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THE TOP OF THE POWER SQUADRON SITE
MARATHON
SAIL &
POWER SQUADRON
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MEMBER'S BOATING COURSES - Outlines of Content
Seamanship Piloting Advanced
Piloting Junior Navigation
Navigation
Weather Sailing Engine Maintenance
Cruise Planning Marine Electronics
plus the Learning Guide Workbooks
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The learning guides listed immediately below, are
"home-study" types of workbooks that are available for sale to both
the general public and our own members.
The member courses which then follow are open only to USPS members.
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LEARNING GUIDES:
Available to nonmembers for $10 each. Member prices are listed on the
"Ship's Store" members only page.
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Compass Adjusting
Information on compass installation and several
step-by-step methods for adjusting your compass
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Boat Insurance
Understanding marine insurance and how to get the coverage you need |
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Boat Designs & Construction
An introduction to hull shapes, stability, materials and
methods of construction |
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Calculators for Navigation
Hand-held calculator applications for speed-time-distance,
height of tide and current velocity - and many others. |
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GPS
Introduction to the Global Positioning System accuracy,
features, navigational uses and product selection.
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Amateur Radio
Amateur radio services as it applies to FCC regulations and
licensing procedures
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Loran-C
An everyday description of the uses and limitations to Long
Range Radio Navigation |
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Hand Tools
Description of boating tools and how to select and use
the right tool for the job.
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Oceanography
A great introduction to the ocean environment through a
discussion of tides and waves, the chemistry of sea water and topography
of the ocean floor. |
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Marlinespike
Introduction to Knots, Bends and Hitches
Excellent step-by-step instructions and diagrams on knots,
ties, hitches, and bends. |
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Navigational Astronomy
A nontechnical step-by-step introduction to the wonders of
the night sky as it relates to navigation
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Predicted Log Contest
Techniques and advanced procedures for winning a predicted
log contest. |
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Preparation for Coast Guard License
(Up to 100 ton vessel) This course will guide you through
Rules of the Road, seamanship, machinery, weather, piloting, coastal
navigation, fire and damage control. Includes review questions and sample
test. |
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RADAR
This course includes the principles of radar, selecting
the right one for your boat, navigational system integration, and where
radar is going in the future.
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Skipper Saver
Basic Boat Handling to enable the first-mate to handle
an emergency where the skipper is disabled. This is designed as a four
class course - 3 in the classroom from the book, and a final demonstration
in the family boat. |
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Sight Reduction Methods
Self-study the reduction of sights to lines of position
through: Law of Cosines using a scientific calculator, Nautical Almanac
Tabular method, Modified Ageton, HO-229, and HO-249
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Intro to Sailing
A basic course on how to sail and how a sailboat functions |
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Water-Sports
A how-to guide for water-skiing, board sailing, and
personal watercraft |
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How to Fly Flags
To help you see how your boat should wear its flags, as
well as how to fly them from poles ashore, you will find illustrations
throughout this book. It shows you where to fly your US National Ensign,
the USPS Ensign, and your Marathon Power Squadron Burgee - plus many
others. |
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MEMBER COURSES BELOW - Open ONLY to Members
SEAMANSHIP: Building on the basics learned in Boating, the Seamanship course is an important
foundation for other "advanced grade" courses.
1. Marlinespike Seamanship
Basic information about lines and knots |
6. Marine Environment
Weather: Winds, Gales, Hurricanes, Thunderstorms, Fog. - Wave
Forms - Boat Handling in heavy waves |
2. Hull Design and Performance
Understand your boat in the water |
7. Living Aboard a Boat
Shore Power - Galley Operation - Use and Maintenance of
Marine Heads - Waste Disposal - Selection and Orientation of Crew -
Instructions for Guests - How to be a Good Guest |
3. Skipper's Responsibilities
Legal responsibilities - Insurance - Marine Sanitation
Devices - Navigation Rules - USCG Boarding's - USCGA Courtesy Marine Examination
- Alcohol & Boating
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8. How to Care for a Boat
Hull Materials - Boatyards - Routine Maintenance - Laying Up
and Fitting Out - Electrolysis and Galvanic Action |
4. Boating under Normal Conditions
Before leaving the dock: Weather, Float Plan, Check Lists,
Security at the dock. - Propellers & Rudders - Docking and Undocking -
Fueling - Speed Curves - Anchoring, Rafting, and Picking up a Mooring -
Night Operations, Cruise Group Coordination
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9. Nautical Etiquette and Customs
Flag Etiquette - Special Flags - Uniform Insignia - Manners
and Customs - Squadron Involvement |
5. Emergencies
Man Overboard - Stranding - Towing - Damage Control - Fire - Safety
Equipment - Electronic Emergency Equipment - Abandon Ship - Helicopter
Rescue - Basic First Aid |
10. Review & Exam |
PILOTING: Held at the headquarters building.
Instructor: Vince Janowich. This is the first of a two-part program studying inland and coastal navigation.
Its focus is on the fundamentals of piloting - keeping track of a boat's
movements, determining one's position at any time and laying out courses to a
planned destination.
1. Finding Your Way
types of data plotted on charts - responsibilities of the
skipper |
6. Bearings
compass, bow-on, angles off the bow, beam, plotting bearings,
relative bearings, pelorus, collision bearings, other positioning methods,
electronic positioning (GPS, LORAN, RADAR) |
2.
Charts & Publications
The Earth - Geographic Coordinates - Meridians - Parallels -
Longitude & Latitude - Direction on the surface - Rhumb line -
distance - chart projections - types of charts - navigational publications |
7. Plotting and Labeling
rounding - limits of accuracy - standard abbreviations - 24hr clock -
plotting equipment - labeling - plotting rules - course - speed &
distance - DR course plot - lines of position - running fixes -
fixes - usps course plotter |
3. Aids to Navigation
Floating aids - lateral system - unlighted buoys - lighted buoys -
channel junction & obstruction buoys - lights on fixed structures -
sound buoys - fog signals - daymarks - minor lights - ranges - western
rivers - ICW lights - lighthouses -determining visibilities
- coop charting - AND MORE |
8. The Art of Positioning
24hr clock - speed/time/distance - Fixes & judging
their quality - estimated positions - positioning (getting started) -
sample plotting sheet |
4. The Mariners Compass
construction - selection - installation - direction -
variation - deviation - applying corrections - interpolation - |
9. A Weekend Cruise
variation - deviation - plotting & labeling - deck log -
determining deviation - constructing the deviation table - A Weekend
Cruise: Day One and Day Two - do all the plotting and sample deck log |
5. Determining Deviation
zeroing and compensating a compass - napier
diagrams - determining remaining deviation by ranges, bearing on distant
object, sun bearings |
10. Review & Exam |
ADVANCED PILOTING:
This is the final part of the inland and coastal navigation series. Its emphasis
is on the use of modern electronic navigation systems and other advanced
techniques for finding position. Seamanship and Piloting are prerequisites.
| 1. Plotting and Labeling |
6. Tide Tables & their use |
| 2. Bearings & other LOP's |
7. Tidal Current Tables & their use |
| 3. Determining Deviation |
8. Currents - Practical applications |
| 4. Positioning |
9. Electronic Navigation (GPS, LORAN,
RADAR, Radio) |
| 5. Tides & Currents |
10. Mercator Charts |
JUNIOR NAVIGATION:
Junior Navigation is the first in a two part program of study in offshore
navigation. It is designed as a practical "how to" course. Advanced
Piloting is a prerequisite.
| 1. Getting to Know your Sextant |
11. How to sue the Star Finder |
| 2. How to use a Sextant |
12. The M-T Sight on the Sun |
| 3. Identifying Stars and Planets |
13. Charts for the Navigator |
| 4. Correcting Sextant Altitude |
14. Special Charts for Voyaging |
| 5. Do you have the right time? |
15. Compute It: the Sailing Triangle |
| 6. How to say where and when |
16. Compute It: Traverse Sailing |
| 7. Using the Nautical Almanac |
17. Compute It: Mercator Sailing |
| 8. The celestial line of position |
18. Keeping a Plot and Deck Log |
| 9. Solve the Navigational Triangle |
19. Duties of the Navigator |
| 10. Plotting LOP's and Fixes |
20. Voyage of the Jayenne |
NAVIGATION:
This course is the second part of the study of offshore navigation,
further developing the student's understanding of celestial navigation theory.
Junior Navigation is a prerequisite. Topics include:
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Additional Sight Reduction techniques
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Honing skills in sight taking and positioning
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Orderly methods for navigator's day's work at sea
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Navigating with minimal resources, as in a lifeboat.
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ELECTIVE COURSES:
Weather
1. Atmosphere
- composition & structure - temperature & heat - pressure -
moisture - station model |
5. Systems & Fronts |
2. Dynamics
atmospheric equilibrium - condensation & precipitation - clouds
- thunderstorms - fog |
6. Violent Weather
tropical cyclones - tornadoes - waterspouts - microbursts |
3. Winds
what is it? - primary & secondary circulation - other systems |
7. Related Topics
wind waves - Tsunamis - weather satellites - optical features -
climatology |
| 4. Air Masses |
8. Forecasting
weather data - analysis of weather maps - prognostic chart &
forecast - small area weather map - local observations - regional weather
- folklore |
Marine Electronics
This course teaches essential knowledge about a boat's electrical and
electronic systems including:
1. Boat Electrical System
Requirements for Power Aboard - properties of electrical
circuits - electrical wiring systs - Direct Current - Alternating Current
- Galvanic and Stray Current corrosion - lightning protection |
4. Electrical Interference
sources of interference - suppression fundamentals and
techniques - ignition interference suppression - non-ignition interference
suppression |
2. Marine Radio Communications
the transmitter - receiver - antenna - FCC rules & regs -
frequencies available - radiotelephone operating procedure - citizens band
service |
5. Miscellaneous Equipment
communications - piloting and operational aids - tools and
instrumentation |
3. Electronic Navigation
background - depth sounder - radio direction finder - radar -
loran C and Omega - GPS and DGPS |
6. Glossary |
Sailing
The sail course provides a thorough study of the terminology and
dynamics of sailing. It includes:
- Types of hulls and rigs
- Running and standing rigging and their adjustment
- Hull and water forces caused by wind and waves
- Forces vs. balance
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- The theory of sailing
- Points of sailing
- Sail handling
- Sailing under various wind conditions
- Navigation rules unique to sailing vessels
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Engine Maintenance
This course attempts to make students more self-reliant afloat, with
trouble diagnosis and temporary remedies given special emphasis. It covers both
marine gasoline and diesel engines, including concepts of operation, maintenance
and repair of:
- Cooling Systems
- Electrical Systems
- Fuel Systems
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- Lubricating Systems
- Power train components
- Ancillary propulsion components
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Cruise Planning
Designed for members who plan to cruise for just a weekend or for a year
- in either a sail or power boat. It covers topics such as:
- Planning a voyage
- Financing a voyage
- Managing commitments back home
- How to equip a cruising boat
- Emergencies afloat
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- Crew selection
- Provisioning
- Voyage management
- Entering and clearing foreign ports
- Security measures
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Instructor Qualification
Unlike the other USPS programs, this one is not designed to enhance
boating skills. It deals with effective communications for the speaker and
teacher - a quality that benefits the individual in all walks of life. It offers
practical instruction in:
- Preparing for teaching assignments
- Preparing for meeting presentations
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- Effective teaching techniques
- Conducting efficient meetings
- Selection and use of audio-visuals
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