OPCYC Training Program for 2013

OPCYC calls its ambitious training program “Pointer Maritime University”, or “PMU” for short. For the past seven years, OPCYC has conducted more boating-related training than any other yacht club that we know of. In these seven years, we have had 92 days of training on 104 subjects. Each year, we have an average of more than 100 different students attending one or more classes. In the past 7 years of PMU classes, we have had over seven thousand student-hours.

The curriculum deals with any and all boating or maritime-related subjects of interest to our members. Some of the classes for 2013:

• Sat 5 Jan – 0900-1200: iPad Navigation, and other stuff
• Sat 12 Jan – 0900-1200: Tides & Currents
• Sat 26 Jan – 0900-1500: Boating Safety Class: meets all requirements of the Commonwealth of Virginia. NOTE: This class runs from 9 AM until 3 PM.
• Sat 2 Feb: First Aid at Sea & Dermatology Afloat: What you need to know in case someone who didn’t attend the boating safety class hits you, and a presentation by a Dermatologist regarding sun protection. Dr. Robin Garelick's power point presentation for this class is attached below.

Other classes on the schedule for 2013:

Classes are held on Saturday mornings in the “off-season” between January and April. However, we'll also have a few classes and some on-water training in the summer and fall. For the latest information on the class schedule, see the OPCYC Web Site or the current issue of the Helmsman. If you sign up for E-Notifications, you'll also get E-Mail updates before each class. To do this, go to OPCYC.org/dadamail, and sign up for PMU E-Mails.

Our instructors come from a wide variety of backgrounds, including OPCYC members with excellent credentials, and world-class sailors and subject-matter experts from outside the club. You could spend thousands of dollars and might have to travel some distance to get the kind of training you get for free at OPCYC’s Pointer Maritime University. All you need to do is show up.

For the past several years, classes were held in Building 75 at Ft. Monroe, but this building has now been rented out, so we're going to find a new venue. As of 1 December 2012, the venue is still up in the air - but I promise you, it will be resolved by 1 January.

Jeff Rogers Rear Commodore, Training 449-2931 s/v Halaha
Dick Beaver Training Captain 486-3176 s/v Ellen B

Class topics that have been presented by PMU in the past:

• Sailboat Design
• Boat Projects
• Marine Plumbing
• Troubleshooting
• All About Radar
• Marine Weather
• Man Overboard
• Nautical Knots
• Cruising Maine
• All About Props
• Fishing Offshore
• Blue Water Sailing
• Boat Maintenance
• Basic Racing Rules
• Going Up the Mast
• Cruising to Europe
• Diesel Maintenance
• Cruising Destinations
• Cruising to Bermuda
• Racing Rule Quizzes
• Safety on the Water
• Sail Maintenance
• Emergency First Aid
• Anchoring & Docking
• Cruising Traditions
• Going Down The ICW
• Boat Air Conditioning
• Advanced Racing Rules
• Winterizing Your Boat
• Seasickness Prevention
• “First Mate” Training
• Racing Rules at the Start
• Preparing to go Offshore
• Provisioning & Storage
• Communications Afloat
• Heavy Weather Sailing
• Racing at Yankee Station
• How Racing Handicap Rules Work
• Offshore Communications
• Navigation 101, 102, and 103
• Coast Guard Search & Rescue
• Sail Trim (with sailmaker)
• Dealing with Insurance Claims
• Intro to Celestial Navigation
• Watch Systems for long Cruises
• Painting Your Boat’s Bottom
• 12 Volt Boat Electrical Systems
• Electronic Navigation Aids
• Electronic Entertainment Afloat
• Getting the most out of your GPS
• Fiberglass & Gel Coat Repair: Class & Lab Work
• Tides and Currents - Theory and Practical Experience
• Traditional and Electronic Navigation