Sail and Power Boating
Click Here to see the current Wyandotte Power Squadron Class Schedules
One of the main goals of the United States Power Squadrons is “boating safety through education”—we believe that an educated boater is a safer boater. USPS provides many skill building opportunities to the general public through a variety of courses, seminars, and marine-related guides. Our instructors are certified regarding their ability to teach and to use of modern instructional techniques. All classes are fun and informative, and bring you into contact with other boaters.
Public Educational Opportunities
Public Courses
USPS provides basic boating education to the public, with no charge for instruction, via its America's Boating Course - 3rd Edition and The Squadron Boating Course.
America's Boating Course - 3rd Edition can be taken as a classroom course or as an interactive, PC-based home study course for people whose schedule and obligations would make it difficult to attend a classroom course. The course utilizes guided instruction and numerous video and audio clips to provide basic boating safety information. Besides the basic boating safety topics, there is also an optional chapter on introduction to navigation, including charts and a digital charting program that's provided on a CD. A 244 page full-color manual and a course CD complete the course materials. After you sign up for the home study America's Boating Course - 3rd Edition, you will be contacted by a USPS member to offer assistance and to schedule a proctored final exam. Completion of this National Association of State Boating Law Administrators (NASBLA) approved course is accepted in most states as a requirement to getting a safety certificate, required in most states for operation of a water craft. Get more information on America's Boating Course - 3rd Edition.
Locate a course to be taught near you soon.
USPS Seminars
USPS has a series of short seminars open to the public on a variety of boating related topics, such as Global Positioning System (GPS), weather, and marine radio. The materials included with each two hour seminar include a Student Note Book and other take-away guides related to that particular topic. Check here to see the offerings. |
USPS Guides
A series of short guides on a wide variety of subjects of interest to boaters are also available; these are known as USPS Guides. Some Guides are also available to the public at various marine supply stores and book stores. These items may be used in USPS® classroom courses and seminars or for home study.
Member Educational Opportunities
Member Educational opportunities are available through two segments, Advanced Grades and Elective Courses. Learn how to become a member.
Member Advanced Grades
 | The Advanced Grades are a series of in-depth navigational courses for members, and completion of the highest level course determines a member's "grade". Letter grades may appear in USPS printed materials while insignia appear on a member's uniform. Descriptions of these courses, as well as the letter grades and insignia, are given on the Advanced Grades page. |
Member Elective Courses
A wide discipline of courses that cover related boating topics other than navigation are also offered as part of the instructed course curriculum for members. Descriptions of these courses are given on the Elective Courses page.
Recognition Levels
USPS awards grades to its members to indicate how far they have progressed in the continuing education program. Since one of the USPS objectives is boating safety through education, USPS encourages every member to strive to achieve the Educational Proficiency level, with the ultimate goal being that of the Educational Achievement Award.
Anyone completing a grade level of at least Advanced Piloting (AP) and three Elective Courses receives the Educational Proficiency Award. Shown below is an AP insignia with the Educational Proficiency bar below it.
Anyone completing all Advanced Grade navigational courses that results in a grade of Navigator (N) and all Elective Courses receives the Educational Achievement Award. This award, also known as the Senior Navigator award, is the highest educational recognition awarded by USPS. Holders of this honor can be recognized in print by the "SN" following their name. Shown here is the Educational Achievement Award insignia that you might see on a member's uniform.