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
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
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
now taught 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
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
chart work 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
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 chart work 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 a
nd
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.
Fox Valley Sail & Power Squadron
