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

Thank you to all the membership for voting to approve our amendments to our by-laws. The persevering P/C Dave O'Hanian, SN will now forward them to the USPS Committee on Rules for approval. Also a great big thank you to all the same members for the generous donations to buy new tables for our headquarters. I am also confident headquarters will be cooler next time over.

This should help encourage everyone to take advantage of the full slate of educational courses put together by Educational Officer Steve Rawe, SN and his staff of very capable instructors. This month we will have our Boat Smart Coarse at headquarters. Encourage all your boating friends and potential squadron members to attend.

The remainder of our power squadron year is full of all sorts of interesting and entertaining activities. We have had many pleasurable events to get us to this point. While there may be room for improvement in everything we do, one thing that we need to put some more effort into is our Adopt-a-Chart program. P/C Mike Page, AP and Administrative Officer Vince Lombardo, P have put a lot of effort into this program and are very knowledgeable in all of it's workings. I'm sure either one of them would be very happy to help us help our squadron with this important program. This is truly work that is fun. Don't we all need another excuse to be on the water? And geodetic marker recovery can be accomplished via land cruiser.

Now is the time to make a commitment to our District 26 Fall Conference and Change of Watch. Many tasks are in need of a member to agree to accept. Contact P/C Boo Ward, JN to volunteer to help Charleston Power Squadron make this the highlight of the District 26 year. Remember, we have planned to make many of the activities surrounding this event children oriented so lets all plan on a very friendly and family oriented event.

Henry (Hal) Bryan, Jr., AP, a former member of Charleston Power Squadron, crossed over the bar for the final time on Saturday, 18 August 2001. Known for his quick wit and eagerness to help others, Hal taught many classes on varied subjects including one on safety equipment in the Public Boating class. His 26' Regal, "Music Lady" was often seen at squadron raft-ups. Hal had retired from the Coca Cola Service Department and was predeceased by his wife, Barbara.

Past Commander Miller passed away on 1 August 2001 in Ft. Myers, Fl. He is survived by his wife Madeline, two sons, Robert and James, three grandchildren and one greatgrandchild. Contributions in lieu od flowers can be made to St. Vincent DePaul Catholic Church in Ft Myers.

Bob was the 1984 commander of CPS, the year that the mortgage was retired on our Headquarters building, and was very active in squadron activities. According to information supplied by P/Cs George Lee, SN and Hil Winters, SN Bob had a 38' power vessel which he kept at Buzzards Roost Marina. His wife Madeline, was bookkeeper at Buzzards Roost for several years.

Bob retired as Chief Petty Officer after 21 years in the U. S. Navy. During his career in WWII, he was on the original Yorktown when it was sunk and was aboard the USS Frankfort during the invasion of Normandy in 1944.

EDUCATIONAL OFFICER
Lt/C Steve Rawe, N

September marks the squadron's return to active educational events. A Boat Smart Course under the direction of Assistant SEO Carol Pelow, AP will be held at Squadron Headquarters. The course will be held on two successive Saturday mornings on 15 and 22 September. Registration will begin at 7:30 am and course instruction will be from 8:00 am till noon. All squadron members are urged to participate in this vital course.

The Fall Educational Session will begin on Monday, 10 September and Tuesday, 11 September. The initial organizing courses will begin at 1830 and subsequent courses will start at 1900.

See Educational Department link for the fall schedule.

EXECUTIVE OFFICER
Lt/C  J. Stephen Yeomans, P

Congratulations to everyone on two successful boat show presentations this year. We are always looking for more involvement, and this is a great way to serve without a lengthy commitment. We are working on our new booth, and would like input / help in this area. Anyone who knows of someone who makes professional signs and would be willing to donate his or her efforts please let me know. We also have new brochures and handouts from BOAT/U.S. for our presentations. They will be on display at the September membership meeting.

In Cooperative Charting news, we are going to put out a listing in the next Palmetto Log of points to check regarding our adopted chart. If you are out cruising on the weekend, please check on these points of interest. If you need any assistance filling out the required reporting paperwork, P/C Mike Page, P or Lt/C Vince Lombardo, P has offered their help in this area.

We are also working on securing PSA time on local Radio stations. 96 WAVE and 95 SX are two of our FM targets, as is 1250 and 730 on the AM band. Dan Moon on WTMA was suggested as a possible in-door for our message. If you can help in any way in this area, please contact me at (843) 869-7808. Lt/C Vince Lombardo, P is heading up an initiative with the Coast Guard to inform the public via television exposure. See the Administrative Officer's Report for more information.

The July cruise to Bohicket Marina was a mild success. With five boats and 27 people participating, it could have been attended much better. Good weather and good food should have wedged more people from their armchair. How can we increase the membership's involvement in our excellent cruising schedule? One suggestion was to have a Captain's Meeting a week or so before a cruise to see if we could find space on a boat for people who don't have one of their own. Also, cruises near lodging for people with small boats, so that they don't feel as though they have to make the run all the way back to a marina or boat landing late at night after cruising with the squadron all day. Think about this dilemma, and please make your thoughts heard, either at the meetings or call me at (843) 869-7808.

The Charleston Power Squadron's Change of Watch will be held at Tommy Condon's in downtown Charleston. This was the site of our 1998 Christmas Party, and I believe it was an excellent location. The price is REALLY right, the atmosphere very up-scale, and they can handle up to 70 of us. This is now reserved in our name for 8 December. It is going to be a very good time, so please make plans now to attend.

The Christmas Party will be held at the headquarters building this year, as it was two years ago. We had a wonderful time and great attendance before, and fully expect to again. It is scheduled for 13 December at 1830. Details will be furnished at September's membership meeting. It was suggested, and I agree, that the admission fee for this event should be donations to the Charleston food bank in the form of canned goods or other non-perishable items. This, too, will be addressed next month.

I am sure that everyone has seen the plaque honoring the members of this squadron who gave above and beyond to acquire this very building. It is hanging in the foyer, across from the classroom entrance. Occasionally the squadron has to call on its members for capital improvements or acquisitions. This building is, of course, a large example, but there are other, smaller, items that the budget simply can't afford but need attention anyway. At this month's Executive Committee Meeting, I asked the Commander and the members assembled if they believed that the folding tables we have should, in fact, be replaced. I feel this should be done for two reasons:

They are as heavy as the Mobjack.
They are literally falling apart.

We have gotten great service out of them, but each time we risk life and limb to move them and we have to vacuum the building out just to get rid of the wood-chip debris. We are using this building more than ever now, and I suggested that we should replace these tables with 8' plastic top units found at Office Depot. These units cost $89.00 each, and we had decided to try to purchase 6 to start with. The units are much lighter than our current tables, and are practically indestructible. I make it a habit not to ask for money from friends, but I believe that everyone also sees the need, and will dig as far as is comfortable into their wallet to help in this effort. The total amount needed is $572. We already have had some money donated at the last Executive Committee meeting. Please help.

The 13 September meeting will be held at the Coast Guard station on Tradd Street beginning at 1900. We'll have a tour of the facility (and perhaps one of the boats depending on what's in port) followed by a catered picnic. The meal will be served at about 1945 at the picnic grounds on the base. The cost is $12 per person all-inclusive. Please call me (Jane Orenstein) at 821-0233 by Sunday, 9 September to reserve your seat. As before, we need to ask your cooperation in understanding that if you sign up and don't show up, we'll be forced to ask you to pay. Our commitment to the caterer is firm prior to the date.

Looking ahead to the 11 October meeting, our local TV and Radio weatherman, Bill Walsh will speak to us. Probably an appropriate topic at the end of hurricane season! Details at the September meeting.

Please continue to give us your suggestions for venues and topics.

Hello friends. I wanted to remind everyone about the upcoming cruise to Beaufort, SC on 31 August - 3 September. If the trip has slipped your mind, call and reserve a slip right away (843-524-4422).

As always the city of Beaufort and its downtown marina have been a great place to relax on a long weekend. For those of you who have never been to Beaufort, it is best described as a small southern town that has escaped the hand of modern development by preserving her old homes and buildings. For those who desire to view the city's old homes and buildings can take the tour given by a company called "The Spirit of Old Beaufort" (843-525-0459).

A stay at the Downtown Marina will give the boater an option to visit the city's many fine restaurants, shops, and if necessary a Best Western (843-524-7433) is available within walking distance of the marina. If you need to venture away from the downtown area the marina usually has a 1-hour courtesy car available.

Although Beaufort is a relatively short run from Charleston, the distance is enough to feel like you have accomplished a well-planed cruise with minor challenges. As a Charleston native I have always enjoyed the family trips to Beaufort and Hilton Head upon my fathers boat "Our Dream". I have had many childhood adventures and therefore many good memories that I am sure we can all find on this trip for ourselves. As you venture to Beaufort I hope you will take the time to enjoy the many old homes, oaks, and grand marshes that line the waterway of our great state.

Let me know if I can help!
Lee Mims 553-7769

A recent incident in tidal waters indicate 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 nor 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

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

The Fall 2001 Governing Board Meeting will be held this month, 6-9 September in Little Rock. While there are a number of items that will be discussed, departmental reorganization will have a high priority.

Several revisions to the USPS Bylaws will be needed to allow some of the proposed changes to be made. For instance, in the process of combining two or three existing committees into one new committee, it is proposed to have a Rear Commander head the new committee with two or perhaps three Staff Commanders reporting to the Rear Commander. There now is no provision in the Bylaws to allow this to happen. The bylaws now discuss each committee having a Rear Commander and a Staff Commander.

There will also be a considerable amount of work to be done in organization of new committees and in staffing of new committees. Obviously, retaining existing committee members will probably be advantageous, but with changing committee responsibilities and duties, some staff reassigning will be needed. We will have to wait to see how this works out in the future.

The overall objective of reorganizing the departments is to improve efficiency, improve communications, and to cut expenditures. There will probably be a few problems associated with this reorganization that we may feel or notice at the squadron level. Please be patient and give the national organization time to work out a few glitches. We should all benefit from these changes....

FRED SAYS!

One month sailing the MOBJACK to Florida and the Bahamas was delightful and very interesting.
Not to mention the challenges, but many interesting navigation problems, shallow waters, all very
skillfully dealt with, and a successful return voyage with decisions, decisions, decisions, but anyway, even skirting a waterspout, managing to return to the Fair City and the olde dock at Toad Hall on the Stono.

Many old friends and some new interesting people, among them a nice fellow on his ten million-dollar yacht who gave us a royal tour. This poor lad grew up in the country of South Carolina where his late grandmother raised him, with barely enough food, none for lunch when all the other kids had theirs. His modern philosophy is now to share with as many as he can, and he does. He recently brought his 118 ft. boat back to Charleston and took a bunch of under-privileged black children out for a tour of the harbor.

So that brings us to the ultimate question: What are we here for??? Where did we come from, and more importantly, where are we going??? Well, these are thoughts that many of us ponder, sometimes for a long time, because the answers do not always come very clearly or quickly. Sharing is certainly one of the most important things we can do, and some of us are better able to do that than others, either through assets, or personality, and it is an attribute well worth our attention.

Inexorably the years seem to drift by, almost imperceptibly, and suddenly we find ourselves grown "OLD". Where have all the flowers gone, and where did the time go, and have we handled them responsibly? There goes old Bubba, he's three months younger than me, and was one of the city's top attorneys, but he can't remember his wife's name. And did you hear about old Joe, got diabetes, had one leg amputated below the knee and the other above. But he's doing fine, in the little 12x14 room and has a fine positive attitude. What about old George? Would you believe he's EIGHTY FOUR, and sharp as a tack. Dick's father is NINTY FOUR and still driving!!!

Perhaps we should be helping others, and isn't that what we are doing, teaching SAFE BOATING, and at the same time having a little fun along the way, and enjoying the socializing aspects of our FINE ORGANIZATION?

So it really is later than we think, and where exactly are we going anyway??? As old friend, Gus Hollings would always say when we started off on an adventure, "WE'RE GOING TO HAVE A GOOD TIME !!!"