly received the District 10 Prince Henry Award for “Navigation Excellence” both in 2006 and 2008. We currently lead our District in Educational Programs as evidenced by receiving the Squadron Educational Achievement (SEA) award for a second consecutive year.

Most recently; DCS&PS was included as 2012 Award Finalists for the Rotary Club’s Ethics in Business award. We are partnered with many organizations in Door County: The Door County Maritime Museum, the US Coast Guard and Auxiliary, the DNR, the Fire Department, Sturgeon Bay Municipal Facilities, Sturgeon Bay Yacht Club and all of the local Marinas.

Late summer 2012, we were covered in a feature article in Door County Living (Vol. 10 Issue 2). We do a lot in our community!

The Door County Sail and Power Squadron’s website (usps.org/door) provides a wealth of information on the Squadron, its upcoming activities and about the local boating region, including marina and harbor locations, Automated Radio Check and up-to-date bridge openings and closings. It also imparts general knowledge on essential services. Please visit it.

Door County, the Wisconsin peninsula with Green Bay waters on the west and Lake Michigan on the east, has more than 300 miles of coastline. Boaters from all over the world visit Door County’s beautiful shores to enjoy unbelievable boating and beaches, along with matchless museums, spectacular sand, scenery, and sunsets…..and Door County Sail & Power Squadron members are delighted to share the County’s grandeur!