2010 Course Schedule

Interested in a course not scheduled below? Contact the Squadron Education Officer (SEO) education@sbpss.org and let us know what class you're interested in - if we have enough interest, we'll schedule additional classes.

FREE INSTRUCTION! The Basic Boating class is free and open to the public - there is a nominal charge for course materials. The course runs for nine weeks. Please contact Ron Slocum (education@sbpss.org) for more details.

The following classes are open to Members only (learn how you can become a Member)

Seamanship

The Seamanship class began on January 12, 2010.

To all members, including those new members in our current Seamanship class:

Piloting

We are pleased to announce that we will be offering the Piloting course soon after the Seamanship class ends in early March.

The description of the Piloting course follows:

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:

• Charts and their interpretation
• Navigation aids and how they point to safe water
• Plotting courses and determining direction and distance
• The mariner’s compass and converting between True and Magnetic
• Use of GPS – typical GPS displays and information they provide, setting up waypoints and routes, staying on a GPS route.
• Pre-planning safe courses and entering them into the GPS
• Monitoring progress and determining position by both GPS and traditional techniques such as bearings and dead reckoning
• The “Seaman’s Eye” – simple skills for checking that one is on course.

Navigation

The next Navigation class began in September and is scheduled for their open book exam in mid-February. Gordon Specht is the instructor and he has already begun distributing course material to students. Contact Gordon for more information.

Vessel Safety Check (VSC)

Vessel Safety Check is prevention through education and outreach designed as a joint program with the Coast Guard Auxiliary to help recreational boaters to assure that their boats are legally equipped and safe to operate.

Santa Barbara Sail and Power Squadron now has 3 Vessel Examiners to give Vessel Safety Checks. We are pleased to announce that members Lt. Alvin Rice, P, Lt. Steve Hodges, JN and Dan Collie, N have been certified as USPS Vessel Examiners or VE. Please contact Alvin, Steve or Dan to have your vessel checked.

In addition to examining the legally required items for your boat, the inspector will discuss boating safety and those items, although not legally required, make boating more pleasant and safe. For more information about this program, and a list of items inspected and discussed, see the Boater's Pre-Departure Checklist.