DSC Radio safety Alert

With the proliferation and popularity of DSC radios, we felt you needed to be advised of this important potential safety issue. The following is a Safety Alert issued by the U.S. Coast Guard:

Dangers Associated with Automatic Channel Switching on Digital Selective Calling (DSC) Equipped VHF Marine Radios. It has come to the Coast Guard's attention that an automatic channel switching feature found on certain models of Digital Selective Calling (DSC) equipped VHF marine radios may create an unintended hazard by automatically switching from a working channel that might be in use at the time to Channel 16 when the VHF marine radio receives a DSC distress alert, distress alert acknowledgment or other DSC call where a VHF channel number has been designated.

 This could happen without a vessel/radio operator's immediate knowledge and could initiate an unsafe condition by which the vessel/radio operators would believe they were communicating on a working channel such as Channel 13 when, in fact, they were actually on Channel 16. Imagine a towboat operator on the lower Mississippi River making passing agreements on VHF channel 67 and then suddenly, without warning, not being able to quickly reestablish communications with those vessels because his/her radio automatically switched to Channel 16 instead. Since this unsafe condition can happen at any time, the Coast Guard strongly recommends disabling the automatic channel switching feature when maintaining a listening watch or communicating on the designated bridge-to-bridge radiotelephone, or while monitoring the vessel traffic services (VTS) channel. Radios that lack the disabling feature should not be used for bridge-to-bridge or VTS communications.

The International Telecommunications Union Sector for Radiocommunications, Recommendation M.493-11 published in 2004 and later versions require DSC-equipped radios to provide for disabling of this channel auto-switch feature. In the United States, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) requires all DSC-equipped radios certified after March 25, 2009 to meet this requirement. Manufacturers that do not provide a disable function are encouraged to do so and to inform their customers if means for correction exist. Updated information including a listing of manufacturers of radios believed to be affected by this Safety Alert will be posted as available at http://www.navcen.uscg.gov/marcomms/gmdss/dsc.htm .

The Coast Guard strongly reminds radio operators and other users to always ensure they are on the proper operating channel when communicating or maintaining watch, particularly with DSC-equipped radios capable of channel auto-switching.
 
This safety alert is provided for informational purposes only and does not relieve any domestic or international safety, operational or material requirement.
Developed by the Spectrum Management and Telecommunications Policy Division (CG-652),
United States Coast Guard Headquarters, Washington, DC. Questions should be directed to Mr. Russell Levin at (202) 475 3555 or Russell.S.Levin@uscg.mil

Spring Is In The Air And So Are The Boat Projects

It seems absolutely unbelievable that just a few weeks ago snow was still three feet high all around the boat. In just a short time, the temps have gone from the 30’s and 40’s to the 60’s and there is virtually no sign of the record snowfalls we have had this winter. In such a short time, we have completed our short list of the things that HAD to get done before the boat went in the water, got the boat ready, removed all of the shrink wrap, got the boat back in the water, moved  out of the house we have been house-sitting for the winter and moved back aboard the boat. We have to wonder if these past four months have just been a bad dream. We are some happy boaters to be back on board.

The Winter Trawler Blues

Just what do you do when the snow accumulation has reached a record 80 inches in the Chesapeake region and you can't even get to the road to the marina, let alone on board the boat? Not much, but there are a few things than can be done away from the boat. Before all of the snow started we brought some of the drawers home that were really bad so we could refinish them. We had also started to renovate the renovated shower in the forward head. But the three page todo list before the boat is to go back in the water has not seen one item checked off. And based on the forecasts for the future, we will need to prioritize to get the items that MUST be done prior to launch. Obviously several things will have to wait until haul out next year, and lots of items will get done after the boat goes back in the water. Typically we try and do all of the tasks that would be really inconvenient while we are aboard, after the boat is hauled out for the winter and we are living ashore. With this historic weather we probably will not accomplish much this time.

Installing A Power Inverter

There may still be cruisers out there that light their way with oil lamps, use a bucket instead of a head and sail without a motor, but in 18 years of cruising we have not met them. Today, most cruisers are like us, preferring to take the comforts and conveniences of life ashore with them when they cast off the dock lines to sail off into the sunset. Long ago we made the decision to cruise in comfort and not turn our sailing trips into a camp out on the water. This meant we would need a means to power our small appliances, power tools and entertainment devices. There is more than one way to accomplish the same end depending on the level of your power consumption and what your budget might be. For us the requirements were simple. The cost needed to be kept down, the system needed to be as simple as possible, and we needed to be able to install and maintain it ourselves. Additionally, it should not interfere with our piece and quiet, or that of our neighbors. OK, maybe not so simple after all.

Backstage At The Boat Show

Often ones first introduction to boating is at one of the many, many boat shows that are staged around the country almost anytime of the year. Some of the largest are in-the-water shows in Annapolis, Miami/Fort Lauderdale and several other venues in coastal cities and inland waterways. But there are quite a few others that are held in convention centers, stadiums and coliseums in cities both large and small. When the doors open and the first of thousands of folks walk through the door, the boats are gleaming and polished, the booths are dressed for customers and the sales folks have practiced their presentations.

Home From The Show

We are back home from the Stuart Cruiser's Expo Show and it is always good to be home but we sure enjoyed the great weather (read warm) and the opportunity to spend some time with a lot of current and future cruisers. This is pretty much a power boat cruiser's show but there were a few sailors there also. We heard from several other venders that the show did not have the same attendance as in past years but we found it to be a good show from our perspective so we look forward to doing it again. We were at the Waterway Guide booth through most of the weekend. We met a lot of folks and sold a lot of Waterway Guides.

On Friday I gave a seminar on cruising the Carolinas and it seemed to be well received. We talked about and covered side trips to many small towns that can be visited off the ICW by boat and how these trips make great alternative stops and cruising grounds. Capt. Chris Caldwell also joined in and gave a brief presentation on one of his favorite routes along Croaton Sound and how it can be used as an alternative to the ICW route. On Friday evening there was a cocktail and hor'dourves party and I was asked to be the Keynote Speaker. It was a fun speech and kept short since everyone was having too good a time to listen to a speaker for very long. There was lots of socializing and tall tales going around the room for hours. The sponsors and organizers put on a great spread and did a fine job for the entire weekend. We really enjoyed it and hope we will be participating again next year. The immediate future will have us perhaps at the Trawlerfest in Ft. Lauderdale, The Miami Boatshow, and for sure the MTOA Rendezvous in St. Augustine in April. I plan to give a talk on cruising Cuba at the MTOA event.





For now, it is back to work to fatten the bank account and get the cruising kitty built up. We have lots of expensive equipment to buy and install so this may be one of our longest work stops yet. We are having a great time with the new jobs and spending much more time with family, so other than the winter and the cold, there is not too much to complain about. But I will anyway.

Goodbye 2009 and Hello 2010

For those of you expecting another post on new equipment or anything else boating related, you can log off now. It has been an interesting year to say the least. We have made many changes, some planned and some totally unexpected. But in the end we believe they will all be good changes and we don't regret any of them, well almost. Let me just say that our philosophy has changed considerably over the years and we have taken a more optimistic approach to the things that happen in our lives. Not too long ago, a loss of a job or changes in our circumstances would have had us energizing ourselves to correct the situation and make it conform to our plans. But something happened and I can't put my finger on just when the transition took place, or what the defining moment was. We came to the realization that if we looked closely at unfolding events, instead of trying to steer them in the direction we chose, we would see a different path open up that in the end was the proper direction for us. We were enjoying life in South Carolina and had settled in and things were not great but pretty good. Suddenly we found ourselves in the middle of a major recession with neither of us having a job and no prospects for the immediate future. Most folks might panic in a situation like this. But we have positioned ourselves financially to be in pretty good shape and our cruising lifestyle has kept us in a debt free state, or close to it, and the constant practice of filling the cruising kitty keeps us fairly fluid. When the job Susan had in Beaufort came to an end, and no viable employment looked available, then we considered our options. We could stay and tough it out, not our first choice. We could head south for warmer weather, but the economic situation in that area was not looking great either. Or we could head north where we had a good support system and lots of contacts with a greater potential for employment. The logical conclusion, and all of the sign posts, pointed us to the road north. This was not our favorite choice mostly because after more than 15 years in the tropics and subtropics, northern winters were not particularly inviting.

Winterizing The Boat

Those are words I never thought I would hear myself say again, but never say never. We realized when we decided to come back to the Chesapeake for a while that we would once again have to deal with owning a boat in the cold north. We also realized that if we came north it would be the coldest, snowiest winter on record. The decision was made the last time we were here, to not live aboard the boat in the winter months. It was just too much of a hassle and too uncomfortable for us after more than 15 years living in the subtropics. We were fortunate enough to find a good house sitting position for some nice folks that spend the winters in warmer climates like we should be doing. Their schedule worked nicely with ours for hauling the boat and then relaunching in the spring. So with that in mind, when December first arrived, we began the move off process and winterized the boat, most of it done prior to the haul out.

Mystical Water Heater and Engine Hoses

Yes, that is correct, I did say a mystical, some might say magical hot water heater. It all started several years ago onboard our Mariner 40 sailboat Sea Trek. Our 6 or 7 year old hot water heater had developed a leak which we could not stop so we ordered a replacement of the exact same model and configuration, not wanting to re-plumb and rewire everything. On the day the replacement arrived, the existing hot water heater stopped leaking and is still in the boat, working fine several years later after we sold her last year. Just a few months ago on our trip up the ICW from Beaufort, South Carolina to the Chesapeake, we stopped in Southport so Susan could rent a car and drive to Maryland for a job interview. While at the marina in Southport, I discovered the existing hot water heater in Beach House was leaking and the tank was pretty rusted on the outside. The magical hot water heater that we have been carrying around for several years was in the back of our van, at a friend's house in Maryland, waiting for us to arrive. I called Susan and asked her to stop by the van and pick up the water heater since I feared the one on Beach House might fail on us along the way. Since we had this as a spare, it should be with us on the boat. Well sure enough, as soon as she returned to the boat with this water heater, the old unit immediately stopped leaking without us even touching it. We finished the trip to the Chesapeake and after a month or more the water heater still showed no signs of leaking.

When Is Towing a Boat, Not "Towing" a Boat?

Today’s recreational boater is as likely to leave the dock with a paid towing insurance policy on hand as they would a VHF radio. The commercial towing industry for recreational boating is big business today and many boaters, in an attempt to defray significant expenses should they need assistance, are looking to companies like Towboat US and Sea Tow to come to the rescue if they need it. But do you really know what is covered, what is not and what your responsibilities will be in these “rescues”? Many of these policies have different levels of coverage and deductibles, just as your auto or home owners insurance might. It is to your benefit to ask questions before you buy these policies, read them carefully and have all of your questions answered long before you might need the service. Not all policies are the same and in the end they can be a savior or they can cost you or your insurance company a substantial sum.

Our Cruise Wrap-Up

Sorry for the delays in our postings lately, but life has been coming at us rather quickly since we arrived in the Chesapeake. We try and do a recap of each of our cruises and some thoughts on the equipment we have installed and used along the way. We departed Beaufort, South Carolina at 7:25 AM on the 14th of September and arrived at our slip in Pasadena, Maryland at 5:00 PM on the 6th of October covering a total of 753 statute miles, according to the trip log on our chart plotter. We only anchored nine times on this trip, and used marinas three different times for a total of ten days. Six of those days were to deal with repairs and four were to rent a car and drive north to take care of business. We also tied to the free seawall at Great Bridge, Virginia for one night. We motored for a total of 106 hours, added 150 gallons of fuel to our tanks in Beaufort and another 168 gallons in Great Bridge, but we could have made it to Pasadena on the fuel we had. The low cost at Atlantic Yacht Basin was the reason we topped the tanks off. We knew we would pay much more as we headed north. We still have 225 gallons in the tank now so our fuel burn rate was approximately 2.3 gallons per hour or approximately 1/3 gallon per mile. This is about what we expected to use running our Ford Lehman 120 hp engine at an average rate of 1800 rpms.

Deltaville, VA to Pasadena, MD

As expected, the weather forecast was as confusing in the morning as it was the night before. So we weighed anchor and stuck our nose out into the Bay. As we rounded Stingray Point and crossed the Rappahannock the west winds that were forecast were out of the northeast, right on our nose. The forecast called for 10 to 15 with gusts to 20. We checked the buoy reports and the winds were all pretty much in the 8 knot range so we pressed on. Our biggest concern was crossing the Potomac since it is ten miles across and can develop some pretty big waves. The wind against the current was also going to make it a bumpy ride. We had a fall back plan to head into Reedville, Virginia if the going really got rough. As we passed the Rappahannock Spit light and set a waypoint for Smith Point, the southern end of the Potomac, the winds continued to clock on our nose but the speed remained constant. The swells however, were getting larger. By the time we reached Smith Point, it was pretty uncomfortable pounding into the swells and whitecaps were everywhere. These are the conditions we usually stay in port for.

Great Bridge, VA to Deltaville, VA

We gathered all of our weather info at the end of the evening and decided not to decide where we would go the next day. We were up at our usual time and analyzed the weather info again. True to form, it had changed from the night before and actually looked much better than we expected. So we caught the 7:00 AM lock opening and headed for Norfolk. There were discussions about the Gilmerton Bridge being closed for construction but after a call to the bridge tender and radio contact with the tug working the bridge we determined there would be no delay. The next bridge past the lock is Steel Bridge and we arrived minutes before its scheduled opening. As we approached the Gilmerton Bridge, the barge was tied to the bridge wall and the bridge itself was open. We transited with no problems and headed through Norfolk.

Adams Creek, NC to Great Bridge, VA

We have done the ICW so many times that we pretty much know from day to day where we want to be and where we plan to anchor or at which marina we want to stop for the night. But we still also like to try and find new spots, especially since we are no longer burdened with a six foot draft to limit access. After we have anchored or docked for the evening, had showers and dinner and are ready to relax, we still take the time to get out the charts and and plan the next days run and where we want to wind up. Included in our plans are fall back points in case of problems, weather or whatever and also fall forward points in case things go better than planned. We always say our plans are written in the sand at low tide.

Southport, NC to Adams Creek, NC

Two of our good friends that we have known for many years pulled into the marina across the dock from us on Saturday afternoon. We had planned on leaving Saturday after we dropped off the rental car, but the weather had turned to, well let’s say crap. It was raining and blowing so we decided to spend another day at the marina. After all, this is supposed to be fun. The rain came down in buckets all day and this would make a trip up the Cape Fear River a very unpleasant experience. As our friends arrived late in the afternoon, their first remark was, “you made a good decision”. They had a pretty uncomfortable day and were pretty wet and tired. But after a short rest we had a very nice dinner on their boat and caught up on what was happening with us and them. They had been at the same marina that we had been in Beaufort, but left for a trip up to Norfolk and were now heading back south. It is always good to meet up with friends unexpectedly and share a good meal.

Myrtle Beach, SC to Southport, NC

The Coquina Yacht Club is really one of our recommended stops if a marina is in your plans. The staff are great people, former cruisers, the facilities are well protected, the WiFi works, the showers, restrooms and lounge are spotless, and you can always find someone willing to give you a ride to the grocery or where ever you need to go. One night is really not enough to enjoy it but that was all we were able to stay. The weather was still a bit less than we would have liked to see, and as we got under way the next morning it was indeed raining. But we needed to go anyway and we were once again only doing about 30 or more miles to our next stop. Now we really don't usually do these short days but circumstances were slowing us down. Susan received a call from an organization in Baltimore that wanted her to come in for an interview THIS WEEK and Of course we had almost no notice. We would have stayed in Coquina but the rental car companies near by were less than easy to deal with, would not pick us up and want ridiculous charges for mileage and her trip would be close to 1,000 miles round trip. If we headed to Southport we could get a rental from the same companies to pick her up, give her a car and no mileage charges, only daily rates. So off we went, rain and all.

Georgetown, SC to Myrtle Beach, SC

The new alternator arrived a little after 11:30 AM and by 1:00 PM it was installed and checked out just fine. Since it was a newer version of the same unit we had, a few modifications were needed for both the wiring and mounting. One big plus was that the new unit registers the amps it puts out on our battery monitor. For whatever reason, the old unit did not. The service tech came by the boat and was less than friendly about returning the alternator he ordered and not having him install the new one.  By 1:20 PM we had readied ourselves and the boat and were shoving off from the dock. The skies were blue, crystal clear, the breeze was up and it was a beautiful day. Much different from the gray skies and drizzle that we had off and on yesterday. It was really good to get under way again. This whole fiasco had been a four day delay, not to mention the additional dockage we had to pay just because someone made a mistake and wouldn't admit it. The old adage is correct, if you want something done right, do it yourself.

Still In Georgetown

The strainer glass (plastic) arrived right on time and it took only minutes to install. Good news, it did not leak. Bad news, the alternator that was sent to us had the wrong size pulley for the belt. The tech specifically told the alternator company what size we needed for the belt, 1/2 inch and they sent 3/8 instead. Now they are saying they won't take it back even though it is not what we ask for. As soon as I find out the name of the company that shipped it I will post it so you can be sure and avoid them. The Service Tech will be here tomorrow and hopefully we can work things out between he and I. In the mean time, once again, American Diesel has saved the day. Brian is shipping a replacement alternator overnight, except no one overnights to Georgetown on Saturdays, and we will have it on Monday. This will be a further delay, but what can you do. We have found all too often over the years that suppliers often make these kinds of mistakes and refuse to own up to their mistakes. Those that do get repeat business from us and many others. Those that don't, we try to let others know, so they can avoid the same problems and hassles we have to deal with. Because of the suppliers mistake we will have to pay additional dockage for three days waiting for parts and delay our trip for the same amount of time. The folks here at the Boat House Marina have done all they can to try and help. BTW, they did get the WiFi working as promised. It looks like we will be enjoying the hospitality of Georgetown for a couple of more days.

Minim Creek to Georgetown, SC

Living and cruising on a boat is not for the faint of heart or anyone with a lack of perseverance or good problem solving skills. That is unless you have large sums of money to afford a crew, engineer, and full time mechanic. For us it is perseverance and ingenuity and not much else. In the past we have always noted that we almost never have just one problem.

Our plan was to head for Georgetown, about 15 miles north, to deal with the alternator and to sleep in a bit since the distance was so short. But neither of us were able to sleep late and found ourselves up before the sun anyway. A quick breakfast and before starting our usual routine, we made a couple more checks on the alternator. We also spoke with Brian at American Diesel just in case we overlooked something. Brian suggested we bypass the the oil pressure switch which activates the alternator in case the switch was bad. This would cause the alternator to not activate. We gave it a try but no joy, so we prepared to get under way. About that time the lines on the head decided to blow apart, we can only surmise a clog caused this. So we had to reassemble the hoses and clean up before we got under way.

Stono River, SC to Minim Creek, SC

We had a very quiet evening anchored on the Stono River. We were up at 6:00 AM and ready to get underway by 7:00 AM. Before we get underway each day we go through a regular routine. All fluids in the engine are checked and topped off if needed. The battery levels and water levels are checked, fuel and water in the tanks are noted in the log and the electronics and bilge pumps are checked, as well as noting the engine hours before we fire up the engine. We check the local weather reports and make notes of the expected forecast, which is usually wrong. We also acquire any weatherfax, wind and wave forecasts and reports and whatever else we can get. These we use more than the forecasts to determine when and where we move. It sounds like a lot but it gets done quickly and usually takes us about 1/2 hour. Then we can fire up the engine, haul up the anchor and get under way. Our newly installed wash down system did a fine job of cleaning the anchor rode, chain and anchor.