Quite the Catch! Sailboat Auction

TO BID EMAIL PAUL STRONG AT paul8107@hotmail.com

Here’s an opportunity to sail in and out of Cape Charles on your own boat and to benefit the Cape Charles Yacht Club, too. After many years of wonderful sailing aboard S/V Stewardship, I must allow her another skipper. I’ve thought about how I might approach this, and after a time of having her on the market with a few “lookers” I decided to take another tack. Therefore, I’ve decided to hold an auction on this beauty at a very low asking price.

Here’s how it works! The sailboat is a 1983 C&C 29 MK II. In “the” day, this boat was touted as a pocket cruiser where Dad (or Mom) could race it in the Wednesday night series - or the weekend – but, could also sail the vessel on extended cruises. A marine survey was conducted on Stewardship two years ago, and if you are serious about submitting a bid, I’ll gladly send you a copy of that document.

Now, for the auction plan. The auction bidding has a minimum of $6,000. This means the bidder must provide an offer of at least this amount. If you are a serious buyer and wish to bid then you submit the amount you wish to offer via email to Past Commodore Paul Strong – paul8107@hotmail.com .

Paul will post the highest bid received thus far as they come to him, without the bidder’s name, as often as he can (the goal will be daily, but he can’t guarantee that) on the CCYC’s website for all to see. You may bid as often as you would like as the bids are posted. Your final email with a bid must be sent to Paul no later than 5 pm on February 23, 2018.

The boat is sold as is, and yes, you may visit the boat at the Cape Charles Yacht Center. There is one more thing – and a really important thing! Half of the successful bidder’s dollar amount will go directly to the Cape Charles Yacht Club. That’s right, half the purchase price will benefit the Yacht Club for programs that the board determines are important for the continuance and support of the club. This makes me feel good and it should make you feel good, too!

If you’re in the market for a sailboat I hope you will consider this plan. If you’re not a sailor but might be interested in learning, I can assist with that too.

Fair winds,

Capt. Dave Steward

Past Commodore

Man at the helm syndrome!

Boating with a Spouse/Partner:  the Safety of it all! Over the course of my time as a sailing instructor, as well as an amused and sometimes a not amused bystander, I've observed couples who boat together fall into a few predictive behaviors.  If you've spent any time in a marina along the docks you probably have been witness to some interesting boating occurrences between partners.  A few thoughts on this subject.

Man must be at the helm syndrome I'll run the risk of alienating a few of my sailing buddies by this, but we males tend to fall into this trap.  When docking, he "mans" the helm while "she" dutifully runs up and down the deck (typically with fender in tow) to fend the vessel from the dock, get a line over, or act as the "jumper" to make fast the boat.  Okay - I've done it too. I guess it may be viewed as wimpy to switch roles - but in many instances once "she" becomes comfortable with docking and leaving the slip or dock, I generally have found women have a better touch.  Men tend to "muscle" the vessel with lots of diesel - she finesses the boat.  This also means she knows certain things about the operation of their boat if she can dock it. The safety of this?  If both individuals aren't familiar with the operation of the vessel while underway, you're in danger of losing your loved one - it's as simple as that.  Imagine the male who is the only one who understands how to manage the boat under power, or sail.  Now imagine him having a heart attack, falling overboard, or becoming disabled in some manner.  What's she to do?  How does she save herself?  How does she save all aboard?  It can be said that some women simply do not wish to know much on the operation of the boat - that's his job!  But, if she finds herself in one of the above predicaments, I think she would want to know something about "his" job - and pretty damn quick.  Here are my recommendations for a safe boating experience.  It is not at all inclusive, just a few tidbits for consideration.

The minimal thing you should do together is know how to work the VHF radio.  By the way, you should have a handheld VHF radio, at minimum, on your boat - I don't care what size vessel, a radio to me is a piece of safety equipment.  Understand the difference between channel 16 and the other channels for communication - 68, 69, 70 and so forth.  Know how to issue a Securite, Pan Pan or a May Day!  Here's a link on the difference.https://www.boatingmag.com/when-to-use-mayday-pan-pan-or-securite West Marine and other nautical outlets have stickers that can be applied next to your base unit or somewhere on the boat that instruct the user on the proper way to issue these calls for assistance.

Capt. Dave Steward

Past Commodore

#coldwaterboating

Years ago while I was undergoing cold weather training in preparation for my deployment to Antarctica, hypothermia and the effects of it were typically discussed in every session. Over the years and through the introduction of different materials used in outer wear, hypothermia is still of concern, but the body has more protection with these materials than when I was in the Antarctic 47 years ago.

Hypothermia is what occurs when your body dissipates more heat than it absorbs. In humans, it is defined as a core body temperature below 95.0 °F. Symptoms depend on the temperature. In mild hypothermia there is shivering and confusion. In moderate hypothermia, shivering stops and confusion increases. In severe hypothermia, there may be paradoxical undressing, in which a person removes his or her clothing (Robert Scott's body was found in this state when he and his crew were located after returning from making the south pole), as well as an increased risk of the heart stopping.

A quick Google search of "cold water boating" turned up one consistent comment in every article I read: the importance of wearing a life jacket. Wearing a PFD becomes even more critical when the danger for hypothermia is added to other concerns. A sudden introduction into cold water can have significant physiological consequences, including cardiac arrest, quick loss of body heat (the body loses heat 25 times faster in cold water than in cold air) and involuntary inhalation of water (gasping) that results in drowning. Wearing a life jacket can keep the boaters head above water, keep the person warm, and provide a chance for rescue. In fact, there are specific PFDs that can be acquired for cold water boating. Wearing the right clothing contributes to more enjoyable and safer cold weather boating. Consider dressing in layers of clothing, and including a wet suit or dry suit, to help ward off hypothermia.

The following statements are a direct lift from one of the more popular weather boating magazines.

~ Assess the risks – think what can go wrong and be fully equipped and prepared.

~ Leave a float plan with a responsible individual who knows your intentions, location, and who to call if you fail to return as scheduled.

~ Carry a VHF radio and an EPIRB (Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacon), signal flares and other means to draw attention to your location.

~ Be aware of and prepared for the shock of sudden immersion and incapacitating effects of cold water – dress to get wet and carry a change of clothing in a waterproof container.

~ Be aware of activity around your vessel and potential for fast-changing weather.

~ Boat safe and sober – save the alcohol for when you’ve safely returned.

~ Be sure your vessel is in good operating condition and has the necessary safety equipment on board before you leave the dock.

~ Refresh your seamanship skills - take a boating safety course offered by your local Coast Guard Auxiliary flotilla.

Stay safe this cold season - and we"ll see you at one of the CCYC socials.

Capt. Dave Steward

Safety Captain

PC