Info from the Commodore

SJSC members:

There is a lot going on as we move into the sailing season. A few boats are already in the water, enjoying the more consistent winds of early spring. Hope to see you all on the water at the May 5 group launch.

Buz Branch forwarded info about former members Tom and Stanna Galbraith, who are on this list. Buz, thanks so much for letting all of us know that Tom and Stanna are OK. This is really scary. Tom and Stanna were rescued after their catamaran was capsized off of Florida on a passage from Isla Mujeres, Mexico. According to the press release, they were rescued after about 24 hours in the water, thanks to their EPIRB:

Coast Guard Rescues 2 From Capsized Catamaran **Video Available TAMPA, Fla. - A Coast Guard Air Station Clear water rescue helicopter crew from Clearwater, Fla., hoisted two people from a capsized catamaran approximately 175 miles southwest of Tampa, Fla., at about 9 p.m. yesterday. Thomas Galbraith, 60, and his wife Stanna Galbraith, 58, both of Durango, Colo., were sailing from Isla Mujeres, Mexico, to Anclote, Fla., a when their 35-foot catamaran, Paradox, hit a squall and capsized. Salt water activated the Emergency Position-Indicating Radio Beacon (EPIRB) on board the vessel giving the vessel's location. The Coast Guard's Seventh District Command Center in Miami received the signal and launched an Air Station Clearwater C-130 search plane at about 5 p.m. yesterday at to locate the distressed boaters. The search plane found the capsized vessel at about 6 p.m. and flew overhead until the rescue helicopter could get on scene to hoist the couple. The rescue helicopter crew arrived on scene at 8:25 p.m. and hoisted the couple into the helicopter. The helicopter arrived safely at Air Station Clearwater at a about 11 p.m. yesterday. No injuries were reported and the couple refused treatment. **Editor's note: Video of this case can be picked up at Coast Guard Air Station Clearwater's front gate at 15100 Rescue Way in Clearwater, Fla. Interviews are not available.** ### The U.S. Coast Guard is a military, maritime, multi-mission service within the Department of Homeland Security dedicated to protecting the safety and security of America.

Preliminary reports are that the boat was a total loss, but the Galbraiths are OK. Tom & Stanna, all of us wish you well.

The next time you hear about the Coast Guard and alleged Gestapo tactics, please remember that the USCG is there for all of us. Janet will order the video for the Club.

On a less somber note: Additions to the proposed SJSCschedule for this season. We forgot the club service project, a shore cleanup. Date TBA, but probably July. We have run this past Neal Dennis, and he says go for it. This is the marine version of "Adopt a Highway"--we'll each adopt a piece of shoreline, dinghy ashore, and pick up all the junk on the shore.

Also: USCG Auxiliary asks for our assistance in a sailing class. Neal is trying to firm up dates. First proposal is June 2, other dates TBA.

And about working in the storage yard:

Please be considerate of your neighbors when working on your boat in dry storage (or at the dock, for that matter). We narrowly averted a disaster this weekend.

A houseboat owner, whose boat was next to ours, was having the pontoons on the houseboat redone. We came down this weekend to work on the boat and found this black grit all over the deck (Bill Dodds had it too). The owner arrived shortly thereafter, and we were talking about boat projects. The mystery of the black grit was quickly solved-he had hired a guy to sand blast the pontoons and paint them with a two-part epoxy. (BTW, I know the owner, he's a thoroughly good guy, and I'm sure he had no idea about the impending disaster.) The black grit was the media used to sand blast the pontoons, which apparently was blown onto the adjacent boats. It was in every crack and crevice but hey, it will wash off. His contractor was using a professional sand blasting outfit, with a compressor/trailer, big hopper, heavy hoses, etc.

The next AM we were down working on the boat, and I went over to chat with the owner. I had noticed that one pontoon had been partially brush painted the previous evening and mentioned it. He told me his contractor had intended to spray it but his sprayer broke, and he didn't want to waste the epoxy, so he put on as much as he could with a brush!

Spraying any paint in the dry storage would be a complete disaster. But an epoxy is even worse--the paint takes up to two hours to dry--once atomized, it could drift all over the yard. Every boat would get a new paint job, whether it wanted it or not!

I showed my friend the sand blast media all over the deck, and he was appalled. He immediately realized the problem, contacted his contractor, and told him he had to roll the paint, which he did (but he didn't seem really thrilled about having to do so).

I'm really worried about the possibility that someone else might try this. Several boat owners talked to the contractor (sorry, I don't know his name) about doing their boats. The sand blasting is a horrible nuisance, but spray painting, especially with a slow-drying epoxy, would be an unqualified disaster.

Neal Dennis says he will make sure that all owners know that spray painting is not allowed and will police the yard to prevent a reoccurrence of this problem. We also have talked about a designated wash/sanding area, but it is still in the works.

I let Don Aarvold know that a houseboat owner next to "Nighthawk" had arranged to have his pontoons done. He went down today and found that his boat too had a generous helping of sand blasting crud. He has talked to both Neal and the park rangers, who have told him that they will stop any further sand blasting or spray painting in the storage yard.

When I sanded for the last bottom paint job, I moved the boat out of the yard, put down drop cloths, and picked up as much of the residue as I could. In the yard, I've sanded (lightly, with a dust collection vacuum on the sander), painted, waxed, varnished, etc. (And I don't think I've ever painted my neighbor's boat!) Before you start that industrial grade project, please be considerate of your neighbors--move the boat out of the yard to an isolated area.

And if you see someone getting ready to try a huge project which is going to trash the adjacent boats--please talk to the owner and contact Neal or the park ranger.

Here's hoping that your boat projects aren't nearly as much of a disaster! See ya on the water!

David Dickinson
Commodore

P.S. More to follow re annual meeting and schedule. Watch this space!