October 2014 Annapolis, Maryland Volume 73, Number 10

Transcription

1 1 October 2014 Annapolis, Maryland Volume 73, Number 10 Commander s Message Kathy Nash, AP The Commander s Cruise has come and gone, however the memories and pictures remain. We started at Herrington Harbor South where we watched wedding after wedding in a beautiful setting at the marina. We then traveled to St. Michael s and stayed at the Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum. We took a two hour ride on the Tour Vessel Patriot while there, learning history we never would have known otherwise! While in St. Michael s we celebrated a birthday and anniversary. We then moved on to Harborview Marina in Baltimore. Being in Baltimore to help celebrate the 200th anniversary of the Star Spangled Banner was amazing. Some folks went to the National Aquarium, others to the Orioles game, all toured ships and saw the sites. Capping off our stay were the largest firework display ever held in Baltimore. There were six barges of fireworks. All the fireworks were synchronized together and we even saw 1814, USA, 2014, and the American Flag all displayed by fireworks! What an amazing show! Our best pictures of the hundreds taken are displayed later in the newsletter. A special thanks to Georgianna Maszczenski, S and Peggy Slattery, S for planning our wonderful events! Our Annual Crab Feast & Fundraiser was a hit. Thanks to Lt/C Joel Hilden, P and his crew for a great event. The crabs were great and the weather and location were fantastic! Everyone had a good time and went away full. It was so nice to see some members who we have not seen in a while! We have many events still planned for the fall season. Have you attended some of our events this year? Have you brought out a friend and potential new member with you? My hope is that all of our members will attend at least one event this year. Please read this newsletter and see how you may want to participate. Our Schooner Woodwind tour seems to be a hit. We have reached our minimum number of attendees, and still have room for more! The event will be held Saturday, 4 October at 3pm. So many of us do not partake in the wonderful tours and sites in our own back yards. I have never been on the Woodwind. Why not come out and see what our friends are saying about Annapolis and our waters. The owners of both the Schooner Woodwind I and Schooner Woodwind II spoke at a dinner meeting within the past year. This should be fun! Please kmnash1@verizon.net if you would like to join us. We have a lot going on, but don t forget the District 5 sponsored events this fall. The D5 Sail Regatta & Fishing Tournament will be held October. The D5 Fall Education Conference is in Smith Mountain Lake this year and will be held October, and my favorite event, the Land Navigation Contest will be November in Bucks County, PA. Check out for all the information. Table of Contents Commander s Message 1 Executive Officer s Report 2-3 Administrative Officer s Report 3 Educational Officer s Report 4-5 Crab Feast Pictures 5 Safety Officer 6-8 Commander s Cruise Pictures 8-11 September Dinner Pictures 12 Red, Hot & Blue Flyer 12 Captain Chess A. Peake 13 Deadline 14 Calendar of Events 14 Bridge Officers Contact Info 15

2 Executive Officer Lt/C John Wesley Nash, JN At their last meeting, the ASPS Executive Committee voted to enhance the squadron s commitment to community service by hosting a Food Drive to benefit the Anne Arundel County Food & Resource Bank, which is an organization that helps those in need throughout the entire county by supplying food to pantries and soup kitchens. In addition, they serve lunch daily at their location at the old Crownsville Hospital and are affiliated with the Maryland Food Bank. Experience at the AA Co Food Bank has taught them that those in need of food probably are in need of other items as well. Therefore, they accept many different types of items. This will give our squadron members many opportunities to help. Here is a list of items accepted: Food Items: All food items are accepted. Canned goods may be 2-5 years expired. Rice & Pasta may be 1 year expired and cereal may be 6 months expired. (They are currently most in need of canned meats.) Financial Donations: Checks made out to Anne Arundel County Food Bank. Medical Supplies: Walkers, potty chairs, canes, etc Baby Goods: Diapers, formula and clothes. Clothing: Winter coats and other warm clothing of any size. Furniture: Any usable furniture. Appliances: Any usable appliances, such as washers, dryers, microwave ovens, etc We are asking all squadron members to give whatever possible to this cause between now and 10 November. Tax receipts will be issued for clothing, furniture and financial donations. Here s how to donate: Bring transportable items to the 06 November ASPS dinner meeting. If you are unable to attend the dinner meeting or transport your donated items, contact Toni Hughes via or fantastc@comcast.net to arrange pickup from your home or office. (Large items will be picked up by the AA Co Food Bank directly.) Donations are not restricted to squadron members. Share this information with friends, family, neighbors and coworkers. This is a wonderful opportunity for ASPS to shine while helping a good cause in our community. With the Annapolis Boat Shows just days away, volunteer recruitment continues to be a squadron priority. Many squadron members have already signed up to help, but there are still shifts uncovered. Volunteers will earn credit towards a merit mark, as well as free admission into the show on the day that they work. Here are detailed instructions on how to volunteer to work either boat show: 1. Click on this hyperlink, (or type it into your web browser): 2. View the on-line document and determine the open shifts(s) you want to volunteer to cover. 3. your name, home phone number, cell phone number, and address to Cdr Kathy Nash, AP at kmnash1@verizon.net with your selection of desired shift(s). 4. Once you have received a confirmation , record the date(s) and time(s) of the shift(s) you are covering for your records. 5. If you have any questions or need assistance, call Cdr Kathy Nash at As previously stated, there is an exciting new training tool making its premier in the USPS booth this year. The new USPS Boating Skills Virtual Trainer (BSVT) will be in the booth at both shows. The BSVT embodies high-end technology and features three computer screens with a rotating field of vision, a steering wheel and a Mercury Marine (Continued on Page 3) ANNAPOLIS SAIL AND POWER SQUADRON 2

3 (Continued from Page 2) throttle. It simulates a realistic boating experience that even reacts to variable settings for trim, current and wind. To learn more about its capabilities, click on this link: Tell your friends and family to visit our booth and give it a test drive! I am happy to announce that we have another new Vessel Safety Examiner! Terry Otis has passed his exam and is currently working towards completing the VSCs necessary in order to become fully qualified. You can help Terry archive his mandatory first year exams by contacting D/Lt Homer Sandridge, N via sherrysand@hotmail.com or phone: and scheduling a VSC with Terry. As of 22 September, ASPS has completed 474 VSCs for 2014! We need 26 more exams to reach our Commander s goal of 500 VSCs by the end of the year. Even though the boating season is winding down, it s not too late to schedule a VSC. If you are a snowbird heading south for the winter, (or know someone who is), now is a great time to have your vessel inspected. Administrative Officer Lt/C Joel Hilden, P Wow, the summer seemed to go by very fast. However there will still be good boating weather in our area and I hope everyone makes the most of it. Our next monthly meeting will be Thursday, 2 October, with social hour beginning at 6:00 pm. Our guest speaker will be Lauren Anthone, who will share the adventure of her Annapolis to Bermuda ocean racing experience. The menu will be: Garden Salad Herb Encrusted Pork Loin Roasted Garlic Mashed Potatoes Green Bean Sauté New York Cheesecake with Raspberry Coulis Where: Annapolis Sheraton on Jennifer Road Cost: $29/ per person, payable by cash or check at the door Please RSVP by Tuesday, 30 Sep through our website at or by calling ASPS Voic at (410) Choose Option 4 at the voice prompt. On Saturday, 4 October we will be having the Schooner Woodwind Tour. This sounds like a fun event, come join us! Benefit Event at Red, Hot, and Blue 28 Oct 2014 Enjoy delicious BBQ and Southern hospitality at the Annapolis Red, Hot & Blue restaurant. Show up anytime on the 28 th, for lunch, happy hour, or dinner and the Squadron will get 15% of the total sales from anybody who presents our flyer. The flyer may be found on Page 12. Feel free to share the flyer with your friends. You do not need to be a member of the squadron to use the flyer. ANNAPOLIS SAIL AND POWER SQUADRON 3

4 Educational Officer Lt/C Michael Maszczenski, Jr., JN Courses for this fall Congratulations! Tony Martin for passing Marine Electricity Joan Etzweiler, Lee Mayer and Jackson McDonald for passing Piloting The following courses will be offered this fall. We currently need more people to make the courses run. Please let everyone you know about our courses and sign up today. Piloting Instructor: P/C Richard Hughes, JN When: Tuesdays, September 30 th to Dec 16 th 7:00 to 9:00 PM Cost: $80.00 Place: Annapolis Senior High School Piloting is the first course in the sequence of USPS courses on navigation, covering the basics of coastal and inland navigation. This course focuses on navigation as it is done on recreational boats today and embraces GPS as a primary navigation tool while covering enough of traditional techniques so the student will be able to find his/her way even if their GPS fails. The course includes many in-class exercises, developing the student s skills through hands-on practice and learning. This course uses the 4x15 plotter and dividers, which must be ordered separately. The Student Kit includes the Student Manual, Weekend Navigator, the Rose Point Coastal Explorer DVD, and the Plotting and Labeling Guide. Optional Materials: you may use your own equipment, or the following are available if needed: 4x15 Course plotters $5.00 Light Divider $10.00 Marine Communications Systems Instructor: Carl Wick, S When: Wednesdays, October 1 to Dec 17 7:00 to 9:00 PM Cost: $65.00 Place: TBD Marine Communications Systems (MCS) is an in-depth, nine chapter review of communications systems available to the recreational boater. Radio history and spectrum definitions are presented along with definitions of radio circuits that the student should properly choose the best communications method for his/her situation. One chapter is devoted to the Global Maritime Distress and Safety System (GMDSS) and another to FCC Rules and regulations. The remaining chapters cover High Seas radio (MF/HF and satellite communications) and other systems such as Family Radio Service transceivers. There is also a chapter on troubleshooting of radio installations. Upcoming Fall Seminars: Will be announced through lunch hooks as locations are available. Mariners Compass How to Use a Chart Basic Coastal Navigation (Continued on Page 5) ANNAPOLIS SAIL AND POWER SQUADRON 4

5 (Continued from Page 4) Here is a look ahead at what we have planned for Spring Courses: Advanced Piloting: Starting January 2015, instructor Grant Woodside Weather: Instructor Bill Museler Starting in January 2015, ABC 12 Seminars: Trailering Emergencies on Board How to Use a Chart DSC/VHF Radio Locations: Bacon Sails and Marine Supplies, 116 Legion Avenue, Annapolis, MD Annapolis High School, Riva Road, Annapolis, MD West Marine, Hillsmere Dr, Annapolis, MD Register at: or you can also send an to aspsmd.class@gmail.com. Please include your full name, the class you want to sign up for, and a phone number in case further information is needed. If there is a registration problem, please contact me at Annual Crab Feast & Fundraiser 20 September 2014 YUMM! ANNAPOLIS SAIL AND POWER SQUADRON 5

6 Safety Officer Capt. Al Ponzio, AP 15 Minutes could save you...everybody knows that! But did you know the ability to read a tide table can mean the difference between a good day and a bad one. The tide is the periodic daily or semi-daily fluctuation of the sea surface. Ocean tides occur worldwide, but the degree of fluctuation varies from imperceptible to many feet. On the Bay we only experience slightly more than a foot in difference but as we start to venture away from home we begin seeing those tidal changes expanding. The first documented reference to tides was in the fifth century B.C. by the Greek historian, Herodotus, who observed characteristics of the tide in the Red Sea. In the next century, Pytheas noted that the motion of the Moon and the rise and fall of the tide were related. Apparently this observation was an outgrowth of his travels to the British Isles, where the range of tide is many times that of his native Greece. But did you know Moses parting of the Red Sea was the most dramatic tide prediction in history. Moses may have planned to cross the Sea of Reeds (Red Sea) at the predicted time of a low tide. Being acquainted with the area Moses knew where trade caravans regularly crossed the Sea of Reeds at low tide. Knowing when the tide would occur, how long the mile long expanse of Sea bottom would remain dry and when the waters would rush back in Moses could plan an escape across the Sea of Reeds that took advantage of the tides. You know the rest of the story. As human horizons expanded, knowledge of physical sciences and, thus, understanding of tides also increased. From the first, tides have been considered important to navigation. Knowledge of tides was essential for growth and development of coastal communities that flourished as a result of early commerce. Wharves, buildings and other structures had to be constructed with the ever-changing water level in mind. But did you know 3000 years later Napoleon almost suffered the same fate as the Pharaoh and his chariots narrowly escaping a crossing of the Red Sea at the same location on an incoming tide. To help keep track of these mean tide elevations and use them, certain standard references have been established. The most effective references are the tidal datums, which are simply fixed references from which we reckon heights or depths. There are a variety of such datums, called by different names, such as mean low water, mean lower low water, mean high water, mean higher high water, and mean sea level. How are Tides Measured? - The Old System Since the early 1800s, NOAA and its predecessor organizations have been measuring, describing and predicting tides along the coasts of the United States. The longest continuous sea level records exist for the Presidio, in San Francisco, California. Records for the area date back to June 30, Today, the Center for Operational Oceanographic Products and Services (CO-OPS), which is part of NOAA s National Ocean Service (NOS), is responsible for recording and disseminating water level data. In the past, most water level measuring systems used a recorder driven by a float in a stilling well. A stilling well calms the waters around the water level sensor. A typical stilling well consisted of a 12-inch wide pipe. Inside the stilling well, an 8-inch diameter float was hung by wire from the recording unit above. Before computers were used, water level data was recorded on a continuously running pen and ink strip chart. These records were collected by observers once a month and mailed to headquarters for manual processing. In the 1960s, data were recorded onto mechanically punched paper tapes that were read into a computer for processing. Water (Continued on Page 7) ANNAPOLIS SAIL AND POWER SQUADRON 6

7 (Continued from Page 6) levels were recorded at 6-minute intervals. Observers maintained and adjusted the clocks, and calibrated the gauges with the tide readings. Tide stations were visited annually to maintain the tide houses and clean biological fouling from the underwater surfaces. During these annual visits, the components and support structures also were checked for stability. Although these systems worked well, they had their limitations. Stations were subject to recording errors and marine fouling, and were constantly in need of maintenance. In addition, the measurement and data processing equipment could not provide users with information until weeks after the data was collected. How are Tides Measured? - The New System Advances in technology have helped solve many of the problems associated with the old tidal recording systems. Microprocessor-based technologies allow for customized data collection and have improved measurement accuracy. While older tidal measuring stations used mechanical floats and recorders, a new generation of monitoring stations uses advanced acoustics and electronics. Today's recorders send an audio signal down a half-inch-wide sounding tube and measure the time it takes for the reflected signal to travel back from the water's surface. The sounding tube is mounted inside a 6-inch diameter protective well, which is similar to the old stilling well. In addition to measuring tidal heights more accurately, the new system also records 11 different oceanographic and meteorological parameters. These include wind speed and direction, water current speed and direction, air and water temperature, and barometric pressure. Like the old recorders, the new measuring stations collect data every six minutes. However, whereas the old recording stations used mechanical timers to tell them when to take a reading, timing is controlled on the new stations by a Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite (GOES). The stations also use these satellites to transmit their data hourly to NOAA headquarters. In the event of a storm, the stations can be programmed to transmit their data every six minutes. Field teams can quickly check and maintain the systems using laptop computers. In addition, all of the raw and processed data are available over the Internet. Having a good understanding of tidal depth and pattern is important when navigating or anchoring a vessel in waters with limited depth. For instance when you are anchoring you need to know what the current state of the tide is should you come back to find the boat high and dry. Or you may need the additional height of the tide to get into an anchorage or harbor or over a sand bar you may need to know the water that is available to you at any time. It is also important when launching and retrieving boats on slipways on a tidal shore. Having a simple feel for tidal depth is key to successful costal cruising. If you've ever waited anxiously for the twang of your antenna against the underside of a highway bridge, you know that playing with tides can be a game of inches. To pass safely under that bridge or over the bar that lies between here and home, we need to understand all the components of the tides. How to address this? Use the simplified Rule of Twelfths as a rule of thumb for estimating the tidal height. It is an easy way to approximate the amount of water available at any time. All that is required to operate the rule of thumb is the time of the tide, or the time that may be referenced as a difference from a standard port, plus the tidal range - the height of high and low water. The rule states that in the first hour after low tide the water level will rise by one twelfth of the range, in the second hour two twelfths, and so on according to the sequence: Hour Proportion of Tidal Range 1 st Hour : 1/12 4 th Hour : 3/12 2 rd Hour : 2/12 5 th Hour : 2/12 3 rd Hour : 3/12 6 th Hour : 1/12 (Continued on Page 8) ANNAPOLIS SAIL AND POWER SQUADRON 7

8 (Continued from Page 7) The rule of twelfths is based on the assumption that the tide does not rise or fall at a constant rate throughout its duration. It also assumes the curve for any particular port is symmetrical. Example calculation: Lets work an example to make this real. If a tide table states that tomorrow's low water is noon and that the water level at this time would be two feet above chart datum and further, that at the following high tide the water level would be 14 feet. We could work out the height of water at 3:00 p.m. as follows: (i) The total increase in water level between low and high tide would be: 14-2 = 12 feet. (ii) In the first hour the water level would rise by 1 twelfth of the total (12 ft) or: 1 feet. (iii) In the second hour the water level would rise by 2 twelfths of the total (12 ft) or: 2 feet. (iv) In the third hour the water level would rise by 3 twelfths of the total (12 ft) or: 3 feet. This gives us the increase in the water level by 3:00 p.m. as 6 feet. This represents only the increase - the total depth of the water (relative to chart datum) will include the 2 ft. depth at low tide: 6 ft. + 2 ft. = 8 feet. Please be aware of the rules limitations. Generally the Rule of Twelfths is an excellent everyday tidal indicator. However the rule assumes that the rate of tidal flow increases smoothly to a maximum halfway, between high and low tide, before smoothly decreasing to zero again and that the interval between low and high tides is approximately six hours. This is not always true for some geographical locations. REMEMBER SAFETY IS A LEARNED HABIT Commander s Cruise We started at Herrington Harbor South ANNAPOLIS SAIL AND POWER SQUADRON 8

9 Commander s Cruise continued... Second stop was St. Michael s Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum ANNAPOLIS SAIL AND POWER SQUADRON 9

10 Commander s Cruise continued on to Baltimore Harborview Marina for the Star Spangled Celebration ANNAPOLIS SAIL AND POWER SQUADRON 10

11 ANNAPOLIS SAIL AND POWER SQUADRON 11

12 Dinner Meeting 4 September 2014 ANNAPOLIS SAIL AND POWER SQUADRON 12

13 Captain Chess A. Peake This section of our newsletter is the Captain Chess A. Peake column. Mostly serving as an educational and review column in keeping with the goals of the United States Power Squadron, Safe Boating through Education. Captain Chess A. Peake wants you to sharpen your nautical knowledge. Nautical Knowledge: Trivia-Well maybe just cool information this time! Match the terms and descriptions below: A. Rigging B. Fouled C. Sculling D. Stow E. Reeve F. Line of Position (LOP) G. Bitter end H. Bearing I. Alee J. Way K. Ground Swells L. Bulwark 1. Any piece of equipment or line that is jammed or tangled. 2. To move the rudder or oar back and forth to maneuver or propel a boat. 3. To pass a line through a block. 4. The inboard end of a line or chain, especially the end that is made fast to a fitting. 5. The side of a boat above the level of the deck. 6. The direction of an object expressed relative to the compass or to the boat. 7. Away from the direction of the wind. 8. A curved or straight line on a chart, determined by a navigational method. The vessel is located somewhere on this line. 9. The movement of the boat through the water. 10. The lines and wires on a boat that keep the mast in place and work the sails. 11. To secure an item in its proper location. While in Baltimore on the Commander s Cruise many of us noticed the floating wetlands in the inner harbor. Why "floating" wetlands? Few natural wetlands exist along the Harbor's urban shorelines. The wetlands above were built to float in the water. Crabs, mussels, eels and other aquatic life colonize the wetlands, while waterfowl and fish use them for refuge. Trash starts the problem and becomes part of the solution. Inside these floating islands are bundles of plastic bottles, litter that was collected from the Harbor and upcycled, to provide floating for the wetlands. We may not be able to put floating wetlands in our backyards, but you can help clean up the Harbor and the Chesapeake Bay by not over-fertilizing your lawns or litters, cleaning up after your pets, and using rain gardens and rain barrels to reduce the amount of water that runs off your property when it rains. But then again maybe we can build some floating islands for our waterfront areas. Food for thought for a spring project? Answers Nautical Knowledge: 1.B, 2.C, 3.E, 4.G, 5.L. 6.H, 7.I, 8.F, 9.J, 10.A, 11.D ANNAPOLIS SAIL AND POWER SQUADRON 13

14 Calendar of Coming Events Member Events 27 September 2014 Raft Up 2 October 2014 Dinner Meeting 4 October 2014 Schooner Woodwind Sail 9-13 October 2014 Annapolis Sailboat Show October 2014 Annapolis Power Boat Show 28 October 2014 Red, Hot & Blue Dinner 6 November 2014 Dinner Meeting 22 November 2014 Wine Tasting Fundraiser Executive Committee Meeting 25 September 2014 Annapolis High School 23 October 2014 Annapolis High School District Events October 2014 Sailing Regatta & Fishing Tournament October 2014 Fall Education Conference 15 November 2014 Land Navigation Contest National Events AS&PS Web site District 5 National USPS For updates to your telephone number, address, , etc., please call the ASPS Hot Line and select option number 7, or P/C Gary Budesheim, SN at gbudesheim@comcast.net or Deadline When: 20 October 2014 Direct all material to: Cdr Kathy Nash, AP kmnash1@verizon.net Home: Cell: ANNAPOLIS SAIL AND POWER SQUADRON 14

15 Great Benefits available to USPS members include: Up to a 38% discount on boat insurance Boat U.S. Membership and Towing discounts Map and Navigation software discounts Hotel discounts Rental Car discounts Members Save Money Bridge Officers Commander: Cdr Kathy Nash, AP kmnash1@verizon.net Executive Officer: Lt/C John Wesley Nash, JN jwnash@commeng.com Administrative Officer: Lt/C Joel Hilden, P joel.a.hilden@gmail.com Educational Officer: Lt/C Michael Maszczenski, Jr., JN michaelm_aacps@hotmail.com Secretary: Lt/C Leslie Kain leslie.kain@verizon.net Treasurer: Lt/C Gary Antonides, AP garyanto@verizon.net Assistant Educational Officer: Tony Martin, AP admartinesq@aol.com Immediate Past Commander P/C Marianne L. Ponzio, P mariannelacey@verizon.net Members-at-Large of the Executive Committee: Jeff Short Lars Lindenhall Tom Campbell Chris Ruemke, S Jackson McDonald Louis Maassel, SN Susan Crandall G. Bill Crandall Audit Committee: Art Howard Jonathan Jacobs, P Rules Committee: Carol Rechner, JN Sherry Sandridge, AP Sam Lyness, N Nominating Committee: P/C Richard Hughes, JN P/C Marianne Ponzio, P P/C Lee Meyers, AP P/C Bill Museler, AP Denise Lindenhall ANNAPOLIS SAIL AND POWER SQUADRON 15

16 Annapolis Sail and Power Squadron 2805 White House Road Riva, MD RETURN SERVICE REQUESTED SUNSHINE LADY IF YOU KNOW OF ANYONE SICK OR IN THE HOSPITAL, PLEASE CONTACT OUR SUNSHINE LADY, Leslie Kain, S leslie.kain@verizon.net