Boating Course

Whether you are interested in powerboats, sailing vessels or kayaks, this course is for you! The Boating Course provides in depth boat operation and safety training. As well, you will experience the challenge of plotting and navigation.

Successful completion of the accredited midterm exam will allow you to receive your Pleasure Craft Operator Card (PCOC). By passing the final Boating Course exam you will join Canada’s largest association of recreational boating enthusiasts with the benefits of a full CPS membership.

Course outline

•Characteristics of boats

•Licensing, registration, and other requirements

•Mandatory equipment

•Optional equipment

•Ropes, lines, and knots

•Handling a boat under power

•Handling a boat under sail

•Weather

•Preparing to launch

•Skipper’s responsibilities before setting out

•Skipper’s responsibilities when under way

•Plotting & Labelling Standards

•Canadian aids to navigation

•Emergencies

•Canals and locks

•Tides and tidal currents

•Trailering

•Winter lay-up

•Waterskiing

•Auxiliary boats

•Checklist for lay-up

•Pre-launch checklist

•The magnetic compass

•Anchors and anchoring

Seamanship Course

Prerequisite: Boating

The new full colour Seamanship Course builds on some of the techniques introduced in the Boating Course. 

Seamanship uses traditional navigation, GPS fixes, Way Points, along with the introduction of Deviation, in the three homework cruises, and the examination take home cruises.

This course offers: interpretation of charts, the DR plot, bearings, fixes, running fixes, and Collision Regulations; and the exciting concept of plotting and labeling in True and Magnetic, adopted by the Training Department.

Seamanship, explains the skills needed to understand the hazards of weather, wind, waves, tides, and tidal currents and how to deal with them.

When unforeseen circumstances arise such as man-overboard, and medical emergencies the seamanship course counsels the student, as to where and how to acquire the skills to deal with potentially life-threatening situations, and of course you can “learn the ropes”, from knots, hitches, bends, and splices.

 

Maritime Radio Course

Prerequisite: none

 

This complete package with CD, and the new Digital Selective Calling, will prepare you for the Restricted Operator Certificate (Maritime) with DSC Endorsement exam.

 

To operate a maritime radio, you need the certificate. It is the law! The Maritime Radio course teaches emergency radio procedures, as well as everyday operating techniques.

Learn all about the uses of marine radios, choice of frequencies, operation, phonetic alphabet, procedural words and phrases, as well as Digital Selective Calling and the Global Maritime Distress and Safety System, (DSC/GMDSS). All mariners, including recreational boaters, will want to take advantage of the many features and capabilities of this innovative form “automatic” radio.

Secure your lifeline. Be sure that you and your family take the Maritime Radio course.

 

Navigating with GPS

Prerequisite: none

 

 

This seminar will introduce you to the versatile Global Positioning System (GPS) receivers. With this course you will learn simple explanations of the system which makes GPS such an effective navigational aid, and methods of extracting the maximum navigational information from your equipment.

 

Improved position information, course planning and real time speed/direction data improves your boating safety and cruise enjoyment but reduces transit time and fuel consumption.

Detail of all courses offered by Port Elgin Squadron

Fundamentals of Weather

Prerequisite: none

This course covers many aspects of the formation and behavior of the weather around us. Meteorology is quite technical in nature, whereas Fundamentals of Weather is presented in a clear, straightforward manner that eliminates much of the jargon.

The study of weather is both fascinating and satisfying. The skills you will develop from this course will serve you for a lifetime. With practice, you will be able to make short term forecasts - challenge the professionals as to who better predicts the weather in your local area.

With Fundamentals of Weather, you will forecast the weather beyond 'red sky at night'.