CPS
Becoming a members gives you advantages click here for the list of advantages
Everyone will need their PCOC card by 2009, click here to find out more about the PCOC card.
Training
Below is a list of all the courses offered at the Montreal Squadron.
Boat Pro
The Boating Course
Piloting
Advanced Piloting
Celestial Navigation
Radio Talk
Boat Pro (PCOC Certification) back to top
Boat Pro provides basic knowledge of safe-boating rules and practices. An ideal manual for “about to-be” boat owners and new boat owners. It is also important for Hunters, Anglers, and Cottagers, who use their boat primarily for transportation. A good introduction to the Boating Course. Contains all elements for CCG Operator Proficiency requirements.
Course duration: 8 - 10 hours of classroom instruction.
Prerequisites: none
note: The Pleasure Craft Operator Card is required by everyone by the 15 September 2009
The Boating Course (CPS Membership Qualification) back to top
This course provides a general introduction to the safe handling of boats of all types, and is the prerequisite to all advanced and elective CPS courses. Once successfully completed, Membership in CPS is available to the applicant. Material covered includes; Types of boats, Boat handling, Government regulations, Nautical charts, Aids to navigation, Rules of the road, Elementary chart plotting and calculations, Compass, bearings and fixes, Safety considerations and equipment, Lines and knots, Anchoring, Weather, Canals, Locks, and Manners and customs. Length of course is approximately 14 weeks and offered in early September and January each year. CPS membership requires successful completion of the Boating Examination.
Course duration: 14 weeks of classroom instruction
Prerequisites: none
Piloting back to top
This course picks up where Boating left off. Piloting provides the theoretical knowledge to be able to handle a boat in rough weather and to deal with emergency situations. It offers new charting & plotting skills in coastal navigation, relative bearings, running fixes, effects of current and leeway and marlin-spike. This course also covers hull forms and performance, buoyancy, stability legal responsibilities, weather, adverse conditions, emergencies, aids to navigation, and controllable/non controllable forces.
Course duration: 14 weeks of classroom instruction.
Prerequisites: must be a CPS member
Advanced Piloting back to top
Advanced Piloting course teaches advanced coastal navigation principles to enable you to know, at all times, where you are. The vessel’s position can be determined by using landmarks and aids to navigation - allowing for current, leeway, tides and tidal currents.
Course content: Become familiar with charts; the compass; steering and timing a course; tides and tidal currents; effects of current and leeway; methods of determining position; running fixes; aids to navigation; electronic navigational aids, and introduction to the sextant.
Course duration: 13 - 15 weeks of classroom instruction.
Prerequisites: Piloting Course
Celestial Navigation back to top
This course combines the original works of Junior Navigator and Navigator and applies the sciences of cartography and astronomy to set a course and determine a position at sea. Emphasis is placed on “how” to navigate and, with basic math and calculator skills, the student will have little difficulty. For proper study, the student will require the use of Bowditch, current-year Nautical Almanac and Star Finder. (These items must be ordered separately). The student will also require a scientific hand-held calculator with trigonometric capability.
Course content: Use of the sextant, electronic navigation, the Nautical Almanac, sight reduction by formula and scientific calculator, the Pilot and Great Circle charts and much, much more.
Course duration: 24 weeks
Prerequisites: Advanced Piloting
Radio Talk (VHF Radio) (ROC Certification) back to top
Module One: Introduces the student to Maritime Mobile Service, Regulations and Procedures. Students are taught the uses of marine radios, choice of frequencies, operation, phonetic alphabet, procedural words and phrases
Module Two: Covers Digital Selective Calling and the Global Maritime Distress and Safety System, (DSC/GMDSS). This module is of great importance. The availability of DSC is being greatly expanded. All mariners, including recreational boaters, will want to take advantage of the many features and capabilities of this innovative form “automatic “ radio.
Successful completion of this course will qualify the student for a “Restricted Operator’s Certificate (Maritime)” ROC (M), with DSC endorsement.
Course duration: several evening courses
Prerequisites: none