South Bay Sail & Power Squadron
A Unit of United States Power Squadrons® - District 28
Sail and Power Boating

Boating is fun..We'll show you how


MEMBER ELECTIVE COURSES

(Class are one night per week, two hours per session)

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
  • Emergencies
  • The manual includes a twelve-month cruise planning time line. The course is non-modular with one final exam.

    This course is one night a week for eight weeks.

    Start Date:      TBD
    Where:           Chula Vista Yacht Club
                     650 Marnia Parkway
                     Chula Vista, CA
    Time:            7:00 PM to 9:00 PM 
    Contact:         Ed Brunjes (619) 426-2920
    Cost:            

    ENGINE MAINTENANCE

    The new Engine Maintenance course 2007 has been put into one ten chapter course that stresses the diagnosis of modern systems, while also teaching the basics of engine layout and operation. Gasoline inboards, outboards, and diesel engines are taught in a way that reinforces the common aspects of how engines work. This new course is complete in one book with one exam.

    Modern engines offer high reliability and good performance through the use of computerized systems for fuel delivery and engine timing. Most of these systems are “black boxes” that can no longer be serviced by weekend mechanics with ordinary tools. The EM course covers those repairs that do-it-yourselfers can still perform, teaches how to diagnose problems that might be beyond your ability to fix, and how to share information with your mechanic so the right repairs get performed. The new Engine Maintenance 2007 also covers basic mechanical systems such as drive systems (propellers), steering systems, and engine controls. The last chapter discusses solutions you might use to problems that could occur while afloat and away from a repair facility. Gasoline, diesel, and outboard engines are treated independently in this chapter.

    This course is one night a week for eight weeks.

    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.

    ME 101, Boat Electrical Systems, provides information about properties of electricity, electrical power requirements and wiring practices, direct current power, alternating current power, galvanic and stray-current corrosion, lightning protection, and electrical interference.

    ME 102, Marine Radio Communications, delves into radio waves and transmitters, receivers and transceivers, antennas and transmission lines, FCC Rules and Regulations, FCC Frequency Plan, marine radiotelephone operating procedures, and other communication services (Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacon (EPIRB), Digital Selective Calling (DSC), Global Maritime Distress and Safety System (GMDSS), satellite communications, amateur radio, and more).

    ME 103, Marine Electronics for Navigation, presents information on depth sounders, RADAR, LORAN-C, GPS Navigation, and two new chapters: Electronic Charting, and Computer-Assisted Navigation (CAN). Members may take this module independent of any other ME module.

    This course is one night a week for fifteen weeks (including three exams, one each at the conclusion of each module).

    SAIL

    Building on the basics learned in Boating, Seamanship is an important foundation for other "advanced grade" courses. The student learns -

     Sail 101 Basic Sail

     Sail 102 Advanced Sail
    • Sailboat Rigs
    • Sail Plans
    • Boat Design and Hull Types
    • Sails
    • Standing Rigging
    • Running Rigging
    • Wind
    • Preparing to Sail
    • Sailing Upwind
    • Sailing Downwind
    • Docking and Anchoring
    • Marlinespike Seamanship
    • Navigation Rules I
    • Wind Forces
    • Stability
    • Balance
    • Sail Shape
    • Tuning the Rig
    • Steering and Helmsmanship
    • Spinnaker Handling
    • Heavy Weather Sailing
    • Storm Conditions
    • Sailing Safety
    • Sailboat Racing
    • Race Management
    • Navigation Rules II

    This course is one night a week for nine weeks.

    WEather

    The safety and comfort of those who venture out-on-the water have always been weather dependent. For both sailors and power boaters, weather determines whether they head out or stay ashore. The ancients had a curiosity beyond the practical as they mused and theorized about what caused weather events. The subject captivated them. The USPS Weather course is an opportunity for students to experience the same fascination, but with the benefit of modern science.

    And then there is the beauty: the enchanting ever-changing cloud formations; the dramatic spectacles of sunrises and sunsets; and awe inspiring clear starry nights. In this course students will be looking up to learn what the sky has to say. But becoming keener weather observers is not enough. Weather observations only have meaning in the context of the basic principles of meteorology — the science of the atmosphere.

    The mid-latitudes are a weather war zone where enormous air masses battle one another along fronts, and powerful storm systems travel across the continent, lakes and oceans. Mid-latitude weather includes the blizzards of winter, the tornadoes of spring and summer, and the hurricanes of fall. Seasonal weather cycles produce temperature ranges from hot and humid in the nineties, to freezing in the subzero twenties.

    For boaters, however, there are dangers even in the relatively benign conditions of everyday weather. Wind, rain, fog, and waves present special challenges to them. Wx08 is a general weather course benefiting those sitting in their living rooms, as much as those standing behind the helm.

    Course Materials

    The USPS Weather Course focuses on how weather systems form, behave, move, and interact with one another. The course also reflects the availability of all sorts of weather reports and forecasts on the internet. The course provides guidance for anticipating weather conditions through onboard and onshore observation. Each student receives:

    The manual’s appendices include Regional Weather (summary descriptions of weather in the major boating areas of the United States), a Glossary (terms appearing in the manual for the first time are in bold-faced type) and Homework Answers. All web site addresses in the course materials were current as of the time of publication, but may change.

    This course is one night a week for nine weeks.

    INSTRUCTOR DEVELOPMENT

    Unlike other USPS courses, the Instructor Development course is not designed to enhance boating skills. Rather, its emphasis is on enhancing instructor skills. The course has been designed to demonstrate interactive teaching methods focused on adult learning. Students are required to prepare lesson plans and give four presentations to their peers utilizing a variety of teaching aids and presentation skills. Each presentation is to be given on a topic from one of the public boating classes with the intent that upon completion of the course every student will be qualified to teach or proctor at a squadron boating class.

    Fully developed suggested lesson plans for each chapter are contained in the instructor manual and PowerPoint presentations are available, as well as overhead transparency masters.

    Although the course is designed to last eight weeks, it may be different in duration depending on the number of students who enroll. .

     

    Links to other pages on this website and more to come
      Boating Safety Classes  
    Commander's Message Advanced Courses   

    Officer Reports

    Elective Courses

    Home  Vessel Safety Check  



    Privacy Statement  Disclaimer Statement 

    Trademarks
    Copyright © 2013 South Bay Sail & Power Squadron. All Rights Reserved.

    This page was last updated October 27, 2013