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Wilmington Power
Squadron's Basic Boating Advanced Elective Home Study Other You may sign up for any course by simply showing up for the first night of class. Boating Certification Course (an introductory course) The Boating Certification Course is offered to the public twice a year at several locations in the suburban Wilmington, DE area. The Boating Certification course is involves a 2-hour session for four consecutive weeks for a total of 8 classroom hours at a cost of $30. Registration is on site the first night. This is an introductory course where students learn boating safety, "rules of the road", charting, and other valuable information necessary to safely enjoying pleasure boating. This course is required for children under 16 in order to operate a personal watercraft (PWC). The Boating Certification Course is only the introduction to the wealth of information available to members of WPS. Upon successfully completing the Boating Certification Course and becoming a member of the WPS, you are eligible to attend the many educational opportunities available outlined as Advanced courses, Elective Courses, and even some Home Study courses.
The Fall 2008 schedule for the Safe Boating Certification class will be posted soon! Registration on site the first night of class. Click here to download the pre-registration form. |
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Advanced Courses are for members of the United States Power Squadrons ®. Click here to find out how to join Wilmington Power Squadron. The advanced
courses are all held at 7 PM at: Contact Jim Robinson Registration on site the first night of class. Course dates will be posted soon!
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Seamanship builds on the basics taught in the Basic Boating Course provides and is recommended as the first course for new members, both power boaters and sailors The student learns practical marlinespike, navigation rules, hull design and performance, responsibilities of the skipper, boat care, operating a boat under normal and abnormal conditions, what to do in various emergencies, and weather conditions, nautical customs, and common courtesy on the water, among other topics. This course provides a needed introduction to the USPS® educational program and a strong foundation for the member going on to take other Advanced Grade courses and/or Cruise Planning or Sail. S101 & S102 are required to achieve the grade of SEAMAN. This is the only Advanced Grade Course that discusses the operation of small boats and provides the foundation for a rewarding educational experience for new and current members. Either module can be taken first, but S101 is recommended. 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:
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, chart plotters, 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:
This course
is the first part of a two part program of study in offshore (open
ocean) navigation. It is designed as a practical "how
to" course leaving the theoretical and more advanced techniques
for the Navigation course. The subject matter includes: the
basic concepts of celestial navigation, how to use the mariner's
sextant to take sights of the sun, moon, planets, and stars; the
importance and techniques of accurate time determination; use of
the nautical almanac; how to "reduce" sights to establish
lines of position (LOPS); and the use of special charts, plotting
sheets, and other navigational data for offshore positioning and
passage planning. This course
is the second part of the study of offshore navigation. It
further develops the students understanding of celestial navigation
theory, essential to shortcut emergency methods. The student
is introduced to additional sight reduction techniques and develops
greater skill and precision work of the navigator at sea. Of
particular interest and importance is the study of offshore navigation
using minimal data and/or equipment, such as when on a disabled vessel
or lifeboat.
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Elective Courses are for members of the United States Power Squadrons ®. Click here to find out how to join Wilmington Power Squadron. The Elective
courses are all held at 7 PM at: Contact Jim Robinson Registration on site first night of class.
Course dates will be posted soon! |
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This course will furnish basic weather knowledge for sager and more enjoyable boating. The student will learn to make weather predictions based upon observations of the sky, upon barometer and wind information, as well as weather data provided by maps, satellite images, and radio and TV broadcasts. Wx 101 and Wx 102 use a USPS supplement manual together with The Weather Book from USA Today (second edition, 1997) as the textbook. Wx 101 - Basic Weather topics include:
Wx 102 - Advanced Weather topics include:
SA 101 - Introduction to Sail - This course teaches basic elements of sailing, including:
SA 102 - Advanced Sail - This course teaches:
This course
is preparation for a cruise, whether the cruise is for a day, a week,
a month or longer. Whether you are going to cruise on rivers,
lakes, the coasts, or across the oceans, very valuable information
is provided by those who have been there. The topics discussed
are: planning the voyage, financing the voyage, equipping the boat,
crew selection, provisioning, and clearing foreign and domestic ports,
anchors and anchoring, emergencies afloat, medical emergencies, and
security. Marine Electronics(ME) 101, 102, & 103 The Marine Electronics course consists of three modules: ME 101, Boat Electrical Systems, ME 102, Marine Radio Communications, and ME 103, Marine Electronics for Navigation. There are no prerequisites for any of these modules: however, it is suggested that a member take ME 101 before taking ME 102. All three modules must be successfully completed to receive credit for Marine Electronics. ME 101, Boat Electrical Systems, provides information about properties of electricity, electrical power requirements and wiring practices, direct current power, alternating current power, galvanic and stray-current corrosion, lightning protection, and electrical interference. ME 102, Marine Radio Communications, delves into radio waves and transmitters, receivers and transceivers, antennas and transmission lines, FCC Rules and Regulations, FCC Frequency Plan, marine radiotelephone operating procedures, and other communication services (Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacon (EPIRB), Digital Selective Calling (DSC), Global Maritime Distress and Safety System (GMDSS), satellite communications, amateur radio, and more). ME 103, Marine Electronics for Navigation, presents information on depth sounders, RADAR, LORAN-C, GPS Navigation, and two new chapters: Electronic Charting, and Computer-Assisted Navigation (CAN). Members may take this module independent of any other ME module. Engine Maintenance(EM) 101 & 102 The new modular, more in depth Engine Maintenance courses are now available. Both of these courses are intended to help the recreational boater. Both courses discuss inboards, stern drives, and outboard engines. Even if you've completed EM before, these courses are well worth taking as they introduce new material and provide greater information on all subjects. Completion of both of these modules is required for credit for Engine Maintenance. EM 101, Basic Engine Maintenance, provides information about marine propulsion systems, basic engine principles, engine components; controls, instruments and alarms, marine engine maintenance, and steering systems. There is a chapter on winter storage and spring servicing that includes a 25 step winterizing checklist. EM 102, Advanced Engine Maintenance, delves into cooling and exhaust systems, lubrication, fuel and air induction systems, ignition systems, electrical and starting systems, power trains, and trouble shooting. It concludes with a chapter on emergency repairs afloat. This course deals with effective communication for speakers and teachers - a quality that benefits the individual in all walks of life. It offers practical instruction in:
Prerequisite: None
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Home Study or supplemental courses Supplemental programs have been developed to extend member's knowledge in fields related to boating. Subjects have been selected in areas about which members have expressed interest such as:
Additionally, Skipper Saver is a program of great benefit to family members in case the skipper is disabled, covering fundamentals of boat operation, radio procedure, how to get home, and how to help in case of medical emergencies. These specialized home study guides may be ordered through your Squadron Education Officer or by you directly from he USPS Ships Store at USPS headquarters. You may take any of these you wish and in any order, there are no prerequisites
We have a safety video, professionally produced, entitled "Seamanship under Adverse Conditions". Here's a MS Word document describing how WPS made this USPS teaching video. |
