PowerSquadron and/or P.C.O.C...?

[brickNblock]

Morning folks.

I spoke with my insurance company yesterday and inquired into whether or not I'd get a discount for having the PleasureCraftOperatorCard. They informed me that YES, there is a discount but only if you've the PowerSquadronCard.

To my knowledge...only the PCOC will be required come 2009 by all.

If you've the PSC would that suffice over the mandated PCOC..?

[Woodsman]

brickNblock: Let me try to answer your question. I have both the Canadian Power & Sail Squadron PCOC and Membership cards. The PCOC is the proof of competency required under federal regulations. The PSC card you refer to is likely a membership card of the Canadian Power & Sail Squadrons. This doesn't replace or equal the PCOC. The insurance discount your are referring to is most likely a member benefit for members of the Canadian Power & Sail Squadrons. I received my membership in the Canadian Power & Sail Squadrons by getting my PCOC through them.

Possibly your insurance company may mean they will only recognize Canadian Power & Sail Squadron PCOC as far as insurance discounts go. Ask your insurance company which is the case.

 

Best Wishes: Rick

Edited April 16, 2008 by Woodsman

[POLLIWOGG]

You won't get a discount with the pcoc card because everybody needs one and they practically hand them out.

 

To get a discount you will have to do the CPS or equivalent of the basic boating coarse and thats usually 12 nights at 4hrs. a night and a really nice exam at the end with a pass rate of 25%. It used to be 80% but they wimped it down to gov. standards.

 

It used to be that you couldn't be a member without that coarse but now you can get an associate membership with the CPS Boat Pro (pcoc) coarse. Thats 8 hrs. and 50 question test for a pcoc thats good in Ca. and US.

 

If you can weasel a discount with the 8hr coarse, good luck but I doubt it.

 

You might get more discounts with each additional advanced coarse as well especially with the CPS insurer we have for our members. They should have a list of discounts available for having sonar, radar , alarm system........

[Sinker]

To get a discount you will have to do the CPS or equivalent of the basic boating coarse and thats usually 12 nights at 4hrs. a night and a really nice exam at the end with a pass rate of 25%. It used to be 80% but they wimped it down to gov. standards.

 

How much will it set me back to take this? Is it really worth it? Am I going to learn anything I don't already know, or is it just a joke course like the boat cards? I'd like to take some sort of boating course, but I don't want to waste my $ on another cash grab.......

 

Not trying to hijack your thread here B&B.......just thought I"d ask while we were on about the topic....

 

Sinker

[irishfield]

I can't remember which.... but I was told I'd get either 5 or 10% off my Sun Alliance First Mate policy if I had proof of PSC course.

[Sinker]

I can't remember which.... but I was told I'd get either 5 or 10% off my Sun Alliance First Mate policy if I had proof of PSC course.

 

But will you learn anything by having it? I'm not looking for a break in my insurance......mine is dirt cheap anyways.

 

Sinker

[POLLIWOGG]

www.cps-ecp.ca

 

I was looking for a coarse break down on the site but its not very detailed.

 

From my old coarse book, its changed a bit since.

sections broken into smaller sections

1. Vessel Identification

2. Power boat handling 13 sections ..

3. sailboat handling 9 sections

4. Gov. Regs 11 sections collision regs (you get the book) equipment lights , steering rules ...etc

5. charts 11 sections

6. aids to navigation 5 sections buoys , lights....

7. elementary plotting and calculations 14 sections

8. compass 9 sections Know how to swing your compass?

9. bearings 10 sections if you don't know what collision bearings are you should take this coarse.

10 fixes 8 sections

11. seamanship and emergencies 11 sections PFDs , hypothermia, fire, refuelling....

12 . safety 7 sections towing a vessel, trailering , canoeing, electrical hazards...

13. lines 6 sections about ropes

14 canals and tides

15. anchoring 10 sections how they work, how to make them work better.

16 weather 10 sections

17 manners and customs

 

This generally takes 12 nights at one or two nights a week and its not that easy, you'll learn something and you can advance all the way to celestial navigation if you need a challenge.

Cost may vary due to cost of renting a room usually around $180..

 

I took the basic boating coarse when I started salmon fishing in large packs of boats that had some ridiculous ideas about right of way, so I wanted to do it right. I followed up with marine maintenance, piloting, VHF, weather, instructors and a boat courtesy check coarse. Taking the courses is a lot of fun and your local squadron can be whatever the members make it, some are very active and some could be.

 

The weather course is fantastic, well worth every penny, we had an instructor from CFB Trenton and he was great.

 

 

I would never join a club that would have me as a member! well I broke the rule....

 

 

Commander Prince Edward Power And Sail Squadron

[Sinker]

Thanks for the info Polliwog. Thats just the kind of breakdown I was looking for! Your right, the website doesn't have very much detail.

 

Sounds like its worth looking into!

 

Sinker

[brickNblock]

Thankyou everyone.

Polliwog.that was pretty deffinitive..T-Y

Maybe down the road I'll get in involved with the pwerSquadron coarse but not for now.

I'll be doing the regular p;leasureCraftOperator on-line and leave it at that.

I spoke with my mother last night..both my folks have their powerSquadron and Mom also has a separate Navigator license......Well, they are in their mid/late '70's now and dont get out as much as theyd like but every now and then.

Again, thanks for everyones imput..

 

PS. No probs Sinker.