October, 2001 Chartroom Chatter
Although the season is coming to an end for recreational boating, it is just starting for legislative activities. A very important issue has been raised pertaining to revised standards for marine sanitation devices. Pursuant to the Federal Water Pollution Control Act, HR 1730 "Amends the Federal Water Pollution Control Act to make State authority to prohibit the discharge of sewage (whether treated or not) inapplicable to vessels that operates a type I or II marine sanitation device that meets the revised standards pursuant to the Recreational Waters Protection Act." This is a Federal Bill supported by the National Boating Federation, the Chesapeake Bay Yacht Clubs Association and other organizations. I am urging all member clubs to send a letter in support of this bill. Both Rep. Jim Saxton (R-NJ) and Rep. Wayne Gilchrest (R-MD) serve on the House Water Resources and Environment Subcommittee. A sample letter is enclosed in the Chartroom Chatter as a guide to use if you wish.
At the last CBYCA Board of Governors' meeting, approval was given to the proposed By-Laws changes. CBYCA's Constitution stipulates a 60-day prior notification to Delegates for any By-Laws change. It was decided to print the proposed changes in this issue of the Chartroom Chatter, making them available for the Delegates at the November Delegates meeting and then vote on the changes at the January 2002 Delegates meeting.I would like to thank Commodore Larry Platowsky and the other members of Kent Narrows Yacht Club for hosting the October CBYCA Board meeting. They are very gracious hosts and made everyone feel welcome. The facilities are well maintained with everything a boater could ask for including a gym (it was even being used). We even finished the meeting in time to get over to the CCC's Lawn Party Crab Feast in the afternoon, an event no P/C member should miss.
Ahoy there! As it gets cooler and the days get shorter, our thoughts turn to winterizing as we try to squeeze in a few more outings before putting our sturdy craft away until next spring. Meanwhile, I'd like to thank Corinthian YC for a great job in hosting the August Delegates Meeting! The food and fellowship were outstanding! I would also like to say thanks and well done to our speakers, Captain Dave Street of the Maryland DNR Police, USPS District 5 Commander Margi Zimmermann, and Maryland State Delegate John L. Bohanan, Jr., who provided us with a very informative afternoon
Our next CBYCA Delegates Meeting will be at 1300 on November 17th at the Belvedere YC in Arnold, MD on the Magothy River. A buffet lunch and cash bar will be available. Details on the meeting and lunch will be published in the next Chartroom Chatter. Our speaker is scheduled to be the famed Maryland angler and columnist, Captain Bill Burton. Change of Watch Ceremonies will be conducted at the conclusion of the meeting.
Finally, please mark your calendars for the CBYCA Commodore's Ball on December 8th at the Best Western in Baltimore. It is the same location as last year's ball. We received a number of compliments on last year's ball and folks liked the central location, easy access from I-95, and availability of hotel rooms. The band will be the ever popular and always lively Rich and the Roadrunners with horn section. More details will be provided in next month's Chartroom Chatter. For reservations, contact R/C Elect Betty Stahler.
I am still looking for clubs that would like to host either a CBYCA Board or Delegates meeting next year. There are four Delegates and six Board meetings. We prefer that lunch be available. If you club is interested, please contact me by e-mail or the phone number listed on the inside front cover of this publication. A prompt response is requested so that plans can be made for the yearly meeting schedule.
On August 23, 2001 the U. S. Coast Guard's public hearing regarding ship borne deliveries of LNG to Cove Point Facility was held. Nothing new came out of the meeting that was attended by fewer people that the FERC hearing earlier in the month. At the meeting the USCG said that they would issue their letters sometime after October 1. There was to be a two day workshop/hearing to be held in Portsmouth, VA on September 25 and 26, 2001. It has been put on hold indefinitely because of the attacks in New York and Virginia. Because of that, it's unclear when the final decisions on Cove Point will be made.
The Annual Marine Trades Association of Maryland held their annual meeting on September 13, 2001. Though much of the discussion centered around their problems with finding qualified people to work in the marine industry, many ideas were kicked-around, but no simple solution was suggested.
On September 26, 2001, a meeting was held with the new Secretary of Natural Resources, J. Charles Fox, where he was introduced to CBYCA and what it does. He is a boater, with a 41-foot Rhodes sail boat. He is also a member of the Miles River Yacht Club. He has agreed to be the program speaker at the February 16, 2002 Delegates meeting.
On 25 August I briefed PRYCA Delegates on the Virginia Clean Marina Program, during their meeting at Colonial Beach. The Delegate from District Yacht Club (Washington, DC) requested information concerning their CBYCA legislative representative. CBYCA and PRYCA have developed a memorandum of association to better facilitate cooperation in matters pertinent to both associations.
The U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service has announced Virginia BIG awards for Phase I, Tier 2. The State of Virginia submitted proposals for seven Tier 2 projects. Grants were approved for the towns of Urbana and Chincoteague, Belle Isle Marina and the York River Yacht Center. Grants submitted for the town of Occoquan, Coles Point Plantation Marina and the Washington Sailing Marina were not approved.
On 8 September I met briefly with Delegate Bill Howell and suggested that we continue to cooperate on Virginia legislative matters concerning recreational boating. Delegate Howell agreed and we decided to continue e-mail and telephonic coordination between his staff and myself.
On 11 September the Source Selection Committee for Phase II BIG program was convened in Richmond under the guidance of Robert Clark from Virginia's Department of Health. Thirteen Tier 1 and fourteen Tier 2 grant proposals were evaluated and scored. It is anticipated that three to four Tier 1 proposals and three to four Tier 2 proposals will be forwarded to the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service. I represented the CBYCA on this committee.
It was concluded at the September 15, 2001 Board of Governors meeting at the Kent Narrows Yacht Club that the member clubs of the Association could be better served if the:
a. Number of "Member at Large" positions were increased from six (6) to seven (7)
b. Current "Member at Large" nomenclature was replaced by "District Representative"
c. Number of "Director of State Legislation" positions were increased from three (3) to four (4)
The Board concluded that the Association has grown in our northern region, especially along the Delaware River, to a point where we should improve the interaction we can provide with the local clubs. Hence, it was concluded that the addition of a seventh MAL position should be established.
Further, it was agreed that the seven "Member at Large" positions be renamed "District Representative" to better describe the utility of the position.
Also, the Board concluded that a separate Director of State Legislation for New Jersey (DSLNJ) be created to improve our ability to stay apace with the legislative activity in that state.
In order for these proposed actions to be implemented, changes to several By-Laws are needed. Under the CBYCA Constitution, any change to the By-Laws must be approved by a vote of the Delegates of the CBYCA member clubs. This is in accordance with Article XI, AMENDMENTS, Section 1: This Constitution and By-Laws may be amended or a new one adopted by two-thirds (2/3) vote of the Delegates at any meeting provided that such amendment be mailed to all Delegates at least sixty (60) days prior to the meeting.
The applicable changes to the CBYCA By-Laws are noted below for your review. A complete copy of the CBYCA Constitution and By-Laws can be found in the 2001Yearbook on pages 15, 16 and 17.
Article II: OFFICERS
Section 1
Revise First Sentence:
The officers of the Association shall be Commodore, Vice Commodore,
Legislative Director, Rear Commodore, Qualifications Officer, three (3)
four (4) Directors for State Legislation who report to the Legislative Director,
Secretary, Treasurer and Publicity Director.
Article IV: ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE
Section 1
Revise First Sentence:
The affairs of the Chesapeake Bay Yacht Clubs Association shall be managed by
the Board of Governors consisting of eighteen (18) twenty (20)
voting members who shall serve for one (1) year or until their successors are
duly elected and assume office.
Revise Third Sentence:
Seventeen (17) Nineteen (19) voting members of the Board to
be elected each year at the August meeting shall be Commodore, Vice Commodore,
Legislative Director, Rear Commodore, Qualifications Officer, three (3)
four (4) Directors of State Legislation, Secretary, Treasurer, Publicity
Director, and six (6) seven (7) Members at Large
District Representatives.
Rep. John Duncan, Chairman
Water Resources and Environment Committee, B-376 RHOB
U.S. House of Representatives
Washington, DC 20515
As recreational boat owners, we spend a considerable amount of time on, in and around the water. We know, better than most, how important it is to keep our waterways clean.
It is for this reason that I am writing to you on behalf of the XXX members of the XYZ Yacht Club to ask for your support of H.R. 1730, the Recreational Waters Protection Act.
Introduced by long-time sailor, Rep. Jim Saxon (R-NJ), H.R. 1730 would upgrade standards for marine toilets, know as marine sanitation devices (MSDs), that haven't been updated for thirty years; encourage the development of new MSD technology; and allow recreational boaters who have MSDs that meet the new standards to use them. H.R. 1730 would not require boaters to purchase a new MSD. Rather, it would simply change federal law to recognize the fact that today's MSDs are much more effective than those produced thirty years ago.
Presently, the nation's marine sanitation laws are a hodgepodge of rules and regulations that are not well enforced and are counter-productive to cleaning up our waterways. In fact, many pump-out stations funded by the fuel taxes paid by boaters are either inoperative or unavailable when needed by cruising boaters. An excellent investigation by Cruising World magazine into this sorry state of affairs can be found by going to BoatUS.com and following the Government Affairs link to "Issue Briefings" for the article, "The Failure of Rhode Island's No Discharge Zone."
Recreational boat owners want to do the right thing for our nautical environment and are asking for your help. Please call Jennifer Drazek in Congressman Saxton's office at 202-225-4765 if you can support or co-sponsor H.R. 1730 or if you would like further information.
New Type I MSD?
U.S. Representative Jim Saxton (R-NJ) has introduced the Recreational Waters Protection Act in the House. This bill (H.R. 1730) significantly changes the standards for type I MSDs by reducing the coliform bacteria counts to less than one percent of the current limit set by the U.S. Coast Guard. A summary of the bill is as follows:
"Recreational Waters Protection Act - Directs the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency to review the capabilities of existing marine sanitation technology and publish revised standards for marine sanitation devices pursuant to the Federal Water Pollution Control Act.
"Provides that such standards shall require a baseline effluent water quality of not more than ten fecal coliform per 100 milliliters and a reduction in biological oxygen demand of at least 35 percent.
"Amends the Federal Water Pollution Control Act to make State authority to prohibit the discharge of sewage (whether treated or not) inapplicable to vessels that operates a type I or II marine sanitation device that meets the revised standards pursuant to the Recreational Waters Protection Act."
The bill has been assigned to the House Water Resources and Environment Subcommittee. Both Jim Saxton and Wayne Gilchrest (R-MD) are on this subcommittee. Representative Gilchrest's support for this legislation is seen as pivotal. As such, I have contacted him indicating the support of the National Boating Federation. We are also asking for individual constituents and yacht clubs to register their support for H.R. 1730. CBYCA has notified Mr. Gilchrest of its support as well.
I have also communicated NBF's support for H.R. 1730 to Jim Woodley of the EPA.
Passage of this bill will provide important benefits to recreational boating. With its extremely low emission standard, the new type I will provide a vehicle for boaters to do their part in reducing water pollution and, at the same time, provide an alternative to type III MSDs, obviating the need to carry untreated waste aboard vessels with the attendent problems involved.
Art Murray, CBYCA Safety Committee Chairman
U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary
One of the pleasures of recreational boating is going for a cruise on a clear calm balmy summer evening. On one such cruise several boats were observed to have improper navigation lights. This cruise ranged from the upper reach of the Magothy River out into the Chesapeake Bay. There was a light breeze, the water was calm, the moon was new, and visibility excellent. It was a weekend evening and there were many other boats taking advantage of the beautiful weather. The white, red, and green navigation lights displayed at night on boats are essential for safe navigation. By observing the lights on other vessels that are crossing, approaching, overtaking or being overtaken, the skipper can determine how to maneuver his vessel in accordance with the Navigation Rules to avoid a collision. The lights displayed on the other vessel inform the skipper of the other vessel's course or direction and whether that vessel is under sail, or under power, or anchored. When improper lights or no lights are displayed there is the real possibility that a collision may result.
Night time navigation requires a skipper to be extra careful and diligent. Greater attention must be paid to knowing the vessel's position at all times to avoid shoals, wrecks, and other obstructions. Running a powerboat at high speed in the dark of night is an invitation to a disaster. Every year there are reports of power driven vessels colliding with unlighted buoys, day beacons, and anchored boats not showing any lights. Making sure that the vessel's navigation lights are working properly is not only prudent, it is the law. Many night time collisions are the result of one of the vessels not showing the proper navigation lights. These collisions usually result in fatalities. Rescuing distressed persons in the water in daylight is often difficult and at night time it is much more difficult. Even a prudent skipper who is thoroughly knowledgeable of the Navigation Rules and makes sure that his vessel is displaying the correct lights at night is still at risk. There are always those who are careless, inept, ignorant, or foolish operating their boats at night without any regard for their own safety or the safety of others.
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PRYCA Launches New Boating Safety Program
Submitted By DSLVA David Goodman
Reprinted with the permission of the NBF Lookout
Ever wondered what people retain after attending a boating safety course? The Potomac River Yacht Clubs Association (PRYCA) is launching an on-water program that addresses that question. The PRYCA is an organization of 20 independent yacht clubs along the Potomac River.
This effort is called the Safe Boat Operation and Training Retention (BOATR) program. The program applies the basic training concepts and philosophical principles utilized in the highly successful U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary Boat Crew Training Program. It picks up where the basic boating courses offered by the United States Power Squadrons, the U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary, and others leave off. These courses end when the boater passes a written test. However, there is no way to verify that the boater can apply the information presented.
The Safe BOATR program asks a boater to demonstrate how much was understood and retained from the classes. A key element in the program is most of the evaluations take place on the water using the individual's boat and equipment under the watchful eye of a Performance Examiner (PE). The program addresses the knowledge needed by new boaters and encourages more seasoned boaters to review their boating practices.
PRYCA is training an initial cadre of PEs from each of our member clubs. The PEs will then certify the activities performed by the boaters in their club. They will also have the option to train additional PEs within their club. It is a time consuming project, but one that can have a tremendous impact on boating safety along the Potomac River.
With the assistance of the Mid-Potomac Power Squadron and local U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary members, PRYCA developed and is publishing performance standards for ten basic boating activities. These performance standards create an opportunity for everyone to review their boating habits. The activities in the Safe BOATR program are common activities boaters should be able to perform to safely operate their boats. The activities include: Anchoring, Towing, Basic Navigation, Piloting, VHF Radio Usage, Fire Extinguisher Usage, In-Water Rescue, Handheld and Aerial Flares, and Marlinespike Skills.
The PE will evaluate the boater's performance against the individual tasks identified for each activity in the performance standards. The Safe BOATR program isn't intended as a rigid test under controlled conditions, but rather as an opportunity to perform the activities under the watchful eye of a PE. It should foster camaraderie among boaters and create an opportunity to share boating knowledge and correct any misunderstandings.
PRYCA plans to print and distribute a copy of the 19 page performance standards to each member of every PRYCA club. The PE will initial the individual's performance standard when a task is successfully completed. Once each task for an activity is initialed, the PE will sign the standard to indicate completion of the activity.
PRYCA plans to recognize completion of all BOATR Performance Standard activities by presentation of a PRYCA Boating Safety Certificate and a distinctive PRYCA Safe BOATR decal at one of the association's annual activities.
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A Prayer For Our Brothers & Sisters
Heavenly Father, as we meet today, we are overwhelmed by the
tragedy that has befallen our Nation. It is difficult to comprehend
how a handful of evil people could bring such sorrow to the lives of
so many families. It makes us realize that if we do not follow
God's way we can become a disciple of the devil.
our people; military and civilian, firefighters and policemen, and
port authority personnel to lose their lives. We ask that these
innocent victims who are now with You in Your heavenly
kingdom feel Your loving arms wrapped around them and are
rewarded with eternal peace .
For the grieving relatives and friends who now walk in sorrow
and all those who are so saddened by this horrible event, we
pray they find comfort in the words of the Lord and know that
You are always there and will never abandon them. If we could
speak to them, we would assure them we are all God's children
and that :
As you cry, we cry,
As you pray, we pray,
As you endure, we endure.
Finally, our Nation will need to recover from this cowardly
deed. It may be a long and tortuous journey. We ask that You
bless our leaders and provide them with the guidance and
strength to resolve these hostilities and find a road to peace.
Oh, most merciful Father, hear our prayer.
Amen
God Bless America
Mark Your Calendars!
| Date | Time | Meeting | Location |
| 20 October | Sat. | 1000 | Board Meeting | Aquia Harbour YC |
| 17 November | Sat. | 1000
1300 |
Board Meeting
Delegates Meeting |
Belvedere YC |
| 15 December | Sat. | 1000 | Board Meeting | Key YC |
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