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CBSPS

Boating Education

Basic Course

America's Boating Course - Topics covered include boating safety, navigation rules and basic operating skills. Successful completion of the class will result in the Florida Boating Safety ID required for boaters born after January 1, 1988.

If you need a class sooner there is and online version of the class which will fill the needs of boaters for a Safety ID in Florida. Go to https://www.americasboatingcourse.com. You can enroll on that page.

Advanced Grades

Boat Handling- All skippers and passengers need to know the basics of boating to be assured of safe and enjoyable days on the water. This course discusses how to avoid and to deal with unexpected boating incidents. It gives the student an understanding of why a boat floats. It discusses hull designs and types of propulsion and how they affect movement through the water. It teaches techniques for safe departure and return to the dock. The USCG Rules of the Road are covered in depth. Marlinspike, learning to tie nautical knots, is the lead in to each night of class. At the end of the course, boaters will have greater confidence in their boating abilities.

The class will be held at the Veterans Memorial Center in the library on Monday nights starting May 20th. We have one scheduling problem so the second section has to be held on Thursday May 30th. The remaining sections will be on Monday again, June 3 though June 24th.

Cost of the class for member is $84.00. Two family member on the same book would be $99.00. Cost for a nonmember it $131.00.

if interested contact Education officer P/C Michael Haney SEO@cbsps.org

Start Date Time Location To register for Course
May 20 - June 24 6:30PM - 8:30PM Brevard County Memoril Veteran's Center Education officer SEO@cbsps.org

Marine Navigation (Piloting)- This class is an introduction to plotting onshore and near shore courses using both dead reckoning and GPS. The student learns the use of latitude and longitude in determining a position on the earth and how to plot the location onto a nautical chart. Dead reckoning is determined by a compass reading allowing for variation, speed and distance travelled by the boat in a set amount of time. This information as well as GPS locations, are plotted using standard plotting rules.

Start Date Time Location To register for Course
   

 

 

 

Advanced Marine Navigation(Advanced Piloting) - Building on the basics of Marine Navigation, the students move onto more complex situations that include wind drift, tidal influences, adaptation to water height for bridge clearance, danger avoidance plotting and much more. The use of GPS and radar as a navigation tool are covered.

 

Offshore Navigation (Junior Navigation) - The ultimate off-shore navigation challenge is learning the art of celestial navigation. Students are instructed in the use of the Sextant and taught to reduce sights into meaningful locations on a chart. GPS skills are also incorporated. This class will test your skills and will lead to a sense of accomplishment as no other USPS class has done before.

Start Date Time Location Register for Course
TBD      

 

Celestial Navigation (Navigation) Having mastered the use of the Sextant and offshore plotting, this advanced class takes the student further into the complexities of celestial navigation. Using stars and planets and adapting the element of time, the student charts his course with the added assistance of downloaded GPS.

Start Date Time Location Register for Course
Contact the education officer if you are interested in this class. We will see if we can get enough students to hold it      

 

Elective Courses

Cruising and Cruise Planning - Want to take a "road trip" on the water?  Gain the confidence and practical skills needed to explore unknown ports and coves for weeks or months at a time.  Take Cruising and Cruise Planning and join your fellow boaters for raft-ups and rendezvous up the river, down the bay, and along the coast. Our instructor is a Great Loop and Little Loop veteran.

Cost for Members $84.00 additional family member on same book $25.00 addition

Cost for Nonmember $146.00 additional family member $25.00

When

Time Location Register for Course
   

Class complete

EMail SEO@cbsps.org if interested

 

Sail- From the basics of the sailing vocabulary to the specifics of handling a boat in all types of weather conditions, this class delves into the art of sailing in Florida waters. In addition, students learn advanced marlinspike skills. Instructors are experienced sailors with onshore, offshore and racing experience.

Start Date Time Location Register for Course
Not scheduled      

 

Engine Maintenance -This course stresses the diagnosis of modern systems while teaching the basics of engine layout and operation.  Students are taught the aspects of how gasoline inboards, outboards and diesel engines work.  The class teaches how to diagnose problems and those “do-it-yourself” repairs that are possible in today’s sophisticated engines.

Start Date Time Location Register for Course
Class complete      

 

Marine Electrical Systems-This class first covers the basic theory of electricity both AC and DC then moves onto the the practical use of multimeters and how to use them to trouble shoot basic electrical problems on your boat. It also looks at galvanic corrosion and lightning protection.

Start Date Time Location Register for Course
Not scheduled      

 

Marine Communication Systems - This is an in-depth review of communication systems available for the recreational boater.  An understanding of radio circuits also includes trouble shooting techniques.  Among the topics covered are the FCC Rules, Global Maritime Distress and Safety System (GMDSS), High Seas radio and Family Radio transceiver.

Start Date Time Location Register for Course
Class complete      

 

 

Marine Electronic Navigation - This course introduces GPS technology from the basic receiver to chart plotter systems for on board navigation.  The process of planning a cruise using this technology is based upon non-specific GPS units.  Special attention to apps for tablets and smart phones are included.  A basic knowledge of course plotting is required for this course.

Start Date Time Location Register for Course
Not scheduled      

 

Weather-Understanding and predicting weather is a challenging undertaking. This course deals with the basic principles of meteorology, the science of the atmosphere. Students learn about weather systems and their interactions which can lead to making predictions as to what the boater can expect when planning a weekend outing.

Start Date Time Location Register for Course
Not scheduled