A Brief History of the United States Power Squadrons

 

The United States Power Squadrons was formed on 2 February 1914, based on an idea first proposed in 1912 by Roger Upton, then the Rear Commodore of the Boston Yacht Club. In 1917 it had 477 members in twenty squadrons. Since that time, USPS has grown to an organization of some 56,000 members in 445 squadrons throughout the continental United States, Hawaii, Puerto Rico and Japan. A sister organization, the Canadian Power and Sail Squadrons, with which USPS maintains close cooperation, exists in Canada.
USPS is a private, self supporting, non-profit fraternal boating organization, the largest boating educational organization in the world, with an incomparable record of achievement. The basic unit of USPS is the squadron. The squadrons are organized into 33 Districts, each within a specific geographical area. Shrewsbury Squadron is a unit of District 4, which covers part of New York City (The Bronx, Manhattan and Staten Island), Northern New Jersey and the Barnegat Bay area. The district is an intermediate level between the national organization and the squadrons, and provides not only a communication link but opportunities for social camaraderie between members and families of its squadrons.

 

Some people ask how the “Power” Squadrons got its name. What about sailboats? The Power Squadrons was formed in 1914 as an off-shoot of the Boston Yacht Club. At this time, most boats were sailboats. Power boats were sometimes looked down upon and called “stink-pots” because of their smelly, internal combustion engines. One day, the sailboats and the power boats were out on a cruise when a storm blew up. Most of the sailboats were dismasted and helpless. Fortunately, the power boaters were able to tow them back to port and no loss of life was reported. The usefulness of power boats soon became apparent.

 

During the war years, the US Military called upon this squadron of power boaters to help educate the recruits entering the military for war. Thus began the focus upon the USPS as an educational organization. Although discouraged as a practice by USPS, it is through congressional order that the USPS Ensign is the only flag that may be flown in place of the United States Ensign on a boat. After the war years, the USPS continued its focus as a community based organization, providing education to the boating public.

 

Shrewsbury Power Squadron was incorporated in 1940 and is located in Monmouth County, New Jersey. Our area encompasses much of the beautiful Jersey Shore and our boating area includes the Hudson River, Sandy Hook and down to Barnegat bay.

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The United States Power Squadrons are a family friendly boating organization based on the principles of safer boating through furthering our boating knowledge, serving our community and having fun—both on the water and through land based social activities.

 

Find out more about how  to JOIN SPS.

Shrewsbury Power Squadron

PO Box  Red Bank, NJ 07032

A Unit of the United States Power Squadrons

Sail and Power Boating

 

 

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