Piloting
This site is provided as a means of communications with the USPS National Inland and Coastal Navigation Committee (ICNCom). We welcome your questions and comments on our modules, Learning Guides, and associated materials.
R/C
Kenneth L. Griffing, SN
Stf/C Luther Abel, SN
Stf/C Richard W. McGaughy, JN
Topics
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News
Updated Plotting and Labeling
Standards for Piloting 2005 (P 05) are available on this
page under Downloadable Material. (31 Jul 08)
Updates for Piloting 2005 PowerPoint Slides are available on this page under Downloadable Material. (14 Aug 05)
Piloting Course Description
The Piloting course is the first in the sequence of USPS courses on navigation, covering the basics of coastal and inland navigation. This all-new course focuses on navigation as it is done on recreational boats today and embraces GPS as a primary navigation tool while covering enough of traditional techniques so the student will be able to find his/her way even if their GPS fails. The course includes many in-class exercises, developing the student’s skills through hands-on practice and learning. Topics covered include:
- Charts and their interpretation
- Navigation aids and how they point to safe water
- Plotting courses and determining direction and distance
- The mariner’s compass and converting between True and Magnetic
- Use of GPS – typical GPS displays and information they provide, setting up waypoints and routes, staying on a GPS route.
- Pre-planning safe courses and entering them into the GPS
- Monitoring progress and determining position by both GPS and traditional techniques such as bearings and dead reckoning
- The “Seaman’s Eye” – simple skills for checking that one is on course.
Downloadable Material
Updates for Piloting 2005 PowerPoint Slides
Replacement slides for P 2005 PowerPoint presentations are below. (See PowerPoint help for assistance.)
- Slide 28 - Chapter 3 -- corrected to replace slide 28 in Chapter 3 (657KB)
- Cardinal Buoys -- additional slides to be added to the end of Chapter 2 (233KB)
Piloting Updates
The following updates represent changes and corrections that have been made to the Piloting Course. They will be reflected in the second printing marked 2005 edition and Copyright 2004 Rev.2 on the Acknowledgements page.
- Piloting Student Manual 2005 SM-UPDATE No. 1 (22KB)
- Piloting Instructor Manual 2005 IM-UPDATE No. 1 (17KB)
Standards
The following Piloting standards may be printed for use by USPS members by clicking on the standard name. They must be viewed or printed using Adobe Acrobat Reader.
- Plotting and Labeling Standard (P 2005) (56KB)
- Piloting Cruise (P 2005) instructor notes (245KB)
Questions or Comments?
If you have any questions or comments about the Piloting course, please contact the National Inland and Coastal Navigation Committee chairman by e-mail, phone or postal service mail. Please be sure to keep your SEO and/or DEO advised of any correspondence you may have with the National committee. Addresses for the National ICNCom chairman are listed in The ENSIGN and on the Committee Chairpersons page.
We will try to answer your questions as soon as possible, but please allow 5 working days for an answer.
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