REEFING

12/11/2006 - Submitted by Guy Colson

BOATU.S. FOUNDATION'S ONLINE VHF RADIO TUTORIAL DEBUTS

By broadcasting your exact Mayday location with the simple push of one button, new Digital Selective Calling (DSC) VHF radios give recreational boaters and the U.S. Coast Guard enhanced search and
rescue capabilities. But do you know enough about this new marine
radio system to help save a life - possibly your own?

To help boaters understand the latest advances in marine radio communication, the BoatU.S. Foundation for Boating Safety and Clean Water has launched a free online marine DSC VHF radio tutorial for anyone interested in the new technology. Funded by a grant from the U.S. Coast Guard, the online tutorial, "Can You Hear Me?" is designed to educate boaters on all of the basics of DSC VHF radios. By understanding how these radios work, boaters will be able to take advantage of the latest innovations in search and rescue technology.

The 35-minute, narrated web-based program covers all of the basics
and even allows viewers to try various radio buttons and sounds on
their computers to simulate how a DSC VHF radio would operate. Topics covered include emergency signaling, how to install a DSC VHF radio and an overview of the U.S. Coast Guard's "Rescue 21" program.

The tutorial is located at http://www.BoatUS.com/MMSI

No special computer program is needed to view the seven-part tutorial and it's compatible with both PC and Mac formats. A viewer can stop the tutorial at any point and return to the same spot later on. For those familiar with some of the topics, the tutorial lets boaters skip around from chapter to chapter.

While the majority of fixed-mount VHF radios available today have the DSC feature, most boaters have not registered their radio in order to get the unique calling number - much like a telephone phone number - called an Maritime Mobile Service Identity or MMSI number. The tutorial also covers this process, which is free through BoatU.S. Equally important is connecting the radio to a GPS so that vessel location is broadcast with a distress call.

The BoatU.S. Foundation for Boating Safety and Clean Water is a national 501(c)(3) nonprofit education and research organization primarily funded by the voluntary contributions of the 670,000 members of BoatU.S. The Foundation operates more than a dozen programs including the only accredited, free, online general boating
safety course, a low-cost EPIRB rental program, the "Help Stop the
Drops" national clean fueling campaign, a free kid's Life Jacket Loaner Program, and has awarded hundreds of thousands of dollars in grants for nonprofit groups for boating safety and environmental projects.

Guy Colson

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11/22/2006 - Update on Sunken Boat Near Cotee River -

9/25/06 - For those of you who are using your MMSI feature on the GPS, the MMSI number for Tow Boat US is 003380400.

Cruising Notes:

Submitted by John Cover

Some new advisements we picked up on our cruise as of May - June 2006:

Sarasota Area: Both New Pass and Big Sarasota Pass are now very navigable with two exceptions. Big Sarasota-the "Big Sarasota Light" marker appearing on the C-Map chart plotter and the Map Sourse software is now a shoal marker. Need to stay west of it by about 150 yards and the red & green channel markers will line up correctly. Although most markers have been changed, chart plotter information as to the channel limitations is still correct.

New Pass: The channel outbound from the bridge is well marked to the limit of the western shore, after which there are only three markers, 2 red and 1 green (cans). They only cover the first 1/3 of the inlet. Again, though no markers, the chart plotter shows the channel well and was easy to follow. Note: Without a chartplotter, DO NOT ATTEMPT THIS ROUTE!

Ft. Myers Beach: The old anchoring field east of the bridge is now a controlled mooring field operated by "Salty Sam's Marina". You must show evidence of $300,000 of watercraft liability in order to use the moorings, and this must be in advance of taking a mooring. We were advised, and did so, to have our carrier fax them proof of insurance a day ahead so we could get a mooring assignment. They will refuse you if you do not comply. We are checking to see if they will accept a copy of the policy if presented when you arrive. Price is $13 per night.

Little Marco Island: Coconut Island, heretofor a great place, is no longer there-totally gone thanks to Wilma. Factory Bay is now the anchorage and there is a 72 hour time limit. G. Young's guide is very confusing regarding the two channels that he says are marked in reverse. As you approach the anchorage, there are green markers to the port side, the sea wall, piers, marinas marking the starboard. The route is a large "U", that is enter green to port, and continue toward the south part of the bay. To exit, use the east side of the bay, red to port. DO NOT GO BETWEEN THE GREEN AND RED-ALL SHOALED.
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MOSQUITOES

Submitted by John Cover

Pass this on to anyone who likes sitting out in the evening or when they're having a cook out.  So you don't like those pesky mosquitoes, especially now that they have the potential to carry the West Nile Virus?

Here's a tip that was given at a recent gardening forum.  Put some water in a white dinner plate and add just a few drops of Lemon Fresh Joy dish detergent.  Set the dish on your porch, patio, or other outdoor area.  Not sure what attracts them, the lemon smell, the white plate, or what, but mosquitoes flock to it, and drop dead shortly after drinking the Lemon Fresh Joy/water mixture, and usually within about 10 feet of the plate.