Spring 2012 The Ensign

Transcription

M a g a z i n e o f t h e U n i te d S t a te s P owe r S q u a d ro n s
®
Ensign
the
Boating education, fun and safety
Rowing
on the river
PLUS
Viking adventure
Boating apps
Well-stocked tool kit
®
Spring 2012
theensign.org
Ship’s Store
Stock up on summertime favorites
The write way
Keep all your important notes in this USPS logodebossed padfolio with inside card pockets, a pen
loop, magnetic closure and a 5-by-7-inch writing
pad. $15 (Brown or navy blue)
Bag it
Made of a soft fabric with the
look and feel of leather, this
stylish tote bag features
accent stitching, magnetic
snap closures and a debossed
USPS logo. This 14-by-11-by-4inch bag has 24-inch handles.
$15 (Brown or navy blue)
On the go
Take your favorite Tervis tumbler on the go with
this tight-fitting travel lid and removable handle.
Both accessories fit 16-ounce tumblers and are
dishwasher safe. Handle, $6.50; lid, $4.50
Wicked shirt
This men’s moonlight blue performance
waffle-mesh shirt offers a soft texture and
a moisture-wicking fabric as well as a flatknit collar and flat-knit, open-hem cuffs.
$39–$46 (S-3XL)
Now you’re cooking!
Become the grill master in this full-length,
poly-cotton blend apron with two patch
pockets. The apron’s unique fitting system
provides for a tailored look with the pull of
a single strap. $15 (Khaki and blue)
To order, call 888-367-8777 ext. 0 or visit www.shopusps.org for more great deals.
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contents
Bridge
Ensign
the
Vol. 100 No. 2 Spring 2012
4
C/C John T. Alter, SN
Soundings
5
Currents
6
Scorecard
11
Provisions
12
Fisherman anchor, steering
lube & more
Shipshape
13
Tool kit necessities, spring line
docking & more
Boating Gone Bad
17
Destinations
18
Stargazer
22
Ship’s Library
25
Waypoints
32
Last Horizon
38
Classifieds
40
Bitter End
41
Vikings revealed,
Transom tales & more
Stem to Stern
43
26
20
18
30
Inspiring Educators
USPS honors its top five instructors during
the Annual Meeting. Congratulations to the
winners of the 2011 Charles F. Chapman
Award for Excellence in Teaching.
26
Ship of Dreams
A Viking ship replica lives up to its seafaring
legacy as it journeys across the Great Lakes
and the Atlantic Ocean on its way from
Minnesota to Norway.
30
Meet the Board
Seven dedicated members gear up for a
productive year at the helm of USPS.
Cover photo: Sjoerd van der Wal
THE ENSIGN (ISSN 0744-3129) (ISSN 1949-2294
online) is published four times per year by United
States Power Squadrons, a nonprofit corporation
located at 1504 Blue Ridge Road, Raleigh, NC
27607-3906. Periodicals postage paid at Raleigh,
N.C., and additional mailing offices. Subscriptions
are $15 annually. POSTMASTER: Send address
changes to THE ENSIGN, P.O. Box 31664, Raleigh,
NC 27622-1664. Copyright © 2012 United States
Power Squadrons
The Ensign magazine is printed using soy-based inks on
paper certified by the Rainforest Alliance SmartWood
program to comply with Forest Stewardship Council™
standards.
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3
3/27/2012 10:27:26 AM
I Bridge I
Ensign
the
Publications
Director
Editor Yvonne
Hill
New opportunities
I
f you missed our recent Annual Meeting in Jacksonville, you missed a good one, although I could be biased.
Being elected as your chief commander for the coming year was a humbling experience, and I look forward
to the job.
Your national bridge has three new faces: National
Educational Officer Bob Brandenstein from Pittsburgh
Power Squadron in District 7, National Administrative
Officer Louie Ojeda from Ponce Power Squadron in
District 33 and National Treasurer Gary Cheney from
Erie Power Squadron in District 11. All three bring a
wealth of experience and fresh ideas.
John Alter, SN
Retiring from the bridge are National Educational
Chief Commander
Officer Bob Sweet and National Treasurer Dick
Peoples. We owe them a debt of gratitude for their hard work and accomplishments. Past Chief Commander Frank Dvorak continues to bring his experience
and leadership to our organization as a member of the board of directors.
P/C/C Creighton Maynard will be leaving the board for a stint on the Committee
on Nominations, and his sage advice will be missed.
We conducted three sessions of our acclaimed Leadership Development courses
in Jacksonville and will be taking these programs on the road this year. Sessions
are scheduled in Dallas and Savannah with more locations to be announced.
Watch for schedule updates, and take advantage of this excellent opportunity.
USPS signed agreements with the American Red Cross and the American Heart
Association to provide First Aid and CPR training to our members. Our program
includes an additional component dealing with incidents that are most likely to
occur in a recreational boating environment such as sunburn and hypothermia.
USPS name recognition and how we publicize courses and activities across the
country got a lot of attention at the meeting. The consensus was that we could
present a more consistent and unified image to the public. We’ll be working on
various options to present to squadrons in the coming months.
Our on-the-water training vessel is currently spending the winter with our
squadrons along the Gulf Coast and will be moving into the Midwest and Great
Lakes regions as the weather starts to warm.
Our memorandum of understanding with the U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary is
taking shape, and you’ll be hearing more about efforts where we can join forces
to improve boating safety. Although the final figures have not been released, we
know that boating fatalities in 2011 have taken a turn for the worse, and these efforts could not come at a better time.
In closing, I’d like to personally thank you for your efforts and support of USPS.
Your involvement and association is critical to the future of our great organization
as we move toward our second century.
4 The Ensign
04_Bridge_Spring2012.indd 4
Yvonne HillEditor Kelly Anderson
Associate
Senior
Editor
Editorial
Assistant Tina Tibbitts
Amy Townsend
Art Director Simone Tieber
Assistant Editor
Tina
Tibbitts
Regular
Contributors
Rich
Afrikian,
Art Director Don Dunlap, Dave
Garthoff,Tieber
Craig Grosby, Greg
Simone
Lovekamp, Arnold Medalen,
Designer
Dave Osmolski, Gates Richards,
Jason Lowsy
Burrage
Warner, Regina Wiegert,
Bob Zimmerman
Regular Contributors
Don Baker, Larry Byrd,
E-mail
ensign@hq.usps.org
Don
Dunlap,
Craig Grosby,
Greg
Lovekamp,
Arnold Medalen,
Phone 888-367-8777
Dave Osmolski, Gates Richards,
Burrage
Warner,
Bob Zimmerman
Advertising
Sales
Ted Taylor
704-489-0323
E-mail
ensign@hq.usps.org
sales@usps.org
Jim Ocello 704-425-5509
Advertising
Sales
theensignjim@yahoo.com
Yvonne Hill
888-367-8777 x226
hilly@hq.usps.org
Phone 888-367-8777
USPS HEADQUARTERS
888-367-8777
USPS HEADQUARTERS
Dial “0” for customer service.
888-367-8777
contactme@hq.usps.org
Dial “0” for customer service.
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M–F888-304-0813
0800-1630 Eastern
Fax
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United States Power Squadrons
United States Power Squadrons
P.O. Box
Box 30423
30423
P.O.
Raleigh, NC 27622
Employee Directory
Employee
Directory
theensign.org/hqstaff.htm
www.theensign.org/hqstaff.htm
Submissions may be sent to The Ensign,
P.O. Box 31664, Raleigh, NC 27622-1664 or
ensign@hq.usps.org. The editor reserves
the right to edit and modify materials in a
style that best serves the needs of The Ensign. Articles, opinions and advertisements
do not reflect USPS policy or endorsement
unless so designated. Projects described in
The Ensign may be based on copyrighted
or patented plans or descriptions that
require permission for use or reproduction.
Spring 2012
3/16/2012 9:27:15 AM
I Soundings I
Cover story
Michael Jensen of Australia captured the jubilant Ken Warby soon
after he broke his own water speed
record at Blowering Dam near
Tumut, New South Wales. Warby’s
317 mph record still stands.
April 1980 Vol. 68 No. 4
Get it, use it
Longtime Waukegan Sail & Power
Squadron member Rex Atwood
succumbed to carbon monoxide
poisoning aboard his boat in September 2003. His death occurred 50
yards outside of the Waukegan South
Harbor entrance shortly after departing for a weekend squadron cruise. I
think about Rex from time to time.
What happened to him could have
easily happened to any of us.
Recently, my wife, Betty, and I were
heading south on Lake Michigan from
Port Washington to Racine, Wis., with
a clear sky and flat seas. The only
thing we could have asked for was
more wind; we were motor-sailing at
6 to 7 knots.
In the middle of that pictureperfect afternoon, an alarm sounded
in the cabin. I went below to check
it out. Although the slight wind
seemed to disburse most of the engine
exhaust fumes, the cabin was filled
with carbon monoxide. Thankfully,
our carbon monoxide detector did its
job, because I could not detect any
odor whatsoever.
This was the second time in 10
years that our cabin had filled with
carbon monoxide. How much?
We’ll never know. I do know that
after I opened a hatch to circulate
air throughout the cabin, it took 30
minutes for the alarm to stop.
Apparent wind conditions
had allowed carbon monoxide to
accumulate in the cabin. Had there
been more wind, the carbon monoxide
would likely have been disbursed over
a greater area outside the boat. If the
boat heading relative to the wind had
been different, the carbon monoxide
would have been disbursed elsewhere.
A dodger, Bimini, side curtains and
other enclosures do unpredictable
things to air flow surrounding the
cockpit and cabin. Carbon monoxide
buildup from engine exhaust can
become unpredictable as well.
What if we hadn’t had a carbon
monoxide detector aboard our boat?
Sometimes I like to nap while under
way. What would have happened
had I been snoozing? How would I
have known about the presence of
carbon monoxide without the alarm?
How would my friends know if this
occurred on their boats? How would
Rex have known?
Marine carbon monoxide detectors
are affordable, readily available and
easy to install. I urge all boaters to get
them and use them. –Jim Moran
Adding up the benefits
of education
Columbus Sail & Power Squadron
members Donald Delewese and
Michael Cohee recently earned their
full certificates. Handing out plaques
to recognize members who have filled
their tickets and earned the grade of
Senior Navigator is one of a squadron
commander’s greatest honors.
The ticket is the educational tracking
certificate we receive when we become
new members. After the boating
course, the first advanced grade course
is Seamanship, which takes 18 class
hours of education in our squadron.
Next comes Piloting and Advanced
Piloting at 20 class hours each. Then
comes Junior Navigation at 29 hours
and the last advanced grade course,
Navigation, at 33 hours.
To achieve the grade of Senior
Navigator, members must also take the
following elective courses: Cruise Planning, Engine Maintenance, Marine
Electronics (Marine Electrical Systems), Sail and Weather. Each elective
course can take between 20 and 22
hours of classroom instruction.
Between time spent in class and
studying, the hours add up over the
years—about 224 classroom hours. To
account for time spent in self-study,
review and taking sights, let’s double
the class hours and say it requires a
minimum of 448 hours for each Senior
Navigator, a conservative estimate.
Of course, this doesn’t include any
additional seminars such as Radar or
Locks, Rivers and Dams.
Though the hours spent as instructors don’t count toward the full certificate, they make a difference to USPS.
Both Don and Michael have taught
classes over the years. USPS provides
education through volunteer instructors who pay it backward and forward.
Michael and Don both exemplify this
philosophy.
These two Senior Navigators have
invested a tremendous amount of time
in their education and continue to
contribute to the squadron in many
ways. They have inspired me and many
others to continue learning.
–Matthew Murphy
We want to hear from you. Email
your letters, questions and comments to us at ensign@hq.usps.org.
05_Soundings_Ensign_Spring2012.indd 5
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3/16/2012 9:28:25 AM
I Currents I
News and information from around the boating world
2012
19–25 May
National Safe
Boating Week
5–9 Sep
Governing Board
Marriott Renaissance
Center, Detroit
17–20 Oct
CPS AGM
Edmonton, Alberta
Canada
2013
16–20 Jan
Annual Meeting
Hyatt Regency
Riverfront
Jacksonville, Fla.
4–8 Sep
Governing Board
Grand Hyatt
San Antonio
2014
29 Jan–2 Feb
Annual Meeting
Hyatt Regency
Riverfront
Jacksonville, Fla.
10–14 Sep
Governing Board
Hyatt Regency
Crystal City
Arlington, Va.
6 The Ensign
Saito receives top USPS
cruising award
J
apanese single-handed sailor Minoru Saito received a USPS transoceanic cruising
award at the annual meeting in Jacksonville, Fla.
Saito flew in from Tokyo to receive the Juan Sebastian del Cano Award, named for the
navigator who finished the first-ever circumnavigation led by Ferdinand Magellan in 1522.
Saito successfully completed his eighth solo circumnavigation last fall at age 77, an international record. The award also honored his nearly 40-year sailing career, which includes a
nonstop solo circumnavigation in 2005 at age 71.
Saito is a member of District 13’s Tokyo Sail & Power Squadron. Several squadrons in the
district raised money for Saito’s trip to Florida.
Saito also holds a Guinness World Record as the oldest person to sail around the world.
–Hunter Brumfield
THE ENSIGN WRITER WINS MERIT AWARD
Longtime The Ensign contributor, Marlin Bree won a Merit Award in the Boating Adventure Category of the 2011 Boating Writers International Writing Contest. This is the
veteran The Ensign writer’s sixth consecutive BWI award.
Bree won for “Ten Feet across the Pacific,” (Spring 2011, pp. 17–19) the story of a Minnesota schoolteacher who designed and built his own 10-foot plywood boat and sailed it
from Long Beach, Calif., to Honolulu, Hawaii, later completing the trans-Pacific crossing.
Bree has also won two BWI grand prizes for articles published in The Ensign.
Spring 2012
06-10_Currents_Ensign_Spring2012.indd 6
3/16/2012 9:30:13 AM
I
I Currents I
Teaching aids make a comeback
A
fter a few years’ absence from the annual meeting,
a revamped teaching aid exhibit made its return in
Jacksonville. The display was available for viewing Thursday and Friday in an area occupied by USPS vendors and
committees.
The exhibit was limited to the aids awarded Best of Show
at district conferences. Teaching aids must be new and have
been used in a USPS class or seminar during the past two
educational years.
Thirteen out of 33 districts participated in this year’s
event; however, all districts are invited to participate.
The teaching aid judged Best of the Best by the Educational Department leadership was made by Anthony Santoro
of District 4 and is used to demonstrate a range. Second place
went to Harold Willard of District 5 for his model boat used
to show the effect of rudder and thrust. Third place went to
John Dial of District 6 for his navigation lights exhibit.
For teaching aid photos, visit usps.org/national/eddept/id/
idta.htm. Construction plans and operating instructions
will be added later. –Art Mollica
Left: P/C Anthony Santoro, AP, of Shrewsbury Power Squadron in District
4 wins Best of the Best in the 2011 teaching aids competition for his range
demonstration.
Top right: The second place winner is P/C Harold Willard, SN, of Patuxent
River Sail & Power Squadron in District 5 for his model boat that shows the
effect of rudder and thrust.
Bottom right: P/C John Dial, SN, of Swiftwater Power Squadron in District 6
wins third place for his navigation lights exhibit.
7
3/16/2012 9:30:38 AM
I Currents I
MEMBERSHIP IS JOB 1:
2011 GROWTH AWARDS
Twelve squadrons received recognition
for positive growth in 2011. The criteria
reflected both the number of members
gained and a minimum retention rate
of 87 percent. View the full report at
usps.org/national/membership/
2011_Growth_Awards.html.
Division 1: Squadrons with
114 members or more
35% growth
Taunton River, D/14
22% growth
Jacksonville, D/23
19% growth
St. Petersburg, D/22
75–113 members
46% growth
Palisades, D/4
45% growth
Music City, D/17
38% growth
Westchester, D/2
45–74 members
47% growth
Penfield, D/2
46% growth
Tip of the Mitt, D/9
26% growth
Des Moines, D/30
Division 4: Squadrons with fewer
than 45 members
59% growth
St. Thomas, D/33
26% growth
Anderson, D/24
19% growth
St. Helens, D/32
Four districts attained the 1% Growth
Challenge.
5% growth
District 23
4% growth
District 22
3% growth
District 13
2% growth
District 17
Revising the Growth Award to
include a minimum retention rate addressed concerns about trial membership numbers and squadrons
located in larger market areas. Member
involvement is crucial to membership
retention; those squadrons receiving
the Growth Award have successfully
implemented programs to ensure
retention.
Looking for member involvement,
retention or recruiting ideas? Cruise
the Membership Committee website
at usps.org/national/membership.
–Mary Paige Abbott
USPS: What’s in it for you
W
ith the summer boating season quickly approaching, now’s a great
time to take advantage of your member benefits before heading
back on the water.
Insurance
If your boat insurance is coming due, check out the new offerings from
the USPS boat insurance program from McGriff, Seibels & Williams. USPS
members get great coverage at preferred rates that get even better depending on your experience and USPS courses taken. If your insurance is due
later in the year, start checking quotes now. You’ll be pleasantly surprised.
Navigation products
Get great discounts on everything from C-MAP, a leading producer of vector digital charts for chart plotters. Charts are delivered as removable chips
designed for use in a wide array of chart plotter brands. The C-MAP line
also includes the company’s new software, PC-Planner, and its latest product, the GeoSat2 portable car navigation system.
Nobeltec Software and Vector Charts offer 25 percent off all Jeppesen
Marine products, makers of the world’s most popular marine navigation
software and cartography.
Educational products
Through McGraw Hill, USPS offers a great number of books and courses
to help you boat better and safer. Check out what’s available, and start
your season right.
Boat bits
After thoroughly going over your boat, you’re bound to have a list of
things it needs to make it shipshape for this coming year, and Hamilton
Marine offers almost everything you might need at great prices for USPS
members.
With so many reasons for being a USPS member, it’s easy to overlook
the numerous benefits available to all members. Taking advantage of even
a few benefits will more than pay for your USPS membership. Don’t miss
a thing. Check out all the benefits available to you at usps.org/national/
admin_dept/membenefits.htm and uspsbenefits.org. You’ll be glad you did.
–Ted Rankine
8 The Ensign
Spring 2012
3/16/2012 9:30:57 AM
I Currents I
Boating News
Sea Tow loaners save lives
A grant from the U.S. Coast Guard’s
Sport Fish Restoration and Boating
Trust Fund helped the nonprofit Sea
Tow Foundation purchase 2,901 life
jackets for loan to 11,066 boaters during the 2011 boating season.
The life jackets were distributed
to Sea Tow captains in 14 states, and
boaters could borrow the life jackets
and return them at the end of the day.
“While it is impossible to know for
certain how many lives are saved by
boaters wearing life jackets each year,
just knowing that more than 11,000
boaters who needed a life jacket were
able to borrow one from the Sea Tow
Foundation Program last year makes
all the hard work and planning worth
it,” said Gail Kulp, Sea Tow Foundation’s executive director.
Sea Tow Foundation Program life
jacket loaner stands have been placed
in marinas and boat ramps, and Sea
Tow captains keep life jackets on their
boats for use during their towing and
marine assistance duties. Many Sea
Tow captains also provide the life jackets to their local marine law enforcement officers for use in emergency
situations. –Sea Tow Foundation
Coast Guard announces PFD recall
The U.S. Coast Guard urges boaters to
check their Mustang Survival PFDs.
The company is voluntarily recalling all model number MD2010 and
MD2012 22-pound buoyancy inflatable personal flotation devices sold in
the United States during 2011.
This recall is being issued for the
inspection and repair of an inflator
installation inconsistency that may
prevent some units from fully inflating
with CO2 (oral inflation functions
normally). Mustang Survival has
developed a solution that corrects any
affected product and prevents reoccurrence. The inspection and repair
can only be performed at a Mustang
Survival factory.
All MD2010 and MD2012 PFDs
without the stamped Marine Inflatable Technology (MIT) logo should
be returned to Mustang Survival for
inspection.
If you own an affected device,
contact Mustang Survival’s customer
service department at 800-526-0532
between 0730 and 1630 PST Monday
through Friday for shipping instructions. Do not return products to the
dealer. Mustang Survival will pay for
all testing, repair and shipping costs.
If you have questions, please visit
mustangsurvival.com/22lb-productnotice for more information.
Cruising for a better deal?
Get more for less with BoatU.S. Insurance.
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boating season with peace of mind onboard and more money in
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MI Ensign_Power_7.5x4.875_4c.indd 1
BoatUS.com/insurance
All policies subject to limits and exclusions.
3/2/12 12:01 PM
3/16/2012 9:31:19 AM
I Currents I
USPS squadrons, district
honored with civic awards
D
uring its annual meeting in Jacksonville, Fla., USPS honored
five squadrons and one district with Civic Service Awards. The
awards, sponsored by BoatUS, are given annually to recognize exceptional community service and public boating safety education.
2011 squadron Civic Service Award winners
• PeaceRiverSail&PowerSquadron,District22,Fla.
• St.PetersburgSail&PowerSquadron,District22,Fla.
• JonesBeachPowerSquadron,District3,N.Y.
• MilesRiverSail&PowerSquadron,District5,Md.
• OceanCityPowerSquadron,District5,Md.
The Top Squadron Award went to Florida’s Peace River Sail & Power
Squadron for publishing more than 50 articles in local newspapers and
magazines about their programs and volunteer experiences.
The Top District Award, which recognizes the collective efforts of
all squadrons within a region, went to District 5 for the second year
in a row. District 5 serves recreational boaters in Maryland, Delaware,
Virginia, D.C., eastern Pennsylvania and southern New Jersey.
Awards are determined by the amount of logged classroom hours and
community outreach hours, including attendance at boat shows and
conducting vessel safety checks. –BoatUS
halfpage.indd
1 photos and name to be used in any USPS publication or website. All photos used by USPS
entry constitutes an agreement
to allow your
ry a photographer’s credit. You must hold rights to the photos submitted and obtain permission before submitting photos of identifiable
.
VESSEL SAFETY CHECK
2011 AWARDS
Top districts
Firstplace
Secondplace
Thirdplace
Fourthplace
Fifthplace
District3
District28
District11
District7
District6
Top squadrons
Firstplace
Secondplace
Thirdplace
Fourthplace
Fifthplace
JonesBeach
SouthHills
BiscayneBay
SmithMountainLake
ShallotteRiver
Millennium Club (1,000 vessel checks a year)
MarjorieBaraff
BiscayneBay
VirgilL.Boyt
FridayHarbor
AngeloV.Giovanniello
GreatSouthBay
WilliamS.Halkovitch
ShallotteRiver
WesleyS.Heusser
Balboa
RobertD.Holub
JonesBeach
MaryKathrynNesser
PortClinton
3/14/2012 8:58:22 AM
3/16/2012 9:31:44 AM
I Scorecard I
250,000 times and has an average rating
of 4.4 out of 5.
The free version is supported by ads,
which are not intrusive and can be removed if you upgrade to the 99-cent paid
version.
The varied screen shots show the presence and movement of rain. I use this app
constantly on land and water to check
the weather at my current location and
where I’m headed.
For Apple devices, a similar app is
available from iTunes for $1.99. Called
NOAA Radar US, the app by Shuksan
Software displays weather radar images
and forecasts.
Tide prediction
Smartphone apps
for boaters
By Gates T. Richards
B
oaters have access to a variety
of useful downloadable applications through their smartphones, tablets or laptops.
When you are considering which apps
to download, screen shots and reviews
can help you judge their usefulness. How
many times a particular app has been
downloaded can be a good indication of
its value. Review the permissions section
of each app to determine what access you
are allowing or what information you are
providing from your phone by using the
app.
I found two particular apps helpful for
boaters: Rainy Days and Tides & Currents. I use Android apps for my Android
phone, but you can usually find similar
apps for Apple products on iTunes.
Weather forecast
Rainy Days, an app by Hugo Visser available on the Android Market, shows you
instant weather reports and radar images based on your phone’s location. You
can pan to other locations to track the
weather.
This app has been downloaded about
Of the many tide and current apps available, I found Tides & Currents by FlyToMap on the Android Market to be very
useful. This app has an average rating of
3.6 out of 5 with more than 140 reviews,
and best of all, it’s free.
Tides & Currents provides interactive
graphs with detailed tidal current information for a chosen location. It also has
a favorites section, so you can save tide
locations for later use.
I have only tried this app on land because I didn’t download it until after
boating season had ended.
Apple has a similar app, NOAA Buoy
and Tide Data by Verona Solutions, that
provides tide predictions for the U.S. You
can download it for $1.99 on iTunes.
Gates Richards and his wife, Margy,
began their boating experience in 2003
with the purchase of Wave Walker, a
1994 Grand Banks Motoryacht. During
the summers, they cruise between Deltaville, Va., and Boothbay Harbor, Maine.
NEW BOATING APPS WEB PAGE AVAILABLE
USPS now has a new page on its website that lists potentially useful apps
for boaters with mobile devices such as smartphones and tablets. The page
includes both iTunes Store and Android Market apps.
To access the page, visit usps.org/education/misc/apps.htm.
Boaters are also encouraged to submit recommendations for boating-related
apps they find useful; they can fill out a form on the same page.
11_Scorecard_Ensign_Spring2012.indd 11
11
3/16/2012 9:34:20 AM
I didn’t think there
I Provisions I
Duck and release
Anchors aweigh
The strong, lightweight HandyDuck
mooring hook and set-and-release trigger hook allow you to snap on and off
moorings, dock rings and lock cables
with ease. Just attach the trigger hook
to the end of a 1-inch diameter pole,
attach the mooring hook and cleated
line to the trigger hook, and use the
pole to place or retrieve the mooring
hook. The noncorrosive HandyDuck
hook lifts up to 3,300 pounds.
The Rocna Fisherman anchor sets
firmly and is easily retrieved in all
conditions, including rock, reef,
sand and weed. Made for smaller
boats, the galvanized anchor
features a shackle rail for easy
recovery of a fouled anchor and has
a secure attachment point for overnight anchoring. Perfect for anglers
and divers, the anchor comes in
9- and 13-pound models.
Rocna Fisherman Anchors
Starting at $159.99
rocna.com
Happy Cove’s
HandyDuck Kit
$59
happycove.com
The buddy system
Wax on, wax off
Getting a showroom shine might seem
complicated, but Buff Magic allows
boaters to restore their fiberglass
boats’ shine. Buff Magic removes
oxidation, and its companion, Pro
Polish Wax, seals the surface to
prevent future oxidation.
The Cable Buddy steering lubricant
system for inboard, outboard and I/O
engines lubricates inside the steering
cable jacket to eliminate corrosion and
wear. The kit includes a stainless steel
nut with plug and sealing washer, oiling tube assembly and a 3-fluid-ounce
bottle of Max-Lube all-purpose lubricant. The cable nut fits all major motors
with ⅞-inch-by-14-pitch threads.
Davis Instruments Cable Buddy
$34.99
davisnet.com
Pocketful of
storage
Shurhold’s Buff
Magic and Pro
Polish Wax
$28.98, $22.98
respectively
shurhold.com
Accon Marine’s Quick Store System
Starting at $25.69
acconmarine.com
12 The Ensign
Designed for Accon Marine’s
Quick Release Drink Holders
(not included), the Quick
Store System mesh storage
pockets can add convenient
storage on deck. The Quick
Store System has hook-andloop fasteners and closures,
vinyl-coated mesh fabric,
and antimicrobial properties
to prevent mold and mildew
growth. The pockets also
feature acrylic binding to
resist UV damage.
Spring 2012
12_Provisions_Ensign_Spring2012.indd 12
3/16/2012 9:38:35 AM
I Shipshape I
Answers, tips and advice to help you get the most out of the boating life
Quick Tips
Cruisin’ clean
To combat a dirty bilge,
turn off the bilge pump
and pour a bucket of
bilge cleaner, degreaser,
or soap and water into
the bilge before heading out for an afternoon
cruise. When you return,
suck out the dirty
solution with a shop
vacuum. Your bilge will
sparkle. –Ed Jones
Worth a
1,000 words
Need a pictorial guide
for your boat project?
Check out Compass
Marine’s photographic
boat project gallery at
bit.ly/cmprojects for
step-by-step instructions
for many common boat
projects, from rebedding
deck hardware to
repacking stuffing
boxes. –Steve Hayes
Price check
DREAMSTIME
Check fuel prices at
marinas on the East
Coast, Gulf Coast, Great
Lakes and the middle
United States at
waterwayguide.com/
fuel-pricing.
–Sean Reilly
E-mail your questions,
tips and advice to
ensign@hq.usps.org.
Tool
time
Pack a tool kit for
your small boat.
By Dave Osmolski
T
ool kits aren’t just for big
trawlers or sailboats. Even
small boats heading out for a
day on the water should carry
a basic kit on board. A wellequipped tool kit can mean the
difference between a long wait
for the tow boat and a fix that
gets you on your way quickly.
What tools to include
Every boater should have
a screwdriver and a set of
pliers. Get a screwdriver with
reversible bits for both slotted and
Phillips screws. The bits fit in a sleeve
with a hexagonal driving system. With the
bit removed, the screwdriver’s hex end
can be used as a socket wrench for the
appropriate-sized bolt.
A set of adjustable-jaw pliers, such as
Channellock pliers, can be used to loosen
small bolts or fasteners as well as to tackle
larger jobs with diameters more than an
inch. Get a good set with 10-inch handles.
A more complete tool kit should also
contain a prop nut wrench for removing
the prop’s crown nut. You’ll want a floating
prop wrench unless you have a small engine
that can be lifted into the boat. Otherwise,
you will be working over the water, where a
dropped wrench that doesn’t float may be
difficult to retrieve except in clear, shallow
water. If you can’t find
a good floating wrench
or don’t like the idea of
plastic tools, get a metal
wrench, drill a small
hole in the handle, tie an
adequate length of line
through the hole and attach it to your wrist
so it can be easily retrieved.
The next item in your tool box should
be a small, good quality socket wrench set
with a W-inch drive. Expect to pay about
$10 dollars or less on sale. If the set doesn’t
include a spark plug socket, get one that fits
both your socket set and your spark plug.
While these items should help you tackle
most problems on board, you may need >>
13-16_ShipShape_Ensign_Spring2012_0309.indd 13
13
3/16/2012 9:40:25 AM
I Shipshape I
Don’t be tempted to store your tools in
one of those popular canvas tool bags.
The canvas will absorb water, and your
tools will rust. Trust me; I know!
The best choice is an expensive,
waterproof plastic box. If you are
put off by buying a toolbox that costs
more than your tools, purchase a nonwaterproof plastic box. Spray waterdisplacing oil inside the box. Spray
your tools with the same oil, but don’t
drown them. A light coat will protect
your tools, and they won’t be too
slippery to hold. After each trip, check
the box for water incursion, and dry
out everything as necessary.
Now, instead of waving your daytime distress signal, you can fix the
problem and be under way in no
time. B
D/Lt/C David H. Osmolski, AP, of
Charlotte Power Squadron, has been
repairing boats since high school when
his first boat, a canvas-covered canoe
with cedar ribs, leaked in gallons per
minute and required constant repair.
14 The Ensign
In difficult docking situations, spring lines can get the boat to and away from
the dock without a lot of hassle. These three simple spring line maneuvers
can help make docking a breeze.
1
When the wind is blowing you off a dock as you approach and will likely
blow your bow off before you can get a bow line tied, start the docking
maneuver with an after spring from an amidships cleat. Pull alongside the
dock so your mate can jump off with the after spring. Have your mate make
it fast and tight on a cleat or bollard aft of your transom if possible. Then simply motor the boat forward with the rudder turned toward the dock (wheel
away). Your boat will edge sideways until it pulls up against the dock so you
can make the rest of your lines fast.
2
You can use a forward spring from an amidships cleat to perform the
same type of maneuver in reverse. This works well when you are trying to fit a 40-foot boat into a 45-foot dock space with no room for error.
Pull alongside the open space and toss the forward spring to a helper on the
dock who should make it fast at the forward end of the space. Back down the
engine with the rudder turned toward the dock until you are close. Turn the
rudder amidships and then away from the dock. Continue backing until you
are against the dock and have the rest of the lines made fast.
3
To get off a dock when the wind is pinning the boat against it, plan to
back out of the space if room allows—even with boats moored close on
both sides. On the dockside, rig fenders at the bow, rig an after spring line as
a loop from a cleat well forward of the beam or on the foredeck, and drop all
other lines. Motor forward on the spring line while steering toward the dock
so the bow nudges up hard on the fenders. The stern will begin to swing into
the wind. When you have room to back out, put the engine in reverse, reverse
your rudder, retrieve the looped spring line and back into clear water.
–Capt. John Schwab
Spring 2012
3/16/2012 9:40:43 AM
DREAMSTIME
How to store your tools
Docking with spring lines
DREAMSTIME
>> other tools depending on your
boat’s equipment. If your boat has
extensive instrumentation and lights,
your tool kit should include a means
of establishing whether the electrical
device is getting power or has failed.
For this, you’ll want a simple circuit
tracer.
To determine if the electrical
device is getting its full 12 volts, clip
the circuit tracer’s alligator clip to
ground (any black lead connection)
and press the tip of the tracer’s probe
to the red wire connector going to the
malfunctioning device. If the tracer’s
light comes on, the device is getting
power and the fault is in the device.
If the light doesn’t come on, check
for a blown fuse, loose connection or
broken wire.
What tool kit would be complete
without a roll of duct tape and a spray
can of water-displacing oil, such as
WD-40? As the saying goes, if it moves
and shouldn’t, use duct tape; if it
doesn’t move and should, use WD-40.
I Shipshape I
Get to know your VHF-DSC radio
O
n your boat, your VHF-Digital
Selective Calling radio ranks
perhaps only second in importance to
your life jackets. Learn how to use it
safely, expediently and knowledgeably.
When you purchase your VHF-DSC
radio, make sure you apply for an
MMSI (Maritime Mobile Service
Identity) number. To obtain this ninedigit number, you will have to provide
your name, address, telephone number and an emergency contact number
as well as your vessel type, length and
passenger capacity.
When you make a DSC distress call,
this information will be provided to
the nearest Rescue Coordination Center (RCC), ensuring that local authorities will have an excellent chance of
rescuing you anywhere in the world.
If you purchase a used vessel with
a VHF-DSC radio, take the radio to a
dealer to replace the old MMSI with
your new MMSI number.
Before heading out on the water,
take time to input the MMSI numbers
of your friends and others you’re likely
to have contact with into your radio
directory.
Yacht clubs, squadrons and other
organizations can have group MMSI
numbers. Used to alert all members at
once, group MMSIs can be useful for
cruises and other on-the-water events.
Encourage your squadron or district
membership officer to publish MMSI
numbers in their member directories.
Using your VHF-DSC radio
If you find yourself in a life-threatening situation, simply press the distress
button on your radio for the requisite
time (typically five seconds). A distress
call will be transmitted to the nearest RCC, and your radio will continue
transmitting until acknowledged by
the RCC, at which time all DSC radios
in the area will be switched to Channel 16 until further notice. The RCC
will immediately have all the information related to your MMSI number,
and most importantly, as long as your
radio is GPS-equipped or connected
to a GPS receiver, they will know your
position.
Avoid using Channel 16 for routine
calls to other DSC-equipped vessels.
Call your friends using their MMSI
numbers through the digital Channel
70 frequency. If you’ve programmed
your friends’ MMSI numbers into your
radio, all you need to do is click on
their MMSI and select a working channel, such as Channel 9, at which point
they’ll hear a loud tone on their radio
and answer your call. Alternatively, input their MMSI manually (nine digits)
to achieve the same results.
If you’re boating as part of a group
and wish to locate anyone in your
group, call your group MMSI number.
You will then be able to communicate
with each other on your chosen working channel.
You will still be able to use other
channels to monitor weather conditions and make ship-to-shore and
ship-to-ship calls on the assigned frequencies, but by using your DSC you
will be making a major contribution to
keeping Channel 16 available for the
purpose for which it was intended: distress calling from vessels not equipped
with DSC.
You can still use Channel 16 for
distress calls, but the simplest, most
expedient way to alert the authorities
that you’re in serious trouble is to push
the red distress button. Then, you’ll be
free to tend to yourself, your passengers and your boat in an emergency.
DREAMSTIME
DREAMSTIME
The MMSI system
Used worldwide, MMSI numbers are
coordinated by the International Telecommunications Union in Geneva.
All MMSI numbers consist of nine
digits. The first three digits denote a
geographical area; the United States
has been assigned the prefixes 3XX,
where X is any digit from 1 to 9.
Group MMSI numbers start with
“0,” followed by the three-digit geographical code and five more digits.
Non-distress calls to the Coast
Guard may be made using the MMSI
number 034 699 999.
Apply for an MMSI number at
usps.org/php/mmsi.
–Anthony C. Gardiner
15
3/16/2012 9:41:10 AM
I Shipshape I
AVOID ELECTRICAL
SYSTEM ‘GOTCHAS’
As boating season approaches, take a
close look at your boat’s electrical system
to reduce the chance of a “gotcha” ruining
your day.
AC RECEPTACLES
Ensure that none of your AC receptacles are
wired wrong or that your dock has a reverse
polarity issue. If your AC panel doesn’t have a
reverse polarity light, buy or borrow a receptacle tester with three lights indicating open
neutral, ground or reversed issues. Check
ground fault circuit interrupter (GFCI)
receptacles by tripping and resetting them.
WIRING
Check bus panel wiring connections. Note
any corrosion, chafing or improperly hung
wires. Ensure that battery terminals are tight,
corrosion-free and booted. Check wires or
cables in damp areas like the bilge for suspect
insulation or improper butt connections.
STORAGE AREAS
Check storage areas to ensure there are no
flammable liquids or rags stored in the vicinity
of electrical panels or devices.
If you have any uncertainty about checking or
working on your boat’s electrical systems, get
expert help. Haphazard poking around your
boat’s electrical system can be dangerous for
you and your boat. –John Kelly
16 The Ensign
Share the love
I
nviting people onboard who’ve never been boating or sailing is
a great way to share your love of boating and inspire would-be
boaters.
To make these newbies more comfortable, you need to ask a few
questions before leaving the dock to gauge their level of comfort on
the water.
If guests are nervous about seasickness, cannot swim or are a bit
klutzy, you can calm their fears with a bit of humor and some reassurance. Know that a few hours may be their tolerance limit for the
first trip.
If you’re on a sailboat, consider putting in a reef or using a smaller
jib to reduce heeling. To avoid a lot of tacking, motor out to set up a
reach out and back. On a small powerboat, try to avoid larger boats
and their wakes.
Next, determine whether guests just want to be passengers or are
willing to help out. If they want to help, set clear expectations and
take time to explain assigned duties. Try to get everyone involved,
even if the job is relatively small, like helping with lunch or cleaning
up. So what if you have to recoil that tangled dock line later?
As long as it’s not a safety issue,
you may want to let your little pet
peeves go for the day. You can
always square things away later.
As people move about a small boat, it takes a certain amount of
shuffling to get around each other. Let your guests know they are not
in the way; that’s just life on the water.
Spend a few minutes orienting your guests on the basics. Give
them a few quick pointers on safety procedures, personal gear stowage, and where to find food and drink. It’s also worth spending time
discussing how to operate the often cantankerous marine head.
As long as it’s not a safety issue, you may want to let your little pet
peeves go for the day. You can always square things away later.
Remember, having a great a day on the water could make a big
difference to someone. –Patrick Pearce
I S TO C K P H OTO
POWER CORDS
Learn to connect and disconnect your power
cords properly and safely. To connect, ensure
that AC power is turned off at the dock and
boat. First connect the boat and then the
dock. Turn on the dock before the boat. To
disconnect, power off the boat and then the
dock. Disconnect the dock before the boat.
Examine your power cords for wear and
tear. Note cracks, chafes or other abnormalities. Make sure that the cord still locks into
shore and boat receptacles, doesn’t dangle
into the water and has no additional strain
where it attaches to the dock or boat.
Look at the pins on both ends of the cord
and the dock receptacle for looseness or burn
marks. After making sure you are not connected to shore or boat, use an ohmmeter or
continuity checker to check for good continuity
along each leg (hot, neutral and ground).
Spring 2012
3/16/2012 9:41:29 AM
I Boating Gone Bad I
As we passed the tow,
we heard a loud pop!
Our engines died,
and smoke curled out
of the bilge. We were
dead in the water, and
the current began
pushing us into the
path of Bolivar Point.
Dead in the water
Cruisers dodge trouble on Tennessee River.
By Joanne Walker
H
eaded up the Tennessee River
toward the Ohio, my husband,
Bill, and I departed Alabama’s
Guntersville Lake, and spent the night
at Joe Wheeler State Park. We left
early the next morning to lock through
Wheeler and Wilson lakes while it was
still relatively cool.
During the three-mile trip to Wheeler Lake, a severe summer thunderstorm delivered lightning and heavy
rain. As the storm cleared, we called up
to Wilson Lake and learned we had a
long wait with multiple barges on both
sides of the lock.
We idled the next 14 miles and then
tied to the old lock wall to wait our turn.
We watched the last tow, Bolivar Point,
enter and lock down. After 5 ½ hours,
we finally locked through (not an unexpected occurrence at Wilson Lake).
When we left the lock at 1400, the
temperature hit 100 degrees. We set out
for Aqua Yacht Harbor Marina in Iuka,
Miss. Picking up speed, we approached
Bolivar Point and asked for permission
to pass. The captain agreed, and we
went around. Our companion boat, Exchequer, followed.
As we passed the tow, we heard a
loud pop! Our engines died, and smoke
curled out of the bilge. We were dead in
the water, and the current began pushing us into the path of Bolivar Point.
Three barges wide and empty, the
ship loomed 10 feet above the water and
looked like a building moving toward us.
Bill grabbed the marine radio. “Bolivar Point! Bolivar Point! We are dead in
the water! We are dead in the water!”
No answer. He repeated the message
twice.
We were in front of the tow, drifting
toward its starboard side. Exchequer
was on Bolivar Point’s port side, so the
tow was trapped. The captain pulled
down the engines and threw it into
reverse. Less than 50 yards from the
boat, we listened gratefully as the tow’s
big diesel engines roared. Had the ship
not been pushing empties, it would not
have been able to stop in time.
After the tow passed us, we called
Florence Harbor Marina about five
miles back. The harbor master offered
to come get us in a runabout, but we decided to have Exchequer pull us in.
As we rode along, our emotions
ran the gamut: We were thankful for
Bolivar Point’s alert and skilled captain,
disappointed that our trip might be cut
short, puzzled about what would have
caused both engines to die at once and,
most of all, just glad to be alive.
A mechanic at the marina determined
that the starboard engine exhaust riser
had disintegrated and blown apart. The
extreme heat in the engine room triggered the automatic fire extinguisher
system, which immediately killed both
engines.
We were stuck at the marina for a few
days waiting for the part. In the end, replacing an engine part, albeit expensive,
seemed of minor consequence compared to what might have happened. B
Joanne Walker is a freelance writer
who lives on Alabama’s Lake Martin
with her husband, Bill. Longtime
boaters with more than 40 years’
experience, the couple also hold Coast
Guard Captain’s licenses.
17_BoatingGoneBad_Ensign_Spring12_0307.indd 17
17
3/16/2012 9:43:23 AM
I Destinations I
Left: Greg Ellyson and P/C Bill Schoon, P,
start their Great River Rumble adventure.
Above: Paddlers leave their vehicles
in the parking lot at Clark College in
Dubuque, Iowa.
Rumble on the river
Spend a week paddling the Midwest. By Bill Schoon
A
n annual weeklong canoe and
kayak trip, the Great River
Rumble is sponsored by Midwest River Expeditions, a nonprofit
organization that encourages people to
explore Midwest rivers while promoting
environmental consciousness.
I participated in the 2008 and 2009
trips. In 2008, we paddled Wisconsin’s
Red Cedar and Chippewa rivers and
finished on the Mississippi River in
La Crosse, Wis. The following year, we
paddled the Mississippi, starting in La
Crosse and finishing in Dubuque, Iowa.
We went through five locks in 2008 and
four in 2009.
During the 2009 trip, we brought our
boats and gear to Dubuque’s Clarke College. The boats were loaded on gigantic
trailers supplied by Wenonah and the
18 The Ensign
gear into a large U-Haul truck. Coolers
went into a smaller U-Haul trailer. Leaving our vehicles at the college, we boarded two buses for the trip to La Crosse,
where we camped near the put-in the
first night.
Every morning during the rumble,
the gear was packed up and moved to
the next overnight location, so we could
find our stuff and set up camp when we
got off the water.
A road crew of 10 to 20 people moves
the vehicles, gear and boats not in use.
On any given day, a paddler can opt out
and go on the road crew or paddle a trial
boat or a trade canoe (10 paddlers and a
helmsman). The road crew also makes
sure the portable toilets are moved.
After a day on the river, there’s nothing like a hot shower. If hot showers
aren’t available, you can always have a
“rumble” shower. Consisting of a faucet,
a hose and a shower head, the open-air
shower is unisex and cold, cold, cold.
Another big deal is ice for our coolers.
At times the road crew drove 10 miles to
a town to pick up ice. If you asked them
nicely, they might also resupply your
beer. Beer never tastes better than after
coming off a 19-mile paddle.
A retired Navy captain on the 2009 trip
flew a different flag every day. A great guy
and a storehouse of information, he told
me that a kayak paddle stroke moved
the boat six feet on average. It takes 880
paddle strokes to go one mile. That’s 440
strokes on each side of the boat.
Each stop gave me something to remember: watching the sun set from the
top of a bluff in Genoa, getting stuck and
Spring 2012
18-19_Destinations_Ensign_Spring2012_0309.indd 18
3/16/2012 9:45:18 AM
Below: Sunset on the
Mississippi River
Top right: View of the Mississippi from Eagle Point
Park in Dubuque, Iowa
Bottom right: Coming
into Guttenberg, Iowa,
on Crazy Hat Day
r
a
r
o
r
r
STROKE BY STROKE
Here’s what the 2009 Great River Rumble looked like in strokes.
Day 1
Day 2
Day 3
Day 4
Day 5
Day 6
Day 7
Total
La Crosse to Genoa, Wis.
Genoa to Lansing, Iowa
Lansing to Harpers Ferry, Iowa
Harpers Ferry to McGregor, Iowa
McGregor to Guttenberg, Iowa
Guttenberg to Finley’s Landing Park
Finley’s Landing to Dubuque, Iowa
covered in mud in Lansing, paddling
the backwater sloughs of Harpers Ferry and catching rides on the residents’
golf carts, meeting up with my wife and
her sister in McGregor, learning how to
sleep in plastic bags and watching the
21 miles
17 miles
17 miles
12 miles
19 miles
19 miles
15 miles
120 miles
18,480 strokes
14,960 strokes
14,960 strokes
10,560 strokes
16,720 strokes
16,720 strokes
13,200 strokes
105,600 strokes
sun go down at Finley’s Landing.
During one of the legs, we had about
175 people and 107 boats on the water.
The oldest person was a 90-year-old
man, the youngest, a 14-year-old girl.
The wind was at our back for six of the
seven paddling days. It rained a couple of
nights but never during a paddling day.
During the day, it never got into the 80s,
but some nights it got into the 40s. The
rumble provided fun, new experiences
and awesome sights, such as watching
eagles pluck fish out of the river.
On the first day of a rumble, you wonder what the heck possessed you. After
a couple of days, you wonder where the
time went. As you’re packing up to leave,
you wonder where next year’s trip will be.
For more information on the Great
River Rumble, visit riverrumble.org. B
P/C Bill Schoon, P, is an active member
of Eastern Iowa’s Four Rivers Sail &
Power Squadron. He builds his own
wooden canoes, kayaks, and sailboats,
and paddles all over the country.
18-19_Destinations_Ensign_Spring2012_0309.indd 19
19
3/16/2012 9:45:45 AM
Inspiring
Educators
P/C Daniel T. Bartell, SN, of District 27’s Shallotte River
Sail & Power Squadron, resides in Supply, N.C. He has been a
USPS member for 24 years and has 22 merit marks.
Bartell teaches all advanced courses and most elective
courses. He also teaches ABC and many USPS University
seminars. He teaches some courses with the aid of assistants.
Bartell uses his boating experience to demonstrate points
during class. He uses his technical and visual aid skills to
help his students learn and to help fellow instructors
prepare their PowerPoint presentations. He doesn’t hesitate
to take advantage of on-the-water training for his courses.
USPS announces the top five
instructors for 2011.
By Christine Geist
O
20 The Ensign
P/C Richard D. Daybell, SN, of District 13’s Alamitos Sail
& Power Squadron, resides in Fullerton, Calif. He has been a
USPS member for 12 years and has nine merit marks.
Daybell teaches Junior Navigation, Navigation, Cruise
Planning and Weather as well as some seminars.
Daybell challenges his students with interactive exchanges
and follows his lectures with skills exercises to give students
the practice necessary to learn their assignment. He breaks
down new and complicated subjects into simple, easy-tounderstand components, and his constant encouragement
keeps students on track to successfully complete the course
and continue with the next one.
PHOTOS BY JOSEPH BALBO
nce a year, each USPS squadron nominates a stellar
instructor to its district, which selects one winner
for final judging at the national level. The national
Chapman Award Selection Group then chooses the five
most effective volunteer instructors to receive the Charles F.
Chapman Award for Excellence in Teaching.
At the USPS Annual Meeting in January 2012, each winner
received a plaque honoring the achievement, a four-year
USPS certified instructor card and a gold Chapman Award
lapel pin. The winners’ nominating squadrons received a
high-quality sextant in a presentation case labeled with the
winner’s name and squadron.
District nominees’ names are recorded in a permanent
log kept in the Memorial Library at USPS headquarters in
Raleigh, N.C.
USPS congratulates the 2011 Charles F. Chapman Award
for Excellence in Teaching winners, a diverse and dedicated
group of members who have earned the respect of their
peers.
Spring 2012
20-21_Chapman_Ensign_Spring2012_0314.indd 20
3/16/2012 9:50:14 AM
Christine Geist I Chapman Awards
P/D/Lt/C Joseph T. Hanley, SN, of District 21’s Dallas Sail
& Power Squadron, resides in Dallas, Texas. He has been a
Hanley currently teaches Seamanship, Instructor Development and USPS University seminars. He recently taught a
seminar to members of several squadrons from two districts.
Even after years of teaching, Hanley carefully reviews
the course material before each class. Students value his
constant encouragement and support. Hanley also assists
his fellow instructors and has mentored many of them over
the years.
P/C Marvin Lipper, SN, of District 4’s North River Sail &
Power Squadron, resides in New York, N.Y. He has been a
Lipper teaches ABC, Seamanship, Junior Navigation,
Navigation, Weather and several USPS University seminars. He is also a certified instructor for the Boat Operator
Certification program. A passionate sailor, Lipper uses his
experience in his presentations and keeps students engaged
by continual interaction and his enthusiastic attitude.
DISTRICT NOMINEES
District
PHOTOS BY JOSEPH BALBO
P/C James Krug, SN, of District 3’s Patchogue Bay Power
Squadron, resides in Holtsville, N.Y. He has been a USPS
member for 32 years and has 31 merit marks.
Krug teaches Seamanship, Piloting, Advanced Piloting,
Junior Navigation, part of Navigation and some USPS
University seminars.
Krug uses his extensive boating experience in his teaching. His students consider him to be a thorough and motivated instructor. They usually advance to the next course
and say they have learned much more than anticipated.
Name
Squadron
1
Robert Michael Goman
Hartford
3
James Krug
Patchogue Bay
4
Marvin Lipper
North River
5
Nancy L. Harvey
Cambridge
7
Michael F. Westrick
Rocky River
8
Daniel A. Thomas
Vero Beach
9
Robert P. Blau
Birmingham
10
Ben Coons
Hiawatha Valley
13
Richard D. Daybell
Alamitos
14
Frank E. Lingard Jr.
Buzzards Bay
16
Raymond W. Huggins
Bellevue
17
Edward J. Ford
Chattanooga
21
Joseph T. Hanley
Dallas
23
John F. Mulkey
Cocoa Beach
24
Richard L. Remski
Dayton
25
Michael J. Freeman
Redwood
26
Barry Sroka
Savannah River
27
Daniel T. Bartell
Shallotte River
28
Wanderley “Van” Diehl
San Luis Rey
30
Charles W. Morris
St. Louis
33
Jesús Davison-Lampón
Carolina
20-21_Chapman_Ensign_Spring2012_0314.indd 21
21
3/16/2012 9:50:39 AM
Cassiopeia
“Lazy W”
Full moon
New moon
First-quarter moon Last-quarter moon
Scorpius
Pleiades Cluster
Orion
Big Dipper
I Stargazer I Arnold Medalen
S
1
M
2
Gemini Twins
T
3
Little Dipper
Mars
9
T
F
5
Venus
Gemini
Mars
Twins Meteor shower
8
W
4
7
Pleiades
Pink
Moon
Full moon
Sagittarius
“Teapot constellation”
10
S
6
11
12
13
Saturn
First-quarter moon
New moon
Full moon
Spring Equinox
April
2012
15
16
Full moon
Full moon
17
New moon
18
19
Winter Solstice
Cassiopeia
“Lazy W”
Full moon
First-quarter moon Last-qua
New moon
Pleiades Cluster
Scorpius
20
21
Mercury
Big Dipper
Orion
Saturn
23
Scorpius
24
Pleiades Cluster
25
26
27
Full moon
28
New moon
Little Dipper
Gemini Twins
Big Dipper
Orion
Venus
Pleiades
29
Dates to remember
1
2
4
High in the south early
tonight, the moon is
surrounded by the
Gemini Twins to the
upper right, Procyon
to the lower right, and
Regulus and Mars to
the left. Low in the
west, the Pleiades
Cluster is less than
1 finger-width above
Venus.
Early tonight, magnitude 1.3 Regulus is
4 finger-widths to the
moon’s left, and Mars is
2 finger-widths beyond
Regulus. Venus climbs
through the Pleiades
tonight and tomorrow
night.
Mars and Regulus are
less than 1 fist-width
above the moon
tonight. Venus is only
0.4 degrees to the left
of magnitude 3.0
Alcyone, the Pleiades’
brightest star.
The Pleiades is to the
lower right of Venus
tonight.
Gemini Twins
Little Dipper
Meteor shower
Sagittarius
Spring Equinox
Fall Equinox
5
6
Meteor shower
Sagittarius
Spring Equinox
Fall Equinox
Summer Solstice
Winter Solstice
Venus is now 1 fingerwidth above the
Pleiades.
19 The moon and Mercury
rise an hour before
sunrise.
Low in the southeast
at midnight, Spica is
1 finger-width to the
full moon’s upper left
and Saturn is 3 fingerwidths beyond Spica.
23 The Pleiades is 2 fingerwidths to the moon’s
upper right tonight.
Summer Solstice
7
Venus
Gemini Twins
use binoculars
Get even more
stargazing
opportunities at
uspsstargazer.
wordpress.com.
Orion
30
Mars
New moon
3
22 The Ensign
New moon
Fall Equinox
Summer Solstice
22
Every eight
years, Venus
returns to the
same place in
the sky. In early
April, get out
your binoculars
to watch it
traverse the
Pleiades, starting below the
cluster on the
first and climbing above it on
the fourth.
Last-quarter moon
14
Cassiopeia
“Lazy W”
Winter Solstice
Low in the southwest
before dawn, Spica is
to the moon’s right,
and Saturn is to the
upper right. The moon
is at perigee, 56.18
Earth-radii (358,000
kilometers) away.
15 The equation of time
is zero, which means
apparent solar (sundial)
and mean solar (clock)
time are the same. At
opposition, Saturn rises
around sunset. Spica is
right.
18 At its greatest elongation west of the sun,
27.5 degrees, Mercury
rises nearly a half hour
before the sun.
24 Low in the west at sunset, Venus is 3 fingerwidths to the waxing
crescent moon’s upper
right, Aldebaran is the
same distance below
the moon, and Orion is
close to the moon’s left.
25 Venus is 1 fist-width
to the moon’s right at
dusk. The pair slips
below the western
horizon at midnight.
27 High in the south at
sunset, the moon is
between the Gemini
Twins, Pollux and
Castor, 1 fist-width to
the upper right and
Procyon, the same distance to the lower left.
30 Above the moon
tonight, bright Mars is
to the left of Regulus.
Spring 2012
22-24_Stargazer_Ensign_Spring2012.indd 22
3/16/2012 9:52:16 AM
I Stargazer I
S
M
T
1
W
T
2
F
3
S
4
5
Saturn
Mars
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
Cassiopeia
“Lazy W”
Full moon
Cassiopeia
“Lazy W”
Full moon
Flower
Moon
Full moon
New moon
13
14
15
16
Full moon
Scorpius
17
New moon
New moon
New moon
Scorpius
18Pleiades Cluster
19
20
21
22
23
Gemini 24
Twins
New moon
27
28
29
30
Saturn
Full moon
Mars
New moon
1
High in the south in the
early evening, Mars is
1 fist-width to the
moon’s upper right,
and Regulus is to Mars’
right.
3
Magnitude 1.2 Spica
and magnitude 0.3 Saturn are less than 1 fistwidth to the moon’s
lower left tonight.
6
Meteor shower
31
Sagittarius
Meteor shower
Mars
Spring Equinox
Fall Equinox
Summer Solstice
Winter Solstice
Dates to remember
4
Gemini Twins
Venus
Late tonight, Spica is
and Saturn is 4 fingerwidths above or to the
upper left.
The full moon rises late
tonight in the head of
the Scorpion, Scorpius.
Before dawn tomorrow,
they are low in the
southwest. The moon
is at perigee, 55.97
Earth-radii (357,000
kilometers) away.
This is the closest approach for the year.
Expect very high tides
as perigee occurs only
0.1 hour before the full
moon.
20 The western United
States is in for a treat
as the moon passes
directly between Earth
and the sun, causing
an annular eclipse. The
moon covers slightly
more than 94 percent
of the sun, which appears as a ring, or
annulus, around the
moon. The maximum
eclipse begins at 1830
across much of northern California, an hour
later in New Mexico
and an hour after that
in western Texas.
22 Low in the west at
dusk, magnitude -4.3
Venus is 3 fingerwidths to the moon’s
right. Using binoculars,
see if you can spot
magnitude 1.8 Elnath
1 finger-width beyond
Venus.
23 The moon sets
1½ hours after sunset.
The moon is at the
base of Gemini with
Venus far to the lower
right.
May
2012
26
Gemini Twins
Little Dipper
Gemini Twins
Full moon
25
Pleiades Cluster
Big Dipper
Orion
Big Dipper
Orion
Spring Equinox
Summer Solstice
25 Tonight, the Gemini
Twins, Pollux and
Castor, are more than
1 fist-width to the
moon’s right.
27 Regulus is 3 fingerwidths above the moon
tonight, and Mars is
1½ fist-widths to the
moon’s upper left.
28 Mars is less than
4 finger-widths above
the moon tonight.
29 After sunset, Mars
is 1 fist-width to the
and Saturn is 3 fistwidths to the moon’s
upper left.
Little Dipper
An annular
eclipse of the
sun will be
visible in part
of the western
United States.
At its maximum,
the eclipse lasts
about 5 minutes,
and the moon
covers a little
more than 94
percent of the
sun, which
appears as a
brilliant ring
around the
moon.
Sagittarius
Fall Equinox
Winter Solstice
30 Tonight, Saturn is
1½ fist-widths to the
moon’s upper left,
while Mars is 2½ fistwidths to the moon’s
upper right.
31 Spica is 1 finger-width
above the moon, and
Saturn is 2 fingerwidths beyond Spica in
a straight line tonight.
Get weekly
star updates
delivered to
your inbox.
Sign up for the RSS
feed at uspsstargazer.
wordpress.com.
23
3/16/2012 9:52:36 AM
Cassiopeia
“Lazy W”
Full moon
I Stargazer I
New moon
Pleiades Cluster
Scorpius
S
M
T
W
T
Orion
F
1
Cassiopeia
“Lazy W”
Full moon
3
New moon
4
5
June
2012
Full moon
The summer
solstice occurs
on 20 June at
2307 UT, as the
sun reaches its
farthest point
north of the
celestial equator.
In the Northern
Hemisphere, the
days are longer,
and the nights
are shorter.
Scorpius
24 The Ensign
11
8
Strawberry
Moon
Full moon
New moon
12
Big Dipper
13
17
Jupiter
Little Dipper
Gemini Twins
New moon
14
15
18
19
20
Summer
Solstice
21
Sagittarius
Meteor shower
Pleiades
Full moon
25
New moon
26
Spring Equinox
22
Saturn
Full moon
Dates to remember
Summer Solstice
3
8
Cassiopeia
“Lazy W”
28
Full moon
29
30
Scorpius
Fall Equinox
Mars
1
23
Winter Solstice
Mercury
27
16
Fall Equinox
Summer Solstice
24
9
Sagittarius
Meteor shower
Spring Equinox
4
P/C Arnold Medalen, SN,
of Diablo Sail & Power
Squadron boats with his
wife, Patricia, aboard
Shelly C in the California
Delta and San Francisco
Bay. He began writing
about the night sky after
taking Navigation in
the early ’90s.
Orion
7
S
2
Mars Little Dipper
Saturn
Gemini Twins
6
Big Dipper
Pleiades Cluster
Scorpius
10
In the southeast early
this evening, Saturn
and Spica are 1½ fistwidths to the moon’s
upper right, and Mars
is another 4 fist-widths
beyond. Scorpius rises
far to the lower left.
Rising a half hour before sunset, the nearly
full moon is high in the
south or southeast by
midnight. Antares, the
heart of the Scorpion,
is 2 finger-widths to
the moon’s lower left.
The moon is at
perigee, 56.21 Earthradii (358,000 kilometers) away.
The full moon rises
a half hour after sunset and is low in the
southwest by morning.
Before dawn, a partial
lunar eclipse is visible
for most of the United
States.
High in the south at
first light, magnitude
0.9 Altair is far to the
moon’s upper right.
New moon
Scorpius
Winter Solstice
13 The moon rises
3½ hours before the
sun, and just above the
eastern horizon, brilliant magnitude -2.0
Jupiter rises 1¼ hours
before sunrise.
16 The moon is at
apogee, 63.62 Earthradii (406,000 kilometers) away.
17 Jupiter and the waning
crescent moon rise
1½ hours before the
sun. Jupiter is 1 fingerwidth to the moon’s
upper right, the
Pleiades is 2½ fingerwidths above the
moon, and brilliant
Venus is 3 fingerwidths to the moon’s
lower left.
20 Summer begins at
2307 UT as the sun
reaches its farthest
point north of the
celestial equator.
21 Look low in the west
at dusk to see the
moon close to the
horizon with Mercury
Orion
4 finger-widths to theGemini Twins
upper right.
23 An hour after sunset,
look for the thin wax- Meteor shower
ing crescent moon low
in the west, 4 fingerwidths below
Spring Equinox
magnitude 1.3 Regulus.
25 Mars is 4 finger-widths
above the moon in the
Summer Solstice
southwest tonight.
26 This evening Mars
is 1 fist-width to the
and magnitude 0.7
Saturn is 2 fist-widths
to the upper left.
Regulus is just below
Saturn.
27 Regulus is 2 fingerwidths to the moon’s
upper left tonight,
and Saturn is 2 fingerwidths above Regulus.
30 Tonight the moon is
in the head of the
Scorpion with
magnitude 1.1 Antares
lower left.
Spring 2012
3/16/2012 9:52:57 AM
New moo
I Ship’s Library I
Quick Picks
Change of course
The Book
for Senior Boaters
James Thomas
Eastman, $15.95
Q Former Coast
Guardsman Jim Eastman covers the effects of human aging on boaters’
safety and enjoyment. His excellent advice will help both retired
people new to boating as well as
experienced boaters. This book
would make a great gift.
–C. Henry Depew
Joyce Green’s memoir of a 12-year circumnavigation aboard
Windy Thoughts, a Lord Nelson 35, with her husband, Don, is
based on letters to a friend. The letters capture the immediacy
of the moment, from delighting in tropical scenery, friendly
people, and delicious food to agonizing over predicted weather
effects on their itinerary, maintaining and repairing equipment,
eluding a ghost ship, or fending off pirates.
The dream began when Don picked up a cruising magazine. Its stories instilled in him a dream-fever for that lifestyle.
Though they had never sailed, Joyce and Don began learning,
bought the boat, practiced on short runs, and gave up their
house and cars to sail the world. The tale is fresh, real and intimate, capturing joys and nightmares as they unfold.
Windy Thoughts is a story of faith and trust, told with honesty and passion. When Joyce and Don returned home, I was sad
the voyage was over. –Adria Fulkerson
The Nautical Sextant
W.J. Morris, $39.95
Q Beautifully
illustrated with
photographs and
diagrams, this book
will help you disassemble, clean, repair, adjust,
rebuild and reassemble your
sextant. A bit of history and an
introduction to sextant makers
complete this excellent reference
work. –Dave Osmolski
The Anti-Pirate
Potato Cannon
David Seidman and
Jeff Hemmel, $24.95
Q Not only does
this book tell how to
build a potato cannon, it shows
how to make a knot meter, sail
without a rudder, create a monkey’s fist, navigate like ancient
mariners and more. The useful
ideas and information will appeal
to young and old alike.
–C. Henry Depew
Can Squid Fly?
Tony Rice, $17.95
Q An entertaining and informative
read, this book of
oceanographic questions and their brief
but well-documented answers is
organized into seven chapters.
Illustrated with photographs and
line drawings, it’s an excellent
book for those interested in general information or nautical trivia.
–C. Henry Depew
Windy
Thoughts
Joyce Green
$22.95
Windy
Thoughts
Publishing
Evolution of an explorer
Captain
James Cook
in Atlantic
Canada
Jerry Lockett
$29.95
Formac
Publishing
Company
Limited
This well-researched book documents Capt. James Cook’s
development from a Royal Navy seaman into a world explorer
within the context of 18th century Atlantic Canada, when Britain’s navy reigned supreme.
During England’s war with France from 1756 to 1763, Cook
earned his commanding officers’ respect and advanced rapidly
in rank, largely because of his strong work ethic.
Serendipity also played a role: An encounter with an American surveyor introduced Cook to the plane table, a device he
employed to survey Atlantic Canada’s harbors and coastlines,
including the coast of Newfoundland.
His chart-making skills, knowledge of astronomy and a
timely endorsement by the secretary of the Navy all led to his
Admiralty assignment to explore the far side of the world. The
closing chapter describes Cook’s three epic voyages. Readers
who appreciate historical detail and want to learn more about
the famous explorer will find this account of Cook’s formative
years both interesting and enlightening. –Larry MacDonald
Troubled waters
With many people murdered and ships ransomed, piracy has
become a serious menace. Despite the efforts of patrolling
world navies, pirates continue to operate in Asia, East Africa,
South America, the Caribbean, Somalia and the Gulf of Aden.
Piracy frequently goes unreported for fear of rising insurance costs, and ship owners often negotiate with pirates,
which only encourages them.
One reason piracy has increased is the automation of ships.
A dozen people may operate a huge container ship or tanker
with a cargo worth millions, making them targets for pirates in
small fast boats armed with AK-47s and rocket-propelled grenades. Fearful of escalating violence and retaliation, shipping
companies are loath to arm ships.
An excellent chapter tells how to protect yourself on your
boat and which areas to avoid. Read this book before cruising
abroad. –Burrage Warner
Piracy Today
John C. Payne
$29.95
Sheridan
House
25_Library_Spring2012.indd 25
25
3/16/2012 9:54:06 AM
Ship
of Dreams
26-29_Bree_Ensign_Spring2012_0309.indd 26
3/16/2012 9:56:19 AM
A
junior high school counselor from Moorhead,
Minn., went to the north woods in 1972 to select trees for the vessel of his dreams. Robert
Asp felled, trimmed and dragged more than 100
carefully selected white oak trees to the local
sawmill, where they were ripped into planks.
Asp wanted his ship to be as close as possible to the
1,000-year-old Gokstad Viking burial ship he had read about.
Working largely alone in an unheated potato warehouse, the
elderly boatbuilder used ancient shipbuilding techniques and
watched the ship grow slowly from his hands.
He laid the massive 15-inch-thick oak keel and lapped long,
inch-thick oak planks on top of one another, driving in nearly
7,000 rivets one at a time by hand.
Fully equipped, the 76½-foot vessel weighed nearly 20 tons.
Asp named the vessel Hjemkomst, which means “homecoming” in Norwegian. His dream was to sail the ship back to
Norway, his ancestral home.
In 1980, Asp launched the vessel on Lake Superior to test it
for the long voyage ahead. But as his boat grew stronger, Asp
weakened. He died of leukemia a few months after the vessel’s
keel touched Superior’s cold waters.
Asp’s family—his wife, Rose, and their sons and daughters—
knew nothing about handling the Viking ship he built, but they
vowed to fulfill his dream of sailing Hjemkomst to Norway.

I NSTITUTE FOR REGI ONAL STU DI ES, NDSU, FARGO
s
Marlin Bree I Ship of Dreams
Seafaring legacy endures
in Viking vessel.
By Marlin Bree
Across the seas, 61-year-old Erik Rudstrom heard the
story of the homecoming boat. The Norwegian had sailed
a femboring boat from Norway to Iceland. Once used for
commercial fishing in Norway, the femboring derives from
another ancient Viking design. When approached by Asp’s son,
Tom, Rudstrom agreed to take the helm and sail Hjemkomst
back home with the Asp family and friends as crew.
After sea trials on Lake Superior, Rudstrom determined
that the boat could sail with modifications. The group hauled
the vessel and spent the summer rebuilding its massive keel
with heavy steel bolts, deepening it by 12 inches. The oar holes
were plugged with removable coverings. They rebuilt the
tiller and rudder and lengthened the mast so Hjemkomst could
spread more canvas. The redesigned sail plan also included
a topsail. In the shallow bilge, the crew stowed a whopping
8 tons of Superior’s granite rocks for ballast.
During sea trials, part of the planking opened at the seams,
and once in a Superior storm, a crack opened near the bow.
After pumping out the vessel, one crew member began plugging the crack while another donned scuba gear and went underwater with a handful of tar.
In the rainy spring of l982, the crew worked up to 16 hours
a day in the cold. The 13-person crew now included three
of Asp’s sons, Roger, Tom and Doug; Asp’s daughter Deb;
Norwegian skipper Erik Rudstrom; and two Norwegian sailors, Bjorn Holtet and Vegard Heide, who came to Superior’s
27
3/16/2012 9:56:39 AM
Ship of Dreams I Marlin Bree
shore to share the dream. Family friends Mark Hilde, Jeff Solum, Dennis Morken, Lynn Halmrast, Paul Hesse and Myron
Anderson rounded out the crew.

Hjemkomst would have to cross three great lakes spanning
half a continent before it could sail the 3,500 miles from the
North Atlantic to Oslo.
The open, undecked vessel would catch every drop of rain,
and any water that came on board would go straight into the
bilge, where it had to be manually pumped out.
Rudstrom knew Lake Superior could be unforgiving on an
untested ship and untried crew; however, he paid no attention
to unsolicited dockside advice to hug the coastline and duck
into port when storms threatened.
“We will go straight across the middle of the sea,” he said.

Easterly winds delayed the ship’s departure from Knife
River harbor; the square-rigged Hjemkomst couldn’t sail into
them. When the winds shifted to the northwest on 11 May
1982, the vessel began its monumental voyage.
Living up to its reputation, the big lake gave a cold greeting
to ship and crew. On the second night out, the wind switched
to the northeast. A wave swept across the deck and inside the
tent-like structure behind the mast where Bjorn Holtet was
sleeping. Holtet jumped up with a cry. The over-canvassed
boat was being pushed too hard in the 20- to 30-knot winds.
The lee rail kept dipping below the waves, scooping up a few
hundred icy gallons of green water each time to make the boat
ride even lower.
Holtet and the crew quickly reefed the sail, straightening
the ship a few degrees and raising the weather rail out of the
28 The Ensign
water. After manually pumping the bilge, the exhausted and
wet off-duty crew crawled back into cold, damp sleeping bags.
Picking up speed in the strong winds, Hjemkomst sailed
eastward at about 5 knots under rainless skies. The crew relied on the square sail to drive the ship and used the oars to
help turn it.
The ship passed the Apostle Islands, its course heading
northeast up and around the Keweenaw Peninsula and into
the teeth of the May wind. Instead of going straight across the
middle of the lake as planned, the ship had to tack back and
forth to maintain progress.
The crew again pumped the bilge and moved some of the
ballast to the stern, raising the bow to keep out waves and
spray. They stuffed more material into the oar holes as well.
The canvas tent “cabin” was equipped with a compact coalburning stove, but no kindling had been brought aboard to
start the fire. Without heat, the open boat was pure misery.
Drenching rain and spray from Superior’s 38-degree waters
kept the crew soggy.
For days, the ship zig-zagged against persistent headwinds
and rainsqualls, heading toward the Sault Ste. Marie locks.
Their ordeal ended on 18 May, eight days after leaving Superior’s western shores, when they reached the lake’s southeastern tip and entered the locks.
Instead of covering about 400 miles, the ship had actually
sailed closer to 700.
A crew member later said that the voyage across Lake Superior was the toughest part of the entire trip.

By comparison, crossing Lake Huron was a breeze. The
crew sailed the Viking ship down the lake in around 30 hours.
The Great Lakes’ cities caught the spirit of the Viking vessel.
Bells, whistles and cheering crowds greeted the replica as it
HISTORICAL & CU LTURAL SOCIETY OF CLAY COU NTY
The ship’s long,
straight hull flexed
and bent as it snaked
through the water. At
times the boat went so
fast that the hull waves
wrapped around the
aft section and doused
the helmsman.
Spring 2012
3/16/2012 9:57:00 AM
Marlin Bree I Ship of Dreams
entered ports with pennants flying.
Hjemkomst also made good time through Lake Erie to the
Erie Canal, where a rowing club volunteered to row the vessel through. In Albion, N.Y., children were let out of school to
watch the vessel glide along the canal.
Hjemkomst’s crew blew the Viking horn as the ship neared
bridges, from which well-wishers lowered baskets of fruit,
food and wine and showered them with T-shirts.
HISTORICAL & CU LTURAL SOCIETY OF CLAY COU NTY

Hjemkomst sailed majestically down the Hudson River to
New York City, heading for a berth of honor at the historic
South Street Seaport on the East River.
As the ship neared the George Washington bridge, TV and
media helicopters flew overhead, splashing the harried crew
with their downwash and filling the sail with blasts from different directions. Keeping a course became difficult.
“Look out!” someone shouted.
With a crack, the ship collided with a steel bridge piling. On
the port side, a heavy oak plank cracked along its length. This
meant serious, possibly major, structural damage in the hull
because the planking was fastened by steel bolts. At least the
damage was above the waterline.
After rounding the island, Hjemkomst entered the East River and put in at South Street Seaport in the shadow of lower
Manhattan’s skyscrapers. The massive hulls of the seaport’s
historic wind ships dwarfed the smaller wooden vessel.
The ship and crew had braved Superior, crossed the Great
Lakes and made it to the Big Apple. That’s when things began
to go wrong.
As the crew prepared lunch, the diesel stove flared up, burning Roger Asp along his right forearm. Another crew member
suffered burns on his leg as he put the fire out.
The crew cleaned up the mess created by the fire extinguisher and repaired damage to the ship’s minimal electrical wiring.
They had been lucky that the fire hadn’t spread further.
While they were at it, they also repaired the damaged plank
by fastening another plank over it, bracing it from the inside.
They hoped the repair would hold across the Atlantic.
Crew member Lynn Halmrast went ashore in New York to
buy his son a going-away gift. As he turned the miniature ship
over in his hand, he feared that it would be the last toy he’d
ever buy for his child. With tears in his eyes, he made the difficult decision to leave the voyage. With Halmrast gone, the
crew stood at 12.

With its dragon figurehead proudly leading the way, the
ship sailed out of New York harbor into the Atlantic Ocean
on 14 June.
Previously feared, the ocean became the ship’s natural element. Gliding along as if it were one with the wind and waves,
the vessel lived up to its Viking heritage.
By 20 June, dark clouds overtook the ship, and the barometer dropped. Winds increased to nearly 40 knots, and
waves marched onto the vessel. The ship encountered its first
Atlantic storm.
With the starboard gunnel shipping water, the crew was
roused at 0100 to lower the sail. When they released the halyard to let the big sail slide down under its own weight, the
fierce wind blew it back up, and they had to wrestle it down
by hand.
By dawn the waves had grown dangerously tall, but the wind
had abated somewhat. Eager to get moving, the crew hoisted
the reefed sail. Hjemkomst flew. As the hull reached over the
crest of a big wave, the forward section went airborne. The
vessel slammed down with a shock and a crack. Water gurgled
in the bilge.
After finding a whopping 14-foot-long crack in one plank,
the crew started bailing, stuffed the crack and sailed on. The
winds gave them a real ride.
The ship’s long, straight hull flexed and bent as it snaked
through the water. At times the boat went so fast that the hull
waves wrapped around the aft section and doused the helmsman. There wasn’t a dry place on board, food began to mold,
and the drinking water tasted of salt.
After passing England and entering the North Sea, the
homecoming ship seemed to speed up as it neared its destination. Hjemkomst arrived in Norway on 19 July after 34 days
at sea.
Nearly 600 vessels came out to greet the ship as it entered
Bergen Harbor. A drum roll accompanied the crew as they disembarked onto Norwegian soil. A band played the American
and the Norwegian national anthems. The people joyously
welcomed the Viking ship as if it were a long-lost relative.
In midst of the festivities, someone asked for a moment of
silence to remember the old boatbuilder, Bob Asp.

After its historic voyage, the legendary ship was transported home to the woods of western Minnesota, where it resides
in the Hjemkomst Museum Center near the banks of the Red
River.
To celebrate the voyage’s 30th anniversary, the center will
host an open house from 1300–1700 on 21 July 2012 with an
all-crew reunion and a panel composed of crew and Asp family members. For more information, visit hcscconline.org.
Sailor and longtime The Ensign contributor, Marlin Bree has
earned many awards and honors for his writing, including two
Boating Writers International grand prize awards for articles
published in this magazine. Bree authored the sailing classics
Wake of the Green Storm and Broken Seas: True Tales of
Extraordinary Seafaring Adventures. This article was
excerpted from his book Call of the North Wind. His latest
book is Amazing Gulls: Acrobats of the Sky and Sea.
29
3/16/2012 9:57:20 AM
USPS Board of Directors: Immediate Past Chief Commander Frank Dvorak, SN; National Administrative Officer Louie
Ojeda, SN; National Executive Officer Robert Baldridge, SN; Chief Commander John Alter, SN; National Educational
Officer Robert Brandenstein, SN; National Secretary Jean Hamilton, SN; and National Treasurer Gary Cheney, SN.
Meet the Board
Your USPS Board of Directors for 2012
includes seven members from various
walks of life who share at least two
things in common—a love of boating
and a deep commitment to USPS.
30 The Ensign
Spring 2012
30-31_BridgeFeature_Ensign_Spring2012.indd 30
3/16/2012 10:19:14 AM
Chief Commander
National Secretary
of Raleigh Sail & Power Squadron. He joined the Toledo
Power Squadron in 1970 and transferred to the Rocky
River Power Squadron in 1977, where he served on the
squadron bridge. He was squadron commander in 1985
and again in 1987. Alter transferred back to Toledo and
served as district commander in 1995. He has taught
Boating, Seamanship and Piloting.
At the national level, Alter has served on the Governing Board, Strategic Planning Task Force and Budget
Committee. He was also the national treasurer from
2003 to 2006, and he served as national administrative
officer and national executive officer.
Power Squadron in 1984, where she served as cooperative charting chair and squadron educational officer.
She taught Weather as well as many elective and advanced grade courses. She is a certified instructor and
an advanced BOC certifier.
Nationally, Hamilton chaired the Weather, Cruise
Planning and Environmental committees. She has
served as assistant national secretary. She has also
served as District 21 administrative officer, executive
officer and commander.
John Alter of Whispering Pines, N.C., is a member
National Executive Officer
Robert Baldridge of Baton Rouge, La., joined the
Baton Rouge Squadron in 1976 and eventually served as
Seamanship instructor, administrative officer, executive officer and squadron commander. He continues
to serve as newsletter editor, instructor development
chairman and operations training chairman.
At the district level, he has served as Computer
Systems Committee chairman, Rules Committee chairman, Nominating Committee chairman, administrative
officer, executive officer and commander.
National Educational Officer
Jean Hamilton of Houston joined Houston Sail &
National Treasurer
Gary Cheney of Atlantic Beach, N.C., is a member
of Erie Power Squadron and an associate member of
Fort Macon Sail & Power Squadron and Raleigh Sail &
Power Squadron. He has served as budget officer for
the Executive and Administrative departments.
Cheney served as squadron executive officer and
commander and then served on the Navigation Course
Committee for six years. He was commander of District
11 in 1998 and again in 2007. He has spent nine years on
the Budget Committee and served as treasurer of the
National Meetings Committee, chaired several squadron and district events, and has taught all advanced
grade courses.
Robert Brandenstein of Freedom, Pa., has served
Immediate Past Chief Commander
National Administrative Officer
Sail & Power Squadron in 1975. He taught basic boating
classes and served as squadron educational officer, administrative officer, executive officer and commander.
He also served as district commander in 1995.
On the national level, Dvorak has served on the
Navigation and Planning committees and the Governing Board. He progressed through the national bridge,
serving as assistant national secretary, national secretary, national administrative officer, national executive
officer and chief commander.
on various national Education Department committees
for 15 years and has been a member of the Education
Department leadership team for six years. He most
recently served on the national Finance and Marine
Environment committees.
In addition to being past commander of District 7
and Pittsburgh Power Squadron, Brandenstein is also
past rear commander of the Weather and Cruise Planning courses. He has taught all USPS courses.
Frank Dvorak of Bellevue, Wash., joined Bellevue
Louie Ojeda of southwest Georgia joined the Ponce
Power Squadron in 1988. He served on the squadron
bridge in various leadership positions, becoming commander in 1991. He then served on the district bridge as
treasurer and became district commander in 1997. He
has taught every USPS course.
At the national level, Ojeda has served on the Governing Board, Planning, Membership, Meetings and
Member Benefits committees. As the chair of the ad
hoc Vessel Safety Check Committee, he created and
organized the program from its inception.
BRIDGE OFFICER PLEDGE
I do solemnly pledge myself that during the term
of my office I will abide by the bylaws of the United
States Power Squadrons; that I will follow the procedures contained in the Operations Manual; that
I will cooperate and work in harmony with fellow
officers; always remembering that this is a fellowship organization dedicated to the advancement of
boating and the self-education of members.
30-31_BridgeFeature_Ensign_Spring2012.indd 31
31
3/16/2012 10:19:34 AM
I Waypoints I
If you build it,
they will come
Vero Be
ach, Fla
.
N 27°3
8.3186'
W 80°2
3.8364
'
V
Honoring fallen heroes
Rar
it
N 4 an Bay
0
,
W 7 °28.2 N.J.
2
4°1
0.6 08'
105
'
R
aritan Bay Power Squadron marched in the Metuchen, N.J.,
Memorial Day Parade 30 May 2011, which was followed by a
memorial service for fallen soldiers. –Rich Woznicki
la.
er, F
e Riv
'
Peac °55.0371
N 26 8.5555'
°
W 82
ero Beach Power Squadron and the nonprofit
Youth Sailing Foundation joined forces to teach
kids about boating and promote boating safety year
round. The Youth Sailing Foundation shows children
how to pilot, rig and sail their own Optimist dinghies.
Some squadron members put up the money to buy Opti
kits, and others helped assemble the kits.
During the summer, squadron members also spent
time with the kids, teaching the art of sailing and rigging and getting them out on the water. A few members
received training and passed an instructors course to
help out.
Optimist dinghy kits cost $1,600. Anyone wishing to
help can make a tax-deductible donation to Youth Sailing Foundation, P.O. Box 612, Vero Beach, FL 32961 or
visit ysfirc.org/support.asp. –Bob Scully
Longtime
members
receive
awards
At the squadron’s
November 2011
meeting, Peace
River Sail & Power
Squadron Commander Ronald
Bick, AP, presents
25-year anniversary
awards to Kathryn
Daniels, AP, and
Lt Ray Rose, AP.
Recognizing 100
years of service
32 The Ensign
32-35_Waypoints_Spring2012.indd 32
JAMES WINGER
ls,
Fal
er
v
a
'
Be Pa.
06
5.12 38'
4
°
5
0
.1
N 4 0°19
8
W
During New Castle Power
Squadron’s picnic in June 2011
at the Beaver Falls (Pa.) Boat
Club, District 11 Cdr Alvin Martin,
SN, presents a plaque to P/D/C
Joseph Sebastian Jr., AP, for 52
years of service while P/D/C
William Ortmann, SN, receives
a plaque for 48 years of service
from New Castle Cdr Robert
Baird, AP.
Spring 2012
3/16/2012 10:22:01 AM
I Waypoints I
South C
State B arlsbad
each
N 33°6 , Calif.
.2
W 117°19 357'
.1689'
Educational cruise benefits all ages
T
he U.S. Coast Guard, U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary and USPS District 9 held a
joint event 29 June 2011 on the Detroit River. The educational cruise on the cutter Bristol Bay included public boating class students, instructors, USPS members
and friends as well as a group of academically advanced schoolchildren from Ecorse,
Mich.
The children’s teacher, who had taken the boating course from Wyandotte Power
Squadron, asked the D/9 cruise coordinator if the children could attend. D/9 members sponsored the children, who ranged in age from 8 to 15 years. Many had never
been on the water or in a boat and were excited to participate.
–Linda LaLonde
Eustis,
Fla.
N 28°5
1.166'
W 81°4
1.1212'
Contributions benefit multiple charities
H
arris Chain Sail & Power Squadron members and friends celebrated the squadron's annual Christmas party and charity collection 11 Dec. 2011 at the Crazy
Gator Restaurant in Eustis, Fla.
This year the group selected three diverse charities: Lady Lake Food Bank, Santa
for Seniors, and the Center For Displaced, Abused and Forgotten Children. The year’s
contributions totaled more than $3,500 and helped many Lake County
residents. –Tim Henke
Giving back
to nature
S
an Luis Ray Sail & Power Squadron
members joined the California
State Parks Foundation at South Carlsbad State Beach last April to beautify
the beach area around the park.
Participants scraped and painted
curbs, weeded gathering areas and
walkways, and cleaned up the parking lot and beaches. The workforce
included David Copenhaver, Jesus and
Carolina Mujica and their children,
R.D. and Gail Walker, Cheryl and
Adriaan Veldhuisen, Sue and Barry
Bean, Jan Follestad, June and Dave
Duet, Dan Rancourt, and Betty and
Jerry Pokerwinski from San Diego Sail
& Power Squadron.
A raffle drawing was held at the end
of the event, and Cheryl Veldhuisen
won a handheld VHF marine radio.
–June Duet
33
3/16/2012 10:22:20 AM
I Waypoints I
Color guard helps
dedicate memorial
K
U.S.
H
N 39 wy 301
°
W 7 5.7333'
5°57
.75'
ent Narrows Sail & Power Squadron
served as color guard for the rededication of a Blue Star Memorial Highway
Program plaque on U.S. 301 just south of
the Delaware-Maryland border.
National Garden Clubs Inc. began the
program in 1945 to honor the men and
women who served in the armed forces
during World War II. The Highway 301
marker was one of the original four dedicated just after World War II.
–Karen Wimsatt
Piloting class gets day on the water
S
tudents from the Bremerton Sail &
Power Squadron Piloting class started
gathering at Washington’s Port Orchard
Marina dock at 0900 to practice lessons
learned in the classroom.
During eight weeks of class, students
learned about nautical charts, how to prepare and plot a safe course, how to follow
the plotted course using dead reckoning or
GPS, and how to locate their position on
the water.
The class split into two groups, one group
per vessel. Once aboard, they received
NOAA chart 18452 (Sinclair Inlet) and a
list of waypoints. They worked as a team
to plot the course and calculate the time
required to run each leg at 5 knots.
Next, they entered the waypoints in the
GPS and created a route. After a short pop
quiz on charting basics and a safety briefing, the two vessels departed.
Each vessel left the marina and began
navigating by dead reckoning. Students
ard,
Orch
Port ash.
W
224'
°32.4
N 47 °38.175'
2
W 12
Safety checks kick
off the season
Santa Clara Power Squadron kicks
off its sailing season with vessel
safety checks. P/Lt/C Dave Norris, JN,
awards Jeff Olmstead a safety shield
for his boat, which passed the vessel
safety inspection.
34 The Ensign
piloted the vessel, took bearings and fixes,
and plotted their position. After several
legs, the groups changed to GPS navigation.
With everything running smoothly,
instructors simulated a radio distress call
from a vessel in Port Orchard Pass. Students had to compute their current position, plot a course to the distressed vessel’s
coordinates, calculate their estimated time
of arrival and simulate notifying the Coast
Guard of their plan to assist.
When the students realized their NOAA
chart didn’t cover Port Orchard Passage,
they received a new NOAA chart and
responded flawlessly. After arriving on the
scene two minutes earlier than expected,
the groups returned to Port Orchard
Marina.
Everyone had a good time and agreed
that the cruise gave them a complete understanding of the piloting process.
–Kevin J. Pisani
Alameda, Calif.
N 37°47.0833'
W 122°15.8267'
Spring 2012
3/16/2012 10:22:37 AM
I Waypoints I
Cocoa
Beac
N 28°19 h, Fla.
.2
W 80°3 004'
6.4531'
Students set
sights on JN
Austin
,T
N 30°1 exas
6
W 97° .0292'
44.583
6'
C ocoa Beach Sail & Power Squadron
Junior Navigation students Lt Winnie
Crawford, P/R/C Carmen Adame,
and Lt Adrianne Goldstein, take sun
sights at the beach. For the first time,
the squadron’s Junior Navigation
class had an equal mix of male and
female students. All graduated with
high marks.
Photo by Fred Adame
Celebration marks half century
A
ustin Power Squadron celebrated its 50th anniversary 25 Sept. 2011 at the
Onion Creek Country Club in Austin, Texas.
Special guests included USPS national, district and squadron officers, including
Past Chief Commander Creighton Maynard and his wife, Glenda; National Secretary Jean Hamilton; 10 past district commanders; and 18 Austin Power Squadron
past commanders.
Austin charter member Chester Geist remains active and was honored at the
celebration for his long and distinguished service. Geist has served as squadron
commander, secretary and member-at-large, and has held many other squadron and
district positions during his years in USPS. Christine Geist was also honored for her
many years of service as a distinguished squadron and district educational officer.
Governing Board member emeritus Harold Butler received special recognition for
his more than 60 years of service to the squadron and district. Butler has served as
commander of both the Austin and New Jersey squadrons.
–Ginny Strong
Past commanders make a showing
D
uring the annual Mount Clemens Power Squadron picnic at
Metro Beach in Harrison Township, Mich., 14 past commanders
joined the activities.
Back row: Duane Carlson, SN (2010); Ron LaPlante, SN (1976);
Laddie Hudson Jr., SN (1975); Dennis Pomeroy, SN (2008)
Middle row: Jim Put (1995); Michael Fonk, AP (2004); Debra
Foley, SN (1992); Denise Fonk, AP (2006); and Scott Corlew, AP
(2007)
Front row: Chester Landis, SN (1981); Eugene Foley, SN (1988);
Brooks Stahl Jr., SN (1982); and Janet Klumpp, AP (2000 and
2009)
Not pictured: Rich Gallop, SN (1997)
Met
r
Harr o Beach
ison
,
Twp
M
.,
N 42 ich.
°
W 8 33.766
6
2°47
.716 '
6'
35
3/16/2012 10:22:58 AM
Dress code
© ISTOCKPHOTO.COM/CHRIS PRITCHARD
Destination
Detroit
Getting there
USPS polo or other
appropriate attire
Our meeting hotel, the Detroit Marriott at the Renaissance Center, is at 400 Renaissance
Drive, Detroit, MI 48243.
From the north, take I-75 south to I-375 and Jefferson Avenue west. From the east, take
I-94 west to I-75 south and Jefferson Avenue west. From the west, take I-94 east to I-75 south
and I-375 to Jefferson Avenue west.
From Canada, take the Detroit-Windsor Tunnel and turn right at Jefferson Avenue. From
the Ambassador Bridge, take I-75 north to I-375 and Jefferson Avenue west.
Fri., 7 Sept.
Airport transportation
Sun.–Tues., 2–4 Sept.
USPS casual or other
appropriate attire
Wed.–Thurs., 5–6 Sept.
USPS polo or dress shirt
and tie with blazer or
other appropriate attire
Sat., 8 Sept.
Daytime Uniform F
Men: Regulation longsleeve white shirt with
black four-in-hand tie,
black uniform trousers,
black belt (if worn), black
socks, black shoes, or
other appropriate attire
Ladies: Regulation
long-sleeve white shirt,
black skirt or slacks,
black crossover tie, black
shoes, black purse (if
carried) or other
appropriate attire
Evening USPS blazer,
gray slacks, white shirt,
and tie or other appropriate attire
36-37_meetingsDetroit.indd 36
Plan your stay
Our meeting hotel is located in the GM Renaissance Center, a downtown Detroit landmark on
the Detroit River. Reserve your room by calling 800-352-0831 or reserve online at
marriott.com/hotels/travel/dtwdt. Use group code “USPUSPA” to receive the USPS rate of
$145 plus tax per night.
Soaring 73 floors above the river, the hotel sits on the RiverWalk next door to Hart Plaza
and offers convenient access to shopping, dining and entertainment. Travel farther afield on
the Detroit People Mover, which makes a three-mile loop around downtown Detroit. This
aboveground public transportation system provides affordable access (75 cents one way) to
many top attractions.
Hotel rooms feature floor-to-ceiling windows and dramatic views. The newly renovated
hotel lobby boasts functional seating and business-friendly amenities in a trendy setting.
Enjoy lunch, dinner or cocktails in the onsite Volt restaurant. Also located in the hotel are
Starbucks Coffee and forty-two degrees north for American fare. Nearby you’ll find the
Courtyard Café and Bar, Riverfront Shops Food Court and Andiamo, an Italian restaurant.
Things to do
We have a great program with many fun things to keep you busy in between meetings and
seminars. On Tuesday, take in a Detroit Tigers baseball game. Wednesday features a dinner
cruise on the Detroit River aboard the Detroit Princess Riverboat. During the day Thursday,
you can tour Detroit, and that night, enjoy dinner and local music in the hotel. On Friday, tour
the Henry Ford Museum and have lunch at Andiamo. Finish up the week by dining in Greektown and renewing friendships during the Saturday luncheons and evening dinner-dance.

36 The Ensign
From the Detroit Metro Airport, take the Trinity Bus shuttle van ($20 a person) to the hotel.
Reserve your seat by calling 734-284-9229 or by visiting trinitybus.com.
Spring
2012
Nov/Dec
2008
3/16/2012 9:20:44 AM
Detroit
USPS 2012 Governing Board 4–9 Sept.
© ISTOCKPHOTO.COM/CHRIS PRITCHARD
ACTIVITIES REGISTRATION >> Reserve online at usps.org/php/reservations
Rank
First
MI
Last
Grade
Cert. No.
Rank
First
MI
Last
Grade
Cert. No.
Address
City
Home phone
Cell/Office
State
ZIP
Squadron/District
Dietary restrictions?
E-mail address
First time attending a national meeting?
Tuesday, 4 Sept.
Friday, 7 Sept.
1800 Detroit Tigers Baseball Game
0830–1500 Henry Ford Museum Tour and Lunch
Depart the hotel at 1800 and take the Detroit People Mover to
Comerica Park. Nonrefundable game tickets cost $25 and must be
reserved before 10 July. DPM fare is not included in price.
Quantity ______ @ $25 (deadline 10 July)
Total ______
Wednesday, 5 Sept.
1100–1400 Lunch in Greektown
Take the Detroit People Mover to the Pegasus Restaurant and Taverna
with a guide from District 9. You will pay for your own meal, but
reservations are required.
Quantity ______
1800–2200 Detroit Princess Riverboat Cruise
Cruise the Detroit River aboard the Detroit Princess Riverboat, a
five-minute walk from the hotel. Dinner buffet features prime rib,
crab-stuffed salmon, chicken piccata, vegetarian lasagna alfredo,
potatoes dauphinoise, cheese tortellini with pesto cream sauce,
wild rice, Caribbean vegetable medley, assorted chilled salads, rolls,
dessert, coffee and ice tea. Cash bar and live Motown entertainment
Quantity ______ @ $45 before 5 Aug. ($50 after)
Total ______
Thursday, 6 Sept.
0830–1500 MGM Casino
Take a deluxe motor coach to the MGM Grand Detroit, which has more
than 90 table games, 4,000 slots and the latest video poker machines.
Lunch on your own at one of the casino’s many dining establishments.
Total ______
0900–1400 Tour the Best of Detroit
Detroit Power Squadron members take you on a bus tour of Detroit’s
jewels from Comerica Park, Ford Field and Joe Louis Arena to the
Detroit Institute of Arts, the art in and around Harmonie Park and the
vibrant theater district. If music is your thing, Motown’s the place for
blues, jazz and punk. We’ll visit the nation’s largest farmer’s market and
break bread at a renowned speakeasy, Cliff Bell’s, but don’t forget the
outdoor action of the RiverWalk, our marinas and one of our newest
gems, the Dequindre Cut, a great place for walking and biking in a parklike setting with al fresco art along the way.
Total ______
1830–2200 Dinner and Musical Entertainment
#
For a relaxing end to a busy day of meetings, join USPS friends in the
hotel for dinner and local musical entertainment. Dinner includes
cheese and vegetable trays, chicken quesadillas, pork sandwiches,
meatballs, coffee and ice tea.
Total ______
36-37_meetingsDetroit.indd 37
Enjoy a leisurely morning discovering North America’s most visited indooroutdoor historical complex. The 12-acre Henry Ford Museum houses major
collections in transportation, power and ship machinery,
agriculture, lighting, communications, home arts, furniture, glass and
ceramics. The Automobile in American Life, a study of U.S. car culture,
headlines the exhibits. At 1200, a motor coach will take you to Andiamo for
a delicious Italian luncheon, which is included in the ticket price.
Quantity ______ @ $69
Total ______
Saturday, 8 Sept.
1100–1400 Ladies Reception and Luncheon, All Welcome
Network and renew friendships while enjoying a chef-prepared lunch of
vegetarian quiche, fresh rolls, dessert, coffee and ice tea.
Total ______
1200–1400 Members Reception and Luncheon
Get together with members from other districts and squadrons for a
fun break between Governing Board sessions. Enjoy a lunch of chicken
Caesar salad, fresh rolls, dessert, coffee and ice tea.
Total ______
1830–2200 Reception and Banquet
Enjoy a wonderful meal, fellowship with USPS members and guests, and
entertainment by the Michael James Band, featuring the music of Neil
Diamond, Karen Carpenter, Cher and others. A plated dinner features
New York strip steak, vegetables, salad, hot rolls, coffee and ice tea.
Total ______
Meeting CD
The CD contains presentations and handouts from all committee meetings. Pick up CDs at the activities registration desk with your tickets.
Quantity ______ @ $5
Total ______
Total quantity tickets & CDs: ______
Total amount due: $________
RV information Visit usps.org/lc/highwaymariners.
Tickets Reserve tickets at usps.org/php/reservations using a credit card
or mail form and check (made out to 2012 Governing Board) to USPS
Headquarters, PO Box 30423, Raleigh, NC 27622. For more information,
call 757-357-6319 or email arlene.anderson47@yahoo.com.
Deadline Activity reservations must be secured or postmarked by
15 Aug. After 15 Aug., call or email for instructions. Refund requests
made after 15 Aug. will be honored only if the tickets are resold.
Pickup Tickets must be picked up at the member activities registration area no later than one hour before the event, except for social luncheon, members luncheon and banquet tickets, which must be picked
up by 1000 Saturday, 8 Sept. Agenda and additional details may be found
Mar/Apr 2007 The Ensign 37
at usps.org/php/reservations.
3/16/2012 9:21:09 AM
I Last Horizon I
“Sunset and evening star
And one clear call for me!
And may there be no moaning
of the bar,
When I put out to sea …”
DEBRA ALLEN
—Alfred, Lord Tennyson
P/C Rafael L. Aybar, SN
P/C Harold M. Cavanaugh, AP
Lt Richard H. Finn, AP
Senior Member, 14 mm
Life Member, 26 mm
Palm Beach (FL) Squadron
Mobile (AL) Squadron
Cocoa Beach (FL) Squadron
P/C Earl C. Barry, AP
P/C C. Robert Chamberlin, JN
P/C Kenneth A. Finney, SN
Life Member, 32 mm
Life Member, 27 mm
Banana River (FL) Squadron
Richmond (VA) Squadron
Stark County (OH) Squadron
P/C James B. Baskin, P
P/D/Lt/C David R. Coggins, JN
P/C Randy G. Franklin, AP
Life Member, 29 mm
San Antonio (TX) Squadron
Tampa (FL) Squadron
Richard T. Bennett, P
Peter S. Conzelman, AP
P/C Russell E. Garrison, N
Life Member, 30 mm
4 mm
Life Member, 28 mm
New Orleans (LA) Squadron
Cape Lookout (NC) Squadron
Rochester (NY) Squadron
George L. Beyer Jr., SN
P/Lt/C Kenneth C. Crebbin, SN
P/D/C Richard O. Gleason, SN
Life Member, 29 mm
Life Member, 34 mm
Life Member, 45 mm
Potomac River (MD) Squadron
Diablo (CA) Squadron
The Valley (CA) Squadron
P/C Joseph R. Bishop, P
P/C Patricia A. Dance, SN
P/Lt/C Barbara A. Goddard, P
Life Member, 40 mm
Life Member, 30 mm
Senior Member, 9 mm
Nansemond River (VA) Squadron
Cape Coral (FL) Squadron
San Diego (CA) Squadron
P/Lt/C Richard W. Boyack, SN
Calleen K. Davidson
Charles M. Hankins, P
1 mm
Cape Lookout (NC) Squadron
Everett (WA) Squadron
Richmond (VA) Squadron
P/C Robert E. Bruns, SN
Life Member, 29 mm
P/C Kenneth E. Carter, AP
Shallotte River (NC) Squadron
38 The Ensign
Sharyn Gail Davidson
Skokie Valley (IL) Squadron
Edward A. Dunagan, S
Louisville (KY) Squadron
Arthur Hansen, P
Senior Member, 8 mm
Cocoa Beach (FL) Squadron
P/C J. Gordon Henry, SN
Life Member, 25 mm
Marco Island (FL) Squadron
Spring 2012
38-39_LastHorizon_Spring2012.indd 38
3/16/2012 9:19:01 AM
g
I Last Horizon I
Lt Amie Hinson, P
David A. Mosier I
H. Clinton Shaffer, AP
1 mm
Smith Mountain Lake (VA)
Life Member, 29 mm
Greenwich (CT) Squadron
Squadron
Annapolis (MD) Squadron
P/C John E. Hiro, SN
P/R/C William H. Mullins, SN
P/C Arthur Steiner, P
Life Member, 32 mm
Life Member, 30 mm
Emeritus Member, 55 mm
St. Lucie River (FL) Squadron
San Antonio (TX) Squadron
Westchester (NY) Squadron
Wilfred C. Hirschman
P/C George A. Petitclair, JN
P/Lt/C Joseph R. Strong, P
Senior Member, 6 mm
Emeritus Member, 50 mm
Diablo (CA) Squadron
Minnetonka (MN) Squadron
P/C Edward C. Hoffman, N
P/D/C Edward T. Quirk, SN
P/C Joseph G. Strough, AP
Life Member, 25 mm
Life Member, 35 mm
Life Member, 34 mm
Cincinnati (OH) Squadron
Titusville (FL) Squadron
St. Lawrence (NY) Squadron
P/C Arthur W. Kletzka, N
Sylvia Rhodes, S
P/C George E. Sutliff, SN
Senior Member, 5 mm
Life Member, 35 mm
Detroit (MI) Squadron
Rocky River (OH) Squadron
Ted F. Kornowski, P
P/C J. Selmer Robertson, SN
P/D/C Ronald V. Thomas, AP
Senior Member, 7 mm
Life Member, 41 mm
Coral Ridge (FL) Squadron
Youngstown (OH) Squadron
P/C Bernard J. Kullman II, SN
Norma P. Ross
Edward A. Walsh, P
Life Member, 43 mm
4 mm
Senior Member, 5 mm
New Orleans (LA) Squadron
Captree (NY) Squadron
Captree (NY) Squadron
Edward R. Lender, SN
John P. Salyers, AP
P/C Jerry Wise, P
Life Member, 43 mm
Life Member, 39 mm
Northern New Jersey Squadron
Skokie Valley (IL) Squadron
Austin (TX) Squadron
P/C William R. Loch, SN
Life Member, 32 mm
P/C Richard F. Mahler, JN
Liberty Harbor (NJ) Squadron
P/C John F. Mayhew, AP
Life Member, 40 mm
Marathon (FL) Squadron
P/C Paul M. Metsack, P
Senior Member, 8 mm
Norwich (CT) Squadron
Donald Moore, AP
Life Member, 37 mm
Galveston Bay (TX) Squadron
Preston T. Schield, P
Central Florida Squadron
Lt Robert H. Schmaltz, AP
P/C Stephen L. Wolfe, SN
Life Member, 32 mm
Raymond G. Schmidt, AP
3 mm
Ruth M. Schumacher
Annapolis (MD) Squadron
Arthur J. Schwartz
Sarasota (FL) Squadron
Lt/C Gary J. Scocco, AP
Lake Hopatcong (NJ) Squadron
Merit mark awards
Senior Member, 5 merit marks
Life Member, 25 merit marks
Emeritus Member, 50 merit marks
How to submit
Last Horizon honors USPS members
who have crossed the bar. Family,
squadron commanders or other
authorized representatives may
submit reports at www.theensign.
org/lasthorizon.htm.
Photos and memorials may be
sent to ensign@hq.usps.org for
publication on our blog at theensign.
wordpress.com.
38-39_LastHorizon_Spring2012.indd 39
39
3/16/2012 9:19:28 AM
I classifieds I
ACCESSORIES
BOAT INSURANCE
Didn’t Cover That?
Maybe I can help. Call Capt. John Smith,
ASA, CMC, FACFEI, DABFE experienced
marine surveyor/forensic investigator
with sterling credentials. My specialty
is investigating boat accidents.
843-846-9561
Service and Sales We offer expert
sextant service, from a simple tune-up
to a complete overhaul, with the largest
supply of replacement parts for Plath
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on service for USPS members. Call
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New Astra and Cassens & Plath sextants
at very competitive rates for USPS
members. Robert E. White Instruments,
www.robertwhite.com
BOATS FOR SALE
Marine surveyor Captain John Reichardt
Accredited Marine Surveyor, SAMS, AMS,
ABYC-standards certified. Covering all of
New England. Member ABYC, SAMS, USPS.
508-813-4053. captnjohn1@comcast.net.
captainjohnmarinesurveyors.com
MISCELLANEOUS
Free Men’s Dress Uniform Jacket, 42
long, with P/D/C, SN, Life Member and
MM patches. Pants, 34. Shirt, 14. Bow
tie included. All in excellent condition.
Contact TSPS-Enquiries@titusvillesps.org.
FREE BAREBOAT CHARTER MAGAZINE
New online publication packed with great
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Carver Trojan 440 Express 2000 Twin
inboard 480hp Volvo diesel, Raytheon
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hydraulic swim platform, AC/reverse
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2006 Pursuit 3370 Offshore Twin
Yamaha 4 stroke 250 hp outboards,
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fresh water, professionally maintained.
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REAL ESTATE
Cozy, low country cottage Charleston,
S.C. 15 minutes to J.I. airport, 15 minutes
to Kiawah and Seabrook islands, and 15
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deep water. $750,000. Possible rental
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Hurricane Hole—Charleston, S.C.
15 minutes from city. Four bedrooms,
three baths, bulkhead on deep water
for 50-foot boat. Offers needed, asking
$650,000. P/C Fred Wichmann, Realtor
843-556-2100.
VACATION RENTALS
Coastal Maine Waterfront Rental
Oceanfront, Southport, Maine, 3br/2ba
cottage rental on Newagen Harbor with
view of Cuckolds Lighthouse, water views
from almost every room, boating,
freshwater heated pool, nature trails,
tennis, free long distance, Wi-Fi, cable,
heated. www.oceanedges.com/snowman
or mainejilly@gmail.com or 850-556-4949
for availability and information.
WANTED
Log Racing??? An interesting navigational challenge plus a fun social activity.
Enter your boat in a Predicted Log
Regatta. www.predictedlog.org
CLASSIFIED RATES & DEADLINES
Classifieds are $1 per word ($25 min.);
artwork, $25/column inch. Payment must
accompany order. Submit materials at
theensign.org/classifieds, email ensign@
hq.usps.org or call 888-367-8777.
Summer 2012 deadline: 1 June
INSURANCE
Attention USPS Members Call 800-5537661 for USPS Boat Insurance quotations.
Lawrence Fox Agency, Massapequa,
N.Y. Established 1959. Designated Agent
USPS/Jet-Ski® Program. Liability only
available. www.boatinsurancestore.com
Connecticut Members Yacht and small
boat insurance with USPS or other
marine companies. Please call Ross
Hatfield at 203-256-5660. Service@
HatfieldInsuranceAgency.com. Keep your
life jackets within reach.
40 The Ensign
40_classads_spring2012.indd 40
LIVING THE DREAM
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POWER BOAT TRAINING
LIVE AND LEARN ABOARD OUR 44ft. BOAT IN FLORIDA!
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Spring 2012
3/16/2012 9:15:06 AM
I Bitter End I
A lighter look at the boating life
The truth about
Vikings
DREAMSTIME
H
agar the Horrible to the
contrary, no Viking ever wore
a horned helmet. The horn
idea arose in the mid-1800s when the
German composer Richard Wagner
wrote several operas based on Norse
legends. The opera’s first costume
designer dressed the characters in
horned helmets for dramatic effect.
The idea sprang from his imagination;
no horned Viking helmets have ever
been found.
Vikings generally wore close-fitting
heavy leather hats, often trimmed
with fur. Those who could afford them
had plain metal helmets. At most, the
helmets had an attached metal nasal
strip to protect the nose or two curved
metal strips under the eyes that resembled metal-rimmed spectacles.
Most Vikings wore wool and leather
clothing. Shoes and boots were uncommon because of cost. Most went
barefoot in summer. In winter, they
merely wrapped wool or leather
around their feet, padded with wool
or straw in very cold weather. They
wrapped their legs with long strips of
heavy wool cloth.
In addition to the weapons available in their households, Vikings used
metal-tipped spears, plain wooden javelins, axes, large single-edged knives
and wooden shields with a central
metal boss. Swords were far too expensive for most Vikings, but surprise
and ferocity made up for any lack of
weapons and equipment.
Contrary to popular misconceptions,
Vikings valued cleanliness as highly
The only mission
of a seaman’s
calling is to keep
ships’ keels off
the ground.
–Joseph Conrad
TRANSOM TALES
as we do. Almost all Viking burials included combs, brushes, toothbrushes,
toothpicks and ear cleaners among
the grave goods. Both men and women
generally wore their hair long and
considered it a matter of pride to keep
it clean, shiny and neat.
Scandinavian countries had outstanding glass-workers and silversmiths. Both men and women wore
jewelry to display wealth and to use as
currency; bracelets were often made
of twisted silver, and a piece could be
broken off to pay for something.
From the eighth to 11th centuries,
Europe trembled before these Scandinavian sea rovers. Yet, they were
also explorers, traders and colonists
seeking new homes away from the exploding population of their relatively
unfertile homelands. –Roberta Scott
Richard and Carol Stidger named
their 1997 Hunter 40.5 Sybaris
after an ancient Greek city whose
citizens taught their horses to
dance to music. When enemies
learned this, they played musical
instruments during battle and conquered the Sybarites, who could
not fight on dancing horses. The
Stidgers felt a name representing
decadence and high life was
appropriate for a sailboat.
41-42_BitterEnd_Spring2012-0312.indd 41
41
3/16/2012 10:24:29 AM
I Bitter End I
Where away?
ANN CAMPBELL
THE APPRECIATIVE
PELICAN
Email ensign@hq.usps.org by 30 April with the location depicted above for
a chance to win a free gift from the USPS Ship’s Store. The winner will be chosen at random from all correct responses. The Winter 2012 winner, Chuck Taylor,
and others identified Princess Louisa Inlet in British Columbia, Canada.
It is remarkable how quickly a good
and favorable wind can sweep away the
maddening frustrations of shore living.
–Ernest K. Gann
TRANSOM TALES
Hugh Blair-Smith named his sailboat Mashantam after his father’s
40-foot yawl, as did their Crowell
relatives on Cape Cod. The name
is short for Mashantampaigne, a
Nobscussett sachem and sagamore
of the Cape. From him, John Crowe
of the Plymouth colony, the Crowell
clan’s likely forbear, bought the land
on which Blair-Smith lives.
42 The Ensign
One day, while exploring an
anchorage in North Carolina’s
Pamlico Sound, I passed a shabby
old wooden dock about 150
feet offshore. On one end of the
dock was a pelican in trouble. A
fishhook was caught in its beak
pouch, and the attached fishing
line was tangled around a dock
post. The pelican looked tired; it
must have been struggling awhile.
I climbed on the other end of
the dock and slowly approached
the sea bird. With a pitiful look,
it backed away as far as the line
would allow. I spoke in a soothing voice until I got close enough
to grab its beak. After flapping
its wings a couple of times, the
pelican stopped fighting.
I took the hook out of its
pouch and backed up before
letting go. As I walked away, the
pelican cocked its head, staring
at me with its right eye and then
with its left.
As I climbed back into my dinghy, the pelican walked toward
me with its head still cocked. I
left my hands on the edge of
the dock after lowering myself
into the boat so I wouldn’t scare
the traumatized bird. When the
pelican reached me, we looked at
each other awhile. Then it gently
tapped the back of my left hand
with its beak. After waiting a
second or two, the bird shook its
tail, ran down the dock like an airplane on a runway and flew off.
To me, the pelican’s hand tap
was a gesture of appreciation.
This experience, which happened
more than two decades ago, will
stay with me the rest of my life.
–Thomas Mestrits
Spring 2012
41-42_BitterEnd_Spring2012-0312.indd 42
3/16/2012 10:24:52 AM
I Stem to Stern I
CONTACTS
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENT
ADMINISTRATIVE DEPARTMENT
Chief Commander
John T. Alter, SN
jtausps@connectnc.net
Cooperative Charting
R/C James H. Strothers, SN
chngsnattitudes@aol.com
Leadership Development
R/C Susan L. Darcy, JN
susan@darcy-systems.com
National Executive Officer
V/C Robert A. Baldridge, SN
robertb@wilsonwarehouse.com
Environmental
R/C Samuel A. Woodruff Jr., AP
skipwood@aol.com
Member Benefits
R/C Joseph Balbo, AP
josephbalbo@aol.com
National Educational Officer
V/C Bob Brandenstein, SN
robert.brandenstein@verizon.net
Government & Partner Relations
R/C Richard E. Gercak, AP
gprcom@hotmail.com
Membership
R/C Mary Paige Abbott, SN
paigeabbott@att.net
National Administrative Officer
V/C Louie Ojeda, SN
louiedot@bellsouth.net
Marketing & Public Relations
R/C Kenneth H. Voight, AP
kvoight@digitalpublishing.com
Squadron Activities
R/C Steven L. Johnson, AP
scj2@flash.net
National Meetings
R/C Donald C. Clark, JN
clarkcubed@aol.com
SECRETARY’S DEPARTMENT
National Secretary
V/C Jean L. Hamilton, SN
witchofendor@earthlink.net
National Treasurer
V/C Gary P. Cheney, SN
gpc.usps@gmail.com
Immediate Past Chief
Commander
Frank A. Dvorak, SN
fa.dvorak@comcast.net
APPOINTED OFFICERS
National Flag Lieutenant
P/V/C Joseph R. Mesenburg, SN
jmesenburg@aol.com
National chaplains
R/C Louis M. Reitz, AP
lmreitz@juno.com
P/C Lois M. Nehmer, SN
kennehmer@comcast.net
P/Stf/C Rodney Landsman, AP
reb.jupiter.rod@gmail.com
Parliamentary advisor
Benjamin H. Sooy III, AP
GENERAL COMMITTEES
Nominations
R/C Kenneth L. Griffing, SN
kgriffing@earthlink.net
Rules
R/C Artemas M. Pickard, SN
apick@maine.rr.com
STANDING COMMITTEES
Finance
R/C Lee Popham, AP
popham@earthlink.net
Law
R/C Gregory E. Korstad, AP
gkorstad@larkinhoffman.com
Planning
R/C Jeff C. Hamilton, AP
hamiltjc@visi.com
Safety
R/C Thomas Roscoe, AP
troscoe34@gmail.com
Squadron Development
R/C Gerardo J. Caprario, JN
capgerry@hotmail.com
EDUCATIONAL DEPARTMENT
Assistant Educational Officer
R/C Donald C. Fiander, SN
dcfiander@aol.com
Assistant Educational Officer
R/C Robert R. Palmer, SN
r2pmhp@mindspring.com
Basic Public Education
R/C Richard L. Carson, JN
padipro@gulftel.com
Boat Handling
R/C James J. Runge, SN
j.runge@sbcglobal.net
Boat Operator Certification
R/C Chris L. Windeler, SN
cwindeler@mac.com
Educational Outreach
R/C Wilbur G. Hugli, SN
wilhugli@cox.net
Electro-Mechanical Systems
R/C Gene A. Danko, SN
genedanko@jhu.edu
Inland & Coastal Navigation
R/C Richard W. McGaughy, JN
dickmcg1@mchsi.com
Instructor Development
R/C Arthur A. Mollica, SN
artmollica@usfamily.net
Marine Environment
R/C Charles J. Wells, SN
cjwglb@verizon.net
Offshore Navigation
R/C Steven R. Abbott, N
srabbott@att.net
Publishing
R/C S. Patricia Greer, SN
spgreer37@optonline.net
Assistant Secretary
R/C Peter W. Mitchelson, SN
EuroPWM@mindspring.com
Communications
R/C Brenda J. Joyce, P
bjoyce2000@aol.com
Flag & Etiquette
R/C Joseph A. Tringali, SN
j.tringali@bellsouth.net
FIND IT ONLINE
USPS website
usps.org
Subscribe to
USPS Compass
usps.org/newpublic2/
compass.html
Change your address
addresschanges@hq.usps.org
Renew dues and contribute
usps.org/dues
Shop the Ship’s Store
www.shopusps.org
Discover your
member benefits
usps.org/national/admin_
dept/membenefits.htm
Learn about
the VSC program
safetyseal.net
Historian
R/C Louis M. Reitz, AP
lmreitz@juno.com
List or find
a squadron activity
usps.org/national/boatact,
click “Cruises & Rendezvous”
Information Technology
R/C Miguel Long, JN
mlongl@hotmail.com
Find local knowledge
usps.org/national/PortC
Operations Manual
R/C Harry Hebb, SN
harry@hebbtide.com
Ship’s Store
R/C Bruce A. Albertson, SN
bruceaa@aol.com
Know the USPS rules
usps.org/national/om
Help desk
Stf/C Kristi Anderson, P
help@usps.org
TREASURER’S DEPARTMENT
Asst. Treasurer & Budget Director
R/C Nigel E. Hargreaves, SN
euroneh@mindspring.com
Budget Officer—Executive &
Administrative departments
R/C Ronald Osburn, SN
ozbrn@bellsouth.net
Budget Officer—
Educational Department
R/C William R. Gillette, AP
bigille@earthlink.net
Budget Officer—
Secretary’s Department
R/C Kenneth Wilkinson, AP
kdwilkinson@earthlink.net
CONTRIBUTE
Century Endowment Fund
P/C/C Frank Dvorak, SN
107 Cascade Key
Bellevue, WA 98006-1003
425-643-9090
fa.dvorak@comcast.net
Educational Fund
Barbara Spraggins
P.O. Box 30423
Raleigh, NC 27622
barb6195@cox.net
USPS Mission To promote recreational boating skills and
boating safety through education, hands-on training, and
civic activities while providing fellowship for members.
Spring 2012 Stem to Stern.indd 43
43
3/16/2012 9:17:02 AM
SAVINGS EXCLUSIVELY FOR USPS MEMBERS
up to an
additional
B OAT O PERATOR C
ERT IFIC AT ION
ON - TH E - WATE
R CO UR SES .
P LEASE CALL FOR MO
RE INF OR MATIO
N.
FO R TH E
800-763-8777
CAPITALIZE ON YOUR USPS MEMBERSHIP
Enjoy the best service, reliability and coverage in the
industry for dues-paying USPS members.
• For every USPS Education Course
and annual Vessel Safety Check passed,
you can earn credit on your premium
• Expanded and simplified navigation
areas – Bahamas, Caribbean & Mexico
coverage available
• Coverage for individuals, partnerships &
• Hurricane safe-harbor reimbursement
with no policy limits
• Free $10,000 coverage for
medical payments
• Free $1,500 personal effects coverage
• Immediate Binding
corporate/business owners
Take a minute of your time and get a quote by calling us
at 1-800-763-8777 or get a quick quote online at
www.uspsboatinsurance.com
USPS Boat Insurance Program
C OMPETITIVE
RATES .
Ad.indd 44
USPS_Ensign_8.25x10.75_9FIN.indd 1
G REAT C OVERAGE . P AYMENT O PTIONS . 24-H OUR /365-D AY C LAIMS S ERVICES
3/16/2012 9:13:49 AM
9/9/10 3:00:35 PM

Spring 2012 The Ensign

Transcription

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