A publication of the St Paul Sail and Power Squadron ... States Power Squadrons Inc. America’s ......

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The River Skipper The River Skipper The River Skipper The River Skipper A publication of the St Paul Sail and Power Squadron, District 10, a unit of United States Power Squadrons Inc. America’s Boating Club Volume 46, Issue 1 January , 2009 Please help welcome in the Squadron’s 45th year of existence and the new bridge! The bridge will as- sume the duties of making sure the St Paul Sail and Power Squadron carries on for another great year of boating education, civic volunteerism and fraternal activities. We will need all members to help sup- port these efforts. This will happen at the C.O.W. (Change Of Watch) ceremonies at Guldens Supper Club in Maplewood, Minnesota. What: St Paul Sail and Power Squadron Change of Watch When: Friday, 6 February, 2009 Where: Gulden’s Supper Club 2999 Hwy 61 North Maplewood, MN Time: 1830 Social Time 1900 Dinner 2000 Ceremony Cost: $ 23 MENU Choice: 8 oz. Choice Top Sirloin w/sautéed mushrooms Chicken Kiev served over rice pilaf Pasta Primavera (w/broccoli, mushroom and carrots) All entrees served with a Dinner Salad, Baked Potato, Rolls and Butter. A complimentary vege- table tray with dip will be served prior to your meal. Please complete and mail your reservations with check made out to “SPSPS” to Bob Schmit, 10651 W 175 St, Lakeville, MN, 55044 Name Dinner Choice ($23) Attending Mtg Only

Transcript of A publication of the St Paul Sail and Power Squadron ... States Power Squadrons Inc. America’s ......

Page 1: A publication of the St Paul Sail and Power Squadron ... States Power Squadrons Inc. America’s ... squadrons and districts of the United States Power Squadrons, Inc. ... for Pepperweed

The River SkipperThe River SkipperThe River SkipperThe River Skipper A publication of the St Paul Sail and Power Squadron, District 10, a unit of

United States Power Squadrons Inc. America’s Boating Club

Volume 46, Issue 1

January , 2009

Please help welcome in the Squadron’s 45th year of existence and the new bridge! The bridge will as-sume the duties of making sure the St Paul Sail and Power Squadron carries on for another great year of boating education, civic volunteerism and fraternal activities. We will need all members to help sup-port these efforts. This will happen at the C.O.W. (Change Of Watch) ceremonies at Guldens Supper Club in Maplewood, Minnesota. What: St Paul Sail and Power Squadron Change of Watch When: Friday, 6 February, 2009 Where: Gulden’s Supper Club 2999 Hwy 61 North Maplewood, MN Time: 1830 Social Time 1900 Dinner 2000 Ceremony

Cost: $ 23

MENU Choice:

8 oz. Choice Top Sirloin w/sautéed mushrooms Chicken Kiev served over rice pilaf

Pasta Primavera (w/broccoli, mushroom and carrots) All entrees served with a Dinner Salad, Baked

Potato, Rolls and Butter. A complimentary vege-table tray with dip will be served prior to your

meal.

Please complete and mail your reservations with check made out to “SPSPS” to Bob Schmit, 10651 W 175 St, Lakeville, MN, 55044

Name Dinner Choice ($23) Attending Mtg Only

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The River Skipper is published monthly for the members of St Paul Sail and Power Squadron Inc. Opinions are those of the writer and do not

necessarily reflect the policy of, nor imply agreement with the Editor, St Paul Sail and Power Squadron, Inc., District 10 or USPS. The Editor reserves

the right to accept, reject or revise submitted articles.

USPS® and United States Power Squadrons® are registered trademarks of the United States Power Squadrons, Inc., Boat Smart® is a trademark of

United States Power Squadrons, Inc. for their public boating safety course. Contents and graphics are the property of the USPS and should not be

reproduced without permission by groups other than squadrons and districts of the United States Power Squadrons, Inc.

2009 Calendar of Upcoming Events

January 4th Reservations due for Bent Prop Party-contact Joan Hasper [email protected] January 12th 1900 (7 p.m.) Bridge Meeting Davanni's I-94/White Bear Avenue January 15th Bent Prop/Annual Meeting February 6th Change of Watch, Guldens, details front page February 9th 1900 (7 PM) Bridge Meeting @ Davanni’s, I-94/White Bear Avenue

2008 Leadership Commander

Cdr Mark Fotsch, AP

651-489-6733 [email protected] Executive Officer

Lt/C Jeff Davis, AP

651-457-0588 [email protected] Administrative Officer

Lt/C Nancy Anderson, S

651-433-3247 [email protected] Educational Officer

Lt/C Don Hansen, SN

612-872-7716 [email protected] Ass’t Educational Officer

R/C Art Mollica, SN

651-777-0277 [email protected] Secretary

P/R/C Hal Fotsch, SN

651-646-6216 [email protected] Treasurer

Lt Claudia Kidd

651-730-0671 Members-at-Large

Lt Ken Kidd

Lt Mark Hafner, AP Past Commander

P/C Mark Fotsch, AP

651-489-6733 Membership Chair

P/D/C Jack Newman, AP

651-905-3784 Nominating Chair

P/R/C Hal Fotsch, SN

651-646-6216 Rules Chair

R/C Art Mollica, SN

651-777-0277 Audit Chair

Lt Dale Anderson, S

651-433-3247 Building Fund Chair

P/D/C Gerald Brings,SN

952-851-0886 Editor

P/Lt/C Bob Schmit, AP

952-435-3362 [email protected]

The Executive Committee meets monthly (Bridge Meeting) at 7:00PM at Davanni’s

Restaurant, I-94 & White Bear Avenue on a date noted above. All members are wel-

come, invited, and encouraged to attend.

Ron, Ernie, Nancy and Pat Reimann enjoying the Lilydale Yacht Club where the Squad-ron held it’s annual Christmas party.

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From the Commander’s Desk Cdr Mark Fotsch, AP

The nominating committee has met and new officers are slated to take over in February of 2009. With these new officers comes great re-sponsibility. They will need plenty of help dur-ing the next year to organize and execute many events. Please join in the excitement and become apart of an active boating organization. There are many committees for every one’s desire. If you are interested please contact an executive offi-cer and ask how you may help. The more vol-unteers that join a committee the more fun the event will be. Some of the events in 2009 are already sched-uled so you can decide where you would like to help. Have fun with the squadron and sign up today. Congratulations to all the incoming officers.

See the newsletter in color at: http://www.spsps.org/

From the Administrative Officer—

Lt/C Nancy Anderson, S

As I am sitting here writing my final article as Administrative Officer, I am reflecting on the various events and activities which were done throughout the past year. Our Squadron had boating related ac-tivities such as the program on Invasive Aquatic Plants presented by Chip Wellington and Boating Jeop-ardy spearheaded by Art Mollica and Emceed by Al Harmon and nonboating activities including the hay-ride/bonfire this fall. Our annual activities included the Bingo Fundraiser run by Bob Mercil and Jack Newman, the Holiday Party at the beautiful Lilydale Pool and Yacht Club, the Bent Prop Award hosted this year by our own Commander, Mark Fotsch, the fun Welcome Aboard night organized by Hal Fotsch and held at the Officers’ Club thanks to Bob Eriksen. And who can forget the great family weekend at the Squadron Beach south of Hudson?? Always includ-ing the delicious breakfast served by the Bridge Officers…with the “not to be missed” pancakes and special syrup of Hal Fotsch and the breakfast potatoes of Don Anderson! Throughout the boating sea-son our Squadron tries to have cruises in which are open to boat owners and non-boat owners. Our Squadron has a variety of activities and our members are a wealth of information and fun to be with. I hope that YOU will take part in our Squadron activities in the upcoming year.

JANUARY BIRTHDAYS 1st Kenneth Pearson, S 2nd Sally Kemp, P 6th Jeffrey Luther, S 9th Margaret Policone, S 15th Jeff Zurn. P 18th Lori Fotsch 21st Susan Lutterman, AP 23rd Scott Blascyk, S 26th Jordan Emerson 27th Gary Shaffer 28th David Selden, S 31st Nan Zurn If you are having a birthday or anniversary during the month and are not listed or listed incorrectly, that is because we don’t have it recorded correctly. Please let the squadron secretary know.

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Finally! Dream trips do happen. After winterizing and shrink wrap-ping the other boats in Hansen’s Harbor Marina and twelve years of retrofitting and planning, Pete Hansen, AP and his wife Jane de-parted the marina in the cold rain on Thursday, 13 Nov for Key West aboard Morning Light, a 1987 Island Seas Steel Clipper 44. Joining them for the first week of the voyage is their son Allen Hansen, AP and their granddaughter “lady” Alaina. As the Mississippi River locks are scheduled to close for the season on the 22nd the plan is to run 24/7 until they reach the Tennessee River. Always wanting to be prepared, they are towing the marina’s work boat, just in case they experience mechanical problems or, heaven forbid, run aground. They don’t want to be nominated for the Bent Prop—again! One of Pete’s most unique addition was the installation of an eleva-tor (shown at right) to assist Jane, she must sometimes use a wheelchair, and getting her 300# oxygen tanks aboard.

Newest Snowbirds

Scott Minette (spouse—Laura) 7323 15th Street Lane North Oakdale, MN 55128 [email protected] 651-738-0065 Scott is in sales for Innotek, a manufacturer of hydraulic components. Scott has been boating for +20 years and currently has a 19ft ‘little go-fast boat which he trailers to his favorite lakes in central Minnesota.

Greg Link (spouse—Lisa) 4086 Johnny Cake Ridge Road Eagan, MN 55441 [email protected] 651-688-6738 Greg is a senior consultant for Pepperweed Consulting (IT service management). Greg has been boating for 25 years in both sail & power and currently has a Rinker 270 Fiesta Vee docked at Hansen’s Harbor

MEET OUR NEWEST MEMBERS

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‘Part I of III On 11 Nov 2008 St Paul completed its 45th year of existence and shortly a new group of members will begin leading our Squadron. Having been a member for 25 of those years, holding positions in the squadron, district, and national, I have been through many important changes in our organization and seen mem-bers come and go. One item that continues to amaze me is the lack of member knowledge as to ’what is’ the power squadron. Under-standing what started our organization will aid our members and leadership direct us in the future. During my term as district commander, I was invited to attend the USPS 90th Anniversary celebration held at the New York Yacht Club. During the event I picked up a handout pre-pared by Paul Shanabrook, a past historian of the Boston Yacht Club, the birthplace of the “Power Squadron.” I recently rediscovered this handout and I would like to share some highlights with you. “The Boston (Yacht Club), with its solid strength, was the most likely to shoulder an-other innovation—the rapidly rising popularity of the powerboat. Many of the members still were on an ideological kick about yachting because most of them were confirmed ‘ragmen’ of the old school. The practical Bos-ton was an ideal testing ground for the mix of powerboats, auxiliaries and windjammers.” “In the summer of 1911, Roger Upon, one of the Boston’s finest sailing yachtsmen, brought together a small group of powerboat owners. Their number had been growing steadily within the fleet since the turn of the century. While steam was the prime motive power of commercial traffic, and many larger yachts, a new breed of yachtsmen were powering their craft with newfangled, cranky naphtha and gasoline engines.” “Roger owned a 50-foot ketch named Nirvana and bought a 35-foot motor launch with a gasoline engine to serve as tender for the ketch and tow her when she was becalmed. In 1911 Roger sold the Nirvana and purchased a 61-foot steam-powered yacht which he called Elizabeth. Although he loved to sail, the reli-ability of power captivated him.

‘WHAT IS’ THE POWER SQUADRON

“The needs of yachtsmen, the refined technology of the internal combustion engine and the desire for a ’club-with-the-club’ were not the only stimuli for the founding of the ’power division’ of the Boston (Yacht Club). A powerful establishment of crusty steamboat inspectors hung over the heads of the new breed. The U.S. laws governing navigation applied only to steamships and were enforced by a board of the same steamboat inspectors. The inspectors wanted very much to expand their jurisdiction to cover the small internal combustion yachts, for which they had little use whatever, and apply the same stringent rules which governed commercial traffic. They com-plained that small power craft knew nothing about navigation and small boat handling and were clutter-ing up the harbor channels of the country, and the inspectors suspected that such craft might blow themselves, or others, to smithereens.” “Roger saw the political necessity of persuading the steamboat inspectors to back off, while at the same time proving that his comrades were equally as com-petent as any sailor or steam-man in the art and sci-ence of seamanship and navigation. Thus, the edu-cation of the powerboat man had become a political, as well as safety, precaution.” “He instituted courses of study in navigation and sea-manship. Drills were inaugurated and modeled after U.S. Navy maneuvers. The social side of the organi-zation included monthly dinners to which they invited the steam boat inspectors and ship and tow captains as guest speakers.”: Thus was born the foundations of EDUCATION, ON-THE-WATER and FRATERNAL activities we con-tinue today. In the next issue of the River Skipper, read about our tie to the Titanic.

prepared by Art Mollica

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Lt/C Don Hansen, SN I’ve never been one to make New Year’s Resolu-

tions. It’s probably because it’s just another thing to deal with throughout the year. One can set goals

without making resolutions. In the December, 2008, issue of the River Skipper I raised the issue, “Are we willing to make sacrifices today to improve

the future? At this point there is no viable option.” Considering the present situa-tions regarding the economy/recession, world hunger, civil unrest, greed, etc., I

hope we all can take a position of improving what we do to make the world a bet-ter place in which people can live, work and play.

My commitment to the members of this squadron is for the A.S.E.O., Art Mollica, and this S.E.O. to provide the best opportunities for improving our boating skills

that will enhance our boating safety and pleasure for years to come. Some of us may not expect to travel extensively on our boats. I had no dream of doing so

when I bought my first sailboat forty years ago. Looking back over the years shows how wrong I was to think my horizons were limited.

Last month at the Squadron Holiday gathering, I chatted with Allen Hansen over dinner. Both Allen and his dad, Peter are members of our squadron. They operate

Hansen’s Harbor, a private marina just north of Lake City on Lake Pepin. Pete ac-quired a 1970 vintage 44’ cruiser some years ago with the dream of doing some serious boating well beyond Lake Pepin. They completely rebuilt the engines, out-

fitted it with new electronics, totally refurbished it inside and out. Last November Allen, Pete, Pete’s wife, Jane, and Allen’s young daughter departed from the ma-

rina And headed down river destined for Key West, Florida towing a 20’ pontoon boat. Allen and Pete each stood six-hour watches, single handing the boat around the

clock. Pete had to learn how to manage the boat by himself after Allen went back home in mid-Tennessee.

Granted that both men are skilled boat craftsmen, the other phases of preparation and execution of the trip required raising their skill and knowledge levels. They

increased their navigation skills through USPS courses S, P, AP and JN and other skills in Cruise Planning and Engine Maintenance. Extensive cruising is not for the

faint-hearted. The Hansens are classic examples of people who have increased their boating skills and knowledge as a way of becoming true sailors in its broad-est sense. You can also raise your level of confidence and ability by taking the

many USPS courses and seminars. You will be pleased at how much you grow as you stretch your horizons. Check elsewhere in this issue of the River Skipper for

your opportunity for building your dream into reality.

From the Education Officer—

I hope we all can take a po-

sition of improving what we do to make the world a bet-

ter place in which people can live, work and play.

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ST PAUL MEMBERS

See the newsletter in color at: http://www.spsps.org/

Squadron Historian and Past Commander Don Anderson and his wife Mary at the Christmas Party

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St. Paul Sail & Power Squadron Information Hotline 952-472-9300 (24/7)

2487 Oak Circle East Maplewood, MN 55119

ADVERTISING RATES Business Card Size $120/yr 1/4 Page $180/yr 1/2 Page $220/yr

Members advertise boating items no charge . Leave inquires on Squadron Information Line 952-472-9300

Proposed Seminars 9 May 1000-1200 St Croix Marina – Using VHF/DSC Marine Radio 9 May 1300-1500 St Croix Marina – Using GPS 23 May 1000-1200 Bayport Marina – Onboard Weather Forecasting 23 May 1300-1500 Bayport Marina – Boat Handling Under Power 6 Jun 1000-1200 Pool & Yacht Club – Sail Trim & Rig Tuning 6 Jun 1300-1500 Pool & Yacht Club – Paddle Smart 1 Aug 1000-1200 Sunnyside Marina - Anchoring 1 Aug 1300-1500 Sunnyside Marina – Marine RADAR 15 Aug 1000-1200 Kings Cove - Trailering 15 Aug 1300-1500 Kings Cove – Using Digital Charts