!
H
S
A
L
P
S
United States Power Squadrons®
Port Huron Sail and Power Squadron
A VIEW FROM THE BRIDGE
December, 2016
As this article has to be out early in December, I can't comment on the
results of our Annual Meeting and Christmas Party. I will see you get all of
the information as soon as possible.
For Thanksgiving the old song says “Over the river and through the
woods to Grandma's house we go”. I am sure many of us did that or others came to visit us. The mode of transportation was likely cars, planes or
trains not horses. In any case I hope you all had a great time especially
when you think of all the things we are privileged to be thankful for.
Cdr Donald Mortimer, P
Almost before we can imagine it will be Christmas and then New Years.
Donna and I wish each and every one of you a very Merry Christmas and
a Happy New Year.
Don't forget our Executive Meeting in January, our Sunday get together
at the Zebra and our Change of Watch at the Dorsey House. Make your
plans now.
Cdr Donald, Mortimer, P
Inside this issue:
Nov Second Sunday
Administrative Officer Rpt.
Education Officer
Safety Report
Change of Watch
Calendar
Next General Meeting
Your 2016 Flag Officers
Commander
Executive Officer
SEO
Administrative Officer
Secretary
Treasurer
Asst. Treasurer
CDR Donald Mortimer
Lt/C Wayne Hastings, AP
Lt/C Richard Haas, AP
Lt/C Jay C. Montgomery, AP
P/C Lucrecia Ferriby, AP
P/C Robert Frohm, AP
P/C Dennis Raetzel, AP
810-984-2424
734-718-1113
810-320-6720
586-293-9311
810-633-9256
810-385-5025
810-650-4414
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
Page 2SPLASH!
Page
2 !
Splash
November 13 : Second Sunday at the Zebra Bar
Pollock Randall Funeral Home Inc.
910 Lapeer Avenue
Port Huron, MI 48060
1200 Michigan Avenue
Marysville, MI 48040
(810) 982-0179
(810) 364-7100
Fax (810) 982-1118
Fax (810) 364-3797
Pollockrandallfuneralhome.com
marysvillefuneralhome.com
John W. Kendrick
Ann Randall-Kendrick
Barbara J. Randall
Splash!
Page 4
Lt/C Jay C. Montgomery, AP
Administrative Officer
AO Column for December, 2016 Splash
Our Second Sunday at the Zebra Lounge was well attended. Nineteen of us enjoyed a liquid refreshment or
two, good food and great fellowship. I took some photos but missed the prize-winning shot of some of our
members moving tables across the room so they could sit together. The evening ended with the view of the
Super Moon rising over the waterfront. There will not be a repeat of a Super Moon this big and this bright
until 2034!
THANKS to Len LaPorte who put together the 2017 calendar of announced events for the year.
Note that all future General Membership meetings will be held at the Squadron Headquarters.
I hope you will participate in all of these events listed below:
December 2, 2016
Annual Meeting and Christmas Party at the Maritime Center
Cost $24.00 per person for a full catered dinner and dessert.
Liquid refreshments (coffee, beer, wine and soft drinks) are included.
1800 Reception
1830 Annual Meeting
Election of Officers
Awards presentation
1900 Dinner
Christmas decoration exchange
December 13, 2016
Executive Committee at the Squadron.
NO SECOND SUNDAY OR GENERAL MEETING IN DECEMBER. Have a Merry Christmas!
HAPPY NEW YEAR 2017
January 10, 2017
Executive Committee at the Squadron. Meet the new Bridge Officers.
January 15, 2017
Second Sunday at the Zebra Lounge. (Yes, we know it is the third Sunday.)
Lt/C Jay C. Montgomery, AP
vSplash !
Page 3
Lt/C Richard A. Haas, AP
Educational Officer
Annual Report for 2016: We held 4 classes with a total of 31 students. We held the following classes:
Three America’s Boating Class with 21 students.
One Seamanship Class with 10 students.
However, the classes we offered and the number of students we reached would not have
been possible without the dedicated instructors we have in the squadron. I wish to thank
them for their hard work.
The United States Power Squadron has released another video for members on their new Digital Media Library. The new video is “Getting on Plane and Operating on Plane”. The website for the Digital
Media Library is: www.uspsdml.org.
Finally, the Education Department wishes you and your families a very Merry Christmas and a Happy
New Year.
Lt/C Richard A. Haas, AP
Splash !
Safety Report
Page 5
Lightning Protection
From Boatsafe.com
Even though the odds are in your favor that your boat may never be hit by lightning, if it happens it can have
devastating effects. Don't take a chance, protect yourself. If you are in a small boat and close to shore when a
thunderstorm approaches, get in and off the water immediately. Better yet, don't go out if thunderstorms are
predicted. But what if you are miles offshore and a storm pops up? Hopefully, you have prepared in advance.
The voltages involved in lightning are so high that even materials that would normally be considered nonconductive become conductors, including the human body. The voltages are so massive that if they start to
travel through a boat's structure - say through its mast - then meet with high resistance (for instance, the hull
skin) the current discharge, in its attempt to reach ground, may simply blow a hole in the non-conductive barrier. The safety conscious Captain should make sure that his vessel is properly protected. Reference should be
made in detail to the standards for lightning protection as set forth by the American Boat and Yacht Council
(ABYC) and the job should be performed by a licensed marine electrician.
In theory, a lightning protection system is used to create what is known as a "Faraday's cage," so called after
the late nineteenth-century scientist Michael Faraday. The principle of a Faraday's cage is to provide a surrounding, well-grounded, metal structure, in which all of parts are bonded together and carry the same electrical potential. Such a "cage" attracts and carries any lightning strike to ground much like lightning rods on
buildings. In other words, you need to provide an unobstructed way for the lightning to dissipate its energy
to ground (the water surrounding you). Faraday himself risked his own life to prove this theory. The additional benefit of a lightning protection system is that it tends to bleed off any charge build-up in the general vicinity, possibly averting a lightning strike in the first place.
So how does a lightning protection system work? In a boat, the "cage" is formed by bonding together, with
heavy conductors, the vessel's mast and all other major metal masses. A marine electrician must tie in the engines, stoves, air conditioning compressors, railings, arches etc. with a low resistance wire which would ultimately provide a conductive path to ground (the water) usually via the engine and propeller shaft, keel bolts,
or better yet, a separate external ground plate at least 1 square foot in dimension. It is important that you ensure that your crew falls within the protection of the "cage," something not always feasible when the vessel is
not built of steel or aluminum. On fiberglass or wooden boats it is advantageous to have a mast or other conductive metal protrusion extending well above the vessel, creating what is known as a "cone" or zone of protection.
It is generally accepted that this cone of protection extends 45 degrees, all around, from the tip of the metal
protrusion. This means that if the aluminum mast of the average sailing vessel is properly bonded to the vessel's other major metal masses and is given a direct, low-resistance conductive path to ground, the entire boat
should fall within the protected zone. If the vessel has a wooden or composite mast, a marine electrician can
achieve the same effect by installing a 6 to 12 inch metal spike at the top and running a heavy conductor
down the mast and as directly as possible to ground, usually through the engine and propeller shaft. Again,
refer to the ABYC standards and have a professional marine electrician install your lightning protection. This is
not a do-it-yourself project.
Respectfully yours,
P/C Mark S. Krainbrink, AP
Port Huron Sail and Power Squadron
Requests the pleasure of your company at the
73rd Change of Watch
In honor of
Commander-Elect Wayne Hastings, AP
On Tuesday, January 31, 2017
The Dorsey House
6008 Beard Road, Clyde, MI 48049
(810) 385-9793
thedorseyhouse.com
Commander’s Reception 6:00 PM
Buffet Style Dinner & Change of Watch 7:00 PM
Cost $35.00 per person
Cash Bar
USPS Blazer or Other Appropriate Attire
Guests Cordially Invited
_____________________________________________________________________
Please return your RSVP by January 22, 2017
P/C Dennis M. Raetzel, AP
3145 East Village Lane, Port Huron, MI 48060
810-650-4414; [email protected]
Splash !
Page 7
Page 9
Squadron Calendar
December 2016
02 December
Annual Meeting/Christmas Party
7:00pm
Maritime Center
13 December
Executive Committee Meeting
7:30pm
PHSPS HQ
10 January
Executive Committee Meeting
7:30pm
PHSPS HQ
15 January
“Second Sunday” (or the 3rd this month only) 4:00pm
Zebra Bar
31 January
Change of Watch*
Dorsey House
January 2017
6:00
6:00pm CDR’s Reception
6008 Beard Rd., Clyde Twp
7:00pm Dinner Buffet , Change of Watch ceremony
*See the announcement on page 6
“Splash !” is a publication of the Port Huron Sail and Power Squadron.
It is published 10 times per year, January through June and September
through December. Any submissions or questions can be sent to the Editor
Lt/C Mary Twiss at [email protected] or call 810/989-9604.
SPLASH!
619 River St
Port Huron, MI 48060
United States Power Squadrons®
Port Huron Sail and Power Squadron
619 River Street
Port Huron, Michigan 48060
Annual Meeting and Christmas Party
December 2, 2016
Maritime Center, Vantage Point
Water St. at the St. Clair River
Port Huron, MI
6:00pm
Reception
6:30pm
Annual Meeting, Election of
Officers, Awards Presentation
7:00pm
Dinner