Attention New Boaters!
We are offering a deal on the Basic Navigation and Boat Handling Courses Parts 1+2
Register here. Scroll down to Oakville
The Oakville Power and Sail Squadron is offering a combined course starting on January 08, 2024, for those seeking to improve their boating and navigational skills and on the water enjoyment.
By combining these two courses, discounts are offered over enrolling in each course individually. Although the combined courses can be comfortably completed in the time allotted, we will allow students up to 2 years to complete both courses.
These courses will be conducted on-line with a live Instructor corps, via GoToMeeting, with on-line open book exams. Be advised that it is not necessary to take the exams, if you attend 75% of the classes we will acknowledge that you have completed the course. Insurance companies usually like to see students pass the course before offering discounts.
Boating 2 – Basic Navigation and Boat Handling part 1- Will take you to the next level in your Boating Education beyond what you learned when you obtained your Pleasure Craft Operator Card. This course will help you understand Nautical charts, the symbols and signage and how to use this information when Navigating by observing landmarks and Navigation Aids. You will also be introduced to electronic navigation. You will learn how to tie useful knots, handling a boat under power, basics of weather, anchoring, and a review of collision prevention regulations. There are a number of optional topics that will be taught depending on your interests, such as towing, canals & locks and a checklists for layup and launch.
Boating 3 – Basic Navigation and Boat Handling part 2- Offers the student the skills to be able to navigate in coastal regions with the use of the magnetic compass, traditional paper chart navigation and the use of the GPS and chart plotter. The student will practise simple conning and plotting through the use of virtual cruises. Other topics include the Captain’s responsibilities before setting out and when under way, handling a boat under sail as well as environmental responsibilities and electrical hazards.
Students will be provided links to topics of interest throughout the course.
The combined courses will be conducted over 14 Wednesday evenings from 6:30pm until 9:30pm, operating on Wednesdays from January 10, 2024 until April 24, 2024 with open-book exams in the last weeks of February and April. There will also be an initial session on January 08, 2024 for those who would like to become more comfortable with GoToMeeting.
Instructors will be available from 6:30pm until 7pm, to answer questions, to help with homework and a skilled instructor will explain the knot of the week. If you are interested in joining us, please enroll prior to December 01, 2023 so that we can arrange to get the course materials to you in advance of January 08, 2024. Those that register after December 01, 2023, may receive their materials after class starts because of the Christmas rush in the mail system.
As an added bonus, upon graduating the course, and if you have never been a Member of Canadian Power and Sail Squadron, you will receive a free initial Membership to Oakville Squadron, for one year.
This course also has the Fraser Farmer Memorial Award. The Plaque which the winner will keep, will be “Awarded to the Student who exhibited the strongest dedication to Safe Boating in the combined Boating 2 and 3 course of the Oakville Power and Sail Squadron.” The award comes with a $50.00 discount towards Oakville’s B-4, Near Shore Navigation Course.
Congratulations to Linda Poulin and Jamie Philp of Thunder Bay the recipients of the inaugural Fraser Farmer Award.
Here are some of the reviews from our students in 2021/2022
- Good having multiple presenters to add variety and keep engaged
- I took the course to learn a lot more before I get too deep into buying a boat
- Charting sessions were fantastic with appropriate amount of time given
- Great real-life examples of what not to do and what to be aware of
- This course was outstanding- the online presentation worked well and in some ways is probably better than in person
- The Instructors were all very knowledgeable, approachable and passionate- which made the course. Highly recommend it
- It was great to see the Instructors actually working on the charts and also Bill doing the knots
- Instructors were very prepared and worked very well together
- Great mix of general boating and detailed charting skills
- Feels like I definitely acquired a new skill
- Knot training warm up’s very helpful also
- Instructors are very kind, caring and patient. They are very knowledgeable and have created an environment where students are welcome to ask questions or review concepts without the fear of looking stupid. The instructors have created a very safe and welcoming environment for learning!
- The course material was very well organized and clear. The presenters/instructors were also well prepared. I particularly found the plotting graphics very well done. I think this is a difficult skill to teach online but it came across very clearly and effectively.
For further information contact: Mike Johnson – Squadron Education Officer
905-220-3358