What is the United States Power Squadrons? Simply, the United States Power Squadrons (USPS) is a large boating club--a group of friends that have a common love of boating, an interest in becoming better boaters, a commitment to helping our community, and most of all having fun, safely, on the water.  USPS is a nationwide organization with just under 50,000 members, organized into 450 individual clubs or squadrons.  Our membership includes power-boaters, sail boaters, people without boats, people "between" boats, people who are interested in boats, and people who want to have friends who have boats.  Membership is very inexpensive, open to all ages, interests, and abilities, and requires nothing more than having taken a basic boating safety course. 

What is the core purpose of USPS and District? As the emblem to the left indicates, USPS has three main objectives, Education, Community Service, and enjoying the camaraderie of boating friends.  We belong to USPS because it's FUN!  Learning about boats and boating is fun; helping others in our boating community is fun; and "hanging out" with our boating friends is fun.  Our core purpose?  I'd say it's having FUN!

 How did USPS get started and why the strange name?  In the early 1900's, recreational boating was in its infancy in the US, and those who had boats tended to be wealthy gentlemen with wooden sailboats.  Such was the case in 1912 at the Boston Yacht Club, when one of their members, Roger Upton, and his friends were experimenting with and building the first motor-powered recreational boats.  Realizing that there was a lot that they didn't know, they formed a Power Boat club within the Yacht Club.  In those days before air forces, a small group of boats was often referred to as a "squadron."  Indeed, the British and US Navies referred to a small collection of combat vessels as squadrons.   So it was natural for Upton to name his group of fledgling power boaters, "The Power Squadron."  The group received considerable media notoriety, mainly because of their noisy gasoline engines putt-putting around the Boston harbor.  In 1913, over 70 separate power boat clubs and their owners met at the New York Yacht Club, formed a national organization, designed a flag, and named themselves the "United States Power Squadrons."  The USPS has just celebrated our 90th anniversary as "America's Boating Club."

 Does USPS have an association with the Navy or Coast Guard?  No formal association.   While in many forms USPS has agreements with and supports the Navy and US Coast Guard,  USPS started as and has always been a club of recreational boaters.  That said, USPS has played a significant role in US Naval history.  During World War I, the USPS offered, and then Secretary of the Navy, Franklin Delano Roosevelt accepted the offer to train Navy recruits for the Navy Coastal Defense.  Over 5000 such recruits were trained in everything from on-the-water safety to engine maintenance.  USPS played similar roles in WWII and many USPS members have served in the US Navy and Coast Guard.  As recently as July 2005, a District 17 squadron taught basic boating safety to the Naval Reserve.

 With Power in the name, is USPS just for power boaters?  No, over one third of the members in USPS own sailboats.  In fact, many USPS members own no boat at all, or at least none "yet."  Many members join USPS because of the wide range of courses offered, and with the expectation of learning enough to own and operate a boat properly and to becoming better boaters.  Many squadrons around the United States have included Sail in their name, just to recognize the importance of sailboats and sailors in the organization.  With squadrons in all 50 states, Puerto Rico, and Japan, USPS can legitimately call itself "America's Boating Club."

 So, what's a Power Squadron?  There are over 450 boating clubs scattered around the United States, Japan, and Puerto Rico, affiliated with the United States Power Squadrons.  Each squadron is independently organized and locally managed under a charter from the USPS.   Squadrons range in size from a few dozen members to several hundreds of power- and sail boaters in each local area who enjoy having fun on their boats, enjoying the camaraderie of boating friends, learning more about boating, and doing something to improve the boating environment around their area.  USPS District 17 boasts members with boats on virtually every lake, river, and coastal marina throughout the Southeast.  Members range in age from 17 to 97 and members boats range from Jet Skis to power yachts, day-sailors to coastal and world cruisers.  On almost any weekend, you can see our members rafted up, on the beach, or chatting together in the marina, flying our distinctive blue and white striped flag. 

OK, then what's the Dixie District?  The thirteen squadrons in the inland areas of Georgia, Alabama, Tennessee, and North Carolina make up District 17 of USPS.  We refer to ourselves as the Dixie District.  Because we all share in common boating areas, interests, and have friends throughout the Southeast, having a district organization gives us an excuse to get together, party, have fun, socialize, and boat together.  The Dixie District just celebrated our 50th anniversary in 2004, and we have over 1000 members.

 Tell me more about the courses available.  Each Squadron teaches the full spectrum USPS courses, ranging from introductory boating safety to 8 and16-week long in-depth classes.  Their Boat Smart class is an introduction to boat handling, safety equipment, rules of the road, and navigation.  Boat Smart is free and open to the public.  Boat Smart is approved by the National Association of Boating Law Administrators as the boating safety class required in many states.  Classes for members are likewise free and include Seamanship (an 8-week expanded Boat Smart), Coastal Piloting, Advanced Piloting, Introductory and Advanced Celestial ("Blue-water") Navigation, Engine Maintenance, Sailing, Marine Electronics, Weather, and Cruise Planning.  Specialty classes in GPS, on-the-water CPR, and basic chart reading are included.  USPS instructors are all certified and have extensive on-the-water experience that they bring to the classrooms.  The only cost for any of their classes are for the textbooks and materials, almost all of which were written by nationally recognized experts who are members of the USPS.

 Is the Power Squadron just about education?  Absolutely not!  The Power Squadrons are about having FUN!  While most of our members consider learning more about boats and boating as fun, each squadron's primary focus is on enjoying the close friendships of being with others who are passionate about boats, boating, and being on the water.   Most Squadrons have monthly dinner meetings with boating-related speakers, monthly on-the-water events ranging from raft-ups to beach parties, and "high adventure" boating trips each year, semi-formal holiday dinner-dances, and a formal Change of Watch.  Obviously the subjects around the tables are heavily about boats, boating, who went where, on what boat, and the experiences that we have shared.

 What kind of speakers?  Everything from "How to buy a boat," and the "Latest in Marine Electronics," to the horror stories of a TowBoat operator.  Several speakers have talked about cruising adventures, "The Panama Canal," "The Bahamas in a 25' Sloop," Geology from the perspective of a boat on Lake Powell," and "The Great Loop."  The authors of the cruising guides for the Tennessee and Cumberland Rivers, and the Intracoastal Waterway are frequent guest speakers.  Even famous recording artists come to sing about sailing.  The range and experience of speakers is almost unlimited, but their subjects always come back to boats, the water, and how we can enjoy them more. 

 Public Service?  All good boaters try to be good stewards of the lakes and rivers around us and good neighbors to other boaters. USPS strives to help by offering free Vessel Safety Checks to anyone interested.  Essentially we will send a specially trained inspector to go over your boat looking for missing or malfunctioning safety items and offering safety tips.  If your boat passes, we'll attach a sticker indicating to all who pass by that you cared enough to have your boat inspected, but if it fails the only report goes to the owner.  No report ever goes to the DNR or Coast Guard, and the inspection report is even good for a discount at most marine stores.  We've found leaking fuel lines, crushed and malfunctioning bilge blowers, burned out running lights, boat registrations that don't match the boat, and dangerously damaged flame arresters.  All for free, and we'll even teach you to be an inspector if you're interested.

Would I feel a part of USPS?  USPS is an amazingly eclectic group.  Members include businessmen, accountants, doctors, dentists, computer wizards, salesmen, mechanics, homemakers, bankers, fishermen, cruisers, working, retired, young, old and just plain folks; but they all have one thing in common--they love boats and being on the water.  Don't have a boat, or your boat isn't in the area?  Don't worry--we always have room and are anxious to have friends come along.  Want to go on the Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway or Tennessee River trip, but can't trailer your boat?  Don't worry--we'll always accommodate you.  Boating is always more fun when you have friends come along and these people know how to make you feel welcome.

 What about women?  Some of the best sailors in the world are women, and so are some of the best engine mechanics.  USPS is no different.  Women are welcome and often serve at all positions including Commander.  Last year's D-17 District commander was a well-respected and much-appreciated lady, and several squadrons have female commanders and active committee chairs.  Some squadrons even have "women's day on the lake" where the men are left on the dock while the women take the boats and enjoy a day together.  In fact, USPS is rare among civic organizations in that men and women serve equally in virtually all regards.

 How do I find out more?  USPS keeps a very thorough web site at http://www.usps.org and most squadrons have a sites as well. Click here to locate a squadron near your home, or click here to send an e-mail to a District Officer and we'll help find you a boating home.  Or simply watch for someone on a boat with a distinctive blue and white striped USPS flag.  Ask them if they are a member of "America's Boating Club."