Prince of Wales School
2250 Eddington Dr.
Vancouver, B.C.
(two blocks west of Nanton Ave. & Arbutus St.)

To ensure sure that we have sufficient materials, we request that you register "On-line" as soon as possible.

(Completion of the Registration process, and issuing of course materials will take place at 6:15 PM on the first night. The class starts at 7:00 PM)

Course Objectives

The Boating course is designed to help boaters become more competent and safe. The course consists of approximately 30 hours of classroom instruction covering such topics as government regulations, mandatory equipment requirements, rules of the road, handling boats under power and sail, aids to navigation, anchoring procedures, chart reading, plotting courses, responsibilities of the skipper.

The exam for the federal government's mandatory Pleasure Craft Operator's Card (PCOC) is included in this course.

• Student Notes (text) and homework book
• CPS Course Plotter
• Canadian Coast Guard Safe Boating Guide booklet
• Training Chart "A"
• Chart #1 - Symbols and Abbreviations used on Canadian Nautical Charts (booklet)
• The Canadian Aids to Navigation System booklet

Each student will need to provide dividers, notebook, pencils, and an eraser. (We will have a limited supply of plotting tools for sale at the classes.)

Boating Course Contents

1. Characteristics of Boats
   • Boat Types
   • Terminology
   • Construction
   • Propulsion Systems
2. Licensing, Registration and Other Requirements
   • Some basic legal requirements (a five minute lecture)
3. Mandatory Equipment
   • Life Jackets (Personal Floatation Devices (PFDs))
   • Sound Signaling Devices
   • Lights
   • Distress Flares
   • Other required safety equipment
4. Optional Equipment
   • Additional safety and navigation equipment that should be carried, such as
     • Fenders and Dock Lines
     • Engine Spares
     • First Aid Kit
     • Charts and other navigation equipment
     • etc...
5. The Magnetic Compass
   • The earth's magnetic field
   • Variation and Deviation (compass errors)
   • Installing the compass
   • Hand Bearing Compasses
   • Steering by compass
6. Preparing to Launch
   • Pre-season maintenance, and some around-the-boatyard safety warnings.
7. Ropes, Lines and Knots
   • Rope construction
   • Properties of different rope materials
   • Care and Use of Lines
   • Knots
     • Belaying to a cleat
     • Figure Eight Knots
     • Round Turn and Two Half Hitches
     • Reef Knot
     • Double Sheet Bend
     • Bowline
     • Clove Hitch
   • Securing to a dock
8. Handling a Boat Under Power
   • Propellers
   • Forward Motion and Steering
   • Stopping and Reversing
   • Undocking
   • Docking
   • Picking Up a Mooring
9. Handling a Boat Under Sail
   • Basic sailing theory and terminology
   • Points of Sail
   • Reefing
   • Leeway
   • Steering
   • Docking under sail
10. Weather
    • Weather Hazards
    • Weather Forecasts
    • Weather Procedures for Safe Boating
    • Weather Tips
11. Skipper's Responsibilities Before Setting Out
    • Knowledge of Local Hazards
    • The Fuel Supply - Refueling Precautions
    • Embarking Passengers
    • Attention to Crew Comfort
    • Drugs and Alcohol
    • File a Sailing Plan
12. Skipper's Responsibilities When Under Way
    • Trim and Balance
    • Boat Handling
    • Effect of Wash
    • fixing Position
    • Keeping a Good Lookout
    • Keep a log
    • Common Courtesies
    • Flag Etiquette
13. Collision Regulations
    • General
    • Under Any Condition of Visibility
    • When Vessels are in Sight of One Another
    • Collision Bearings
    • Power Boats Meeting,Crossing, Overtaking
    • Power Boat and Sailboat Meeting
    • Sailboats Meeting
    • Special Situations
    • Sound Signals
14. Canadian Aids to Navigation
    • Lateral Buoys
    • Cardinal Buoys
    • Special Buoys
    • Daybeacons
    • Lights
    • Ranges
15. Emergencies
    • Problems that affect the Crew
    • Problems that affect the Boat
    • Deteriorating Weather Conditions
    • distress Signals
    • Rendering Assistance
16. Global Positioning and Charts
    • Describing position by Latitude and Longitude
    • Measuring Distance and Direction on a Chart
    • Charts
      • Projections
      • Scale
      • The Title Block
      • Heights and Soundings
      • Symbols and Abbreviations
    • Sailing Directions ("Coast Pilots")
17. Navigation
    • Piloting and Conning
    • Chart Reading
    • Correcting and Uncorrecting Compass Readings
    • Lines of Position
    • Fixes
18. An Exercise in Conning - Cruise No. 1
    • A classroom exercise to familiarize the student with the chart, and common symbols and abbreviations.
19. Introduction to Plotting
    • Terms used in plotting
    • Time, Speed, and Distance Calculations
20. Plotting and Labelling
    • Plotting Instruments
    • Labelling
    • Standards of Accuracy
    • Planning a Cruise
    • Keeping a Log
21. Cruising Single-Handed
    • A sample cruise, showing pre-planning techniques to minimize plotting while underway
22. Anchors and Anchoring
    • The Holding Power of an Anchor
    • Selecting an Anchor
    • Selecting an Anchorage
23. Supplementary Topics
    • Canals and Locks
    • Tides and Tidal Currents
    • Trailering
    • Winter Lay-up
    • Water Skiing
    • Auxiliary Boats
24. Canadian Power and Sail Squadrons
    • Some information about CPS