[UPDATED FOR 2025]
While a classroom is a great place to acquire knowledge, some skills are best learned through on-the-water experience. As midshipmen put their classroom instruction to practical use, these lessons are reinforced and retained more effectively. While topics like navigation and seamanship may begin with textbooks and lectures, true mastery comes through immersive, real-world training.
The Yard Patrol Program: A Hands-On Maritime Training Ground
The United States Naval Academy’s Yard Patrol (YP) Squadron plays a crucial role in at-sea training for midshipmen, providing a realistic environment under the guidance of experienced mentors. This specialized program helps participants develop expertise in seamanship, navigation, naval tactics, communications, naval phraseology, and standardized procedures. The training midshipmen receive aboard the YP fleet is an essential early step in their journey toward earning an officer of the deck (OOD) qualification and ultimately commanding at sea within the larger Fleet.
Related: Plebe Summer: Learning the Ropes in Navy Sailing
The USNA Summer Training Experience: Aboard the Yard Patrol Fleet
Throughout the USNA summer training period, the Atlantic Professional Afloat Training (LANTPAT) program provides midshipmen, ROTC members, and international students with hands-on instruction in seamanship, navigation, and engineering. This immersive experience, known as the Naval Academy YP Summer Cruise, allows students to apply their skills in an operational setting. Not only do they gain essential at-sea training, they also develop the leadership qualities necessary to become effective naval officers.
The Three Phases of Instruction
LANTPAT’s training program unfolds in three structured phases to ensure midshipmen build a strong foundation before setting sail on longer deployments.
Phase One: The Basics
The first phase introduces students to shipboard roles and responsibilities and fundamental navigation concepts, including chart plotting, standard command, and maritime rules of the sea. This instruction takes place in classrooms, ship simulators, and aboard docked YPs.
Phase Two: Hands-On Training
The second phase transitions from theory to practice, as the YP crafts become floating classrooms. Here, midshipmen familiarize themselves with ship operations and safety-related skills such as egress, damage control, sea survival, and man-overboard drills. By the end of this phase, they must demonstrate their proficiency in readiness and operational procedures to the chain of command.
Phase Three: The Deployment
The final phase brings together all previously acquired skills in a real-world scenario. Midshipmen take the YPs underway for an extended cruise, responsible for full ship operations while deployed to locations such as Boston, Philadelphia, New York, Norfolk, and Newport before returning to Annapolis.
Out at Sea: Real-World Experience
During the Naval Academy YP Summer Cruise, midshipmen must fill critical shipboard roles, including navigator, executive officer, and commanding officer. These demanding billets challenge them to apply critical thinking, problem-solving, and leadership skills in real time. The YP Summer Cruise fosters an environment where midshipmen can make mistakes and, most importantly, learn from them.
Beyond the training, the underway period allows students to enjoy port visits and engage with local communities. When pierside, midshipmen may offer guided Annapolis tours of the YPs, educating the public about their duties, ship operations, and life at the Naval Academy.
Related: The History of the USNA Robert Crown Sailing Center
Watch the Training in Action
LANTPAT’s program provides midshipmen with invaluable maritime officer training, giving them small-unit leadership experience in a dynamic naval environment. Available to all midshipmen beginning with their 3rd class summer (after plebe year), the YP Summer Cruises take place in three-week-long blocks throughout the summer training period.
If you visit Annapolis during the summer, keep an eye out for these training vessels out on the water. We take great pride in hosting an exceptional training fleet in this historic and scenic maritime hub.
Experience Annapolis Firsthand
Planning a trip to Annapolis? Don’t miss the chance to explore the city’s rich naval history! Take a USNA tour, enjoy a meal in our excellent Yard restaurants, and browse for a keepsake at our gift shops. Proceeds support the Brigade of Midshipmen’s extracurricular activities, including the arts, music, theater, and club sports that foster camaraderie, teamwork and fun.
So what are you waiting for? Come set sail in Annapolis today and see the future naval officers in action now!
