page 4

 Life took its turns but by my early thirties I was the proud owner of my first cabin cruiser, an old Richardson which quite often took on more water than she should. She was a good teacher. Next came a plastic cruiser with lots of bells and whistles. There were several dinghies, sailboats and the usual toys that yuppies with kids have. I also joined CPS in my early thirties and took Boating, Seamanship Sail and Advanced Piloting. I was on the Bridge, organized many Squadron functions including several large Christmas Parties, catered for the annual rendezvous, taught the Boating course (which at that time was a five-month course) and started The Georgian Challenge which was a very successful navigational rally for both power and sail and was open to anyone in Ontario. In that first year Canadian Yachting Magazine came and did a large picture and story layout for their September magazine.

Again life changed. The boats went and I came to start a new job and life in beautiful BC. I got off the ferry and settled in Sidney. I joined the Saanich Peninsula Squadron to meet new people with similar hobbies and crewed for anyone requiring knowledgeable crew. About eight months after arriving, my eldest daughter passed away unexpectedly. During the grieving process I realized life indeed was short and precious.  I hated my job and what I was doing generally with life, so after taking numerous courses, I applied to the Canadian Coast Guard for a position on one of their vessels.

(continued page 9…)

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 Boating - Tuesday, September 10

Classes started Tues, Sept 10 with Greg Nutt teaching the first two lectures to a full class of 30 students – thank you Greg (Doug Mitchell and Ted Meadley are teaching the remaining classes). Thanks for assistance at registration go to Commander Ken Reeves, ATOs Ian King and Sita Pillay, Supply Officer Ron Townshend, Chief Proctor Les Orr and Proctors Jim Dawson, George McClure, Peter Payerl, Maureen Shrieves. Also proctoring is re-joining member Ron Harris. Student Cruise is November 3, 2002. A visit to the Ocean Sciences Centre on West Saanich Road took place on October 24th for students to view the nautical chart making process. Thanks for arrangements go to ATO Sita Pillay.

Marine VHF - Tuesday, December 10

Three applications have been received in addition to the boating course students.

WINTER 2003

Boating - Tuesday January 14—April 15

A full complement of 30 applications have already been received, with an additional waiting list of 3 applicants.

Marine VHF - Tues, April 22

Marine Maintenance - Mon, Jan 13 – Mar 24; pre-registered 4, maximum class size 15

Fundamentals of Weather - Tues, Jan 14 – Mar 1; pre-registered 4, maximum class size 15

Piloting - Wed, January 8—April 9

A total of 8 members and current Boating Course students have pre-registered. Maximum class size 15

Seamanship Sail - Four members have shown interest if an instructor is found

(cont’d on page 9… )

page 6

From all of us to all of you

Warmest Wishes for the Season

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Membership News

HELLO… IS THAT YOU?

This past summer Ralph and I had occasion to attend the District Gathering at Otter Bay. While there, we were told that several of our fellow Saanich Peninsula Squadron members were there as well – with boats. Although we looked, we were unable to locate these boats or their owners. Since then it has been mentioned again by other squadron members that they wished there was an easier way to identify our fellow members.

To that end, the Squadron has decided to create a feature section on our web site called:

 “Boats and Owners”

Pictures of squadron members on their boats, will become the highlight photo on the main page of our website. We will change them periodically, and then they will also be viewable in our member’s section.

We are requesting that you send us a picture of yourselves, on your vessels. We can accept either:

a) Pictures mailed or delivered to any bridge member. These will be forwarded to webmaster (please print your names and the name of your boat on the back of photos)

b) Pictures emailed to webmaster@saanichpeninsulasquadron.org  (please include your names and the name of your boat in your email)

What a wonderful way to recognize our fellow squadron members!

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page 9

Meet The Bridge (cont’d from page 4…) 

As luck would have it, I was hired to work on the "Tanu", the CCG fisheries vessel. She is approx. 180 ft. and requires a minimum crew of 15. My job as helmsman and deck hand also included running the RHIBs with the Fisheries Officers aboard to various boats and places to check out the commercial fishermen and the Sporties. This was a wonderful and exciting time for me. I spent time running up and down the West Coast of Vancouver Island as well as up into the Queen Charlottes. From here I was able to acquire my Bridge Helmsman Certificate as well as my Captain’s Papers. This year I attained my Junior Engineers rating. I have now spent the last two summers skippering commercial passenger ferries in and around Victoria and Sidney.

Additionally, I am a Certified Instructor for teaching on-the-water training in any vessel up to 60GRT. I also hold classes at various locations for Pleasure Craft Operator Courses and do seminars for VHF radio. For fun I like to scuba dive and enjoy my motorcycle too.

I was Environmental Officer for the Squadron for a couple of years. A curriculum I wrote for the environmental deptartment has now been adopted by “National” for training across the country. I am also the VISD Boat Pro Officer. I look forward to working with this year’s bridge and toward next year’s challenge as Commander.

Leslie Head, Executive Officer 

Training Department Status Report              (cont’d from page 5…)

While the January Boating Course is fully subscribed, there are plenty of spaces left for the Marine Maintenance, Fundamentals of Weather and Piloting Courses.

It was hoped to implement, “How to be an excellent crew member” course as conceived by former Youth Officer, Barbara Bond. This is targeted at member’s families and Boating Course student’s families (including children over 12) who have not taken a boating course for whatever reason. Due to vacation conflicts, implementation will have to be in February 2003. For subsequent information please contact Sita Pillay at 656-5675 or specialprojects@saanichpeninsulasquadron.org

John C. Hudson, STO - 655-3653, training@saanichpeninsulasquadron.org 

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Most of us have heard of Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacons (EPIRB). A global network of satellites picks up emergency signals from EPIRBs and the information is quickly relayed to Search & Rescue Centres. This system has recently been developed even further using improved land-based, satellite and shipboard radio systems. The result is the Global Maritime Distress & Safety System (GMDSS). The system is able to reliably perform the following functions: Alerting (including determining position of vessel in distress), Search & Rescue Coordination communications, Locating (homing), On-Scene communications, transmitting/receiving of local signals, Maritime Safety Information broadcasts, General communications to and from ship and shore-based stations, and Bridge-to-Bridge communications.

All ships subject to the International Convention for the Safety Of Life At Sea (SOLAS) – cargo ships of 300 tons or greater, and all passenger vessels on international voyages – are now required to be in full compliance with GMDSS regulations. The GMDSS equipment required depends on vessel size, type and area of operation. That equipment may consist of some of the following: Digital Selective Calling (DSC) Marine Radio Telephone (VHF, MF, or HF), Satellite communications (Inmarsat), Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacon (EPIRB) on 406 MHz, Search & Rescue Radar Transponder (SART), HF Narrow Band Direct Printing (NBDP) receivers, and radio-teletype which prints navigational text (NAVTEX).

The most common equipment we will hear about is Digital Selective Calling (DSC). Several new (and more expensive) VHF marine radios now on the market include the DSC feature. DSC allows mariners to send an automatically formatted distress alert to the Coast Guard merely by holding down a “Distress Key” for 5 seconds. In addition, Mariners will be able to initiate or receive distress, urgency, safety and routine radiotelephone calls, to or from any similarly equipped vessel or coast station within range. DSC allows a vessel to automatically maintain the required watch on distress & calling channels instead of the current listening watch. A DSC receiver will respond only to the vessel’s unique 9-digit Maritime Mobile Service Identity (MMSI) number (available free of charge from Industry Canada), similar to a telephone number. It will also respond to an “All Ships” type DSC call.

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(cont’d from page 10…)

Once DSC has made contact, follow-up communications take place by normal voice procedures on another frequency.  Vessels equipped with GPS or Loran-C are encouraged to connect it to their DSC radio. Position information will then be included in a pre-formatted “distress alert” message is transmitted from the vessel.

How does this all affect us? DSC VHF radios are on the pleasure boat market now, however the carriage of GMDSS equipment on pleasure craft is not mandatory. In light of GMDSS, there has been some concern about how long VHF Ch 16 will be monitored (for the rest of us). Commercial vessels equipped with GMDSS are still required to monitor VHF Ch 16 until 1 Feb. 2005. Of greatest importance to us, the Coast Guard will maintain a continuous listening watch on VHF Ch 16 for distress calls for the foreseeable future.

Information for this article is provided courtesy of Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Canadian Coast Guard. More info may be found on the Coast Guard’s Web Site: www.pacific.ccg-gcc.gc.ca. I also recommend going to our Squadron Web Site Home Page, and clicking in succession on “Links of Interest”, “Canadian Coast Guard”, and “Marine Communications & Traffic Services” which has a final link to “Impending Requirement for a VHF Radio Installation with Digital Selective Calling (VHF-DSC Radio) (NEW)”.

Doug Mitchell,  Chief Instructor 

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Classified

FOR SALE: Two burner kerosene stove with tank and pump in good working

                      condition. Please call Ralph Hodd at 250-652-1715

WANTED:  A Public Relations Officer to organize PR coverage for Squadron events and to coordinate

                      the Beacon and Roster advertisements. 

Call Commander, Ken Reeves 655-3602

NO PREVIOUS EXPERIENCE REQUIRED FULL TRAINING PROVIDED

WANTED: A Social Cruisemaster to organize social cruises for the Squadron. This position is self

                     explanatory and full assistance will be given to anyone who will take the lead in these

                     endeavours. It’s very easy as those who have gone before will attest. If you are young or

                     simply young at heart this is the “job” for you. Having a boat is not required.

Call Commander, Ken Reeves 655-3602

From the desk of our Supply Officer

Just in case any of you wondered if you were getting your money’s worth as a member of Power Squadron….. you should know that many local businesses support our Peninsula Squadron by providing a discount to Power Squadron members for purchases of marine and other supplies. Next time you plunk down that gallon of Marine Ceetol or a length of nylon rope at the till, check with your local retailer to see if they offer a special price for Power Squadron members.

Most of us boaters spend a lot of money keeping our boats supplied and well maintained so the discounts are really appreciated. It does not take long to pay for your annual Power Squadron fees from these discounts. We are fortunate to have a great source of marine supplies on the Peninsula so let’s show them our support as they show us theirs. Happy boating and shopping on the Peninsula Ron Townsend, Supply Officer