Safe Powerboat Handling Instructor

Course Length

This is a 3-day, 24-hour course. Attendance at all course sessions is mandatory. Absence from any portion of the course excludes the instructor candidate from certification.

Minimum Age Requirement

All Candidates must have reached their 18th birthday within the calendar year that the course is being held in. Please be aware that forging/lying about your age is a violation of the terms of this registration and is grounds for revocation of any or all US Sailing certifications

Prerequisites for Entrance into the Course

  1. SUCCESSFUL COMPLETION OF THE (STUDENT LEVEL) US POWERBOATING SAFE POWERBOAT HANDLING COURSE
    • ***If the Accelerated Safe Powerboat Handling course is taken candidates must also have a current NASBLA Safe Boating Certification, current USCG full, limited Master’s, or OUPV license.
  2. COMPLETION OF TEACHING & COACHING FUNDAMENTALS ONLINE (TCFO)
    You are not eligible to attend an in-person section if TCFO has not been competed.
  3. CURRENT US SAILING MEMBERSHIP
    Youth memberships are not applicable. Those with a family membership with only one (1) instructor in the family are eligible.
  4. ABILITY TO SWIM FIFTY (50) YARDS
    US Sailing will accept swimming certificates issued by the American Red Cross, YMCA, NAUI or PADI within the last 3 years. Certificates issued more than 3 years before the start of the course will not be accepted. US Sailing will also accept a Proof of Swimming Ability Verification form completed and signed by a swimming instructor certified by the American Red Cross, YMCA, NAUI, PADI, or a lifeguard certified by the American Lifeguard Association or U.S. Lifesaving Association.**All candidates, who do not meet the criteria above, must bring a completed Swim Verification Form to the course.** This form will be sent with your course paperwork.
  5. COMPLETED COURSE REGISTRATION ACCOMPANIED BY FULL COURSE PAYMENT.

Requirements for Successful Completion of Course

  1. ATTENDANCE AT ALL PORTIONS OF THE COURSE
    Absence from any portion of the course excludes the instructor candidate from evaluation
  2. SUCCESSFULLY PASSING ALL EVALUATED COMPONENTS
    1. Personal and Interpersonal Skills
      Demonstrate professional conduct, an open-minded, positive and enthusiastic attitude, appropriate appearance (clothing, footwear and tidiness), participation in discussions, collaboration skills/team player, confidence and ease of manner.
    2. Powerboat Operation Skills Practical Test
      Execute, with comfort and confidence: system, equipment and starting checks, leaving and docking, high and low speed maneuvering, holding position upwind/upcurrent, backing, pivot turn (180 degree turn within boat’s length), anchoring and/or making fast to a mooring, overboard rescue and landing alongside a moored boat.
    3. Marlinspike/Seamanship Practical Test
      Demonstrate ability to tie the following knots and hitches: Figure-8, bowline, sheet bend, clove hitch, two half hitches, rolling hitch, and cleat hitch. Also coil and throw a line.
    4. Classroom Presentation Practical Skills
      Demonstrate lesson preparation, with clear, logical and accurate content, good voice enunciation/clarity/volume/pace/pitch, good non-verbal communication (gestures and body language), effective visual aids, good timed presentation(s) with introduction, conclusion, demonstration, clarity and use of notes, use of multiple pathways techniques, and ease in handling questions.
    5. Land Drill and Water Activity Teaching Practical Skills
       Demonstrate good class positioning, control and positioning of powerboat, demonstration skills, effective on-the-water communication, evaluation, and feedback technique.
    6. Written (online) Tests
      Online tests pertaining to content in the Safe Powerboating Handling Instructor Manual will be provided to you prior to the course. A passing grade of 85% is required on all tests.

***US Sailing strongly recommends at least a US Coast Guard OUPV License for this certification.***

Course Outcomes

The determination as to whether a candidate passes or fails rests with the Instructor Trainer. The following are the potential course outcomes:

  1. PASS
    The Instructor Candidate has successfully completed each of the items listed under “Requirements for Successful Completion of Course.”
  2. PLAN OF IMPROVEMENT (POI)
    The Instructor Candidate has not demonstrated the necessary skills or knowledge to be certified.They will be provided with a Plan of Improvement (POI) to complete within 90 days from the date of issue with a current Instructor Trainer in the applicable discipline. The responsibility for arranging completion of a Plan of Improvement rests with the Instructor Candidate. When a Candidate is ready to retest for their POI they may submit payment via US Sailing’s website. Instructor Candidates will get only one chance to pass their Plan of Improvement; should they be unsuccessful in this attempt, they will have failed the course. The fee to complete an “on the water” Plan of Improvement is $75.00.
  3. FAIL
     The Instructor Candidate did not meet the standards to become a a Certified Instructor will be failed. An Instructor Candidate, who fails an evaluative course and would still like to become certified as an Instructor, may re-apply for a future course, at full cost, one year from the original course date provided that the reason for their failure was not due to Personal and Interpersonal Skills. Absence from any part of the evaluation session will exclude the Instructor Candidate from evaluation and be considered a course failure..
  4. PLAN OF COMPLETION
     US Sailing and US Sailing Instructor Trainers assume no responsibility for lack of wind or other acts of nature. If the Instructor Trainer’s were unable to complete the evaluation, Instructor Candidate’s are issued a Plan of Completion. Arrangements to fulfill the Plan of Completion must be done through the Education Department.There is no fee for completing a Plan of Completion. The Instructor Candidate is responsible for any additional travel-related expenses.

Course Materials

The following materials are provided for this course:

  1. Start Poweboating Right!
  2. Safe Powerboat Instructor Manual.
  3. Review questions for the Instructor Manual/Start Powerboating Right test.
  4. Other handouts and course information as applicable

All course materials are delivered digitally, but are available for purchase in a print format during the registration process.

Certification Requirements

  1. FIRST AID AND CPR CERTIFICATION
    from the American Red Cross, American Heart Association or and  U.S. Coast Guard approved provider. Candidates  do not need to complete the CPR/First Aid Training in advance of the course, however a certification will NOT be valid unless accompanied by current First Aid and CPR.
  2. VALID SAFESPORT CERTIFICATE.
    This program, developed by the US Olympic and Paralympic Committee, is required training for all Instructors. This requirement is also being put in place for other National Governing Bodies. This free online training course must be completed every year. Instructor certification is not active unless SafeSport training has been completed.
  3. CURRENT US SAILING MEMBERSHIP
  4. CURRENT INSTRUCTOR CERTIFICATION
    US Sailing/US Powerboating Instructor Certifications are valid for three (3) years. Instructors need only re-certify at the highest level of certification they have achieved within each program.

Course Fees

The course registration fee for the Safe Powerboat Handling Instructor course is $425.

Course Transfers

Course fees are nonrefundable but are transferable to another course up to 1 week prior to the course start date. Course Transfers are not available within the week of the course start. Fees are not transferable to another candidate. The fee for all transfers is $25.00.

To transfer into a different session:

  1. Log in to your US Sailing account here: MyUSSailing
  2. Select the My Certs and Courses tab from the options on the left, then click the transfer link.
  3. Submit Payment details
  4. Confirm transfer

US Sailing reserves the right to cancel, postpone, abandon or change the venue, date and time of the course should unforeseen circumstances occur or course minimums are not reached. In the event the course is unable to proceed, a course credit will be made available which is good for one (1) year or you may choose a refund.

WAIVER AND RELEASE OF LIABILITY

For and in consideration of the undersigned’s participation in any US Sailing instructor course (“Event” or “Events”), sponsored by US Sailing (the “Organization”), hosted by various Host Clubs/Organizations (the “Hosts”), and taught by a US Sailing certified Instructor Trainer (“IT”), I, for myself, and on behalf of my spouse, children, heirs and next of kin, and any legal and personal representatives, executors, administrators, successors, and assigns, hereby agree to and make the following contractual representations pursuant to this Agreement (the “Agreement”):

  1. RULES AND REGULATIONS: I hereby agree to abide by the rules, regulations, and policies of the Organization, Host, and IT including any and all COVID-19 related safety measures required by the Organization and/or Host.
  2. ACKNOWLEDGMENT OF RISK: I knowingly, willingly, and voluntarily acknowledge the inherent risks associated with the sport of sailing and attendance at an Event, and that participation in any Event involves risks and dangers including, without limitation, the potential for serious bodily injury (including broken bones, head or neck injuries), sickness and communicable disease, trauma, pain & suffering, permanent disability, paralysis and death; loss of or damage to personal property; exposure to extreme conditions and circumstances; accidents involving other participants, event staff, volunteers or spectators; contact or collision with other participants or natural or manmade objects; adverse weather conditions; facilities issues and premises conditions; failure of protective equipment; inadequate safety measures; participants of varying skill levels; situations beyond the immediate control of the Event organizers and competition management; and other undefined, not readily foreseeable and presently unknown risks and dangers (“Risks”). Special note regarding COVID-19 and other communicable diseases. Risks under this Agreement include the potential for exposure to communicable diseases such as COVID-19, an extremely contagious virus that spreads from person-to-person contact. The Organization has taken preventative measures to reduce the spread of COVID-19; however, attending or participating in an Event could increase your risk of contracting COVID-19 which may result in personal injury, illness, permanent disability, and death.
  3. ASSUMPTION OF RISK: I understand that the aforementioned Risks may be caused in whole or in part or result directly or indirectly from the negligence of my own actions or inactions, the actions or inactions of others participating in the Events, or the negligent acts or omissions of the Released Parties defined below, and I hereby voluntarily and knowingly assume all such Risks and responsibility for any damages, liabilities, losses, or expenses that I incur as a result of my participation in any Events.  I also agree to be responsible for any injury or damage caused by me or any agents under my direction and control at any Event.
  4. RELEASE: In consideration of my participation in any Event, I hereby release from liability and waive any claims against the Organization, ITs, and Host(s) of the Event, its licensees, competition managers, promoters, sponsors, advertisers, beneficiaries, venue providers, and supporting organizations, together with the officers, directors, employees, volunteers, and contractors of them (the “Released Parties” or “Event Organizers”), with respect to any liability, claim(s), demand(s), cause(s) of action, damage(s), loss, or expense (including court costs and reasonable attorney fees) of any kind or nature (“Liability”) which may arise out of, result from, or relate in any way to my participation in the Events, including claims for Liability caused in whole or in part by the negligent acts or omissions of the Released Parties.
  5. COMPLETE AGREEMENT AND SEVERABILITY CLAUSE: This Agreement represents the complete understanding between the parties regarding these issues and no oral representations, statements or inducements have been made apart from this Agreement.  If any provision of this Agreement is held to be unlawful, void, or for any reason unenforceable, then that provision shall be deemed severable from this Agreement and shall not affect the validity and enforceability of any remaining provisions.

I HAVE CAREFULLY READ THIS DOCUMENT IN ITS ENTIRETY, UNDERSTAND ALL OF ITS TERMS AND CONDITIONS, AND KNOW IT CONTAINS AN ASSUMPTION OF RISK, RELEASE, AND WAIVER FROM LIABILITY.

If you wish to submit a hard copy of this Waiver, Release, and Assumption of Risk instead, please print and mail a signed copy to education@ussailing.org

By signing below, I (as the participant or as the Parent/Legal Guardian of the minor identified below) hereby accept and agree to the terms and conditions of this Agreement in connection with my (or the minor’s) participation in any Event.

 

Participant Signature:  ___________________________________ Printed Name:  ____________________________ Date:________________

Parent/Legal Guardian Signature (required if participant is under the age of 18):                                                                                                          ______

 

Parent/Legal Guardian Printed Name: ____________________________________________________  Date:__________________

By clicking below, I (as the participant or as the Parent/Legal Guardian of the minor identified below) hereby accept and agree to the terms and conditions of this Agreement in connection with my (or the minor’s) participation in any Event.

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