1.
Maptech Chart Navigator - a software
program to display and manipulate
NOAA Charts is free for the taking
from the Internet. The Virginia
Beach Sail and Power Squadron (VBSPS)
demonstrated this program and passed
out the information needed to obtain
it for FREE at the most recent
Mid-Atlantic Boat Show. The site
is www.maptech.com.
From
this site, people can also download
charts I'm told, but the only site I
have used to obtain charts is the
NOAA site to ensure I get official
NOAA charts. This is an excellent
educational and planning tool.
Routes can be planned at home and
uploaded to GPS; distances can be
calculated; etc. It's a super
program and it's free. If you want
more info, I'll be happy to provide
either to you or via a note for the
site.
2. FREE
NOAA Charts. Many know, but many do
not, that official NOAA Charts can
be downloaded from the Internet for
free. In fact, West Marine tells me
they are no longer selling NOAA
charts because they are free on the
Internet. The software above (Chart
Navigator) allows these charts to be
manipulated on the computer - laptop
or desktop - running anything from
Windows98 to the most current
operating system. The charts are as
current as NOAA has at the time of
download. Site to find free charts
is:
www.nauticalcharts.noaa.gov/mcd/raster/download.htm.
Some
have found it difficult to get the
charts into Chart Navigator, but I
have step-by-step instructions if
this is something of interest.
3. The
best kept secret on the water is the
United States Power Squadron. I'm a
member of the Virginia Beach Sail
and Power Squadron, one of 4
squadrons in this area. We have
gotten a bad rap in the past due, in
part, to our own actions. Our
website is
www.vbsps.org. Some may not
know that we offer advanced
educational classes to members, meet
monthly with guest speakers usually
pertaining to boating of some sort.
Our classes include, but are not
limited to: Marine Electronics;
Engine Maintenance; Cruise Planning;
Seamanship; Piloting; Advanced
Piloting; and Celestial Navigation
to name a few.
We also
perform vessel safety exams like the
USCGAux. The primary difference
between us and the USCGAux is we are
a fraternal boating (fun)
organization with no requirement
to stand watch; perform patrol
duties; etc. Instead, we go on
cruises, have raft-ups, teach
skipper saver courses to first mates
(primarily for the women) with
hands-on training. The problem is,
most of our courses are only
available to members at the present
time. We're working to change that,
but right now, to take advantage, a
person has to be a member.
4. I'm
looking at and working on a burgee
design for CMYC and will submit for
your consideration when I have
something more than CMYC written
diagonally within a triangle.
That's about as far as I've made it
right now.
5. I'm
happy to help with this venture, but
do not want to be an officer right
now. I'm heavily involved with the
VBSPS as Assistant Educational
Officer and 2-time past commander
and taking on even one more official
title or duty might just keep me
from actually using my boat even
more I fear. I would recommend or
nominate either of the two flag
officers in our marina to hold a key
position if they would accept. It
might add some credibility to this
group if we ever try to
get something from the base.
6.
Virginia House bill #1627
requiring boating safety education
to operate a boat on the waters of
Virginia has passed the house with a
vote of 90 yes and 8 no and resides
in the senate for consideration. If
passed and signed into law, boating
safety education will be required
for all boaters through a phased-in
process. What this may mean to the
boat operators in Cove - some may
want to take steps now to get that
course and proctored exam out of the
way before it becomes law and
classes are hard to find. Follow
this bill by doing a google search
of virginia hb 1627 2007 session.