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

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1 March 2015 From the Wheelhouse Cdr Dan Fortman, P Greetings Everyone: It is nearly Spring and as can be anticipated, our Squadron has been experiencing a flurry of activity. Shirley Fort, SN, our Education Officer has reported a significant uptick in students attending our training classes. This is exciting as we know that boat safety education makes our waterways safer for all of us. The Ohio license plate program is now fully operational, so I would like to encourage all of you to purchase the Power Squadron plates when the time comes for you to renew. Residual revenue from this will come back to the Ohio squadrons which will help us with our many financial needs. As you will see elsewhere in this edition of the Yachtsman, our annual Change of Watch will be held on April 25th. The Cabin has graciously agreed to once again host this event for us and we are thrilled to revisit this restaurant for this special night. The Cabin management has been very good to us over the years and we look forward to dining with them again this year. Invitations for this event will be in the mail soon, so watch your mail for this. During our Membership/Executive Committee meeting in March, we discussed two items that we would like to bring to everyone s attention. Our plan is to spend a few months to get everyone s input that wants to do so, and then make a decision in June. The 1st question has to do with annual sponsorships. In the past, we have encouraged members to make a donation of $20 or so annually, to help support the ongoing costs involved with keeping the squadron active. The names of those that have done this have been placed in the Yachtsman for all to see. This practice has not been actively pursued for a few years, and as a result the donations have slowly reduced in number. We are planning to decide if we want or need to continue this practice. There will be a voucher type form in this month s Yachtsman that you may cut out and return to the address given if you choose to support MPS in this way. (Continued on page 2) Mark Your Calendar March D/7 Conference 28 Annual Meeting April Change of Watch May 12 TBA Education Awards June 9 TBA 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 Entering Canadian Waters Many of us who boat in northern coastal regions and the Great Lakes frequently enter Canadian territorial waters during planned cruises and even during day excursions. In spite of lengthy, wordy explanations of customs and immigration requirements, of multiple I-68, Nexus, etc. etc. (or perhaps because of them all) there is still confusion about entering Canadian waters. An excellent presentation by Jim Wray of the Sandusky Customs and Immigration Office at the D7 Fall Conference made it pretty clear: Regardless of purpose for crossing, whether or not there is intent to land in Canada and visit a marina, we are required to document crossing the international border by calling the Telephone Reporting Centre (TRC). Call Whenever we cross the international border, even if we do not stop, fish, anchor, or even hover (drift around for a bit, etc.) we must call the TRC listed above. We only need to call once per trip and we do not need to check in each time, should we wander in, out, or over, the magic line several times on the same day. We do not have to call when we finally get back to US waters. Officer Wray also explained that an I-68 costs $16 per person and is good for one year. It requires a face-to-face meeting with an official from his office, finger prints, and photograph. A Nexus card costs $50 per person and is good for five years. The Nexus process is initiated on line but must be completed, again with photo and finger prints, in a face-to-face appointment in Detroit. If you have neither I-68 nor Nexus, you must check in with your passport at a video-phone located in Port Clinton, Cedar Point, or Put-In-Bay. You should also be aware that every member of your crew must have appropriate documentation. That is, even if you have a Nexus or I-68 and a guest does not, you must check in at the video station. In the meantime, I guess we d better get used to carrying photo ID s and passports for all aboard not to mention being very careful where our Sunday afternoon meanderings take us. From The Wheelhouse Continued... The 2 nd concern is the frequency in which the Yachtsman is published. Amy Tarbert, P, has attempted to publish this around 10 times per year in the past. There is a cost to this, both in energy and dollars. It has been suggested that we reduce the number of newsletters per year and supplement this with information flyers and post cards. If you have an opinion on this, please let us know. Don t forget to support the squadron and purchase the new United States Power Squadron license plate! Thanks and safe boating. Dan 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 SPRING BOATING It s Time To Get Ready Modern boats are remarkably well made. They are resistant to weather, water and steady use. While it is common to have a boat, motor and trailer for 15 years or more, the equipment still needs maintenance, and there is more to getting ready for the boating season than driving to the lake and launching your boat. Some of us love to tinker with the engine and others of us don t like to get our hands dirty, but there is much to consider to ensure a safe, enjoyable season. Getting ready for the boating season is a lot like buying a house or opening your summer cottage for the season. Before you move in, you want to check the electrical, plumbing and all the corners for cleanliness (rodent surprises?) and to make sure that everything is in working order. You may also want to spruce it up as it is easier to paint before all of your stuff is moved into the rooms. A boat that is left unused for the winter is a lot like that house. Everything may be working, but you may want to check it out before you use it. Perhaps a mouse has chewed through the wiring, standing water may have rotted a support or rust may have stiffened up a cable. The damage is often hard to see, until the consequences are more serious. Each year brings sad stories of boaters who forget to put the plug into the stern and the boat sunk within minutes of launching. Or of a boater who left at midday to go fishing and stayed out after dark only to discover that the boat lights didn t work. How many times have we seen a boat towed down the road with the trailer lights that didn t work so the rig couldn t safely signal turns or braking (I was guilty of this as charged)? Unfortunately there are even sadder stories of early spring boaters who lost engine power, didn t have a paddle or anchor in the boat. Or a boater who pulled his rig down the road and noticed his boat passing him on the highway at 55 mph because the hitch came loose and there were no safety chains attached to the car, resulting in a serious accident. A few precautions will add to your enjoyment and safety on the water. Let s check things out one piece at a time, from the ground up. Your trailer Trailer maintenance is a function of trailer use. If yours is used once a season to move your boat from storage to the ramp, it doesn t have to be inspected as often as a trailer that hauls boats down dirt roads to unimproved launches several day a week. Check the frame for rust. Clean and repaint them. Check and tighten bolts that may have rattled loose from bouncing down the road and over railroad tracks. Check trailer hitches, safety chains, rollers and pads. (Continued on page 5) As we move forward into spring it s with anticipation of the launching of our vessels to enjoy all the blessings that being on the water can bring. I hope that everyone is also preparing their to-do list and keeping Mansfield Power Squadron Activities in mind. As we look forward to April, I would like to share with you the plans for our Change of Watch to be held at The Cabin Restaurant On Saturday, April 25. The commander has informed me that he received information regarding the MPS members that have achieved their 25 Year Membership Award. As of this writing they are: Kim Breitinger, Myron Brenner, Judy Figley, Shirley Fort, Jessie Johnson, Lesley McKee, Hilde Pewonski, Lynne Renwick, and Jay Wells. They will be recognized at the Change of Watch. I hope that you can share this outstanding accomplishment with them during the awards presentation. You will be receiving a formal invitation; however, I would also like to share the menu with you in advance: Three Hors d oeuvres: Fresh Vegetable Platter, BLT Bites (Crisp Lettuce, Ripe Tomato and Bacon tossed with Herb Aioli in a light flaky pastry cup) and Vegetable and Asiago Cheese Tartlet Three Salads: Marinated Mushroom Salad, Caesar Salad, and Arugula/Asparagus/Radish/Peas with fresh dill and Dijon vinaigrette Entrees: Roasted Rosemary and Herbed Chicken; Potato and Chive Encrusted Cod Served with: Herbed mashed potatoes, fresh green beans, rolls/butter Dessert: Display that includes Crème Brulee and Cheesecake, Cakes/Pies Beverages: Coffee/Tea Service and Iced Tea The total cost for our meal, tax and gratuity is $ As with the Annual Meeting, this is a prepaid function. Lastly, I have begun making the calls to each member to request current information for our roster. The roster, as with any data instrument, is only as good as the information that it contains. Hence, I would ask that you review your information currently in our roster and plan to offer any changes while we are speaking together. I would also like to ask you to define what you would like to see MPS do for your boating interests and why you are currently involved with the squadron. Three minutes or less that s all it should take unless you would like to chat.. then the ocean s the limit! 3

4 Support the Squadron! I would like to become a Squadron Booster and make the following donation: $10.00 $20.00 $50.00 $ Other: $ Name as you would like it to appear in the Booster listing: Send your contribution to:, 2581 Millsboro Rd. E, Mansfield, OH And While You re at It. Could you take a couple minutes to answer these questions? You can either your answers back to thempsyachtsman@aol.com or if you re sending in a Booster contribution you can send this short questionnaire back to Tom. Thanks! 1.Do you read every issue of the Yachtsman? 2. Do you feel if the Yachtsman was published every other month that you would still feel connected to the Squadron? 3. Are you getting the flyers and postcards for special events and rendezvous? 4. Is your Roster information up to date? 5. Is there an activity or rendezvous that you have enjoyed in the past that you would like to see the Squadron offer again? 6. What do you want from the Squadron more classes, more gatherings, different rendezvous, just in it for discounts..? 7. Are you willing to help in any way for the upcoming D/7 conference that we are hosting at Kalahari? 4 Invitation to Maynard Hopkins Burial and Celebration of Life Maynard Hopkins passed away on February 5, By his request he was cremated and will be buried with his parents in the Galion Fairview Cemetery. You are invited to attend his burial at 11:00 am Saturday, April 25, two days before he would have turned 98 years old. The burial will be officiated by Maynard s nephew, Reverend Steven Court. You are also invited to a celebration-of-life buffet lunch starting at 12:00 at the Ontario Event Center, located at 3985 Park Avenue West, behind the Brown Derby Roadhouse restaurant located about 5 miles west of Mansfield. Please RSVP your intention to attend the lunch to: Richard Hopkins Phone: richardhopkins1900@comcast.net

5 From The Safety Office Continued... Your lights are touchy because electrical systems just don t do well when immersed in water. Most launches have a fairly steep grade at the shoreline so your boat will float off the trailer as you back up before the back tires of your car get wet and lose traction. On most trailers, this means that the lights are going under water. Take the time to disconnect or switch off the trailer lights just before you launch the boat. This helps a lot. Launching the boat also means backing the trailer into water that is deeper than the wheel hubs. The hubs get hot as wheel bearings rotate around the chase and allow the wheel to turn freely. When you get to the launch site, particularly after a long ride, curb your enthusiasm and pull off to the side and let the wheels cool for several minutes while you load up gear before launching. Otherwise cold water gets drawn into the bearing as hot hubs hit the water. This can rust the bearings. A lot of boaters forget to check the tire pressure. This can cause many problems such as unsafe travel on the road as well as premature tire wear. Also, check the safety chains from the car to the trailer and from the winch to the boat. Your boat Early Spring is a great time to check out your boat. Check for signs of mice, raccoons, and woodchucks that have been known to hole up in covered boats over the winter. Start at the bow and work your way back. Inspect the hull, pulleys, carpeting and fittings. Grease pulleys and look for signs of wear. Check and lubricate steering cables. Move on to the electrical conduits and check for wear, or gnawing. Charge your batteries, hook up the systems and check navigation lights, bilge pumps, tilt controls and your accessories navigation systems, locators, horn and interior lights. Check your lines too. Is the anchor line frayed? Is it long enough? Are knots securely tied to the anchor? Are mooring lines in good shape? Are the boat fenders in good working order? Don t overlook fuel lines. Check lines for wear and cracks. Press the fuel bulb and look for hairline cracks that indicate that the rubber has dried out or is losing elasticity. Check metal fittings and fuel line clamps for leaks and corrosion. Put in a fresh fuel filter. Inspect your fuel tanks and cap vents. If you stored fuel in your tank over the winter, check that your fuel stabilizer worked. Open the fuel tank and smell the gas. Old gas that has separated can smell more like varnish than fresh fuel. If you have any doubt, empty the tank and start fresh. Finally, get yourself ready. Review the boating regulations and consider taking a preseason refresher course. The US Power Squadron sponsors courses for boaters at all levels of expertise. If you or your family will be operating a boat this season for the first time, consider taking a course together. Now is the time. Before the weather heats up and you get the urge to hit the water, slow down and check things out. It will make your season of boating experiences much more enjoyable. 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, S and Thelma Bazley Tom, S and Jan, S Beck Ronald, AP and Janis, AP Beddow Rafael and Linda Belliard Milo, S and Kim, S Breitenger Bill and Judith Budd Julio, AP and Karen, S Bueno David, SN and Margaret, SN Cole 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 Bill and Dottie Jilek Cloyd, SN and Mary Ann McNaul Don Nash, P Carl Pfeifer James, S and Mary, S Rank Richard, SN and Iris, SN Reddy Chris, N and Marjorie Reining Garry, SN and Susan Schroeder Richard, P and Barbara Sedlak Michael Siwek, SN Chan, AP and Elizabeth Steven Bud and Wendy Vetter Marcus Wolf, S Rudy Weiss, P 5

6 You are cordially invited to attend the Mansfield Power Squadron Change of Watch April 25, 2015 The Cabin Restaurant 2106 State Route 603 Mifflin, Ohio Social Hour with Cash Bar Buffet Dinner Installation and Awards 1800 hr 1900 hr 2000 hr $27.00 per person Uniform A with bow tie or appropriate attire Checks made payable to Mansfield Power Squadron should be sent to Cdr. Daniel Fortman, 19 East Gaylord Ave. Shelby, Oh by April 18 (Cancellations must be made by April 18th. No shows or cancellations made after April 18th will still be payable to the squadron) Mansfield, OH Millsboro Rd. E. Mansfield YACHTSMAN MANSFIELD POWER SQUADRON