USPS® Advanced Grades

USPS burgee Seamanship Grade: S One bar (S or P insigne)

Building on the basics taught in the USPS Boating courses, Seamanship is the recommended first course for new members, both powerboaters and sailors. The student learns 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 an introduction to the USPS educational program and a strong foundation for the other Advanced Grades courses (see below), and the Elective Courses Cruise Planning and Basic Sail.

Piloting Grade: P One bar (S or P insigne)

Piloting introduces the fundamentals of piloting and positioning -- the study of marine charts, aids to navigation, adjustment and use of the mariner's compass, dead reckoning, planning and plotting courses, and taking bearings to determine on-the-water position.
 

Two bars (S + P insigne)   is worn when the wearer has passed both Seamanship and Piloting.
 

Advanced Piloting Grade: AP One star flanked by two bars (AP insigne)

Advanced Piloting builds on the knowledge gained in Piloting to teach how to navigate safely in coastal waters -- predict tides and tidal currents and their impact on boat position, advanced positioning techniques, and the use of electronic navigation systems for positioning and course planning.

Junior Navigator Grade: JN Two stars with a single bar between them (JN insigne)

Junior Navigation begins the study of offshore (open-ocean) navigation -- integrated electronic positioning systems, sight taking with a mariner's sextant on the sun, moon, planets, and stars, how to reduce sights using the nautical almanac to determine position, and passage planning with special open-ocean charts.

USPS burgee Navigator Grade: N Three stars separated by two bars (N insigne)

Navigation further develops the understanding of celestial navigation theory and the skills in sight taking and reduction -- additional sight reduction techniques 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.
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This page last updated on 10 April 2002. (r) United States Power Squadrons, USPS, the USPS Ensign, and the Trident Design are Registered Trademarks of United States Power Squadrons, Inc.

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