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NEWS
April 2010
SAVE THE DATE
26 MAY, 2010
United States Power Squadron's National Safe Boating Week
Delaware River Educational Cruise aboard M/V Ben Franklin
For USPS Members and Invited Guests!!!
Boarding 1800 Departure 1830 hours Cruising 1830 - 2100
This year's National Safe Boating
Week Educational Cruise will once again be held aboard the M/V Ben
Franklin, which will be departing from Penn's Landing in Philadelphia, Pa. Boarding will commence at 1800 hours with
departure set for 1830.
This year's cruise will benefit
from the dual narration efforts of P/D Lt/C James Heckman, SN, who is the former
District 5 Educational Officer; and P/R/C William J. McManimen,
SN, both of Main Line Power Squadron.
During the southbound trip,
members of Delaware River area Power Squadrons
will enjoy a delightful full-course dinner on the lower dining deck of the Ben
Franklin. The narration during
the daylight southbound leg of the trip will focus on aids to navigation,
piloting and chart work using a hand-held compass and GPS, and on plotting our
position on Delaware River Chart 12312.
On the northbound leg beginning near the Philadelphia airport and Philadelphia Navy
Yard, the topic of narration will shift to aspects of celestial navigation,
as this portion of our journey will be conducted during twilight and into
full darkness.
The Ben Franklin will head
south on the Delaware River, from her home
port, passing beneath both the Ben Franklin and Walt Whitman bridges. A highlight of the passage south will be
passing close aboard the Battleship New Jersey
along the Camden
waterfront. We will also see the
largest four-masted sailing vessel afloat, the Moshulu, which operates as a restaurant
from her permanent location on the Philadelphia
waterfront. Another interesting sight
will be the hulk of massive ocean liner SS United States,
which has been moored at Pier
82 since 1996. Recent news headlines
have indicated that this vessel may no longer be able to be saved from the
scrap yard as the vessel's current owner, Norwegian Cruise Line, has
indicated that it is no longer willing to pay her $ 800,000 yearly berthing
fees. We will also likely see active
ship and barge traffic navigating the Delaware River.
M/V Ben Franklin departs
from 401 North Columbus
Boulevard, which is just NORTH of the Ben Franklin
Bridge. Heading south into Philadelphia on Interstate 95, take the
right lane at EXIT 22 for Callowhill Street. At the bottom of the off ramp, turn left onto
Callowhill
Street, and go several blocks to turn LEFT on North Columbus Boulevard. You will almost immediately come upon the
parking lot at # 401 (on your right) where you will find ample parking.
This cruise event has been one
the most successful educational events sponsored by the northern Squadrons of
District 5. Passage for one fare is $
30.00, inclusive of dinner. From
the moment of boarding, there will be a cash bar serving refreshments on the
lower dining deck.
Please reserve your place as soon
as possible. Enjoy the camaraderie of
your fellow members of the United States Power Squadron! All members and guests will be required to
sign in upon boarding and to sign a liability release waiver, as well. Please wear your USPS name tag to
facilitate mingling between our member Squadrons.
For more information, call your
local United States Power Squadron.
Jointly Sponsored by: Absecon Island
Power Squadron, Delaware River Power Squadron, Delhigh
Power Squadron, Kingsway Power Squadron, Main Line Power Squadron, Wilmington
Sail & Power Squadron. Hosted by:
Trenton Falls Power Squadron
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United States Power Squadrons®
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If you are looking
for boating classes, or a complete
boating education, you've come to the right place. If you are looking
for a Maritime Mobile Service Identity, you've come to the
right place. If you are looking for someone to perform a free vessel
safety check on your boat, you've come to the right place. If you
would like to help enhance the Boating
Guide to America, this is the place. If you would like to have some
real fun boating, join the 40,000 members of USPS and help spread the word.
America's Boating Course - 3rd Edition
America's Boating Course - 3rd Edition
is the latest public boating course offered by USPS to the general
boating community. You may be familiar with our prior courses such as The
Squadron Boating Course, Boat Smart, the original America's
Boating Course, or Chart Smart
The Squadron
Boating Course
The Squadron Boating Course,
now being replaced by America's Boating Course - 3rd Edition,
is a classroom course for all boaters including skippers of a family
cruiser, sailing enthusiasts, personal watercraft (PWC) operators,
hunters or fishermen operating an outboard utility boat, and canoe and
kayak paddlers. It covers the basics you need to know to safely and
legally operate your boat, such as basic boating terminology, boat
handling, water sports safety, PWCs, legally required equipment and other
boating laws and regulations, right-of-way rules between boats, and
marine radio operation. The course is meant to be of interest to the
whole family, and we encourage your family to attend as a group. Beyond
the basic safety material, additional material covers the fundamentals of
reading nautical charts, of using a chart to plot and follow a safe
course, and the basics of using a Global Positioning System (GPS) for
navigation. In addition to practice charts and plotting tools, the
materials supplied with the course also include a CD-ROM containing Maptech’s Chart Navigator computer program, allowing
the student to learn about this exciting new electronic technology.
The
Squadron Boating Course can be taught in either of two
formats at your local squadron's discretion – an eight (8) hour course
covering basic safety topics, or a twelve (12) hour course covering
safety plus charting and navigation topics. Either format with its
proctored examination meets the requirements of National Association of
State Boating Law Administrators (NASBLA) so that you can get your safety
certificate in those states that require one to operate a power driven
vessel. Get more
information on The Squadron Boating Course.
Public
Seminars
USPS has a series of short seminars
covering specific topics of interest to boaters. Some of the topics
that are available now cover GPS, chart reading, VHF radio usage
(including the Digital Selective Calling feature found on all new radios),
and on-board weather forecasting. These seminars are usually taught
in a single two-hour class. A student note book is included,
along with a take-away guide or other items that are useful on your boat.
Seminars on other topics are now being completed, and will be released in
the near future. Get more information on
USPS’s public seminars.
USPS Guides
A series of booklets on a wide variety of subjects of interest to
boaters, known as USPS Guides,
are also available from USPS. Some Guides are also sold at marine
supply stores and book stores. These guides are a great fill-in to
complete your boating and marine-related education, whether you are out
on the water or relaxing around the house.
Beyond Our Public Courses
Beyond these courses, seminars, and learning guides offered to the
public, USPS also teaches a large number of members-only courses,
ranging from basic deck seamanship to advanced navigation and engine
maintenance. Many USPS members feel these member-only courses
are the top reason for joining USPS
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UPCOMING EVENT S
Battleship New Jersey
www.battleshipnewjersey.org
62 Battleship Pl
Camden, NJ 08103
(856) 966-1652
Get
directions 
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Bulletins