Seamanship, Navigation and Related Boating Courses & Seminars & Captainns License Courses Online
Founded in 1914, United States Power Squadrons (USPS) is a nonprofit, educational organization dedicated to making boating safer and more enjoyable by teaching classes in seamanship, navigation and related subjects. The members are boating communities who contribute by promoting safe boating through education. USPS has some 45,000 members organized into 450 squadrons across the country and in some US territories.
USPS is America's largest non-profit boating. . Its official publication is The Ensign magazine.
Local squadrons offer boating safety courses on a regular basis to boaters in the communities. These courses are open to the public. USPS squadrons have offered these courses for over half a century and have educated more than 3 million boaters to date. Successfully completing a USPS boating safety course meets the educational requirements for boat operation in all states.
In a cooperative program with the US Coast Guard Auxiliary, squadron members conduct courtesy Vessel Safety Checks of boats at the request of their owners. Every squadron offers many carefully planned courses in subjects like Seamanship, Piloting, Plotting and Position Finding, Celestial Navigation, Cruise Planning, Engine Maintenance, Marine Electronics, Sailing, and much more.
These courses are taught by experienced member instructors, and members who complete them are recognized. The basic course meets the requirements set forth by NASBLA.
Training Programs
Boating Courses
- America’s Boating Course: Gives you the basics you need to get out on the water safely, and it meets most state boating education requirements.
- Boat Handling: Builds your competence and confidence on the water with an in-depth look at the practical boating skills.
- Marine Navigation and Advanced Marine Navigation: Gives you the skills you need to get where you’re going using charts and marine electronics as well as a knowledge of winds, currents, and tides.
- Offshore Navigation and Celestial Navigation: A must for oceangoing captains - teaches you about planning and monitoring your voyage using modern marine electronics and how celestial observations can help you estimate your vessel’s position with confidence.
- Cruising Under Power and Sail: Prepares you for a multi-day voyage.
- Engine Maintenance: Gives you information on how engines work and basic maintenance procedures, as well as how to recognize problems.
- Marine Electrical Systems: Provides information on Alternating and Direct current, as well as boat Electrical systems.
- Marine Communication Systems: Explains the different types of radios and communication options.
- Electronic Navigation: Gives you basic information on the various electronic devices available today that help you navigate and select routes.
- Radar for Boaters: Gives you basic information on radar.
- Sail: Lets you learn about basic sailboat designs and nomenclature, rigging, and safety from experienced sailors. Then tackle the physical aspects of all forces and techniques, sail applications, marlinespike, helmsman ship, and handling of difficult conditions.
- Weather: A detailed study of the causes of weather, various types of storms, clouds, and predicting weather.
Marine & Boating Seminars
- Anchoring With Assurance
- Boating on Rivers, Locks, and Lakes
- Boating with Confidence
- Confidence in Docking and Undocking
- Emergencies on Board
- Knots and Line Handling
- Rules of the Road
- How to Use GPS
- Marine Radar
- AIS Electronics for Boaters
- Introduction to Navigation
- Using Nautical Charts
- Mariner’s Compass
- Rules of the Road
- Weather for Boaters
- Hurricane Preparation for Boaters
- Tides and Currents
- Fuel and Boating
- Crew At the Helm
- Man Overboard
- Propane Systems on Your Boat
- All About Marine Radio
- Paddle Smart
- Trailering Your Boat
- Crossing Borders
- Cruising Boats and Systems
- Planning Your Cruise
LAST UPDATED ON Oct 25, 2024
