The Plotter Volume Issue

2016

America’s Boating Club ®

November 2017 55 8

From the Commander:

Every now and then I read something about major changes in boating ownership and the boating experience accessibil-ity. In this month’s BoatUS magazine, Fiona McGlynn has an excellent article entitled “Why Aren’t Millennials Buying Boats?” She investigates many aspects of how millennials are enjoying boating at lower costs without buying a boat. And how today’s millennials gain knowledge about boats and boating via YouTube and their dockside friends and not traditional “classrooms”.

Some topics include:

Why is there a big decline in boat ownership amongst 20 to 39 year old males? (You would be surprised at her findings.)

Why folks enjoy the experience of getting away with friends from the daily humdrum with no cell phone calls from the office, no iPads. The minimalist approach

How to minimize the financial burden of owning a boat. (Hint: As always, the best boat is your neighbor’s or friend’s boat)

How millennials get on the water by sharing assets, by not owning boats, by chartering boats, by “hitchhiking”on boats, and of course by using Dad’s boat etc.

Here is how to access the original article by Fiona McGlynn: (This is a public site not for just BoatUS mem-bers )

Search for BoatUS.com, then click on the BoatUS-Official Site, then click on the drop down menu “Membership” and then click on BoatUS Magazine, now the with pictures at the top click the right arrow to bring up the article and then click on read more “Why Aren’t Millennials Buying Boats?”.

Near the end of the article please read in the red type under the banner “How to Help Get Young People Out On The Water:” click on “Building up America’s Boat Clubs”. I found that article of great future relevance to the Austin Power Squadron.

Cdr John Causey, SN-IN

Online Boating and Webinar Education

Another online seminar has recently been released using the BoatUS LMS platform. AIS Electronics for Boaters seminar will help you decide whether you can use this tech-nology for your boating. AIS, Automatic Identification System electronics, is used by many commercial vessels. You can make safer boating decisions with this equipment if you are boating where there is commercial traffic and the commercial vessels can learn what your boat is doing. En-roll and learn how AIS functions. Check out the AIS 60-second Promo Video on the USPS online boating education website. For a short while, the interactive online seminar will have a $15.00 introductory price.

More oceanography can be learned from the latest USPS webinar, Ocean Currents & Computer Navigation. This live presentation will be made on 14 November 2017, at 7 p.m. Central Standard Time. The registration fee is $20.00. You may register at https://www.usps.org/cgi-bin-nat/eddept/800/getregform.cgi?W-7234.

The webinar will be recorded for use by registered students who miss the live presentation.

Lt/C Christine Geist, SN

Squadron Education Officer

Safer boating using AIS technology

Page 2

The Plotter is the official publication of the Austin Power

Squadron, a unit of the United States Power Squadrons.

Address correspondence and contributions to the editor:

Steve Schmidt, phone number in squadron directory

Or to e-mail address: secretary@austinpowersquadron.org

We retain the right to edit any material submitted to The Plotter.

Unless otherwise noted, photos by Matt Syptak and Steve Schmidt.

APS EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE

Commander – Cdr. John Causey, SN

Executive Officer - Lt./C Ed Fredholm, JN

Educational Officer - P/D/Lt/C Christine Geist, SN-IN

Admininstrative Officer—P/C Jesse Comeaux, JN

Secretary -- P/C Ginny Strong, AP

Assistant Secretary - Lt. Jan Comeaux

Treasurer - P/D/C Charles Strong, JN

Assistant Treasurer - P/C Ginny Strong, AP

Member at Large - Lt James L. Pollok, S

Member at Large - Libby English

Member at Large - Dan English

Member at Large - P/C Steve Schmidt, JN

COOPERATIVE CHARTING (CoCh)

Need information about our Cooperative Charting Pro-

grams? Log in to usps.org as a member and go to https://www.usps.org/index.php/departments/12000/12200 to learn more about cooperative charting. Rumor has it that a

couple of our Austin members will be going out the second

weekend of November to give geodetic charting their first try.

None of our Austin members have yet submitted nautical re-

ports. There are several D21 on the water reports pending

review by national at this early stage of unsolidified rules and

procedures. Several other districts have a considerable num-

ber of reports in this state of limbo.

I hope we, as a squadron, will be ready and eager to jump in

and head to the coast soon. Certainly, after the first of the

year, the reporting method will be smoothed out but we can

begin now, as other squadrons and districts are doing, to get a

good start on the learning curve.

P/C Steve Schmidt, JN

APS CoCh Chairman

NOVEMBER

Nov 2 Charlie Buerschinger

Nov 7 Ed Fredholm

Nov 8 Granville Ott

Nov 13 Matt Syptak

Nov 15 Bob Little

Nov 25 Homer Parker

Nov 30 Christine Geist

DECEMBER

Dec 8 Sandi Causey

Dec 10 Desiree Parker

Dec 16 Phillip Wise

Dec 31 Christine Wenk-Harrison

There has been a change in the United States

Power Squadrons public site URL

from usps.org to beyondboating.org

Page 3

The District 21 Cruise to Cozumel Our travel plans would not normally include a short cruise from Galveston to Cozumel for a third time. But, when the Austin Power Squadron (this year’s confer-ence sponsor) announced the Fall District 21 Confer-ence would take place on the Carnival Valor, we signed up. We joined about 70 Power Squadron members and their guests on the Valor which was docked in down-town Galveston. We had time for lunch before the sce-nic departure through the Galveston Ship Channel where some lucky passengers spotted dolphins. Once out to sea, our cruise went smoothly. We en-joyed good weather, food, entertainment, and some photo ops in Cozumel; but spending some time with other Power Squadron members was a highlight. With 24 members and guests from the Austin Power Squad-ron and about 40 passengers from other squadrons, we enjoyed nearly every breakfast, lunch and dinner with friends and new acquaintances. A special cocktail party before the formal dinner brought everyone to-gether for a fun social hour. After three full days, we returned to Galveston early in the morning and headed back to Austin. After several days of dining, we hardly needed to stop for lunch. Christine Wenk-Harrison

Photos by:

Christine Wenk-Harrison

Page 4

Of the eleven squadrons in D-21, eight squadrons were represented by members in attendance. Thirty one cabins were

reserved, and sixty six D-21 members were present. Among those present were the National Secretary, R/C Howard, SN

P/C/C Creignton Maynard, SN, P/D/C Herman Willi, SN, P/D/C Shirley Heald AP, P/D/C Scott McDonald, SN, P/D/C Jerry Mad

den, AP, P/D/C Max Werkenthin III, AP, and P/D/C Charles Scott.

D/C Jud Arnold, SN convened the Conference General Meeting Friday, at 0900 hrs. and completed the meeting on time at

1200 hrs. The Chief Commander’s message was presented by R/C Howard Yoas , SN, and discussed, among other topics, the new

USPS logo “America’s Boating Club”.

A private cocktail party was held on Friday, the first full day at sea. It was well attended and enjoyed by all. D-21

conference members were seated at dinner as a group. The food aboard the Valor was plentiful and delicious. The service by the

waiters was great. Delicacies such as braised Salmon, Rabbit, Escargot and Scallops were available.

Saturday was a fun day in Cozumel, Mexico, with many shore excursions available to enjoy.

Sunday was our last day at sea. D/Lt Peter Hames, AP HSPS, presented the OPERATIONS TRAINING 3-in 1 course

which was very well attended. The remainder of the of the day was open to enjoy leisure activities.

Early Monday morning the Valor arrived back at the port of Galveston for embarkment.

It was quite a sight to see a 953 ft. Long - 110,000 ton ship do a 180 degree turn in the middle of the Galveston channel and back into

the dock.

More on the D-21 Fall Conference Cruise

The Fall Conference Cruise was held aboard the

Carnival Cruise Ship VALOR

12-16 October 2017

Conference registration Past District Commanders

Article & photos pages 4 & 5:

P/C Jesse Comeaux, JN

Page 5

Annual LIGHTED BOAT PARADE

The first Sat. in Dec. falls on Dec. 2nd this year. Dec-

orate your boat and line up at Crosswater Marina at

around 5:30pm and the parade will start at 6pm. The

parade will head to the mouth of Rough Hollow, turn

around and end at the Gnarly Gar which will have a

band and prizes.

It doesn’t take much to decorate a little and then join

the fun. Even if you don’t join the parade, you can

boat to the ending festivities at the Gnarly Gar at Point

Venture.

… and more cruise photos:

Page 6

Discover the Secrets of

Ocean Currents

WHAT: United States Power Squadrons®

Webinar, Oceanography: Ocean Currents &

Computer Navigation

WHEN: Nov. 14, 2017, 8 p.m. EST/5 p.m. PST

COST: $20

Our latest webinar, Ocean Currents & Computer Navigation, takes a look at how tidal and ocean currents affect navigation planning before a cruise and while underway. After a brief history and an overview of current research, you'll learn how currents affect the movement of our oceans, including where to find and how to retrieve tidal current and open ocean current data. Learn about navigation software that can retrieve and use Real-Time Ocean Forecast System (RTOFS) current data, featuring demonstrations of Open CPN, Time Zero APP and Navigator software. You'll learn how to use navigation software be-fore and during a cruise to evaluate what effect the current will have on your route. Your cost is only $20, so don't miss out—sign up today! If you miss the live webinar, don't worry! We record the webinar for use by registered participants.

JIBE HO!

Back when we were learning to be Hobie 16 sailors,

Lindi and I struggled with the performance quirk of

small multihulls---they can be difficult to tack. Those

little boats just don’t have enough drive, or momen-

tum, to carry their bows through the eye of a strong

wind, and a boisterous wave on the nose will slap

them in irons. But in watching better sailors, I ob-

served an elegant tactic that often obviated the prob-

lem. Rather than going about in heavy weather, those

experienced multihullers would “wear ship” and jibe

all the way around to the new course. Instead of mak-

ing a 900 tack, for instance, they would execute a 2700

jibe. In the Army, we used to call that kind of revela-

tion a BFO---Blinding Flash of the Obvious---and this

was certainly an eye-opener to me. It’s not always the

right answer, of course, and it requires a little judg-

ment and timing (Do you remember my discussion of

pitchpole a few issues back? That’s what happens

without judgment and timing.) but it is a useful addi-

tion to the sailor’s armamentarium. Because there’s

more than one way to tack a cat.

Lindi does the hand-jibe.

Article by Jim Pollok

NOAA Gets to Work After Maria Hits Puerto Rico

On September 20, Hurricane Maria hit Puerto Rico as a Category 4 hurricane. Once the weather improved, NOAA's Thomas Jefferson and 38 crewmembers headed to the Caribbean islands to survey the dam-age and to assist where needed. Job one was to reo-pen harbors and ports, which are critical in rebuilding storm-ridden areas. Similarly, waterways needed to be deemed passable so shipping and commerce can resume.

For three weeks the NOAA staff aboard the Thomas Jefferson --- which is equipped to stay at sea for ex-tended periods --- used hydrographic equipment to sur-vey more than two dozen areas and ports and made repairs to tide and weather stations.

From the October 2017 Oceangrafix e-mail Newsletter

LAKEWAY AND RIVIERA MARINAS

RECIEVE RECOGNITION

Lakeway Marina has been voted the best small marina in Texas! Their sister marina, Riviera Ma-rina, also won large marina of the year!

These awards were given by the Texas Marina Association.

Page 7

John Donovan reports that he finally took his new (to

him) Carver 32 out for his first solo run on Lake

Travis. Due to year-old gas the port engine failed as

he was trying to navigate out past a row of suddenly

looming yachts. Thanks to a huge surge of adrenaline

he managed to restart the engine in time and escape to

VIP Marina to load up with fresh gas and a lot of Sta-

bil. A long run at 4,000 rpm resolved that problem. A

week later--having reread "Power Boat Handling Illus-

trated"--he went out again and practiced maneuvering

around a No Wake float, returning and docking in a

good breeze without losing any gel coat. John then

retired to Los Pinos for a Margarita.

Member Boating Activities

What’s Ahead for APS …

Visit our Austin squadron website: http://www.austinpowersquadron.org

__ __

Austin Power Squadron

6105 Hudson Bend Rd.

Austin, TX 78734-1332

We are America’s Boating Club — ®

NOVEMBER 2017

4 America’s Boating Course

14 E-board meeting - E-board members will be notified soon

18 General Meeting - 1:00 pm at Los Pinos restaurant (see page 7)

DECEMBER 2017

17 Holidays party at the Sangarunde Hall— details coming soon

JANUARY 2018

18-21 Boat Show at the Austin Convention Center

MARCH 2018

25 Change of Watch—time and place to be announced

.