My Boating Adventures & Adventures in Boating Safety
Author: captnmike
This is a PowerPoint presentation I have given several times covering Sound Signals for the Rules of the Road in Puget Sound. Puget Sound does have some Local Customs with sound signals and the Ferries. This is a subset of rules but it does cover sound signals most likely to be seen by small boaters in the Puget Sound Area. (Approximately 12 minutes long)
Thanks for your interest in boating safety.
-c/m-
Author: captnmike
A few web links for a weather class I am taking and helping with in Seattle.
Greenwood / Green Lake Weather:
Cliff Mass Weather and other blog:
Washington State Ferry Weather / Wind:
NOAA Tides and Currents Home, With Gulf Oil Spill Information Link:
NOAA What are Tides and much educational information:
c/m
Author: captnmike
NAVIGATION EXERCISE # 2
This is a basic Navigation exercise but the problems are typical of those seen by a recreational boater. The questions are “Bite Sized” and except for one question, each question stands alone from the others.
This exercise was done on Small Boat Chart 18445 Page A. The area used is just South of West Point on the south end and Whidby Island on the North. If you have this chart or a similar chart that covers this area you may work the problems on it. If you do not have a suitable chart there is a PDF Chartlet of the area that can be printed out on 11 x 17 paper. Many office supply stores and copy centers can print 11 x 17 if you don’t have a large printer. You may also tile the printing to print onto two letter sized pages then tape them together, a bit crude but it does work.
The answers are at the bottom, there is also a PDF Chartlet showing the answers. The questions and answers are also available in a formatted for printing PDF file at the bottom.
Thanks for your interest in Boating Safety and good luck with the exercise.
Click For Larger View of Chartlet Area
Author: captnmike
Nautical Training Charts are outdated nautical charts that are used for educational purposes. The charts are “frozen” with no updates made to the charts, this means that charting remains consistent from year to year so class material and test questions do not need to be changed every time the chart is updated or an ATON moved.
The charts are less expensive than the corresponding current charts. Some training charts have sections of Chart No. 1 printed on the reverse side.
Product ID Product Name Edition Date Price
13205TR BLOCK ISLAND SOUND & APPROACHES May 18 1991 $3.00
12221TR CHESAPEAKE BAY ENTRANCE Feb 29 1992 $3.00
39TR GREAT LAKES/TRAINING Jan 01 1975 $3.00
12354TR LONG ISLAND SOUND-EASTERN Feb 15 1992 $3.00
116TR LONG ISLAND SOUND Sep 05 1970 $3.00
1210TR MARTHA'S VINEYARD TO BLOCK IS/ May 28 1962 $3.00
18465TR STRAIT OF JUAN DE FUCA/E PART Aug 01 1998 $3.00
http://naco.faa.gov/ecomp/Catalog.aspx?a=NAUT+NOS+MISC+TRAINING
c/m
Author: captnmike
What we use winches for: Winches provide the mechanical advantage to hoist and trim the sails and running rigging on a sailboat. There are usually no powered winches. Depending on circumstances, there can be thousands of pounds of pressure on a line, so don’t be casual when working with lines and winches.
Grinding and tailing: The act of rotating the handle is grinding, pulling on the line being tightened is tailing. Because the winch won’t pull the line unless the line is tight on the winch drum, both actions need to occur simultaneously. Sometimes one person does both actions, sometimes it takes one person for each action. Thus the person pulling is the tailer, the person grinding is the grinder. One little joke we do from time to time (but not on races) is to get halfway through a tack and then not pull hard on the line. The grinder just keeps grinding but the sail doesn’t come in at all.
Author: captnmike
Here are the questions and answers for the Mountaineers Sailing Crew Class Navigation Exercise There is a Chartlet with the answers drawn on it.
The answers match the Chartlet handed out in class. If you misplaced or did not receive a Chartlet there is one at the bottom of the page. The Chartlet provided here is slightly different from the one furnished in class. This one has depths in feet and slightly smaller type in some areas.
Author: captnmike
RADIO USAGE
Channel 16 is Distress and Calling.
Pleasure Vessels Working Channels: 09, 67, 68, 69 and 72.
Contact can be made on Ch 16 but then go to a working frequency
CALLING
Make sure Radio is turned on and set to the proper channel.
Press microphone button & speak past the microphone not directly into. Do not “spit” into the microphone, use a normal voice.
Author: captnmike
Selected Puget Sound Charts with prominent marine points highlighted. Use as a training aid to learn the area or to find points on a chart quicker. The area points are in a white bubble with black border, this makes finding points quicker and easier.
The charts will print in Black and White or Color. Many office supply stores and copy centers can make large prints. The base charts are from standard NOAA chart graphics.
Shilshole to Ballard (PDF) – Suggested print size 11×17 inches (8.5×11 also works but type is a bit small).
Author: captnmike
Crew Course Navigation Exercise 1
This is a basic Navigation exercise but the problems are typical of those seen by a recreational boater. The questions are “Bite Sized” and except for one question, each question stands alone from the others.
This exercise was done on Chart 18441 PUGET SOUND – NORTHERN PART. The area used is Elliot Bay Marina at the South East Corner and Agate Pass on the Northwest Corner. If you have this chart or a similar chart that covers this area you may work the problems on it. If you do not have a suitable chart there is a PDF Chartlet of the area that can be printed out on letter size paper.
The answers are at the bottom, there is also a PDF Chartlet showing the answers. The questions and answers are also available in a formatted for printing PDF file at the bottom.
Thanks for your interest in Boating Safety and good luck with the exercise.
Click For Larger View of Chartlet Area
Author: captnmike
More information on Hypothermia (With Links to Videos) / Cold Water Boot Camp
SYMPTOMS: (Not all symptoms need to be present.)
A) Vigorous shivering.
When shivering stops will have advanced to (H) intoxicated or euphoric.
B) Clouding of mental capacity.
Impaired mental judgment (may vary from mild to severe), impaired speech, poor coordination, disoriented.
C) Muscular rigidity.
Movements may be unsteady, normal movements impaired, may selectively affect extremities (hands and arms when steering), numbness
D) Diminished breathing rate.
E) The skin may be cold to the touch or the lips can be blue.
F) Pupils dilated.
G) Pulse weak, slow, may be irregular.
H) A victim may appear to be intoxicated.
May also be an euphoric or don’t care state.
Author: captnmike
DISTRESS SIGNALS
DISTRESS NOTES
Author: captnmike
From: George B. Harvey
Sent: 10/6/2008 11:01:26 A.M. Pacific Daylight Time
Subj: Foulweather Bluff, MAN OVERBOARD!
Foulweather Bluff is a nice Saturday day race from Edmonds ( about 15 miles north of Seattle ) to the Foulweather Bluff buoy, then to Schachet Head and back to the marina. It’s a reverse start, meaning the smaller boats start first. With a reverse start you’re passing smaller, slower boats throughout the race, and the larger faster boats are passing you. This makes for some interesting boat-to-boat passing situations and it’s a lot of fun. It’s the first distance race of the fall racing season, and we’ve sailed it a lot and always enjoyed it. This year would be different.
Author: captnmike
I use these sheets to record my daily exercise and weight loss attempts.
They can be used to record almost any type of activity where you want a record that can be seen over several months.
For weight loss DON’T record weight daily, you will have too many data points and it will be very confusing. I record my weight on Wednesday and Saturday. When I started and then restarted I weighed daily for 10 to 14 days to see what my normal weight range was.
Weight record sheet January to June 2010 (pdf)
Weight record sheet July to December 2010 (pdf)
Print on odd light colored paper so the sheets don’t get lost as easily. I use 65 lb. Cover Stock
CPAP / APAP / Auto A-Flex Record Sheet – For those with Sleep Apnea some newer CPAP machines adjust the pressure during the night and provide a record of events, pressures, blower time etc. This sheet was designed to keep track of the machine / patient history, this allows a person to record and watch how effective the treatment is. The sheets match a REMstar Auto A-Flex data readout.
c/m
Author: captnmike
I was honored to receive two awards for my activities in the Coast Guard Auxiliary at the District 13 Division 2 Change of Watch on Sunday January 17, 2010.
The first award was for being the most active verifier of Private Aids to Navigation in Division 2. Aids to Navigation (ATON’s) that are not owned by the U.S. Coast Guard are private aids (PATON) they are owned and maintained by private parties, such as marinas, Police Departments, dock owners, mooring buoys. Every year the Coast Guard Auxiliary fans out across the country to verify that these literally thousands of private aids are safe for boaters to use to help for safe navigation. The PATONS’s are checked for position, if they can be seen from the water, proper color, any lights on the PATON match the published characteristics and many other items. When a discrepancy is found the Coast Guard is notified so they can make sure the owners correct the problem and mariners are notified of the discrepancy is published in the Local Notice to Mariners until the PATON is corrected. The Auxiliary verifies 160 Private Aids to Navigation in the Northwest every year.
I received the “Betty J. Hamilton Recreational Boating Safety Award” for my Public Education efforts both inside and outside the Auxiliary. Betty Hamilton and her husband were U. S. Coast Guard Auxiliary legends in the Pacific Northwest for their service over decades. A PDF of the introduction speech that was given for me by Wendell Brunk is below. There is one correction to the text, the 2,500 students should read 4,000. Instructors usually don’t get much feedback after a student graduates from a class. Not often will a student look up an instructor and say “the information you taught me prevented an accident last week,” so receiving this award was a great honor. I would like to thank all the skippers and others that gave me ideas for subjects that they wanted more information on. I would also like to thank all the students that I taught for being in class, without students there can be no class.
Prepared Text for the Introduction of the Betty J. Hamilton Recreational Boating Safety Award (pdf)
Click on the pictures for a larger view of the award.
2009 Aids to Navigation Verification Award
2009 Betty Hamilton Recreational Boating Safety Award
c/m
Author: captnmike
Every boat should have a properly stocked First Aid Kit that is appropriate for the boating activities that you do. Factors include; the area you are boating in (how far or how long will it take medical help to arrive), how many crew on board, the first aid skills of you and your crew and the type of activities you do.
I think every boater that is close to help should have at least 30 minutes of First Aid Skills. Boaters that are in more remote areas should have higher skills and a more complete First Aid Kit. What do I mean by 30 minutes of skill? The ability to treat and stabilize a person for at least 30 minutes that has been injured NOT a First Aid Class that only lasts 30 minutes. Remember if you are home and medical help is needed a call to 911 will probably have and EMT at your door in 5 to 10 minutes. On the water you are a lot farther from help. The Coast Guard, Harbor Patrol, Sheriffs Department and other on the water marine patrols are spread a lot thinner than your local fire departments and thus have farther to travel.
The contents of a Small Boat First Aid Kit and a Personal Marine Duffel First Aid Kit that I have put together are listed below.
Read the rest of this entry »
Copyright © 2010 captnmike.com - Boating Safety Tips, Tricks & Thoughts from Captnmike | Entries (RSS) | Comments (RSS)
WordPress theme designed by 
web design