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    • Apr 20, 2016by:   Larry Dorminy No Comments

      New York Bill Proposes Ethanol-free Fuel

      This NY legislation is a bill we need to keep an eye on, since the outcome could well influence marinas and marine fuel sales in all states. This article is from Soundings’ Trade Only Today.

      New York bill proposes ethanol-free fuel
      Posted on April 15th, 2016
      A bill that would allow marinas in New York to sell E0 gasoline, or fuel with no ethanol blended in, was heard this week by the Assembly Environmental Conservation Committee.

      No vote was taken, but documents supporting the bill argued that E0 should be made available because E10, fuel blended with 10 percent ethanol, and above can seriously damage a marine engine, according to the National Marine Manufacturers Association.

      The bill also noted that Florida and Virginia already allow for E0 to be sold at marinas. No companion bill has been introduced in the Senate, the NMMA said.

      Click here to read the bill.

      CLICK HERE TO READ THE ENTIRE ARTICLE

       

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    • Apr 20, 2016by:   Larry Dorminy No Comments

      Bahamas Chatter: Morgans Bluff Light

      Explorer Charts - the best charts for the Bahamas and Exumas
      Explorer Chartbooks, A SALTY SOUTHEAST CRUISERS’ NET PARTNER, has long been the standard navigational supplement for enjoyable, informative, and safe cruising through the beautiful Bahamian waters and island visits.

       


      Bahamas Chatter: Morgans Bluff Light
      Morgans Bluff Light
      Posted: 19 Apr 2016 05:30 AM PDT
      Charts AN 1 and AN 1A , page 63, Explorer Chartbook Near Bahamas, Seventh Edition show a Fl 4s 4m 4M (ED) light on Morgans Bluff that no longer exists. A new light has been established close to the point of the old water barge dock on a tall utility pole near 25° 10.8′ N/78° 01.6′ W. The white light currently flashes approximately once every 30 seconds and is approximately seven meters above sea level (Fl 33s 7m 5M).

      The lighted range shown on Joanne Point has been discontinued. The old metal towers still exist but can no longer be seen because of tree growth and are no longer lighted.
      The flashing five second red and green lights on the Commercial Harbour entrance jetties are currently working.
      Sixth Edition and older Chartbooks show buoys on the Morgans Bluff Channel that no longer exist.
      Mariners should stay well clear of the submerged and partially submerged wrecks near the south end of the old water barge dock.

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    • Apr 19, 2016by:   Larry Dorminy No Comments 33.9209,-78.23629999

      Channel Shift in Lockwoods Folly/AICW Intersection, Problem Stretch Statute Mile 321


       View In Chartview

      The intersection of the ICW and Lockwoods Folly has been a Problem Stretch for years and requires almost annual dredging. Recent reports confirm shoaling here, /154017. SSECN stills recommends Mid to high tide for passage through Lockwoods Folly. Kudos to Carolina Yacht Care for their nightly briefings on weather and navigation issues and our thanks to Hank Pomeranz for this report.

      Hi Gentlemen,
      We’ve started our nightly briefs here at Southport covering the waterway north of here to MM 0. Hearing from a bunch of folks having problems with Lockwoods Folly ‘“ just south of Southport.
      Suggest reiterating that cruisers follow the marks carefully. G47, in particular, was just moved west and is very close to the shore. That said, mariners must follow it for plenty of deep water. Do not get sucked in to the R12 which will be to starboard for north bound cruisers. That is an inlet buoy.
      I don’t know if you can somehow share the attached image but you are welcome to use it. The depth legend for the USACE survey is shown and the depths represent MLLW. A pic is worth’¦
      Regards to you all,
      Hank

      Lockwoods Folly Buoy change and path

      Click Here To View the Cruisers’ Net’s “AICW Problem Stretches” Listing For the AICW/Lockwoods Folly Inlet Intersection

      Click Here To Open A Chart View Window, Zoomed To This AICW Problem Stretch

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    • Apr 19, 2016by:   Larry Dorminy No Comments

      BoatUS News: Boat Fire Extinguishers: Four Myths

      boatuscelebrating

      BoatUS remains the premiere advocate for boaters and boating safety on all waters and SSECN is proud to have BoatUS as a SPONSOR!

      unnamed (18)

      Look closely ‘“ is this fire extinguisher ready to put out a fire and does it meet US Coast Guard requirements?

      NEWS From BoatUS
      Boat Owners Association of The United States
      880 S. Pickett St., Alexandria, VA 22304
      FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
      Press Contact: D. Scott Croft, 703-461-2864, SCroft@BoatUS.com

      Boat Fire Extinguishers: Four Myths From the BoatUS Foundation

      ANNAPOLIS, MD, April 19, 2016 ‘“ Every spring, the BoatUS Foundation for Boating Safety and Clean Water receives questions from boaters about fire extinguishers. To help set the record straight here are four fire extinguisher myths debunked:

      Myth #1: Tapping or striking the extinguisher keeps the contents `fresh’.
      Reality: Leave the mallet at home. Unlike days of old, today’s modern fire extinguishers don’t use chemicals that cake, get hard, or need to be broken up. Whacking it with a mallet or hammer could compromise the extinguisher’s ability to put out a fire.

      Myth #2: All extinguishers must be mounted with a bracket.
      Reality: Mounting a fire extinguisher on a bracket keeps the unit in a handy place and may protect it from being banged around the boat, but it is not a legal requirement. You do, however, need to ensure the extinguisher is readily accessible, so leaving it at the bottom of locker or compartment is a big no-no.

      Myth #3: Fire extinguishers get old and go `bad’ every year.
      Reality: Unlike flares, fire extinguishers have no expiration date. To meet US Coast Guard carriage requirements however, the extinguisher must be Coast Guard approved and in `good and serviceable’ condition. The charge indicator needs to be in the green zone, the nozzle free of obstruction and the cylinder not rusted.

      Myth #4: The law says you only need to carry one extinguisher.
      Reality: US Coast Guard minimum equipment requirements dictate that larger vessels require more than one fire extinguisher. While a full list of all minimum safety gear requirements for all boat sizes can be found at BoatUS.org/equipment, don’t let that stop you from adding additional extinguishers. Having back-ups may help save your boat and won’t break your budget.

      For more on fire extinguishers, go to BoatUS.org/fire-extinguishers.

      About the BoatUS Foundation for Boating Safety and Clean Water:

      The BoatUS Foundation for Boating Safety and Clean Water is a national leader promoting safe, clean and responsible boating. Funded primarily by donations from the over half-million members of Boat Owners Association of The United States (BoatUS), the non-profit provides innovative educational outreach directly to boaters and anglers with the aim of reducing accidents and fatalities, increasing stewardship of America’s waterways and keeping boating safe for all. A range of boating safety courses ‘“ including 34 free state courses ‘“ can be found at BoatUS.org/courses.

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    • Apr 19, 2016by:   Larry Dorminy No Comments

      NC Boating Course Offered in Wilmington, Cape Fear River

      This news of a boating course in Wilimngton, NC, as announced in StarNewsOnline, is good news for first time boaters.

      WILMINGTON

      Ned W. Rhodes, lead instructor with Cape Fear Sail & Power Squadron (right) poses with Capt. Doug Springer of Wilmington Water Tours. CONTRIBUTED PHOTO

      Ned W. Rhodes, lead instructor with Cape Fear Sail & Power Squadron (right) poses with Capt. Doug Springer of Wilmington Water Tours. CONTRIBUTED PHOTO


      New boating course a team effort
      Contributed article
      Published: Monday, April 18, 2016 at 11:16 a.m.
      NC_Wilmington –

      Thanks to a recent fusion of resources from the Cape Fear Community College, Wilmington Water Tours LLC, and the Cape Fear Sail and Power Squadron, local boaters have access to a modern, comprehensive, shore- and water- based learning experience.

      The program would not exist without all three players. CFCC has the superbly equipped, large, centrally located lecture spaces needed to accommodate three-times-a-year classes of 30 to 50 students participating in what is known as America’s Boating Course. Wilmington Water Tours operates the course’s `floating classroom,’ a catamaran named the Wilmington that can comfortably host up to 45 students at a time. The Cape Fear Sail and Power Squadron provides the certified experienced instructors, the practical expertise and the instructional materials needed to complete the effort.

      The course begins in downtown Wilmington with a day of classes, capped by a state-sponsored certification test in CFCC’s Union Station building. The classes touch on all aspects of boating safety ‘“ including required equipment, basic boat handling, weather hazards, signals, lights and rules of the road ‘“ and practical tips drawn from the experiences of veteran instructors.

      The next session of America’s Boating Course will begin on May 14th. For more information, see www.capefearboatingcourse.org.

      CLICK HERE FOR THE FULL ARTICLE

       

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    • Apr 18, 2016by:   Larry Dorminy 1 Comment

      Boat Thieves Busy in Nassau, Bahamas

      Round the clock deck watch seems to be the only answer to such a bold thief. Nassau is the capital and largest city of the Bahamas. It lies on the island of New Providence, with neighboring Paradise Island accessible via Nassau Harbor bridges.

      Boat thieves have been busy in Nassau riding paddle boards up to docked vessels and stealing everything of value. The local police and BASRA calls the perp “Spider-Man” and always seems to give the constables the slip.

      In Marsh Harbour last night, boat thieves hit a large catamaran motor yacht making off with their large RIB while yacht has docked at Harbourview Marina. All yachties are advised lock their tenders and tow-behinds and keep a lookout in the dark of night.
      John Wampler
      www.yachtaide.com

      Comments from Cruisers (1)

      1. Greg Allard -  April 20, 2016 - 9:15 am

        The problem of thieves of boarding boats from the water, usually by the swim platform, and robbing boats at night while their owners are aboard, is a years-old, common event in Nassau. We used to regularly use the Nassau Harbor Club, which is conveniently located across from an excellent shopping center, including a Solomon’s Fresh Market. We no longer dock there, because of repeated reports of such incidents. Last year, friends of ours had their boat boarded at night, and the thief made his way through the boat, including the stateroom where they were sleeping. The thief cleaned out their wallets and purse. When our friend reported it to the police, he learned the Hatteras docked next to them had the same thing happen to them the night before! This problem is not limited to the Nassau Harbour Club, and recent reports indicate it is getting even worse throughout the harbour. The use of paddle boards is a new twist.
        It’s difficult not to conclude that the police and some marina owners really don’t seem all that interested in fixing the problem. After our friend woke up and chased the thief out of his boat (they did lose their money and credit cards), our friend went up to find the night watchman asleep in an alcove where he couldn’t possibly see anything – apparently a common situation during prior robberies. A reliable source told us that the police know the one particular thief, who has been arrested multiple times, jailed and released.
        Sometimes going to Nassau is a necessity, for provisioning, meeting guests, picking up parts or repairs. (Is there any other reason to go there?) Last year we decided to try the Bay Street Marina, and found the security to be first rate. Gates to each dock are locked at night. There were guards on duty 24/7; I observed them frequently walking the docks all through the night, which is critical since the robbers come from the water and not the land. Bay Street has brand new docks, a professional staff, a couple of good restaurants on site, and a pool. They can arrange for a shuttle to Solomon’s Market. It’s the place we recommend now. It’s more expensive than some other places, but you get…….
        And we do keep all the doors locked anyway.
        Greg Allard

        Reply to Greg
    • Apr 18, 2016by:   Larry Dorminy No Comments

      BoatUS News: NC TowBoatUS Captain Named Volunteer of the Year

      boatuscelebrating

      BoatUS remains the premiere advocate for boaters and boating safety on all waters and SSECN is proud to have BoatUS as a SPONSOR!

      unnamed (11)

      (L) Capt. Lee Sykes receives the “Volunteer of the Year” award from (R) CCA NC Executive Director David Sneed.

      NEWS From BoatUS
      Boat Owners Association of The United States
      880 S. Pickett St., Alexandria, VA 22304
      FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
      Press Contact: D. Scott Croft, 703-461-2864, SCroft@BoatUS.com

      Coastal Conservation Association North Carolina Names
      TowBoatUS Capt. Lee Sykes Volunteer of the Year
      “Chapter Would Remain A Vibrant Voice for Coastal Fisheries Conservation”

      RALEIGH, NC, April 18, 2016 – At its recent annual meeting, the State Board of Directors for the Coastal Conservation Association North Carolina (CCA NC) named local on water towing Captain and TowBoatUS Beaufort owner Lee Sykes “Volunteer of the Year.”

      An advocate for coastal fisheries and owner of a local 24-hour on water recreational boat towing and assistance company, Sykes is the CCA NC President of the Crystal Coast Chapter and is credited with “Revitalizing this chapter and bringing it back as a significant contributor to our efforts in North Carolina,” said Chapter Member and CCA NC Board Member Bert Owens. The chapter is one of 13 in North Carolina. “He was determined that the Crystal Coast Chapter would remain a vibrant voice for coastal fisheries conservation in North Carolina.”

      “I’m honored to have been selected,” Said Sykes. “I’m out on our waters nearly every day and believe that everyone needs to do their part. I’ve always wanted to ensure that my own child will continue to have a vibrant fishery for her generation, and our coastal waters continue to provide a quality fishing experience that doesn’t diminish.”

      Part of a nationwide network of 300 locations and over 600 towboats, Sykes’ TowBoatUS business is North Carolina’s largest, providing 24-hour on water towing assistance and soft ungrounding services to recreational boaters, much like a reliable auto club. It also offers salvage services. In addition to Beaufort, Sykes’ additional TowBoatUS locations include Swansboro, Jordon Lake, Falls Lake, Sharon Harris Lake, Gaston Lake, Kerr Lake, Smith Mountain Lake VA, and most recently High Rock Lake. For more visit BoatUS.com/beaufort.

      CCA and its state-chapter network are engaged in hundreds of local, state and national programs and projects related to marine conservation, including initiating scientific studies, funding marine science scholarships, building artificial reefs, creating finfish hatcheries, initiating hydrologic and contaminant studies, monitoring the quality and quantity of freshwater inflows, supporting local marine law enforcement and more. For more visit www.ccanc.org.

      About TowBoatUS:
      Celebrating 50 years in 2016, Boat Owners Association of The United States (BoatUS) is the nation’s leading advocate, services and safety group for recreational boaters. We provide our over half-million members with a wide array of helpful services, including 24-hour on water towing that gets you safely home when your boat won’t, will bring you fuel if you run out, jumpstart your dead battery, or provide a gentle pull after you’ve run aground. The TowBoatUS towing fleet is North America’s largest network of towing ports with over 300 locations and over 600 towing assistance vessels, responding to over 70,000 requests for assistance each year. For more information go to BoatUS.com/towing.

      3 Facebook Likes, 3 Facebook Reactions

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    • Apr 18, 2016by:   Larry Dorminy No Comments 27.3153,-82.59819999

      Still More on New Pass NavAids, Sarasota, FL, Gulf Coast


       View In Chartview

      New Pass leads directly to the Sarasota waterfront and the entrance portion between the Entrance Light and Light 7 is constantly shifting and shoaling. SSECN has long recommended that this pass not be used. See /156085 for a recent Local Notice on this area. Our thanks to BOSN4 Pauly for these updates.

      All,
      The Coast Guard continues to do outreach to the public regarding the removal of the navigation markers in New Pass. Attached is a Port Community Information Broadcast issued by the Commander, Sector St. Petersburg. Feel free to print this out, post and share this with the community, law enforcement, and any other concerned person or groups.
      CWO Pauly
      BOSN4 Darren Pauly
      Aids to Navigation Officer
      US Coast Guard Sector St. Petersburg
      155 Columbia Drive
      Tampa FL 33606
      darren.a.pauly@uscg.mil
      (813) 228-2191 Ext. 8184 Tampa office

      newpass

      Click Here To Open A Chart View Window, Zoomed To the Location of New Pass

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    • Apr 17, 2016by:   Larry Dorminy No Comments

      Keys Writer Seeks Your Input

      Well, we’ve been asked a lot of questions, but this is a first. All of us have opinions about food aboard a vessel, but if you have experience actually feeding a hungry, sun burned, exhausted crew, let Jill hear from you!

      I’m assigned a “cooking on a boat” story for a magazine. My deadline is April 20. Will you knowledgeable cruisers in the Florida KEYS help me, please? I’m supposed to answer these questions. Any replies will be helpful. Kindly add a name and maybe your boat name and roughly where you are located, e.g. Marathon, Islamorada, etc. So, here goes: How do you feed a hungry crew? How do you deal with sea sickness while preparing food? What kind of snacks are best (esp. in our humidity?!) Who cooks? Who washes up? Who uses a gimballed stoves? Is anyone still using a kerosene stove? Thank you so much for your help.
      Jill Zima Borski, Islamorada, 305-852-9886, jzimakeys@aol.com

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    • Apr 16, 2016by:   Larry Dorminy 1 Comment

      Bahamas Chatter: Cruisers not welcome at Little San Salvador

      Explorer Charts - the best charts for the Bahamas and Exumas
      Explorer Chartbooks, A SALTY SOUTHEAST CRUISERS’ NET PARTNER, has long been the standard navigational supplement for enjoyable, informative, and safe cruising through the beautiful Bahamian waters and island visits.

       

      Bahamas Chatter: Cruisers not welcome at Little San Salvador
      Cruisers not welcome at Little San Salvador
      Posted: 15 Apr 2016 04:06 AM PDT
      The following letter was received from a cruiser that recently visited Little San Salvador (AKA Half Moon Cay):

      My wife and I anchored our 44’ sailing catamaran just West of the Southernmost point on the island in calm conditions on the evening of April 7. On the morning of April 8, a cruise ship arrived and anchored about 1 ½ miles NW of us. Later that morning we were shocked when a 35-40’ flybridge power boat with inboard engines came zooming right at our boat, throwing a huge wake. It past our stern no more than 50’ away, then took a sharp turn along our port side as the captain let off the throttles and let his boat settle, creating an even greater wake. We were too busy grabbing items that were going to fly off of our table and countertops to signal to them. 2 Bahamian men were on the fly bridge, and they went to a mooring that was off shore from us and served as a snorkeling spot for the cruise ship guests. The purpose of the flybridge boat was to carry the guests to that spot. We thought at first that the captain simply didn’t know the “rules of the road” in boating- that he is responsible for any damage created by his wake. At the time, we didn’t take it for what it really was; a clear message that we were not welcome here.
      Within the hour we decided to go exploring on our dinghy, and headed East along the shoreline, then up into the creek mentioned above. The creek led to an open bay that is nearly ½ mile wide and about 2 miles long. We were idling along enjoying the scenery when the only other boat on the bay (a small boat with 2 Bahamian crew and 2 cruise ship guests) flagged us down. One of the crew let us know that this waterway was private and that we could not be here. I argued that we were not ashore, nor were we heading ashore, we are ON THE WATER. She insisted that we must leave immediately. Their guests looked as shocked over the incident as we were. We turned and left, angered and feeling that our rights were not being respected; not on the dinghy, and certainly not on our yacht.
      Now, I completely understand that land can be purchased and we respect that when cruising. However, I did not realize that the OCEAN and its inlets can be owned by someone. This was not an inland lake, this was an ocean inlet! It’s no different than telling me I can’t have my boat anchored off your island, which we realized was the clear message being given by the flybridge boats rude behavior. Now we were being told in no uncertain terms by the Holland America crew that our dinghy was not allowed on “their” water.
      As a human being, I could certainly be wrong about the Bahamian laws, so I’m open to hearing about how areas of the ocean can be purchased by individuals or businesses for private use. But if I’m correct and that is simply absurd, then I look to hear back from Mr. Kruse. Perhaps the next edition of the Explorer chartbooks should be updated to reflect this situation and the way it is responded to.

      Comments from Cruisers (1)

      1. pat kennedy -  April 22, 2016 - 9:06 pm

        Welcome to south florida. New anchoring restrictions in dade and broward countys. Thank the republican legislators, just the beginning of things to come.

        Reply to pat

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