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Seamanship (S)
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. The insignia is shown above.
Prerequisites:
Boat Smart
This is a 7-week
course, meeting once a week.
For information call or email
John Klein
(803)
329-9873
Piloting (P)
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. The insignia is shown on the right.
Note: the insignia for
completing both Seamanship and Piloting is two bars, as shown.
The awardee is called a Pilot as well. The insignia is shown on
the right.
Prerequisites:
Seamanship
For
information call or email
Will Jordan
(803) 329-1323
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. The insignia
is shown on the right.
Prerequisites: Piloting
For information call or email
Karl Hammerlein
(803) 548-4950
Junior Navigation (JN)
 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. The insignia is shown on the
right.
Prerequisites: Piloting
For information call or email
Joe Reyes (803)
366-2153
Navigation (N)
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. The insignia is shown on the
right.
Prerequisites:
Junior Navigation
For information call or email
Thomas Crawford (704) 482-5210
Elective Courses for Members
Cruise Planning
Designed for members who plan
to cruise for just a day or for a year—in either a sail or
powerboat—this course covers the following topics: cruise
preparation and planning, boat and equipment, anchors and
anchoring, security, chartering, cruising outside the United
States, crew and provisioning, voyage management,
communications, navigation, weather, and emergencies. The manual
includes a twelve-month cruise planning timeline.
For information call or email
Jim Magarahan
(803) 548-2340
Engine Maintenance
The complete Engine
Maintenance course consists of two modular sections. EM 101,
Basic Engine Maintenance, provides information about marine
propulsion systems, basic engine principles, engine components,
controls, instruments and alarms, marine engine maintenance, and
steering systems. There is a chapter on winter storage and
spring servicing that includes a 25-step winterizing checklist.
An 11-page glossary concludes the student manual.
EM 102, Advanced Engine
Maintenance, delves into cooling and exhaust systems,
lubrication, fuel and air induction systems, ignition systems,
electrical and starting systems, power trains, and
troubleshooting. The last chapter is on emergency repairs
afloat. An 11-page glossary concludes the student manual.
For information call Worth
Parker (803) 366-7530
Instructor Development
This course deals with
effective communication for speakers and teachers—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, and selecting and
using audiovisual aids.
For information call or email
Jack Stevenson
(803) 547-6523
Marine Electronics
The Marine Electronics course
consists of three modules: ME 101, Boat Electrical Systems, ME
102, Marine Radio Communications, and ME 103, Marine Electronics
for Navigation. There are no prerequisites for any of these
modules: however, it is suggested that a member take ME 101
before taking ME 102. All three modules must be successfully
completed to receive credit for Marine Electronics.
For information call Lee
Stinson (803) 548-0939
Sail
The complete Sail course
consists of two modular sections. Sa101, Introduction to Sail,
teaches basic elements of sailing, including terminology,
sailboat rigs and sail plans, boat design and hull types, sails,
standing & running rigging, boat, true, and apparent wind,
leaving and returning to dock, sailing upwind and downwind,
marlinespike for sailors, and basic sailing rules.
Sa102, Advanced Sail, teaches
forces, stability and balance, sail trim, tuning a rig, steering
and helmsmanship, spinnaker handling, heavy weather sailing,
survival in storm conditions, safety procedures, racing and race
management, and complete navigation rules for sailing vessels.
For information call or email
Jim (Van) Van
Blarcom (803) 548-5362
Weather
The Weather course furnishes
basic weather knowledge for safer and more enjoyable boating.
The student will learn to make weather predictions based upon
observations of the sky, upon barometer and wind information, as
well as weather data provided by maps, satellite images, and
radio and TV broadcasts. Wx101 and Wx102 use a USPS supplement
manual together with The Weather Book from USA
Today as the textbook.
Wx101, Basic Weather,
includes: effects of heat and cold, wind and pressure, storms
and fronts, rain, humidity, and fog, and floods, droughts, and
winter precipitation. Wx102, Advanced Weather, includes:
thunderstorms and tornadoes, tropical weather, atmosphere and
clouds, forecasting, and climate. PowerPoint slides showing
cloud formations are used in the course.
For information call or email
Joe or Barbara Murphy
(803) 548-7474
An
educational grade of SN (Senior Navigator) is awarded after
completion of ALL
Advanced and Elective Courses.
Only very few members have such a high rank. We are proud to
recognize four of our members who have achieved this grade:
CASE, Elwyn, SN
CRAWFORD, Thomas E., SN
ROBERTS, Melvin L., SN
STUTZ, Eugene L., SN
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