Burgee

America's Boating Course cover illustration

  • See our Online Schedule for this course. BSPS offers America's Boating Course in partnership with Bellingham Technical College.
  • There are also more advanced courses: see Other Courses or view and print an Adobe PDF copy of course descriptions.
  • The self-study basic boating course is described at America's Boating Course.

Learn the fundamentals of safe boat handling and operation, and basic piloting in one comprehensive classroom course. This newly revised course includes lessons on seamanship, boat handling, boat types, rules of the road, navigation aids, regulations, adverse conditions, marine VHF radio, knots, trailering and introductory piloting.  The use of charts is explained in this course as the essential step to provide key information required for a safe passage. As a special feature it also includes an introduction to digital charting CD-ROM: Maptech's Chart Navigator Training CD.

America's Boating Course is recognized by the U. S. Coast Guard and has been approved by the National Association of State Boating Law Administrators. Completion of the course is accepted by most insurance companies.  Since 1914, individual squadrons of USPS have provided courses as a service to the boating public to over 3 million boaters.

The 244-page full color course manual consists of five chapters packed with boating tips.

Getting Started Chapter 1:

  • Getting Started—nautical terms
  • Required Safety Equipment-life jackets, fire ext.
  • Going Boating—fueling, casting off, underway

Navigation Rules Chapter 2:

  • Navigation Rules
  • Navigation Aids
  • Lights and Sound signals
  • Government Regulations
  • State and Local Regulations

Finding Your Way Chapter 3:

  • Finding Your Way—nautical charts, electronic navigation
  • Anchoring
  • Adverse Conditions and Emergencies
  • Communications Afloat

Water Sports Safety Chapter 4:

  • Water Sports Safety-water skiing, hunting/fishing, paddling
  • Trailering
  • PWC Operation
  • Knots and Lines

Introduction To Navigation Chapter 5:

Featuring hands-on exercises using standard plotting tools. This chapter is presented in a classroom setting under the expert guidance of an experienced instructor. Classroom plotting exercises build skill and confidence for larger lakes and rivers and coastal waters.

  • Introduction to Navigation—how GPS works, nautical charts, digital charts
  • Charts—what they convey and how to interpret the many symbols
  • Digital Charting—an introduction to waypoint and route planning using the latest in computer software


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