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From the Commander
Cdr William (Billy) H. Lynes, AP

The United States Power Squadrons version of A to Z is formed around the USPS Triangle.

One side of this symbol is Self Education. Under the tireless guidance and coordination of Squadron Educational Officer Lt/C Steve Rawe, SN a nearly continuous offering of a full slate of educational courses is available from our Educational Department. Many of our members have taken advantage of this side of our triangle. This is only possible with the continuing dedication of a full slate of very capable instructors. Also in this department is our Boating Courses. These public boating courses provide our members an excellent opportunity to overlap into another side of the triangle, Civic Service. Thank you Steve and instructors for providing us all with this opportunity.

Our Civic Service is manifested through our Executive Department and our Administrative Department in many ways. The Safe Boating Booth at boat shows, the Adopt-A-Chart program, geodetic marker recovery, vessel safety checks, Beach Sweep/River Sweep, participation in the safe boating council and National Safe Boating Week are some of the ways Executive Officer Lt/C Steve Yeomans, P and Administrative Officer Lt/C Vince Lombardo, S have guided the Charleston Power Squadron in its commitment to Civic Service. With all of these worthwhile projects and programs under their cognizance these two officers need to rely heavily upon their respective committees and committee chairpersons. Too many times these officers have had the added burden of carrying out many task that are available for our members to help with. Unending thanks to the Executive Officer and the Administrative Officer and their respective committee chairpersons for carrying a large portion of the load of the Charleston Power Squadron.

No organization can function reliably without a dependable and trustworthy secretary and treasurer. With the expert help and guidance of Secretary Lt/C "Cat" Yeomans, P and Treasurer Lt/C Cindy Kridler, AP the duties of this commander have been greatly enhanced. I cannot thank the Secretary and the Treasurer enough for their tireless attention to all of the details that literally keep the squadron sailing. Certainly this, The Palmetto Log, under the helm of Lt John VanWay, SN is an integral component of the sailing of the ship Charleston Power Squadron. Thank you John and a double thanks for putting up with the missed deadlines.

Stretching my deadline for this months article gives me an opportunity to comment on the D/26 Fall Conference and Change of Watch hosted this past month by the Charleston Power Squadron. I cannot begin to find the words to adequately express my heartfelt thanks to P/C Boo Ward, JN for her tireless and professional organization of this monumental event. A great time was had by all, I think, so the entire committee deserves the thanks of the entire squadron. The eyes of our national organization were on this event with our children oriented activities as an integral part of the entire program. The Charleston Power Squadron did an outstanding job in this regard and I hope this is the beginning of a way to handle these events in the future.

Wham! This Commander's year started out last November at WOT (wide open throttle) with the filming of a segment of the National Safe Boating Test right here in Charleston. The eyes of National were on us then and we received high-level praise for our efforts. Bam! The throttles are still all the way down and the eyes of National are upon us once again for this family oriented district event we just hosted. I believe we have achieved the same results.

In between wham and bam our whole squadron year magically happened. Thanks to all of our dedicated and faithful members.

With all these activities transpiring we have certainly maintained the traditions of the United States Power Squadrons and we have shored up the base of our USPS Triangle and fraternal boating club. And we have changed the things we could, as with the children oriented activities for our District 26 Fall Conference and Change of Watch. In my acceptance speech last year I promised to do my best. I am now in a position to know that the Charleston Power Squadron has also done their collective best. Please volunteer to chair or serve on a committee of your newly elected bridge officers. This keeps us at our best to maintain the traditions of The United States Power Squadrons.

EDUCATIONAL OFFICER
Lt/C Steve Rawe, N

Steve Kromer, AP will assume the duties of Squadron Education Officer for the coming year. Steve is quite capable and I am sure that he will continue to enhance membership participation in our courses. He has already suggested several innovative changes including on-boat instruction for several of our courses. Having a fifty-foot trawler no doubt will aid in this endeavor.

John Patten, SN will become the assistant Squadron Education Officer. Carol Pelow, AP has done an outstanding job in conducting the Boating and Boat Smart courses. John and Steve will continue her strong educational commitment. I know that all squadron members will provide assistance in the implementation of these courses.

The Spring Educational Courses will commence on 7 and 8 January 2002. The following courses will be offered:

Seamanship Marine Electronics
Advanced Piloting Sailing 101 and 102
Cruise Planning Junior Navigation

EXECUTIVE OFFICER
Lt/C  J. Stephen Yeomans, P

First of all, I would like to thank those members who gave so generously to the "Replace-A-Table" fund over the course of the past two months. Due to their generosity, we now have seven replacement tables for the headquarters building. These are MUCH lighter than the particleboard units we have been using (you know, the ones that have been falling apart) and are still 8' in length. I think everyone will be pleased with them. Note that our goal was ten tables total, so if you have not been able to contribute for whatever reason, we still are in need. Please see Lt/C Cindy Kridler, AP or me for more information. Each table is approximately $85.00 including tax.

Speaking of upgrades to the headquarters building, I would like to put a call out for anyone (and everyone) who is handy with some basic tools. Hopefully, by the time this is published, I will have replaced that pane of glass in the women's room, but there are other tasks that need to be addressed. Please see me (or call me, or e-mail me) if you can be of service for just one or two days.

The November cruise is our annual Adopt-a-Chart cruise, and it looks to be a great time on the water. Historically our last official on-water cruise of the year, the Adopt-a-Chart cruise is being planned so that as many people as possible can be out on the water. Captains looking to have their boat participate need to let P/C Mike Page, P know as soon as possible.

What a year! Congratulations to EVERYBODY. As usual, just about the time I start figuring out what I'm supposed to be doing, it's time to move on and give it to someone else. We still have things coming up and more fun to have before the end of the year, but I wanted to say thank you to everybody for all the help provided in this last year. You all know who you are. Without the help of many persons, I would have not seen the functions of the Administrative Officer accomplished as well as they were. This includes the entire squadron, since all levels of assistance, participation and attendance are necessary for successful squadron functions.

The oyster roast at Toad Hall will be over before this comes out, but I am certain will be a very good time for all. The next ExCom and membership meetings will be missed by Loretta and me since we will be vacationing in California at that time, so we will miss the good time and voting. Don't forget about Mike Page's Cooperative Charting Cruise on Saturday, 17 November. This will be a very well planned outing that should be fun and educational for all who participate. You don't have to have a boat since crew persons for many responsibilities will be needed.

Make plans NOW for the upcoming Change of Watch on 8 December for reflections of the past, promises of the new, and lessons learned to be used to create a brighter 2002 for Charleston Power Squadron.

Before I close - Please let me say THANK YOU to everyone who had anything to do with the District 26 Conference and Change of Watch. What do you say to a group of people who come together, create a plan, implement the plan and come up with a program reaching a level of success that will not soon be equaled by anyone. Heartfelt congratulations to all involved.

Thank you all for a wonderful year, Vince and Loretta.

First I want to thank all the members who have been so supportive of my efforts to try some new ideas for meetings and programs. I am grateful for your appreciation and kind words. I'm confident the next meetings chair will take us to new levels of creativity.

Our November meeting is the Annual Meeting and Elections for the squadron. To keep the focus on the serious work to be done, we'll have dessert only. Please bring your favorite dessert, with a serving utensil, and prepare to forget the diet for one evening! Service of dessert will begin at 1930. Coffee will be available.

"Mark!" is the timekeeper's call to the observer to record depth of a bottom reading during a cooperative charting exercise. The boat captain holds a predetermined course and speed. An observer reads depths, either electronically or by lead line. And the recorder notes on a soundings chart the time and depth of each reading. This is the essence of charting depths in navigable waters as a part of our commitment to NOAA to assist in keeping nautical charts up-to-date.

All of us want to contribute to our community and the boating fraternity. I feel that participation in Cooperative Charting is one of the greatest opportunities we have to make a difference. Not only do we get to practice what we have learned in our courses, our efforts are as a team of people who have taken the power squadron oath to promote safety on the water.

The cooperative charting weekend will begin with a captains' meeting at headquarters at 1800 on 16 November 2001. Captains will be given packages that contain a chart section they and their crews will check. In the package will be soundings sheets, a chart section, instructions for charting work, and a USPS/NOAA reporting form, known by its form number, 77-4.

On the morning of the 17th, each captain will assemble his or her crew at a rendezvous point that best suits their assignment and begin their charting work. The time and place of beginning will be up to each team. I suggest, however, that crews start early since waters can get choppy as the day progresses. Plan ahead for proper dress. A mild day in the high 50s can be very uncomfortable on an open boat if you are not dressed for the exposure and the wind. We will complete our outing rain or shine unless conditions are unsafe for boats and crews. If the weather is simply awful on Saturday, we will do our charting on Sunday instead.

Each crew needs an onboard or handheld GPS if at all possible. A reliable depth sounder is much easier and more reliable that soundings taken by lead line. A stopwatch is needed for recording times. Each crew should have a supply of pencils and a clipboard to hold the soundings sheets. Throw in binoculars and a camera, and you will have all you need.

If you have not yet signed up, please call me, Mike Page, at 762-7576 or 324-8049.

A recent incident in tidal waters indicates that a boater's responsibility and being a good boater do not always share common goals. Regardless of the size of the vessel, the captain must always designate a lookout to stand watch or assign these duties to the helmsman. With a vessel underway, there should be no question about the absolute control of a vessel, or the presence of a lookout.

In the incident in question a small boat with a fishing party on board observed a fast moving large vessel approaching their position. The large vessel made no attempt to alter course. The smaller vessel was passed by the larger vessel and was reported by the smaller one. The persons on the small vessel stated that had they been directly in the path of the oncoming large vessel and that that they were passed with little clearance. Unfortunately, that was not the end of the incident. Ten miles further south, another small 20' vessel was engaged in fishing with four persons on board. The larger vessel again did not attempt to circumnavigate the smaller vessel.

One person on the smaller vessel noted that the larger was bearing down on their position. The other persons on the small boat assumed that the larger vessel would alter course to avoid them. By the time the large vessel closed on the smaller one, a collision was imminent. The operator of the smaller vessel attempted to start the engine, but was unsuccessful. The large vessel ran over the top of the smaller vessel, resulting in the death of all but one person. Later, it was reported that no one appeared to be at the helm or anywhere on deck of the large vessel. Only after the large vessel struck the smaller one, did the captain of the large vessel realize that a collision occurred and he stopped to render assistance.

Many good things were said about the skills and experience of the operator of the large vessel, however standard vessel operating procedures were not followed. Remember that a lookout on a vessel is not optional, but required by law. By not following the rules, lives were lost needlessly. The lookout task was important on the smaller boat as well. Making assumptions about the actions of other vessels should not be done. Evasive action is required if a collision may result.

From Classroom Topics, posted on the US Coast Guard Auxiliary web site at http://www.cgaux.org/cgauxweb/memframe.htm

Be sure to visit the new site of
COMMANDER BOB'S BOATING SAFETY NOTEBOOK
http://www.commanderbob.com/

Last year, while conducting a Vessel Safety Check on a boat that had just completed a 150-mile run from the south, to the owner's dismay I discovered that NOT ONE of his several fire extinguishers was in working condition.

If you choose not to have a commercial firm inspect and tag your fire extinguishers you may do it yourself. First, read the label for instructions. The following applies to pressurized dry chemical fire extinguishers, the ones most commonly used on motorboats.

-Remove it from its bracket. Examine it carefully for evidence of corrosion, especially under the bracket, around the seams and at the neck. If there is any sign of corrosion, discard the unit; it will develop a leak. If it has a gauge, make sure the needle is in the GREEN or OK zone. Don't be misled if it is almost in the green zone. A properly charged extinguisher will have the needle in the green zone no matter how cold or hot it is. It may be on the low side if very cold and on the high side if very warm, but if it is out of the green zone discard it or have it serviced professionally. The gauges are constructed so the pressure in it may be down completely even though the needle is not very far out of the safe zone.

-CO2, HALON, FE241 and other extinguishers with replacement compounds for HALON must be weighed annually to assure that the minimum weight is as stated on the extinguisher label. These units must be inspected and tagged by a recognized authority within one year of the VSC. Pressure gauges on this type of fire extinguisher are not accurate indicators that they are full.

-Carbon dioxide extinguishers have a safety pin and seal to prevent accidental discharge. If the pin or seal is missing, it is considered to be empty until weighed and then resealed. Carbon dioxide extinguishers have a pressure relief valve that will release the contents if the unit is heated above 130 degrees F. Obviously then, direct exposure to the sun, especially in tropical climates, is to be avoided. A ruptured safety relief gives no visual evidence of the loss of the agent. This can be determined only by weighing.

You should inspect your extinguisher gauges and seals every time you use your boat. If you live where there are Mud Wasps (mud daubers), be wary; they build nests in nozzles and discharge horns, making the unit totally unusable.

By Charles B. Ford, BC-OSS, USCG Auxiliary

Our squadron has just hosted the District 26 Fall Conference and Change of Watch. Those of us who attended had the opportunity of congratulating the outgoing district bridge on a job well done, and offering congratulations to the incoming bridge and wishing them the best of luck for the coming year.

The Charleston Power Squadron will be celebrating its Change of Watch on 8 December. I would encourage every member of CPS to attend. Again, there is the opportunity of congratulating the outgoing bridge and wishing the best for the incoming bridge. This is one chance for the members to not only congratulate the outgoing bridge, but also to thank them for the time and effort put into their jobs; the time and effort needed to maintain the squadron as a functioning body. Other than personal satisfaction, there are only two forms of payment our outgoing officers receive, the thanks of the members and a merit mark.

In 1945 when I was fifteen, my brother, Henry, fourteen, and good friend, Padgett Postell, same age, stocked up our eighteen foot cuddy cabin sloop, SCUD, built on Adgers Wharf in 1936 by Mike Bonoit. Carefully we got several cans of Vienna sausage, at least six Pepsi-Colas, a good jar of peanut butter, and some saltine crackers, plus potted meat. We had enough provisions to see us probably around the world, and we could always sleep in comfort in the cabin on the sails. Of course there were no bunks, and no head or cooking facilities, but we didn't need any of that, we were completely self-sufficient. Ice holding coolers had not yet been invented at that time, but the drinks were not bad anyway.

We were headed south on the Waterway, down past Church Flats, and on out into Yonges Island Sound, where we passed beautiful Frances Towles, sun-bathing on her dock, although not incompletely attired. Her bathing suit was nice, though, even sparking some interest from fourteen-fifteen year olds. But we didn't have time to stop, only wave, and continued on our important journey of discovery. We had never been this far from home, to the South, with all its great mysteries. We had to move on, time was marching on.

Finally darkness fell, as it often does in the evening, and we found ourselves sailing with a dying wind, into an ever-narrowing creek as it turned out. Anyway we concluded, what with the gnats and all, it was probably time to anchor until daylight. Following a hardy dinner of Vienna sausage and Pepsi's, well lit by our trusty pressure pumped Coleman lamp which also helped warm the cabin, we laid the sails out on each side of the center-board box and the three of us somehow went right to sleep.

When daylight broke, the young adventurers discovered the error of their navigation of the night before by sailing up a blind (dead end) creek. Oars were broken out, the sturdy vessel poled out of the creek and soon the sails were again up and pulling us into open water, still heading South

After several hours sailing, with wind light and tide running against us, we sighted the White Point Beacon, just as dark was again falling. With only a fairly short anchor line, we reasoned the safest spot to spend our second night would be to tie off on the beacon, which we skillfully did. Fortunately no Waterway traffic disturbed our rest that night and we awoke to a wonderful discovery. Directly down the North Edisto (as we later learned was the name of that river) we could see the magnificent North Atlantic Ocean. Sailing down the four miles left to the ocean was no problem because the fast ebb tide was running with us, even though the wind was still light.

When we reached the mouth of the river at Deveaux Bank, we decided to head back, but the tide had us in its grip and we were going backwards, out to sea!! Fortunately, again, the government came to our rescue, with another buoy, just at the right time and place for us to grab onto. Padgett made the lucky grasp, and secured our trusty anchor line to the buoy, but he was the first one to get seasick after the first hour, hanging in the ebb tide on that helpful buoy, in the gentle ocean swell.

Finally the tide changed, and the breeze sprang up, giving us a welcome push that day all the way home just as dark was falling for the third time on our great adventure of exploration when we discovered the North Atlantic Ocean.