This course focuses on preparation for a cruise, whether the cruise is for a day, a week, a month, or longer. Whether you are going to cruise on rivers, lakes, the coasts, or across the oceans, very valuable information is provided by those who have been there. The topics discussed are:

• Planning the voyage
• Financing the voyage
• Equipping the vessel
• Crew selection
• Provisioning
• Voyage management
• Navigation planning
• Weather
• Communications
• Entering and clearing foreign and domestic ports
• Anchors and anchoring
• Emergencies afloat
• Medical emergencies
• Security

This course covers the general construction, operating principals, maintenance and repair of marine gasoline and diesel engines, cooling, electrical, fuel, and lubricating systems and associated propulsion components - clutches, shafting, and propellers. Since one of the major objectives of the course is to help the student to become more self-reliant afloat, trouble diagnosis and temporary remedies are emphasized along with safety measures. The course is not intended to produce trained mechanics but rather more intelligent and more resourceful boat engine operators.

Unlike other USPS courses, the Instructor Development course emphasizes enhancing instructor skills. The course is designed to demonstrate interactive teaching methods focused on adult learning. Students prepare a one-hour lesson plan and give four presentations to their peers using a variety of teaching aids and presentation skills. Each presentation is to be given on a topic from public boating class, elective, or advanced grade course. Upon completion of the course, students will be qualified to teach or proctor at squadron boating classes.

Old Everett Yacht Club
Orca Room
404 14th Ave. Everett

Essential knowledge about your boat's electrical and electronic systems is studied in this course. Proper wiring, grounding, electrolysis control, and batteries and their maintenance are included. Depth finders, marine radio telephones, radar, loran, omega, and advanced systems for electronic navigation are also studied. Information is provided on FCC requirements for station licensing and operator permits for radio telephone.

This course provides a thorough study of the terminology of sailing:

• Types of hulls

• Rigs

• Sail-plans

• Running rigging

• Standing rigging

• Adjustment and tuning of running and standing rigging

• Sailboat marlinspike

The dynamics of sailing are covered including:

• Hull and water forces caused by wind and waves
• Forces versus balance
• Sailing techniques
• Points of sail
• Sail handling
• Sailing under various conditions from light air to storm survival
• Boat operations and emergency techniques unique to sailboats

Awareness of weather phenomena, how to read a weather map and the sky, and understand and anticipate weather developments for more pleasurable boating are objectives of this course. Subjects include:

• Characteristics and structure of the atmosphere

• What the weather is and its basic causes

• Normal development and movement of weather over the earth

• Factors considered in weather forecasting

Observations that the skipper can make afloat include both instrumental and visual:

• Cloud sequences and the weather they predict

• Air masses, fronts, storms, and fog

• Use of radio and television weather broadcasts

Throughout, the student is encouraged to make observations and predictions in order to gain experience in applying the principles taught and develop greater insight into weather phenomena.