WELCOME

The Wilmington (Delaware) Power Squadron in District 5 was chartered by USPS in April, 1938. The first Wilmington Commander, William Kiler, was an official for the DuPont Company and was stationed in Tacoma.

Mr. Kiler, working under the leadership of Chief Commander Arthur Middleton, assisted members of the Tacoma Yacht Club to form a power squadron. The Tacoma Power Squadron was chartered in 1939, thus becoming the first squadron west of the Mississippi.

Mr. Kiler and Thomas J. Firth, Chief in charge of the local Coast Guard group, lent their energies to getting an elementary piloting course completed.

In spite of obstacles and delays, eleven men qualified and made formal request for a charter which was granted August 22, 1939.

Victor England	Lorenzo Mansfield
Bert Bradley	Charles G. Martin
Edward C. Cooney	Ralph Peterson
Albert L. Hale, Jr.	Theodore W. Worthington
Clyde M. Hunt	Robert C. Bourdon
Ivan J. Leonard

The membership was somewhat depleted during the war years and the home guard had difficulty holding the organization together. Tacoma’s sister squadron, Bremerton, received its charter on June 4, 1952. In 1952, Bremerton’s first class, taught by Earl Riebow and Harvey Johnson (both of the Tacoma Squadron), graduated 11 students. Tacoma’s other sister squadron, Olympia, was chartered in 1954.

This manual was prepared to acquaint members with Tacoma Power Squadron. Additional information is available at www.TacomaPowerandSailSquadron.org .

We are just one of more than 400 squadrons in 33 districts of the United States Power Squadrons (USPS). We are part of District 16, which is comprised of 17 squadrons, all in Washington State.

The Squadron is a non-profit organization of boating enthusiasts who already have taught over 3 million students how to make their boating safer and more enjoyable.

The active member pays full dues and enjoys all the privileges of membership, including a subscription to the national magazine, The Ensign. An active member may vote at general meetings, hold elective office, take educational courses and receive merit marks for service to the squadron. Active members are entitled to fly the USPS ensign and squadron burgee on their boat and to wear a USPS uniform or blazer.

In a home where two persons are regular members, one may take the status of additional active member. The difference between active and additional active member is a reduction in national and squadron dues for the additional active member and only one copy of The Ensign and the squadron publication, The Wake Astern. In all other respects the additional active member is entitled to the same privileges as the active member.

Family membership is available to the members of a family of an active member. A family member may attend all functions of the squadron and take educational courses, but may not vote, hold office, or earn merit marks.

Members who have earned 25 merit marks for 25 years of active work for the squadron are designated life members and are exempt from national, district and squadron dues.

A member may be an active member of only one squadron, but may be an associate member of other squadrons. Associate members are not permitted to hold office, vote, or earn merit marks in that squadron. Dues for an associate member are set by the squadron’s executive committee.

A consolidated dues statement is sent to each member annually by USPS. The statement covers squadron, district and national dues. If a member joins after the start of the dues year, the national and local squadron dues are prorated. See the handout in your welcome packet for current dues.

Each new member is assigned a certificate number by USPS. The number appears on a member’s certificate as well as on the membership card issued to each member. It is necessary to have the certificate number available when enrolling in a course or to access the web site reserved for members only.

7pm: dinner with a program and meeting following. For the potluck, bring a dish to share and your own plates and silverware. Coffee and desert will be provided.

EXECUTIVE BOARD MEETINGS, open to all members, are held the second Tuesday of each month from September through May, location to be determined by the Commander.

The ANNUAL MEETING is held in February on the regular general meeting night (4^th Tue.). The slate of officers for the next year is presented to the membership and an election is held.

The Educational Department is under the direction of the Squadron Educational Officer, known as the SEO.

Advanced grade and elective courses normally start in September and February. Most courses run for eight to sixteen weeks. Junior Navigation and Navigation are full year courses, about 26 weeks.

Advanced Course enrollment is limited to USPS members. A member of USPS may take a course with any squadron. Members are notified of course schedules in The Wake Astern, at meetings and on the sqadron’s web site.

There is a fee for each course which includes course material, processing and examination costs. Material fees and examination fees are collected at the first class. At this time, all final examinations are sent to USPS for correction and the members are notified of pass or fail by the SEO, course chairman or by mail. In case a member does not pass, a re-examination may be arranged.

The department is divided into three sections: Boating, Advanced Grades and Elective Courses.

The Basic Boating Courses are the traditional civic service of the United States Power Squadrons. The courses are designed as an introduction to legal and safe power and sail boating. Basic courses are available in group classes or on-line.

The instruction given in our basic public boating course is the best way to learn the basics of safe boating and meets the requirements for mandatory Washington State Boaters Education card. There is a charge to cover costs, including a student workbook, chart and other materials. This course is offered as a public service to adults and teenagers in over 500 local areas nationwide and on-line. Many insurance companies will give a discount to boat owners who have successfully completed the course. Instructors are knowledgeable volunteer members of USPS who have taken advanced squadron courses.

The advanced grades classes are recomended to be taken in sequence beginning with Seamanship or Piloting, progressing to Advanced Piloting, Junior Navigation and Navigation. Classes may be taken or challenged in any sequence. To be successful, it is recommended that the courses be taken in order. A member must have passed the exam for the previous grade level before being awarded the next highest grade. A member who takes and passes the examination is awarded the title, known as grade, S, P, AP, JN, or N. A member’s grade is entered into his file and the member may wear the appropriate grade insignia on the uniform. The grade also appears after the member’s name, in The Wake Astern, and all squadron and USPS publications.

The course starts with types of power and sail boats, construction materials used, and handling characteristics. It also includes boat handling, trailering housekeeping, safety, handling under adverse conditions, required equipment, rules of the road, aids to navigation, nautical customs and courtesy. (approx. 7 weeks).

This course continues the chart work started in the Basic Boating class and gives practical instruction in position determination based on plotting courses and dead reckoning. More information is given on required equipment, navigational rules, types and availability of charts and the compass. (approx. 8 weeks)

This is an intensive course, preparing the member to use all the tools of piloting: the compass, correcting the compass, use of charts, determining position by bearing, angles and soundings. Effects of tides and currents are studied and “paper cruises” using all the course resources are sailed.
(approx. 12 weeks)

This course involves the basic techniques of celestial navigation: the earth as a sphere and how this is reflected on various types of charts, time, time zones, the identification of celestial bodies and locating them and how to use the Nautical Almanac. The student is taught use and care of a sextant, how to take sights, reduce and plot them. A “paper cruise” is part of the class. (approx. 26 weeks)

This course is a continuation of JN with more emphasis on finding a position through the use of celestial bodies. Fundamental principles are expanded, computations and methods are practiced, and emergency or lifeboat navigation is studied. The day’s work of the navigator is performed and a “paper cruise” is made which includes all aspects of JN and N.
(approx. 26 weeks)

There are no prerequisites for elective courses other than USPS membership. The classes may be taken in any order.

Deals with basic design and construction, operating principles, maintenance and repair of gasoline and diesel engines. The fuel, electrical, cooling and lubrication systems are studied. The purpose is to make the student more resourceful, but not a mechanic. (approx. 12 weeks)

Covers terminology, types of rigs and hulls, signals and rules of the road, theory of sailing, balance of hull and sail, stability and true and apparent wind. It also includes anchoring, mooring and docking, as well as laying up and fitting out. (approx. 12 weeks)

This course contains essential knowledge about a boat’s electrical and electronic systems, including wiring, grounding, electrolysis, batteries and their care. Also covered are depth finders, marine radio telephones, radar, Loran, SATNAV, GPS and advanced systems for electronic navigation.

These courses teach an awareness of weather phenomena, how to read a weather map and the sky, how to understand and anticipate weather developments, the atmosphere and global weather. (14 weeks)

This course encompasses data from all of the courses as applied to planning for and actually going on a cruise. New material is also provided to assist the boater with practical approaches to long-range cruising. (8 weeks)

The course helps prepare a member to be an instructor by teaching many of the necessary skills. The course includes preparation of outlines, presentation and use of teaching aids. (4 weeks)

USPS has a series of fifteen 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 about USPS’s public seminars at http://usps.org .

When a member has completed Seamanship, Piloting and Advanced Piloting plus any three elective courses, that member is awarded the Educational Proficiency Award. This entitles the member to wear a special uniform insignia.

When a member has completed all Advanced Grades and all Elective Courses, that member is awarded a Certificate of Educational Achievement, also known as a Full Certificate. This is the highest educational award and entitles the member to wear special insignia on the uniform and blazer patch. The designation after the member’s name is SN. The member is hereafter introduced with “Senior Navigator” following his/her name.

Each squadron class is under the direction of a class chairperson who is responsible for instruction and class schedules. The class chairperson may teach individual class sessions and may arrange for other squadron members to teach one or more class sessions.

The instructors for squadron classes and the USPS Boating Course classes are all members of the squadron. New instructors are always welcome. If you would like to teach, volunteer your services to one of the class chairs. Their names appear in the Commencement Bay. If you are willing to accept a more challenging opportunity to serve your fellow members, contact your SEO and volunteer your services as a class chairperson.

USPS®, in conjunction with the USCG Auxiliary, offers a free safety check of your boat, called the national Vessel Safety Check Program. Boaters have nothing to lose and much to gain by getting a free safety check. No citations are issued even if a serious violation is found.

Vessel Safety Checks are totally voluntary. The results of the check are provided only to the vessel owner/operator.

The examiners will check a number of items including proper registration and numbering, navigation lights, personal flotation devices for each person, flares, fire extinguishers, proper ventilation, fuel systems, flame arresters, bilge pumps, anchors and anchor line, FCC radio licenses, and overall vessel condition to name a few of the 27 items on their list. Vessel examiners have extensive training and often catch problems that even the most experienced boater might not notice. Examiners can also counsel boaters on a variety of basic boating safety issues.

The effect of all this is that boaters who get a Vessel Safety Exam are more safety conscious overall. After passing the safety exam you will get a decal showing that your boat has passed a VSC.

Tacoma Power Squadron’s main goal of performing Vessel Safety Checks and offering public boating education go hand in hand. It is an extremely valuable, free program for boaters, making our waters and recreational boating safer for all of us.

If you would like to schedule a VSC, email us at tacomapowersquadron@hotmail.com or contact our message line at 253-383-1400.

A major civic service of USPS and its members is Cooperative Charting which is the collection of correction data for nautical and aeronautical charts, reports of marine facilities and condition and status of aids to navigation for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and National Ocean (NOS), both of the Department of Commerce.

USPS contributes the largest number of chart correction reports, although NOAA and NOS also obtain data from the US Navy, US Coast Guard Auxiliary and Civil Air Patrol, among others.

Members who do not have boats can participate by turning in facility reports on marinas. Small craft charts contain data about marina facilities. This data changes frequently and needs regular updating.

There is a competition among squadrons and districts based on the number of reports and members reporting from each squadron and district. Recognition of achievement for Cooperative Charting is given at district and national meetings. To get involved with Cooperative Charting, contact your Cooperative Charting Chairperson or your commander.

USPS offers no monetary compensation to any member, just the opportunity to work for the squadron and USPS on a voluntary basis. These services do not go unrecognized, however. A member who performs substantial effort in furthering the interests, programs and objectives of USPS, its districts and squadrons may be awarded a merit mark by the Chief Commander.

Each year, recommendations are submitted which include a summary of services performed. They are reviewed by an Area Merit Mark Monitor and then forwarded to the Chief Commander for review and the awarding of merit marks. It should be noted that the Chief Commander reviews every submission.

Only one merit mark can be awarded a member in a given year, no matter how large the contribution. When a member has received five merit marks, that member receives the status of Senior Member and the right to wear Senior Member insignia.

A member who earns twenty five merit marks is awarded life membership, a plaque from the Chief Commander, a permanent membership card and exemption from USPS and squadron dues. A member who receives his fiftieth merit mark receives a special award from the Chief Commander and the status of USPS Governing Board Member Emeritus.

There are four major Tacoma Power Squadron events: Change of Watch, Member Appreciation, Christmas Holiday Party and the Past Commander Barbecue, at which our past commanders fire up the barbecues and supervise each other to provide hamburgers and hot dogs for all.

The Member Appreciation night is for fun, frivolity and a chance to say thanks to all of our members and instructors who have given so much to the squadron throughout the year.

The Christmas Holiday Party celebrates the season and also remembers those less fortunate with gifts of food and/or toys to be distributed to local agencies.

Change of Watch in April signals the end of one bridge and beginning of another. The District 16 Commander and members of the district bridge are invited as are members from other squadrons in the district. Squadron awards are presented and accomplishments for the past year are acknowledged. The incoming commander and bridge are sworn in by the District Commander or ranking member of the district bridge.

Tacoma Power Squadron normally has at least nine rendezvous each February through October. These are held at various marinas within a 35-mile radius of Tacoma. They are family oriented with activities as varied as scavenger hunts, blind-man dinghy races, horseshoe pitching, vegetable racers or barbecues.

District 16 holds its annual rendezvous in June in Poulsbo. Boats and members from all 17 squadrons and our friends from the Canadian Power Sail and Power Squadrons are represented.

The RUBBER DUCK award is presented to the person who has, for whatever reason, had all or part of their person get wet by immersion in a body of water. In other words, they fell in the drink. The recipient retains the DUCK until another person qualifies. Rewards may be offered for information leading to the identity of a qualified recipient.

This handsome trophy is awarded to the skipper who has collided with the North American Continent or a floating object in the water, causing damage or loss to an underwater appendage of the vessel under his/her command. Again, rewards may be offered for information leading to the identity of a qualified recipient.

Awarded to a skipper who required a tow to a safe harbor as the result of a miscalculation of fuel available vs the distance left to travel, mechanical malfunctions, and/or loss of wind. Again, this award is not limited to squadron activities and the reward system is available.

This is the MOST prestigious, desired, coveted, distinquished, eminent, honored, and illustrious trophy that can be bestowed on one of our members.

The qualifications for this award are simple: Some type of screw-up, mishap, blunder, ridiculous caper or misadventure related to squadron activities during the preceding year. The qualifying event is not limited to an on-the-water fiasco.

The Comander and current recipient are not eligible. They may, or may not be the selection committee. Nominations are welcome. This committee is empowered to change or amend these rules to fit a particular circumstance.

COMMITTED COUPLE AWARD given annually to a couple who demonstrated timeless energy and active involvement in the USP.

ROBERT L. HAUN AWARD (established in 2009) will be given to a senior member of the squadron who most exemplifies the attributes of giving. Their efforts on behalf of the squadron are over and above what is expected.

Tacoma Power Squadron is managed by a bridge of officers elected by and responsible to the membership.

The Executive Committee includes the commander, the immediate past commander, members of the bridge and six members elected from the general membership.

These officers are assisted in their duties by committee chair who carry out the programs, functions and activities of the squadron.

Committees: Boat Show, Cooperative Charting, Historian, Legislative, Liaison, Public Relations, Radio Technical, Safety, Vessel Safety Checks.

Committees: Boating Activities, Fleet Captain, Membership, Membership Involvement, Memorial, Operations Training, Programs, Poster Contest, Sunshine/USPS

Committees: Advertisement, Commencement Bay, Mailing, Wake Astern, Web Master, Data Processing, Distribution, Publications, Historian

The elected bridge officers, other than the commander and assistant officers, have the rank of lieutenant commander. The assistant officers have the rank of first lieutenant. Appointed officers have the rank of lieutenant.

The initials preceding a member’s name indicate that member’s current or last highest rank.

No member is ever required to wear a uniform. Based on the nautical history of the US Navy, officers may choose to wear a uniform on special occasions, consisting of a navy blue blazer, a white shirt, black four-in-hand tie and gray slacks for men and grey slacks for women. Shoes are plain black with plain black socks.

Additional types of uniforms are described in the Operations Manual and are worn for special occasions only.

USPS is divided into National, District and Squadron levels. The annual meeting for all of USPS is held each February, usually in Orlando, Florida. There is one additional meeting, called a Governing Board, which is held in the fall at various locations around the country. All members in good standing are entitled to attend these meetings.

District 16 holds four meetings a year; a Fall Conference/Council as well as a Spring Council, Spring Conference and Educational Seminar. The conferences begin Friday evening with a reception for the Chief Commander or his representative. There is a general meeting and several special interest break-out sessions on Saturday followed by a banquet Saturday evening.

The squadrons within the district take turns hosting the Spring Council meetings and the Fall Council and Conference. The Spring Conference is the District Change of Watch and is usually hosted by the home squadron of the incoming district commander.

Operations Training (OT) is a program designed to provide a detailed presentation on the functions of USPS on a squadron, district and national level. The seminar is usually given once a year on a squadron and/or district level. OT is a requirement for all incoming squadron commanders and highly recommended for all bridge officers.

USPS publishes a monthly magazine, The Ensign, which is sent to each Active member. District 16 publishes a twice-year newsletter, Cardinal Points.

Notice of meetings and general club information is included in the squadron newsletter, The Wake Astern, which is published 12 times a year. Members are urged to contribute articles about all aspects of boating.

A squadron roster, Commencement Bay, is published annually. Members’ names are listed alphabetically and the listing includes their highest grade at publication time, home address, home telephone number, email address, and boat name. Also included in the roster is a listing of the squadron fleet alphabetically by boat name.

The roster further lists the Tacoma squadron officers, both elected and appointed, and members of the standing committees for the coming year. It also includes a list of all past district commanders from Tacoma, all past squadron commanders, senior members, life members, twenty-five year members and honorary members. When possible, updates are published in The Wake Astern. Current Tacoma membership is available by email from the TPS webmaster.

The USPS ensign was designed by one of the founders of USPS. Members may fly it in place of the US ensign on the stern flag staff while cruising in US waters. The US ensign is always flown at the stern staff (or gaff or leech on sailboats) when cruising in foreign waters.

When the US ensign is flown from the flag staff (or gaff or leech on sailboats), the USPS ensign may be flown from the starboard spreader of the foremost mast. USPS ensigns are available from the squadron supply officer and most large boating equipment stores.

Each squadron in USPS has a unique burgee. Tacoma Power Squadron’s burgee is edged with a gold braid which signifies a squadron having been in existence for 50 years. The burgee may be flown from the bow staff of power boats and the foremost masthead of sailboats by active members in good standing. The burgee is available from the squadron supply officer.

Because of its nationwide educational activities, USPS and its districts and squadrons have been granted tax-exempt status under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1954. This status is very important to the organization. Preservation of this exemption is the responsibility of all of its members.

One part of the code states that as an organization we must avoid attempting to influence legislation or intervene in a political campaign on behalf of a candidate for public office. As individuals we can participate as much as we wish in trying to influence political or legislative matters; however, mentioning membership in USPS or a district or squadron is not permitted and could cause revocation of our status.

Members who participate in the functions of USPS in an official capacity may deduct on their tax return certain expenses as charitable contributions. These expenses include transportation, parking fees and tolls, reasonable expenditures for meals and lodging while away from home, uniforms, postage, telephone bills, supplies, dues and other miscellaneous cash expenditures. We suggest contacting your personal income tax specialist for accurate, current information.