Why Belong To A Boat Club?
Do you ever ask that?
Maybe someone has asked you.
I get asked a lot but mostly I just tell people.
I look up and down the canals around me and most boats rarely leave their docks. Seems like every time we are preparing Lady Godiver for a club outing one of the neighbors asks us where we are going this time. These are the same folks that never move their boats. Some of them “belong” to a club but most don’t.
It doesn’t take long to figure out that boaters that belong to clubs use their boats more often than boaters that don’t. Again, some of the neighbors say they “belong” to a club but don’t seem to participate much (I guess they just like seeing a burgee on their bow) but when they see Cher and me leaving the dock I am sure they must realize they are missing out on something special. This is especially true when we get back and share our stories with them.
Cher and I are grateful for the club and all the opportunities it has afforded us but mostly we are grateful for all the folks that we call our friends because of the club.
We recently returned from a 6 day Southern Loop trip with 3 other couples. We had met one of the couples that took the trip only a few times and had spent very little time with them prior to going and then all of a sudden we went on vacation with them for 6 days.
Think about that!
We shared a tremendous experience and spent a great deal of wonderful time together. We talked about ourselves, our families, our interests and our boats. We have now become friends. That probably wouldn’t have happened without the club. Cher and I could give many more examples just like this. We are proud of our club, proud to be members but mostly proud and grateful of all the relationships that we have the great fortune of enjoying while being club members.
We have some very exciting and fun trips planned for the rest of the year. Check the web calendar on our club web page for dates and times. If you haven’t been able to join us I hope you can jump on board and come to realize why I belong to a boat club.
May Newsletter, Secretary’s Notes
Welcome to Judi Nicholson, our newest member of the Board.
Also a big welcome to our new members. Capt. Rich & Dorothy Verney, Bob Miller & Dodie Russell
Past Events & Cruises
We held our annual Anniversary Party on Feb. 20th. It was a terrific evening of good food and great friends.
Grady Fest 2010 on March 19-21 was an awesome event attended by many of our members. Great fun was had by all and wonderful memories made. We can’t wait to attend next years…wherever it may be.
The Air show Raft-up on April 10th turned into a house party at the Clark’s due to Mother Nature. We hardly missed the planes and still ate, drank and made merry.
The April Meeting on April 14th was held at River City Grill. Our guest speaker was Ken McCoog, owner of Joken Around, Custom Fishing Rods. He wowed members with some of his rods and gave a very informative talk.
April 17th -23rd was The Southern Loop Trip! It was a marvelous week filled with many new and varied experiences. Each day was better than the last (which were all perfect). We will carry fond memories of the great times with great friends in beautiful places.
April 24-25 was the Homosassa River Outing, meeting up with the Tampa Club for fun, tours and of course…wining and dining!
Be sure to check out all the photos of these events on our Club’s flicker site. http://www.flickr.com/photos/tarpon_coast/sets
Up-Coming Events 
May 14th-17th: The Sarasota Hyatt Weekend, An annual favorite. Contact Steve & Diann Saunders for details and to RSVP
May 29th: The Annual Don Pedro Picnic. The club buys the “burgers and dogs”. This is always a wonderful day so you won’t want to miss it! Contact Steve & Diann Saunders for details and to RSVP
June 4th- 18th: Marathon Fishing Trip, guaranteed to fill your freezers! Contact Dan & Juli Eisenberg for details.
June or July ??? The Annual Tween Waters Weekend, dates to be determined with members being e-mailed. This will also be our summer general meeting. Contact Steve & Diann Saunders for details and to RSVP
July 4th: The Annual 4th of July Fireworks Raft-up, more details to follow. Contact Steve & Diann Saunders for details and to RSVP
July 10th- 14th: The Tampa Bay Tall Ships Trip contact: Cat Cox to RSVP. Then make your own arrangments as follows:
http://www.sailtampabay2010.com/Marriott is 813-221-4900
Dock Master Tony at: Tony.Sapp@marriott.com or 813 314 1066
Our next regular meeting is scheduled for October 20, 2010. We are planning on a very special and famous speaker. Eric Sorensen, Grady White consultant and author. Dan will be working with the other Isle’s boat clubs to see if they want to join in with us for a bigger crowd that would enable us to use the large Isles Civic Center.
If you come up with a trip idea, be sure to let Steve Saunders know. He is happy to help with the planning. Even those “spur of the moment ideas” can be sent out via e-mail so all interested members can join in the fun. Some of our best times have been “come-as-you-are” last minute outings.
Tarpon Coast Club Gear
Update on jackets: they are on order and we’ll let all buyers know when they come in and how to pay for them. We will have 2 extras for sale ($25)
We have a few extra Anniversary Tervis Tumblers. They are only $11.
The “OOPS” Opossum award:
Bob and Kathy Mayes were the first recipients (the “lock-out”) followed by Steve and Diann Saunders (grass stains on the hull) and soon to be “awarded” to Michelle Riordan (oops, camera in the lock)
Who will be the next to earn the privilege of giving it a good home?
We will miss our seasonal members and will look forward to your return….meanwhile we “year-rounders” will carry on in “Grand TCGWBC style”.
Happy Summer to all!
Cher
Hello Boat Club Members,
Our trips are becoming somewhat less as being the fleet captain for planning I am not getting any suggestions. There have been some impromptu trips, like this past weekend there were a few boats that “camped” on Chris Johnson’s Three Sisters Island. We had a driving trip to Homosassa that we met up with the club members from Tampa Bay and enjoyed a weekend of land-side events, including Dragon Races, visits to the local aquarium and some great meals at the local restaurants.
We are in the planning stages of Don Pedro for the end of May picnic, that the club supplies the meat and the other members bring side-dishes and desserts. This day at the island is always a great time and we have had as many as 35 people in the past and would encourage all that can come, please let me know so we can plan accordingly. There will be the annual trip to ‘Tween Waters on Captiva, which I’ll put out more details in a mass e-mailing.
As I have said in the past Navigator article, this is each member’s club and those of us that volunteer to serve are both members and club leaders on a voluntary basis. That is the reason we continue to reach out to every member to “volunteer” ideas, trips, events, and offer to plan. I will muster what skills to assist and offer safe cruising suggestions as well as any planning necessary to continue to insure all members a varied choice of fun, safe, and interesting events, both on the sea and land. Safe sailing!
Your Fleet Captain,
Steve Saunders
Ahoy!
It’s hard to believe that summer is almost upon us, and with that comes the start of “Hurricane Season” on June 1, 2010. All the latest predications indicate that this will be a much more active season; some of the water temperatures already are extremely high. The key to protecting your boat from hurricanes or any threatening severe weather is planning, preparation and timely action.
After reading a number of articles here is a brief listing of some of the precautionary measures on should take:
- Develop a Detailed Plan: Where is the boat going to be, is it going to be at a marina, inside or out, on a boat lift or in a canal. If your boat is at a marina or inside a storage facility know in advance your responsibilities along with those of the marina. Should your boat be behind one’s house, as many of the Club members, know in advance as to how you are going to secure your vessel? During Charlie I opted to move my boat to the center of the canal, tied of to my pilings and ground anchors set across the canal. Two doors down a boat secured to the lift came off and landed with one engine piercing the hull of our neighbor’s sailboat.
- Know your responsibilities as they relate to your insurance policy. If your boat causes damage during a natural disaster, the boat Owner may be held responsible.
- Before a hurricane threatens one should remove all loose items including all canvas, life preservers, cushions and any other items which could become wind borne.
- Maintain a detailed listing of all removed items along with those left on board. Remove all important paperwork, including insurance policies, vessel registration and lease agreements if stored at a marina. These items should be taken with you during evacuation and stored in a water-proof box. Having photos or a video tape of one’s boat with all the equipment will prove indispensable should you have to file an insurance claim.
- Make sure fuel tanks are full.
- Batteries are fully charged to enable your bilge pumps to work for an extended period of time. Do not leave any other accessories in the on position which could drain your batteries.
- Ensure that all thru-hulls are fully closed. One article even mentions capping off or plugging any unvalved thru-hull fittings, such as sink drains.
- Cockpit drains are free and clear.
- Seal all hatches windows and doors with duct tape to prevent water intrusion.
- If the boat is to remain in the water double all lines and cover all lines at any rough points to prevent chaffing, rig crossing spring lines fore and aft, attach lines to pilings high enough to accommodate any storm surge and making sure that lines will no slip off of pilings. All mooring lines should be at least one size larger that what you normally use. If your boat is at a pier ensure that you have attached adequate bumpers to protect your boat.
- If your boat is going to be stored on a lift do not raise it as far as you can out of the water unless you are confident that any wind will not cause a problem. Like a mentioned earlier one of my neighbors boats went air borne during Charlie. When on a lift prepare your boat to be in the water in the event of a strong storm surge. Ensure that mooring lines and bumpers are in place.
Having said all of the above one must remember that your boat is just a thing that can be replaced, but life and family is worth much more. So be sure to take all the necessary precautions this season putting your own safety and that of family first.
Safe Boating
VHF RADIO USAGE IN CASE OF AN EMERGENCY
When an emergency transmission is made, all other radio traffic should cease operation.
The levels of emergency calls:
EMERGENCY: the “distress” signal is “MAYDAY”. This word should be said three (3) times
MAYDAY- MAYDAY- MAYDAY
This signal is to be used only when there is grave danger to your crew or boat.
EMERGENCY: The “urgency” signal is PAN- PAN (pronounced “PON –PON”). This should be said three (3) times: “PAN -PAN-- PAN-PAN--PAN-PAN!” Remember - it is “PON-PON—PON-PON—PON-PON. This signal should be used when you have a serious situation that requires assistance. Examples are serious illness or injury to a crew member, or if the captain is incapacitated. Running out of fuel is not a Pan-Pan situation, unless you are in danger of being swept away by strong seas.
EMERGENCY: The “safety” signal is “SECURITY” (pronounced as “SAY –CURE-IT-TAY”. This word should also be said three (3) times. “SECURITY-SECURITY-SECURITY!” This signal should be used to warn of conditions that may affect that area. Some examples are storm warnings, hazards to boaters such as a huge log or other objects that could damage a boat or alerts from large ships when they are going to enter a channel.
When you are calling for help, the rest of the crew should be doing whatever they can do to attract attention for help—distress flags, flares, orange smoke, waving both arms up and down at their sides-etc.
Information that an emergency rescue service needs from you when you are calling in a MAYDAY :
- The vessels name repeated three (3) times 2. Position of your boat! The importance of knowing where you are at all times cannot be emphasized enough. 3. Keep track of the course you are steering, how much time has passed since you left your destination, and your speed. 4. If you have a GPS, use the latitude and longitude coordinates. If you do not know how to do these things, get a book or take a boating class as soon as possible.
REMEMEBER NO ONE CAN HELP YOU IF THEY DO NOT KNOW WHERE YOU ARE
Describe the nature of your problem-
Number of persons on board and if there are any injuries-
Describe your boat-meaning its size-color-type of design-manufacturer-
HELP THE RESCUERS TO HELP YOU
Cat Cox; Safety Officer; Tarpon Coast GW Club
As of May 1st 2010, we have 43 member boats in our club. Our bank account remains positive at a little over $1200 dollars. As you know, our income is based solely on member annual dues and 50/50 proceeds at Club meetings. Our Club expenses typically are categorized into the following: Web site maintenance, Corporation fees to the state and Federal government, dinner costs for guest speakers, small prizes given out at the Anniversary dinner and, of course, the occasional ‘miscellaneous expenses’ that come up during the year.
Member Contributions
From Dan Clark
TIDES
tide–noun 1. the periodic rise and fall of the waters of the ocean and its inlets, produced by the attraction of the moon and sun, and occurring about every 12 hours.
Tides have influenced mariners since man first took to the sea. Ancient Greeks even had a “Tide Goddess” (Kharybdis). Tides are one of the most reliable forces of nature. As sure as the sunrise and sunset, tides can be predicted, predetermined and counted on.
Understanding and forecasting tides can be a great aid to the boater and ignoring them can be a cause to call Sea Tow or a visit to the prop shop.
There are actually several influences on tides and all large bodies of water have them. Generally however, tides in fresh water lakes and rivers are not measured as they are not significant. Gravity is a major cause of tides. This was first explained by Sir Isaac Newton in 1687. He determined that tides are caused by a gravitational attraction of the sun and the moon. However, gravitational pull is only one of the factors causing and influencing tides. The other influence is inertia or the effect of the motion of the rotating and orbiting earth.
The gravitational effect is greatest on the side of the earth that is closest to the moon. On the opposite side of the earth, the gravitational pull is less and therefore the inertial effect has the most influence and will not be as strong as the moon side. To complicate this, the sun also has a gravitational effect on the movement of water. The sun’s influence, while great is not as strong as the moon and the inertial effect. When the earth, moon and sun are in alignment as with a new or full moon, the tide levels are most greatly affected. This is called a spring tide. These tides will have exceptionally high “highs” and low “lows” (actually about 20% higher or lower than normal). One week later, when the sun and moon are at right angles to each other, the solar tide partially cancels out the lunar tide and produces moderate tides known as neap tides. During each lunar month, two sets of spring tides and two sets of neap tides occur.
The movement cycle of tides (actually, they are always moving) are called flood and ebb. As the tide is approaching its high level (coming in) it is in its flood tide stage. When the water is receding, it is in its ebb tide stage.
As the position of the moon relative to the earth changes, the effect on the “local” tide changes. This is why the tide levels at any given location change daily. Once a month, when the moon is closest to the Earth (at perigee), tide-generating forces are higher than usual, producing above-average ranges in the tides.
Another event, only occurring about every 1 ½ years is called a Proxigean Spring Tide. This phenomenon is caused by the moon’s orbit placing it at its closest point relative to the earth and the moon is in a new moon phase. The next time this will occur is 3/19/2011.
Most coastal areas, with some exceptions, experience two high tides and two low tides every lunar day (semidiurnal). Because the Earth rotates through two tidal “bulges” every lunar day, coastal areas experience two high and two low tides every 24 hours and 50 minutes. High tides occur 12 hours and 25 minutes apart. It takes six hours and 12.5 minutes for the water at the shore to go from high to low, or from low to high. To put this to practical use, tomorrow’s high tide will generally be about 1 ½ hours later than today’s.
The relative distances and positions of the sun, moon and Earth all affect the size and magnitude of the Earth’s two tidal bulges. At a smaller scale, the magnitude of tides can be strongly influenced by the shape of the shoreline. When oceanic tidal bulges hit wide continental margins, the height of the tides can be magnified. Conversely, mid-oceanic islands not near continental margins typically experience very small tides of 1 meter or less. The shape of bays and estuaries also can magnify the intensity of tides. Funnel-shaped bays in particular can dramatically alter tidal magnitude. The Bay of Fundy in Nova Scotia is the classic example of this effect, and has the highest tides in the world—over 15 meters. Wind is another factor influencing tidal ranges (not the timing).
When reading a nautical chart it is helpful to understand tides and their relationships to the sounding (depths) and bridge clearances noted on the chart. The depths are generally listed as a result of “mean lower low water” (MLLW) datum and the bridge clearances are expressed as the vertical clearance from “mean higher high water” (MHHW), which means that under normal astrological circumstances, the depths should be no less and the clearances under bridges should be no less than the numbers posted on the charts.
Naturally, chart soundings are influenced by many things other than tides such as shoaling. Therefore, it must be remembered that the soundings on nautical charts and bridge clearances reflect tidal results and not bottom changes.
From The Editor
Fred Buchas
Do I Really Need An Autopilot?
When I outfitted my boat with an electronics package I knew that one of the items would have to be an autopilot. After five years of using it I find that I use it more than I ever imagined but in different ways than I would have guessed.
An autopilot very simply is a device that allows you to stay on a heading or follow a series of waypoints automatically with almost no steering needed from the helm.
An autopilot can be used as a standalone device but most often nowadays it is used in conjunction with a GPS chart plotter.
Most complete systems sell from $2000-$5000 and most average boaters will want the services of a professional installer. Proper initial setup and calibration will make the difference between a great investment or buyer’s remorse.
When I first started using mine I assumed that I would be using it in what I refer to as “fully automatic” mode. I figured that I would set up series of waypoints in my chart plotter, save them as routes and then allow this information to be communicated to my autopilot so that it would automatically follow this series of waypoints in a pretty much “connect the dots” fashion.
This may be the preferred mode for some but I found it to have limitations. If for example the route that you have created includes navigating in marked channels or any other congested areas you may have a problem. As the autopilot reaches one waypoint and then picks up on the next a course correction will be preformed. Often times the turn will not happen quickly enough to keep you on the course that you intended. You may turn to wide for example and find yourself outside the marked channel. These problems can often be addressed within the setup parameters but if you set it to turn you too quickly it might work fine at slow speeds but then be dangerous at faster speeds. I have found that for me, this “automatic” mode is best used for longer trips out in open water where the speed of your turns won’t make much difference.
Another feature that many units now have is the ability to momentarily alter your course by the wheel at the helm. This is most often used to steer around other boats, crab traps, debris etc. etc. When you let go of the wheel the autopilot will take over again and return you to the proper heading.
This brings me to the mode in which I most often use my unit. I refer to it as “semi automatic” mode. I use the autopilot to manually steer me on any heading of my choice and keep it there until I change course with the autopilot. I use a Furuno chart plotter but I think you can do what I do with most brands. I set my chart plotter to project a “vector” line ahead of me in the direction of my current course. I can then see where I’m heading in relation to let’s say a waypoint that that may be miles ahead of me. If the vector line is not intersecting the waypoint or any other spot on the chart plotter where I want to cross then I simply steer with the autopilot to correct my course. This is usually accomplished by just pressing the right or left arrow keys found on most autopilots. You simply hold the button to turn in the desired direction. The longer you hold it the more you will turn. Just let go when your vector line is crossing the position that you want to intersect.
This is where I find my autopilot to be the most valuable. I seldom use my steering wheel except for docking or traveling in tight areas like canals. It’s particularly useful when traveling in moderately rough seas. In these conditions steering can become quite a chore. Just turn around and look at your wake in these conditions to see how straight you are actually steering. A properly adjusted autopilot will hold you to a straighter course than you can accomplish manually. Just sit back in you helm seat and enjoy the ride. Your full attention can then be diverted to watching for obstacles and making simple “button push” course corrections as needed.
There are other features available on most autopilots. Most have preprogrammed patterns that they can steer at the push of a button. These are often zigzags, curves, circles and many others. These can be handy for fishermen who want to follow a particular trolling pattern. A MOB (man over board) function will return you to the area where you pushed the button but likely not on a course to run over the person in the water.
So do you really need an autopilot? Before I became completely aware of its full potential there was a time when I thought it could just be another gadget to be relegated to the category of “another toy”. For me, I wouldn’t want another boat without one. I guess it just comes down to how much you want to enjoy the ride.
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As always thanks to our regular newsletter contributors.
I'll continue to look for member contributions. It could be almost anything that would be of interest to the membership. It could include your personal fishing or cruising stories or just information about hot fishing spots, dining or cruising destinations etc. Another suggestion has been to post club members marine items for sale.
Fred Buchas fbuchas1@comcast.net