Patrick's Sailing Blog

Since I’m slacking off by actually working towards going sailing, I thought I’d pass a long a few blogs who are not:

• Panbo: The Marine Electronics Weblog  I have a love hate relationship with the Panbo website. I love the content. I HATE that the RSS feed does not have the full posts, you have to click the posts then load the web page… I know he wishes you’d click a Google ad, but come on who actually clicks on any ads? Even when I am interested in an Ad, I hold my mouse over it to determine the URL and just go to the company’s site myself in a new browser tab so the ads don’t work. OK, but the guy is an great writer so I’ll cut him some slack for thinking ads work.
• Latitude 38 - The West's Premier Sailing & Marine Magazine. This is their RSS feed which is poorly implemented (the feed is not from individual posts, but links to placeholders within one long post) but they occasionally have good cruiser stuff
• NoonSite: They don't’ have an RSS feed, but try this link which I setup on Feed43.com which RSSifies their news page: Noonsite: The global site for cruising sailors This is mostly great for tracking the changes going on with visa and check-in requirements around the world. I wish they’d add their own RSS feeds with filtering by region, that would be the bomb!
• Three Sheets Northwest | Exploring the waters of the Pacific Northwest (Sail boat owners and professional journalists) I just found this one, but they do real research for their articles which is nice.
• Puget Sound Maritime Maritime news and resources in and around Puget Sound Good content very little original mostly links to products and other places, if you read very few blogs that’s nice. If you read a LOT of blog (like me) you see a lot of the same things twice, but for most people this and one other site might be all they need.

I’m a geek so pardon my technical review of the way these things are implemented. Its so easy and pretty darn close to free to do this right, so I’m annoyed when it looks like people are just lazy. If any one above wants help to clean up their RSS stuff I’d love to help, no charge!

Sorry to my 3 readers that I’ve not been keeping up with things here. I’ve been mostly focused on working on Deep Playa. I’m not sure how much I will continue to blog about general sailing\puget sound stuff. If you think I should keep going or quit feel free to leave a comment.

Linda sent me a note asking when the 48 North Swap Meet would be? I went over to their site and they had no ad up, but they now have a 48 North online magazine and on page 8 in the calendar I found that the swap meet is scheduled for 11 April 2009 at Fisheries Supply (as always).

I will definitely be there this year and may have some things to sell as well.

CYC has a few Cruiser events, being mostly a racing club, but every February they host some speakers, open the doors, and the bar and invite everyone. I can say from having attended in the past that you should be a little early. There are limited seats and standing gets old.

Here’s the details from Rod Deyo (from Diversion) the Cruising Organizer this year.

Corinthian Yacht Club Presents

Fridays in February

I currently use Coastal Explorer, but there’s a new release from Fugawi, so if you’ve not decided or you’re a current user check it out.

Fugawi Software is pleased to announce the release of Version 4.5.28 of Fugawi Global Navigator and Fugawi Marine ENC software.
Version 4.5.28 is a free upgrade for all customers who purchased Fugawi Global Navigator or Fugawi Marine ENC on or after January 1, 2007 from an authorized Fugawi reseller.
To upgrade, visit http://www.fugawi.com/web/support/updates_index.htm
Recent Enhancements:
- Topographic Maps of USA (1:24,000) and Canada (1:50,000) now available via web subscription, see http://www.fugawi.com/web/x-traverse/touratel_topo_maps.htm
- Swedish Marine Charts now available via web subscription, see http://www.fugawi.com/web/x-traverse/swedish_marine_charts.htm
- iPhone now supported via Fugawi X-Traverse connection to iNavX software. See www.x-traverse.com
- Waypoints, routes and tracks may now be transferred to/from GEONAV plotters
- PathAway 5 GPS Software demo updated to 5.00.29
- Enhanced GPX data file support with the ability to add or extract routes, waypoints and tracks to/from a single GPX file
- Added an audible AIS alarm (Fugawi Marine ENC only)
- Filter out AIS Class B vessels on demand (Fugawi Marine ENC only)
- Support for Navionics Platinum+ marine charts (Fugawi Marine ENC only)
- Plus much more...
Yours truly,
The Fugawi Team
____________________
For more information:
amanda@fugawi.com
www.fugawi.com

Here’s a new site which is essentially a do not phonebook list. They will contact the phone book companies on your behalf and ask them to stop sending you a phone book. They’re not required to stop, but it seems like a nice place to start in reducing that junk mail!

http://www.yellowpagesgoesgreen.org/stop-yellow-pages/

This was passed along by Tami, the Harbormaster on Bainbridge.

Here is some information on a scholarship program that promotes marine education. Worth a look and pass onto any schools or individuals that might be interested. These are for Washington State residents. Go to Website for more details:

The Youth Maritime Training Association (YMTA) is a nonprofit organization dedicated to promoting and supporting students who wish to pursue careers in the maritime industry including the marine sciences.

The scholarships may be used by students pursuing maritime training and education in community colleges, technical and vocational programs, colleges, universities, maritime academies or other educational institutions. Scholarships will be awarded in the amounts of one $5,000, one $3,000, and two $1,000 in the spring of 2009. In addition, Pacific Maritime Magazine will award a $500 scholarship to one of the finalists planning to pursue a seagoing maritime career.

http://www.ymta.net/ScholarshipProgram.asp

Checkout this clearance deal from Defender:

GMR 21 Radar Scanner

2KW, 24-inch low-profile radome Digital signal processor incorporated

Item #: 256125

Manufacturer:  GARMIN

Model #: 010-00323-01

Shipping Weight: 69.40 Lbs.

List Price: $1299.99

Original Price: $999.00
Closeout Price:  $499.00

I spent the past 3 days at the Seattle boat show and I wanted to share some overall impressions. In general there are significantly fewer vendors showing. I heard from one vendor there were as many as 200 fewer companies onsite. Normally there are 3-4 aisles of exhibits in the parking garage off of the concourse area. Those are all gone. The North (I call this water ski and fishing row) seemed less packed. There was one large sailboat in the exhibition center. Island Packet showed a motor/sailor and I’m not counting that.

Seminar-wise I think the quality is up this year, still lots of overlap from last year, but I know how to pick around those and I’ve enjoyed the sessions I attended.

I did purchase all new stainless steel portholes for Deep Playa from New Found Metals, a Yamaha F8 four-stroke outboard for my dinghy, I think we’ve narrowed our reading light options for the salon down and we’re looking at what LED bulbs will\won’t work in some of our existing fixtures or if we’ll be replacing our fixtures. I’ll probably be going with Dr. LED lights and purchasing at Fisheries Supply who has a boat show discount. I’m not sure if it was the owner or just a rep, but the Dr. LED guy was very helpful and answered all of my questions.

I’m also in the learning phase of discussions with sail makers and dodger\bimini folks. But those last two are not going to be worked on this year I do like to walk around and speak with the vendors though as it helps me plan and pick who I’ll work with in the future. In particular I spoke with Iverson’s Design and looked at their floor demo models. I really liked their workmanship compared to another vendor I spoke with. They also come out to your boat in their van to do the work, you don't need to take your boat somewhere which is VERY nice! AND they were cheaper!! WOW!

I’ll be out their this weekend as well talking to sail makers and attending a few more sessions. I would like to attend some during the week but I’m going to be at my Marine Electrical and Diesel classes Mon, Tue, Thu. Check back for more general show updates or head over to the S/V Deep Playa site where I’ll talk more about the portholes and outboard specifics and eventually have install information.

This is a straight cut-n-paste but it’s a pretty cool effort and if you’re local to Eagle Harbor I encourage you help out.

YOUR HELP NEEDED THIS FEBRUARY AND MARCH RESTORING SALMON TO COOPER CREEK, HEAD OF EAGLE HARBOR!

Greetings, friends- We need your help over the next few months  for an important restoration project at the head of Eagle Harbor. The Watershed Council, the Suquamish Tribe , and the City of Bainbridge Island are working together to restore and enhance the salmon population on Cooper Creek. Cooper Creek is at the head of Eagle Harbor, and its watershed is largely owned by the city. About five years ago, an impoundment and non-functioning culvert were removed from the stream to restore fish passage. Volunteers have been monitoring this stream for four years since the restoration, and have observed a few salmon returning to this stream.

We are initiating a program to supplement chum salmon in this creek with the goal of increasing the return of fish to this watershed and, at least in a small way, contributing to the enhancement of the larger Puget Sound salmon population. As you all probably are aware, salmon are incredibly important to both aquatic and terrestrial foodwebs. Increasing our salmon returns can help us bring back some of the functions we have lost as salmon populations have dwindled over the past century, including delivery of nutrients to the watershed and serving as food for an incredible diversity of wildlife. Our expectation is that this will be the first of about 4 years of adding eggs/fry to the stream, the minimum needed to ensure a multiple-year return and sufficient genetic diversity to support a healthy run of fish.
But we cannot do it without your help! The supplementation program will involve feeding fry (young salmon) in a contained area along the stream multiple times a day for approximately 8 weeks. Therefore, we are asking you for your assistance to sign up to help us feed the fry. A single visit should only take about 20 minutes of your time, and we are hoping that folks can commit to at least one time slot they might regularly be able to do over multiple weeks.

Here's how it works to sign up to help:
First, you must meet two conditions to participate:

1. you need to be at least 14 years of age (this is for insurance purposes because this is city property);
2. there is some uneven footing and dense vegetation at the site, so you eed to be able to navigate this kind of terrain to participate.
   

SIGNING UP: If you meet these conditions and want to help, go to the following website:
http://www.doodle.com/participation.html?pollId=sym2fnaximcqquun

(if the above link is not live in this message, cut and paste the address into your web browser)  This website contains the schedule for fry feeding, which commences on Feb 2, the day after installation of the salmon fry on site. Please read the instructions at the site. Please sign up for a time that has not yet been taken so we can make sure to fill all the spots. Please make sure to fill in your phone and email address as well as your name, per the instructions. If nothing is available in the times you are available, contact myself or huber001@aol.com and we will try to work you in if possible. Note that when you sign up for a slot, it’s given to you as a two- or three hour window. You may do your visit any time within or close to that window, and your visit should only take about 20 minutes.
If you have any questions about the signup process, or the poll is not working for any reason, please contact me at this email, drudnick@10000yearsinstitute.org.

TRAINING: After you have signed up, plan to attend the volunteer training on Sunday, February 1st, at 2pm, at the site (details on how to find it below).

The training should take about 45 minutes or so, and we will go over the basics of what to do to feed the fry and maintain the site, how to keep the records of your visit, and answer further questions. We need you to attend this training if at all possible- If you cannot make this training, but you still want to participate, please contact Jeanne Huber at huber001@aol.com <mailto:huber001@aol.com>  and she will work with you to find a time that works to get you trained. Directions to the site are below.

INSTALLATION HELP: If you want to help even more, you can sign up to assist with the installation at 1pm on Feb.  1st, right before the training. Please email huber001@aol.com <mailto:huber001@aol.com> if you are able to assist with setting up. Because the site is somewhat confined we need to make sure we have the right number of people for the installation, so please do contact Jeanne in advance if you can help.

SCHOOLGROUPS: The training described above on the 1st is primarily for individual folks. If you are a school group or teacher receiving this email and you want to get a group of kids involved, please contact huber001@aol.com <mailto:huber001@aol.com>  and we will work with you on a separate time to train your group.
Thanks so much for your efforts in helping us to restore our salmon and our watersheds!

Sincerely,
Debbie Rudnick
Chair, BI Watershed Council
drudnick@10000yearsinstitute.org

I created my annual seminar spreadsheet. This year I used an online service called EditGrid. If you have an iPhone install their app as well and you can carry it around that way too. Here’s the link: 2009 Seattle Boatshow Seminar - Online Spreadsheets - EditGrid

Enjoy, let me know if you’ll be there this year.

Here’s an interesting post about the Port of Bellingham and City not getting long very well nowadays. The Port of Bellingham also operates the marina\port at Blaine which I thought was well run and very modern. I don’t know much about Bellingham yet.

You’ve heard him on NPR, now see him in person. Cliff Mass is speaking Thursday 4 December 2008. He is also the author of The Weather of the Pacific Northwest.

The talk is at Kane Hall room 120 on the UW Campus and starts at 7pm. Contact 206.221.4995 for more info or just show up.

I am very excited about the boat show this year. Now I have a boat and I definitely need all those LED lights, remote control submarines, velvet lined oar covers… no really, I do. ;-)

Tickets go on sale this weekend!! Drop me a not if you’ll be around. It would nice to meet some readers and have a beer or three. Plus I can ask you questions about how to install all my new toys.

WHEN
Friday, January 23 - Sunday, February 1, 2009

TICKETS
E-tickets go on sale beginning December 8, 2008.

ADULTS: $10
YOUTH (11-17): $5
KIDS 10 and Under: Free
3-DAY Multi-Day Pass: $18
Purchase tickets online and receive free parking, a free appetizer from Pyramid Alehouse and more!

Splash Newsletter from the port of Seattle is out with a story about the Washington Liveaboard Association, the new key FOBs which are replacing the old fashioned keys (can we do away with the key pad bathrooms!!) and apparently there will be some new bike storage coming soon.

New Parking Stickers will be available starting in February. You can pick them up at the office or get your new one via mail. Here’s a handy dandy PDF form with the all the details. Also, you may buy one additional pass for $60.

I couldn’t resist the photo from the movie. ;-)

Its to be expected, but is no less appalling to hear that boat abandonment is on the rise. The garden variety stop paying your moorage fees is one thing, but in CA and FL apparently there are lot of boats illegally scuttled leaking oil, fuel, and holding tanks into the waterways. Seattle Times Article from the AP.