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           United States Power Squadrons®  
          
Phoenix
            Sail and Power Squadron

            District 28

              Sail and Power Boating

              

              "Come for the Education ... Stay for the Fun" 
 
 
 

SEAMANSHIP

Building on the basics of recreational boating presented in the public boating courses, Seamanship adds foundational information for continuing boater education. The course contents should facilitate knowledge development for increased safe operation of recreational boats and provide the basis for completion of USCG licensing examination. Emphasis within the course has been placed on higher level boating skills, rules of the road, and marlinspike.

This is course runs one night a week for five weeks

Start Date:	TBD (Tuesdays for 5 weeks)
Time:	6:30 pm to 8:30 pm
Where:	Sportsman's Warehouse 19205 N 27th Ave Phoenix, AZ
Contact:
Member Costs

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 nine weeks

Start Date:	TBD (Wednesdays for 9 weeks)
Time:	6:45 pm to 8:45 pm
Where:	Courtesy Chevrolet 1233 E Camelback Road Phoenix, AZ
Contact:
Member Costs

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.

Start Date:	TBD (Tuesdays for 11 weeks)
Time:	6:30 pm to 8:30 pm
Where:	Sportsman's Warehouse 19205 N 27th Ave Phoenix, AZ
Contact:
Member Costs

JUNIOR NAVIGATION

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. Subject matter includes:

Precise time determination

Use of the Nautical Almanac

Taking sextant sights of the sun

Reducing sights to establish lines of position

Special charts and plotting sheets for offshore navigation

Offshore navigational routines for recreational craft

This is normally a one night a week for twelve weeks course, but can be adjusted to accommodate student schedules.

The JN class trip to Rocky Point, Mexico, 27 October 2007 for sextant sights.

An important part of sextant observations in knowing the height of eye above the water. Ron Werner looks through the transit as Doug Frazier holds an height pole at the waterline.

Ron Werner (standing) takes a sun sight and Bill Johnson does the same from a seated position. They are assisted by Doug Frazier, Chuck Peterson and Jane Peterson recording times and sextant angles

(Photos by Werner)

Start Date:	TBD (Tuesdays for 12 weeks)
Time:	6:30 pm to 8:30 pm
Where:	Courtesy Chevrolet 1233 E Camelback Road Phoenix, AZ
Contact:
Member Costs	$90

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. 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

This page last updated 26 February 2015