On-The-Water Education
Overview
Prepared for
USPS Fall Governing Board – 2008
Presentation/Article Authored by Tom Alley, SN
Seneca, NY Power Squadron
District 6
Detroit – 5 September 2008
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OTW Overview
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Prolog: Why? … Why Not?
• Driver Education: Classroom and “Behind-theWheel”
• Airplane Pilots: “Ground School” and “Flight
School”
• USPS Boaters: “Classroom” and…. what?
• Why not?...no reasons, only issues to be
worked on and resolved!
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The Overview
• Basics of On The Water (OTW) Education
• Planning an OTW Class
• Executing/Modifying the Plan
• OTW Education Issues and Current Status
• Futures ?
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Why Bother?
• It’s more work.
• Logistics take longer to organize.
• More instructors are needed.
• Need boats & willing boat owners.
• But……It’s all worth it!!!
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Because…
• Students really want hands-on education;
there will be a direct tie to Boater Certification!
• USPS is positioned to deliver it Nationally.
• There is no competition (yet) on a national
scale. OTW can really set us apart!
• It offers a tangible opportunity to attract new
members with real boating interests!!!
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AND Proven Results
• Not new! Niagara Squadron has been doing for
10 years! Seneca, 3 years – many others in
some form
• Seneca Squadron has a waiting list for
classes!
• Seneca Squadron membership is UP! Way up!
– Mid-2006 - 68 members (+12% over prior year)
– May 2007 - 82 members (+20% over prior year)
– Now - ~100 members (65%+ GROWTH in 3 yrs.)
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Today’s Objectives
• Familiarize you with the steps needed to
organize OTW training classes.
• Share with you what has worked at the Niagara
and Seneca Squadrons.
• Raise issues and concerns to a larger
audience so as to discuss and identify
solutions.
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Planning the OTW Class
• Determine the class size
• Considerations for lesson plans
• Class schedules
• Marketing & advertising
• Instructor coordination
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Class Size
• Basic factors:
– Number of boats available
– Number of instructors available
• Each boat will need (at least) one instructor
• Boat type and variety (power/sail/cruiser/sport)
• Seneca/National experience: Number of
instructors is usually the limiting factor
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Lesson Plans
• Lead instructor defines lesson plans and
course schedule
• An on boat show-do format is best
• Boat education is event-driven
• Keep lesson plans flexible
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Lesson Plans (con’d)
• Maximize on boat time to permit seeing and
doing – then let the book present the details
• Leave time to cover Navigation Rules and
other important peripheral subjects
• Leave time for repetition so all students can try
what is being taught
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Boat Class Schedules
• Time is limited
– Daylight hours (when taught in evenings)
– Boating season (especially in the North)
– Availability of volunteer boat owners
• Intense competition for students and
instructors leisure time, especially during
boating season
• Want younger members? Remember that most
have jobs - this limits scheduling options
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Marketing OTW Education
• Price the class carefully
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SEO and Treasurer need to work closely
Identify “hidden” costs, overhead, burdens
100%-200% markup is not unreasonable
Don’t overlook remaining competitive
• Sell the benefits of the student’s time and $
investment in On The Water Training:
– Be up front about cost & expectations
– Don’t be afraid to make the course intensive, say so
up front, and sell the payoff for the student
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Instructor Coordination
• Multiple boats & multiple instructors make
coordination important & challenging
• Synchronized lesson presentations important
• Diverse teaching/presentation methods among
instructors are encouraged
• Coordinate content and style! – Style
variations OK and have been well received
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Executing the Plan
• Overall guidelines:
– Continuing and thorough communication enhances
student understanding, comfort and involvement
– You can’t communicate too much
• Have a face-to-face meeting with all
instructors:
– Review lesson plan & philosophy - get everyone
synchronized
– Provide a checklist of “must-cover” topics
– Tell instructors WHAT to teach, but now HOW
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Execution (con’d)
• Student communications:
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Begin 2-3 weeks before class
Tell them what to expect
Tell them what is expected
What should they bring?
What shouldn’t they bring?
– Mention boating etiquette and how to be
considerate of the owners volunteering their
vessels
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Execution (con’d)
• Regular class sessions
– Need overall, consistent structure
– Meet at a common space, not on the boats
• Once on the boats…
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Quick homework review
Short Q&A session
Topic-of-the-Day (mini-lecture)
Head out to sea!
Or go to sea first if daylight is limited
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Execution (con’d)
• Conduct an “Orientation Night” 1 week prior to
class – Plan to use this time effectively to:
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Hand out books, collect fees, etc
Introduce instructors
Have students introduce themselves
Organize students into crews
Allow students to “tour” boats
Provide basic safety orientation for each boat
Give students encouragement and a head start on
reading & homework assignments
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OTW Training Issues
• Liability
• Operational Expense
• Boater Reimbursement
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Liability Coverage
• No question some risk exists:
– National USPS coverage only recently well defined:
• “As soon as someone steps aboard a boat for USPS
instruction the new USPS hull and liability insurance kicks
in and we are covered”
– Needs to be communicated by National HQ
– Needs to be clarified and updated if Boater
Certification Program and expanded OTW Education
Courses and Seminars are to be successful
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Operational Expenses
• Operational expenses:
– Finding people to volunteer time plus many $$$ of
boat fuel is hard!
– Need a fair, consistent and easily administered
process if squadrons elect to reimburse
– Be ready to address simple breakage and/or loss
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Boater Reimbusement
• Reimbursement ideas…
– Direct reimbursement
– Proportional reimbursement
– Formalized donation
– Hybrid - some combination of the above and/or
other unique approaches
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Remember
• OTW education is in demand
• OTW instruction offers a unique opportunity to
rebuild membership and enthusiasm in USPS
• The time to act is limited!
• Student feedback is overwhelmingly positive
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Futures
• Full report of OTW activities was submitted to
the Governing Board for review:
– Download a copy of the report
• http://seo.SenecaPowerSquadron.US
• User Name: d6seo
• Password: educate
• Education Department is actively pursuing
right approach to further disseminate this
information
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Briefer’s Personal
Observations
• Attended pre-brief and 2 hr. OTW Class
• Students on-time, attentive and enthused
• Lesson plan and preparation effort pays off
• Numerous opportunities for other subjects
• Clearly a different environment, atmosphere
and student involvement from the classroom
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Challenge to your
Squadron(s)
• When the opportunity arises:
– Attend and observe an OTW class
– Improve upon the methods suggested here
– Jump in and teach your own OTW class!
– Share what you learn about OTW Education!
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Summary
• On water instruction has difficult challenges,
but can be enjoyable and fun!
• OTW students become enthusiastic and get
more involved in Squadron activities sooner
• PAYOFF:
– More active members…real boaters!
– Our USPS increasingly serves the interested and
developing boater, grows, and becomes a stronger
organized advocate for all boating interests!
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“Boating is Fun…We’ll Show
You How”
WHAT BETTER WAY THAN ON A
BOAT WITH EXPERIENCED
BOATERS????