Mark Your Calendar. April From the Wheelhouse. Cdr Dan Fortman, P

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1 April 2015 From the Wheelhouse Cdr Dan Fortman, P Greetings everyone. I have decided to enclose my annual report from the Annual Meeting as my article in this month's Yachtsman, for those of you that were unable to attend. You will see from this that our squadron has had a very busy and memorable year. Commander Report April 14 through March 15 It has been my distinct honor and pleasure to serve the Mansfield Power Squadron for the past year as your Commander. I have gotten to know many of you much better and feel very good about the friendships that we have formed. Thanks to all of you that have stepped up and volunteered your time and talents to make this year positive in many respects. It has been a busy year and we should all feel good about making boating in our area safer, thanks to the efforts of our dedicated instructors, and for making this organization one that is recognized as being a fun group of dedicated people to be around. And certainly a special thanks and recognition should go to the officers that have spent countless hours planning and spending their valuable time making this squadron seen as one that is leading the way. As your new Commander, I have been involved in many activities over the past year. Here is a short summary of those that we have sponsored or participated in: Ohio license plate program. Most of the credit for pushing this program forward must go to Past Commander Charlie Tarbert, JN and Past Commander Terry Sapyta,P. There were others involved as well, including our District Commander Mike Siwek, SN. It is my understanding that this effort lasted over ten years and it is now successfully in place. Congratulations to all of you that have made this happen. I understand that now that it is in place, there must be 500 or more plates sold and/or maintained each year to keep it going. (Continued on page 4) Mark Your Calendar April Membership/Executive Meeting Change of Watch May 7 12 Education Awards/Spring Picnic Membership/Executive Meeting June 9 TBA Membership/Executive Meeting Rendezvous

2 Yachtsman Published monthly except for the month of July Bridge Officers Commander Cdr Dan Fortman, P dfortman@eaglecrusher.com Executive Officer Lt/C Eugene Neiderhiser, SN Education Officer Lt/C Shirley Fort, SN johnfort@core.com Administrative Officer Lt/C Lynn Fortman Secretary etzwilertom@yahoo.com Treasurer Lt/C Robert Pompei, P RGPompei33@aol.com Yachtsman Staff Editor Lt Amy Tarbert, P TheMPSYachtsman@aol.com Advertising Lt Cecil Bazley, S Sailon1@webtv.net Mailing Sponsors Roster Bill Davis, SN wdavis@bright.net From the Education Office Lt/C Shirley Fort, SN Education Department Annual Report The educational perspective for our squadron continues to be relatively sluggish. We did, however, achieve points toward the District 7 Commander s Challenge in the category of advanced grades. Last September five students passed the ABC boating course and we expect the spring class of twelve students to do equally well on the exam next month. Dennis Figley taught Seamanship to four new members and results of their exams should be coming back soon. Engine Maintenance, Marine Electronics, and Advanced Piloting were offered but there was no interest. We plan to offer Piloting next September, followed by Advanced Piloting in the spring. We also encourage members to request any class or seminar that interests them. Most of the courses have gone through significant up-grades in the past three years so even if you have already earned a grade, you might find the new information beneficial and you wouldn t even have to retake the exam! We have done our best to file reports, register classes, order materials, complete surveys, and otherwise negotiate Headquarter s electronic communication system. We also attended SEO meetings at Fall and Spring District Conferences. As always, we have good classes and great instructors. We need students. Lt/C Shirley Fort, SN Squadron Education Officer Congratulations to Dennis Figley and his Seamanship graduates! Bethany Biddle, Philip Messer, Denise Tenison, and David Thomas Congratulations to the new graduates of the spring Boating Class at Madison all passed and accepted a 6 month free membership! John & Kandell Mosier, Jeff Thompson, Danny Koppert, Andrew Eisaman & his son Mason, Michael & and his daughter Corinne Amalfitano, Rowland & Kathy Dumm, and William & Frances Berger John Cullen Our thoughts and prayers are with the family of John Cullen. John passed away March 31, John had been a squadron member since He had 4 Merit Marks. John was one a few men to get a perfect score on the national N test. All submissions for the Yachtsman are due by midnight of the second Tuesday of the month. All members of the Mansfield Power Squadron are encouraged to submit articles, recipes, photos, jokes, or any other interesting tidbit of information from the boating world. submissions to: 2 TheMPSYachtsman@aol.com

3 From the Safety Office Cdr Dan Fortman, P From the Administrative Office Lt/C Lynn Fortman, P BOAT LAUNCHING LUNACY Annual Report Administrative Office There is a reason that ordinary, calm and stable people become raving lunatics at launch ramps. My moonstruck friend from the 60 s, who reads UFO TODAY, tells me its because boat launch ramps collect the beams of full moon, and suspend them in the atmosphere above the ramp area, to be sucked into the lungs of unsuspecting boaters who then go berserk. I believe him. If, on a hot and sunny weekend day, you re starved for entertainment, or would simply like to pick up some material for that horror novel you ve been promising to write, then pack up the family, a cooler and a couple of folding chairs, and head for the nearest launch ramp. Situate the family where they have a good, unobstructed view of the ramp, and get set for the educational experience of a lifetime. In fact, before you even get your chaise lounge unfolded, your kids may already have increased their vocabulary of cusswords at least tenfold. For you wannabe trailer boaters, I will give you the benefit of some collective research on the subject. The term launch ramp is derived from the Phoenician word panic, which, loosely translated means, Lynn, if we don t get boat in the water, start the &*(%%$# motor and get away form this *&^&%%##@* ramp in the next 30 seconds, we re gonna be dead meat. A resent observation of mine was with a man, his wife and two kids with a brand new boat. For some reason probably the moondust hanging in the air he delegates the job of backing the boat into the water to she and then verbally insults her driving skills all the way to the water s edge. The kids were excited beyond belief at the prospect of their first boat ride. They add to the mayhem. Wife s heartbeat rate exceeds 180. Rear wheels, back bumper and tailpipe now submerged. Man and kids pushing frantically to disengage the boat from trailer. Boat will not disengage from trailer because towing strap is still securely fastened from one side of trailer, over both gunwales, and down to the other side of the trailer. Effort to dislodge the boat from the trailer interrupted only briefly by scratching of head. Another. Elderly man and wife were launching their 32 foot boat. The wife gets out to direct the backing husband. Forgetting that the safety hook and line was slack, he proceeds to back down the ramp. The ramp being steep, and the boat being unsecured, suddenly slid off the trailer, down the ramp and into the water. Then, when the attaching strap reached it s end, it then proceeds to pull the pickup truck into the water with it. All the while, the husband is swearing at his wife as if it is totally her fault. (Continued on page 7) To all squadron members, I would like to thank you for your interest in promoting our shared national goals of public service, boating education and social activities. My job has been to give people an opportunity to achieve national goals while attending functions hosted by Mansfield Power Squadron. This year I had two goals for my office to achieve. The first goal was to try to involve our members with other power squadrons in District Seven. We were able to join the power squadrons of both Akron and Berea during two of our rendezvous in addition to the D/7 Rendezvous to Marietta. The second goal was to involve more members in our activities. Although some members were not able to attend boating outings, we did have members that no longer had a boat attend functions that didn t require cruising such as the Spring Cookout, Bay Point Rendezvous, N Party and the Clambake. Our first function of the year was the Pittsburgh D/7 Spring Conference where long standing member, vessel safety inspector, classroom instructor and past MPS commander, Mike Siwek, was installed as the Commander of District Seven at the D/7 Change of Watch in March. MPS members were proud to see Mike recognized for his tireless commitment to the organization. May brought us to the Mohican Sailing Club, where member Cecil Bazley hosted 15 members for the spring cookout. After our potluck meal on the screened porch, we were entertained with a get-acquainted activity that involved matching a description of a marina with the marina s name/person attending. Jim and Bobbye Jackson were the winning participants of this activity and the raffle for the outdated beer from the past conference was won by Bob Pompei. (Through the grape vine, we ve heard that he generously gave it away to a friend.) June saw us join the Akron Sail and Power Squadron for kayak training at Springfield Lake. During the one hour indoor training session, advanced kayakers Mike Siwek and Dennis Figley and novice kayaker Dan Fortman and I learned about kayaking on lakes and rivers. (It was also during the indoor training that torrential rains and high winds were pounding on the deck outside. Members were using their weather class training, thanks to Tom Etzwiler, to watch for possible tornado sightings.) However, the horrific weather passed long enough for us to be able to don life jackets and begin the water portion of the training with one eye on the sky and one looking ahead at the water. Since all attendees remained dry during their kayaking experience, they were able to join their hosts for a late dinner that was held at a nearby restaurant. After leaving the area, we later learned that there had been a tornado sighted! (Continued on page 5 ) 3

4 From The Wheelhouse Continued Bylaws revision. Another large, time consuming effort this year was to revise the bylaws and bring them up into compliance with national requirements. Thank you John Fort, SN and Richard Clark, SN for helping me understand our squadron s needs and 4 for helping to allow this to happen. Annual fundraiser. We chose to have a clambake this year as our fundraiser and it was a financial success. With Bob Pompei s guidance and keen eye for fundraising, as well as just plain having fun, we were able to secure a site that was both affordable and convenient. The Cabin helped in many ways and allowed us to generate income without stressing our members. We hope to duplicate this again in the coming year and feel that the next one can be even better as we learn from our mistakes. USS Cod Ceremony was held in Cleveland and MPS was well represented by District Commander Mike Siwek, SN and Past Commander Charles Tarbert, JN and 1 st /Lt. Amy Tarbert,P. Safe Boating & Fishing Festival Pleasant Hill. Our booth was manned by Charles Tarbert, JN and myself while Mike Siwek and Garry Schroeder bravely performed vessel safety checks at the boat launching ramp. As a result of persistence and efforts by Mike Siwek, SN and Garry Schroeder, SN, there were 48 (up from 42 in 2013) vessel safety checks performed for the year. Lynn and I attended District 7 Conferences in West Virginia and Cleveland. MPS shared the room s preparation and expenses with the Berea Sail & Power Squadron. I participated on all of the Commander conference calls The Education Awards Spring Cook Out was held at the Mohican Sailing Club and awards were given. The Burke-Milligan Award was given to P/Stf/C Garry Schroeder, SN at that time. Thanks go to Lt./ C Shirley Fort, SN for organizing and assisting in all of the education efforts over the year. We participated in three rendezvous in the past year. They were two at Middle Bass Island with participation with Akron for the first one and Berea for the 2 nd.. Our final rendezvous was held at Bay Point and was well attended by our members. There were four of us that attended a Kayak seminar held by the Akron Sail & Power Squadron on a stormy night. We were trying to learn if this is a class that we, in Mansfield, could offer. The jury is still out on this thought. I attended a Mansfield City Council Meeting where the Mansfield Power Squadron was given a proclamation by the Mansfield mayor, Tim Theaker, recognizing Safe Boating Week and our efforts. We have also gone through significant website revision. Our many thanks go out to Karen Bueno for all that she has done over the past ten or so years on this. She has now passed the torch on to Irene Tobias Rodriguez who has new software and access to the national website, both of which should save our squadron money in future years. There are many other activities that should be mentioned here that I have not mentioned. Thank you again to all of you that have donated your time and talents in an effort to keep our waterways and boaters safe. We are a volunteer organization and without you, we could not be successful. With gratitude and respect, Cdr. Daniel Fortman, P Mastering marlinespike Tugboat hitch You use the tugboat hitch, or bitt hitch, to secure the ends of the tow line to the boats for towing. It holds well, won t jam, and can be untied or released under load in an emergency. Before towing or being towed, make sure the deck hardware on both boats is designed for towing, with through-bolted cleats or frame-mounted Samson posts. Also, don t use a line that stretches, such as laid nylon, when towing. Polypropylene or polyethylene rope s low elasticity makes it best for towing. People have been injured or killed while towing when a stretchy line parted or a cleat came loose. A. To apply a bitt hitch, take the bitter end around the base to the left, and lead the end over and around the working part. B. Finish by leading the bitter end around the back of the bitt, ending in a half hitch under the Norman pin. You can add a second half hitch for security. Original materials used with thanks to Irene Rodriguez and John Bennett

5 From The Administrative Office Continued MPS members young children and grandchildren were invited to attend the instructional Water Safety Program at Bay Point which was provided by Berea PS in June. Although none of our members had children attend, it was well attended by marina members and I was able to observe the children learn to use nautical terms as well as increase their understanding of the need for boating safety, life jackets usage and fire safety on the water. July was our rendezvous month with Akron Sail and Power Squadron. Eleven members of the squadron were there to enjoy the Saturday afternoon raft-off or the ferry to Put-in-Bay for shopping and entertainment. One member and his wife even tried to negotiate a boat deal while visiting! They had at least three feetitis! August brought the D/7 Cruise to Parkersburg, West Virginia. Unfortunately, only District Commander Mike Siwek was able to attend from MPS. However, members did enjoy the company of Berea Power Squadron members at the Cooperative Rendezvous at Middle Bass Island later that month where a scavenger hunt locating emergency boat equipment was the afternoon entertainment. Yes, the winner was from Berea but if you have four extra props and over 20 flares you deserve to win! September was our land rendezvous at Bay Point on Marblehead. Although the day was windy, the sun was shining and we spent the afternoon with friends talking about boating and engaging in a competitive cornhole tournament with dinner later at the marina. October was Clambake Month. This activity brought Butch and Phyllis Rothschild out as they presided over the ticket sales for the cash prizes of the Reverse Raffle. Over 130 people attended from around the Mansfield area as well as friends from other squadrons. Squadron members donated many items for the successful Reverse Raffle. We were also overwhelmed by the generous support of our Corporate Sponsorships from Donaldson Law and John D. Donaldson, Ray and Peggy Laughman, Preferred Benefits and Mark Pettitt, Ohio Electric Controls and Bob McMullen, Milliron Industries and Grant Milliron, Hylant Insurance and Dan Fugazzi, as well as the Cabin Restaurant. November was spent at the D/7 Conference held in Roanoke, West Virginia at the gorgeous Stonewall Resort and Conference Center. Shirley Fort, Garry and Susan Schroeder and Dan/Lynn Fortman attended in addition to D/7 Commander Mike Siwek. The Annual N Party hosted by Shirley Fort at her home was held in December. Following a potluck dinner, members engaged in the merriest of holiday activities- the annual robber s gift grabbing. Or politely called the robber s gift exchange. I m pleased to inform everyone that no injuries were reported this year! Lastly, members were recently treated to the Spring Conference in Independence that was hosted by Rocky River where members enjoyed Rocking Las Vegas Cleveland style. In addition to looking forward to boating season 2015, we will also continue the planning and coordination of informative meetings for the D/7 Conference that will be held at Kalahari Resort in Sandusky on October. This conference will be hosted by MPS and your support will be appreciated. Goals for 2015 will be to continue this year s goals as well as add the goal of contacting members to determine where their interests lie with the squadron and updating the current MPS roster. Respectfully submitted, Lt/C Lynn Fortman, P Anchoring Overnight You need to consider many factors before dropping anchor for the night. First, you need protection from the wind and waves to get a good night s sleep. Nothing is worse than rocking and bouncing all night long. Study your chart and find a sheltered harbor that provides protection from the wind and boat traffic, which create waves. Look at the chart to check the depth at low tide and high tide. You want plenty of water under your keel at low tide, but you don t want it so deep that you won t have enough anchor rode to provide proper scope with plenty to spare at high tide. Anchoring in the lee, or shelter, of land or a breakwater flattens the waves (short fetch) and makes for a comfortable evening. While checking the depth, also check for information about the bottom, which affects holding. Sand is always good, while long grasses, soft mud, rocks, and underwater cables can be a nightmare. Make sure that you have appropriate anchor and tackle for the water and bottom in your anchorage. Don t rely on a Danforth or fluke anchor for an overnight stay. With tide and current changes, Danforths sometimes fail to reset themselves because the rode binds up between the flukes and the shank. Once you pick a location out of the wind and waves, consider overnight tide changes and wind shifts. Make sure the boat has plenty of room to swing freely while you re sleeping. You don t want your vessel to crash into another boat, buoy or dock overnight. If possible, anchor with boats that have the same characteristics as your boat. Boats with lots of windage react more to wind direction while anchored, and boats with deeper underbodies (sailboats) sometimes react more to tidal currents than wind. Although a powerboat may set more to the wind while anchored, a sailboat may be on a different heading. Jim Dunn 5

6 Spring Cookout and Education Celebration Thursday, May 7, :00 pm at The Cabin Menu Hickory Smoked Pulled Pork OR Grilled Chicken Quarters BBQ Baked Beans, Creamy Cole Slaw and Potato Salad Peach Cobbler and Beverage Checks made payable to MPS are due to Lynn Fortman, 19 East Gaylord Ave. Shelby, by Thursday, April 30. $13.00 including tax and gratuity 6

7 From The Safety Office Continued... Another steep ramp. Elderly man and middle-aged son launch runabout. Elderly man parks car at top of ramp and sets handbrake with all the strength he can muster. Strength mustered not adequate. Boat pulls away from ramp. Moments later, occupants of the boat and I watch helplessly as car and trailer roll down the ramp and slip silently into the water with only the antenna remaining above the surface, imitating snorkel. More cusswords. Did I really witness all of these events? No, but I have done some pretty stupid things. To be honest, I once launched a small boat, with the plug out only once. And as long as I am being cathartic, I ll admit to leaving my trailer straps secured to the boat and wondering when it wouldn t release from the trailer. Most boaters at a busy launch ramp do feel a slight sense of panic, whether they admit it or not. Will I make a fool out of myself? Did I disconnect the trailer lights? Will I back up straight or zig zag all over to get the boat aligned well? Is the plug in? What if the engine doesn t start? The boater who is cool and confident about using a launch ramp, as opposed to the one who finds the experience a living hell, has learned several simple lessons: Patience. Slow down and take time to think about what comes next. Patience. If you are not familiar with the area or the ramp, watch a couple of launches before you back in. Get a feel for the wind, current, and water depth. Patience. Back the boat slowly to the water, and if you feel uncomfortable with what is happening, stop smoothly, set the handbrake, get out and take a look around. I guess you get the idea. The key to boat launching is patience. As you gain experience and get a little practice, you ll see that launching your boat is just another fun part of the day on the water. Lt. Dan Fortman, Safety Officer 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar 1 1/2 teaspoons honey 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil 1/4 teaspoon salt 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 1 1/2 cups strawberries, hulled and quartered 1/3 cup sliced red onion Olive oil cooking spray 4 thin slices prosciutto (about 2 ounces) 6 cups baby arugula (about 5 ounces) 2 ounces goat cheese or feta, crumbled Preparation 1. Whisk together first 5 ingredients (through black pepper) in a large serving bowl. Add berries and red onion; let stand 15 minutes. 2. Meanwhile, lightly coat a seasoned cast-iron skillet or nonstick pan with cooking spray, and heat over moderately high heat. Add prosciutto in one layer, and cook, turning, about 5 minutes or until golden brown and crispy. Transfer to a plate to cool; crumble and reserve. 3. Place the baby arugula in a large serving bowl with the cheese; add the strawberries, red onion, and balsamic dressing, and toss gently until just coated. Divide the salad among 4 serving plates, and top evenly with the cooked prosciutto. Yachtsman Boosters The Yachtsman is our main means of communication with all of our members. The Yachtsman is also one of our costliest endeavors and one that is made possible, in part, by the generosity of our boosters. Please consider becoming a booster for ten or twenty dollars. Send your contribution to: P/D/C Thomas Etzwiler, SN, 2581 Millsboro Rd. E, Mansfield, OH Frank, P and Janet Ardis Cecil Bazley, S Tom, S and Jan, S Beck Rafael and Linda Belliard Milo, S and Kim, S Breitenger Julio, AP and Karen, S Bueno Margaret Cole, SN James and Patricia Crawfis Charles, SN and Peggy, SN Davenport Thomas, SN and Ruth, S Etzwiler Ted, SN and Phyllis Fort Dan, P and Lynn, P Fortman Wayne, SN and Mavis, AP Hammond Cloyd, SN and Mary Ann McNaul Carl Pfeifer James Rank, S Richard, SN and Iris, SN Reddy Chris Reining, N Garry, SN and Susan Schroeder Richard, P and Barbara Sedlak Michael Siwek, SN Chan, AP and Elizabeth Steven Marcus Wolf, S Rudy Weiss, P 7

8 Thursday, May 7, :00 pm at the Cabin Checks made payable to MPS are due to Lynn Fortman, 19 East Gaylord Ave. Shelby, by Thursday, April 30. Complete details inside! Mansfield, OH Millsboro Rd. E. Mansfield YACHTSMAN MANSFIELD POWER SQUADRON