Back in February of this year, the US Power Squadron Board of
Governors voted by more than the required 2/3 majority to make a
temporary change in the by-laws of the organization.

For a three year period of time, USPS is waiving the requirement that
new members first pass a basic boating course. Compliance by
individual squadrons is voluntary, in other words a local squadron
*may* elect to admit persons who have not passed a basic course but
are not *required* to do so.

Perhaps this temporary suspension of the basic boating course
requirement is intended to attract more experienced boaters to the
Squadrons- folks who would not usually be inclined to sit through a
"this is starboard, that's port, and don't forget it's red-right-
returning" level course.

Boating organizations of all types are struggling to maintain
membership.
It will be interesting to see whether the USPS change merely "lowers
the bar" and attracts a greater number of unqualified screwballs to
the group or if it results in recruiting a batch of boaters who will
benefit from the navigating and other more advanced courses but
previously felt unwilling to "start over" just to join the USPS.

On Jun 28, 11:14 am, Chuck Gould wrote:
Back in February of this year, the US Power Squadron Board of
Governors voted by more than the required 2/3 majority to make a
temporary change in the by-laws of the organization.

For a three year period of time, USPS is waiving the requirement that
new members first pass a basic boating course. Compliance by
individual squadrons is voluntary, in other words a local squadron
*may* elect to admit persons who have not passed a basic course but
are not *required* to do so.

Perhaps this temporary suspension of the basic boating course
requirement is intended to attract more experienced boaters to the
Squadrons- folks who would not usually be inclined to sit through a
"this is starboard, that's port, and don't forget it's red-right-
returning" level course.

Boating organizations of all types are struggling to maintain
membership.
It will be interesting to see whether the USPS change merely "lowers
the bar" and attracts a greater number of unqualified screwballs to
the group or if it results in recruiting a batch of boaters who will
benefit from the navigating and other more advanced courses but
previously felt unwilling to "start over" just to join the USPS.

I vote they come up with new initials. USPS means United States
Postal Service to the rest of the world.

Around here they seem to be predominately made up of retired, nosy
geezers that have too much time on their hands. You would think with
us baby boomers retiring in droves their embership would be on the
rise. I'm pretty sure boat ownership is climbing.