HRF30 NL July 2010

Commodore’s Report:

Please refer to the website.

Vice-Commodore’s Report:

Please refer to the website.

Cruising Chairperson’s Report:

See the website for up to date cruising information.

It's that time again and the attached flyer provides all the information for the upcoming cruise to Cape Charles on the 24th-25th of July. Also see GPS Directions, Chart, and Channel Instructions.

This will be a fun event and we are look forward to getting the fleet over to the Eastern Shore for a weekend of fun. The attached documents provide information on the event, along with GPS coordinates, channel information, etc to Bay Creek Marina in Cape Charles.

We were able to get a discount on the docking at $1.65/foot but we must get signed up by 10 July to get this rate. Afterwards it's $2.00/foot. So please contact Bay Creek Marina for your reservations (757) 331-8640 soonest!

Look forward to seeing everyone at the event and out on the water!

...Larry & Sandy...
"Sandy Sea"
Cell - 757-642-2286

Racing Chairperson’s Report:

Please see the website.

Treasurer/Secretary’s Report:

Please see the website.

Webmaster’s Report:

When Dick is not busy working on the website he is with his therapy dog, Jack. Jack and Dick visit Sentara Norfolk General Hospital, several local nursing homes and have even found time to stop by my place for a visit.

For Sale:

These four lost souls are looking for buried treasure. If you have any junk for sale please give them a call.

The diving is great, the food is great; 3-4 dives per day, lots of fish and other creatures and lots of new friends. See you all at Harborfest.

Jay, Robin, Larry, & Sandy

Boating Educational Article:

“Pimp my dingy” or “everything you need to know about properly outfitting your dingy but didn’t think applied to you.”

By Frank Lanier

We sailors are on average a conscious lot when it comes to outfitting and operating our primary vessels safely. From flares to lifejackets, EPIRBs to VHF radios, most of us try to anticipate Murphy and cheat Davy Jones prior to even leaving the dock, be it for an afternoon sail or multi-year cruise. That’s why I’m constantly amazed at the number of folks who fail to properly outfit their dinghy to the same level of safety.

From ferrying people and supplies between boat and shore (a necessity for those who like anchoring out) to providing a means of exploring that neat tidal creek, dinghies are the waterborne equivalent of the family car, one that both enhances and adds versatility to any cruising experience. The problem is all that time, effort, and money spent outfitting your cruising vessel won’t do you a bit of good once aboard your dinghy – unless you’ve had the foresight to properly outfit it as well.

Let’s illustrate by way of example: While anchored up Pepper Creek in the Chesapeake Bay , your two teenage kids (both accomplished mariners in their own right) decide to take the dinghy to visit a new friend on one of the boats anchored down stream. On the way over, the engine dies. No problem, they can use the oars to row towards their friend’s boat – or could if they had any. As the current carries them past their destination and out towards the bay, they sensibly decide to drop anchor while trying to get the engine started – or would if there was an anchor onboard. It’s rougher in the bay and water begins splashing into the dinghy – now would be a good time to start bailing, if there was a pump or bailer onboard. It would also be comforting to be able to call dad on the VHF radio for help, however the handheld VHF is sitting on the chart table back at the boat – there aren’t any flares onboard either.

We could go on, but you get the picture. Most of us wouldn’t get underway without equipment such as lifejackets, flares, or an anchor onboard – why should a trip in the dinghy be any different? Let’s take a look at how to increase the safety of every dinghy ride you and everyone else onboard take.

The Basics

Mandatory dinghy requirements include a PFD (personal floatation devices) of the correct size for each person onboard, a sound producing device (such as an air horn or whistle) and if operating after dark proper navigational lighting – red and green running lights, an all around white light, electric torch, etc, depending on whether your dinghy is powered by an engine or other means (oars, sail, etc). Throwable Type IV devices (such as a buoyant seat cushion) while not required on most dinghies, are nonetheless good to have.

Most boaters are onboard with the basics, but fail to realize that while required, none of the mandatory items above do what we really need when a problem arises – help us get back to shore or our anchored boat.

A Dinghy Grab Bag

The key to ensuring your dinghy is properly outfitted each trip is to make placing required gear onboard as easy as possible. A lifejacket bag makes it easier to toss and store PFDs onboard – similarly, a dinghy “Grab Bag” containing the rest of the necessities will keep everything organized and easy to bring aboard.

Any non-corrosive, buoyant watertight box or container of suitable size will work – dry bags or smaller abandon-ship bags (usually constructed of nylon and padded with foam) work well too. Regardless which one you choose, make sure it’s large enough to carry what you need and that if floats with everything inside. You’ll also want to attach it to the dingy via a lanyard, so it doesn’t float away if you capsize.

Next up is figuring out what you want to carry. My grab bag contains a hand held VHF radio, signal mirror, whistle, flares (3 day/night, one smoke), electric lantern (flashlight) with spare battery, several chem-lites, tape, multi-purpose tool, small first-aid kit, and a couple of space blankets – I also carry a spare sparkplug for the outboard and the wrench to change it with as well as a hand-held compass (for those times the fog rolls in, making a trip back to the boat interesting). Additional items, such as sun block, a bottle of water, and maybe a few energy bars might come in handy as well. Cell phones are a good item to have too, but should not be considered a replacement for a hand held VHF radio.

Pumps and bailers

You should always have some method of dewatering your dingy, be it a bucket and sponge or that old standby, the venerable “bleach jug with the bottom cut out” scooper. A small hand pump (such as the old naval piston type) mounted inboard the transom works well too.

Oars

Regardless of how you power your dinghy (outboard, sails, etc) you should always carry a pair of oars or at least a paddle. Ensure oar locks are of adequate size and strength and unless self-locking, it’s also a good idea to have a light lanyard securing each oar to the dinghy to prevent loss while rowing – the oarlocks on some inflatables simply mount into a socket along the gunnels and tend to pop out fairly easily under anything but the lightest rowing.

It’s also a good idea to put in a little rowing time before any problems occur, just to see how your dinghy performs under various conditions. Some types (particularly inflatables) are poor rowers due to characteristically short oars with small blades and oar locks positioned too near the water – one guy I know swears it’s easier to paddle an inflatable like a one man canoe (while sitting or kneeling forward) than it is to row them.

Anchor

Each dinghy should have an anchor and suitable length of nylon rode onboard. Being able to “put the brakes on” while trying to correct a problem (such as a stalled engine) can often keep a relatively minor situation from deteriorating into something much worse. As to selection, folding grapnel and mushroom type anchors are easier to store and use, but typically don’t provide as much holding power as a small Danforth or plow (a short length of chain can also be added for increase holding power if desired).

The anchor itself should be securely mounted in an out of the way, but easily accessible location, such as beneath a seat or perhaps the inside of the transom. I mounted mine beneath the center seat of my sailing dinghy, while the rode is stored in a small, glassed-in locker forward. Another option would be to store the anchor and rode in a small mesh or canvas bag, which not only serves as storage, but makes it easy to carry on and off the dinghy (mesh construction aids in drying after use).

Finally…

Here are a few other commonsense tips for safer dinghy use:

If your dinghy uses an outboard, be sure to put the safety lanyard / emergency cut off on before starting the engine, particularly if the engine starts in gear.
It’s a proven fact that regardless what Pepe Lopez or Captain Morgan says, you can’t fit more people in the dingy after returning from the Tikki Bar than you could heading over. Know your dinghy’s carrying capacity and don’t exceed it. Most newer dinghies have a plate mounted on the transom stating maximum recommend capacity. Overloading a dinghy affects performance and stability, so if in doubt, make two trips rather than trying to carry everything and everyone at once.
Because dinghies tend to move when you step in or out, position them so that you can firmly tie both bow and stern line to your boat prior to boarding and departing.
If you’re on the hook and will be returning to your boat after dark, make sure you have some type of light onboard to aid in locating your vessel. I purchased a stainless steel, solar powered walkway light for around $10 dollars and mounted it on my stern pulpit for easy nighttime dinghy returns.
Make sure you dinghy has adequate buoyancy to stay afloat if capsized or swamped. While not a problem with inflatables per say (unless punctured) some hard dinghies (particularly older ones) are negatively buoyant. If yours wants to pull a Lloyd Bridges and voyage to the bottom of the sea when full of water, consider adding buoyancy, either by glassing in watertight compartments or perhaps adding a few inflatable bags at strategic locations.
If your dinghy capsizes and you can’t right it, stay with it until rescued. Never leave the boat in an attempt to swim for shore or to another vessel – most dinghies will float and a boat (even an upside down one) is easier to spot in the water than a person.

Capt F.K. Lanier & Associates, LLC

Marine Surveyors and Consultants
1441 Hunningdon Woods Blvd
Chesapeake, VA 23320
(757) 287-3770
www.captfklanier.com

Editor’s Report:

I want a pink boat too.

- JESSICA WATSON'S BOAT -

Boat Name: Ella’s Pink Lady
Sailboat Type: Sparkman and Stephens 34 (S&S 34)
Boat Length Overall: 10.23 meters (33.56 feet)
Waterline Length: 7.37 meters (24.1 feet)
Boat Beam: 3.08 meters (10.1 feet)
About the boat (by Jessica Watson's team): "A classic design from the famous Sparkman & Stephens, it is known firstly for its seaworthiness, toughness and track record. It is a boat capable of consistent speeds and one that Jessica can easily handle. The S&S 34 became famous after Jon Sanders, David Dicks and Jesse Martin used them for their history making solo circumnavigations."

Go sailing. Have fun.

eric