Minimum passing score is 80% correct answers. Successful completion of the examination is recognized by downloadable Course Completion Certificate and Wallet Card, and receipt in about 30 days of a plastic Wallet Card.
How long is USPS boating training?
USPS offers in-depth courses (usually 6-8 weeks), focused two-hour seminars, and skills certification in inland, coastal, and offshore navigation and boat operation. Mix and match to suit your boating education needs. Click on the left column to learn more ….
What is USPS education?
USPS offers a full range of educational experiences for both novice and experienced boaters. We teach a variety of comprehensive courses and short seminars to advance your know-how of seamanship and boat handling, piloting and navigation, boat systems maintenance, weather, sailing, cruise planning, and other topics specifically created to meet the needs of today’s boater.
Seamanship
Seamanship provides a foundation of knowledge and skills in boat handling and maneuvering, boat operation, skipper's responsibilities, and boating techniques that will advance your boating enjoyment. For both sail and power boats.
Marine Navigation (Piloting)
The Piloting course teaches you how to use GPS along with traditional dead reckoning techniques for planning and laying out safe routes, as well as ensuring that you are on-course while underway.
Advanced Piloting
Learn to use radar, chart plotters, AIS and other electronic tools to supplement basic GPS navigation. Obtain a thorough understanding of piloting techniques in a variety of coastal tide, current and wind conditions.
Offshore Navigation (Junior Navigation)
Learn to use a marine sextant and the sun as your reference point, derive a line of position, and develop a running fix. You will also learn to calculate your latitude from a noon sight on the sun.
Celestial Navigation (Navigation)
The Navigation course will teach you how to use the moon, planets, and stars to determine your position at morning and evening twilight to supplement daytime sights on the sun, moon, and bright planets. You will also get access to and use navigational software tools that can be used to plan and execute any voyage.
Seamanship
Seamanship provides a foundation of knowledge and skills in boat handling and maneuvering, boat operation, skipper's responsibilities, and boating techniques that will advance your boating enjoyment.For both sail and power boats. Topics covered include: 1. Types of boats and how they behave on the water 2. Anchoring in various conditions 3. Docki...
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Marine Navigation
The Piloting course teaches you how to use GPS along with traditional dead reckoning techniques for planning and laying out safe routes, as well as ensuring that you are on-course while underway. 1. Charts and their interpretation 2. Landmarks and navigation aids (buoys, daymarks, lights, etc.) 3. Plotting courses and determining direction and distance 4. The mariner's compas…
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Advanced Piloting
Learn to use radar, chart plotters, AIS and other electronic tools to supplement basic GPS navigation. Obtain a thorough understanding of piloting techniques in a variety of coastal tide, current and wind conditions. What's covered: 1. Advanced positioning techniques, such as advancing a line of position to obtain a running fix 2. Use a variety of electronic tools: radar, dept…
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Offshore Navigation
Learn to use a marine sextant and the sun as your reference point, derive a line of position, and develop a running fix. You will also learn to calculate your latitude from a noon sight on the sun. What's covered: 1. Determining precise time 2. Using the Nautical Almanac 3. Taking sextant sights of the sun 4. Reducing sights to establish lines of position 5. Determining latitude from a …
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Celestial Navigation
The Navigation course will teach you how to use the moon, planets, and stars to determine your position at morning and evening twilight to supplement daytime sights on the sun, moon, and bright planets. You will also get access to and use navigational software tools that can be used to plan and execute any voyage. What's covered: 1. An overview of how the celestial bodies in the …
See more on bellevuepowersquadron.org