Lake Mohave Sail and Power Squadron
A Unit of United States Power Squadrons® - District 28
Sail and Power Boating

Boating is fun..We'll show you how


MEMBER ADVANCED COURSES
(Classes are one night per week, two hours per session)

SEAMANSHIP

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

S101 Seamanship S102 Boat Handling
  • Marlinespike
  • Safety
  • The Skipper's Responsibilities
  • Before Leaving the Dock
  • Weather and Wave Forms
  • Nautical Etiquette and Customs
  • Hull Design and Care
  • Docking and Undocking, Towing, Trailering
  • Anchoring, Rafting, Mooring and Dinghies
  • Cruising Considerations
  • Boating Emergencies - Be Prepared 

Class Schedule




         
 
 PILOTING

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.

    • This is course runs one night a week for eight weeks

    ADVANCED PILOTING

    This all-new course 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. As with Piloting, the course includes many in-class exercises, advancing the student’s skills through hands-on practice and learning. Topics covered include:

  • Review of skills learned in Piloting
  • Advanced positioning techniques such as advancing a line of position
  • Other electronics: radar, depth sounders, autopilots, chartplotters, laptop computer software, etc.
  • Hazard avoidance techniques using electronics (e.g., “keep out” zones in GPS)
  • Collision avoidance using radar and GPS
  • Working with tides: clearances, depth, effects of current
  • Piloting with wind and currents
  • The “Seaman’s Eye” – simple skills for checking that one is on course

    • This is course runs one night a week for nine weeks

    JUNIOR NAVIGATION

    Junior Navigation is the first in a two-part program of study in offshore navigation. It is designed as a practical "how to" course. Subject matter includes -

  • Precise time determination
  • Use of the Nautical Almanac
  • Taking sextant sights of the sun, moon, planets and stars
  • Reducing sights to establish lines of position
  • Special charts and plotting sheets for offshore navigation
  • Offshore navigational routines for recreational craft

    • NAVIGATION

    This course is the second part of the study of offshore navigation, further developing the student's understanding of celestial navigation theory. The course covers -

  • Additional sight-reduction techniques
  • Honing skills in sight taking and positioning
  • Orderly methods for the navigator's day's work at sea
  • Navigating with minimal resources, as in a lifeboat

    • For an interesting resouce for navigation information check Integrated Publishing at http://www.tpub.com/content/administration/14220/index.htm

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    This page last updated 25 February 2014