Aroostook Valley Sail and Power Squadron

Aroostook Valley
Sail and Power Squadron
(AVSPS)

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Aroostook Valley Poop Sheet
Volume #2, No. 1, March 2004
(PDF Version)

Commander's Corner

Congratulations to us all for a Chartering Ceremony that has been referred to by Tom Roscoe (who heard about it from those who attended) as the Northeast event of the year! Thank you to those who did so much to make it a success: Russell Mount for taking charge of decorating; Bill Smythe, Joe Mack, and Steve Richard for their presentations; Dan Schneider for the music; and, especially, Ivan Pratt and his family for all they did for the event. The Pratts were responsible for the invitations, the entrees, the flowers, the servers and much of the spirit of the event. Thank you all.

The Aroostook Valley Sail and Power Squadron has some interesting events planned thanks to the work of Executive Officer, Joe Mack. Please see the schedule of events and mark your calendars and attend as many as you can.

The April 12th meeting will be our annual meeting with the election of the Bridge for the coming year. Dan Schneider will present a slate and nominations from the floor will be in order. This meeting will be held at the Malcolm Center in Easton and will feature an astronomy program, presented by Larry Berz, Planetarium Educator.

Local Happenings

Your Commander has been appointed Liaison Officer for District 19 and has been invited to represent the District at the First Coast Guard District's Law Administrators Workshop on March 31 and April 1 in Peabody , MA . We need a law in the State of Maine and this should help us strategize that activity.

Mary and I will be holding a barbeque at our house on May 1 for the Change of Watch (installation of the Bridge and new Officers) for the coming year. We hope at that time to induct new members (we should all be helping Dimsie recruit and retain) and celebrate the graduates of the Piloting course. Incidentally I have eight signed up for the Piloting course - anyone else?

Joe Mack tells me that the AVSPS annual Penobscot Bay cruise is scheduled for July 16, 17, and 18. We hope that in addition to Joe and I having our boats there, that Ivan, Dan, and Ted Bowker will bring their boats. Anyone else who would like to bring a boat by trailer would obviously be welcome - the more the merrier.

Regional Meetings

(All members are welcome at any of these meetings and remember, travel, lodgings, meals, etc. are all tax deductible. Mary and I will be attending all of them.)

May 27 & 28: District 19 spring Conference at the Martin Merry Manor in South Portland . Featured will be workshops on Education, Cooperative Charting, Vessel Safety Check and Northeast Canoe Trail. The Captain of the Portland Fire Boat will also make a presentation.

April 3 & 4 : The Atlantic District of the Canadian Power Squadron will hold their spring Conference at the Holiday Inn in Halifax , N.S. You will remember Rik Hall and Dave Estey of the CPS attended our Chartering Ceremony and presented us with their framed Burgee. We plan to return the honor. I'm sure it will be a good time in a beautiful city - Halifax is a great place to visit.

May 19-22 : The USPS Board of Governors meeting will be at the Pittsburgh Hilton. They hold business meetings at various times as committee meetings and have interesting tours to attractions in and around Western PA (e.g. cruises on the Ohio River and tours into Amish country).

June 25&26 : The District is having a cruise aboard the Scotia Prince for any USPS members from the District who wish to participate. The ship leaves Portland at 2000 on June 25 th and sails to Yarmouth NS , returning the next day to Portland at 1900. Cost of $102PP dbl.occ. upgraded cabin includes breakfast and afternoon buffet, casino and live band. We are told that last year's cruise was a great time.

Special Courses:

At the last meeting the coordination of instruction and the quality of instructors was raised. It is a good time to bring these issues up for discussion and resolution. There are two factors: 1. We have become large enough with a full curriculum to need more coordination and organization than has been necessary in the past. 2. The national rules of USPS will require, starting in 2005, that instructors shall have taken the USPS Instructor Development Course. This course offers practical instruction in: preparing for teaching assignments, preparing for meeting presentations, effective teaching techniques, conducting efficient meetings and selecting and using audiovisual aids. Please sign up for this course if you are an instructor or would like to become one in the future. It will probably be a one day course.

Cooperative Charting

It is time to let Ken Roessler know if you are interested in taking part in his Cooperative Charting activity. He will be coordinating efforts to do cooperative charting in conjunction with NOAA and USCG this summer. This is for both on land in the North Maine Woods and on sea along the coast of Maine . Did you know that NOAA has only three ships to cover and map the US coastal waters, an area greater than the land mass of the US? They receive information from government agencies like the US Army Corp of Engineers and from third party organizations. Of the third parties, the largest contributor is the USPS. It has been estimated that the work of the USPS in this field has saved the US government about nine million dollars! John Robinson is the Chair for this project in the Northeast and wishes to journey from Conn. to Presque Isle for an informational meeting with anyone interested in participating. Please let Ken know if you would like to join him and our Commander in this project.

Education

On Jan. 13th we kicked off our second year of teaching a Squadron Boating course for the public at SAD # 1, in cooperation with the Adult Education Program at the High School. We have 12 students attending and we hope that some will become members of the Squadron to help strengthen our numbers and help the Squadron grow.

Eighteen (18) of the members who completed the basic sailing course last year are now enrolled in the Advanced Sailing Course which began on Jan 4th . The course is being taught by Ted Bowker, Steve Bowler and Stuart Gelder. When they complete this they will receive their sticker for Sail.

March 9th begins our Piloting Course for any who have passed Seamanship and as usual it will be every Tue. At 1800, in the Squadron classroom.

We hope to have another Seamanship sometime in the fall, and in Oct. Advanced Piloting. More on those will be announced later.

Boating safety is a big concern for all of us and as you know, 88% of all drownings occur because the person was not wearing a PFD. Also interesting to note, 80% of the drownings are on inland waters.

On May 1st from 0900-1200 Stuart Gelder will be teaching the Vessel Safety Check Course in the Squadron Classroom. If interested please get to Stuart. We now have several members who can perform “Vessel Safety Checks” so spread the word and we will have more after the May 1st course. This is an effort in conjunction with the US Coast Guard Auxiliary. It is designed to make your boating activities safer for you, your family and friends, and fellow boaters.

Congratulations

To: Roger Haberle who passed his Seamanship with a perfect score of 100%. Great job!!

Meeting Schedules:

March 8, 1900hrs Squadron Business meeting. Squadron Classroom

March 27 & 28 District 19 Spring Conference Merry Manor Inn So. Portland .

March 31 & April 1, First Coast Guard District's Administrators Workshop, Holiday Inn, Peabody , MA

April 2, 3, 4, Canadian Power Squadron Dist.

Meeting, Halifax , NS .

April 12, Squadron Annual Meeting 1900hrs with program, tent,., Astronomy at Malcolm Center .

April 14, Executive Meeting 1900, Classroom

May 1 , Change of Watch, new members induction and (BarBQue) at the Bergen Home.

May 10, Squadron Business Meeting. 1900hrs. Last one until fall.

May 19, 20, 21& 22 . USPS Board of Governors, Pittsburgh Hilton, Pittsburgh , PA

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