Volume 40 Number 1 District 30 January 2015 Commander’s Message Help BVSPS Adapt Boulder Valley Sail and Power Squadron (BVSPS) is all about boating. Boating in Colorado and across the nation is constantly changing, so BVSPS needs to adapt to the updated needs of folks who enjoy being on the water. We members need to talk about what we see and what we, as an organization, need to do to adapt. Looking at our membership, I see a significant group of new members just starting out in boating. I see more members than there used to be with boats on the coasts but who live in our area. There is an increase in members chartering, and an enthusiastic and growing bunch of paddlers. Trailer-sailors seem to be in decline. What do you see? The first lighthouse on Lake Michigan was built in St. Joseph in 1832. In 1907, this outer pier range light was completed with a Fifth Order Fresnel lens. This pier light and an inner range light both remain in operation today. They rest on a steel structure that stands 30 feet tall. BVSPS needs to adapt to the changing needs of our present and potential members. You can help by using the Squadron as a focus to organize participation in your preferred boating activities as appropriate. Invite (via the Beacon and announcements at meetings) members to participate in boating activities with you. (Cont. page 2) Annual Membership Meeting Thursday, 22Jan2015 1900 (7:00 pm) Mountain View United Methodist The January Membership Meeting will be held in the Frasier Parlor of Mountain View United Methodist Church, our usual location. The address is 355 Ponca Place, Boulder, Colorado 80303. Navigate to this location using your GPS street map. Waypoints are not required. Enter the West door, go half a flight down-stairs, and turn right down the long hallway to the SW end of the lower level. Your compass might help. Membership Meetings are free to members; guests are always welcome. See map and details on page 7. TongaTonga! Dave and Jo Davies will give a talk on their recent bareboat sail charter in the Tongan Archipelago. A light hearted and hopefully humorous account of taking a 44 foot Jeaneau around the islands of Vava'u Tonga. Including a dramatic encounter with humpback whales, some exciting sailing, the wonderful Tongans they met and a brief account of how to get there ( and back) --not a trivial exercise. The Boulder Beacon is the official publication of the Boulder Valley Sail and Power Squadron A Unit of United States Power Squadron January 2015 Boulder Beacon Page 1 Commander’s Message (cont.) New members need classes and local boating events. We're providing classes and need to keep that focus. Hearty thanks to our current teachers, but we need more for replacement and relief. Volunteer to our EdOs, John Venema and Dave Hughes, to join the instructor ranks. Charterers need ideas and examples. Jo and Dave Davies will present tales of Tonga at our next meeting, and we have more chartering programs scheduled. We need someone to organize and promote a group charter event or events. It's time to plan our summer on-water activities. Again, organizers and promoters are needed. Paddlers have done well with float trips. That's an area that can expand in number of trips and participants. It looks like Lake McConaughy levels are back up. I was thinking of giving that a try, but perhaps there are too few trailer boats among us to make that viable. Has anyone been there recently to see how crowded the campgrounds and ramps are? Let's hear from you! Cdr Ron Schwiesow, JN Bob Swartz Bob Swartz has recently been recognized by C/C Robert A. Baldridge, SN, Chief Commander of the United States Power Squadrons, as being a member of USPS for 50 years. This is a significant achievement and honor. In addition, Bob has Life Member status with 38 Merit Marks for significant efforts toward the goals of our Squadron over a period of many years. He has been an inspirational sailor to all of us in the squadron, showing by his example that we can take our trailerable sailboats to places as far as the Bahamas, the Baja peninsula, to the northern tip of Vancouver Island, and many places in between. When asked for advice on a challenging trip, Bob's standard response is, “You can do it!” He then explains how and why we can do it safely and enjoyably. After a white-knuckle sail in rough weather on Big Mac, Bob made me feel I was learning something by saying, “You know, Ron, I've never been so scared as I've been on McConaughy.” I remember that, often. Bob is also an effective teacher. Of the many things I remember, one is him standing on a Danforth being pulled across the floor of the Seamanship classroom to show how effective weight is in helping an anchor hold. Another hands-on lesson involved climbing aboard his boat, Planet, at his home to see how his Diesel auxiliary was installed, how the compression release worked, and how to adjust valves as part of Engine Maintenance class. He's also a super knot guy, as you'd expect from a mountaineer. The best advice that I've personally received is when I confided to him that Nancy wanted a larger boat but I was unsure if I could afford it or handle it comfortably. In true Bob fashion, he advised, “Give her a big smacking kiss and then go buy the boat.” We are still cruising in Romsø. Ron Schwiesow, JN BVSPS Meeting Calendar Annual Membership Meeting Thursday 22Jan15 1900 (7:00 pm) Elections, Sailing in Tonga Frasier Parlor of Mountain View United Methodist Church, 355 Ponca Place, Boulder, Colorado 80303. See page 7. January 2015 Bridge Meeting 5Feb15 1900 (7:00 pm via Skype) February Membership Meeting Thursday 26Feb15 1900 (7:00 pm) Change of Watch, John Decker & Norma Kay— Sailing the Bahamas Boulder Beacon Page 2 BVSPS Holiday Party A great time was had by all at the BVSPS Holiday Party, hosted by John and Pam Chatting at their home. Once again, we are indebted to the Chattings for their generosity. Thank you from the club. (Photos by Jo Davies) 2nd Annual Colorado Indoor Messabout Electronic Distribution of D30 Newsletter D30 is saving costs by sending its newsletter electronically. They have asked squadron commanders to share the newsletter with their members. Rather than fill your email in-box, you may download your own PDF copy of the Midwestern Pilot. http://d30usps.org We have received notice of the 2nd Annual Colorado Indoor Messabout. It features the Sage boat-building facility, homebuilt boats, potluck snacks, and a lot of boat talk. Saturday, 31Jan15, 1300-1800 (1-6 pm) Sage Marine (behind the Spyderco facility), Golden CO. No Cost For more information and/or to RSVP contact: Paul Breeding ([email protected]); or Dave Scobie ([email protected]) or see http://www.sagemarine.us/ forum/showthread.php?572. January 2015 Boulder Beacon Page 3 Safety at Sea A Reminder about PFDs Volvo Ocean Race Disaster This fall we were moored in a calm tropical bay, waiting for the Sunsail repair crew, as is often the case on the second day of a charter. To pass the time two of our crew decided to take the kayak and explore. Just as the second crew member was about to jump in, she said she'd like a life jacket. I picked up my suspender style PFD and passed it to her. Within a few minutes the Sunsail repair crew pulled alongside in a sizable dinghy. They were still trying to fix the bathroom hoses when the kayak returned. Rather than wait for us to move the two dinghies, the kayakers tried to squeeze the double kayak in between the two dinks. In a perfectly choreographed moment, both reached for the swim platform at the same time, and of course the kayak flipped. Instantly the swim platform was full of folks moving the dinks, dropping the swim ladder, and giving a helping hand to the closest kayaker. By now the second kayaker had been in the water for about 10 min and was getting cold, not to mention bored. Plus she had been holding the kayak against the current. She was in no danger but just for fun (and so we wouldn't forget that she was waiting for a "rescue") she pulled the lanyard on her vest and inflated her PFD. Well that got our attention! The harness was so tight, that when she inflated the vest, she could barely move. She couldn't release any of the clips; nor could she move her head. Although she wasn't in danger, she was very uncomfortable and having some difficulty breathing. It took two of us, pinching inches of body, to release the clips. Tip #1 If you borrow someone else's harness, make sure you adjust it before you need to inflate it. Tip #2 If you feel the need for a little extra buoyancy, use the "inflate by breathing into the tube" option unless you're in an emergency situation. This manual/oral option gives you much more control. For information on choosing and using a PFD, see http:// www.boatsafe.com/nauticalknowhow/pfdtips.htm Jo Davies New PFD Designations Coming For the last several years, the U.S. Coast Guard has been working to redesign the labeling for personal flotation devices to more effectively convey safety information. The current proposal removes type codes, aka Type I, II, III, IV and V, in regulations on the carriage and labeling of Coast Guard-approved personal flotation devices. PFD type codes are unique to Coast Guard approval and are not well understood by the public. Removing these (cont. on page 6) January 2015 Photo by Brian Carlin, Team Vestas Wind The Volvo Ocean Race in 2014 and 2015 is probably the best documented, filmed and reported upon sailboat race ever. Seven vessels, all of which are Volvo Ocean 65s, left from Spain on 24Oct14 for the around the world race arriving in Cape Town on 12Nov. From there the competitors headed out for Abu Dhabi. All was going well in the Indian Ocean off the coast of Africa when one of the vessels, Team Vestas Wind, hit a charted reef near the desolate island Íle du Sudat at night. The eight person crew boarded life rafts, took any equipment and gear that they could, braved shark infested waters, but were all safe on the reef. At this time, Team Vestas Wind is being transported to a location in Indonesia. These are some of the facts, but they raise many unanswered questions. How could a state-of-the-art racing sailboat with an experienced professional crew allow this grounding to occur? They were constantly tracking their position, and much of the sailing world was also monitoring their position. They knew that the reef was there. How did they not miss it? As an amateur sailor, I am reminded that there are always risks at sea, and we must always be mindful of the hazards. Perhaps Team Vestas Wind was trying to cut the reef closely to gain some advantage. In the end they lost big time. Had the grounding happened to you or me, I suspect that we would not have been so lucky as to have a nearby aid vessel or the resources of Vestas Wind. Always stay alert, my sailing friends! Follow the Volvo Ocean Race online at www.volvooceanrace.com. This is an amazing web site that shows the position of the vessels in real time. Daily video clips are posted. Bill Buffum, Editor Boulder Beacon Page 4 NEW MEMBERS A boater's welcome to our newest members! Mo, Neta, Shelby, and Mary will all be at our membership meeting Shelby Hood just joined BVSPS and is doing the home study course for the ABC boating class. His wife Mary plans to join soon and take the class as well. Shelby grew up in Florida in the St Petersburg area and Mary is from Virginia Beach, although they have lived in Colorado for 30 years. Shelby and Mary plan to do the Great Loop and possibly sail down to the Caribbean. Camillo (Mo) DiLizia joined BVSPS a few weeks ago via the ABC boating course/new membership program. Mo and his wife Neta have sailed Colorado lakes in the past in a Catalina 22. Recently they purchased a Marie Holme 20 and plan to sail her next summer on Carter Lake. Mo's goal is to gain the boating education and experience necessary for coastal sailing. Choosing a Captain: Ideas from the Education Officer What should you know before joining a captain on his or her boat? By John Venema One advantage of being a member of a squadron is that you know your captain and crew. But what if you sign up to crew with a relative stranger? I don’t recommend that you arrive with a list of questions and ‘grill’ the captain; however, by way of conversation and some “open ended” question, you should be able to get some information. Here are some suggestions: 1. Who is this person? The captain should have some sort of base. Open questions: Are you married? Children? Where do you live? Who is your emergency contact? *(see footnotes) 2. What are the captain’s ‘vital statistics’? Is he lucid, fit, and able to handle the mental and physical challenges needed to captain this boat? ** 3. Is the captain experienced and well trained? Open questions: How did you learn to sail? Tell me about where you have sailed. How long have you owned this boat? *** 4. How does this captain like to sail---compared with how YOU like to sail. Sail full speed ahead? Take risks and enjoy the thrill? Or very conservative, safe and comfortable? **** 5. Get information on the boat. Open question: Do you have radar, chart plotter, EPIRB, flares, VHF radio, fire extinguishers, plenty of pfd’s, etc.? + 6. What does she expect of me? Primarily cooking and cleaning or primarily navigating, helming and adjusting sails? What about the duties of the rest of the crew? ++ 7. Do a personality profile: Will this captain be easy going, a screamer, or somewhere between? Is the captain a leader? How about his or her social skills. Are you compatible? +++ *Worst case scenario (WCS): You are in the middle of the ocean with an escaped convict. **WCS: You end sailing single handed while nursing a seriously incapacitated captain. ***WCS: You are crewing on a 60’ yacht. The captain has a lot of money but no sailing skills. Still, he is the captain so he makes all the decisions. ****WCS You could end up with weeks of terror or boredom. +Get an idea on whether this boat is well maintained and safe. ++You are taking on a job. Who are your co-workers? What is your job description? +++How long will you be on the boat together? A bad date is over in one evening. A bad marriage takes longer to resolve. John Venema is Assistant Education Officer for BVSPS January 2015 Boulder Beacon Page 5 (Cont. from page 4) PFDs type codes from the regulations would facilitate future incorporation by reference of new industry consensus standards for PFD labeling that will more effectively convey safety information and is a step toward harmonization of our regulations with PFD requirements in Canada and in other countries. As of 22Sept14, a final rule was issued to remove PFD Type codes in federal regulations. Under these amendments, the number and kind of PFDs required to be carried on a vessel will not change, but the terminology used to refer to approved PFDs will. This final rule was effective 22Oct14. Removing type coding is simply the first step in a multi-year process, which includes designing new labels and developing new, ‘harmonized’ standards. Once that is accomplished, manufacturers will then be able to get jackets approved under the new standards. It’s at that point that we’ll see life jackets without the current type coding on their labels. In Memoriam: Sally Gulick Sally Gulick, long-time member of BVSPS, died 10 December 2014 after a long battle with arthritis and complications. We will miss her energy and smile at our meetings and outings. Sally, with her husband, Rick, was a boater for many years on a variety of boats, both sail and power, monohull and cats. Sally and Rick's waters extended from Chatfield Reservoir to the Caribbean and many places in between and beyond, such as Squadron rendezvous on Dillon. Sally served on our Executive Committee as treasurer for a number of years. She was particularly known for her prowess backing boat trailers down ramps. Our friends in the life jacket manufacturing community further advise that 2017 is likely the earliest they could potentially see any new life jacket standards on production lines. Current life jackets that have Type I-V coding on their labels will be legal to sell and wear for the useful life of the jacket. What does this mean for the boating community? Over time, the terminology of Type I, II, III, IV and V will no longer appear on lifejacket labels and in literature. Once the new standard wording or icons for lifejackets are finalized, instructors and clubs will then need to share this updated information with the public. [Reprinted from the ACA—American Canoeing Association—web pages.] The Squadron provided flowers at Sally's memorial service and at her home. A number of members who know Sally attended the service and the celebration of her life at an open house later. Rick responded to members of the Squadron: Thanks to the Squadron for the flowers, and thanks so much for stopping by the service and our open house. Great to see everyone. Rick January 2015 Boulder Beacon Page 6 Notice of Annual Membership Meeting The Annual Meeting of the Boulder Valley Sail and Power Squadron will be held on Thursday evening, 22Jan15, beginning at 1900 (7:00 pm), in the Frasier Parlor, SW corner, downstairs, at the Mountain View United Methodist Church. The address of the church is 355 Ponca Place, Boulder, Colorado 80303. See map. The business of the meeting is to elect officers for the year 2015, who will be installed at the Change of Watch on 26Feb15. Report of the Nominating Committee The nominating committee presents the following candidates for the offices shown. The election will be held at the Annual Meeting of BVSPS, 22Jan15, 1900, at the Mountain View United Methodist Church. Bridge Officers: Commander, open Executive officer, Ron Schwiesow Administrative officer, Peter Bolhius Squadron Education Officer, John Venema Asst. Squadron Education Officer, David Hughes Secretary, Dave Davies Treasurer, open Members at large: (vote for 3) John Harris, Lucinda Bown, Mike Johnston Elected Committee Chairs: (vote for 1 each office) Auditing Committee Chairs, John Harris and Dave Davies Nominating Committee Chair, open Appointed Members: (Thank You All) Beacon Editor, Bill Buffum Beacon Co-Editor, Tom McEwen Web Master, Brian Jones Membership, Norm Brown Hospitality Coordinator, Diane Forsberg Vessel Safety Check Chair, open Information contact, Rick Gulick Historian, Jo Davies … From the Beacon Editor Starting this month, I have consented to serve as the Beacon Editor. I am aware of the serious energy and great talent that Jo Davies has given to the newsletter. My acceptance was contingent upon her continuing to support me and the newsletter, which she has graciousWe encourage you to consider being nominated especially for ly consented to do. I also wish to thank Tom McEwen, the positions marked open. For more details on the activities who has been the guest editor and back up to Jo. Since he will continue in this role, I will have a great team. of the Bridge and Executive Committee, see the BVSPS bylaws on the web at http://bvsps.org/; click on roster on the Please thank these dedicated people. menu at the left side, sign in by clicking your name in the pulldown list, and enter your membership number. Then, click on Bill Buffum [[email protected]] “View our Bylaws” and look at article 6 on p. 5. If you’re interested, or have questions, contact: Cdr Ron Schwiesow, JN, chair, Nominating Committee. January 2015 Boulder Beacon Page 7 Current 2014 Officers and Contacts Squadron website: http://www.bvsps.org District 30 website: http://usps.org/localusps/d30/ USPS national website: http://www.usps.org Need more information about Boulder Valley Sail and Power Squadron? Contact Rick Gulick at 720-366-3600 or email us at [email protected] Commander Ron Schwiesow, JN [email protected] 303-447-9880 Executive Officer—Position Open Education Officer David Hughes, AP [email protected] 303-772-4812 Assistant Education Officer John Venema [email protected] 303-238-0107 Administrative Officer Peter Bolhuis, S [email protected] 303-443-5898 Treasurer AD Chesley, S [email protected] 303-938-8150 Secretary David Davies, P [email protected] 303-938-0522 Membership Chair Norm Brown, AP [email protected] 303-830-0331 January 2015 Nominating Chair—Position open Auditing Chair—Position Open Member at Large Mike Johnston, AP [email protected] 303-530-5301 Member at Large John Harris [email protected] 303-378-8068 Member at Large Lucinda Bown [email protected]. 303-408-8194 Beacon Editor Bill Buffum [email protected] 409-392-0367 Webmaster Brian Jones, AP [email protected] Information Technology—Position Open Hospitality Coordinator Diane Forsberg [email protected] 303-776-7578 Boulder Beacon Page 8 January 2015 Boulder Beacon Page 9
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