From the Wheelhouse Cdr Dan Fortman, P

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1 January/February L 40 45' N Lo 82 30' W 2016 From the Wheelhouse Cdr Dan Fortman, P The preparations are being made for an exciting boating season in Over 20 members have already kicked off our new year with an exciting Euchre Party in January and final plans have been made for both the Annual Meeting and the Change of Watch this Spring. Please refer to report from our Executive/Administrative Officer, Lynn Fortman, for all of the exciting details. We are going to try more new things this year in an effort to involve as many members as possible so keep an open mind and join us when you can. Commanders are expected to have goals, and mine involve many areas, including the following: Involvement This is the heart and soul of the Squadron. Teach a class, teach a seminar, or speak to a community group. Become a vessel safety examiner or do some co-op charting. Join a committee, help with the newsletter, or help with any of the many squadron events. Look for opportunities to use your time and talents to help others. The squadron is what you make it! Let your Bridge know what is working or not working for the Squadron. Let s use our talents to continue the Mansfield Power Squadrons tradition of excellence. And most of all, let s work together this year and have fun! Dan Fortman, P Commander Social Get together with fellow boaters and former boaters. Exchange ideas and experiences. Do problem solving and provide knowledge to one another. And most importantly, have fun together on and off the water. Education Learn new boating skills, review and update old ones. Take a course just for the knowledge and challenge you are never too old to learn something new. Do some on the water training and encourage others to join in so that we all become safer on the water. Our SEO, Shirley Fort, has done an excellent job providing and promoting the courses that are being offered. If you or someone you know can benefit from some of these educational offerings, don t hesitate to take a class or to promote what we have to offer to others. February 9 Membership/ Executive Meeting 20 Gasparillo Pirate Party March 8 Membership/ Executive Meeting 19 Annual Meeting April 12 Membership/ Executive Meeting 30 Change of Watch

2 From the Executive Office Lt/C Lynn Fortman, P Shiver me timbers. It s cold outside! What perfect weather for a Gasparilla Pirate Party at the Elks Club in Mansfield. We will meet upstairs on Saturday, February 20 at 1600 for some old fashioned take your pennies games. Bring your own pennies, nickels, dimes and quarters for a fast game of Roulette, Black Jack or Poker which will begin following our meal. Clam chowder, dessert and coffee/tea will be offered as the main course for those attending with appetizers brought from your home to accompany the entrée. A freewill donation to cover the cost of your meal will be taken before you test your luck with our evening activities! An open cash bar, through the generosity of our Mansfield Elk members, will be available. Please RSVP to by Thursday, February 18 if you can attend and/or if you are willing to help at one of the table games. As always, friends, family and foes who may not be MPS members are also welcome to come for the fun! Let s see if some hot dice will help keep you warm! It may be winter but the Mansfield Power Squadron is busy preparing for our 2016 boating season. At our next meeting on Tuesday, March 8, Scott Stafford, from the Ohio Department of Natural Resources, will visit and share with us any current changes and updates from his department. Please join us at 1930 for our meeting at the Red Cross Building in Mansfield on the Square. March also initiates our Annual Meeting on Saturday, March 19 at This year the venue has changed to Oak Park Tavern, which has offered us their private room for our dinner and meeting which will begin at 1700 with an Open Bar and Dinner at The Annual Meeting, which provides a review of the activities from the past year, will follow our dinner. Your dinner selection will be your choice from their menu. Please RSVP to by Wednesday, March 16 if you can attend. April is the month that corresponds with our Annual Change of Watch which will again be held at The Cabin Restaurant on St. Rt. 603 on Saturday, April 30 beginning at More information regarding your meal options will be sent with your invitation letter in March. Another call for captains is requested for anyone who boats at Charles Mill. We are planning an outing for May from the marina at this inland lake and we would like to offer short, informative boat rides to potential students. Please let me know if you would be willing to support this endeavor with the MPS by calling With spring soon approaching, look for more information about getting a vessel safety check. This is a free service provided by members of our organization that will help you identify the safety equipment/materials required to operate a boat under ODNR regulations. Now keep healthy and stay warm!

3 From the Education Office Lt/C Shirley Fort, SN There is life yet in the Education Department! We are delighted to report that three graduates, Judy and Joe Tobias, and John McWhorter, from last fall s ABC class are enrolled in Seamanship with Dennis Figley. Philip Messer and Dennis and Denise Tenison easily passed their piloting exams and, joined by Dan and Lynn Fortman, are checking out tides and currents in Advanced Piloting with Mike Siwek. A winter session of ABC-Public Boating, led by Chan Stevens, is underway at Madison and Pioneer Joint Vocational School in Shelby has requested an ABC class to begin March 7. Traditionally, the spring months are for fitting out and the summer is for sailing. Our book-learning takes a back seat to application in real-world experiences. However, nothing says we must stick with tradition. If you find the need to increase your boating knowledge, please ask. We have the instructors if you have the time. Help! A new Yachtsman Editor is needed as of February, Please consider helping the squadron with this activity. Call Commander Dan to volunteer at The Yachtsman is our main means of communication with all of our members. Please consider becoming a booster for ten or twenty dollars. Send your contribution to: P/D/C Thomas Etzwiler, SN, 2581 Millsboro Rd. E, 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 Bob Pompei, P 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 Yachtsman Now published every other month TheMPSYachtsman@aol.com Commander Cdr Dan Fortman, P dfortman@eaglecrusher.com BRIDGE OFFICERS Secretary P/D/C Thomas Etzwiler, SN etzwilertom@yahoo.com Executive Officer Lt/C Lynn Fortman fortmanlynn@gmail.com Treasurer Lt/C Robert Pompei, P RGPompei33@aol.com Membership/Executive meetings are held the second Tuesday of the month at the Red Cross Building on the square in Mansfield beginning at 7:30pm. All members are welcome to attend! Our new website is up and running! Check it out for current information.

4 From the Safety Office Cdr Dan Fortman, P Spring Pre-Launch Checklist Spring will soon be here, and for millions of boaters in the US, that means it s time to take their boats out of winter storage and put them in the water. For boaters, annual preparation and cleaning projects are necessary rites of spring that help to ensure not only their protection and safety, but also to prevent problems that could keep them off the water once the season in underway. Here are some general guidelines for pre-season preparation: Belts, Cables & Hoses Belts, cables and hoses are important to check as they can become brittle and may crack during winter storage. Belts should fit tightly around pulleys to prevent slipping. A worn belt may have a black substance near the pulley and will fit loosely. Cracks or swells on the outer jacket of control cables may be a sign you have to take immediate action. Don t try to remedy the problem by squirting lubricant into the cracks or wrapping duct tape around the outer jacket. Most lubricants are incompatible and will only make things worse. Fuel System Inspect the fuel system for leaks or damage. Pay special attention to fuel hoses, connections and tank surfaces. Evidence of damaged fuel hoses includes softness, brittleness or cracking. Replace components when necessary and verify all fittings and clamps are properly secured. Ensure engine, exhaust and ventilation systems are all functioning properly. Clean fuel filters. Fluid Levels Check all fluid levels including engine oil, power steering, power trim reservoirs, and coolant. Be sure to change the oil, oil filter and drive lubricants if these were not tasks done prior to winterizing your boat. Electrical System Inspect all electrical connections for cleanliness and tightness. Corrosion is often a sign a connection may not be safe. To prepare electrical connections for the summer, remove the terminals and use a wire brush to clean them, along with all cable ends. Charge your battery and have it tested to ensure it can hold a charge. Electrical systems should be regularly inspected by a qualified technician. Propellers & Hulls Inspect your prop for dings, pitting, cracks and distortion. Damaged propellers can cause unwanted vibration and damage to your drive train. Make sure the prop is secured properly and replace bearings when needed. When inspecting the hull, look for blisters, distortions and cracks. Be sure to clean the hull, deck and topsides using an environmentally safe cleaning solution. And, or course, make sure the drain plug is securely in place before every launch. Safety Gear Check your life jackets to ensure they are in good condition and that there are enough on board for all potential passengers. It s important to ensure that each individual has the correct size life jacket for their body weight. Be sure all onboard fire extinguishers are the correct class for your vessel, and are fully charged and stowed in the proper place. Replace outdated flares. Keep old flares aboard as spares. Throw out all propane canisters, solvents, and rusted cans. They are a fire hazard and shouldn t be stored aboard. Take advantage of any safety inspections offered by the Power Squadron. Trailers Inspect tire treads and sidewalls. Cracks on sidewalls, or lack of tread, indicates a tire may need to be replaced. Use a gauge to check pressure and don t forget the trailer s spare tire. Inspect bearings and repack as necessary. Test tail and back-up lights. Replace burned out bulbs and chafed wires. Corroded terminals should be cleaned. Make sure the white ground wire is securely attached to the trailer s frame. Test the winch, manual or electrical to ensure it s in working order. This list should help you get the new boating year off to a good start and ensure that you ll enjoy another season of carefree boating and make your annual boat preparation more manageable. Safe Boating. Cdr Dan Fortman, Safety Officer

5 WE REMEMBER Mention Ted Fort and the first response from your audience is likely to be Remember when Ted.. for Ted was the source of innumerable stories and memories. I remember the first time I sailed with Ted: Ted as captain, Ned as crew, four land-lubber guests, and me. I wasn t certain of my role; it turned out to be chief cook and bottle washer. Liberty sailed out of Port Clinton well after sundown into a dark and stormy night. Bucking and heaving and heeling, Liberty bravely fought the winds and waves. Ted and Ned were in their element. The land-lubbers were beginning to wonder if their confidence and trust in the skipper was misplaced. I was quietly being seasick. Ted believed My Shirley (his first wife) would gain greater enjoyment from boating if another woman were on board. It didn t work that way. With the safety and common sense factors assigned to The Other Shirley (me) I m not aware that she ever set foot on board again. I learned many things sailing with Ted. I learned to keep watch (while being seasick). I learned to follow orders to hoist this or pull that (while being seasick). I learned precision navigation and chart work (while being seasick). I learned it is always 5:00 somewhere as Ted and Ned sipped Scotch and I served hors d oeuvres (while being seasick). I learned it is better to be seasick than stay at home and worry what Lake Erie Monsters had once again trapped Liberty. Every cruise, every rendezvous was an adventure. Every adventure ended in an enjoyable evening. Every evening ended in food, stories, music, and friendship. That s what boating and the Power Squadron is all about. We remember Ted Sincerely, The Other Shirley

6 MANSFIELD POWER SQUADRON Mansfield YACHTSMAN P/D/C Thomas Etzwiler, SN 2581 Millsboro Rd. E. Mansfield, OH 44903