Sail covers everything from the basic elements of how a sailboat works to sail trim, rig tuning, and sailboat racing.

Building on the basics taught in "America's Boating Course, 3rd version", Seamanship is the recommended first course for new members, both power boaters and sailors. The student learns practical marlinespike, navigation rules, hull design and performance, responsibilities of the skipper, boat care, operating a boat under normal and abnormal conditions, what to do in various emergencies and weather conditions, nautical customs and common courtesy on the water. This course provides an introduction to the USPS educational program and a strong foundation for the other Advanced Grades courses (see below), and the Elective Courses Cruise Planning and Basic Sail.

Piloting introduces the fundamentals of piloting and positioning -- the study of marine charts, aids to navigation, adjustment and use of the mariner's compass, dead reckoning, planning and plotting courses, and taking bearings to determine on-the-water position.

Advanced Piloting builds on the knowledge gained in Piloting to teach how to navigate safely in coastal waters -- predict tides and tidal currents and their impact on boat position, advanced positioning techniques, and the use of electronic navigation systems for positioning and course planning.

Junior Navigation begins the study of offshore (open-ocean) navigation -- integrated electronic positioning systems, sight taking with a mariner's sextant on the sun, moon, planets, and stars, how to reduce sights using the nautical almanac to determine position, and passage planning with special open-ocean charts.

Navigation further develops the understanding of celestial navigation theory and the skills in sight taking and reduction -- additional sight reduction techniques and the orderly methods of carrying on the day's work of a navigator at sea. Of particular interest and importance is the study of offshore navigation using minimal data and/or equipment, such as when on a disabled vessel or lifeboat.

This course is preparation for a cruise, whether the cruise is for a day, a week, a month or longer. Whether you are going to cruise on rivers, lakes, the coasts, or across the oceans, very valuable information is provided by those who have been there. The topics discussed are: planning the voyage, financing the voyage, equipping the boat, crew selection, provisioning, voyage management, navigation planning, weather, communications, entering and clearing foreign and domestic ports, anchors and anchoring, emergencies afloat, medical emergencies and security.

This course covers the general construction, operating principles, maintenance and repair of marine gasoline and diesel engines, cooling, electrical, fuel, and lubricating systems and associated propulsion components - clutches, shafting and propellers. Since one of the major objectives of the course is to help the student become more self-reliant afloat, trouble diagnosis and temporary remedies are emphasized along with safety measures. The course is intended to make you a more intelligent and more resourceful boat engine operator.

Essential knowledge about your boat's electrical and electronic systems is studied in this course. Proper wiring, grounding, electrolysis control, and batteries and their maintenance are included. Depth finders, marine radio telephones, radar, loran, GPS, and advanced systems for electronic navigation are also studied. Information is provided on FCC requirements for station licensing and operator permits for radio telephone.

Awareness of weather phenomena, how to read the weather map and the sky, and understand and anticipate weather developments for more pleasurable boating are the objectives of this course. Subjects studied include: characteristics and structure of the atmosphere, what weather is and its basic causes, normal development and movement of weather over the earth, and the factors considered in weather forecasting. Observations that the skipper can make afloat include both instrumental and visual: cloud sequences and the weather they predict; air masses, fronts, storms, and fog; and the use of radio and television weather broadcasts. Throughout the course the student is encouraged to make observations and predications in order to gain experience in applying the principles taught and develop greater insight into weather phenomena.

This seminar will help prepare you for and deal with the most common boating emergencies.

Topics covered are:

• Preventing Acidents
• Emergency Calls and signals
• Running aground                                                                             
• Man Overboard
• Fire
• Taking on water
• Getting lost
• Losing power
• Broken Rigging
• Steering Failures
• Towing
• Abandoning Ship
• Medical Conditions