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AMERICA'S BOATING COURSE Description
(ABC)
The America's Boating Course presented by SPSPS is available to anyone 12 or
older.
Instruction is free. Cost of the text and materials is $35.00
per family.
Classes are held once a week (2 hours
each Monday), for 7 weeks. This course is normally held in January,
March, June, and October each year. See the
Schedule below for current
and future class information.
If you are not able to attend classes, online and at-home study is also available from USPS for $34.95 plus S&H. Click
here for details.
Completion of this course will enable the student to skipper a
boat with confidence. Because most skippers will attend only
one safety course, we believe it should be as comprehensive as
possible. Plus, graduates are eligible to join the squadron
and take advantage of all the other great educational
opportunities afforded to SPSPS members.
Graduates qualify for a 6 month trial USPS membership, a
Florida Boating Safety Education ID Card, and may qualify
for insurance discounts.
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Pre-registration is
REQUIRED
and is now available ONLINE!
Click on a course date in this box to open the registration form. It is
important that you provide ALL requested information.
When you have completed the form, be sure to click the
SUBMIT button at the bottom of the form.
Then, close that window to return to this page.
09 Jan 2012
02 Apr 2012
09 Jul 2012
17 Sep 2012
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This course covers
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Boat Terms & Types
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Boat Handling
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VHF Radio
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Required Safety Equipment
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Nautical Charts and Chart Symbols
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Latitude & Longitude
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The Rules of the Road
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Basic Piloting Techniques (such as course plotting and
dead reckoning)
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Boat Trailering
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Personal Watercraft and
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State and Federal Regulations.
All instructors are volunteers and the student to instructor
ratio is 5:1. The course is approved by the National
Association of Safe Boating Law Administrators (NASBLA) and
insurance companies traditionally provide discounts to
graduates. Graduates also qualify for the Florida Boater's
Education Card which is required for those under the age of
21.
Six sessions are used to cover the course material; the
seventh session is a proctored final exam. Sessions run from 7
PM to 9 PM and are held at the Sailing Center, 250 2nd Avenue
SE, on Demens Landing in downtown St. Petersburg. (Click
here for a map and directions to the Sailing Center.)
Payment
may be made by check (preferred method) or
cash at the first session.
Students must also provide their own pens/pencils and 6' of
line for the marlinespike/knot tying exercises (class 5).
Inexpensive line is available at your local boating supply
store. Ask for 5/16 or 3/8 inch, 3-strand twisted nylon.
SPSPS presents America's Boating Course
Schedule for 09
Jan 2012

Future Courses begin: 02 Apr 2012
,
09 Jul 2012 (4 week session)
,
17 Sep 2012

(Click on the poster for additional details.)
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Dates of
Session |
Week |
Section |
Lesson Topic |
Dates of
Next
Session |
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09 Jan |
1 |
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Registration beginning at 6:30 PM |
02 Apr |
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Welcoming Remarks, Squadron Commander |
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Administrative Announcements |
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1 |
Boat Terms & Types |
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2 |
Required Safety Equipment |
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3 |
Going Boating |
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16 Jan |
2 |
4 |
Navigation Rules |
09 Apr |
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5 |
Aids to Navigation |
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6 |
Lights and Sound Signals |
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23 Jan |
3 |
7 |
Government Regulations |
16 Apr |
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8 |
State and Local Regulations |
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9 |
Finding Your Way |
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10 |
Anchoring |
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30 Jan |
4 |
11 |
Adverse Conditions and Emergencies |
23 Apr |
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12 |
Communications |
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13 |
Water Sports Safety |
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Membership |
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06 Feb |
5 |
14 |
Trailering |
30 Apr |
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15 |
PWC Operations |
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16 |
Knots and Lines |
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18 |
Charts |
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13 Feb |
6 |
17 |
Introduction to Navigation |
07 May |
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EXAM REVIEW |
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20 Feb |
7 |
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Proctored, CLOSED BOOK EXAM. 60 multiple-choice questions.
Exams are graded and Certificates presented. |
14 May |
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