waterspout Grand Rapids Sail and Power Squadron a Unit of the United States Power Squadrons, America s Boating Club within District 9

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1 a Unit of the United States Power Squadrons, America s Boating Club within District 9 The official newsletter of the Grand Rapids Sail and Power Squadron 1620 Olson St. N.E. * Grand Rapids, Michigan USA

2 Advertising in the Waterspout 2 Bridge, Exec Committee, Staff 2 View from the Helm 3 Squadron Safety Officer 4 Calendar of Events 5 D9 Spring Conference 6-8 Upcoming Events 9 Savvy Boater Birthdays 12 The Commander s Club 13 Burgees 13 Newsletter Deadline 13 The The is published ten (10) times a year, September through June, by Grand Rapids Sail and Power Squadron, 1620 Olson St, NE, Grand Rapids, MI It is published for Squadron members by the staff of the Squadron Secretary. The articles, advertisements and opinions expressed therein do not necessarily reflect USPS or GRSPS policy, unless so designated. Articles may be reprinted without permission, if credit is given to the author, GRSPS and the. All members in good standing and approved non-member advertisers may submit articles and items for publication. They receive no gratuity. The editor reserves the right to revise, change, or reject any materials submitted to the, consistent with standards of accuracy, fairness, good taste, and available space, subject to the approval of the Squadron Commander. To advertise in the, contact: editor@grsps.org GRSPS Bridge Cdr David Brinks, AP Commander Lt/C Randall Jones, AP Squadron Education Officer P/Lt/C Kim Wilson, AP Secretary/Treasurer P/C Curt Campbell, AP Membership Chairman Lt Deb Jones, AP Webmaster Cdr David Brinks, AP Vessel Safety Check Executive Committee Cdr David Brinks, AP P/C Curt Campbell, AP Lt Debra Jones, AP Lt/C Randall Jones, AP P/C James Molenaar, AP P/C Bob Rehkopf, AP P/Lt/C Daniel Rightmire, AP John Stephenson, AP Scott Wilcox, P P/Lt/C Kim Wilson, AP P/C Allan Veen, AP Editor Lt Birgit Molenaar, S editor@grsps.org Designer Lt Tari Holtslander H: taricre8@aol.com Webmaster Lt Deb Jones, AP webmaster@grsps.org Page 2

3 View from the Helm Commander P/C David Brinks, AP The View From The Bridge The February monthly meeting featured David Thompson, a Marine Archeologist and Past Commander from Lansing squadron. David retired from US Navy Medical Service and returned to his passion for archeology. He earned two Master s Degrees and is a Master Scuba Instructor with over 5000 logged dives worldwide. His list of credentials in many fields is impressive. Dave s power point presentation featured photos and video of archeological dives in the Great Lakes, the U.S. and around the world. Some of his archeological equipment was on display for us to view. Hosting this meeting, were Paul and Pam Schweitzer at their business, Complete Source on 44 th St., S.E. The glass-enclosed Boardroom provided a great site for the display of some of the equipment Did you all pick out your next boat at the Boat Show? What a Dave uses in his dives. Thank great show! The GRSPS Boat you to the Meetings and Programs Team for a great meet- do. We find that if boaters squadron and explain what we Show booth not only looked great, but also sported the ing and to the Schweitzer s for know we are in the area, they line squadron s new big screen TV. hosting the event. up for the opportunity to have a After a number of years of renting, we now own our television. So, what s coming up for the free Vessel Safety Check. GRSPS members, along with March Meeting? Meet Steve A special Thank You to P/C members from Muskegon and Redmond. Steve is a P lanner Curt Campbell who is standing Kalamazoo squadrons, staffed our with the Michigan Department of in for me while I am on assignment in Florida. I could- booth and met many folks who Transportation. He will be talking needed information about safe about plans to handle the increasing traffic loads on West help! n t do this without his able boating, our classes and availability of additional information. Michigan roads. I am sure there Many thanks to those who will be time for some Q & A, as As always, call me or me worked the show for the well. The event will be held at for any information you might squadron and especially to the Swan Inn on Alpine Ave. in need about the squadron. We re Greg Heath, Denny Webb and Comstock Park. Much more information is available elsewhere in Let s do this together! here to help you get involved. the setup and teardown crews. Well done!! this issue of the Waterspout. Check it out and make your reservations early. This is a great Warm wishes, Dave opportunity to discuss Michigan Dave roads, road repairs, upgrades and commander@grsps.org funding, a very timely topic Vessel Safety Check activities have begun for another year. The 2015 decals have arrived and will be distributed soon to all certified Vessel Examiners. I am personally on a trip down South to hand deliver materials to Vessel Examiners who are wintering in Florida. If you think you would like to be a certified examiner, please contact me and I will get you started. It does not mean you have to vacation in Florida each winter, but it is a very rewarding activity. Certified Vessel Examiners from GRSPS will inspect more than 200 boats this year. This gives us the opportunity to meet with these boaters, inspect their boats, introduce them to our Page 3

4 Squadron Education Officer Lt/C Randall Jones, AP Upcoming Learning Opportunities This month I would like to write about upcoming classes and online learning opportunities. In our new digitized world we have more options to learn how to have more fun and safe boating. We have two instructor-led ABC-3 courses scheduled for April 13 May 4, 2015 at Rockford H.S. Freshmen Center and April 14 May 5, 2015 at West Marine on 28 th Street SE. Both classes run from 7 9 p.m. Rockford classes cost $50 with book, and add $15 for students sharing a book and the West Marine classes cost $40 with book, and add $15 for students sharing a book. The additional $10 for Rockford is to cover facility charges. at 7 p.m. Other times to take the proctored exam can be scheduled throughout the year. The path to the online classes follows: Click on Boating Courses and Seminars (lower left-hand side) Roll over Courses in left-hand menu, click on America s Boating Course (ABC-3) (other classes are also available here) Online course link is at bottom of the page To learn more about our chapter of the United States Power Squadron ( visit us at Grand Rapids Sail and Power Squadron ( /). Non-members can take the America's Boating Course (ABC-3) online for $39.95 with a 6 month membership in the USPS until June 30, Participants will receive a copy of the book and DVD via one of the carriers. To obtain credit for taking the course and receive your boating safety certificate (blue card), you must pass a proctored exam. There are also advanced classes available for members and non-members. For those who take the online course before the end of the two instructor-led classes, they can sit for the exam on the fourth night of either class, May 4 at Rockford or May 5 at West Marine on 28 th Street SE Page 4

5 Calendar Of Events March 12 General Meeting 15 Waterspout deadline 26 Executive Committee Meeting April 9 General Meeting 13 ABC Class Rockford (Mondays to May 4, 7-9 PM) 14 Seamanship (Tuesdays to May 26, 7-9 PM) 14 ABC West Marine (Tuesdays to May 5, 7-9 PM) 15 Waterspout deadline 23 Executive Committee Meeting D-9 Spring Conference Shanty Creek, Michigan May 14 General Meeting 15 Waterspout deadline 28 Executive Committee Meeting Photo courtesy of Birgit Molenaar Page 5

6 Upcoming Events D-9 Spring Conference April 24-26, 2015 Shanty Creek Resort The theme for the Friday night hospitality rooms will be Musicals and squadrons will really show off their creativity. Seminars and programs will offer something for everyone, and there is special entertainment on Saturday evening. Look for your registration information as we get closer to the date. In addition to officers meetings, here is a sampling of the Saturday schedule: Virtual Trainer Demonstrations Boating Activities for Your Squadron Hiking to North Manitou Island (A first-hand account of 4 men who crossed the frozen Manitou Passage in 2014, as told by participant Bob Sutherland, owner of Cherry Republic.) Mackinaw Maritime Museum Program Vessel Safety Checks (Highlighting the new book) Seamanship/Piloting Electronic Navigation From South Bend Sail & Power Squadron s February/March 2015 issue of the SpringLine Page 6

7 Grand Rapids Sail and Power Squadron Page 7

8 Grand Rapids Sail and Power Squadron Page 8

9 Upcoming Events March 12 General Meeting and Dinner Where: Sw an Inn Restaurant, 5182 Alpine Avenue NW, Comstock Park. Private room on lower level. The menu offers Salads, Sandwiches, Buffalo Burgers, Steak, Seafood, Mexican, and Meat Loaf just to name a few items. Time: 6:30 p.m. The speaker will be Steve Redmond - Planner with the Michigan Department of Transportation. The topic will be on future plans to handle the ever increasing traffic loads on the roads in the Grand Rapids and West Michigan areas. R.S.V.P. by March 5 to Bill Kuhn at wkuhn16767@aol.com Thursday, April Pietro s Italian Restaurant 2780 Birchcrest Avenue SE, Grand Rapids More details in April Waterspout Page 9

10 Savvy Boater DON T BE A BOATING FUEL : PREVENT FIRES Published by the Marketing/ PR Committee United States Power Squadrons Contact Greg Scotten gscotten@comcast.net the pressure gauge or expiration date on the extinguisher to be certain it will work when you need it. If you want to learn more about how to prevent a fire on board, I urge you to take the Power Squadrons Safe Boating Class. Watch your local paper for class schedules or call (888) We seldom hear a news report of a minor boat fire. Usually it is that a boat burned to the water line. This often occurs because boats are out of reach of firefighting assistance. Add the element of some strong winds fanning a blaze that is sitting on top of hundreds of gallons of fuel, and you have a recipe for disaster. The best way to avoid injury and catastrophic loss is through prevention. The United States Power Squadrons reports that many fires are caused by poor fueling practices. This is a time to close all hatches and port holes to prevent the heavier than air fumes from collecting in a closed low location. Turn off all electrical equipment to prevent any potential source of sparking. Remove any passengers or pets and handle the fuel nozzle yourself with a drip cloth and of course do not smoke. While fueling, keep the nozzle in contact with the filler pipe to prevent a static spark. After fueling, open up all hatches and ports and run the blower to clear out any residual fumes before turning on electrical equipment and starting the engine. One of your best tools is your nose, so give the boat a good sniff test. The smell of gasoline is a sure warning. Visit for more information. As the United States Power Squadrons members tell us, Come for the Boating Education Stay for the Friends. XXXXXXXX Lt. Bill Hempel Senior Feature Writer Marketing/Public relations Committee United States Power Squadrons Throughout the fueling procedure, have a Type B/ C approved fire extinguisher near at hand. Type B fire extinguisher is for gas/grease and type C for electrical. Boaters extinguishers should be of the type B/C for safest and best results. Always check ISSN United States Power Squadrons. All rights Raleigh, NC

11 Savvy Boater WHAT IS A POWER SQUADRON? Published by the Marketing/ PR Committee United States Power Squadrons Contact Greg Scotten gscotten@comcast.net In 1911 the concept of teaching safe boating to owners of the newly available recreational power boats was generated by a member of the Boston Yacht Club. Because the group was composed of power boat owners, Roger Upton named his club-within-a-club the Power Squadron of the Boston Yacht Club. A year later, the group s proficiency was proven when the members rescued more than a dozen sailing vessels during a terrible Nor-Easter. This event was written up in boating magazines and became the subject of a painting by marine artist, Donald Demers. Two years later, assembling from around the country, a gathering of like minded yacht club members took place at the New York Yacht Club. Their motivation was to spread educational information and to lobby rules and legislation concerning the emergence of engine powered boats as they began cruising among the traditional sail boats. The resulting organization was named the United States Power Squadrons. Today it has grown to over 450 units in mainland US, Hawaii, Puerto Rico and Japan; as well as a parallel organization in Canada. It also is no longer a Power Boat organization but serves the need of all recreational boaters. So what exactly is a Sail and Power Squadron? First and foremost, The United States Power Squadrons (USPS) is an organization dedicated to boating safety through boater education. It is estimated that over three million people have taken the USPS basic boating safety classes and seminars. Beyond these, members can take internal classes in Seamanship, Piloting, Advanced piloting as well and Navigation. There are also elective courses in mechanics electronics sailing, weather, cruising and Partner in Command (for the Captain s spouse). But wait, perhaps the USPS is a social club with monthly dinner meetings, picnics and frequent festive events on special occasions. But wait, maybe the USPS is a cruising club; with members regularly going on day cruises for lunch as well as medium and long term overnighters in the safe company of knowledgeable boaters. But wait again; maybe the USPS is a community service organization, with members coming to your dock to perform a thorough, non threatening safety check of your vessel. When their decal is placed on your boat, it advises law enforcement that your boat complies with all U S Coast Guard safety and legal requirements. USPS members also provide the manpower for a US Department of Commerce program called Cooperative Charting. In this program, they scour the waters to check depth levels and update information items as hazards, docks, shoals, and day marks. This information is used by the NOAA in updating local charts. So what is a Power Squadron? Is it a public educator; a venue for training experienced boaters; a social club; a cruising club; public service club? In reality, the USPS is all of these rolled up into one. Learn first hand why the USPS slogan is Come for the Boating Education Stay for the Friends! To learn more about the local squadron or to take a course or three hour seminar, go to or call (888) XXXXXXXXX Lt. Bill Hempel Senior Feature Writer Marketing/Public relations Committee United States Power Squadrons

12 GRSPS Birthdays March Gary Harkins March 1 Ken Hungerford March 1 Maxine Shepard March 2 Curtis Campbell March 14 Patricia Harkins March 15 Jeriel Beard March 18 Kathryn Kuhn March 24 Robert Stehouwer March 25 Page 12

13 BURGEES COMMANDER S CLUB The Commander s Club An Honor Roll of Special Members Representing a minimum gift of $50 per year Doug and Christine Evans David and Sallie Brinks Bill and Barb Isenberg Burgees for sale $20 Contact: Jim Molenaar jimbirg2@iserv.net Cell: To learn more about what the GRSPS Burgee means, flag etiquette, and how to fly it, please visit the History page on our website at: NEWSLETTER DEADLINE Submit photos from events, stories of travels, questions or anything you would like to see in the newsletter next time. Submit photo as.jpg files at highest resolution. Send all information or questions to: Birgit Molenaar H: editor@grsps.org Deadline for next issue is the 15th Page 13