Advanced Grades & Elective Classes
Seamanship (advanced grades)
This class is suitable for skippers of all levels.
Prerequisites: none
This Seamanship course is a natural first/next step in building a foundation for confidence and competence for safe and enjoyable boating on the water. It extends the knowledge and skills of the boater in handling and maneuvering a vessel, either sail or power. The course provides a better understanding of how boats behave under various conditions including close quarters and open water operations. Knowledge and skills are increased in the areas of anchoring, emergencies, rules of the road, and marlinspike/basic knots. .
Tuition: $80.00
Piloting (advanced grades)
This class is suitable for skippers of all levels.
Prerequisites: none
Piloting is the first course in the sequence of USPS courses on navigation, covering the basics of coastal and inland navigation. This 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. .
Tuition: $125.00
Advanced Piloting (advanced grades)
This class is suitable for skippers that completed Piloting.
Prerequisites: Piloting Class
Instructors: Lance Jensen & Chris Brown
Advanced Piloting is the second in the sequence of USPS courses on navigation. It continues to build coastal and inland navigation skill, allowing the student to take on more challenging conditions – unfamiliar waters, limited visibility, and extended cruises. GPS is embraced as a primary navigation tool while adding radar, chartplotters, and other electronic navigation tools. Ten classes normally are scheduled for presentation of this course.
Tuition: $125.00
Jr Navigation (advanced grades)
This class is suitable for skippers that completed Advanced Piloting.
Prerequisites: Advanced Piloting
Junior Navigation is the first in a two-part program of study in offshore navigation, followed by the Navigation course. It is designed as a practical “how to” course in which students learn about current offshore navigation electronic tools and software as well as conventional route planning techniques.
Tuition: $120.00
Navigation (advanced grades)
This class is suitable for skippers that completed Jr Navigation.
Prerequisites: Junior Navigation
After Junior Navigation, this course is the second part of the study of offshore navigation, further developing the student’s understanding of celestial navigation theory. This Navigation 2009 course deals with learning celestial positioning using other bodies, in addition to positioning using the sun (covered in the Junior Navigation course). This course also deals with electronic software tools that can be used to plan and execute an offshore voyage.
Tuition: $180.00
Instructor Development (advanced grades)
This class is suitable for skippers of all levels.
Prerequisites: none
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.
Tuition: Free to Members
Weather (electives)
This class is suitable for skippers of all levels.
Prerequisites: none
The safety and comfort of those who venture out-on-the water have always been weather dependent. In this course students will become keener observers of the weather, but weather observations only have meaning in the context of the basic principles of meteorology — the science of the atmosphere.
The course focuses on how weather systems form, behave, move, and interact with one another and reflects the availability of all sorts of weather reports and forecasts on the Internet.
Tuition: $120.00
Engine Maintenance (electives)
This class is suitable for skippers of all levels.
Prerequisites: none
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.
Tuition: $90.00
Marine Electrical Systems (electives)
This class is suitable for skippers of all levels.
Prerequisites: none
The Marine Electrical Systems course is presented in seven chapters that start with an explanation of what electricity is, followed by discussions on boat electrical wiring, DC and AC electrical systems, galvanic and stray current corrosion, lightning protection, and ends with troubleshooting of boat electrical problems. The course includes detailed instructions on how to use a multimeter, how to solder and crimp electrical wiring circuits, and how to read electrical wiring diagrams.
Tuition: $120.00
Marine Communications Systems (electives)
This class is suitable for skippers of all levels.
Prerequisites: none
This is a review of communications systems available to the recreational boater. Radio history and spectrum definitions are presented along with definitions of radio circuits that the student should learn, to choose the best communications method for his/her situation. The course covers Global Maritime Distress and Safety System (GMDSS), FCC Rules and regulations, High Seas radio (MF/HF and satellite communications) Family Radio Service transceivers.
Tuition: $75.00
Cruise Planning (electives)
This class is suitable for skippers of all levels.
Prerequisites: none
There is something very special about the thrill of cruising in new waters and the sense of accomplishment upon completing an extended cruise. To go beyond what most boaters do on a weekend overnight or even a week or so marina hopping requires boaters to leave their normal cruising areas and comfort zones. The Cruise Planning course focuses on the planning and preparation necessary for safe enjoyable extended cruises on both inland and coastal waters.
Tuition: $75.00
Sail (electives)
This class is suitable for skippers of all levels.
Prerequisites: none
Sail 2009 is a completely new sail course created to serve the needs of the novice and experienced sailor, as well as the non-sailor, for basic skills and knowledge. The course starts with basic sailboat designs and nomenclature, rigging, safety, and sail processes and then tackles the physical aspects of sailing forces and techniques, sail applications, marlinespike, helmsmanship and handling of more difficult sailing conditions, navigation rules, and an introduction to heavy weather sailing. Appendices provide an introduction to sailboat racing and sailing in Canadian waters.
Tuition: $100.00
