Advanced Grades

These courses are open to all members, certificate holders and family members in good standing. Advanced grades are taught in order with one subject leading to the next.

Seamanship       NEWLY Updated                        SEAMANSHIP GRADE: S                           Insignia    

Length - 12 weeks

The primary purpose of this course is to provide basic information about boating and boat  handling fir people who have had little or no boating experience.  Experienced boaters will find this course is an invaluable refresher as well as an in-depth look at key subjects.  The material covered applies to both power and sail. Subjects include recognition of different boat types, equipment required by law as well as for comfort and safety; conditions which affect a docking and mooring; handling under normal and adverse conditions; marlinspike seamanship and inland boating.

Piloting            NEWLY Updated                                PILOTING GRADE: P                                   Insignia    

Length - 12 weeks

The objective of the Piloting Course is to provide basic information on how to take a boat from point A to point B, safely and with a constant knowledge of one's most probable position. 

A totally new approach to teaching piloting is ready for instruction to USPS classes.  The new approach not only incorporates the latest information on GPS into the piloting process, but uses up-to-date computer graphics to make both teaching and learning easier.  The new course, along with its soon to be added companion Advanced Piloting, incorporates the use of GPS while retaining the traditional material on charting, dead reckoning, and a host of other piloting skills.  The new courses also demonstrate new material on computer navigation and digital charting, and provides a Student Guide with color graphics and a new 2004 text as a supporting reference.

Advance Piloting        NEWLY Updated                       ADVANCED PILOTING GRADE: AP                Insignia  

Length - 12 - 14 weeks   

Advanced Piloting sharpens the skills learned in Piloting.  It  includes a thorough review of related compass topics, corrections and course conversions.  Charts and chartwork are treated in detail and instruction is given to the laying of courses and determination of position by bearing and sounding.  The height of tide and current for any given place and time are worked with reference to Tide and Current Tables.  Practical application of what the student has learned are applied in homework problems and an imaginary cruise.

Junior Navigation      NEWLY Updated                          JUNIOR NAVIGATION GRADE: JN                   Insignia 

Length - approx. 32 weeks

In this course, the student leaves the familiar coastal waters he learned in Advanced Piloting and ventures into the wide oceans where his only means of navigation are the heavenly bodies.  Precision chartwork is stressed.  The student is taught the "sailing," the mathematical counterpart of plotting, and developing the concept of sphericity of the earth.  The practical use of the marine sextant is covered, including observations on the sun, moon, planets and stars.  Skills are taught so that the student can confidently and completely navigate his vessel out of site of land and safely return to port.  A knowledge of mathematics is not required since the course is taught by tabular methods using simple arithmetic.

Navigation                                                                             NAVIGATION GRADE: N                               Insignia 

Length - approx. 32 weeks

This course is the Ph. D. of marine navigation.  Dealing with alternative methods, special cases and more advanced techniques.  Navigation aims to develop greater skill in taking sights and higher precision in positioning.   Beginning with the basic concepts of astronomy, the system of coordinates  used to describe the position of celestial bodies is reviewed.  The civil, solar and sidereal systems of time are studied.  The student is required to take and reduce a considerable number of sights in order to develop proficiency with the sextant.  Throughout the course, orderly methods for carrying on the day's work if navigator at sea is emphasized.

Elective Grades

These courses are open to all members, certificate holders and family members in good standing.  Electives may be taken in any order.

Sail       

Length - 12 weeks

This course is both useful and informative to sail and power boaters alike.  Sail terminology, types of rigs and hulls, signal and rules of the road are covered thoroughly.  The theory of sailing is presented in full detail, with emphasis on the balance of hull and sail stability, true and apparent winds.  A knowledge of the function and rigging of sails, anchoring, mooring, docking and getting underway are presented along with night fog, and heavy weather sailing.

Engine Maintenance          NEWLY Updated

Length - 6 weeks

Modern engines offer high reliability and good performance through the use of computerized systems for fuel delivery and engine timing.  Most of these systems are "black boxes" that can no longer be serviced by weekend mechanics with ordinary tools.  The new Engine Maintenance course covers those repairs that do-it-yourselfers can still perform, teaches how to diagnose problems that might be beyond your ability to fix and how to share information with your mechanic so the right repairs get performed.  The new course also covers basic mechanical systems such as drive systems (propellers), steering systems and engine controls.

Instructor Development       

Length - 4 weeks

This course is designed primarily for USPS instructors and others with an interest in teaching USPS Advance Grades and Elective Courses, but hesitate to do so because they lack the experience.  It is also for members who are now teaching and would like to improve their methods in the classroom by becoming familiar with instructional aids available to the modern teacher.  The use and misuse of teaching aids, lesson plans and presentation are also stressed.  The choosing of and utilization of proper instructional aids is designed to help both the experienced and new instructor do a more effective job.  Practical demonstration of the various tools are stressed.

Cruise Planning       

Length - 12 weeks

The student will be familiarized with planning and financing a long-term cruise.  All aspects of the cruise will be discussed including required and suggested equipment, tools, spare parts, supplies, food and crew selection.  An overview of the USPS courses shows how each relates to your voyage.

Marine Electronics       NEWLY Updated

Length - 12 weeks

Emphasis here is on supplying essential information about the legally proper and most effective operation of marine telephones and other electronic equipment, which can be installed on boats for greater comfort and safety.  This is not a technical course and will benefit boaters.  Installation, care and use of this equipment are covered.  Deterioration from electrolysis and/or galvanic action is a subject of importance and is explored in depth.  Students are prepared to take the FCC examination for Third Class Operator Permit.

Weather   

Length - 12 weeks

This course is designed to foster an awareness of weather phenomena on the part of the boater.  The development and movement of weather all of the world, cloud sequences, air masses, frontal systems, storms, fog, rain, snow and sleet are carefully considered.  The student will become familiar with National Weather Bureau maps, formats and symbols.  Visual and instructional observations, which the boatman can make, and the use of the daily weather map, are explained in detail.  Throughout, the student is encouraged to make observations and predictions on his own so that he may apply these principles on land or afloat.