September 2001
Regular Events
Second Thursday (1900) of every month: Membership Meeting
Every Thursday (1600) Racing: Rhodes 19s, Lasers, 420s.
No experience required !!
Sail with others, meet new people and get your experience here !
Upcoming Events
Saturday, 8 September: Iroquois Lagoon Chili Cook Off (see below for contact information)
Wednesday, 19 September: Skipper's Meeting for Easter Invitational at the club house
Saturday, 22 September: Pearl Harbor Yacht Club Easter Invitational
Sunday, 23 September: Hawai'i Yacht Club Pearl Harbor Return.
News
Reminder: We do have a website!! We'll be posting The Dinghy on the site in addition to hard copy issues at the general membership meetings. Check it out. http://www.geocities.com/pearl_harbor_yc
Iroquois Lagoon Yacht Club is having their Annual Chili Cook Off on the 8th of Sep. Plan on a whole day and evening of fun. Stan will have cook off entry forms available in a couple of days. Bring everyone, for moorage arrangements pls contact ILYC's Port Captain, Steve Bacon cell 265-7315 or Hm 499-0205. See ya there!
The annual Sea Fest event will be held at WYC on 27 Oct. Raffle tickets will be available at the Oct PHYC meeting. Put it on your calendar now. If you have items you would like to donate to the auction (silent and loud) they are welcome. More detail to follow in the Dinghy.
Hawaii Ocean Safety Team
The Hawaii Ocean Safety Team (HOST) was founded in 1998 and is a group of ocean users dedicated to the safe use of Hawaiian waters. It is an open forum for industry, government and the public to identify problems and propose solutions to today's maritime and ocean user issues. The Advisory Board represents domestic and foreign shipping, commercial and private fishing, commercial and private ocean recreation, harbor pilots, USCG, unions, tugs/barges, terminals and yacht clubs.
The Hawaii Commodores' Association has designated Susan Jacquelin Harper (Vice Commodore of Hawaii Yacht Racing Association, member of Hawaii and Kaneohe Yacht Clubs) as a representative of the yachting community on the Advisory Board. Susan will keep the yacht clubs informed of relevant issues discussed by HOST. If you have any questions or input regarding these issues, please contact her at 254-2132 or susanjharper@hawaii.rr.com. HOST's website is http://hosthawaii.org
A current HOST topic is finding solutions to the problems of commercial and recreational vessels sharing the same waterways. The following are excerpts from an article published by Pat Pettigrew of the HOST Advisory Board.
How Close is Too Close ?
Last April, there was a potentially serious incident at "H" Buoy, outside of Honolulu Harbor, between the Matson ship Lurline, a Sause Brothers tug/barge, and the Friday night sailboat racers out of Hawaii Yacht Club. As the Lurline was leaving and the tug/barge was about to enter Honolulu Harbor, the sailboats participating in the weekly races began to round "H", causing the two commercial vessels to alter course. A complaint was filed with the US Coast Guard, which in turn forwarded a request to HOST (Hawaii Ocean Safety Team) to see what could be done to eliminate any future problems.
The Friday night races are a tradition here in Hawaii's boating community and they have used "H" buoy for a turning mark for more than 20 years. The race is only for a short time, and there has never been an accident. Are the commercial pilots spoiling the traditions ?
On the other hand, commercial traffic over the last 20 years has increased tremendously and these vessels are severely restricted in their ability to maneuver, which gives them "Right of Way" (correct terminology is of course, "stand on vessel"). Do recreational boats belong in this commercial area and more importantly, is it safe, even for a short time ?
HOST met with parties involved several years ago and come up with some SOP (Safe Operating Practices) that seemed to be working fairly well, but now they need to be refined or perhaps changed. We did not solve this problem in one meeting, but will keep meeting with all parties involved until we come to a solution. One thing everyone agrees on is that education plays a large part. So, HOST would like to take this opportunity to provide some insight about large vessels and tugs/barges.
* The speed of a ship, towboat, or tugboat can be deceptive. A tow can travel one mile in seven minutes--a ship even faster--and it generally takes 3/4 to 1 1/2 miles to stop. For example, if a water skier falls a thousand feet in front of a moving tug or tow, the skier has less than one minute to get out of the way.
* Large vessels must maintain speed to steer, and they must stay in the channel-- it's the only place deep enough for them to operate. On some waterways, the channel extends bank to bank, so expect vessel traffic on any portion of the waterway.
* A pilot's "blind spot" can extend for hundreds of feet in front of deep-draft ships, tugboats and towboats pushing barges. If you are too close, they simply can't see you.
* In narrow channels, a tug's or tow's powerful engines can cause a smaller vessel to be pulled toward the tow when passing alongside.
* "Wheel Wash" is a strong underwater current caused by towboat or ship engines that can result in severe turbulence hundreds of yards behind a large vessel.
* A tug without barges in front may be towing a barge or other object on a long submerged line behind it, which lies low in the water and is difficult to see. Never pass closely behind a tugboat.
* Sailboaters and wind surfers should know that a tow or tug can "steal your wind"--you won't have the same wind you started with when executing a sailing maneuver near a commercial vessel.
* Ships, towboats and tugboats use VHF radio channels 13 and 16. If you are unsure of your situation, or their intentions, contact them.
* Towboats and barges approaching channel entrances must be lined up and committed to their approach well ahead as much as a mile and a half, and it's dangerous and difficult for them to change course. For safety, stay out of their path.
* Designate a lookout. Assign one person in a recreational boat to look out, particularly for commercial traffic.
* Understand whistle signals. At least five or more short blasts on the whistle is the "danger" signal. Stay clear of vessels sounding the "danger" signal.
* Don't water ski or jet ski in and around tows. Jumping wakes, riding close alongside, or cutting under the bow or stern of a tug or tow could cause a boat or skier to be sucked through a towboat's large propellers.
* Watch for ship, tug or towboat lighting at night--don't rely on trying to hear a vessel approaching. Pay attention to the sidelights of tugs and tows, rather than the masthead lights. If you see both sidelights (red and green), you're dead ahead, and in the path of danger.
* Use safe anchorages. Coast Guard navigation aids, like buoys, mark channels for shipping, and it is illegal and dangerous to tie up to them. Each year commercial vessels ram and sink boats anchored in navigation channels or tied to buoys.
This information is intended only as a supplement to other sources of information on seamanship and rules of the road. More excellent boating safety tips can be found at www.kbam.freehosting.net/resources.html
An Interview with Kaya Haig
Kaya Haig is getting ready to compete in the 9th edition of the biennial 2001 Rolex International Women's Keelboat Championship. The regatta is one of the premier events in women's sailing and will be hosted by the Annapolis Yacht Club in Annapolis, Maryland on September 22-28, 2001.
Sailing in J/22s, the regatta is expected to draw some of the very skippers and crews from around the world. To date, there have been over 50 entries from eight different nations. You can count on seeing a number of former Olympians and Yachtswomen of the Year award winners. The USA's Olympic 470 women's silver Medalist and Rolex Yachtswoman of the Year Pease Glaser will crew in the race for 1995 Yachtswoman of the Year, Cory Sertl.
Try Clicking HERE to Read an interview with Kaya. OR . . . on the West Marine home page under Mariner's Resources / Articles www.westmarine.com
