PSC Winter Training Program - Vilma Baez,  Winter Training Coordinator


WELCOME TO THE WINTER TRAINING PROGRAM !

 

November 2011

 

The Winter Training Program kicked-off in November with our very popular “Rules of the Road” class.  Attendance has exceeded expectations, but there is still  space available. 

At this time, I invite you to consider attending any/all of the classes.

 

Training Benefits: Specialized classes...e.g. Sail Trim, Navigation, Anchoring, etc....taught by PSC experts, and aimed at those who want to learn more about sailing than is normally taught in our basic sailing classes. 

Bay Skipper Candidates can gain skills and knowledge that will help you greatly in successfully completing the Bay Skipper written exams.

 

Class location is Immanuel Bible Church, 6911 Braddock Road Springfield, VA 22151.

 

Contents:

Winter Training Program Information and Schedule
Navigation & Piloting Class Information

Winter Training Class Sign-up Form


VHF Radio Communications Class,
November 2011


Winter Training Coordinator

Ms. Vilma Baez


2011-2012 Winter Training Program Schedule:

 

See the calendar for the 2011 - 2012 PSC Winter Training classes.  Other classes may be added.

 

Most classes are $25.00 or one FVSM coupon per session for full-day classes (0830 to 1500) or $10 or one FVSM coupon for half-day classes (0830 to 1300) with the exception of the 2-session Piloting and Navigation Class, Training Clinics, and the First Aid & CPR class.

 

The cost for the 2-session Piloting and Navigation Class is $75.00 which covers both sessions or $50 plus one FVSM coupon (no more than one FVSM coupon may be used for Nav I & II).  Also, please also note that you must sign up for both sessions; Nav I is a prerequisite for Nav II.  There is no charge for Training Clinics.

 

The fee for First Aid & CPR is set by the instructor.  You may NOT use FVSM coupons for the First Aid & CPR class as the money goes to the instructor.

 

You may cancel your reservation for a class up to 15 days in advance of the class.  However, if you cancel after that date (or if you just fail to show up) please do not expect a refund.

 

Unless otherwise indicated, classes are held in Room 203-205 of the Immanuel Bible Church, 6911 Braddock Road Springfield, Virginia.

 

NOTE: No exams are given following any of these classes. The required Rules of the Road, General Knowledge, and Navigation Exams are given during the Cruising Exam Series Sessions. The next Cruising Exam Series is scheduled for Saturday, March 24, 2012.

 

Date Day Time Class Cost Instructor(s)
Nov 5, 2011 Saturday 8:30 am to 3:00 pm Rules of the Road

$25

Jim Battles
Nov 19, 2011 Saturday 8:30 am to 3:00 pm VHF Radio Communications

$10

Hal Moore
Dec 10, 2011 Saturday 8:30 am to 3:00 pm Anchoring, Rafting, and
Raft-Up Planning

$25

Lynnette & Don Hupman
Dec 17, 2011 Saturday 8:30 am to 3:00 pm Advanced Sail Trim

$25

Racing Squadron
Jan 7, 2012 Saturday 8:30 am to 3:00 pm Weather

$25

Hal Moore
Jan 21, 2012 Saturday 8:30 am to 4:30 pm Big Boat Systems: Diesels, Heads, & Electrical

$25

Tony Skivo
Jan 28, 2012 Saturday 8:30 am to 3:00 pm CPR & First Aid

$49

Training Commodore
Feb 4, 2012 Saturday 8:30 am to 1:00 pm Bareboat Chartering

$10

Lynnette & Don Hupman
Feb 25, 2012 Saturday 8:30 am to 4:30 pm Piloting & Navigation Part 1

$75
for both
sessions

Jim Battles, Will Kelchner, & Don Hupman
Mar 3, 2012 Saturday 8:30 am to 4:30 pm Piloting & Navigation Part 2 Jim Battles, Will Kelchner, & Don Hupman
Mar 10, 2012 Saturday 8:30 am to 3:00 pm Intro to Racing

$25

Racing Squadron
Mar 24, 2012 Saturday 8:30 am to 3:00 pm Cruising Skipper Exam Series

Exam Cost

Training Commodore


 

To sign up, you must complete a Winter Training Class Sign-up Form and send it to the Treasurer along with your payment made out to Pentagon Sailing Club to:

    Roger Hammer
    PSC Treasurer
    13130 Triple Crown Loop

    Gainesville, VA  20155

Students must sign up in advance by so materials can be obtained and resources scheduled.

Note: Please do not send a note to any of the club officers or coordinators asking if “space is available for a Winter Training class”. The answer is that “we don’t really know.” Our process is that all Winter Training, Bay Sail, and River/B-KBS training forms go to our mailbox at L’Enfant Plaza, where the Treasurer makes at least one trip a week to pick up the contents. We could have as many as 50 enrollments sitting in that box. PSC processes about 600 check/form envelopes per year. Your priority in the line is based on the postmark of your envelope, which contains your registration form and check. We do not accept credit cards.

As a general rule, only the Navigation/Piloting and CPR/First Aid classes have a space limitation. Some classes, such as CPR/First Aid, do not permit the use of FVSMs.

The Treasurer annotates the check number and date of postmark on the registration form, scans it, and sends it to the Winter Training Coordinator. Once the Winter Training Coordinator fills out her spreadsheet, she ascertains whether we have met the maximum number of students for a space limited class.  Once she has done that, she notifies the Communications Commodore, who updates the web site to note that the event is “full”.

If we were to tell you that “there are five spaces remaining in the Navigation/Piloting class”, and based on that information you sent in a registration form in the mail box, you could well end up on the wait list, if there were five registration forms sitting in that mailbox. The priority is not based on when you inquired about the sail or when the form was received by the coordinator. For example, person A may have mailed the form while TDY in Hawaii, while B mailed it two days later from DC. B’s letter may have hit the mailbox first, but A wins because of their postmark date.

Once we have your form and money in hand, we can start negotiating. For example, we could put you into a different class. If you are registering for training for multiple people, again, we cannot hold a spot for you until the check and form are in hand. Once received, if there are no spaces in the chosen dates, then we will put you on a wait list, schedule an alternative option or date, or refund your money. But asking about the availability of a date is a moot question. If the class says “full”, then there are definitely no seats availability. If it is still open, then the class may or not have spaces depending on how many checks and registration forms are “in route.”

In general, our Navigation Classes for the Winter Season fill up in October.

Most materials will be handed out by the instructor on the day of class unless instructed otherwise.  Students for the navigation classes should purchase and bring a navigation set to class.  See the navigation instructor's note below for information on what you should bring in your navigation set (dividers, navigation protractor, etc ...).

 

Students are highly encouraged to purchase two books for supplemental reading and individual study for the WTP: "Sail & Rig Tuning" by Ivar Dedekam, and "Chapman Piloting: Seamanship and Boat Handling" by Elbert S. Maloney.  Those books are available from Amazon.com via the PSC Library Pages. Navigation sets are available at any marine chandlery, or you may order online from Weems & Plath Navigation Tools.

 

Contact Winter Training Program Coordinator, Vilma Baez, with any questions.

 

PSC Training Commodore

 

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PSC Piloting & Navigation Class, Part I on February 25th and Part II on March 3rd

 

Potential PSC Navigation & Piloting Students,

 

Learn the fundamentals of piloting and navigation in two Saturdays!  These two classes provide the basics for the Bay Skipper Exam on Navigation.  Space is limited and we need to know well in advance how many sets of charts and training materials to order.  Cost: $75.00 which covers both sessions or $50 plus one FVSM coupon (no more than one FVSM coupon may be used for Nav I & II.

 
Nav I will be taught on Saturday, February 25th, 2012.  During Nav I we'll cover aids to navigation (ATONS), our global coordinate system, chart reading, piloting and route planning.  Nav I is a prerequisite for Nav II.

 

Nav II is Saturday, March 3rd, 2012.  During Nav II we'll cover more advanced navigation, piloting, chart work, and electronic navigation.  Nav II builds on the fundamentals presented in Nav I, so you must have attended Nav I in order to attend Nav II

 

The following is a list of tools you’ll need to get for both classes, and advance reading assignments: 
 

Tools – Please bring the following on the first day of class (Feb 25th): 

 

Required:
-- Dividers (example: Weems & Plath Matte Nickel 7" or Traditional One Handed)
 


--
Navigation Protractor (example: Weems model 255 Protractor) 


-- Pencils & sharpener


-- Gum Eraser
 
Optional:
-- Nautical Slide Rule "Speed Wheel" (example: Weems & Plath mod 105)
-- Parallel Rules (example: Weems & Plath Parallel rules, or Precision Parallel Rules)
-- Hand-Bearing Compass (example: Plastimo Iris 50, Weems & Plath Hand Bearing
          Compass), or Binoculars with compass
-- Magnifying glass
-- Straight edge
 
These items are readily available from most marine supply stores, including West Marine, BoatUS, etc., or order online from
Weems & Plath Navigation Tools.
 
Reading Assignments – Please read the following before class:

Chapters 9-12 of The Annapolis Book of Seamanship, Third Ed., by John Rousmaniere;

and/or chapters 13-18 of Chapman Piloting & Seamanship, 66th Ed., by Charles B. Husick

 
Again, you will find these books at any marine supply store, your library, or purchase from Amazon.com.

 

See you in class!

 

Jim Battles
Nav I & II Instructor

 

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