boating courses

[torcano]

Does anyone have any suggestions for a good boating course to take during the winter season? I have already taken the basic safe boating course so I am looking for something more advanced perhaps more intensive instruction in chart reading, navigation, emergency procedures and boat handling etc. Does the USCG ofer programs like this?

 

[oops!]

Re: boating courses

contact uscg....and power squadren......they can advise you on what you know and where to take the next step

 

[Boatist]

Re: boating courses

I have taken the US Coast Guard AUX "Boating Skills and SeamansShip' class 3times and the US Power Squadrons class 2 times. Yes I passed all.

The coast guard give this class in a short class 9 weeks 1 night a week and the long Class 13 weeks 1 night a week.
Both Classes cover all the basic saftey gear but the longer class goes more in depth into reading charts, Reading Weather, Basic engine troubleshooting, more practice on tieing Knots. All knots are easy to tie and untie with a sharp knife, Joke.
It still does not really cover any navigation.
Also each class changes a lot depending on who is giving the class.
One instructor may be really into identifing buoys from a distance and without being able to read the number. This can be done by shape and light patterns as well as color. Another instructor may be into Sailing or spend extra time on sound signals and what they are for and mean. I will never take another short Class. Classes are very cheap, you buy the book for about $12 and a homework package for $2. So if you take the entire family you buy one book and a homework package for each person.

US Power Squardons Long class requires you to buy the Book and a Navigation kit. I belive the Nav kit was about $10 and the Book $10.
The navigation kit is very basic but something you should buy anyway if you carry charts on board or have charts to use to plot a course.
The kit is compass rose, a protractor, a Parrallel rule and some practice charts. The navigation class is pretty basic but enough to get you started.
You will learn to plot a course with a couple of stops at different points then back home. To pass this section your plots need to be accurate within 1 or 2 degree, also must have arrive time within a few minutes. Some Plots will be affected by currents and they will talk about wind but you did not have to factor that in to pass.

None of the classes really cover in depth rough water handeling. They will cove basic on how to quarter a sea and probably talk about shallow water bar and the effect on waves. Also the effect from tides and winds.

They both do have much more in depth classes but the last time I took a class to get the more advanced class you first have to pass the basic class and then Join the group.

A good source of information is to go to the larger boat shows in the winter. Both US Coast Guard Aux and US Powers Squardons should have a booth and someone that can tell you more about the Classes. One thing I was told at last years boat by the Coast Guard Aux was that in some areas price may increase. In the past class rooms were donated for free. They would be at a school or a Power company some county park building. Last year the Aux said they may have to pay for a class room in city like San Francisco as no company or agency had allow them free class rooms. All the instructors donate their time. Here in the west both groups will have a sign up sheet which means they will call you and tell you the details and locations of classes in your area.

I enjoyed every class I have taken and even lead one half of a class when a instructor did not show up on time and the other aux member really did not know much about that nights subject.

Even thou I have been boating since I was 5 years old the first 2 classes I took I learned a lot. I decided to do it when we got our second boat and went from a 14 foot open boat to a 21 foot Runabout. Entire family took the class and had fun and learned a lot. Wife still can not tie some of the Knots.

 

[JoLin]

Re: boating courses

Great synopsis, Boatist.

My wife and I have taken the USPS basic course, joined the organization, and are signed up for the Seamanship course starting in December. The Power Squadron also offers an engine maintenance class in the Spring that I plan to take. The education committee is also planning an electronics instruction (GPS and the like) course for next year.

Torcano, you might want to consider joining a local chapter. They're good people, and besides the educational aspects, we had a good time joining weekend raft-ups and other gatherings during the season. There's also a wealth of experience and advice available to you from members who've been boating forever in the same waters as you.

 

[mthieme]

Re: boating courses

www.boat-ed.com
They have an online course as well as a safety test by state online.
No cost execpt for the "official" test (they have practice tests free).

 

[torcano]

Re: boating courses

Thanks a lot. The information that you posted was very helpful. I will check out the local courses in my area. I have learned very quickly that you can get into trouble very easily if you don't know what you are doing or become too complacent especially in unfamiliar waters. I am still amazed when I see boaters moving through no wake zones at WOT or ignoring other boating rules. Last season a 21 foot boat dropped an anchor in a channel after coming from a dock and dine bar/restaurant in my area. He decided to turn off all his lights (including anchor light) to get a better look at the stars for he and his guests. His boat was sliced in two by a cruiser running at WOT in the channel. I look forward to improving my skills. Hopefully, I'll never be that stupid.

 

[tashasdaddy]

Re: boating courses

mthieme, link does not work.

 

[mthieme]

Re: boating courses

Try again...I had it misspelled.
thanks

 

[ziggy]

Re: boating courses

I have learned very quickly that you can get into trouble very easily if you don't know what you are doing

even if you do know what your doing ya can get into trouble easy..... least that's what i've learned.....

i don't have much to add really. boatist really covered it good. i think you'll enjoy any classes that you take. i went the usps route.. stayed a member for 4 or 5 years i think. took quite a few classes too and always learned a lot. not to dissuade you from the usps, but in my squadron. it just seemed to fall apart towards the end. no members... keep in mind i'm probably on the edge of nowhere for boating... not many people, not much water.... the thing that got me in the end was the 3-5 of us that wanted to take the next class were all in the same boat. non experienced... so it woulda been reading + bouncing ideas around to get it right. my next class woulda been jr nav. i'd made it thru piloting and adv. piloting... i thought they were good classes and i learned a whole lot... probably forgot it though as if ya don't use it ya loose it. not much piloting skills needed on small inland lakes. but i had fun, and feel i'm a better boater because of taking the classes.
i was also disappointed in the lack of comradery in my squadron. most were sailboaters, and many of them left the squadron too. of the 5 or so of us left that attended meetings. only 2 of us had boats. kinda hard to get something together at the lake when no one has a boat... distance was also an issue. the squadron was out of omaha, i'm in lincoln, 50 miles to the east. i don't think i met 2 people from lincoln the whole time i was a member... if i do the class thing again. which i might. i think i'll go the uscg aux. next time... see what the difference is... in general investigation. it seems the uscg aux. are a little more miliary like. to include, the way i understand it, the possibility of being called into active service for natural disasters and the likes.
with all that said. i would recommend the usps to anyone who has interest. i feel my slight disregard for them stems strictly from the fact that there just ain't no people and or water in the middle of the great plains. i'd bet the squadrons closer to real water have much better attendance...
i do miss talking with the few others that were in the squadron though... they were good guys and gals...

 

[OldePharte]

Re: boating courses

Back in '91, the Bosslady and I took the USPS boating safety course. I even went and bought a copy of Chapman's just to be better informed on seamanship even though we boat on an inland lake.

After the USPS course, I inquired about joining and they were going to send me some information. Never heard back, so I called and asked again. They were going to send me the info but never did. Maybe the issue is with inland squadrons.

At the local boat shows, I stop by their booth and we talk a bit about boating safety, but no one ever asks us to join. It is really a shame.

 

[ziggy]

Re: boating courses

a big yes to the chapmans book. man, that's a good one... that was my fisrt intro to the usps. in the boating safety class i took. i believe one of the veteran members got chapmans to give to the highest score in the class. it was close between me and a 12 year old i think. he had missed one question on one test. i didn't miss any so i got the book. felt a little bad for the 12 year old. but i wanted the book too. check it out at the library even. bet ya'll go buy one... nothing but pages and pages of info in that book. even helped me through advanced piloting as an extra source of info.

After the USPS course, I inquired about joining and they were going to send me some information. Never heard back, so I called and asked again. They were going to send me the info but never did. Maybe the issue is with inland squadrons.

At the local boat shows, I stop by their booth and we talk a bit about boating safety, but no one ever asks us to join. It is really a shame.

i was hoping it was my sqardron, but since yer from ks, maybe it is a inland thing. sounds like you were seriously interested in becoming a member. and they dropped the ball.... no win for them, no win for you... that's to bad...
along the same lines. i was a member for 4-5 years. dues paying, class taking, felt like a supporting member.... i didn't even get a call from the squadron commander as to see why i let my dues lapse.... remember there were only 4 or 5 people at some meetings. so it wasn't like i didn't know the commander of the squadron...

as a side note, my reason for dropping out of usps was strictly monetary. as the economy has dropped, like last summer, i felt i would rather spend the money on fuel and boating as opposed to education + the time usage. it's a hour from here to omaha, ea. way... so time consumption was also a reason.....
and lastly, in lieu of no boating classes for me, iboats does a pretty good job for me in getting my boat conversation fix for ea. day...... albiet just not the technical part like usps or uscg aux. provide.... i'd support either organization....

 

[OldePharte]

Re: boating courses

Yes, I know what you mean.

I have tendency to get involved when entering a new adventure. Although been boating for over 40 years, I am looking to get a triple log pontoon. Hence, I did some searching and found a couple of pontoon related forums so that I could learn a lot before buying. And learn, I have.