Welcome to BoatingCourses.ca
Canadian Power and Sail Squadrons offers a series of courses in boating knowledge that build from the basic courses required by law to what you’d want to know to cross the ocean. Our boating courses are available online or in-person.

Radar for Boaters - Virtual Classroom
Details Students will receive Printed or electronic copies of the course material either by mail or by picking up at a specific location. Instruction will take place using an online meeting one day per week (2-3 hrs.). this course begins and ends on a specific date. The final examination will be at a location near you or in some cases the examination may be online.
This course is not offered yet.

Electronic Marine Navigation - Virtual Classroom
This course will allow the pleasure craft operator to navigate safely knowing his exact location at all times. You will ... Read morelearn to navigate using GPS and paper charts as well as electronic charting devices. It includes a CD containing a number of charts and a full scale simulator of a chart plotter to help you learn by doing. Join with others to share experiences and knowledge. Note: For optimal ePub readability we recommend PC and Android users download the free ePub reader application called Calibre. For Apple and Mac users we recommend using the free Books app the comes standard on Mac OS.Read less
Suggested Prerequisite Boating 3
Details Students will receive Printed or electronic copies of the course material either by mail or by picking up at a specific ... Read morelocation. Instruction will take place using an online meeting one day per week (2-3 hrs.). this course begins and ends on a specific date. The final examination will be at a location near you or in some cases the examination may be online.Read less

Maritime Radio with DSC - Classroom
The Maritime Radio course teaches emergency radio procedures and everyday operating techniques. Learn all about the uses... Read more 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. This complete package will prepare you for the Restricted Operator Certificate (Maritime) with DSC Endorsement exam which is included as part of this courses. To operate a maritime radio, you need the certificate. It's the law! Note: For optimal ePub readability we recommend PC and Android users download the free ePub reader application called Calibre. For Apple and Mac users we recommend using the free Books app the comes standard on Mac OS.Read less
Suggested Prerequisite None
Details Students will meet in a classroom either 1 evening per week or for an all-day course on the weekend. Printed or Ebook co... Read moreurse material will be distributed to the students. Students will write the examination at the end of the course. If the student passes they will receive a temporary certificate.Read less

Maritime Radio with DSC - VIRTUAL CLASSROOM
The Maritime Radio course teaches emergency radio procedures and everyday operating techniques. Learn all about the uses... Read more 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. This complete package will prepare you for the Restricted Operator Certificate (Maritime) with DSC Endorsement exam which is included as part of this courses. To operate a maritime radio, you need the certificate. It's the law! Note: For optimal ePub readability we recommend PC and Android users download the free ePub reader application called Calibre. For Apple and Mac users we recommend using the free Books app the comes standard on Mac OS.Read less
Suggested Prerequisite None
Details Students will receive Printed or electronic copies of the course material either by mail or by picking up at a specific ... Read morelocation. Instruction will take place using an online meeting one day per week (2-3 hrs.). this course begins and ends on a specific date. The final examination will be at a location near you or in some cases the examination may be online.Read less

Maritime Radio with DSC - CHALLENGE EXAM
The Maritime Radio course teaches emergency radio procedures and everyday operating techniques. Learn all about the uses... Read moreof 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. This complete package will prepare you for the Restricted Operator Certificate (Maritime) with DSC Endorsement exam which is included as part of this courses. To operate a maritime radio, you need the certificate. It's the law!Read less
Suggested Prerequisite None
Details Students who have access to the material and wish to challenge the examination may do so by registering for this course.... Read more Once you are registered a Representative of CPS-ECP will contact you to arrange for the examination at a location near you.Read less

Maritime Radio with DSC - ONLINE (Self Study)
The Maritime Radio course teaches emergency radio procedures and everyday operating techniques. Learn all about the uses... Read more 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. This complete package will prepare you for the Restricted Operator Certificate (Maritime) with DSC Endorsement exam which is included as part of this courses. To operate a maritime radio, you need the certificate. It's the law!Read less
Suggested Prerequisite None
Details Course material is available on line 24/7. You will move through the course material at your own pace. You have 60 days ... Read moreto complete the course. Students will have a contact name, phone number and email should they have any questions and to arrange the examination.Read less

Boating 1 – Boating Basics - Classroom
All operators of motorized pleasure craft are required to show proof of operator competency. All you need to know for th... Read moree Transport Canada test is presented in an easy to read format that is both informative and entertaining. You can be confident that this study guide meets all the standards established by Transport Canada’s Office of Boating Safety. As an extra benefit, if you pass the test offered by Canadian Power and Sail Squadrons, your Card is recognized by BOTH Transport Canada and The National Association of State Boating Law Administrators (USA). You may contact Canadian Power and Sail Squadrons to locate a testing facility in your area. Note: For optimal ePub readability we recommend PC and Android users download the free ePub reader application called Calibre. For Apple and Mac users we recommend using the free Books app the comes standard on Mac OS.Read less
Suggested Prerequisite None
Details Students will meet in a classroom either 1 evening per week or for an all-day course on the weekend. Printed or Ebook co... Read moreurse material will be distributed to the students. Students will write the examination at the end of the course. If the student passes they will receive a temporary certificate.Read less

Boating 1 - Boating Basics - Virtual Classroom
All operators of motorized pleasure craft are required to show proof of operator competency. All you need to know for th... Read moree Transport Canada test is presented in an easy to read format that is both informative and entertaining. You can be confident that this study guide meets all the standards established by Transport Canada’s Office of Boating Safety. As an extra benefit, if you pass the test offered by Canadian Power and Sail Squadrons, your Card is recognized by BOTH Transport Canada and The National Association of State Boating Law Administrators (USA). You may contact Canadian Power and Sail Squadrons to locate a testing facility in your area. Note: For optimal ePub readability we recommend PC and Android users download the free ePub reader application called Calibre. For Apple and Mac users we recommend using the free Books app the comes standard on Mac OS.Read less
Suggested Prerequisite None
Details Students will receive Printed or electronic copies of the course material either by mail or by picking up at a specific ... Read morelocation. Instruction will take place using an online meeting one day per week (2-3 hrs.). this course begins and ends on a specific date. The final examination will be at a location near you or in some cases the examination may be online.Read less

Boating 2 - Beyond Boating Basics - ONLINE with Tutor
This course covers basic navigation topics (e.g., using a compass, interpreting nautical charts and the navigation aids ... Read moresystem, and using a Chartplotter), lines and knots, anchoring, docking, weather, collision avoidance rules, tides and currents, and several related topics. Each topic includes a manual (e-copy), instructional video, quiz/exercise activity, and links to online supplementary resources. A final “multiple choice” exam is included.Read less
Suggested Prerequisite Boating 1 – Pleasure Craft Operator Card (PCOC)
Details The course material is available online 24/7, except for a training chart and the Canadian Aids to Navigation System fol... Read moredout which will be sent by mail. The course will start on the date indicated in the CPS ECP Course Calendar. The online course link will be available 7 days prior to the start date. Notification will be sent upon registration on how to access the course. Once underway the students are expected to complete the course within 8 to 12 weeks. A “student forum” allows students to communicate (chat/text format) with class tutor(s) and other students enrolled in the course - asking questions, responding to questions from other students, sharing boating experiences, etc. The course will begin with a "Getting Started” video conference which will take place just prior to the course start date and a second video conference prior to the exam week. The learning management platform used to deliver the course is accessible by computer, tablet, or mobile phone.Read less

Boating 3 - Introduction to Marine Navigation - VIRTUAL CLASSROOM
The third course in our series explores navigation further as you learn how to plot and label on paper charts as well as... Read more what the skipper should be doing before setting out and when under way, handling a boat under sail as well as your environmental responsibilities and electrical hazards. This course also has a number of optional topics that will be taught depending on your interests; these include tides and currents, canals and locks, and collision regulations.Read less
Suggested Prerequisite Boating 2
Details Students will receive Printed or electronic copies of the course material either by mail or by picking up at a specific ... Read morelocation. Instruction will take place using an online meeting one day per week (2-3 hrs.). This course begins and ends on a specific date. The final examination will be at a location near you or in some cases the examination may be online.Read less

Boating 2 - Beyond Boating Basics - Virtual Classroom
The PCOC makes sure you have immediate navigation and safety skills but it’s just the beginning of what you should kno... Read morew when you get on a boat. In the second of our Boating Series, you are introduced to the art of navigation, anchoring, ropes, lines and knots – not to mention what to expect when the boat is moving under power. This course also has a number of optional topics that will be taught depending on your interests; these include towing, trailering and a check list for layup and launch. Note: For optimal ePub readability we recommend PC and Android users download the free ePub reader application called Calibre. For Apple and Mac users we recommend using the free Books app the comes standard on Mac OS.Read less
Suggested Prerequisite Boating 1 – Pleasure Craft Operator Card (PCOC)
Details Students will receive Printed or electronic copies of the course material either by mail or by picking up at a specific ... Read morelocation. Instruction will take place using an online meeting one day per week (2-3 hrs.). this course begins and ends on a specific date. The final examination will be at a location near you or in some cases the examination may be online.Read less

Boating 2-3 Combined - ONLINE with Weekly Meetings
This is the right one
Suggested Prerequisite Boating 1 – Pleasure Craft Operator Card (PCOC)
Details Course material is available online 24/7. This is a cohort-based format with a specific start and end date. You will ta... Read moreke this course with a specific group of fellow students. There will be an online meeting one evening per week to answer questions that students may have. You may also have one on one meetings with a local tutor to cover topics that are difficult to teach online.Read less

Boating 2 - Beyond Boating Basics - ONLINE with Weekly Meetings
Suggested Prerequisite Boating 1 – Pleasure Craft Operator Card (PCOC)
Details Course material is available online 24/7. This is a cohort-based format with a specific start and end date. You will ta... Read moreke this course with a specific group of fellow students. There will be an online meeting one evening per week to answer questions that students may have. You may also have one on one meetings with a local tutor to cover topics that are difficult to teach online.Read less

Boating 3 – Introduction to Marine Navigation - ONLINE
This course continues the navigation theme set out in Beyond Boating Basics (B2) by focusing on navigation skills needed... Read more to measure, calculate and steer a course in open water without the benefit/assistance of aids to navigation (e.g., buoys or land-based light stations) and electronic navigation devices (e.g., Chartplotter). Sometimes referred to as “old school” navigation, skills taught include plotting and labelling using paper charts. These skills can prove invaluable to navigators when visibility is lost or electronic navigation aids fail. This course contains four practice cruises using a training chart to practice plotting and labelling skills. Other topics include; boaters' responsibilities, including environmental responsibilities, electrical hazards, and handling a boat under sail. Each topic covered includes a manual (e-copy), instructional video, quiz/exercise activity, and links to online supplementary resources. A final “multiple choice” exam is included.Read less
Suggested Prerequisite Boating 2
Details Course material is available online 24/7. This is a cohort-based format with a specific start and end date. You will ta... Read moreke this course with a specific group of fellow students. There will be an online meeting one evening per week to answer questions that students may have. You may also have one on one meetings with a local tutor to cover topics that are difficult to teach online.Read less

Boating 2 - Beyond Boating Basics - Classroom
The PCOC makes sure you have immediate navigation and safety skills but it’s just the beginning of what you should kno... Read morew when you get on a boat. In the second of our Boating Series, you are introduced to the art of navigation, anchoring, ropes, lines and knots – not to mention what to expect when the boat is moving under power. This course also has a number of optional topics that will be taught depending on your interests; these include towing, trailering and a check list for layup and launch. Note: For optimal ePub readability we recommend PC and Android users download the free ePub reader application called Calibre. For Apple and Mac users we recommend using the free Books app the comes standard on Mac OS.Read less
Suggested Prerequisite Boating 1 – Pleasure Craft Operator Card (PCOC)
Details Students will meet in a classroom 1 evening per week for the duration of the course. Course length varies depending on t... Read morehe course from 5 evenings to 12 evenings. Printed or Ebook course material will be distributed to the students either on the first night or prior to the start of the course.Read less

Boating 3 – Introduction to Marine Navigation - Classroom
The third course in our series explores navigation further as you learn how to plot and label on paper charts as well as... Read more what the skipper should be doing before setting out and when under way, handling a boat under sail as well as your environmental responsibilities and electrical hazards. This course also has a number of optional topics that will be taught depending on your interests; these include tides and currents, canals and locks, and collision regulations.Read less
Suggested Prerequisite Boating 2
Details Students will meet in a classroom 1 evening per week for the duration of the course. Course length varies depending on t... Read morehe course from 5 evenings to 12 evenings. Printed or Ebook course material will be distributed to the students either on the first night or prior to the start of the course.Read less

Boating 2 and 3 Combined - Classroom
Boating 2 – Beyond Boating Basics – The PCOC makes sure you have immediate navigation and safety skills but it’s j... Read moreust the beginning of what you should know when you get on a boat. In the second of our Boating Series, you are introduced to the art of navigation, anchoring, ropes, lines and knots – not to mention what to expect when the boat is moving under power. This course also has a number of optional topics that will be taught depending on your interests; these include towing, trailering and a check list for layup and launch. Boating 3 – Introduction to Marine Navigation – The third course in our series explores navigation further as you learn how to plot and label on paper charts as well as what the skipper should be doing before setting out and when under way, handling a boat under sail as well as your environmental responsibilities and electrical hazards. This course also has a number of optional topics that will be taught depending on your interests; these include tides and currents, canals and locks, and collision regulations.Read less
Suggested Prerequisite Boating 1 – Pleasure Craft Operator Card (PCOC)
Details Students will meet in a classroom 1 evening per week for the duration of the course. Course length varies depending on t... Read morehe course from 5 evenings to 12 evenings. Printed or Ebook course material will be distributed to the students either on the first night or prior to the start of the course.Read less

Boating 4 – Near Shore Marine Navigation Level 1 - Classroom
Do you know what to do if a boat on fire calls you for help? Can you deal with emergencies on your own boat? Build y... Read moreour confidence on the water, and make your boating a safe and fun experience, by taking this CPS-ECP Course. You will learn how to cope with these situations, as well as many other aspects of boating, such as relative bearings, knots and splicing, medical emergencies, coping with adverse weather, and much more. This course was formerly called Seamanship. Note: For optimal ePub readability we recommend PC and Android users download the free ePub reader application called Calibre. For Apple and Mac users we recommend using the free Books app the comes standard on Mac OS.Read less
Suggested Prerequisite Boating 3
Details Students will meet in a classroom 1 evening per week for the duration of the course. Course length varies depending on t... Read morehe course from 5 evenings to 12 evenings. Printed or Ebook course material will be distributed to the students either on the first night or prior to the start of the course.Read less

Boating 4 – Near Shore Marine Navigation Level 1 - ONLINE
Do you know what to do if a boat on fire calls you for help? Can you deal with emergencies on your own boat? Build y... Read moreour confidence on the water, and make your boating a safe and fun experience, by taking this CPS-ECP Course. You will learn how to cope with these situations, as well as many other aspects of boating, such as relative bearings, knots and splicing, medical emergencies, coping with adverse weather, and much more. This course was formerly called Seamanship.Read less
Suggested Prerequisite Boating 3
Details Course material is available online 24/7. This is a cohort-based format with a specific start and end date. You will ta... Read moreke this course with a specific group of fellow students. There will be an online meeting one evening per week to answer questions that students may have. You may also have one on one meetings with a local tutor to cover topics that are difficult to teach online.Read less

Seminar - Weather For Boaters - Classroom
There’s nothing can quickly ruin a pleasant cruise on a sunny afternoon than getting caught in a sudden, unexpected... Read more storm. This show of Mother Nature’s powers can be frightening at the very least, and fatal in its worst form. Weather For Boaters presents many of the basic meteorological principles that create our weather, and is an excellent primer for the more advanced Canadian Power and Sail Squadrons course, Introduction to Weather For Recreational Boaters.Read less
Suggested Prerequisite none
Details The seminar will be held in a physical venue with a lecturer using a presentation. The presentation will last 1 – ... Read more3 hours in an evening or on a weekend afternoon. There may or may not be handouts.Read less

Weather for Boaters - Online
The wise boater respects and anticipates mother nature’s many moods. This course will improve your understanding of th... Read moree systems that cause weather. It will help you use forecasts more intelligently and to augment forecasts with local observations. This will improve your decision making. It will help you develop keen judgments in “reading” the sky and sea for optimum boating safety in and around Canadian waters. Newly developed for adult learners, this course will measure learning success not by closed-book, memory-work exams, but by practical, open-book applications of learned concepts to actual boating situations.Read less
Suggested Prerequisite None
Details Course material is available online 24/7. This is a cohort-based format with a specific start and end date. You will tak... Read moree this course with a specific group of fellow students. You may also have one on one meetings with a local tutor to cover topics that are difficult to teach online.Read less

Seminar - Tropical Weather for Winter Boaters - Self Study
This online seminar can be started as soon as you receive the link or by going to the course calendar drop down on the m... Read moreain web page and selecting Moodle Login. The Seminar is designed to be done in one sitting of about 90 minuets. Many boaters like to spend all or part of their winters sailing in tropical waters, and no doubt wonder what sort of weather they might encounter. The meteorology behind winter weather in the Tropical Zone is very much different from that which we experience here in the mid-latitudes. This seminar gives provides a quick review of mid-latitude weather, and then explains the differences that we would find in the tropics, and why they are different. A good follow up of this course would be Weather for Boaters which is a multi week course with Tutor support.Read less
Suggested Prerequisite None
Details The course material is available online 24/7.

Seminar - Tides and Currents - Self Study
This online seminar can be started as soon as you receive the link or by going to the course calendar drop down on the m... Read moreain web page and selecting Moodle Login. The Seminar is designed to be done in one sitting of about 90 minuets. For the safety of oneself, the boat’s crew and the boat itself, the boater had best be prepared to take tides and currents into consideration when planning a voyage of any length in tidal waters. Failure to do so can result in the vessel’s running aground or, just as embarrassing and damaging, snapping off a mast in a collision with a bridge or utility cable stretched across a tidal river. It is not possible to cover every detail of the subject of tides and currents within the constraints of this seminar, but it will certainly give the student a solid introduction to the subject. To learn more, we highly recommend boaters take the CPS-ECP courses, Boating 4: Near Shore Marine Navigation Level I and Boating 5: Near Shore Marine Navigation Level II. Tides and currents are covered more extensively in those courses.Read less
Suggested Prerequisite None
Details The course material is available online 24/7.

Seminar - Celestial Navigation in a Nutshell - Self Study
This online seminar can be started as soon as you receive the link or by going to the course calendar drop down on the m... Read moreain web page and selecting Moodle Login. The Seminar is designed to be done in one sitting of about 90 minuets. Before electronic navigation aids like GPS and electronic chartplotters came along, coastal sailors plotted fixes by using natural and man-made references, such as lighthouses, buoys, church steeples, radio/TV towers, and so on, that were plotted in their exact locations on paper navigation charts. They did this by taking quick-succession bearings on two or more of these objects, thus producing lines of position (LOPs) that crossed each other at some point. When these LOPs were plotted on the paper chart, the sailor could see the fix, indicating the boat’s position. This process is called getting a terrestrial fix. However, if the sailor is in the middle of an ocean, there are no lighthouses or church steeples. There is a solution however, and as the Friendly Giant used to say, “Look up … way up,” and there are all those heavenly bodies, “lighthouses in the sky.”Read less
Suggested Prerequisite None
Details The course material is available online 24/7.

Seminar - How to use a GPS - Self Study
This introductory online seminar is for boaters who want to know the basics of how to set up their GPS/Chartplotter, und... Read moreerstand how it works, how to use it to and how it can connect to other boat electronics including tablets and smart phones. In this seminar, you will learn about waypoints, routes and how to best use the display options available for charts and data. Knowing how to plan and safely execute a route and interpret what you see on the charts is important A section is included on the capabilities of multi-function displays connected to an autopilot, sensors, radar, AIS or DSC radio. This is an interactive seminar and to help you assess your learning, there are question and answer segments located throughout the various sections.Read less
Suggested Prerequisite None
Details This Seminar is available 24/7 at your own convenience
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Marine Electrical Maintenance - Virtual Classroom
Learn how to maintain electrical systems in your boat properly and safely. Gain a solid foundation in wiring, direct cur... Read morerent systems, and alternating current systems found on recreational vessels. It also covers galvanic and stray current corrosion, lightning protection, interference suppression and electrical troubleshooting. Learn how to maintain electrical systems in your boat properly and safely. Gain a solid foundation in wiring, direct current systems, and alternating current systems found on recreational vessels. It also covers galvanic and stray current corrosion, lightning protection, interference suppression and electrical troubleshooting. Enrol in the Marine Electrical Maintenance Course with your local Canadian Power and Sail Squadron, because PEACE OF MIND IS PRICELESS!Read less
Suggested Prerequisite None
Details Students will receive Printed or electronic copies of the course material either by mail or by picking up at a specific ... Read morelocation. Instruction will take place using an online meeting one day per week (2-3 hrs.). this course begins and ends on a specific date. The final examination will be at a location near you or in some cases the examination may be online.Read less

Boat and Engine Maintenance - VIRTUAL CLASSROOM
Keep the water on the other side of the wall! From spark plugs to bottom paint, this course covers all the basics for "d... Read moreo it yourself” boaters. This course will equip you with the knowledge required to prevent onboard problems, carry out specialized tasks and tackle both short-term troubleshooting as well as long-term boat care. It features practical information and handy tips suitable for both new and existing boat owners. The dream of owning, maintaining and using your own boat without great expense can be achieved through the completion of the Boat & Engine Maintenance Course.Read less
Suggested Prerequisite None
Details Students will receive Printed or electronic copies of the course material either by mail or by picking up at a specific ... Read morelocation. Instruction will take place using an online meeting one day per week (2-3 hrs.). this course begins and ends on a specific date. The final examination will be at a location near you or in some cases the examination may be online.Read less