Spring 2013 Ensign - Tampa Power Squadron
Transcription
Spring 2013 Ensign - Tampa Power Squadron
M a g a z i n e o f t h e U n i te d S t a te s P owe r S q u a d ro n s ® Ensign the ® BOATING EDUCATION, FUN AND SAFETY Summer 2013 theensign.org Lake Huron Lights PLUS Shock at the dock Skills event mixes fun, learning Muskingum River cruise 01C1_COVER_Ensign_SUM2013nobox.indd 1 6/10/2013 9:45:46 AM Ship’s Store Stock up on summertime favorites. Pin it on This 1.25-inch USPS 100th anniversary pin features three colors on soft enamel with shiny silver plating and a butterfly clutch back. $10 Let your flag fly The official USPS 100th anniversary ensign is perfect for proclaiming your membership in the world’s finest recreational boating organization. The 12-by-18-inch heavy-duty canvas flag has embroidered details. Get one for your own boat and one for a friend. $30 True blue The key master Hats off This USPS key chain features brass hardware and a blue ribbon on khaki webbing with the USPS ensign proudly displayed. $6 Made of 100 percent cotton, this adjustable black cap features the USPS 100th anniversary logo. $13 This poly-cotton navy blue men’s polo features a flat-knit collar and cuffs, matching buttons, side vents, a front pocket, and double-needle armhole seams and hem. (S–2XL) $27–$28 To order, call 888-367-8777 ext. 0 or visit www.shopusps.org for more great deals. 02_ShipsStore_Ensign_SUM13.indd 2 5/29/2013 2:47:32 PM contents Bridge 4 Soundings 5 Provisions 6 Currents 7 V/C Gary Cheney, SN Boating Gone Bad 10 Scorecard 12 Shipshape 13 Ship’s Library 17 Stargazer 25 Destinations 30 Waypoints 32 Last Horizon 38 Classifieds 40 Bitter End 41 Garmin GPSMAP 541s sounder/chart plotter Puny bilge pumps, trim tips and more Ohio’s Muskingum River Cape Hatteras Light, Transom tales & more Stem to Stern 43 Ensign the Vol. 101 No. 3 SUMMER 2013 18 18 Lake Huron Lights Two USPS members take to the shores of Michigan to explore the state’s many historic lighthouses. 22 28 22 SeaSkills Created to bridge the gap between taking classes and getting on the water, SeaSkills makes boating safety fun for new members. 28 The Mighty Mackinaw As queen of the Great Lakes, this icebreaker was an unstoppable force and a formidable tool in America’s WWII efforts. Cover photo: istockphoto by Michael Westhoff THE ENSIGN (ISSN 0744-3129) (ISSN 1949-2294 online) is published four times per year by United States Power Squadrons, a nonprofit corporation located at 1504 Blue Ridge Road, Raleigh, NC 27607-3906. Periodicals postage paid at Raleigh, N.C., and additional mailing offices. Subscriptions are $15 annually. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to THE ENSIGN, P.O. Box 31664, Raleigh, NC 27622-1664. Copyright © 2013 United States Power Squadrons The Ensign magazine is printed using soy-based inks on paper certified by the Rainforest Alliance to comply with Forest Stewardship Council™ standards. Summer 2013 The Ensign 03_TOC_Ensign_SUM2013fsc.indd 3 3 6/10/2013 9:49:53 AM I Bridge I Follow the money U SPS is putting the finishing touches on the final 2014 budget now. It’s a difficult process. There’s a lot we’d like to do and not enough money to go around. The Finance Committee, the Budget Committee, the national officers and headquarters staff spend a lot of time trying to figure out how to achieve the best results and the most benefits with the resources at hand. I think now’s a good time to look at our 2014 budget and highlight where the payback is for us, the members. Here are some of our major expenses: Insurance coverage comprises nine separate policies V/C Gary Cheney, SN that cover virtually all possible mishaps. Of special National Treasurer interest to members is liability coverage for everyone engaged in squadron activities, especially officers and instructors. We have a special policy to cover on-the-water training, Water Trainer and the truck that pulls it. What does all this cost? About $140,000 a year. The Ensign magazine, the USPS Compass, the Monthly Blast and our social media sites are the heart of our communication throughout USPS. Not only do they keep us up to date on current activities, but they also provide a platform for telling the stories about notable squadron, district and national activities. Although we have a small amount of advertising support, we spend about $230,000 a year on USPS communications. Travel expense reimbursement is available to, at last count, 165 national officers, including district commanders and district educational officers. The majority is for national meetings, but sending chief commander’s representatives to district conferences and delegates to other meetings like NASBLA and IBWSS comprises a significant and necessary part of the budget. Even though reimbursements cover only a portion of the actual expenses, travel costs about $358,000 a year. Headquarters/member services. Our headquarters devotes staff and facilities to maintain member records and provide support for a wide variety of projects and initiatives. The national directory, grants administration, accounting, the USPS website, information database, Ship’s Store, warehousing, purchasing, BullEx fire extinguisher simulators and more provide tremendous value to members at a cost of about $500,000 a year—less than $13 a year for each member including the computer systems to manage it. Headquarters/education. Similarly, a large portion of the headquarters staff and facilities support our educational programs. All educational records for members and non-members are maintained, stored, and made available to members and squadrons upon request. Headquarters maintains our course inventory and processes educational orders. The ABC website is an important part of our public education efforts and is supported by headquarters staff as well as the computer systems to manage all of the education activities. What does education cost? Again, about $500,000 a year. Many smaller expenses add up to about $250,000. We get a lot for our money, and by leveraging our expenses through our many volunteers, we get tremendous value as well.B 4 The Ensign Summer 2013 04_Bridge_Ensign_SUM13.indd 4 Ensign the Publications Director Yvonne Hill Senior Editor Amy Townsend Assistant Editor Tina Tibbitts Art Director Simone Tieber Designer Jason Lowsy Regular Contributors Larry Byrd, C. Henry Depew, Don Dunlap, Charlie Feldschau, Craig Grosby, Arnold Medalen, Dave Osmolski, Gates Richards, Burrage Warner, Bob Zimmerman Email [email protected] Phone 888-367-8777 Advertising Sales Yvonne Hill 888-367-8777 x226 [email protected] USPS HEADQUARTERS 888-367-8777 Dial “0” for customer service. [email protected] Fax 888-304-0813 M–F 0800-1630 Eastern United States Power Squadrons P.O. Box 30423 Raleigh, NC 27622 Employee Directory theensign.org/hqstaff.htm Submissions may be sent to The Ensign, P.O. Box 31664, Raleigh, NC 27622-1664 or [email protected]. The editor reserves the right to edit and modify materials in a style that best serves the needs of The Ensign. Articles, opinions and advertisements do not reflect USPS policy or endorsement unless so designated. Projects described in The Ensign may be based on copyrighted or patented plans or descriptions that require permission for use or reproduction. 6/6/2013 9:09:19 AM I Soundings I M a g a z i n e o f t h e U n i te d S t a te s P owe r S q u a d ro n s I had always been into fishing, but only from the bank. When I moved out West, the people I fished with all had boats; we caught some really big fish from those boats, and the next thing I knew, a boat followed me home and is now ensconced in my driveway. When it needed a safety inspection, Past District Commander John McCoy showed up, and the rest is history. So how do we get others interested in boating? The bottom line is we have to help generate that initial interest. Most of us aren’t going to start an activity, particularly one that requires real knowledge to do it safely, without being introduced to the activity by a current maven. A few weeks ago, I was at the dock when a young fellow came over and asked directions to make sure he was at the correct park. Having made it to the right destination, he thanked me and was on his way. A short time later, he returned with a half-dozen others, all members of a church youth group picnicking in the park. We got to talking, and it turned out that not a single one had ever been on a boat. ® Ensign the ® Spring 2013 BOATING EDUCATION, FUN AND SAFETY theensign.org Top shots PLUS Exploring Grand Turk Weather turnaround Magnetic solution This letter has been long in coming. Receiving The Ensign is one of the big pluses, among many, of being a member of USPS. Thank you for continuing to offer the print edition. I pick up and put down (or not) my copy many times. My favorite features are the Stargazer (fabulous calendar of celestial events), book reviews and product reviews. (“Get a Grip” was excellent.) I also appreciate the recognition of members who have contributed above and beyond. USPS has a lot of talent to draw upon. What prompted me to write this time, however, was the Bitter End article on the sunstone. I will be sailing in Norway this summer, and by darn, I want one of these stones! Thanks, these little gems of information lead me to appreciate The Ensign above and beyond. –Mary Ann DeGraw SPREAD THE WORD People who decide to join USPS do so because, first of all, they’re interested in boating. How did you get interested in boating? For some of us, it was a family activity. Others went boating with acquaintances and found out how much fun it was. Something got us out on the water, and we didn’t want to come back. –Steve Gatton © E L M S C H R AT/ W I K I M E D I A CO M M O N S /CC - BY- S A- 3 . 0/G F D L ABOVE AND BEYOND The next thing you know, I split the group in two, and took each group out for a quick spin. You should have seen the grins on their faces. They thanked me profusely, offered me gas money (no, thanks), asked me to join them for dinner (no, thanks, dinner was waiting at home) and asked more questions than even I could answer. Maybe in the future one or two of these kids will think about getting into a water-based activity, joining the Navy or Coast Guard, becoming a boater, or joining USPS. Now I don’t advocate hanging out on docks, trolling for someone to take for a ride, but I do suggest that USPS members talk up our wonderful activity. In addition to talking about boating and USPS membership, we need to wear a lapel pin, put a sticker on our vehicles and fly the USPS ensign when we’re on the water. USPS has been the best-kept secret for way too long, and we need to share our boating and experiences with others. We’ve got to get the word out because it won’t get out on its own. LOCATION, LOCATION In your article, “25 years and counting,” (Spring 2013, p. 30) you place the African Queen in Naples, Fla. The picture shown is of the Queen’s home in Key Largo, Fla., at the Holiday Inn. For many years I worked as captain on a sailboat docked next to it. I also enjoyed the acquaintance (and an occasional lunch—a hotdog) with its owner, Capt. Jim (now deceased). –Albert J. Kurtz III Summer 2013 The Ensign 05_Soundings_Ensign_SUM2013.indd 5 5 6/6/2013 9:11:02 AM I Provisions I Light it up Shine on The Accon Marine Telescoping LED Bow Light enables owners to position the light at any height. This solid 316 stainless steel deck-mounted light pulls up high enough to clear the trolling motor and can be mounted farther back than conventional deckmounted lights. It folds flush when not in use and features built-in surge protection. With the Shurhold Dual Action Polisher, even less-experienced users can achieve the same high-gloss professional finish that pros do with rotary buffer-polishers. The polisher comes in a canvas storage bag and features quick-change pads with Velcro backing, a ground fault circuit interrupter, and a 20-foot power cord. Shurhold Dual Action Polisher $160 shurhold.com Accon Marine Telescoping LED Bow Light Starting at $420.14 acconmarine.com Attractive antenna The Shakespeare 5218 VHF antenna has a one-piece design and mounts firmly with a strong magnetic base. The 19-inch black stainless steel VHF whip antenna comes with 15 feet of RG-58 AU coax cable and a PL-259 connector to further simplify installation. Shakespeare Electronic Products Group 5218 VHF Antenna $83.95 shakespeare-antennas.com 6 The Ensign Take charge Powermania Turbo M220 Battery Charger $199 powermaniausa.com Waterproof, corrosion- and shockresistant, the compact Powermania Turbo M220 Battery Charger is ideal for recharging 12-volt DC batteries aboard small and medium boats. Featuring three-stage smart charge and adaptive loading, it automatically charges connected batteries in the shortest time possible. Equipped with extensive safety features, the charger is pre-wired with two sets of DC output cables. Throw me a line These floating multifilament polypropylene fender lines are softer and more flexible than nylon lines. Easy to grip, lightweight, simple to clean, and resistant to most acids, alkalis, oils, and gasoline, Soft Lines Fender Lines are available in different colors, range in thickness from ¼ to ⅝ inches, and come in 5-foot and 7-foot lengths. Soft Lines Fender Lines Starting at $8.10 softlinesinc.com Summer 2013 06_Provisions_Ensign_SUM13.indd 6 6/6/2013 9:14:34 AM Currents I I Currents News and information from around the boating world 2013 4–8 Sep Governing Board Grand Hyatt San Antonio 23–27 Oct CPS AGM Toronto 2014 29 Jan–2 Feb Annual Meeting Hyatt Regency Riverfront Jacksonville, Fla. 3–6 Apr USPS Board of Directors 14–17 Apr IBWSS 5–8 Jun USPS Board of Directors USPS members and guests attend a breakfast at the Chicago Cultural Center with Fox Valley Sail & Power Squadron Cdr Cindy Rowland, JN, sixth from left. Commander awarded for community service T he Cook County Commission on Women’s Issues presents annual community service awards to women in each district in the county. Women are nominated by someone in the district. Commander Cindy Rowland of Fox Valley Sail & Power Squadron was nominated by Diane Schneider, the retail events coordinator of Cabela’s in Hoffman Estates, Ill. Rowland has led the squadron in raising money for life jackets donated to a youth camp in Wisconsin, participating in the annual Fox River cleanup, performing vessel safety checks and providing public boating courses throughout the year. “You just never know what one thing a person may pick up from a conversation, a class or a boat show that just might save their life one day,” Rowland said. “That makes me feel like I’m making a difference.” Rowland received the Peggy Montes Unsung Heroine Award for District 15 at a breakfast at the Chicago Cultural Center on 12 March 2013. –Natalie E. Witty Celebrating 75 years 20–23 Nov USPS Board of Directors JA M E S AT K I N S O N 10–14 Sep Governing Board Hyatt Regency Crystal City Arlington, Va. Canadian Power and Sail Squadrons kicks off its 75th anniversary year with a flag relay ceremony with help from United States Power Squadrons and the Windsor Yacht Club. Summer 2013 The Ensign 07-09_Currents_Ensign_SUM13.indd 7 7 6/6/2013 9:06:13 AM I Currents I Boating News Centennial pride blooms during Daffodil Festival T his year marked the 80th year that Puyallup (pronounced pugh-al-up), Wash., held its world-famous Daffodil Festival. One of the events is a boat parade along the Port of Tacoma waterfront. Among the 46 boats in this year’s parade was a USPS flagship entry from Tacoma Power Squadron, proudly displaying the USPS 100th anniversary banner. Boats from Poverty Bay Sail & Power Squadron and Olympia Sail & Power Squadron also motored past the crowds of spectators. Daffodil Festival details are available at thedaffodilfestival.org. –Steve Erickson, Trudy Brown and Bobbi Jensen The Ensign writer wins publishing award T he Ensign writer Marlin Bree was honored by the Midwest Independent Publishers Association during the 23rd Annual Midwest Book Awards. He and his late wife, Loris, received the annual Pat Bell Award, which has gone to only three other individuals. The 2013 award “recognizes those who have worked tirelessly to further the success of independent publishing” and is the highest honor MIPA bestows. Bree’s company, Marlor Press, publishes nonfiction titles such as “Wake of the Green Storm,” “In the Teeth of the Northeaster,” and “Heavy Weather Boating Emergencies.” He started the company after successes with “Alone Against the Atlantic” (which he wrote with sailor Gerry Spiess) and ghost writing “How to Measure Managerial Performance.” Winner of two Boating Writers International Grand Prize Awards for articles published in The Ensign, Bree has also served as a judge and committee chair for the awards. 8 The Ensign Cruisers share info on waterway hazards As cruisers head north along the Atlantic Coast for the summer, marinas, boat clubs and launch ramps become hives of local boating activity. But boaters may get a surprise on the waterways, as winter storms and hurricanes have deposited new shoals, changed inlet topography and created new navigational hazards. To help boaters steer clear of trouble, liveaboards and authors Tom and Mel Neale started a complimentary email service, East Coast Alert, available at boatus.com/eastcoastalert. Having sailed the East Coast for more than 28 years, these well-connected cruisers have an extensive network of credible, reliable resources, including fellow boat owners, marina and waterfront business staff, bridge tenders, state and local government resources, and friends who share news on a range of topics. Recent alerts included warnings about shifted buoys and shoals, dredging activities, changes to drawbridge operating hours, construction, barge activity, fluctuating water levels, U.S. Army Corps operations, and in some cases, newly found navigational hazards lurking just below the surface. GPS coordinates show boaters where the problems exist. Divided by region for easy reading, general alerts are emailed every two weeks, but critical alerts, such as unannounced bridge or inlet closures, are sent immediately. The Neales also distill U.S. Coast Guard reports and Local Notices to Mariners. “Whether you boat on Biscayne Bay or Down East Maine, our periodic alerts let you know what’s changed and how to Summer 2013 07-09_Currents_Ensign_SUM13.indd 8 6/6/2013 9:19:24 AM I Currents I avoid problems. They’re not just for ICW snowbirds, and we strive for accuracy as we know how bad advice can get you into trouble,” said Tom, who with his wife, Mel, raised a family aboard and cruise an average of 3,000 to 5,000 miles per year. –BoatU.S. Changes to boating laws warrant attention A number of state and local boating laws and policy changes have taken effect in 2013. Boaters should review boating laws in their home waters and in states where they plan to boat this year. New regulations cover aquatic nuisance species, gasoline spark-ignition marine engines, approved boating education course completion and boat operator minimum age, among others. “Boating isn’t like driving a car,” Sea Tow Foundation Executive Director Gail R. Kulp said. “The laws can vary greatly as you cross from one state into another and, unlike the highways, there isn’t always signage on the water to let you know that you have drifted into another state with different rules and regulations.” The National Association of State Boating Law Administrators offers information about recreational boating safety laws and policies within the 50 U.S. states and territories at nasbla.org. –Sea Tow Warning device gets attention The Coast Guard is now using a nonlethal signaling device to support its ports, waterways and coastal security mission. The LA51 warning device is considered safer than others used by the service. If boaters do not respond to Coast Guard marine radio calls or comply with instructions in case of a security violation, personnel will fire the LA51 warning device from a 12-gauge military shotgun, producing a flash and bang at a range of 100 meters. At that point, boaters should immediately turn to Channel 16 for instructions. To view a video of the LA51 in use, go to bit.ly/14spxmh. –U.S. Coast Guard CPS celebrates 75 years Canadian Power and Sail Squadrons celebrates its 75th anniversary in 2013. The first Canadian squadron, Windsor Power Squadron, was created in 1938. Today CPS has 155 squadrons and 26,000 members. CPS will celebrate its anniversary during its 2013 Annual General Meeting in Toronto at the Delta Chelsea Hotel 23–27 Oct. Located in the heart of downtown Toronto, the hotel provides easy access to many attractions and provides a great venue for the organization’s meetings, luncheons and expos. For more information, visit agm.cpstoronto.ca. For Coverage That Truly Takes You Away NEW! Cruising options to the Bahamas, Caribbean, Mexico and Alaska Cast off this boating season with peace of mind onboard with insurance from BoatU.S. Insuring boats and only boats for over 45 years, our customized policy options and expert claims service make your time on the water the best it can be. • • • • • • Coverage for your Boat, Engine and Boating Equipment Liability, Medical and Pet Coverages On the Water Towing Consequential Damage Coverage, Fuel Spill Liability, Lifetime Repair Guarantee 24/7 Claims Service from Boating Experts, Flexible Payment Plans PLUS - Diminishing Deductibles, Safe Boater Discounts and More... Call for a Fast, Free Quote or Apply Online Today! 800-283-2883 mention priority code 4824 BoatUS.com/insurance All policies subject to limits and exclusions. In the state of California, the BoatU.S. Marine Insurance Program is provided through Boat Owners Association Insurance Services, CA License # 0H87086. TheEnsign_4c_7.5x4.875.indd 1 5/30/13 10:00 AM Summer 2013 The Ensign 07-09_Currents_Ensign_SUM13.indd 9 9 6/6/2013 9:22:20 AM I Boating Gone Bad I L A p w I m c t T l E i a s d Swimmer gets a shock to the system A close call and lessons learned By Bob Kunath M ost marinas have a rule against swimming. Knowing better but being not much of a rule follower, I rarely hesitated to jump in when the heat got to me. During our 2005 Great Loop cruise, my boat, Sans Souci, and three others stopped at our friends’ floating dock on Lake Ontario. Last to arrive, we rafted to one of the other boats. The other boats had already hooked up to the 30-ampere shore power, but our friend offered to run an extension from a wall outlet in the boathouse to our boat. 10 The Ensign Not wanting to run the generator, I accepted. The reverse polarity light flashed briefly when I turned on the switch, but everything ran OK, so I ignored it. LESSON NO. 1: Never ignore a reverse polarity warning. We had tied up in 4 feet of exceptionally clear water, so early the next morning, I decided to check the running gear and hull. I lowered the swim ladder and started down the steps. As soon as I touched the lake bottom, I felt a vague vibrating sensation in my arms. I had no idea what was causing it but decided to get out of the water fast! I started up the ladder but couldn’t move my arms and legs. They were paralyzed. I was being electrocuted! My head and chest were above water, and I yelled for help. When my wife, Carol, and the other boaters came running out, I yelled for them to shut off the power. They did, but the few terrifying moments in between seemed like hours. After they cut the power, I could move my legs and shakily climbed out of the water. After examining the 60-year-old boathouse’s power, we found there was no ground (green) wire to the outlet and the polarity was reversed. My boat was feeding 110-volt AC current into the water via any through-hull metal. Electric current must always return to its source, and for a time the current found a conductor to ground—me! Summer 2013 10_11_BoatingGoneBad_Ensign_SUM2013.indd 10 6/6/2013 9:23:45 AM f t t w w d t i c t p t t c t I Boating Gone Bad I LESSON NO. 2: Always test a power source with a polarity checker before trusting it with your life. I’ve since learned that it only takes 20 milliamperes of electrical power to cause muscle paralysis and 50-65 mA to cause fibrillation and cardiac arrest. The effect on the swimmer often looks like drowning but is actually called ESD, electric shock drowning. Causing heart stoppage and instant death, a 200 mA exposure will electrocute a swimmer. A 15-ampere house circuit delivers 75 times that power. My head and chest were above water, and I yelled for help. When my wife, Carol, and the other boaters came running out, I yelled for them to shut off the power. Although not a very good conductor, freshwater can pass enough current to paralyze muscles or stop a heart. If this had happened in brackish water with higher conductivity, more current would have been passed to me with disastrous results. That’s not to say that you won’t be killed in freshwater; it can depend on the water’s mineral content and conductivity. The captain of the boat next to us, a retired paramedic, told us he had been called to a freshwater dock in Illinois where two young brothers died under similar circumstances from ESD. Sans Souci’s ladder isn’t grounded to the bonding system. My guess is that with the reversed polarity, the positive side of the 110-volt current led to the boat’s running gear and ground plate on the transom, a few feet from the ladder. From there, the best path to ground was the ladder, me and the lake bottom, which I reached while still holding the ladder. A shorter path to ground, water deep enough to reach my chest or slightly more conductivity in the water could have turned this scary close call fatal. Unfortunately, raw 110-volt power can enter the water at a marina in many ways, from the improper use of battery chargers to defective dock and boat wiring—even if the source is a portable generator or boat inverter. LESSON NO. 3: Maybe that ‘no swimming in the marina’ rule is a good one. Although this happened eight years ago, the danger still exists. In July 2012, a houseboat wiring problem caused a similar disaster in Missouri when two boys, 10 and 11, died climbing down the houseboat’s ladder and into the water. The 10-year-old died at the scene; the other, a few hours later in the hospital. Another youth, a girl, was hospitalized and recovered; eight adults who entered the water to help were also injured, but they had not fully submerged as the boys had. According to local news reports, the houseboat, owned by the 11-year-old’s grandfather, had frayed 110-volt AC wiring at the swim ladder. The best advice about swimming near a boat hooked to shore power in any fresh or brackish water marina is don’t do it. B Over the past 45 years, Venice (Fla.) Sail & Power Squadron members P/Lt/C Bob Kunath, SN, and his wife, Lt/C Carol Kunath, P, have owned about a dozen sail and powerboats, ranging from small open lake boats to large offshore vessels. In 2005, the couple completed a two-year Great Loop cruise aboard their Pacific Seacraft 38T trawler, Sans Souci, logging 9,000 miles. For the past seven years, they have covered Eastern and Western Lake Michigan, including Green Bay and Door County, as cruising editors for Waterway Guide. HOW TO PREVENT ESD The conditions required for electric shock drowning always result from the lack of an effective safety ground, either on a boat or dock. Inspect your dock and boat regularly and ensure that all wiring components are sound. Check the polarity and ground using an inexpensive polarity checker. You can purchase a 110-volt/15-amp polarity checker at hardware stores and a marine 30-amp checker at most marine suppliers. You can also check leakage using an AC/DC clampon ammeter. Many new boats have an Equipment Leakage Circuit Interrupter (ELCI), which can detect and stop current flow when a leakage over 30 mA is detected. ABYC standards recommend such devices on all new boats, but compliance is voluntary. Consider adding one to your boat. AC/DC clamp-on ammeter Equipment Leakage Circuit Interrupter (ELCI) Summer 2013 The Ensign 10_11_BoatingGoneBad_Ensign_SUM2013.indd 11 11 5/29/2013 3:29:24 PM I Scorecard I BOTTOM LINE Garmin GPSMAP 541s chart plotter/sounder $639.99 w/no transducer $699.99 w/dual-frequency transducer garmin.com Pros • • • • • • Ease of use Simple menu navigation Bright screen Pre-loaded U.S. coastal charts Built-in sounder module NMEA 0183 & NMEA 2000 connectivity Cons • Low-resolution screen Hands-on navigation Compact, easy-to-use chart plotter By Bob Mueller T he Garmin GPSMAP 541s chart plotter/sounder interfaces with NMEA 2000 networks for engine diagnostics, weather instruments and more. Preloaded with U.S. coastal charts, the chart plotter has an SD card slot, which can be used to load additional charts and transfer waypoints, routes and tracks. The GPSMAP 541s includes a built-in sounder module for direct connection to a transducer for depth and fish-finder functions. The extremely bright 5-inch diagonal color display is easy to read in direct sunlight and shade; however, you should reduce the brightness in the dark to preserve your night vision. Although initially disappointed with the 234x320-pixel resolution, I had no 12 The Ensign problems reading the display. Easy to navigate with arrow keys, the interface features well-designed screens and an intuitive menu structure. On the main screen, you can choose the major functions: chart, sonar or a combination. Additional options appear when accessories, such as XM weather or NMEA 2000 engine diagnostics, are attached. An industry standard NMEA 2000 connection allows the GPSMAP 541s to interface with a variety of other devices, including engine diagnostics, weather instruments, sail instruments, VHF/DSC and AIS. The preloaded U.S. coastal charts are easy to read, contain great detail and allow for a 3-D view. The spot soundings are clear and easy to read. Shoreline detail and land masses are clearly marked and labeled, and navigational aids are easy to identify. My only complaint was with chart clutter, as it’s difficult to decide how much information to display on a chart. The sounder module performed flawlessly. One version of the GPSMAP 541s includes a transom-mount transducer, but I used an Airmar in-hull transducer for these tests. The sounder held a bottom lock at various speeds, saw the fish and determined the approximate bottom composition. The GPSMAP 541s offers a few different mounting options. The mounting bracket included can be affixed just about anywhere, allows for full articulation and is secure. You can also surface-mount the unit. The Garmin GPSMAP 541s is a nice fixed-mount chartplotter for any recreational boater. B P/C Bob Mueller, JN, of Ohio’s Berea Power Squadron is an America’s Boating Course instructor, a vessel examiner and a Squadron Emergency Response Assistance Team leader. A longer version of this article appeared on gpstracklog.com. Summer 2013 12_Scorecard_Ensign_SUM13.indd 12 5/29/2013 3:30:26 PM I Shipshape I Answers, tips and advice to help you get the most out of the boating life Quick Tips Get grounded When refueling gas cans or portable boat tanks, take them out of your vehicle and put them on the ground. This will help prevent static electricity buildup, which could start a fire. –William Lewis Pass the sniff test No matter how well you try to dry towels on a boat, they always start to smell. Instead of a bath towel, I use a synthetic drying chamois onboard. Found in the automotive section, the towels don’t need drying. You just wring them out and return them to their package. –Dylan Serrage Safe storage When storing ice eaters over the summer, store them prop shaft/prop down to keep the seal from drying out, which could admit water next fall. –Rudolph C. Zinn Email your questions, tips and advice to [email protected]. Take a number Registering your DSC marine radio Y ou finally got rid of that old VHF radio and purchased a new DSCenabled unit. Now what? You can do many things with these radios, not the least of which is registering a Maritime Mobile Service Identity (MMSI) number and activating the automatic distress calling feature. There’s more to this procedure than meets the eye, but once you have your radio set up properly, a simple two-second push of a button will send out a distress call identifying your vessel to the U.S. Coast Guard along with your position and the time of your distress call. First, wire your radio to the existing power wires from your old unit. Red is positive, and black is negative. Be sure to put the correctsize fuse in the red wire circuit. The radio’s By Dave Osmolski manual will list the current draw, and often as not, the manufacturer will include a properly sized fuse right in the wiring. A word of warning here: Never operate your transmitter with the antenna disconnected. You will fry the transmitter if you do. And as always, consult a professional if you do not feel comfortable working with your boat’s electrical system. Next, look on the back of the radio for the GPS input. Connect these wires to the output from your GPS/chart plotter. The input wire is red, and the ground, again, is black. Make sure you have or purchase a compatible GPS/ chart plotter. Your dealer can help if you are unsure of which model to buy. Hook up your antenna; then switch on your radio and GPS/chart plotter. In addition to the channel display, you will see a display that shows the latitude/longitude position >> Summer 2013 The Ensign 13-16_ShipShape_Ensign_SUM2013_v2.indd 13 13 6/3/2013 9:24:44 AM I Shipshape I >> and most likely the time as well. This indicates you have done a good job with your wiring. Now it’s time to get your MMSI number. USPS members are fortunate, as the organization maintains an MMSI registry that’s easy to access and relatively easy to use. Go to usps.org/ php/mmsi, the USPS registration site. I had never done this before, so I had to register, but you can also use this site to update your registration information. You will need to answer questions about yourself and your contact information. After registering, you can log in to the MMSI registry. Just follow the instructions. There are no questions regarding your radio, its serial number, FCC ID or anything else! The questions include the vessel name and registration, your name, cell phone numbers and emergency contacts. Some questions didn’t seem to apply to me or my vessel, so I left these unanswered and had no problems. The vessel capacity question puzzled me, but I finally established that it wanted the weight capacity. Do not enter units, such as pounds; just enter the number. When you finish, click on the box indicating the process is complete, and your MMSI number will be issued along with a printable certificate. Next, follow the instructions in your owner’s manual to enter this unique number into your radio. Should you ever have an emergency, simply push and hold the red distress button on the front of your radio for two seconds to send and re-send all the necessary information to the U.S. Coast Guard. Remember: Distress indicates a lifethreatening emergency. Do not push the red distress button if you have run aground or have run out of fuel. Better yet, take the USPS seminar on VHF radios, and learn to use them properly. B D/Lt/C David H. Osmolski, JN, of Charlotte Power Squadron, has been repairing boats since high school when his first boat, a canvas-covered canoe with cedar ribs, leaked in gallons per minute and required constant repair. iPad Chart Plotter Great backup system, also entertains navigators E veryone knows “there’s an app for that,” but with the proliferation of apps, finding the best one for your needs can be a challenge. Here’s a solution that works well for my boat. Using electronics in a marine environment brings special considerations; in addition to choosing a device and an app, you must also consider • • • • placement (dry, secure, readable), shockandvibration, batterylife,and GPSsignalaccuracy. Which device and app? I chose an iPad because of the greater availability of apps. If buying a new iPad, you have three choices to make: • iPad 2 or new iPad: New iPad has higher resolution display, making it worth the extra cost • Memory: 16GB is adequate for GPS apps, but you might need more later • WiFi-only or WiFi plus cellular: WiFi-only devices don’t include embedded GPS; this comes only with the WiFi plus cellular versions, which cost $200 more. You can buy a superior external GPS for $100, but that adds another gizmo to charge and worry about. Two of the best marine navigation iOS apps I’ve found are the iNavX Marine Navigation and Navionics Marine & Lakes: USA from the App store. iNavX is a handy digital viewer for NOAA raster charts with GPS-derived position and speed superimposed. Raster maps have the advantage of showing the same information 14 The Ensign Summer 2013 13-16_ShipShape_Ensign_SUM2013_v2.indd 14 6/3/2013 9:24:58 AM I Shipshape I as paper charts, and you can update them for free; however, just like paper charts, the text does not change size relative to map features as you zoom, so when you zoom out, text is too small to read. Also, when you get to the edge of a chart, you have to figure out the name of the adjoining chart and load it. The Navionics app uses vector charts, which are seamless and customizable. Separate versions of Navionics Marine & Lakes: USA are available for the iPhone ($9.99) and an HD version for iPad ($49.99). The latter turns your iPad into a high-end chart plotter, only easier to use. Where to place it? You’ll tire pretty quickly of holding your iPad by hand, but where to put it obviously depends a lot on your boat’s configuration. Things I considered were 1) visibility to the navigator, 2) protection from spray, 3) positioning out of direct sunlight if possible, 4) secure but temporary mounting, 5) shock protection, and 6) access to power. I couldn’t accomplish these goals perfectly. My boat has a sloped area in front of the navigator (formerly for paper charts) that was big enough for the iPad and near a DC power outlet. I placed FrogsFeet suction cup hooks under the iPad to hold it in place and provide shock absorption. Although not designed for this purpose, the padded hooks are exactly the right opening for an iPad, and the special suction cups have amazing holding power that doesn’t weaken over time. (Made in the USA and available on amazon.com, a set of four FrogsFeet costs about $10.) I didn’t put the iPad in a waterproof enclosure, but if you anticipate wet conditions, put it in a Dry Case sleeve ($39, wirelessemporium.com) or equivalent. Battery life: external power The iPad uses quite a bit of power when running a mapping application, especially with the screen brightness turned up for readability in sunlight. This makes it run hot and draws down the internal battery in a few hours. If a DC outlet is available, you can eliminate power worries by using a DC charger with a 2.1-amp USB port. I use a Kensington K33497US PowerBolt Duo Car Charger, which has one 2.1amp USB port for an iPad and a 1-amp USB port for a phone. If using a waterproof sleeve, you’ll have to get by with the internal battery because you can’t seal the sleeve with the cable attached. ? KNOW Did You Boat trim GPS signal Although the WiFi plus cellular iPad includes a GPS chip, it’s not WAAS compatible, which means position errors of up to 200 feet. The WiFi-only iPad has no GPS, though navigation apps may work when near geo-referenced WiFi points. The solution to both problems is an external, Bluetooth-linked GPS. Be careful which one you buy, because not all Bluetooth GPS units are compatible with Apple operating systems. One that works is the Dual XGPS 150A (about $100 on Amazon). It comes with a rubber sticky square that holds it nicely on a smooth surface. It has an internal rechargeable battery that lasts for a full day, so you can put it on your dash. Power comes from the internal battery and iPad connection via Bluetooth. Dual provides a useful free app for checking the unit’s operation; it shows battery charge level and allows you to monitor the satellite constellation in use. Conclusion I found the iPad/XGPS150/Navionics Marine & Lakes combination to be as accurate as my Raymarine chart plotter but with an easier interface. Drawbacks: I found it difficult to read in direct sunlight, the iPad runs hot, and I had to reset the app when it lost communications with the XGPS150. Despite those minor annoyances, I recommend this setup as an excellent backup navigation system. Even better, the iPad is a great way to keep your navigator entertained! Two factors in particular affect an outboard runabout’s trim: Tilt of the outboard motor When the motor is tilted inward, the bow is pushed downward, causing the stern to rise. When the motor is tilted outward, the bow rises. When the propeller shaft is parallel to the waterline, the boat becomes flatter in the water and runs more efficiently. Loading the boat Because of their weight, the seating of passengers is especially important in small boats. One extra person can greatly affect the boat’s trim and performance. Place passengers so that the boat is trimmed with its designed waterline parallel to the water’s surface. Generally, passengers should be behind the point of contact of the hull with the water. Although capacity is usually listed on the boat, you can get a rough estimate by multiplying the boat’s length times its width in feet and dividing by 15 to get the number of passengers. –Larry Stout –Sandy Trevor Summer 2013 The Ensign 13-16_ShipShape_Ensign_SUM2013_v2.indd 15 15 5/29/2013 3:31:56 PM Beef up your bilge pump oes your boat suffer from PBP: puny bilge pump? Many boats, even larger, high-end boats, have only two or three pitifully undersized bilge pumps. Your safety depends on your bilge pump being up to the job. The job depends on your boat and how you use it. If you have an enclosed cabin boat that sits at the dock all summer, the 750 or 1,000 gallon-perhour pump that came with it may be enough to pump rainwater and spilled beer out of the bilge. But if you go offshore in an open center console and get caught in rough seas, that wave you take over the stern could fill your cockpit with 1,000 gallons of sea water in 10 seconds. Can you wait an hour for your puny 1,000 gph bilge pump to remove 8,500 pounds of water? Even if you don’t venture offshore, If you go offshore in an open center console and get caught in rough seas, that wave you take over the stern could fill your cockpit with 1,000 gallons of sea water in 10 seconds. you could encounter other hazards, such as a lost prop shaft, a broken exhaust hose, a leaking seacock or through-hull fitting failure. Any of these could result in your boat quickly filling with water. Will your bilge pump keep up until you can to stop the leak or get help? Protect yourself and your boat by installing a bilge pump with adequate USPbSers Mem e Sav 15% Go Online or over the phone by calling 800-733-7663 and use Promo Code: C15502 http://www.redroof.com/partners/US_Power_Squadrons/ –Bob Russell Anchor snubbing bridle A n anchor snubbing bridle takes the strain of the chain rode, reducing wear on your boat, acting as a shock absorber and silencing the chain. To construct a bridle, use three-strand nylon line, and splice two eye loops to go around your port and starboard bow cleats. Splice these two lines together a distance equal to the height of the bow above water. The diameter of the line used depends on the size of your boat; see the chart for a guide to three-strand nylon rope size. In addition to taking the strain off your anchor windlass, the bridle will also lower the point of pull on the boat somewhat, and more importantly, it will tend to stop the boat from hunting to port and starboard in wind. As the boat tries to oscillate, the pull will alternately change from one of the bridle cleats to the other, correcting the hunting motion. –Ken Bloomfield Boat size Rope size Under 26 feet ½–inch 26–32 feet 9⁄16–inch 32–40 feet ⅝–inch 40–50 feet ¾–inch K E N B LO O M F I E L D D capacity. You want one that keeps you afloat long enough to get to safety. A 20– to 30–foot boat should have at least two 2,500 to 3,500 gph capacity bilge pumps installed. Remember that through-hull fittings and discharge hoses must be large enough to handle this flow rate, or you defeat the purpose of a high-capacity pump. If the thought of drilling a new hole in your hull gives you the chills, have your mechanic do the installation. Finally, don’t forget that your bigger bilge pumps will draw more power from your batteries. Make sure your batteries are in top condition and large enough to run your new pumps. Again, consult your mechanic if you have any questions. For more information on sizing and installing bilge pumps, pay a visit to yachtsurvey.com/bilge_pumps.htm. 16 The Ensign Summer 2013 13-16_ShipShape_Ensign_SUM2013_v2.indd 16 6/7/2013 2:10:26 PM I Ship’s Library I Quick Picks Skeletons of the deep Boat Log & Record Marlin Bree Marlor Press, $17.95 Q Tabbed sections make this log easy to use as a complete record of your boat and voyages. Daily navigational data you enter may later be useful during fog or rough weather. Practical information and checklists make this book indispensable for both sailors and power boaters. This well-written book focuses on three periods of Chesapeake Bay history. The first section deals with the steamer New Jersey, which sank in 1870 and was found in 1973, and examines its impact on marine archeology. Next comes the search for the Kent Island settlement, the first English colony established in 1631 in what became the state of Maryland. The last part describes how a fleet of World War I wooden steam-powered freighter hulks came to rest on the bottom of Mallows Bay and what became of them. Each meticulously researched section includes background information, details of the search and its results. Donald Shomette, an underwater archaeologist, has written extensively about the Chesapeake Bay. If you like history of out-of-the-way happenings, this book is for you. –C. Henry Depew Handbook of Offshore Cruising Jim Howard Sheridan House, $29.95 Q Illustrated with superb line drawings, the second edition covers everything from choosing a boat to maintaining your health while cruising. The author also mentions books that cover certain cruising topics in depth. This is an excellent book for beginners and experienced cruisers. –Burrage Warner Wooden Ship Jan Adkins WoodenBoat Books, $12.95 Q A great introduction to wooden boat construction, this book shows readers how a whaler is built. Excellent illustrations depict the stages of ship construction. Although not a technical discussion, the 47-page book covers a surprising amount of detail. –C. Henry Depew Mud, Muscle and Miracles Charles Bartholomew and William I. Milwee Jr. GPO, $58 Q This well-written history of marine salvage in the U.S. Navy has more than 200 photos, diagrams and maps. The authors’ sense of humor, depth of coverage and excellent footnotes make it a worthwhile read. A free PDF is available at www.history. navy.mil/pubs/MudMuscleMiracles. pdf. –C. Henry Depew A sailor’s story The Life of a Sailor Frederick Chamier Naval Institute Press $27.95 In this captivating autobiography, naval novelist Frederick Chamier describes how he entered the Navy at age 13 and was assigned to the Salsette, a frigate commanded by a friend of his father, Capt. Bathurst. While bound for Constantinople aboard the vessel, Lord Byron befriended Chamier. In another instance, Chamier describes how another ship he was on, the Menelaus, was trapped by 13 French vessels but escaped with slight damage as it slipped out of danger under full sail. Promotion in the British Navy was mostly by patronage, and Chamier, whose grandfather was an admiral, eventually became captain of his own ship. The book provides one of the few personal accounts of a British Navy midshipman during the 1800s. –Burrage Warner A novel voyage This fictional account of a voyage from England to Virginia’s Jamestown Colony in 1611 is based on extensive research from documents of the era. In an imaginary narrative, Capt. Tristram Hame describes his preparations for the Guyft’s journey, which covers financing, provisioning, cargo and crew. While he considers the safety of the vessel, passengers and cargo primary, the venture also had to be profitable. Throughout the voyage, we learn about the technology of the day and Hame’s skill as he guides the ship south to latitudes where it will encounter easterly winds, much like the route Columbus took. From the Caribbean Islands, he sails north to his destination. An enjoyable novel—if it can be called that—I found it more a story about navigation in the age of discovery and an insight into the way we developed the navigation techniques we use today. –Dave Osmolski Books not Ensign sold through USPS. 2013 Check with publishers for purchasing information. 17 The Summer 17_Library_Ensign_SUM2013.indd 17 Ghost Fleet of Mallows Bay and Other Tales of the Lost Chesapeake Donald G. Shomette Tidewater Publishers $29.95 Voyage to Jamestown Robert D. Hicks Naval Institute Press $29.95 Summer 2013 The Ensign 17 5/29/2013 3:39:54 PM Fort Gratiot Lighthouse Port Sanilac Lighthouse Lake Huron Lights Land cruisers follow the shore to find and photograph historic lighthouses. By Peter H. Hames 18 The Ensign M y wife, Suzann, and I flew to Detroit, Mich., in late May 2012 to visit and photograph as many Lake Huron lighthouses as possible. We spent a week driving from Port Huron, above Detroit, to Mackinaw City, at the tip of Michigan’s Lower Peninsula, following the Lake Huron coastline. We planned to visit up to 20 lighthouses in five days, staying in a different hotel each night and enjoying a leisurely drive along the coast to the next destination. Port Huron, Mich. Completed in 1825 and rebuilt in 1829, Fort Gratiot Lighthouse is Michigan’s oldest. Located at the entrance to the St. Claire River from Lake Huron and north of the Blue Water Bridge to Canada, the lighthouse is part of Port Huron Museum. Also part of the museum, the Huron lightship, built in 1920, stands 96.5 feet tall, has a 24-foot beam and a 9.5-foot draft. Powered by a single-compound reciprocating steam engine fired by two coal-fired Scotch boilers, Huron was a relief vessel for other lightships. Beginning in 1935, the ship guarded the Corsica Shoals off the mouth of the St. Claire River. After being decommissioned in 1970, the lightship was replaced by a lighted buoy. Port Sanilac, Mich. Leaving Port Huron, we headed north along the coast with Summer 2013 18-21_F_MILighthouses_Ensign_SUM13.indd 18 6/3/2013 9:27:54 AM Peter H. Hames I Lake Huron Lights Tawas Point Lighthouse Alpena Breakwater Light Suzann navigating. Although we knew the lighthouses’ locations, we didn’t have street addresses and couldn’t locate them on our GPS. Tracking down some of the lights was like a treasure hunt. On our drive up the thumb of Michigan, we stopped to photograph Port Sanilac Lighthouse. Although it is privately owned and closed to the public, we found public parking south of the lighthouse with access to a breakwater that extends into Lake Huron, forming the harbor. Fitted with a railed walkway, the breakwater provides a safe and accessible location from which to photograph the lighthouse. We took some great photos during the town Memorial Day celebration, which was taking place in the harbor with music, the National Anthem and a three-gun salute. Halfway between the Point aux Barques Lighthouse near the tip of Michigan’s thumb and Fort Gratiot at the entrance to the St. Claire River, Port Sanilac Lighthouse was built in 1886 so vessels wouldn’t have to run blind along a 40-mile stretch of coastline that was beyond the visibility range of the other two lights. Harbor Beach, Mich. In the early 1870s, the federal government built two offshore breakwaters at Sand Beach Village to provide safe refuge for ships caught in bad weather between Saginaw Bay and the St. Claire River. Completed in 1885, the Harbor Beach Lighthouse replaced an earlier structure at the elbow of the main breakwater. To photograph it, we had to walk to the end of a fishing pier in Bathing Beach Park. Port Hope, Mich. One of Michigan’s most famous lights, Pointe aux Barques Lighthouse guards the point at which northbound vessels turn west into Saginaw Bay. Located on the tip of the thumb, the original lighthouse and keeper’s dwelling had to be rebuilt in 1857 due to severe weather damage. The must-visit museum contains artifacts and a chart with the locations and details of more than 90 nearby shipwrecks. East Tawas, Mich. Built in 1876, Tawas Point Lighthouse sits at the end of Ottawa Point, which forms a natural shelter for Tawas Bay, another safe harbor during Lake Huron storms. Located in Tawas Point State Park, the lighthouse is open for seasonal tours. Please check https://www.michigan.gov/ tawaspoint for information. Although the lighthouse and gift shop were closed, we were able to photograph the buildings and grounds. Harrisville, Mich. Sturgeon Point Lighthouse, just north of Harrisville, Mich., is halfway between the northern point of Saginaw Bay and Summer 2013 The Ensign 18-21_F_MILighthouses_Ensign_SUM13.indd 19 19 5/29/2013 3:41:53 PM Lake Huron Lights I Peter H. Hames Old Presque Isle Lighthouse New Presque Isle Light Thunder Bay Island. Built in 1869, it’s one of the area’s most picturesque lighthouses. Next to the gift shop beside the lighthouse and keeper’s quarters sit two large rudders from shipwrecked sailing vessels. Thunder Bay The Alpena Breakwater Light guards Alpena Harbor in Thunder Bay. Built in 1875, the first beacon was replaced once in 1877 and again in 1914, this time with a steel structure that continues to serve the harbor. Directions from downtown Alpena to the breakwater led us to the parking lot and a paved walkway where we had a good view of the light. Presque Isle, Mich. Ten miles north of Alpena, we found the road leading to Presque Isle, which has two lighthouses located on the opposite ends of the peninsula. Old Presque Isle Light, built in 1840, marks the southern point of Presque Isle, which forms a natural harbor and provides shelter from Lake Huron storms. The 30-foot-high light was operated until 1871 when the taller New Presque Isle Light (113 feet) was completed. We visited and photographed both. The Presque Isle Marina breakwater provides a great view of the Old Presque Isle Light as seen from the water. 20 The Ensign Rogers City, Mich. We visited the Great Lakes Lore Maritime Museum, which celebrates the men and women who sailed on Great Lakes steamers, especially Bradley Transportation Company ships. Built in 1927, the SS Carl D. Bradley was the largest selfunloading steel steamer on the Great Lakes. On 18 Nov. 1958, the Bradley left Gary, Ind., and headed for Rogers City. Hit by heavy gales, the ship broke in two and sank off Gull Island in northern Lake Michigan. Only two of the 35-man crew survived. The museum has pictures, seaman’s papers and other artifacts for each crewmember as well as photos of the ship under way and at the bottom of Lake Michigan. While visiting the museum, Suzann and I met Frank Mays, one of the two survivors. Mays’ book, “If We Make It ’til Daylight,” tells the story of how he and First Mate Elmer Fleming clung to a raft all night in a freezing gale until they were finally rescued by the U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Sundew. Rogers City was home to 22 of the Bradley’s crew. About 6 miles north of Rogers City is a road leading to Forty Mile Point Lighthouse. Built in 1896 to provide a strategic landmark between the Presque Isle and Cheboygan lighthouses, the 52-foot tower incorporates a duplex keepers’ building. We visited the lighthouse and gift shop and met a guide named Don who showed us around. On 19 Oct. 1905 in a fierce Lake Huron storm, the Joseph S. Fay was towing Summer 2013 18-21_F_MILighthouses_Ensign_SUM13.indd 20 5/29/2013 3:42:01 PM Peter H. Hames I Lake Huron Lights Cheboygan Crib Light Old Mackinac Point Lighthouse another vessel (both fully loaded with iron ore) when the other vessel broke free, taking part of the Fay’s stern with it. The Fay’s captain beached his vessel near the lighthouse, and all but one of the crew survived. I strolled 200 yards up the beach from the lighthouse where some 150 feet of the ship’s huge wooden side, metal rods and spikes rest in the sand. Cheboygan Crib Light near Gordon Turner Park marks the breakwater for Cheboygan Harbor. Constructed in 1884, it had a flashing red fourth-order Fresnel lens with a 159candlepower kerosene-powered lamp. The light was placed on a crib a quarter mile from shore, requiring the keeper to row out to man the light each night. Removed from service in 1984, the light was given to the city of Cheboygan and placed in its current position on the breakwater. In 2001, two members of the Great Lakes Lighthouse Keepers Association assisted the city in restoring the structure. Old Mackinac Point Lighthouse provided a first-class shore light within the Straits of Mackinac and marked the Mackinac Harbor entrance. Situated at the northernmost point of Michigan’s Lower Peninsula, the lighthouse offers a commanding view of not only maritime traffic passing through and across the straits but also the Mackinac Bridge to the Upper Peninsula. When it opened in 1957, the bridge served as a navigation aid, making the old light station obsolete. Mackinac State Historic Parks acquired the property in 1960. The group is restoring the lighthouse and has opened it to the public during the summer. Mackinaw City, Mich. P/R/C Peter H. Hames, AP, of Houston Sail & Power Squadron is a Leadership Development Committee coordinator, D/21 Operations Training chair, and Houston Sail & Power Squadron Operations Leadership chair. A Life Member, he has been boating more than 65 years. He and his wife, Suzann, live on Texas’ Lake Conroe, where they enjoy fishing, water-skiing and sailing with family. McGulpin Point Lighthouse, lit in 1869, sits on a bluff overlook- ing the Straits of Mackinac, 2 miles west of Mackinaw City. Deactivated in 1906, the lighthouse was a private residence until recently. Emmet County purchased the lighthouse in 2008. The following year, the county replaced the missing light and lantern room and converted the residence into a museum. The lighthouse is being restored to its 1890 appearance. Completed in 1892 to replace McGulpin Point Lighthouse, Suzann and I enjoyed good weather for all but the last day of our lighthouse adventure. We had so much fun finding and photographing the lighthouses that we’re looking forward to our next trip. B Summer 2013 The Ensign 18-21_F_MILighthouses_Ensign_SUM13.indd 21 21 6/4/2013 3:20:03 PM Clockwise from top left: P/C Karin McLean, JN, teaches the finer points of marlinespike seamanship. Photo by Steve Erickson P/C Ginger Marshall-St. Arnaud, AP, works the crowd for raffle tickets. S. Erickson Lt/C Matthew Lombardi demonstrates the “marriage saver” headsets for the Docking course. Photo by Victoria Ericksen Seattle Sail and Power Squadron members put on the SeaSkills event. S. Erickson SeaSkills l t a t i e a d c a n Out of the classroom and onto the water By Mike Toot W ant to try something fun—something that gets new members onto boats, teaches valuable skills and provides a casual social atmosphere? Put on a SeaSkills event! Many members had joined Seattle Sail & Power Squadron after taking America’s Boating Course, and the squadron wanted to involve them at more than the classroom level. SeaSkills was envisioned as an event that would help bridge the gap between new members taking classes and getting onto the water. SeaSkills was first proposed by Charlie Swift, husband of 22 The Ensign Commander Cathy McDonald, who, with the help of Ginger Marshall-St. Arnaud and Jean Moore, took the idea and ran with it. Program goals Introduce skills-based training. SeaSkills provides introductory courses for new and existing members, demonstrating how easy it is to take training out of the classroom and onto the water to provide real-world skill building in a fun social environment. Expand new member involvement. Based on surveys, a majority of new members joined the squadron for education and Summer 2013 22-24_F_SeaSkills_Ensign_SUM13v2.indd 22 6/7/2013 1:15:19 PM p v a e t P S p t d Clockwise from bottom left: Lt/C Dave Berger, S; P/D/C Barbara Erickson, JN; and Donna Berger celebrate with a dinner of grilled salmon, salad, grilled vegetables, and dessert. S. Erickson Cdr Cathy McDonald, JN and Lt/C Jean Moore, P, are the brains of the operation. V. Ericksen A glorious sunset closes out the day. V. Ericksen New members and old hands are ready to tackle a full day of learning and fun. S. Erickson limited their participation to classes. By designing an event that combined a traditional welcome, a squadron rendezvous and real-world application of classroom skills, we hoped to introduce these new members to other aspects of the squadron. Increase rendezvous participation. After an 18-month decline in rendezvous participation, the squadron wanted a way to reenergize these events. SeaSkills provided a mini-rendezvous at a centrally located, easy-to-reach marina with heavily reduced mooring fees, thanks to squadron negotiations. With a creative mix of courses, SeaSkills had something for everyone, and the planning committee personally invited friends and new members to the event. Develop future squadron leaders. Squadron friendships promote camaraderie and encourage squadron success, developing long-term members who serve on committees and accept leadership roles. With SeaSkills, the bridge made an effort to invite others in planning, preparing and presenting this event. that interested them. Delivering useful, practical information, the courses were held on members’ boats to keep class sizes manageable and provide ample opportunity for questions. Some members taught sessions on topics that interested them and others taught subjects they had taught in USPS classes. The course list included engine maintenance, knots and line splicing, vessel safety, marine electronics, docking and mooring, anchoring, small sailboat skills, long-distance cruising, compasses, and even a course on roasting, grinding Planning and brewing your own cappuccino aboard a boat—practically a requirement in Seattle! The courses were bookended by a lunchtime barbecue and an optional catered dinner that evening. Food and friendship have always been partners, so it was a foregone conclusion that they would be featured in SeaSkills. SeaSkills took three months to plan. The program’s centerpiece would be deliberately short, half-hour courses designed to keep interest and energy levels high. Instructors presented each course three times during the day to give members multiple opportunities to attend courses The squadron held its second annual SeaSkills event on 11 May 2013. More than 70 USPS members attended, many of whom were new members. We presented seminars and hosted dinner from 14 boats. Summer 2013 The Ensign 22-24_F_SeaSkills_Ensign_SUM13v2.indd 23 23 5/29/2013 3:43:49 PM SeaSkills I Mike Toot We had 42 sessions with six different sessions scheduled in each half-hour time slot. A ship’s bell rang on the half hour to remind instructors and students that the next course was starting. The event From top: Everyone enjoys food, fun and great conversation on Friday afternoon. V. Ericksen Participating boats put on all their finery. S. Erickson The registration table is the first point of contact for Saturday’s attendees. V. Ericksen About half the presenters brought their boats to the marina on Friday, 11 May 2012, for an appetizer buffet and a warm, friendly, relaxed evening with none of the jitters normally associated with putting on a major squadron event. The next morning, a gentle sunrise painted Shilshole Bay Marina in pastel pink and blue, promising spectacular weather with a cloudless sky and an invigorating sea breeze. After coffee, donuts and coffee cake, we donned hats and sunscreen for the bright day ahead. The rest of the presenters’ boats arrived throughout the morning. By 1100 hot dogs sizzled on the grill as squadron members handed out program information, introduced new members to older ones, sold raffle tickets and handed out dinner assignments. Skill presentations took place aboard 14 member boats from 1300 to 1630. We had 42 sessions with six different sessions scheduled in each half-hour time slot. A ship’s bell rang on the half hour to remind instructors and students that the next course was starting. After the presentations, light appetizers helped participants recharge their batteries after a day in the sun. A local restaurant catered and served dinner aboard member boats, which each had four to six attendees randomly assigned to encourage conversation and extended one-on-one time. The planning committee collected feedback forms from all participants and entered the forms into a raffle. Prizes included a VHF marine radio and basket of picnic goodies. We received overwhelmingly positive feedback, with many folks asking how they could help with next year’s event. Preliminary results showed that the squadron met all four of its program goals. In Sept. 2012, the squadron received the USPS Member Involvement and Retention Award during the Detroit Governing Board Meeting for its SeaSkills event. The squadron held its second annual SeaSkills event on 11 May 2013. More than 70 USPS members attended, many of whom were new members. We presented seminars and hosted dinner from 14 boats. The event was a spectacular success, and we are looking forward to many more years of hosting this event! B Mike Toot, JN, loves sailing almost as much as he loves his wife, Victoria Ericksen, JN. The Seattle Sail & Power Squadron members sail their Island Packet 31 Ars Vivendi around Puget Sound and the San Juan Islands. 24 The Ensign Summer 2013 22-24_F_SeaSkills_Ensign_SUM13v2.indd 24 6/3/2013 9:31:47 AM Arnold Medalen S M T 1 2 W 3 T F 4 5 I Stargazer I S 6 Pleiades Venus 7 8 9 10 11 12 Cassiopeia “Lazy W” 14 Full moon 15 New moon First-quarter moon Last-quarter moon 16 17 18 19 13 Big Dipper Full moon New moon First-quarter moon Last-quarter moon Full moon 21 22 Venus 28 New moon First-quarter moon Last-quarter moon 23 24 Full moon moon Thunder Moon NewMars 29 30 Pleiades Cluster Scorpius 25 26 Orion 27 New moon Big Dipper First-quarter moon Last-quarter moon 31 Jupiter First-quarter moon Last-quarter moon Little Dipper Meteor shower Sagittarius “Teapot constellation” Dates to remember 1 4 5 Venus is low in the west at sunset with Regulus 2½ fist-widths to the upper left. Tonight is good to view the Pleiades Cluster, 3 finger-widths to the moon’s upper left, and Aldebaran, 1 fist-width to the lower left. Aldebaran is 2 fingerwidths to the moon’s right this morning. At around 1500 UT, Earth reaches aphelion, its farthest distance from the sun at 1.01670 astronomical units (94 million miles) away. Aphelion varies from 2–6 July. Earth is 3.1 million miles more distant than it was at perihelion on 2 Jan. 13 Look north in the early evening to see the Big Dipper with its handle pointing upward. Follow the pointer stars at the end of the bucket 3 fistwidths to the North Star, Polaris. Continue along that line to Cassiopeia, known as the Lazy “W” constellation. 15 Tonight the moon passes within ½ finger-width of Spica. Viewers in Hawaii will see the moon occult Spica. 16 Saturn is 2 finger-widths to the moon’s upper right tonight. 18 The moon is in the head of Scorpius, the Scorpion, this evening. Antares, the Heart of the Scorpion, is 3 fingerwidths to the lower left. 21 Venus passes within ½ finger-width of Regulus tonight. Low in the west at twilight, they set 1½ hours after the sun. The moon is at perigee, 56.2 Earth-radii (222,000 miles) away. 22 Low in the east before dawn, Mars passes less than 1 degree from Jupiter. Look quickly; the sun rises less than 2 hours after the planets, The Summer Triangle dominates the eastern evening sky, with Vega in the east; Altair 3 fistwidths to the lower right; and Deneb 2 ½ fistwidths to Vega’s lower left. Get out the binoculars later this month as Jupiter, Mars and Mercury put on a show. Gemini Twins Mercury Full moon July 2013 20 Scorpius which will soon be lost in the glare. Spring Equinox 26 Before dawn, the bright star 3 fist-widths below Summer Solstice the moon in the southwest is Fomalhaut. The same distance above the moon sits Alpheratz in the constellation Andromeda, the Chained Princess, daughter of Cassiopeia and Cepheus. 28 High in the south at first light, the moon is between Alpheratz, 2½ fist-widths to the upper right, and Mira, 2 fist-widths to the lower left in the constellation Cetus, the Sea Monster. 30 Rising 1½ hours before the sun, Mercury reaches its greatest elongation west of the sun and should be visible before the sky brightens. With your binoculars, try spotting Mars, 3 finger-widths above Mercury, and Jupiter, 1½ finger-widths to Mars’ upper right. Fall Equinox Winter Solstice use binoculars Get even more stargazing opportunities at uspsstargazer. wordpress.com. Summer 2013 The Ensign 25-27_Stargazer_Ensign_SUM13.indd 25 25 6/3/2013 9:33:42 AM Cassiopeia “Lazy W” Full moon New moon First-quarter moon Last-quarter moon I Stargazer I Pleiades Cluster Scorpius S M T W T F 1 2 Big Dipper Orion Jupiter Mars Jupiter 4 5 6 Mars Gemini Twins 7 8 Saturn Little Dipper August 2013 Astronomers predict a good year for the Perseid meteor shower, with the best viewing 11–13 Aug. before dawn. Jupiter, Mars and Mercury linger near the western horizon before dawn all month. The highest, Jupiter, outshines Mars, to the lower left, and Mercury, close to the horizon. Get weekly star updates delivered to your inbox. Sign up for the RSS feed at uspsstargazer. wordpress.com. 26 The Ensign 12 9 Venus Mercury 11 S 3 Full moon New moon 13 Venus First-quarter moon Last-quarter moon 14 10 15 16 17 Saturn 25 19 Scorpius Full moon New moon 20 First-quarter moon Last-quarter moon 21 Green Corn Moon Spring Equinox 26 27 22 Full moon New moon 29 Winter Solstice New moon 3 4 7 Aldebaran is 1 fingerwidth to the moon’s lower right before dawn. Over the next few days, the moon passes three planets in the pre-dawn sky. This morning look for Jupiter, 3 fingerwidths to the moon’s left or lower left, and Mars, 3 finger-widths to Jupiter’s lower left. This morning, the moon slips past Jupiter and Mars, now 3 fingerwidths to the moon’s upper left. Mercury is 1 fist-width to Mars’ lower left. The moon sets within a few minutes of the sun, giving us dark skies for the next few evenings. At dusk, look for Venus near the western horizon. Next, look for Arcturus high to the upper left, more than 4 fist-widths from Venus. Saturn will appear to Arcturus’ lower left, and Spica to 24 First-quarter moon Last-quarter moon 30 Gemini Twins Jupiter Orion 31 Gemini Twins First-quarter moon Last-quarter moon Dates to remember 1 23 Summer Triangle Fall Equinox 28 Summer Solstice Full moon Full moon Sagittarius “Teapot constellation” Meteor shower 18 Perseid meteor shower Cassiopeia “Lazy W” Meteor shower Saturn’s lower right. 9 11 The sun sets an hour before the moon tonight. As the sky darkens, look for Venus 3 finger-widths to the moon’s upper right. Only 5 percent of the moon’s surface is illuminated. Tonight, the bright star 2 finger-widths to the moon’s upper left is Spica. The Perseid meteor shower peaks over the next few nights. Viewing will be better after the moon sets, 2 to 3 hours after sunset. 12 Saturn is 2 finger-widths to the moon’s upper left tonight. Spica is 4 fingerwidths to the moon’s lower right. 15 Antares is 4 fingerwidths to the moon’s lower right tonight. 22 Tonight, lean back and look straight up; the two bright stars overhead are Vega in the constellation Lyra, the Lyre, and Deneb in the constellation Cygnus, the Swan. Both stars Spring Equinox are part of the Summer Triangle. 24 Tonight, Alpheratz is 3 fist-widths above theSummer Solstice moon, Hamel is 1½ fistwidths to the left, and Almach is 3 fist-widths to the upper left. The slightly brighter star 1½ fist-widths to Almach’s lower left is Mirfak in the constellation Perseus, the Hero. 28 High in the southeast before dawn, the moon lies between the Pleiades, 4 finger-widths to the upper right, and Aldebaran, 2 fingerwidths to the lower left. Orion, the Hunter, is beyond Aldebaran. 31 Jupiter is 2 finger-widths to the moon’s left before dawn, with the Gemini Twins 1½ fist-widths to the lower left. Summer 2013 25-27_Stargazer_Ensign_SUM13.indd 26 5/29/2013 3:45:37 PM Ne “Lazy W” Full moon New moon First-quarter moon Last-quarter moon Pleiades Cluster Scorpius Cassiopeia “Lazy W” Full moon New moon I Stargazer I First-quarter moon Last-quarter moon Big Dipper Orion Pleiades Cluster Scorpius S M 1 2 Gemini Twins T 3 W T 4 Big Dipper Full moon Jupiter 8 9 Meteor shower Full moon 10 11 12 Sagittarius “Teapot constellation” Scorpius Venus 15 Saturn 16 Spring Equinox Sagittarius “Teapot constellation” Meteor shower New moon New moon 17 18 Saturn Fall Equinox New moon Spring Equinox Fall Equinox 24 29 19 Orion 20 First-quarter moon Last-quarter moon Full moon Gemini Twins 26 Full moon September 2013 21 Big Dipper Pleiades Cluster New moon 27 First-quarter moon Last-quarter moon Little Dipper Orion Orion Pleiades 30 New moon Scorpius Winter 25 Solstice Fall Summer Solstice 14 Pleiades Cluster First-quarter moon Last-quarter moon Harvest Moon Summer Solstice 23 13 Full moon Scorpius Full moon Venus 22 First-quarter moon Last-quarter moon First-quarter moon Last-quarter moon Cassiopeia “Lazy W” Little Dipper Gemini Twins 7 Cassiopeia “Lazy W” Big Dipper S 6 Little Dipper Gemini Twins Orion F 5 Meteor shower New moon First-quarter moon Last-quarter moon 28 Big Dipper Jupiter Sagittarius “Teapot constellation” Winter Solstice Gemini Twins Spring Equinox Dates to remember 1 In the east before dawn, the moon stands between the Gemini Twins, 1 fistwidth to the upper left, and Procyon, the same distance to the lower right. Brilliant Jupiter is 1 fist-width directly above the moon. The equation of time is zero. 5 Low in the west at dusk, the first light you see is Venus, followed by Saturn 1 fist-width to the upper left and Spica less than 1 finger-width to Venus’ lower left. 7 Only a few days old, the moon sets soon after the sun, making stargazing easier. Ursa Major, the Big Dipper, sits a bit left of north with its handle pointing to the upper left. The pointer stars at the end of the bucket point to Polaris, less than 3 fist-widths to the upper right. Looking right (east), you can easily make out Cassiopeia, the Meteor shower Summer Solstice Little Dipper Fall Equinox Sagittarius “Teapot constellation” Winter Solstice 19 The full moon (1113 UT) Lazy W constellation. closest to the autumnal Turning farther right equinox is called the (south), you can see the Fall Equinox Harvest Moon. Summer TriangleSpring to Equinox Cassiopeia’s upper right. 22 Today marks the first Sagittarius and Scorpius day of fall, the autumare easy to spot near the nal equinox, as the sun horizon. FinishingSummer the Solstice Winter Solstice crosses the celestial turn (west), you can see equator into the Arcturus, the bright star Southern Hemisphere. in the middle of the sky. 23 The Pleiades Cluster is 8 Venus is to Spica’s up3 finger-widths to the per left, and the moon is moon’s upper left this less than 1 finger-width evening. to Venus’ left. All three occupy a 1½-finger-width 25 In the south before dawn, bright Aldebaran diameter circle. is 2 finger-widths to the 9 Saturn is 3 finger-widths moon’s lower right. To to the moon’s right. the moon’s lower left, Orion dominates the 11 The moon is 3 fingersouthern sky. widths above Antares, the red-orange heart of 28 The moon is between Scorpius. Jupiter, 3 finger-widths to the upper left, and 16 Saturn is 2 finger-widths Procyon, a little more above Venus low in the than 1 fist-width to the west at dusk. Venus pulls lower right. to Saturn’s left over the next few nights. On the move, Venus passes Spica and then Saturn. On the 8th, the moon passes less than one degree from Venus. Bring your binoculars. Spica and Saturn move closer to the horizon each day, while Venus slides to the left. P/C Arnold Medalen, SN, of Diablo Sail & Power Squadron boats with his wife, Patricia, aboard Shelly C in the California Delta and San Francisco Bay. He began writing about the night sky after taking Navigation in the early ’90s. Summer 2013 The Ensign 25-27_Stargazer_Ensign_SUM13.indd 27 27 5/29/2013 3:45:47 PM THE MIGHTY MACKINAW Queen of the Great Lakes By Michael A. LeButt T en days after the attack on Pearl Harbor in 1941, the U.S. Congress passed legislation to construct the most powerful icebreaker in the world. Its name was Mackinaw. The Toledo Shipbuilding Company began construction but soon went bankrupt. The American Shipbuilding Company completed the job at a total cost of $10 million. Ninety-five percent of the iron ore used in the war effort was mined from the vast deposits of Minnesota and Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. Along with the coal and limestone necessary to manufacture steel, iron ore needed to travel by water to the Great Lakes’ steel mills. The Mackinaw kept the shipping lanes open longer in the winter when solid ice could grow four feet thick with windrows two to three stories high. At 290 feet long with a beam of 74 feet 4 inches and a displacement of 5,252 tons, the Coast Guard cutter Mackinaw was up to the task. Its 1 ⅜-inch high-tensile steel hull was laid with a 1 ⅝-inch mild steel ice belt below the waterline. With frames spaced 16 inches apart, Mackinaw could break 3-footthick solid ice while moving steadily ahead at 3 knots with a ballasted draft of 19 feet. To clear thicker ice and windrows, Mackinaw would back up and ram. Top speed in open water was 15 knots. Although Mackinaw now sports the traditional red hull designating Coast Guard icebreakers, it was originally painted all white with no markings to camouflage it from air attacks. A 12-foot-diameter propeller at the bow pulled water from under the ice, weakening it in advance of the ship while keeping the hull flushed to prevent re-freezing of churned ice. Pumps moved 160 tons of water from heeling tanks from one side to the other in 60 to 90 seconds to rock the Mackinaw’s round bottom and free it from the ice’s grip. There’s no record of Mackinaw ever being beset in ice from which it could not be freed. The ship’s twin 14-foot-diameter stern propellers were driven by electric motors powered by 10-cylinder, opposedpiston, two-cycle Fairbanks Morse railroad locomotive engines. Six of these 2,000-horsepower monsters could be brought online to meet demand. Mackinaw carried enough fuel to circle the earth one-and-a-half times. Mackinaw would periodically visit the lower Great Lakes when thick ice or an endangered ship required, but its primary areas of operation were the Straits of Mackinac (between Lake Huron and Lake Michigan); the St. Marys River, including the locks at Sault Ste. Marie, Mich. (between Lake Huron and Lake Superior); and Lake Superior’s Whitefish Bay. Its home port was Cheboygan, Mich., at the tip of Michigan’s Lower Peninsula. Mackinaw’s motto was “We move ships when no one else can.” While it could still perform every mission thrown at 28 The Ensign Summer 2013 28-29_Mackinaw_Ensign_Sum2013.indd 28 5/29/2013 3:47:52 PM MICHAEL LEBUTT Michael A. LeButt I The Mighty Mackinaw CO U R T E SY O F I C E B R E A K E R M AC K I N AW M A R I T I M E M U S E U M A HELPING HAND it, Mackinaw simply got too expensive to operate. It needed a large crew, which meant a big payroll and many mouths to feed, and replacement parts could no longer be found for its 1940s-era diesels. After 62 years of breaking ice, Mackinaw was retired in June 2006 and replaced by a new Mackinaw (WLBB-30) at a simultaneous decommissioning/ commissioning ceremony. Now operated as the Icebreaker Mackinaw Maritime Museum, the retired USCGC Mackinaw is berthed in Mackinaw City, Mich., the village for which it was named. The museum is open from mid-May to mid-October. For more information, visit themackinaw.org. B P/Lt/C Michael LeButt, SN, of Tip of the Mitt Sail & Power Squadron, has been sailing for more than 60 years and has logged thousands of miles on the Great Lakes and coastal California, where he lived aboard his 40-foot cutter, True North. Recently named District 9’s Instructor of the Year, he is also a Coast Guard Licensed Master. In May 2012, Tip of the Mitt Power Squadron members volunteered to clean, paint and ready the Mackinaw for a new season of visitors. Clean-up crew: David Campbell, P; P/C Bob D’Alcorn, JN; P/C Jim Ellis, AP; Sarah Tietjen; Lt/C Tom Tietjen, SN; Eric Eide, S; Pat Kutsch; Trent Kutsch; Paul Tietjen; Janet Eide; and Lt/C Bill Lovett, P P/C Jim Ellis, AP, paints the ticket booth. P/C Bob D’Alcorn, JN, cleans the pilothouse. NEW & IMPROVED Mackinaw (WLBB-30) is a multi-role vessel. In addition to being an icebreaker, it’s also a lighthouse and buoy tender, and it carries law-enforcement weaponry and containment booms for oil spills. Like its predecessor, it can break through solid ice while moving forward at 3 knots. The new cutter is smaller and has a unique propulsion system powered by Caterpillar diesels. Electric motors sealed in submerged teardrop-shaped pods hang below the hull and can turn 360 degrees, aiming the propellers in any direction. Combined with bow-thrusters, this configuration makes for excellent maneuverability. Summer 2013 The Ensign 28-29_Mackinaw_Ensign_Sum2013.indd 29 29 6/3/2013 9:38:43 AM I Destinations I Cruising back in time Exploring Ohio’s Muskingum River By Ruth Burd T en of us trailered four boats 740 miles to Zanesville, Ohio, for an 81-mile historical cruise down the Muskingum River. We traveled through nine locks with hand-cranked wooden doors and crumbling stone walls to Marietta, Ohio, with few amenities such as restaurants, hotels or marinas along the way. The group included Bill and Linda Chastain on My Valium; Jim and Dee Hoover on Little Bird; Dave Moore and Lynn Kearney on Phoenix; and Norm Champion, Gail Savidge, Rich and me on Teacher’s Pet. We launched the four boats in Zanesville, Ohio, with plenty of extra gas aboard. While the men drove the trailers to Marietta, the women visited the Longaberger Company, the largest manufacturer of handmade baskets in the U.S. We saw few signs or channel buoys 30 The Ensign We saw few signs or channel buoys and no mile markers along the river, which made it difficult to know exactly where we were at any given time. and no mile markers along the river, which made it difficult to know exactly where we were at any given time. All but one of the locks had a single chamber. Once inside a lock, each boat’s crew would wrap a line at bow and stern around cables tied vertically along the lock wall. Then we watched the lockmaster hand-crank the rickety gears to open and close the doors to fill and empty the chamber. This laborintensive process occurred numerous times each day but took only 20 minutes per lock. Due to low water, we had several mishaps during the beginning of the trip. One boat hit a log in 4 feet of water, raising the bow and tipping it sideways. The boat wasn’t taking on water, so we continued cruising. But when the boat was loaded on the trailer at the end of the trip, we could see a 2-inch piece of wood had pierced the hull and was acting as a plug. As the trip continued, another boat became stuck in shallow water. The boat sent to rescue it also got stuck, requiring us to jump into the river and pull both boats into deeper water like in the movie “African Queen.” Overheating problems eventually troubled both boats. Having taken on debris, their engines weren’t cooling properly. Towing two boats, we looked for a dock and launch ramp. Summer 2013 30-31_Destinations_Ensign_SUM13.indd 30 5/29/2013 3:50:27 PM I Destinations I With the locks closing as darkness approached, we decided to drop anchor and spend the night. In the morning, both tows continued until Bill found a man on a dock who volunteered to drive him to Marietta to get his boat trailer. After retrieving his boat, Bill assisted Dave in retrieving his vehicle and boat, as well. The remaining two boats continued through the locks to the campground where we would spend the night. Norm and Gail stayed at a Victorian inn in a restored mill that overlooked a dam. We were leery of being the water taxi to the inn because the small dock was well into the dam’s danger buoys; however, the lockmaster assured us that boats docked there all the time and that it was safe. With boats in tow, Bill, Linda, Dave and Lynn joined us at the campground, where we grilled out and talked until dark. Often overgrown with vegetation, the narrow canals leading to the remaining locks sometimes extended for a mile. We saw few boats on this stretch, but once we saw a dredge under power. With no mile markers and no dam warnings ( just danger buoys and a visual of the waterfall), navigating was a challenge. Our unhelpful paper charts lacked detail and often wouldn’t even show all the bridges. With no electronic charts of the river available, we had truly traveled back in time. The Muskingum River ends where it meets the Ohio River in Marietta. There we found a marina with showers and electricity. Ah, civilization! B Far left: The Zanesville railroad bridge opens at a prearranged time. Above: Cruise captain P/C Norm Champion, JN; P/C Ruth Burd, AP; P/C Rich Burd, AP; and P/C Gail Savidge, P, take a lunch break aboard Teacher’s Pet. At left: Linda Chastain, P, and Bill Chastain, P, on My Valium enter the lock chamber. Below: Cruisers enjoy the quiet and calm along the scenic Muskingum River. P/C Ruth Burd, AP, and her husband P/C Rich Burd, AP, Land of Lincoln Power Squadron members from Springfield, Ill., have trailered their 27-foot Monterey to a variety of ports. They have cruised the North Channel in upper Lake Huron, Canada’s Rideau Canal and Trent-Severn Waterway, Lake Erie, Lake Michigan, the Arkansas and Mississippi rivers, and both coasts of Florida. Rich thinks Teacher’s Pet was named for him, but Ruth says the boat is her real “pet.” Summer 2013 The Ensign 30-31_Destinations_Ensign_SUM13.indd 31 31 5/29/2013 3:50:41 PM I Waypoints I S Camaraderie aboard a clipper ship F U SPS members from across the country joined North Carolina’s Cape Lookout Sail & Power Squadron members for a weeklong Caribbean sailing excursion aboard Star Clipper, a 360-foot, four-masted barkentine. Our group of 35 accounted for onefourth of the tall ship’s passengers, and our common bond gave us instant camaraderie. Star Clipper departed St. Maarten 19 Jan. for seven less-traveled southern islands, including Dominica, Guadeloupe and Antigua. Shore excursions were available at each island, except tiny Íles des Saintes. At the end of the all-too-short voyage, participants asked, “Where are we going next?” The tall ship excursion was the trip of a lifetime. A slide show is available at clsps.org/starClipper.html. f t i a b s C fi t t w –Richard J. Tobacco Lake Arthur rendezvous T wice a year, Lake Charles Sail & Power Squadron members take their boats south on the Calcasieu River, east along the Intracoastal Waterway, and north on the beautiful Mermentau River to visit the charming town of Lake Arthur, La. Many other members travel by land and meet up with the boaters. The group spends at least three days at the pier, enjoying the town’s friendly hospitality, outstanding restaurants and unique nightlife. –Nancy G. Rogers 32 The Ensign . r, La rthu 46' A e Lak 0°04.8 2' N 3 °40.29 2 W9 Summer 2013 32-35_Waypoints_Ensign_SUM2013.indd 32 6/6/2013 10:05:52 AM I Waypoints I Sailing sparks learning F or three years, Greenwich Sail & Power Squadron has worked with the Young Mariners Foundation of Stamford, Conn., which serves children from low-income families with the help of the Boys & Girls Club. After assisting with the initial fundraiser, squadron members gave firsttime sailors a two-hour introduction to safe boating. Young Mariners’ instructors taught the children swimming, CPR/First Aid and environmental awareness, supplemented by training from a local sailing school. Then members of the squadron and local yacht clubs took the children for afternoon sails, highlighting safety and providing instruction. Over four Saturday mornings, second-year students took America’s Boating Course, adapted by the squadron for the fifth- and sixth-graders. This was the first class to obtain Connecticut Safe Boating Certificates online. D/2 Educational Officer George Hallenbeck was on hand at the Boys & Girls Club with the eight children on eight computers, and everything went smoothly. Graduating students received USPS caps and certificates of completion and were sworn in as squadron members. –Susan Ryan D/C Susan Ryan, JN, and Lt/C Andy Cummings, JN, with recent America’s Boating Course graduates, who all passed with scores above 90 percent. Kevin Wing displays the burgee he won for acing the exam. “The sailing program showed me how to learn,” Wing said, “how to focus.” P/C Ben Bee, AP; P/R/C Horst Boettge, SN; and Lt Temple Meek, JN, of Golden Corner Lakes Sail & Power Squadron brave the elements in Charleston, S.C., for two hours in a 19-foot open center-console boat to complete their Cooperative Charting mission. GEORGE A. SCHILLER II Neither winds nor choppy waters Tow Marin er Park a, Lo N 38° di, Calif. 0 W 121 6.602' °29.8 83' Certifiable fun O n 17 Oct. 2012, Rich Holden and I launched my Whaler from Tower Park Marina in California’s Sacramento River Delta for an Inland Navigator Advanced Powerboat Handling skills course taught by D/25 Educational Officer Norm Pennington. The boat carried seven slalom course buoys, anchors, 40 feet of line for each buoy, our course syllabus and lunch. Les and Curt Johnson followed in Curt’s 24-foot runabout, our test vessel. Ralph Price, Bob Burget and Norm Pennington were already at Devil’s Isle, our event base. With the slalom course set, we learned the 17 exercises required for certification. After familiarizing ourselves with the test vessel, we demonstrated docking, high-speed on-the-water maneuvers, approaching range markers and crew overboard. We also had to power through the slalom course and back down it. Although it was serious learning, everyone had fun, and five Diablo Sail & Power Squadron members became certified. –Dave Humphrey Summer 2013 The Ensign 32-35_Waypoints_Ensign_SUM2013.indd 33 33 6/6/2013 10:12:34 AM I Waypoints I A patriotic moment D H uring Poverty Bay Sail & Power Squadron’s May rendezvous in Port Orchard, Wash., members were surprised to see the USS John C. Stennis enter the bay and proceed to its home port of Bremerton, Wash. Sailors stood in formation around the flight deck, returning after a long deployment. We waved flags to welcome them home. –John Green I n late January, Marco Island Sail & Power Squadron and the U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary sponsored hands-on flare and fire extinguisher training in Marco Island, Fla. More than 100 people attended the event, which was held at the Marco Island Yacht Club with approval from the Department of Homeland Security and the U.S. Coast Guard. Participants ignited one handheld flare and one aerial pistol-launched flare each, most for the first time, as it’s only legal to do so in an emergency. All flares used were outdated. The Civil Air Patrol videotaped the event to train pilots involved in air/sea operations. One valuable insight gained was to wear protective gloves when igniting handheld flares. The slag is so hot that many people extinguished their flares before they burned out. Because of the short 5–7 second burn time and high failure rate, we learned to carry more aerial flares on board than required. The Civil Air Patrol pilots had a difficult time seeing handheld and aerial flares in daylight but could clearly see handheld smoke flares. The Marco Island Fire Rescue Department provided hands-on fire extinguisher training. Participants learned how heavy a firefighter’s protective gear is. Before leaving the dock, know how to use your flares and make sure they aren’t outdated. The failure rate for expired flares was 18 percent for handheld flares, a whopping 73 percent for 12-gauge aerial pistol-launched flares, and more than 90 percent for Skyblazer aerial flares with a built-in launch tube. –Carl Thieme d slan lub co I Mar acht C ' .) Y 14 (Fla 5°57.7 7' N 2 °42.74 1 W8 ELENA BUDKINA Flare training teaches safety lessons The full version of this article was originally published in the Marco Island, Fla., Marco Eagle. 34 The Ensign Summer 2013 32-35_Waypoints_Ensign_SUM2013.indd 34 6/6/2013 10:30:38 AM I Waypoints I Tokyo members venture south for fun, friendship ina, Mar a m a Hay Japan 7' .96 ' 0 5°16 N 3 °34.00 9 3 1 E L ast October, Tokyo Sail & Power Squadron members traveled south to Hayama, Japan, where they enjoyed a day on the water and a barbecue with their hosts from Hayama Marina. More than 25 members joined 15 people from the marina for the event, organized by Kobayashi-san. A little after 1000, four sailboats took members out on the water under clear skies and light winds. The boaters ate lunch at anchor in a small bay within shouting distance of the Emperor’s summer home. The water roiled with schools of small fish, and much larger bora, a type of mullet, leaped all around. After more sailing, the boats returned to the marina. By 1500, the barbecue was fired up in the boatyard, where a pianist played live music. Everyone feasted on vegetables, chicken, pork, sausage and yakisoba, and drank cold beer and wine. At sunset, thank-you speeches were followed by an invitation to karaoke. We enjoyed the day with our hosts from Hayama Marina and are looking forward to next year’s event. Beaming for the camera: Suzuko Mall; Lt Eugene Mall, S; Masayuki Maruo; Euan MacGregor; Jerry Brady, S; and 1st/Lt Randy Erskine –Warren Fraser The o Roo dore Mem seve Oys orial lt Pa te N 4 r Bay, rk 0°5 N.Y. 2 W7 3°3 .408' 1.95 5' ELENA BUDKINA Cdr Marco Rojas, N, with Town of Oyster Bay Councilman Chris Coschignano and Environmental Commissioner Neil Bergin Squadron spearheads cleanup O yster Bay Sail & Power Squadron helped sponsor the Oyster Bay Harbor cleanup as part of the International Ocean Conservancy environmental preservation effort. Early on 15 Sept. 2012, squadron members set up a hospitality tent along the waterfront in Oyster Bay’s Theodore Roosevelt Memorial Park to serve coffee and donuts to organizing volunteers. Throughout the morning, members distributed bottled water and energy bars donated by Whole Foods. An estimated 250 people turned out for the cleanup, including many school groups. According to the Town of Oyster Bay Environmental Resources Department, volunteers collected 1.76 tons of debris. The volunteers also removed two derelict floating docks from the water, a small boat cart from the sea grass and assorted debris from the beaches. –Len Hecht Small-scale sailing fun Crystal River (Fla.) Sail & Power Squadron member P/C Pete Ward, JN, judges a race at Cub Scout Pack 449’s Rain Gutter Regatta, during which scouts sail handmade boats down a 10-foot rain gutter. –Joanne Hepner Summer 2013 The Ensign 32-35_Waypoints_Ensign_SUM2013.indd 35 35 5/29/2013 3:54:06 PM © ISTOCKPHOTO.COM/YINYANG Deep in the heart of Texas Dress code Mon.–Thurs., 2–5 Sept. USPS casual or other appropriate attire Thurs. evening Western or other casual attire Fri., 6 Sept. USPS blazer (preferred), district/departmental polo shirts or other appropriate attire Sat., 7 Sept. Daytime Uniform F Men: Regulation longsleeve white shirt with black four-in-hand tie, black uniform trousers, black belt (if worn), black socks, black shoes, or other appropriate attire Ladies: Regulation long-sleeve white shirt, black skirt or slacks, black crossover tie, black shoes, black purse (if carried) or other appropriate attire Evening USPS blazer with tie or other appro- priate attire 36-37_meetings Summer.indd 36 A top meeting venue, San Antonio has something for everyone, and our meeting hotel, the new Grand Hyatt San Antonio, sits at the heart of it all. One of two Hyatt hotels on the River Walk, the Grand Hyatt (600 East Market St., grandsanantonio.hyatt.com, 210-224-1234) provides beautifually decorated modern rooms in a pleasing environment. While you’re there, enjoy a serene stroll along the River Walk’s winding, tree-shaded walkways, where you’ll find a variety of restaurant choices to please the pickiest eaters and entertainment options for both the young and the young-at-heart. Nearby downtown San Antonio also features many restaurant, shopping and entertainment destinations, including the La Villita Historic Arts Village and Market Square, the largest Mexican market this side of the border. Eat, meet and have fun San Antonio has plenty to entertain you. Plan to come early. USPS rates start Friday, 30 Aug., and run through Sunday, 8 Sept. In-hotel social activities include a Thursday evening fiesta, Saturday lunch, and a Saturday evening dinner-dance. In addition, the area is home to many reasonably priced restaurants as well as upscale eateries. The hotel restaurant has one of the best breakfast buffets you’ve ever seen as well as both indoor and al fresco dining. To make your stay in San Antonio memorable, the National Meetings Committee has planned many exciting activities in addition to our meetings, leaving you ample time to visit the area’s many theaters, galleries, parks and plazas, many of which are free and open to the public year-round. Exciting tours and social programs scheduled during the week will give you a fun, relaxing break between busy workdays. What a great opportunity to extend your stay and enjoy a rare San Antonio vacation! Getting there by air Approximately eight miles from the Grand Hyatt San Antonio and the downtown area, the 24-hour San Antonio International Airport is at the junction of northeast loop 410 and Highway 281 North, with easy access to and from the interstate. Ground transportation The Go Airport Shuttle (210-281-9900, citytoursinc.com/airport-shuttle) costs $19 one way or $34 roundtrip. The shuttle runs from 0700 to 0130 daily and picks up and drops off at the hotel entrance. The shuttle stops at other hotels and will take longer than a taxi. The recommended taxi service is Yellow Cab (210-222-2222), with a one-way airport-to-hotel fare of around $30. Reserve your room Make your reservations at the Grand Hyatt San Antonio by 9 Aug. to get the USPS rate, $139 for single and double occupancy and one-bedroom suites for $239. Make, modify or cancel reservations at usps.org/php/reservations or by calling 800-233-1234. Make sure you get the United States Power Squadrons rate. Call Don Clark at 352-861-2176 if you have problems with reservations. 36 The Ensign Plan your stay Summer 2013 6/7/2013 9:00:45 AM San Antonio USPS 2013 Governing Board 1–8 Sept. © ISTOCKPHOTO.COM/YINYANG ACTIVITIES REGISTRATION >> Reserve online at usps.org/php/reservations Rank First MI Last Grade Cert. No. Rank First MI Last Grade Cert. No. Address City Home phone Cell/Office State ZIP Squadron/District Dietary restrictions? Email address First time attending a national meeting? Wednesday, 4 Sept. Saturday, 7 Sept. 0900–1400 Golf Outing 1100–1400 Ladies Reception & Luncheon, all welcome You’ll board a shuttle bus or van at 0800 from the hotel to one of the Hyatt resorts for 18 holes of golf. Both men and women are invited to attend. Either bring your own clubs or rent them there. Ticket price includes transportation to and from the course. Club rental and lunch are extra. Quantity ______ @ $48 before 10 Aug., $50 after Total ______ You’ll board a bus for a tour of the Alamo, Mission San José, Mission Concepción and El Mercado before returning to the hotel. Quantity ______ @ $36 before 10 Aug., $45 after Total ______ Thursday, 5 Sept. 1200–1400 Members Luncheon (cash bar 1200–1230) Enjoy lunch with fellow USPS members and guests. Quantity ______ @ $35 before 10 Aug., $40 after Total ______ Enjoy a wonderful meal and fellowship with USPS members and guests. Quantity ______ @ $58 before 10 Aug., $59 after Total ______ Convention Package Deal Discount Bundles Convention Package Deal 1a or 1b, $171 per person 0900–1500 All-day Tour of San Antonio Enjoy the Alamo, a riverboat ride, the Japanese Tea Garden, the Buckhorn Saloon & Museum, and the Texas Ranger Museum. After lunch on your own at the Alamo Plaza see Mission San José, Mission Concepción and El Mercado. Quantity ______ @ $50 before 10 Aug., $59 after Total ______ 1830–2200 Fiesta Dinner Party in the Hotel Total ______ Friday, 6 Sept. 0730 Convention Breakfast Kick off the convention-style meeting with breakfast and an opening keynote address. Quantity ______ @ $37 before 10 Aug., $39 after Total ______ 0900–1500 All-day Tour of San Antonio Total ______ 1830–2200 Reception and Banquet 1330–1630 Half-day Tour of San Antonio Quantity ______ @ $49 before 10 Aug., $52 after Quantity ______ @ $35 before 10 Aug., $40 after Enjoy the Alamo, a riverboat ride, the Japanese Tea Garden, the Buckhorn Saloon & Museum, and the Texas Ranger Museum. After lunch on your own at the Alamo Plaza see Mission San José, Mission Concepción and El Mercado. Quantity ______ @ $50 before 10 Aug., $59 after Total ______ Thursday Dinner Party, Friday Convention Breakfast, either Saturday Members Luncheon (1a) or Ladies Luncheon (1b), and Saturday Night Banquet. Deadline: 1 Aug. 2013 Convention Package Deal 2a or 2b, $206 per person Wednesday Half-day Tour, Thursday Dinner Party, Friday Convention Breakfast, either Saturday Members Luncheon (2a) or Ladies Luncheon (2b), and Saturday Night Banquet. Deadline: 1 Aug. 2013 Quantity Package Deal 1a _____ or 1b ______ Total _____ Quantity Package Deal 2a _____ or 2b ______ Total _____ Total quantity tickets: ______ Total amount due: $________ RV information Visit usps.org/lc/highwaymariners. Tickets Reserve tickets online at usps.org/php/reservations using a credit card or mail form and check made out to 2013 Governing Board, USPS Headquarters, P.O. Box 30423, Raleigh, NC 27622. Call 512-9131512 for more information or email [email protected]. Activity reservations must be secured or postmarked by 10 Aug. 2013. After 10 Aug., call or email for instructions. Refund requests made after 15 Aug. will be honored only if the tickets are resold. All tickets must be picked up at the member activities registration area no later than one hour before the event, except for Ladies Luncheon, Members Luncheon and Banquet tickets, which must be picked up by 1000 Saturday, 7 Sept. 2013. Agenda and additional details may be found at usps.org/php/ reservations. Our meeting hotel is Grand Hyatt San Antonio. Reserve online at usps.org/php/reservations or by calling 800-233-1234 or 888-421-1442. Identify yourself as a member of USPS, Group ID 15454123. Request the USPS rate of $139 plus tax per night. # 36-37_meetings Summer.indd 37 Mar/Apr 2007 The Ensign 37 6/6/2013 10:38:42 AM I Last Horizon I “Sunset and evening star And one clear call for me! And may there be no moaning of the bar, When I put out to sea …” DEBRA ALLEN —Alfred, Lord Tennyson Martin W. Arndt, SN Senior Member, 14 mm Fort Macon (NC) Squadron/27 P/C Francois R. Barfuss, AP Life Member, 29 mm Darien (CT) Squadron/2 P/Lt/C Lincoln Baxter II, N Senior Member, 21 mm Buzzards Bay (MA) Squadron/14 P/C Jasper C. Boles Jr., SN Life Member, 41 mm Lake Hartwell (SC) Squadron/26 Lt Robert G. Borchak, S Senior Member, 9 mm Grosse Pointe (MI) Squadron/9 P/C Roy S. Brown Jr., AP Life Member, 34 mm Lake Charles (LA) Squadron/21 P/C William J. Buchanan, SN Life Member, 28 mm Delhigh (PA) Squadron/5 P/D/Lt/C Harold W. Butler, SN Emeritus Member, 61 mm Austin (TX) Squadron/21 P/C Kenneth C. Crebbin, SN Life Member, 34 mm Diablo (CA) Squadron/25 38 The Ensign Joseph “Jay” F. Cusick, AP Fort Macon (NC) Squadron/27 James R. Dorsey, S Taunton River (MA) Squadron/14 P/C Jacqueline A. Dundon, SN Life Member, 25 mm Grand Traverse Bay (MI) Squadron/9 Mary Lou Evans, AP Delhigh (PA) Squadron/5 P/C Paul M. Feliu, AP Life Member, 26 mm New Orleans (LA) Squadron/15 Carole M. Fitzmaurice Senior Member, 10 mm Peace River (FL) Squadron/22 P/C John J. Fitzmaurice, AP Senior Member, 19 mm Peace River (FL) Squadron/22 Gail F. Forbes, S 2 mm Ten Mile (PA) Squadron/7 Lani Gaskill, P Fort Vancouver (WA) Squadron/32 Ebenezer Gay, P Senior Member, 8 mm Lt Paul B. Goldman, AP Senior Member, 9 mm South Shore (NY) Squadron/3 Lawrence D. Greenberg, AP Delaware River (PA) Squadron/5 Thomas A. Grewenig Beaufort (SC) Squadron/26 P/C James H. Hambrick, SN Life Member, 30 mm Pompano Beach (FL) Squadron/8 P/D/C Robert S. Haynes, P Life Member, 26 mm Newport (RI) Squadron/14 P/C Claud E. Hefner, SN Life Member, 30 mm Charlotte (NC) Squadron/27 P/C William G. Heiler, AP Life Member, 26 mm Saginaw Bay (MI) Squadron/9 P/Stf/C Edith Y. Heyser, SN Senior Member, 22 mm Main Line (PA) Squadron/5 Melvin L. Hibbets, SN Life Member, 35 mm New Orleans (LA) Squadron/15 Mid-Coast (ME) Squadron/19 Summer 2013 38-39_LastHorizon_Spring2013.indd 38 5/29/2013 3:58:13 PM g I Last Horizon I P/C Charles P. Hundley, AP P/C Colin R. McKay, SN P/Lt/C Donald E. Stewart, P Life Member, 31 mm Life Member, 39 mm 4 mm St. Petersburg (FL) Squadron/22 Bremerton (WA) Squadron/16 Harris Chain (FL) Squadron/23 Herman H. Klein, P P/C Henry P. Mertens, SN Life Member, 35 mm Life Member, 34 mm New Orleans (LA) Squadron/15 Staten Island (NY) Squadron/4 P/C Anthony V. Kloszewski, P Senior Member, 7 mm Erie (PA) Squadron/11 Rick W. Knapton, P Fort Vancouver (WA) Squadron/32 P/C Gary LaMarca, AP Harold M. Miller Stark County (OH) Squadron/7 P/C Alfred W. Minch, SN Senior Member, 18 mm St. Petersburg (FL) Squadron/22 P/R/C Robert E. Murphy, SN Senior Member, 9 mm Life Member, 46 mm Great South Bay (NY) Squadron/3 Chicago (IL) Squadron/20 Maggie Lang Martha R. Nye, P Honorary Member Senior Member, 9 mm New Orleans (LA) Squadron/15 Vulcan (AL) Squadron/17 P/C John S. Lansberry, JN P/C Rocco G. Orsini, AP Life Member, 37 mm Life Member, 26 mm Bremerton (WA) Squadron/16 Swiftwater (NY) Squadron/6 P/D/C Robert G. Larsen, SN Life Member, 31 mm Lake Hartwell (SC) Squadron/26 Lt/C Kenneth A. Lewis, JN 3 mm Charleston (SC) Squadron/26 P/C Loy Lovelace, JN Senior Member, 11 mm Bellingham (WA) Squadron/16 P/C Gary G. Lytle, AP Senior Member, 18 mm St. Petersburg (FL) Squadron/22 P/C Robert D. Marcy, JN Senior Member, 16 mm St. Croix (VI) Squadron/33 John G. Marshall, JN Senior Member, 15 mm Santa Clara (CA) Squadron/25 Mary L. Rank Mansfield (OH) Squadron/7 P/C Arthur P. Reichling, SN Hugh L. Sulfridge, AP Saginaw Bay (MI) Squadron/9 P/C Stanley J. Surowiec, JN Life Member, 25 mm Norwich (CT) Squadron/1 Janet A. Vrolijk Mid-Coast (ME) Squadron/19 James M. Wallace Jr., P Anna Maria Island (FL) Squadron/22 Lt Gerald A. Wertman, SN Life Member, 29 mm Delhigh (PA) Squadron/5 P/D/C John “Jack” L. Whitehill, AP Senior Member, 24 mm Spokane (WA) Squadron/16 Barbara Wyatt Senior Member, 9 mm Pompano Beach (FL) Squadron/8 Britta M. Yeabower, AP Peace River (FL) Squadron/22 Life Member, 46 mm Westchester (NY) Squadron/2 P/C Kenneth F. Rice, JN Senior Member, 22 mm Pompano Beach (FL) Squadron/8 Robert L. Richards, SN Senior Member, 9 mm Buzzards Bay (MA) Squadron/14 Lt Charles L. Rush, JN Life Member, 31 mm Delhigh (PA) Squadron/5 P/C Jane P. Sands, AP Life Member, 26 mm Pompano Beach (FL) Squadron/8 P/C William D. Smelter, SN Merit mark awards Senior Member, 5 merit marks Life Member, 25 merit marks Emeritus Member, 50 merit marks How to submit Last Horizon honors USPS members who have crossed the bar. Family, squadron commanders or other authorized representatives may submit reports at theensign.org/ lasthorizon.htm. Photos and memorials may be sent to [email protected] for publication on our blog at theensign. wordpress.com. Life Member, 30 mm San Carlos Bay (FL) Squadron/22 Summer 2013 The Ensign 38-39_LastHorizon_Spring2013.indd 39 39 5/29/2013 3:58:23 PM I classifieds I BOAT INSURANCE ACCESSORIES WANTED Didn’t Cover That? Maybe I can help. Call Capt. John Smith, ASA, CMC, FACFEI, DABFE experienced marine surveyor/forensic investigator with sterling credentials. My specialty is investigating boat accidents. 843-846-9561 Service and Sales We offer expert sextant service, from a simple tune-up to a complete overhaul, with the largest supply of replacement parts for Plath and Tamaya sextants in the U.S. Discount on service for USPS members. Call 617-482-8460 for shipping instructions. New Astra and Cassens & Plath sextants at very competitive rates for USPS members. Robert E. White Instruments, www.robertwhite.com Marine surveyor Captain John Reichardt Accredited Marine Surveyor, SAMS, AMS, ABYC-standards certified. Covering all of New England. Member ABYC, SAMS, USPS; 508-813-4053, [email protected], captainjohnmarinesurveyors.com Log Racing??? An interesting navigational challenge plus a fun social activity. Enter your boat in a Predicted Log Regatta. www.predictedlog.org CLASSIFIED AD RATES & DEADLINES The Ensign classified ads are $1 per word with a $25 minimum. Artwork is $25 per column inch. Payment by check or credit card in U.S. currency must accompany order. Submit materials at theensign.org/classifieds or mail to The Ensign, P.O. Box 31664, Raleigh, NC 27622. For more information, email ensign@ hq.usps.org or call 888-367-8777. Fall 2013 deadline: 15 Aug. ATTENTION USPS MEMBERS Save 10% with your membership number at Landfall when you order paper charts, books, traditional navigation tools, flags, clothing, footwear or soft goods. No Web orders. Please call 800-9412291 or stop by our showroom at www. landfallnavigation.com INSURANCE Attention USPS Members Call 800-5537661 for USPS Boat Insurance quotations. Lawrence Fox Agency, Massapequa, N.Y. Established 1959. Designated Agent USPS/Jet-Ski® Program. Liability only available. www.boatinsurancestore.com LIVING THE DREAM WITH CAPTAINS ALYSE & CHRIS CALDWELL POWER BOAT TRAINING Connecticut Members Yacht and small boat insurance with USPS or other marine companies. Please call Ross Hatfield at 203-256-5660. Service@ HatfieldInsuranceAgency.com. Keep your life jackets within reach. LIVE AND LEARN ABOARD OUR 44ft. BOAT IN FLORIDA! 772-205-1859 [email protected] Boating is fun ... we’ll show you how! For only $15 a year or $25 for two years, you can give a subscription to The Ensign magazine. Mail checks to The Ensign, P.O. Box 31664, Raleigh, NC 27622. Please begin a subscription for Name Address City, state and ZIP Send a gift card from Name Address Credit card number 40 The Ensign Summer 2013 Exp. date I Bitter End I A lighter look at the boating life Standing watch B TRANSOM TALES Buying their 2008 37-foot Nordic Tug fulfilled David and Sandra Rigby’s long-held dream. Their boat’s name reflects the New Freedom they looked for and found after retirement from U.S. government service. R A L P H H AG E N GEORGE DOERNER uilt in 1803 to warn ships about dangerous Diamond Shoals, Cape Hatteras Light on North Carolina’s Outer Banks is located on Hatteras Island. Damaged during the Civil War, the tower was replaced with a new one in 1870. At 210 feet above sea level, Hatteras is the tallest brick lighthouse in the United States. Just off Cape Hatteras, the Gulf Stream collides with the Labrador Current. Turbulent water and frequent storms in the area eroded the shoreline and threatened the lighthouse. In 1935, a steel skeleton lighthouse was built farther back from the sea. Revetments erected by the Civilian Conservation Corps and Works Progress Administration lessened the erosion, and the brick lighthouse began operating again in 1950. When erosion once more threatened Cape Hatteras Light in 1999, the tower was cut from its base, hydraulically lifted onto steel beams and moved a half mile inland along railroad tracks. For a fee, visitors can climb the lighthouse’s 268 steps for a spectacular view. –Bridget Doerner Summer 2013 The Ensign 41-42_BitterEnd_Ensign_SUM13.indd 41 41 6/3/2013 11:54:37 AM I Bitter End I “Everywhere the sea is a teacher of truth.” Where away? DAV I D K . A K I N –Hilaire Belloc Email [email protected] by 31 July with the location depicted above for a chance to win a free gift from the USPS Ship’s Store. The winner or winners will be chosen at random from all correct responses. The Spring 2013 winners, Donald Exelby, Mara Hartman and Walter D. Coyle, and many others identified the Holland Harbor Lighthouse on Lake Michigan. The Ensign is also looking for future Where Away? photo submissions. If you have a location you would like to feature here, email a high-resolution photo to [email protected]. “The art of the sailor is to leave nothing to chance.” –Annie Van De Wiele TRANSOM TALES Warren and Doris Hamstead named their Sea Ray 340 Salty Paws in honor of their standard poodles, Charlie and Harry, who have been boating all their lives. The couple and their sea dogs enjoy days on the water near Ocean City, Md. 42 The Ensign Summer 2013 41-42_BitterEnd_Ensign_SUM13.indd 42 5/29/2013 3:57:00 PM I Stem to Stern I CONTACTS BOARD OF DIRECTORS EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENT ADMINISTRATIVE DEPARTMENT Chief Commander John T. Alter, SN [email protected] Cooperative Charting R/C John J. Rodgers, SN [email protected] Leadership Development R/C Susan L. Darcy, JN [email protected] National Executive Officer V/C Robert A. Baldridge, SN [email protected] Environmental R/C Thomas D. Myers, JN [email protected] Member Benefits Kristi Watson Anderson, P [email protected] National Educational Officer V/C Bob Brandenstein, SN [email protected] Government & Partner Relations R/C Mary Ann Jensen, SN [email protected] Membership R/C Mary Paige Abbott, SN [email protected] National Administrative Officer V/C Louie Ojeda, SN [email protected] Marketing & Public Relations R/C Kenneth H. Voight, AP [email protected] Squadron Activities R/C Paula F. Mizell, JN [email protected] National Secretary V/C Jean L. Hamilton, SN [email protected] National Treasurer V/C Gary P. Cheney, SN [email protected] Immediate Past Chief Commander Frank A. Dvorak, SN [email protected] APPOINTED OFFICERS National Flag Lieutenant P/V/C Joseph R. Mesenburg, SN [email protected] National chaplains R/C Louis M. Reitz, AP [email protected] P/C Lois M. Nehmer, SN [email protected] P/Stf/C Rodney Landsman, AP [email protected] National Meetings R/C Donald C. Clark, JN [email protected] Safety R/C Thomas Roscoe, AP [email protected] EDUCATIONAL DEPARTMENT Assistant Educational Officer R/C Donald C. Fiander, SN [email protected] Assistant Educational Officer R/C Robert R. Palmer, SN [email protected] Basic Public Education R/C Richard L. Carson, JN [email protected] Boat Handling R/C James J. Runge, SN [email protected] Boat Operator Certification R/C Chris L. Windeler, SN [email protected] Parliamentary advisor Benjamin H. Sooy III, AP Educational Outreach R/C Wilbur G. Hugli, SN [email protected] GENERAL COMMITTEES Electro-Mechanical Systems R/C George R. Hallenbeck, AP [email protected] Nominations R/C James R. McCurry, AP [email protected] Rules R/C Artemas M. Pickard, SN [email protected] STANDING COMMITTEES Finance R/C Lee Popham, AP [email protected] Law R/C David L. Allen Jr., SN [email protected] Planning R/C Kathryn J. Simkins, AP [email protected] Inland & Coastal Navigation R/C John P. Cook, SN [email protected] Instructor Development R/C Arthur A. Mollica, SN [email protected] Marine Environment R/C Charles J. Wells, SN [email protected] Offshore Navigation R/C Steven R. Abbott, SN [email protected] Program Partner Relations R/C John M. Malatak, AP [email protected] Publishing R/C Priscilla B. Clarke, AP [email protected] Squadron Development R/C Gerardo J. Caprario, JN [email protected] SECRETARY’S DEPARTMENT Assistant Secretary R/C Peter W. Mitchelson, SN [email protected] Communications R/C Guy J. Anastasio, SN [email protected] FIND IT ONLINE USPS website usps.org Subscribe to USPS Compass usps.org/newpublic2/ compass.html Change your address [email protected] Renew dues and contribute usps.org/dues Shop the Ship’s Store www.shopusps.org Discover your member benefits usps.org/national/admin_ dept/membenefits.htm Learn about the VSC program safetyseal.net Heritage and Protocol R/C Donald C. Schult Sr., AP [email protected] List or find a squadron activity usps.org/national/boatact, click “Cruises & Rendezvous” Information Technology R/C Miguel Long, JN [email protected] Find local knowledge usps.org/national/PortC Operations Manual R/C Tracy L. Simpson, AP [email protected] Ship’s Store R/C Bruce A. Albertson, SN [email protected] Know the USPS rules usps.org/national/om Help desk Stf/C Kristi Anderson, P [email protected] TREASURER’S DEPARTMENT Asst. Treasurer & Budget Director R/C Nigel E. Hargreaves, SN [email protected] Budget Officer—Executive & Administrative departments R/C Ronald Osburn, SN [email protected] Budget Officer— Educational Department R/C William R. Gillette, AP [email protected] Budget Officer— Secretary’s Department R/C Kenneth Wilkinson, AP [email protected] CONTRIBUTE Century Endowment Fund P/C/C Frank Dvorak, SN 107 Cascade Key Bellevue, WA 98006-1003 425-643-7788 [email protected] Educational Fund Barbara Spraggins P.O. Box 30423 Raleigh, NC 27622 [email protected] USPS Mission To promote recreational boating skills and boating safety through education, hands-on training, and civic activities while providing fellowship for members. Summer 2013 The Ensign 43 Stem to Stern.indd 43 43 5/29/2013 3:59:43 PM SAVINGS EXCLUSIVELY FOR USPS MEMBERS up to an additional B OAT O PERATOR C ERT IFIC AT ION ON - TH E - WATE R CO UR SES . P LEASE CALL FOR MO RE INF OR MATIO N. FO R TH E 800-763-8777 CAPITALIZE ON YOUR USPS MEMBERSHIP Enjoy the best service, reliability and coverage in the industry for dues-paying USPS members. • For every USPS Education Course and annual Vessel Safety Check passed, you can earn credit on your premium • Expanded and simplified navigation areas – Bahamas, Caribbean & Mexico coverage available • Coverage for individuals, partnerships & • Hurricane safe-harbor reimbursement with no policy limits • Free $10,000 coverage for medical payments • Free $1,500 personal effects coverage • Immediate Binding corporate/business owners Take a minute of your time and get a quote by calling us at 1-800-763-8777 or get a quick quote online at www.uspsboatinsurance.com USPS Boat Insurance Program C OMPETITIVE RATES . Ad.indd 44 USPS_Ensign_8.25x10.75_9FIN.indd 1 G REAT C OVERAGE . P AYMENT O PTIONS . 24-H OUR /365-D AY C LAIMS S ERVICES 5/29/2013 4:01:30 PM 9/9/10 3:00:35 PM