America’s Boating Club®
United States Power Squadron®
For Boaters, By Boaters®
The Nautical Mile has been my go-to magazine for the best article about fishing on the Gulf coast. I first started reading the magazine back in 2011 while visiting Florida. After moving to Lee County in 2017 the Nautical Mile became my favorite boating/fishing publication as it featured local writers.
In 2018 I started teaching boating classes for the Cape Coral Sail and Power Squadron and writing articles to promote the activities of the club. Most of the students had moved to Florida with years of boating experience on inland lakes and rivers. They were shocked by how crowded our waters were and realized they needed to learn more about our waters and boating in general.
With encouragement and help of Bob Moro, another writer for the Nautical Mile, I started writing regular columns. These columns focus mainly on boating safely with an occasional look at some local history.
This wouldn’t have happened if I had not joined the local chapter of the America’s Boating Club®|United States Power Squadron® (ABC | USPS). As a member I was able to take skills that I learned in my professional life and repurpose them in retirement. Joining a volunteer organization can truly be incredibly rewarding!
There are many benefits of volunteering, especially for those of us that have recently retired, including providing:
Sense of Purpose: Volunteering offers a meaningful way to contribute to your community and make a difference in people's lives.
Community Connection: It helps you feel more connected to your community and fosters a sense of belonging.
Social Opportunities: You’ll meet new people and make friends who share similar interests and values.
Skill Development: Volunteering can help you learn new skills or enhance existing ones, which can be beneficial for personal and professional growth.
Mental Health Benefits: Engaging in volunteer work can reduce stress and increase feelings of happiness and fulfillment.
ABC | USPS organization was founded in 1914 and grew out of a desire to create a club for the growing population of powerboat to call their own. Up until that time boating clubs were made up of members who owned and likely raced sailing yachts.
The founders had three reasons they felt the club was important, “first, improvement in navigating ability of power-boat owners; second, promotion of acquaintance and social intercourse by the power-boat owners; third, the fitting of power-boat owners to be of possible use to the Navy in time of war so that they might be received as volunteers should they so desire.” Simply put they are education, social activities, and community service.
Nationally there are over 260 clubs in 36 states and 2 U.S. territories with over 14,000 members. Here in Florida, you will find 32 clubs and over 2,500 members. The national organization provides the local clubs with support for each of these pillars. Clubs are free to choose take part in activities that fit the needs of the local boaters.
Under the education pillar the club offers America's Boating Course, an introductory course to boating basics. Think of it as “boating 101” as it provided the foundational knowledge necessary for all boaters.
The club offers are another 13 advanced and elective courses that build on the basics. In addition, there is another 20 plus seminars available for the clubs to offer to their members and the public.
America's Boating Course is approved by the National Association of State Boating Law Administrators and the State of Florida. This means graduates receive a Boating Education I.D. Card that is valid in all the states that require boat operators to take a basic boating course.
Local clubs offer various community service activities and may include a Lifejacket Loaner Program, Vessel Safety Examinations, and a navigation aid monitoring program. Some clubs support the local Sea Scout activities as they prepare for their annual sailing adventure.
Social activities are designed to cater to the needs of the local club and here in Florida your local club may have a “Weekenders” group that travels to waterfront establishments and is a great way to learn the local waters. Some have kayaking, sailing, and cruise and rendezvous groups that explore more distant destinations.
The national website has a search feature making it easy to find a club across the country, https://americasboatingclub.org. The clubs are organized into districts and in Florida there are four regional districts. Each district has a website with information about the district activities and links to the area’s member clubs.
Northeast Florida clubs are in District 23, www.usps.org/index.php/sds-home
Southeast Florida clubs are in District 8, www.uspsd8orabcseflorida.godaddysites.com
Southwest Florida clubs are in District 22, www.americasboatingclub-d22.org
Northwest Florida clubs are in District 15, www.usps.org/localusps/d15/D15_Squadrons2.htm
If you are looking for local boating information or are interested in joining a local club reach out the local club Commander for more information.
Stay safe on the water!
Thomas E. Dawson
Cape Coral, Florida
Tomas E. Dawson has been teaching safe boating at the Cape Coral Sail and Power Squadron in SW Florida since 2018. Dawson developed and is teaching a local waters seminar that discusses boating in Lee County. The seminar is offered during snow-bird season starting again on October14th. You reserve your seat by signing up for the seminar on line at ccsaps.org. Clicking on the Events/Seminars button to find all upcoming dates and signup. A book based on the seminar, “Barret Bonden’s Local Knowledge Recommended” is available on Amazon along with i WSn Thomas E. Dawson has been teaching safe boating at the Cape Coral Sail and Power Squadron isince 2018. Dawson developed and is teaching a local waters seminar that discusses boating in Lee County. The seminar is offered during snow-bird season starting again on October14th. You reserve your seat by signing up for the seminar on line at ccsaps.org. Clicking on the Events/Seminars button to find all upcoming dates and signup. A book based on the seminar, “Barret Bonden’s Local Knowledge Recommended” is available on Amazon along with i WSn Thomas E. Dawson has been teaching safe boating at the Cape Coral Sail and Power Squadron isince 2018. Dawson developed and is teaching a local waters seminar that discusses boating in Lee County. The seminar is offered during snow-bird season starting again on October14th. You reserve your seat by signing up for the seminar on line at ccsaps.org. Clicking on the Events/Seminars button to find all upcoming dates and signup. A book based on the seminar, “Barret Bonden’s Local Knowledge Recommended” is available on Amazon along with “Safe Boating in Southwest Florida, Cape Coral Edition.”
