 Seamanship Grade: S 
Building on the basics taught in the USPS Boating courses, Seamanship is the recommended first course for new members, both powerboaters 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 Grade: P  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.
 is worn when the wearer has passed both Seamanship and Piloting.
Advanced Piloting Grade: AP  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 Navigator Grade: JN  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.
Navigator Grade: N  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.
Educational Proficiency, for Grades: AP, JN, or N Educational Proficiency Anyone completing a grade level of at least Advanced Piloting (AP) and three Elective Courses receives the Educational Proficiency Award. Shown above is an AP insignia with the Educational Proficiency bar below it. The bar is also added to the JN and N insignia to denote Educational Proficiency. Educational Achievement, Grade: SN Educational Achievement Anyone completing all Advanced Grade Courses, which results in a grade of Navigator (N), and all Elective Courses receives the Educational Achievement Award. This is the highest educational recognition awarded by USPS. A holder of this honor is known as a Senior Navigator and can be recognized in print by "SN" following their name. In the past, this educational level was know as a "Full Certificate" and was recognized in print by "N" following the name.
This page last updated on 20 July 2005. (r) United States Power Squadrons, USPS, the USPS Ensign, and the Trident Design are Registered Trademarks of United States Power Squadrons, Inc. |