JULY 2017 Anchor Line Pioneer Valley Yacht Club - Longmeadow, MA

LOOK FOR A SPECIAL PVYC BOATING SAFETY COURSE OFFER ON PAGE 4!

It’s a Grand Old Flag! Commodore's Message:

Summer is short and it’s finally here. The PVYC is in full swing

and the river is going down so that we can enjoy boating again!

We have new boating and sailing opportunities for our mem-bers. The PVYC acquired an 18' sailboat for use by our mem-bers. We have this boat due to the generous donation by our Club Controller, Ed Weagle. Thank you Ed!! Anyone interested in finding out more about the sailboat can contact our sailing chairs Vana Nespor and Al Whitehouse, who are doing such a wonderful job generating interest in sailing (vana.nespoor@gmail.com). Nice boat decorations on the 4th Vana! Speaking of donations, the dock crew needed an 80 foot line quick on dock day and member Scott Skiba donated a 100 foot anchor line which has replaced the

old and worn one on the club work boat.

The PVYC now owns the aluminum boat on the courtesy dock that is powered by a 24 volt electric motor. This boat will be avail-able for members to go to and from their moorings. To use the boat, you will need to provide certain information to our insur-er. Contact me for details (john.dalsey@gmail.com). Lastly, there are some small kayaks and canoes with PVYC stickers that mem-

bers may use.

Our July 4th picnic was wonderful, even though the river was hos-tile. Linda Betley and her social committee outdid themselves again by putting so much effort in setting up, cooking, decorating and cleaning up. It’s not a glamorous job, and it’s a lot of hard work behind the scenes. We all owe them a debt of gratitude for

making our social events so enjoyable.

The high water event brought some damage to the docks when a tree was removed from under the police boats, but Keith Gibbings and the dock crew made quick repairs and we are in full swing. We have our tractors back and John Mientus and the grounds crew have the place back in shape. Sandi Knoll and crew have done a great job keeping the clubhouse clean and Elizabeth

Duffany, Bridget Haley and crew have our pool in great shape too!

It's time for us to enjoy our friendships old and new and enjoy the best time of the year at the club. I look forward to seeing you on

the water!

John Dalsey, Commodore

Submitted by Ed Weagle

You Can Save a Life -

Do you know where the club AED is located?

The PVYC has an Automated External

Defibrillator (AED) located on the wall

between the restrooms in the clubhouse.

An AED is a lightweight, portable device

that delivers an electric shock through

the chest to the heart. This shock can

potentially stop an irregular heart beat

and allow a normal rhythm to resume following sudden cardi-

ac arrest. AED’s make it possible for more people to respond

to a medical emergency where defibrillation is required.

How does it work? A built-in computer checks a victim's heart

rhythm through adhesive electrodes. The computer calculates

whether defibrillation is needed. If it is, a recorded voice

prompts the rescuer to press the shock button on the AED.

This shock momentarily stuns the heart and stops all activity.

It gives the heart a chance to resume beating effectively. The

rescuer will hear audible prompts to guide you through the

process.

Who can use an AED? These are intended for use by the gen-

eral public. Although formal training in the use of an AED is

not required, it is recommended to provide rescuers with an

increased level of confidence.

Where can I get AED training? The American Heart Association

offers CPR and AED training. To locate a training center near

you, call 1-888-AHA-4CPR or visit heart.org/cpr. Type in your

zip code to access training at a location near you.

STAY SAFE OUT THERE

A message from John Dearborn, Chief

LONGMEADOW FIRE DEPARTMENT

If you find yourself stranded or in any kind of emergency

situation when you are out on the Connecticut River:

Do NOT call 911 from your cell phone.

Instead, call 413-567-3357 which will connect you direct-

ly to the Longmeadow Fire Department. This will provide

you with a faster response time.

Take a moment NOW to put this number and the PVYC

phone number, 413-567-0258, into your cell phone

since there may very well be someone at the club who

could come out to tow you if your boat malfunctions.

The Longmeadow Fire

Department docks

Marine 1 at the Pioneer

Valley Yacht Club.

Tips for Preparing for Summer Lightning Storms For recreational boaters, thunderstorms bring danger not only with wind and waves but also lightning strikes. BoatUS Seaworthy Magazine

recently took a look at how to protect yourself from this hazard while boating, sailing and fishing on the open water.

Don’t wait until it’s too late: Get off the water early: Getting to safe harbor is the safest bet.

Inside is best: If you can’t get off the water in time, the best place to be on a boat is inside any cabin, but avoid being

near mast or chainplates (sailboats), or large metal items or appliances.

Keep away from metal: If there is no “down below” and you’re stuck out on deck, stay away from metal railings, wheels,

the mast and mast stays (both on sailboats), or any other metal fittings.

Don’t be a lightning rod: If you’re on an open boat, stay low and in the center. Depending on the severity of your situa-

tion, it’s also a good idea to remove jewelry. The US Coast Guard reports a case a few years ago in which lightning struck a

man who was standing up wearing a large medallion.

Stay out of the water: Don’t fish during a thunderstorm – or dangle toes overboard.

Disconnect the power and antenna leads to your electronics: Many strikes just damage electronics so disconnecting

them goes a long way in preventing equipment damage.

Lower antenna: Unless they serve as part of a lightning protection system, lower any antennas.

Stay silent: Don’t use the VHF unless absolutely necessary.

Lightning grounding protection systems: Grounding systems, which provide a path for the lightning to enter and safely

exit the boat, must be free of corrosion if they are going to provide any protection.

Dissipater dilemma: As for mast-top lightning dissipaters, there is no agreement by the experts on how well or if they

work at all. It should be noted that BoatUS insurance claims files show that boats with “brush-like” dissipaters mounted at

the top of the mast have been struck by lightning.

If you do get hit: 1) Check people first; 2) then check the bilge as strikes can rupture through-hull fittings and punch

holes in hulls; 3) check electronics and compass, and if all is good up to this point, 4), you may want to consider a short haul

to check the bottom thoroughly. The challenge with lightning strikes is that they sometimes leave hard to find traces of dam-

age that may only be seen when the boat is out of the water.

Don’t ignore this!

New or Experienced Member Have a Question or Concern? If any club member has a concern or wishes

to express an opinion, suggestion or grievance, please contact Rear commodore Lou Kornet. Lou is a

long standing member of the Club and he will assist you by providing information or directing you to the

right person or committee. You can reach Lou at LouKornet@Comcast.net

THANK YOU! We would not be successful without teamwork!

In addition to those mentioned in the Commodore’s Message…

Thanks to John Dalsey and Al Whitehouse for wrestling with chains to repair the main dock so members could

safely access their slips on July 4th.

Thanks to Jim McCoy for securing the row dock to the shore after the storm.

Thanks to Keith Gibbings, Jim McCoy and Peter Kristoffy for repairing the deck after the dock was damaged recent-

ly. Thanks to Matt and Melissa Mitchell for power washing and painting the upper gangways to the mid and north

docks. They look great.

Special thanks to Keith Gibbings, Jim McCoy and Monique McCoy who were boating nearby when a man jumped in

the water and experienced life threatening injuries. They rendered critical assistance and aid until the Longmead-

ow Fire rescue team arrived on site.

Thank you Bea Fabian for donating a pitch back net and a lacrosse net! The kids use them A LOT!

Welcome and thank you to new members, David and Carol Tivoli. David used his power washer to clean up the pa-

vilion and tables, empty and power wash the pavilion trash barrels and do some weeding while he was there! He

has shared his power washer with the club before, using it to clean boats for the sailing committee.

June 22 - August 14

Daily, Noon - 8:00 PM

August 15 - September 4

Daily, Noon - 6:00 PM

Schedule subject to

change.

Hi Committees, Groups and Members!

Proud of your hard work? Had a really

fun time at the club? Want to share it

with all the members at the PVCY?

Send us your photos so we can include

EVERYONE in the Anchorline!

Email judithdanek@yahoo.com

Before, During and After...yes, that’s John Mientus going ninja on Kevin Driscoll’s jet

ski to retrieve the No Wake sign after it broke fee during recent storms.

Lots of people helped out when the Club mow-

ers needed repairs. Some are more stylish

than others! Here’s Bea Fabian mowing the

lawn in her signature sunhat. Thanks Bea!

And speaking of high water…

Check out page 7

for a quick

RULES REFRESHER!

We can all use a polite

reminder every once

in a while...

Committee Assignments at the PVYC

The committee chairs and their hard-working members are one of the things that really make the PVYC a

special place. Each membership is expected to either contribute 15 hours of work each season or pay a

$450 ($30/hour) committee work assessment when submitting their membership application. An email

indicating committee assignment has been sent to all committee members. If you do not know your com-

mittee assignment, be sure to email Mary at marybreedingster@gmail.com for that information.

If you have not already heard from your committee chair about work plans, it is your responsibility to contact him/her for de-

tails. Contact information for all committee chairs is at http://www.ourpvyc.net/files/COMMITTEE_DESCRIPTIONS.pdf

Any membership that has not contributed the required 15 work hours by late October/early November will be assessed $30/

hour for work hours not completed. The work contributions of members keep our membership fees at a reasonable level and

your cooperation is greatly appreciated.

Member news? Selling your boat? Other item of interest? Please submit your news items, boats or items for sale,

general information or special announcements to judithdanek@yahoo.com.

Reminders from the Vice Commodore: Mary Breeding wants to make sure our PVYC members take advantage of all membership benefits.

Are You Covered?

The PVYC’s liability insurance does not cover damage to any boat(s) or other personal items that are stored on PVYC property.

All members should secure private insurance either through their homeowner’s policy or BoatUS. As a PVYC Member you are

eligible to join Boat US and obtain some of the lowest cost, best insurance coverage available for your boat and many other

benefits. Annual dues are $30 but as a member of PVYC you receive a 50% discount. You can join online at www.boatus.com.

The PVYC group code which entitles you to the discount is GA84786Y.

Yacht Club of America (YCA) Benefit

The PVYC is a member of the Yacht Club of America; our members have reciprocal rights to use docks and facilities at the

many participating yacht clubs across the country. A supply of 2017 YCA reciprocal cards are now available on the bulletin

board at the clubhouse. Please take a card if you think you might want to use the facilities at another club.

DO NOT MISS THIS GREAT OPPORTUNITY! USCG AUXILIARY Boating Safety Class at the PVYC Clubhouse

July 19th and 26th from 6 pm to 10 pm. This eight hour class meets the state requirements!

COSTS: $5 per person (this money goes to the UMASS USCG AUXILIARY MARCHING BAND) and $15 for textbooks per family. Payable in cash or check at the beginning of class! (Courses usually cost from $65 to

$99!!!!) Non-PVYC members are invited and welcome to attend, but they will be charged $65 each.

REGISTER by email to vana.nespor@gmail.com or call 413 214 8111.

Special Thanks to our own highly qualified USCG AUX instructors and PVYC members

Bob Madison and Bob Hassett, who will teach this course for free!

IMPORTANT: This course meets state license requirements for youth boating safety license. Youth who

are between 12 and 15 years of age must complete an approved basic boating course in order to operate a motor-boat without adult supervision in MA as specified by law. Personal watercraft users (jet skis, etc.) who are 16 or 17 years of age must also complete such a boating course. Except for those operators who already hold a Massachu-

setts boating safety certificate, this course is also required of all those who operate the PVYC Committee Boat, the

electric motor dingy or other PVYC watercraft (Dock Committee/Racing Committee) by our insurance company.

Experienced boaters are welcome to audit the course to refresh! Topics include:

Introduction to Boating - Boating Law -· Boat Safety Equipment - Safe Boating

Navigation - Boating Problems - Trailering - and other water boating activities

At the end of class work, safe boating certificates will be handed out to students who achieve a test score of 80 or better (a 50 question proctored closed book exam).

PVYC Board of Governors For your convenience, below is a list of the current Board of Governors offic-

ers and members. You can also find this on the website http://

www.ourpvyc.net/officers_and_board.html This link will point you to the

Committee Chair list. These folks donate countless hours toward the better-

ment of the PVYC and, if you have any concerns about the club, any of these

folks would be happy to hear from you. It is important to continually involve

interested members in the governance of the club. Additional opportunities

may develop for interested members to become more involved in the opera-

tions of the club, so please contact John Dalsey at john.dalsey@gmail.com if

you have an interest in expanding your involvement in the PVYC.

Submitted by Chris Reed

Taking some time away from the PVYC

Dave Grant and Bob Hassett on Bombay. Clinton Harbor, June 2017

The Connecticut River Watershed

Council has changed its name,

but not its mission.

Go to CTriver.org to learn more, support

the cause and get involved!

Working for your rivers:

Advocacy, Collaboration, Education,

Restoration and Recreation.

Officers: Board Members:

John Dalsey, Commodore Linda Betley

Mary Breeding, Vice Commodore Keith Gibbings

Lou Kornet, Rear Commodore Dave Grant

Ed Weagle, Controller Bob Hagar, Fleet Safety Officer

Jim Ketcham, Treasurer Paul Lewis

Judith Danek, Secretary Mike Paulson

Chris Reed

Bob Stromberg, Fleet Surgeon

Alternates to the Board:

Beatrice Fabian, Peter Kristoffy, Jim McCoy, Fleet Captain

Celebrating July 4th with friends and family!

A Reminder About Rules at the PVYC Once we hit mid-season at the PVYC, it seems that some members, new and old, have forgotten (or perhaps don’t know) some of the rules

that ensure that our club is an enjoyable experience for all. A long-time member suggested that a ‘quick reference’ to PVYC rules might be

helpful. Enforcement of the rules is a responsibility of not only the Board members and officers, but also a responsibility of every member of

the PVYC. Please be aware of the rules and feel free to ‘remind’ anyone who is not observing them.

PVYC Rules at a Glance

Pets: Allowed on the PVYC grounds only in transit from the vehicle to boat and back; Must be leashed at all times

Never permitted in the clubhouse

Pool: Guest fees must be paid to the lifeguard upon entering the pool; All orders of the lifeguard must be obeyed

Parents must accompany children while in the kiddie pool

Grounds: No person under the age of 16 is allowed on PVYC property (clubhouse, yard, waterfront, boat docks, swimming

pool, boatyard, etc.) at any time unless he/she is accompanied by a parent or guardian designated by the parent

No person under the age of 18 is allowed on the PVYC property after 9:00 p.m. unless accompanied by an adult member.

Guests: No more than 4 guests per member without permission from the Commodore; Member is responsible for behavior of

any guests

Smoking: No smoking is permitted in the clubhouse, porch, or pool area at any time or in the pavilion during club functions.

Smoking is also prohibited in the following areas: within 25 feet of the main clubhouse doors at any time during the year; in

the pavilion from 8 am to 8 pm during the season beginning and ending with the docks going in and out; within 25 feet of the

pool entrance or in front of the pavilion, i.e. east of the flagpole, at any time when the pool is open. The term 'smoking' in-

cludes the use of e-cigarettes. There is a map of no smoking areas at

Alcohol - No alcohol is to be left overnight in the refrigerator in the PVYC kitchen

Parking - All vehicles must be parked in designated parking areas.

No parking is allowed on the paved area where the basketball hoop is located.

Use of the clubhouse/facilities: Clean up including wiping off any table that you used; Wash and put away any dishes or uten-

sils that you use; Lock up the clubhouse/secure windows when leaving

Docks - Children 12 and under must wear a life jacket when on the docks; Main dock is to be used only for taking on and dis-

charging passengers, limiting stops to a maximum of 15 minutes. No boat is to stay on the main dock overnight except in an

emergency and then only with permission of the Dock Master

Complete details of all PVYC rules can be found at http://www.ourpvyc.net/reference.html

The Humble Egg Carton

Before you throw away or recycle your empty egg carton, please consider donating it to a good

cause! Members Al and Laurie Bell donate chicken eggs to their senior citizen neighbors, but

egg cartons can get expensive! Please don’t toss yours out - toss them in your car instead, and

the next time you are at the club place them on the top of the refrigerator to help Al and Laurie

continue their good work. Bea Fabian will collect the cartons so they won’t accumulate in the

Wow - July already!

There’s lots more fun waiting for you at the PVYC.

Look for more information about events happen-

ing throughout the year. Here’s what’s on deck:

Saturday, August 12 - Fish Fry

Monday, September 4 - Labor Day Family Picnic

12:30 - 3:00 p.m.

Behind the Scenes

at the PVYC, July 4, 2017

Special Thanks to Vana Nespoor

On June 21, 2017, drawn to the call of the sea and Boston’s 58 Tall Ships, family

and friends from the PVYC converged for a breathtaking sail aboard the

Schooner Adventure.

“I must

go down to the sea again,

to the lonely sea and sky, and

all I ask

is a Tall Ship

and a star to sail her by.”

The skyline was a thrill for Victor,

Erin, Bea and Sandi!

Waiting enthusiastically to board. Carol Tivoli,

Paula Zimmer, Al Whitehouse, Peter Zimmer

and David Tivoli at the Courthouse Dock.