Northern Neck Sail and Power Squadron

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Advanced Courses

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Seamanship	Seamanship covers basic deck seamanship, marlinspike (knots and ropes), anchoring and rafting, basic boat care and maintenance, and nautical and USPS customs and etiquette.
Piloting	Piloting is the first and most basic navigation course, covering chart reading, course plotting, and basic coastal or inland navigation, including basic GPS usage. This course goes into more detail than the charting information covered in the public courses.
Advanced Piloting	Advanced Piloting covers more advanced coastal navigation techniques, navigation in tides and currents, and more advanced GPS usage.
Junior Navigation	Junior Navigation teaches the basics of offshore navigation, including basic celestial navigation using the sun and offshore course planning.
Navigation	Navigation is the most advanced navigation course taught by USPS, covering more advanced celestial navigation techniques, emergency navigation, and additional sight reduction techniques.

Elective Courses

Engine Maintenance	Engine Maintenance covers the operating principles and basic care and maintenance of outboard and inboard engines, including diesels.
Marine Electronics	Marine Electronics covers installation and maintenance of both boat electrical systems (AC and DC) and marine electronics (VHF radio, radar, GPS, etc).
Cruise Planning	Cruise Planning covers topics of interest for someone planning a cruise - whether for just a weekend or for a year - including preparation and planning, anchoring, security, chartering, and cruising outside the US.
Weather	Weather covers weather forecasting and reading weather patterns on-board.
Sail	Sail covers everything from the basic elements of how a sailboat works to sail trim, rig tuning, and sailboat racing.
Instructor Development	Instructor Development teaches effective communication skills for not only USPS instructors but everyone, covering various methods of presenting information to others, effective use of audiovisual aids (including PowerPoint), etc.
Instructor Re-certification	Instructor Re-certification is for those who have taken Instructor Development but completed it or the Instructor Re-certification more than two years ago.
CPR for Boaters	In addition to the basic CPR training, the class will cover Special Medical Concerns and Emergencies for Boaters. This item is specific to boating emergencies, and it is not included in the standard course taught by either the American Red Cross or the American Heart Association. USPS District 5 members who are all American Heart Association Certified Instructors will teach this course. Upon completion, you will receive in the mail an American Heart Association Course Completion Card that is good for two years. The course is accepted by USPS for the Advanced BOC rating, and the USCG for anyone wishing to get or renew their Captain's License.