H20Notes - community weblog

Falling overboard

Tue, 07 Feb 2012 11:37:21 GMT

Boating in cold weather can be the beginning of tragedy — if you are not prepared. I learned this the hard way on an Ozark river several winters ago. We were “roughing it” by fishing the cold water and camping on sandbars at night.

The second morning of the trip promised to be a beautiful one with a light coating of new snow and ice on cliffs that bordered the scenic river. I was clicking pictures of a beautiful ice formation when the canoe just in front of us had an accident. The man in front of the ill-fated canoe ducked under over-hanging limbs heavy with ice. He made it, but the second man panicked and grabbed the branch.

A combination of him holding the limb and the river current made the canoe go sideways and tip. River water came over the side, quickly filling and sinking the canoe. Both men helplessly floated down the river current with only their life jackets to thank for keeping them floating. We paddled quickly to catch them, but suddenly one of the men drifted into a huge brush pile and his head tipped under the surface. He was an older man and too weak to pull himself up. more...

Rescued sailor, 84, unsure of another trip

Tue, 07 Feb 2012 11:36:02 GMT

PORT CLINTON -- Stranded on a sailboat with broken rigging and a swaying mast in the Pacific Ocean, 84-year-old Tom Corogin realized his dream of completing a solo voyage around the tip of South America was over, again.

It was his sixth attempt and one of the most difficult trips yet.

Corogin suffered an infected puncture wound to his leg and required hospital treatment in Ecuador. He sailed through a terrible storm south of Mexico and was forced to activate his emergency beacon for the first time, in remote waters about 500 miles south of Easter Island.

In the end, Corogin was rescued Jan. 3 by a Japanese cargo ship and the Chilean navy but was forced to leave his boat behind.

Corogin, a lawyer who still practices part-time, arrived back at his home along Lake Erie almost three weeks ago. He had set sail Dec. 27 from Easter Island on the last leg of his Cape Horn adventure when his rigging snapped, leaving him stranded in desolate waters. more...

BoatUS Asks: If Not Ethanol, Why Not Butanol?

Mon, 06 Feb 2012 15:20:46 GMT

ALEXANDRIA, Va., February 6, 2012 -- With its ability to attract moisture and clog fuel filters, it's no wonder America's boaters have not been thrilled with ethanol in gasoline, which today is most commonly found as a 10% blend and known as E10 at the gas pump. America's desire for renewable fuels is growing, but recent Department of Energy tests on boat engines showed that increasing the amount of ethanol to 15% doesn't work for boats. While higher ethanol content has been approved by the EPA for 2001 and newer cars and light trucks, E15 is not legal to use in boats and other gas-powered equipment. [more]

Boat Owners Association of The United States (BoatUS) suggests that butanol, an alcohol with a characteristic banana-like odor typically made from corn and beet byproducts, may be an answer.

Unlike ethanol, butanol is less corrosive, doesn't attract moisture which can cause harmful "phase separation" of the fuel, and can be mixed in ahead of time and shipped through existing pipelines. It has a higher energy value (110,000 Btu per gallon versus ethanol's 84,000 Btu), and is safer because its flammability is similar to diesel fuel. So why aren't America's boaters, motorists and gas-powered tool and toy owners using butanol?

"Part of the answer is how the stuff is - or was - made," wrote BoatUS Seaworthy Magazine Editor and Damage Avoidance Expert Bob Adriance. He says, "Back in the 1980's when the government was looking at biofuels, the cost to produce butanol was much higher than ethanol. Congress also gave ethanol a head start 30 years ago with a subsidy to produce it from corn. However, the subsidy is now expired and new technologies have made the costs to produce both fuels similar, although butanol is ultimately far less expensive to produce in terms of the amount of energy delivered per gallon."

"With its new cost competitiveness and energy advantages, butanol could be a biofuel that boaters embrace," said Adriance. "However, we need to find out more about any potential long-term effects, and would need to overcome the not-too-insignificant reality of ethanol's financial and political momentum in the market today."

Chicago water sampling shows high levels of lead

Mon, 06 Feb 2012 15:19:40 GMT

In a new round of water testing by the Environmental Protection Agency, half of the 29 Chicago homes visited yielded at least one sample containing more than 15 parts per billion of lead, a level that can trigger regulatory action if detected during routine screening.

Agency officials said the results will help regulators evaluate whether the 20-year-old procedures used nationwide to test homes' tap water for lead should be updated. more...

GREAT LAKES: Anglers best to stick to protected areas

Mon, 06 Feb 2012 15:18:44 GMT

Warm daytime temperatures have eroded ice this week on an already unstable Green Bay system, and anglers are urged to stick to protected bays and harbors or stop at bayside bait and tackle shops for the latest updates on offshore areas to avoid.On Tuesday, fishermen were reporting 5 to 10 inches of ice in many areas, including along the east shore and on up to southern Door County. However, there is a large section of open water, some very thin areas that recently froze over and numerous cracks to be aware of. more...

Coast Guard icebreaker to visit downtown Windsor

Mon, 06 Feb 2012 15:17:54 GMT

The Samuel Risley — a 229-foot icebreaker with the Canadian Coast Guard — will be stopping by Windsor on Friday.

The vessel is expected to arrive at Dieppe Park via the Detroit River around 2 p.m.

The Canadian Coast Guard calls the ship “the most powerful icebreaker that the Central and Arctic region has,” with four engines allowing it to crush through ice more than two feet thick.

Ice boaters in Loveland seek adrenaline, speed, thrills

Mon, 06 Feb 2012 15:16:39 GMT

On a day that wind speeds reached nearly 30 mph, biting gusts roared like a lion across Boedecker Lake, announcing a coming storm.

The conditions turned the lake into an isolated ice desert. They also prompted Loveland resident Rick Hypes to rush there with a smile -- a big smile -- and a specially designed ice boat.

"It's exactly like sailing on the ice," Hypes said. "But it's colder and faster ... I describe it as a four- or five-senses sport."

The appeal of sitting on a small craft outfitted with three large blades and a sail, steering with your feet and zipping across the ice without brakes, powered only by wind gusts, is difficult to explain without experiencing it. But Hypes chooses a few words: adrenaline, speed, thrill.

"It's the allure of being powered by nature," added fellow ice boater Dan Kellogg, also a Loveland resident.

Ice boating can be traced back thousands of years as a form of transportation in Scandinavia, and it spread to the United States with immigrants in the 1800s. more...

Smooth sailing on the ice

Mon, 06 Feb 2012 15:14:49 GMT

Mark Simon of Athens rigs up his iceboat before taking it out Tuesday on frozen Goguac Lake.The boat, which can hit speeds of up to 60 mph, was built out of wood paneling by Simon’s father in 1959. more...

Eight Races Made For Successful 2012 Melges 32 Gosford Regatta

Mon, 06 Feb 2012 15:12:26 GMT

The next few months are booked out with regatta racing for the highly competitive Australian Melges 32 fleet.

Kicking off the racing was last weekends inaugural Gosford Regatta, hosted by Gosford Sailing Club. The Melges 32s competed in eight races over the two days in light and variable breeze on beautiful Brisbane Waters. Another close series for the fleet, and on completion of day one, Kim Williams' Rock and Roll was two points ahead leading the regatta. more...

No aquarium for Windsor

Thu, 02 Feb 2012 14:48:46 GMT

An aquarium is not viable in Windsor.

That's the conclusion of a committee looking into such a project.

City officials and the University of Windsor's Great Lakes Institute for Environmental Research had been studying the idea.

A member of the group, Mario Sonego, who is the city engineer, said there are aquariums relatively nearby. There is a new one in Cleveland, a small one in Toledo and one in Chicago, he noted. Toronto is to build an aquarium at the base of the CN Tower: more...

Be A Great Lakes Lighthouse Keeper!

Thu, 02 Feb 2012 14:47:39 GMT

If you're ever had thoughts of living the dream of a more romantic era as a lighthouse keeper, perhaps your dreams can come true.

The Michigan Department of Natural Resources is looking for people who want to work a couple of weeks as the lighthouse keeper for the Tawas Point Lighthouse this year.

This opportunity is on a volunteer basis.

Actually, you would have to pay $250 each week to use the living quarters, which includes 2 bedrooms and an updated kitchen and bath. But, you would have the chance to take care of the lighthouse, the museum gift shop and give tours. more...

Through The Blue

Thu, 02 Feb 2012 14:43:21 GMT

In August of 2012 (around the 15th – 17th, depending on weather conditions), we’ll be crossing Lake Michigan at its midpoint. Straight across, this is a 50 mile swim… an ultra-marathon swim. With current and wind and the ever-changing, unpredictable weather on the lake, the likelihood is we’ll swim between 55 and 60 miles when we step on the beach in Ludington, Michigan.

We’ll get in the water before the sunrises in Two Rivers, Wisconsin and start our approximately 30-35 hour journey. A support boat (or two) will lead the way with a captain, first mate and several other crew members. These crew members will be our lifeline. They will feed us and keep us motivated and guide us through the trip. Crew members will rotate shifts in a small boat that will trail the main boat. Feeding is easier from the smaller boat due to the height of the main boat and the safety of being far from the motors and shifting nature of the larger vessel.

more...

Through The Blue

Thu, 02 Feb 2012 14:36:12 GMT

Erica Karmeisool is a life-long resident of Michigan, currently living in Ludington. Her family introduced her to sailing at a young age, which has equipped her with an immense respect for the great lakes through years of sailboat racing and deliveries. While attending Michigan State University, she played rugby and studied graphic design and sculpture, earning her BFA in 2002. Since then, Erica has worked as a project manger at the intersection of social and artistic problem solving. She will be working on a new maritime project and training for her next triathlon while assisting Team Tow this summer. more...

Boating industry sees measurable growth

Thu, 26 Jan 2012 15:41:26 GMT

Detroit Boat Show expecting attendance and sales increase

LIVONIA, MICH. – January 24, 2012 – The Michigan Boating Industries Association (MBIA), producer of Michigan’s big three boat show shows, the Detroit Boat Show, Spring Boating Expo and Boating & Outdoor Festival – reports growth in exhibit space and sponsorship sales at the upcoming Detroit Boat Show at Cobo Center, Feb. 11-19. Consumer attendance and boat sales are expected to grow as well as the boating industry reports positivity and growth over the last 12 months. [more]

“We’re hearing positive news coming from early boat shows of the season around the country,” said MBIA President John Ropp. “Attendance is up at shows and pent up demand is driving sales.”

The Bellewether curve, a representation of roughly half of the US boat market shows sales of 15 foot+ powerboat sales are trending up, rising above February 2006 sales for the first time. Consumer confidence has continued to climb according to the Conference Board Consumer Confidence Index, up another 9.3 points in December. The luxury yacht industry is expected to increase from 2011 to 2012 more than 7 percent – noting low interest rates and streamlined manufacturing operations are supporting industry growth.

“All signs point to a year of increased growth,” said Ropp. “We expect nothing less from Detroit after a successful Auto Show, positive energy surrounding the area and the promotion element we’re bringing to the Detroit Boat Show for serious buyers - and boaters who just want to come down and see what’s new.”

The Boating industry recovery has typically followed the auto industry, especially in Detroit, where many sales from the Detroit Boat Show have been attributed to auto worker’s bonus checks. In 2011, General Motors sold seven percent more vehicles than the year prior and is ranked back at number one for car sales in the world. Ford Motor Company employees are expected to not only receive a profit-sharing bonus again this year, but also see merit raises for the first time since 2008.

While marine lenders have seen slow growth, nearly 75 percent of the National Marine Bankers Association’s members reported the same or increased dollar volume of marine loans for the third quarter of 2011. Job growth, debt reduction and improved savings are said to be a beacon of light for lending in the future.

Overall the boating industry is seeing growth, while slowly climbing out of the recession that hit the discretionary spending market extremely hard. Consumer confidence, auto industry growth and lending opportunities are signs the industry will continue to see gains and rebound in 2012.

The Detroit Boat Show is sponsored by RAM Trucks, Official Truck of the Detroit Boat Show.

Key West: Fantasy Island

Wed, 25 Jan 2012 02:25:40 GMT

Key West Race Week delivers an environment impossible to compare with any regatta in the world. Personally, it felt like someone dragged Reno, Nevada to the oceanfront, and ran one of the most amazing spectacles in sailing: bull riding, carny activities, jet pack rides, pirates heckling you on the street. . . I found myself in the middle of the spectrum between Mad Max and the Real World. For our team, West Marine Rigging, it became a story of amazing success and survival. more...