Oak Ridge Power Squadron BOATING COURSES

Boating Education

The Oak Ridge Power Squadron offers an array of excellent courses that are unparalleled in recreational boating. The Squadron offers core level courses to the public; to those who have boats, are thinking about getting boats, or are just interested in boating. Many students subsequently seek Squadron membership which in turn provides them access to a vast array of USPS advanced-grade and elective courses. Additionally, the USPS is now offering one day seminars on popular topics such as using a GPS, and on-board weather forecasting. Look in the calendar for all of our course offerings and seminars.
Course materials are all developed by USPS and all courses have an exam at the end of the course. Each chapter has some multiple-choice questions at the end to help you prepare for the exam, which is a standardized test, graded by computer. 80% of the test material comes from the homework questions and 20% is from other material in the chapters that was not included in the homework questions.
Some courses (such as Piloting, Advanced Piloting, Junior Navigation & Navigation) also have a take-home part of the test where you must do a course plotting exercise based on a ficticious cruise, which will be graded on accuracy, neatness, etc.
Oak Ridge Power Squadron instructors enrich their teaching of course material with boating-related "war stories," which they have witnessed or experienced, and invite students to do the same. These can offer vital lessons no matter how many years we've been boating.
The fees for each course generally only include the cost of course materials and building use fees and are very reasonable. They vary somewhat from course to course, but are generally about $25-50. Instructors do not get paid for their time, they are volunteers. Courses are typically offered at the Oak Ridge Power Squadron building once a week on Tuesday, Wednesday or Thursday evenings, typically beginning at 7PM. Courses are usually anywhere from 3 to about 15 weeks long. Time and day of the course may be adjusted by mutual consent of instructor and students, to better suit everyone's schedule.

Courses Typically Offered in Oak Ridge:

BoatSmart
Seamanship
Piloting
Advanced Piloting
Junior Navigation
Navigation
Engine Maintenance
Cruise Planning
Weather
Marine Electronics
Sailing
Instructor Qualification
Learning Guides (independent study)

Courses open to the public:

BoatSmart Duration 3 weeks...Offered several times a year...see calendar for next offering...
a basic course for all boaters (power, sail, PWC, fisherman, waterskiers, etc). All boaters must follow the same nautical rules, regulations, and courtesies of the sea. All are subject to the same forces of nature while boating.
Topics included in BoatSmart provide a good basis for safe boating and include:

markers & buoys
communicating with other boats via sound
types of boats (hull design & why boats perform the way they do)

Chart Smart Duration 3 weeks...not usually offered in Oak Ridge
a course for all USPS Boat Smart Course or America's Boating Course (ABC) graduates who are interested in information on compasses, charts, and plotting courses.
The purpose of Chart Smart is to teach the techniques to determine position when you are within the sight or near proximity of land. This course is designed to give the student an introduction to the subject known as Piloting.
Chart Smart is a continuation of boating education, and hopefully will encourage students to join USPS to follow this brief and basic course with additional boating education such as the courses offered to members of the United States Power Squadrons.

Advanced Courses available for members:

Seamanship Duration 3-5 weeks ...Offered several times a year...see calendar for next offering...
a basic course for all boaters. Topics included in Seamanship include:

markers & buoys
communicating with other boats via sound
knot tying
hull designs
boat care
anchoring
types of steering systems
flags & flag etiquette
skipper's responsibilities
handling emergencies afloat

Piloting duration about 10 weeks...Usually offered several times a year...see calendar for next offering...

Topics included in Piloting include:

markers & buoys (aids to navigation)
marine charts
using a compass
lines of position
establishing a fix (i.e. your position on a chart)
types of fixes
plotting your course on a chart
Dead Reconing
navigation log
compensating for compass error, deviation & variation (magnetic declination)
creating a deviation table for your boat
GPS and other navigational tools
This course requires the use of some plotting tools such as a compass, parallel rules, etc. These may be purchased at boating stores or stores that sell drafting supplies.

Advanced Piloting duration about 10 weeks...Usually offered several times a year...see calendar for next offering...

Advanced Piloting builds on what you learned in Piloting & includes:

how tides & currents affect your course
circular LOP's
vertical LOP's
reading tide & current tables
interpolating information on tide & current tables to your position
GPS and other navigational tools
This course also requires the use of some plotting tools such as a compass, parallel rules, etc.

Junior Navigation duration 15 weeks +...Offered about once a year...see calendar for next offering...

Junior Navigation builds on what you learned in Advanced Piloting & introduces you to offshore navigation with:

use of integrated electronic positioning systems
introduction to celestial navigation
use of a sextant
sights on the sun
sights on the moon & stars
plotting your course on a chart
This course also requires the use of some plotting tools such as a compass, parallel rules, etc. and a sextant

Navigation duration about 15 weeks + ...Offered about once a year...see calendar for next offering...

Navigation builds on what you learned in Junior Navigation & further develops your understanding of celestial navigation theory and skills, including navigation with only minimal gear in the event of a disabling boat accident
This course also requires the use of some plotting tools such as a compass, parallel rules, etc. and a sextant

Elective Courses available for members:

Engine Maintenance duration about 10 weeks...Offered at least once a year...see calendar for next offering...

Engine Maintenance is an excellent course for anyone who has an engine on their boat--sail or power. Each major system related to the engine is covered in a different chapter. Topics include:

Types of engines
power trains
fuel system
electrical system
drive systems/propulsion
ignition system
cooling system
lubrication system
troubleshooting
repairs afloat
Each chapter discusses these items related to inboard, outboard, gasoline & diesel engines, so no matter what your boat is equipped with, it will pertain to you. The goal of the course is not to make you a master mechanic, but to give you the knowledge to help you diagnose & solve common engine problems.

Cruise Planning duration about 8 weeks...Offered at least once a year...see calendar for next offering...

Cruise Planning is an excellent course for anyone who would either like to take their boat on a multi-day trip in their own boat, do a 2- week charter, or take a couple years off and sail around the world. Topics include:

Handling your affairs while away from home
crew selection
Clearing into/out of foreign ports & re-entering the US
Requirements for pets & other special circumstances
anchoring & types of anchors
communicating with flags
radio communication (vhf, ssb, ham, etc.)
provisioning
weather
GPS and other navigational tools
handling emergencies afloat (e.g. dismasting, engine failure etc.)
basic first aid

Weather duration about 10 weeks...Offered at least once a year...see calendar for next offering...

The USPS Weather course provides an excellent discussion of different meteorological conditions and how they develop. Topics include:

the structure and characteristics of our atmosphere
how to interpret weather maps & reports
cold & warm fronts
identifying clouds
hurricanes
wind
interpreting information on weather maps

Marine Electronics duration about 8 weeks...Offered about once a year...see calendar for next offering...

The USPS Marine Electronics course covers essential information about boat electrical and electronic in terms understandable to non-engineers. Topics include:

proper wiring
power systems
corrosion & electrolysis
electronic navigation and safety systems

Sailing duration about 8 weeks...Offered about once a year...see calendar for next offering...

The USPS sailing course guides you through the terminology and dynamics of sailing. in terms understandable to non-engineers. Topics include:

hulls
rigging
wind & water forces & balance
points of sail
sail handling
navigation rules unique to sailing

Instructor Qualification ...Offered about once a year...see calendar for next offering...

The USPS instructor training provides you with training in making effective presentations, and other techniques, whether you are making a formal presentation or having a casual conversation.

Additional information and notes:

There are also a number of USPS learning guides which are self-study handbooks covering topics such as:

GPS
knots
bends & hitches
Amateur Radio
Oceanography
Boat Design & Construction
Navigational Astronomy
How to fly flags
many other topics...

The course listing above includes some courses that are not usually offered in Oak Ridge. However, most of the courses listed above are offered through our squadron at least once a year. Course dates will be listed in our calendar of events

Comments? send them to Colleen Montgomery

Courses open to the public:
BoatSmart	Duration 3 weeks...Offered several times a year...see calendar for next offering... a basic course for all boaters (power, sail, PWC, fisherman, waterskiers, etc). All boaters must follow the same nautical rules, regulations, and courtesies of the sea. All are subject to the same forces of nature while boating. Topics included in BoatSmart provide a good basis for safe boating and include: markers & buoys communicating with other boats via sound types of boats (hull design & why boats perform the way they do)
Chart Smart	Duration 3 weeks...not usually offered in Oak Ridge a course for all USPS Boat Smart Course or America's Boating Course (ABC) graduates who are interested in information on compasses, charts, and plotting courses. The purpose of Chart Smart is to teach the techniques to determine position when you are within the sight or near proximity of land. This course is designed to give the student an introduction to the subject known as Piloting. Chart Smart is a continuation of boating education, and hopefully will encourage students to join USPS to follow this brief and basic course with additional boating education such as the courses offered to members of the United States Power Squadrons.
Advanced Courses available for members:
Seamanship	Duration 3-5 weeks ...Offered several times a year...see calendar for next offering... a basic course for all boaters. Topics included in Seamanship include: markers & buoys communicating with other boats via sound knot tying hull designs boat care anchoring types of steering systems flags & flag etiquette skipper's responsibilities handling emergencies afloat
Piloting	duration about 10 weeks...Usually offered several times a year...see calendar for next offering... Topics included in Piloting include: markers & buoys (aids to navigation) marine charts using a compass lines of position establishing a fix (i.e. your position on a chart) types of fixes plotting your course on a chart Dead Reconing navigation log compensating for compass error, deviation & variation (magnetic declination) creating a deviation table for your boat GPS and other navigational tools This course requires the use of some plotting tools such as a compass, parallel rules, etc. These may be purchased at boating stores or stores that sell drafting supplies.
Advanced Piloting	duration about 10 weeks...Usually offered several times a year...see calendar for next offering... Advanced Piloting builds on what you learned in Piloting & includes: how tides & currents affect your course circular LOP's vertical LOP's reading tide & current tables interpolating information on tide & current tables to your position GPS and other navigational tools This course also requires the use of some plotting tools such as a compass, parallel rules, etc.
Junior Navigation	duration 15 weeks +...Offered about once a year...see calendar for next offering... Junior Navigation builds on what you learned in Advanced Piloting & introduces you to offshore navigation with: use of integrated electronic positioning systems introduction to celestial navigation use of a sextant sights on the sun sights on the moon & stars plotting your course on a chart This course also requires the use of some plotting tools such as a compass, parallel rules, etc. and a sextant
Navigation	duration about 15 weeks + ...Offered about once a year...see calendar for next offering... Navigation builds on what you learned in Junior Navigation & further develops your understanding of celestial navigation theory and skills, including navigation with only minimal gear in the event of a disabling boat accident This course also requires the use of some plotting tools such as a compass, parallel rules, etc. and a sextant
Elective Courses available for members:
Engine Maintenance	duration about 10 weeks...Offered at least once a year...see calendar for next offering... Engine Maintenance is an excellent course for anyone who has an engine on their boat--sail or power. Each major system related to the engine is covered in a different chapter. Topics include: Types of engines power trains fuel system electrical system drive systems/propulsion ignition system cooling system lubrication system troubleshooting repairs afloat Each chapter discusses these items related to inboard, outboard, gasoline & diesel engines, so no matter what your boat is equipped with, it will pertain to you. The goal of the course is not to make you a master mechanic, but to give you the knowledge to help you diagnose & solve common engine problems.
Cruise Planning	duration about 8 weeks...Offered at least once a year...see calendar for next offering... Cruise Planning is an excellent course for anyone who would either like to take their boat on a multi-day trip in their own boat, do a 2- week charter, or take a couple years off and sail around the world. Topics include: Handling your affairs while away from home crew selection Clearing into/out of foreign ports & re-entering the US Requirements for pets & other special circumstances anchoring & types of anchors communicating with flags radio communication (vhf, ssb, ham, etc.) provisioning weather GPS and other navigational tools handling emergencies afloat (e.g. dismasting, engine failure etc.) basic first aid
Weather	duration about 10 weeks...Offered at least once a year...see calendar for next offering... The USPS Weather course provides an excellent discussion of different meteorological conditions and how they develop. Topics include: the structure and characteristics of our atmosphere how to interpret weather maps & reports cold & warm fronts identifying clouds hurricanes wind interpreting information on weather maps
Marine Electronics	duration about 8 weeks...Offered about once a year...see calendar for next offering... The USPS Marine Electronics course covers essential information about boat electrical and electronic in terms understandable to non-engineers. Topics include: proper wiring power systems corrosion & electrolysis electronic navigation and safety systems
Sailing	duration about 8 weeks...Offered about once a year...see calendar for next offering... The USPS sailing course guides you through the terminology and dynamics of sailing. in terms understandable to non-engineers. Topics include: hulls rigging wind & water forces & balance points of sail sail handling navigation rules unique to sailing
Instructor Qualification	...Offered about once a year...see calendar for next offering... The USPS instructor training provides you with training in making effective presentations, and other techniques, whether you are making a formal presentation or having a casual conversation.