Sailing News

Mike Plant Memorial Youth Sailing Clinic
Aug 22-26
 

Children participating in the youth clinic came from several YMCA Day Camps in the Minneapolis area. The children received four days of sailing experience with sailing instructors from the Wayzata Sailing School, an experience most had never had.
 

The Mike Plant Memorial Fund was established 12 years ago in honor of Deephaven native, Mike Plant. Mike was a renowned single-handed ocean sailboat racer whose accomplishments included 3 single-handed circumnavigations. He was lost at sea en route to France in the fall of 1991. The Fund was established in hopes of providing sailing opportunities for children who would otherwise not be able to experience sailing first hand.
For more information on the event, and any upcoming events contact Mary Plant at 763-473-3215.

Medical Training for Sailors

Are you cruising now, or have plans to in the future? Do you charter in exotic locations? Sail in the Great Lakes? If a medical emergency arose, would you or your crew be able to respond? A professional and comprehensive medical training seminar is geared towards the special need of sailors and boaters. Items covered include:
•Basic competence with splintering, wound care and medication use.
•Refined medical communication skills for radio and telephone.
•Principles of long-term management of illness and injury on board.
•Common threats in the marine environment.
•Good “risk versus benefit” decision-making.
•Selection of the appropriate medical technology and training for your vessel and voyage.
 

This seminar goes beyond your basic 1st Aid and CPR. The seminar uses lecture, discussion, and practical skills workshop. Upon successful completion participants will receive a Wilderness First Aid Certificate from Wilderness Medical Associates (WMA), recognized by the U.S. Coast Guard. This program is in its sixth successful year of preparing circumnavigators, coastal sailors, and professional mariners, but this is the first time offered in the Midwest.

The instructor is Jeffrey Isaac, PA-C, an experienced physician assistant with a strong interest in remote and extreme environments. He is a Senior Instructor with WMA and author of Outward Bound Wilderness First-Aid Handbook. Jeffrey Isaac is a blue-water sailor and has a U.S. Coast Guard Captain’s license.

The seminar is sponsored by Superior Sabbatical Sailors on November 11, 12, and 13, 2005. The location is the Dakota Electric Association, 4300 220th St. West, Farmington, MN. The cost is $375 and covers all teaching materials and book, this includes certification by WMA and Ocean Navigator. For more information or to register, please contact Vicki McEvoy at 612-722-8813 or nokomis_sail@yahoo.com.

Auxiliarists Awarded Silver Medal for Lifesaving

Three United States Coast Guard Auxiliarists, the uniformed volunteer component of Team Coast Guard, are the recipients of the Association for Rescue at Sea’s (AFRAS) Silver Lifesaving Medal.

Richard Runde of Cedarburg, WI, Jay Croy and Linda Croy of East Grand Fork, MN were crew members on an Auxiliary facility providing a safety patrol for the 33rd Annual Leech Lake Regatta and Sailboat Race held in August 2004.

The weather took a turn for the worse, and the crew of the sailing vessel Wind Dancer became hypothermic, and were unable to sail their vessel. The Auxiliarists took the 25 foot Wind Dancer in tow, under extremely dangerous conditions, where winds were 15-20 knots, with gusts to 30-35 knots and the seas were topping 5 feet.

Both the crew of the Wind Dancer and the Auxiliary facility returned safely to port.

AFRAS (http://www.afras.org) tries to award yearly a Gold medal (given to Active Duty or Reserve members of the Coast Guard), a Silver medal (for Coast Guard Auxiliarists) and a AMVER award (for commercial vessels who are part of the Automated Mutual-assistance Vessel Rescue System). The Silver award was established in February 2000, and only one other Auxiliarist, Henry ‘Cleve’ Chandler has been awarded this prestigious award (in 2002).

The award ceremony will be held in Washington, DC in early October.

The United States Coast Guard Auxiliary is composed of uniformed, non-military volunteer’s who assist the Coast Guard in all of its varied missions, except for military and direct law enforcement. These men and women can be found on the nation’s waterways, in the air, in classrooms and on the dock, performing Maritime Domain Awareness patrols, safety patrols, vessel safety checks and public education.

The United States Coast Guard Auxiliary was founded in 1939 by an Act of Congress as the U.S. Coast Guard Reserve and re-designated as the Auxiliary in 1941. Its 30,000 members donate millions of hours annually in support of Coast Guard missions.

Energy Bill Bans Great Lakes Drilling

The bill is expected to be voted on by the US House and Senate later in the week. A temporary ban on drilling was set by Congress in 2001 and has been extended twice. The moratorium is set to expire in 2007.

Representative Bart Stupak (D-Menominee) had sought the prohibition amid concerns that the Great Lakes could be threatened by an oil spill. The Lakes supply drinking water to more than 30 million people and make up about 20 percent of the world’s fresh surface water.

Representative Mike Rogers (R-Brighton) opposed Stupak’s approach, arguing that the powers should be left to the states in the region.

Michigan, New York, Wisconsin, Illinois, and Ohio have drilling bans in their states, but the bans are not found in Indiana, Pennsylvania and Minnesota.

The drilling ban was agreed to Tuesday as part of a broad agreement on the energy bill. The bill is expected to be voted on by the House and Senate later in the week.

$5,000 Innovation in Life Jacket Design Competition Seeks More Entries

What would a life jacket look and feel like if the private sector could design it without government oversight?

Take a pencil to paper and show us what you think a life jacket should look like and you could end up with $5,000 at the conclusion of the “Innovation in Life Jacket Design Competition” sponsored by the BoatU.S. Foundation for Boating Safety and Clean Water and the Personal Flotation Device Manufacturers Association.

The contest seeks entries that embrace new technologies and out-of-the-box thinking to solve the age-old problem of why certain boaters won’t routinely wear life jackets. Entries are encouraged from academia, schools, industry, armchair designers, boaters, or anyone interested in a design challenge.

A number of interesting new designs have been received since the contest was launched March 31 and it’s expected that more will come as the school year progresses and the December 15 deadline approaches. There has also been a number of enquiries received from around the globe including Japan, England, Scotland, Australia, Spain and Norway. The winner will be announced at the Miami International Boat Show in February, 2006.

The competition will be judged based on four criteria: wearability, reliability, cost and innovation. “Wearability” relates to the level of comfort. “Reliability” will take into account the chances for potential failure, while “cost” will look at the affordability of the design. “Innovation” will take into account originality or the employment of new technologies.

There are no rules regarding types of materials to be used or whether the design meets any current U.S. Coast Guard or Underwriters Laboratory standards. However, certain entries may be submitted to the U.S. Coast Guard to review for possible financial assistance towards gaining full USCG approval.

Entries do not have to include a working model or prototype, as detailed drawings will be accepted. For more information, visit http://www.BoatUS.com/Foundation/ lifejacketdesign. You may also contact Ruth Wood at 703-823-9550, x3204/ RWood@BoatUS.com or Bernice McArdle at 312-946-6280/ BMcArdle@NMMA.org.

The BoatU.S Foundation for Boating Safety and Clean Water is a national 501(c)(3) nonprofit education and research organization primarily funded by the voluntary contributions of 600,000 members of BoatU.S., the nation’s largest recreational boat owners association. The Personal Flotation Device Manufacturers Association is an affiliate of the National Marine Manufacturers Association (NMMA).