USPS Educational Courses

A. Courses for the General Public

Balboa Power Squadron offers a variety of training classes to the general public, each aimed at promoting boating safety.  They are:

AMERICA'S BOATING COURSE
Similar to Basic Boating (see below) but omitting the chart plotting part of the course.  In addition to the workbook a CD-ROM is included for home study. Class meets 7:00-9:00PM for 5 weeks.             BACK

BASIC BOATING
The USPS Boating Course is a traditional civic service of the United States Power Squadrons organization. Since 1914 local squadrons have presented the course to anyone who wished to attend - to date more than 3 million people. Learning to boat safely is important and the increased knowledge will enhance your safety on the water and your enjoyment of the sport.                                           BACK

Boating Safety is a seven-week course consisting of six weekday evening classes, followed by a final examination.

Subjects covered in this course 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 (Boating only)
  • Marine radiotelegraph usage
  • Trailer boating                                                     BACK

BOAT SMART
BoatSmart is a condensed version of the Boating Safety course, compressed into two full weekend days of class instruction, followed by an examination

The USPS Boating and Boat Smart courses are the organization's primary civic effort toward public instruction in the fundamentals of safe boating.  These courses are 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.  Both courses are presently offered in the classroom; the Boating course is also offered on video.

Successful completion of one of these classes is a prerequisite to membership in the United States Power Squadrons                                                                                                 BACK

JET SMART
In addition to the above, the USPS also offers a course aimed at promoting dsafe operation of Personal Watercraft (PWC's). Jet Smart is NASBLA-approved as meeting the minimum PWC certification requirements and is recognized by the Coast Guard.

Subjects covered:

  • Types of PWCs and PWC terminology
  • Jet drive propulsion and steering
  • Registration and environment
  • Required and recommended equipment
  • Safety and Maintenance checklists
  • Trailering and launching
  • Boating regulations and navigation rules
  • PWC operation
  • Float plan              BACK

BOATING SAFELY
Boating Safely is a youth boating course offered jointly by USPS and the Coast Guard Auxiliary.  It was developed to teach younger boaters what they need to know for safe, courteous watercraft operation. Boating Safely has been approved by NASBLA and the Coast Guard as meeting the minimum requirements for this age group. Because the course is suitable not only for teenagers but also for other non-traditional boaters such as hunters and fishermen, there is no age limitation on the student.
 

B. Courses for Squadron Members

After joining the Squadron, members may take Advanced Grade or Elective Courses.

ADVANCED GRADE COURSES

SEAMANSHIP
Building on the basics learned in Boating, the Seamanship course is an important foundation for other "advanced grade" courses.

Subjects covered:

  • 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                 BACK

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.

Subjects covered:

  • 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                                    BACK

ADVANCED PILOTING
This is the second 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. Seamanship and Piloting are prerequisites.

Subjects covered:

  • 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.   BACK

JUNIOR NAVIGATION
Junior Navigation is the first of a two-part program of study in offshore navigation.  It is designed as a practical "how to" course. Advanced Piloting is a prerequisite.

Subjects covered:

  • 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     BACK

NAVIGATION
This course is the second part of the study of offshore navigation, further developing the student's understanding of celestial navigation theory. Junior Navigation is a prerequisite.

Subjects covered:

  • Additional sight-reduction techniques
  • Honing skills in sight taking and positioning
  • Orderly methods for the navigator's day's work at sea
  • Navigation with minimal resources, as in a lifeboat     BACK

Courses must be taken in the order shown.  Candidates must have successfully completed the prior advanced course before taking the next one.


ELECTIVE COURSES

Elective Courses may be taken by Squadron members at any time and in any order.  Elective Courses include the following:

CRUISE PLANNING
This course is designed for members who plan to cruise for a year of just a weekend - either in a sailboat or powerboat.

Subjects covered:

  • 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                                                 BACK

ENGINE MAINTENANCE
This course attempts to make students more self-reliant afloat, with trouble-diagnosis and temporary remedies given special emphasis.  It covers both marine gasoline and diesel engines, including concepts of operation , maintenance and repair.

Subjects covered:

  • Cooling systems
  • Electrical systems
  • Fuel systems
  • Lubricating systems
  • Power train components
  • Propulsion components                                       BACK

MARINE ELECTRONICS
This course teaches essential knowledge about a boat's electrical and electronic systems.

Subjects covered:

  • Proper wiring
  • Grounding
  • Corrosion and electrolysis control
  • Batteries and their maintenance
  • Depth finders
  • Marine radiotelegraph
  • Radar
  • Loran, GPS, other electronic positioning systems     BACK

SAIL
This course provides a thorough study of the terminology and dynamics of sailing.

 Subjects covered:

  • Types of hulls and rigs
  • Types of running and standing rigging and their adjustment
  • Hull and water forces caused by wind and waves
  • Forces vs. balance
  • The theory of sailing
  • Points of sail
  • Sail handling
  • Sailing under various wind conditions
  • Navigation rules unique to sailing vessels             BACK

WEATHER
This course is designed to teach a student how to make weather observations and predictions for more enjoyable boating.

Subjects covered:

  • Awareness of weather phenomena
  • How to read a weather map and 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     BACK

INSTRUCTOR QUALIFICATION
Unlike other USPS courses, this one is not designed to enhance boating skills. Rather, it deals with effective communications for the speaker and teacher---a quality that benefits the individual in all walks of life.

Subjects covered:

  • Preparing for teaching assignments
  • Preparing for meeting presentations
  • Effective teaching techniques
  • Conducting efficient meetings
  • Selection and use of teaching aids                   BACK


C. Learning Guides

Learning Guides have been developed to provide in-depth information in many boating related fields.  The Learning Guides are available to members and non-members alike. They are available through USPS and larger marine retailers such as West Marine, BOATUS, and Boaters World. 

Titles offered include:

  • Amateur Radio
  • Boat Design and Construction
  • Boat Insurance
  • Calculators for Navigation
  • Compass Adjusting
  • Global Positioning Systems
  • Hand Tools
  • Introduction to Navigational Astronomy
  • Introduction to Sailing
  • Loran-C
  • Marlinespike
  • Oceanography
  • Predicted Log Contests
  • Preparation for Coast Guard Licenses
  • Principles of Water Skiing Safety
  • Radar
  • Sight Reduction Methods
  • Skipper Saver
  • USPS Glossary                                                   BACK