Boating Class

The Boating Course is given to members of the public as a means of providing education for that public regarding safe boating and proper boat handling.  Volunteer instructors for each session of the course are drawn from the Valley Ho Squadron to provide a variety of experiences and knowledge to impart to the students.

The Valley Ho Boating Course is given three times a year in the Spring, Summer and Fall, and consists of six class sessions and one final examination session.  Each class session is two hours in length with two or more Sections discussed or presented in each session.  The Sections cover the following subjects:

                 Session 1       Section   1       You Are the Skipper! What Would You Do?
                                    Section   2       Boat Terms ad Types
                 Session 2       Section   4       Knots & Lines
                                    Section   8       Boat Handling
                Session 3       Section   3       Marine Radiotelephone
                                    Section   5       Charts
                                    Section   6       Aids to Navigation
                Session 4       Section   7       Piloting - Plotting a Course
                                    Section   9       Piloting, The Mariner’s Compass
                                    Section 10       Government Regulations
                Session 5       Section 11       Piloting - Distance, Speed, Time
                                    Section 12       Navigation Rules
                                    Section 13       Piloting - Determining Position
                Session 6       Section 14       Adverse Conditions and Emergencies
                                    Section 15       Trailering
                                    Section 16       Personal Watercraft Operations
                Session 7       All Sections     Final Examination
Homework for each Section is turned in each evening and is corrected and returned by a volunteer monitor.  Supplemental material consists of material from the California ABC handbook published by California Boating and Waterways.  The final examination is graded immediately following the final examination Session and the results transmitted to the National USPS.  A Certificate of Completion is given to all students who pass this exam.

The advantages of membership in USPS and Valley Ho are presented to the class during one evening (usually Session 4).  Students are encouraged to apply for membership while their final examinations are being graded.

All dates are approximate and may change. Check with Education Chair for latest information.

Valley Ho Squadron Educational Officer: P/C J Robertson SN (818)-360-4349