This may be old news to some but the International Upper Great Lakes Study – Summary of Findings and Recommendations is available for download and review. Here is the link. (Thanks to the Moose-FM for mentioning this in a Tweet.)
Boat Launching Thursday, May 17th, Parry Sound Town Dock
John Mason and Larry Woolner will be launching their 26 and 30 foot sailboats at the Parry Sound town dock this Thursday. Tentative time is 1:00 to 3:00. Location will be in the area behind the Island Queen. Equipment will involve a crane for some high wire excitement.
Fun, thrills and excitement are not guaranteed. But it’s always fun to watch two sailors pour a little more money into the bay. And of course it’s free for the spectators. The schedule is fluid, so check back for changes.
Wear Your Lifejacket to Work Day (May 18)
(from the Canadian Power and Sail Squadron website – thanks to MKW for the suggestion)
May 11, 2012
In support of Wear Your Lifejacket to Work Day (May 18) Canadian Power & Sail Squadrons (CPS) members and staff are encouraged to wear their lifejackets to work.
As the first long weekend of the summer approaches CPS would like to remind boaters to be safe on our waterways. Wearing your lifejacket is one of the easiest ways to ensure your safety on the water.
Across Canada, 89% of recreational boaters who drown each and every year were not wearing a lifejacket. Most of these drownings occur in small open power boats, accounting for 60% of these preventable deaths. A majority of these victims were males between the ages of 19 and 35, out for a day of fishing. An average of 140 unnecessary drownings occur every year.
Many boaters who drown believe they are good swimmers, so they feel that having a lifejacket on board and within easy reach is good enough. But what good is a lifejacket that is stored under a seat or under the bow going to be when the unexpected happens? Most drownings happen unexpectedly when small boats capsize or someone falls overboard. The lifejacket that you leave behind is not much use, especially in cold water.
When choosing a lifejacket follow these simple guidelines: Choose one that is suitable for the activity you are involved in and check the label to make sure that it is Canadian approved and is of the correct size. Finally, make sure it fits snugly.
If you don’t wear your lifejacket, it won’t work.
-Stats courtesy of the Canadian Safe Boating Council
Boat Check Volunteers – Are You Interested?
Parry Sound Power and Sail NEEDS YOU. (WORKED FOR UNCLE SAM).
As part of our commitment to safe boating, Power Squadron provides Courtesy Checks at docks and marinas across Canada. Parry Sound Power and Sail Squadron would like to start a program here. This involves auditing a boat and providing guidance on equipment and actions that would contribute to safer boating.
We need members like you, who can take a short course (four hours) and then spend one day this spring at a marina checking boats.
You would not be a police officer – there is no law involved. These checks are given in a helpful manner and are voluntary on the part of the boater.
It should be a fun way to spend a spring day, meet other boaters, and see a different part of our lake land.
Interested? Call John Mason at 705-342-1315 or email to training@parrysoundsquadron.ca
Can’t Find Your Boating License?
About this time of year boaters find they can’t locate their Pleasure Craft Operators Card (PCOC). We can’t help you but here are three suggestions to get you on the water legally.
1. If you earned the card from Canadian Power Squadron:
go online to: cps-ecp.ca, then choose: PCOC – LOST CARDS,
or call 1-888-CPS-BOAT
If you have problems solving it this way call John at 705-342-1315
2. If you earned the card from another group, call them. We’re sorry but we don’t have any numbers for you. A quick search online using the name of the organization should get you pointed in the right direction.
3. If the other group is not around any more, or you have forgotten who they are, call: Office of Boating Safety — 1-800-267-6681
We hope this helps; safe boating to all.
Marine VHF Course Update – Revised Dates
Please note the revised dates for the Parry Sound Power and Sail Squadron’s offering of the CPS Marine Radio Course. The course will be given the evenings of April 23rd and 30th. On successful completion of the course you will be licensed to operate a marine VHF radio.
The cost of the course is $75 for the public and $60 for Parry Sound Squadron members. Get your membership renewal in now to qualify for the member discount.
If you are planning on being on the big water anywhere in the Great Lakes it’s a good idea to have a VHF radio, and a license to use it. You need a Marine Radio License to use a VHF radio, even if you are using a hand held radio on a kayak.
Successful completion of the course will not only provide you with the information to effectively use your VHF radio, it will provide you with the license to use it.
For boaters in an emergency, a VHF radio can be more valuable than a cell phone. While *16 can reach the Coast Guard, there are parts of Georgian Bay where one cannot get a cell phone signal. More importantly, when you make an emergency call on channel 16 on a VHF radio, boaters close to you can hear and respond immediately. Help from the Canadian Coast Guard or a local township fire department can take much longer to reach you and generally cannot provide immediate help.
The course will consist of two sessions on April 23rd and 30th from 7:00 – 9:00 PM. Attendance at both sessions is necessary to receive your VHF license.
Book now to ensure a seat. To register and for more information call John Mason at 705-342-1315.
Here is a little more information about this Canadian Power and Sail Squadron course:
To operate a maritime radio, you need the certificate. It’s the law! The Maritime Radio course teaches emergency radio procedures, and everyday operating techniques.
You will learn all about the uses of marine radios, choice of frequencies, operation, phonetic alphabet, procedural words and phrases, as well as Digital Selective Calling and the Global Maritime Distress and Safety System, (DSC/GMDSS). All mariners, including recreational boaters, will want to take advantage of the many features and capabilities of this innovative form “automatic” radio.
Upon successful completion of the exam, you will receive your ROC(M) – a Canadian Federal government issued certificate that allows you to operate a marine VHF radio.
Another Boat Sinks in the Mediterranean
This time it was a 198 foot super yacht. The link has the details and a video. Ouch!
White Squall the Movie – Excitement on the High Seas
There was a small but enthusiastic group of Power Squadron members present for the presentation of the movie ‘White Squall’ at the Parry Sound District Museum last night. You missed a good movie shown on a ‘big screen’. Rent the movie locally if you want to watch a film that combines sailing, the complex relationships that define humans, and lots of action.
An interesting factoid. According to Wikipedia, “a white squall is characterized as a sudden and violent windstorm phenomenon at sea which is not accompanied by the black clouds generally characteristic of a squall. The name refers to the white-capped waves and broken water, its meager warning to any unlucky seaman caught in its path. White squalls are rare at sea, but common on the Great Lakes of North America.” Here’s the link if you want to read more.
Well neither Anne nor I have any plans to cruise the Atlantic after watching this movie. As long as we don’t have to worry about ‘white squalls’ in Parry Sound harbor you can expect to catch us out there from time-to-time this summer.
Here is a link to information about the movie and another to the ill fated brigantine the Albatross. The link provides some interesting thoughts about the cause of the disaster.
Marine Radio Course – Registration Open
Are you planning to be on the big water around Parry Sound this summer? If yes, you must have a Marine Radio License to use a VHF radio, even if you are using a hand held radio on a kayak.
The Parry Sound Power and Sail Squadron will be offering the CPS Marine Radio Course April 16th and 23rd. Successful completion of the course will not only provide you with the information to effectively use your VHF radio, it will provide you with the license to use it.
For boaters in an emergency, a VHF radio can be more valuable than a cell phone. While *16 can reach the Coast Guard, there are parts of Georgian Bay where one cannot get a cell phone signal AND, most importantly, when you make an emergency call on channel 16 on a VHF radio, boaters close to you can hear and respond immediately. Help from the Canadian Coast Guard or a local township fire department can take much longer to reach you and provide immediate help.
The course will consist of two sessions on April 16th and 23rd from 7:00 – 9:00 PM. Attendance at both sessions is necessary to receive your VHF license.
The cost is only $75 per registrant, with a discount for CPS members. The course will be given in Parry Sound.
Book now to ensure a seat. To register and for more information call John Mason at 705-342-1315.
Here is a little more information about this Canadian Power and Sail Squadron course:
To operate a maritime radio, you need the certificate. It’s the law! The Maritime Radio course teaches emergency radio procedures, and everyday operating techniques.
You will learn all about the uses of marine radios, choice of frequencies, operation, phonetic alphabet, procedural words and phrases, as well as Digital Selective Calling and the Global Maritime Distress and Safety System, (DSC/GMDSS). All mariners, including recreational boaters, will want to take advantage of the many features and capabilities of this innovative form “automatic” radio.
Upon successful completion of the exam, you will receive your ROC(M) – a Canadian Federal government issued certificate that allows you to operate a marine VHF radio.
The Boating Course Started – You Missed It
Contact us for information on when the next course will be offered
This course provides in depth boat operation and safety training as the next step after the boating card. The BOATING COURSE starts January 16th and is especially needed as boaters experience twofootitis and as eyes are set on further harbours.
In Spring, Marine Radio Courses will be offered. You must have this radio licence to operate a VHF radio on the water.
For more information call: John at 342-1315 OR Andy at 773-9527
Want to know why you should take the course? Read on:
“Why should I take a safe boating course?”
Would you start driving a car before taking a course or driving lessons? No, and for good reason. But the answer to the same question about operating a boat, whether a power boat, personal watercraft or sailboat, is often very different. Most people believe that operating a boat is easier than operating a car. Perhaps not!
Let’s think about this comparison. On the written driver test you must identify road signs. The same is true for travel on the water. More than sixty different signs, markers, lights and flags are noted in Transport Canada’s Safe Boating Guide. Do you know them all? Continue reading
Parry Sound Boating 