|
Public Boating Course Description
The SPSPS Public Boating Course is available to anyone 12 or
older. Classes are held once a week (2 hours
each Monday), for 7 weeks. This course is normally held in January,
May, and September each year. (See the
Schedule below for current
class information.)
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.
Pre-registration is required. Call 727-565-4453 or
email
your pre-registration. Be sure to include your name and phone
number. The course Chairman will contact you for confirmation.
To complete your registration, you will need to fill
out a registration form. You can print one (click
here),
fill it out completely, and bring it on the first night. Or,
plan to arrive 1/2 hour early the first night to complete the
registration process.
This course covers
-
Boat Terms & Types
-
Boat Handling
-
VHF Radio
-
Required Safety Equipment
-
Nautical Charts and Chart Symbols
-
Latitude & Longitude
-
The Rules of the Road
-
Basic Piloting Techniques (such as course plotting and
dead reckoning)
-
Boat Trailering
-
Personal Watercraft and
-
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
Finding
SPSPS for directions to the Sailing Center.)
Cost of the text, plotting tools, and materials is $45.00. 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 (first class).
Inexpensive line is available at your local boating supply
store. Ask for 5/16 or 3/8 inch, 3-strand twisted nylon, which
costs about 35¢
per foot.
SPSPS Public
Boating Course Schedule -
12 May 2008
Next Courses: 29
Sep thru 10 Nov
|
Dates of
This
Session |
Week |
Section |
Lesson Topic |
Dates of
Next
Session |
|
12 May |
1 |
|
Registration beginning at 6:30 PM |
29 Sep |
|
|
|
|
Welcoming Remarks, Squadron Commander |
|
|
|
|
|
Administrative Announcements |
|
|
|
|
1 |
You are the Skipper |
|
|
|
|
2 |
Boat Terms & Types |
|
|
|
|
3 |
Marine Radio |
|
|
|
|
4 |
Knots and Lines |
|
|
19 May |
2 |
5 |
Nautical Charts |
06 Oct |
|
|
|
6 |
Aids to Navigation |
|
|
|
|
7 |
Piloting: Plotting a Course |
|
|
02 Jun |
3 |
8 |
Boat Handling |
13 Oct |
|
|
|
9 |
Mariner's Compass |
|
|
09 Jun |
4 |
10 |
Government Regulations |
20 Oct |
|
|
|
12 |
Navigation Rules
Squadron Membership |
|
|
16 Jun |
5 |
11 |
Piloting: Distance/Speed/Time |
27 Oct |
|
|
|
13 |
Piloting: Determining Position |
|
|
23 Jun |
6 |
14 |
Adverse Conditions/Emergencies |
03 Nov |
|
|
|
15 |
Trailering a Boat |
|
|
|
|
16 |
Personal Watercraft Operation |
|
|
|
|
|
EXAM REVIEW |
|
|
30 Jun |
7 |
|
Proctored, CLOSED BOOK EXAM. 85 multiple-choice questions.
Bring plotting tools and Bowditch Bay chart. Exams are graded and Certificates presented. |
10 Nov |
^^ TOP
America's Boating Course Description
Next
course begins: TBD
America’s Boating Course
is a four-week introduction to safe boating techniques. The
course material includes the following:
General information about boats
and maintenance
Information to make your boating
experience safer and more enjoyable
Tips on being a courteous boat
operator
Laws and regulations to which you
must adhere
Passing the exam at the
end of the course entitles you to receive the Florida Safe
Boater ID, required for all operators of boats of ten
horsepower or more who are under the age of twenty-one.
The usual schedule is 3 Mondays from 7:00 PM to 9:00 PM to
cover the material and the fourth Monday for the exam.
Pre-registration is required. Call 727-565-4453 or
email
your pre-registration. Be sure to include your name and phone
number. The course Chairman will contact you for confirmation.
To complete your registration, you will need to fill
out a registration form. You can print one (click
here),
fill it out completely, and bring it on the first night. Or,
plan to arrive 1/2 hour early the first night to complete the
registration process.
Cost for the course is $25.00. Payment may be made by check
(preferred method) or cash at the first session.
^^ TOP
Boat Smart Course Description
Next
course begins: TBD
Keeping
your Crew Safe and Well
This USPS course meets the National Association of Safe
Boating Law Administrators (NASBLA) requirements for boating
safety training and is designed for skippers who operate their
sail or power boats near shore. Completed over 3 days, this
course is normally scheduled once each summer and is held at
the Sailing Center, 250 2nd Avenue SE, on Demens Landing in
downtown St. Petersburg. (Click
Finding SPSPS for directions
to the Sailing Center.) The usual schedule is 2 Saturdays 9:00 AM
to 1:00 PM to cover the material and the final Saturday
for the exam.
Pre-registration is required. Call 727-565-4453 or
email
your pre-registration. Be sure to include your name and phone
number. The course Chairman will contact you for confirmation.
To complete your registration, you will need to fill
out a registration form. You can print one (click
here),
fill it out completely, and bring it on the first night. Or,
plan to arrive 1/2 hour early the first night to complete the
registration process.
Students completing the course and passing the exam will
receive a USPS certificate of completion and a decal. Students
who so desire will have their names submitted to the Florida
Fish and Wildlife Conversation Commission in order to get the
FL Boaters Education Card. (This card is required for those
under age 21 who will be operating a boat.)
Cost for the course is $25.00. Payment may be made by check
(preferred method) or cash at the first session.
^^ TOP
|