The squadron Nominating Committee reported at the October Executive Committee meeting. In accordance with our by-laws, the names are presented to you here. The vote will take place at our December gathering, which is our Annual Business Meeting as well as holiday party.
Commander - L. Jack Stemple, AP
Executive Officer - James A. "Tim"
Smola, AP
Administrative Officer - Lee
Smith, N
Education Officer - Alan H. Smith,
JN
Treasurer - Thomas W. Keech, Jr.,
AP
Secretary - Charlotte Silbaugh, N
In addition to those shown above, Jeff Stalnaker was nominated for Assistant Educational Officer, and Jean Leeper, Shirley Hess, and Rex Jordan were nominated for Member at Large on the Executive Committee. As Immediate Past Commander, Thomas Martin will round out the Bridge.
Cdr Thomas W. Martin, AP Our next Operations Training class is scheduled for Saturday 14 November. Every officer is expected to complete this course and to attend a review every --- years. Committee chairs should also attend. Actually, since we like to see every member hold an office, we'd like to see everyone there.
It will be at 3-Ways Inn at South Fairmont. We will start at 0900 and finish by 1530. Lunch will be available.
The Bridge was recently informed of the death of Gene Conley in August. Gene will be remembered throughout the area for his work with dogs doing body recovery both on shore and in the water. He joined Mountaineer Power Squadron in 1997.
Lt/C Alan Smith, JNOur Boat Smart class in Morgantown is about to take their examination. The Fairmont class was to start on Monday 2 November.
Seamanship just started on 2 November with only two students. It's not too late to join them. Every member should take this course, it's about everyday things you do on boats, not about high seas sailing or abstract navigation.
We will be offering Sail in the spring. Most Power Squadron courses are dry, but Ray Derk is planning to include on-the-water sessions with several types of sailboats. Call Ray at 296-4205 to sign up.
Classes for our highest grade, Navigator, is about to start in Morgantown on 12 November. Seven students have indicated that they will take the course.
Two Little Rooms
We were crowded in two little rooms;
(Cozy closeness, to say the least,)
As we took minutes, saluted the flag,
Got funds with "fifty-fifty";
And then savored early spring in England,
Canal boating on the Thames;
As if all of life
Were so simple
And easy,
And leisure boating became us.
The moment enchanted
With the old friendships
And the new ones,
And the meeting glowed bright
With the readiness of smiles,
The quips from the lips
Of this one and that one,
Just the gladness of being together;
Making a delightful evening
In two little rooms.
-- Melba Dungey
Marine Electronics
If you are considering the purchase of a new VHF-FM marine radio, be cautious. In mid year of 1999 new FCC requirements will be introduced. These require manufacturers to provide Digital Selective Calling (DSC) in all new models. Having DSC is sort of like adding telephone buttons to the set. When you press the buttons, a calling signal will be sent only to a selected station. As of this date, no sets with DSC are listed in the pleasureboat marine catalogs.
While the technology sounds good, it appears there are a few catches. To use DSC, you must apply for a unique registration number, and obtain a license. This may require paying the FCC license fee which was just abolished for most pleasure boats. In addition, it is not clear how you will obtain a "phone book" with the numbers of boats you want to call. "May Day" calls are supposed to be routed to some central search and rescue facility. How you can inform nearby boats of your problem is unclear.
On another front, there is a committee at work on a new NMEA Standard for Serial-Data Networking of Marine Devices. This is the set of codes and connections which let a GPS talk to a RADAR, auto-pilot, computer, or chart plotter.
NMEA 2000 will let marine electronics exchange a much wider range of information. Hopefully the new standards will also make it easier to interface equipment from different manufacturers.
Looking for a useful way to spend a winter afternoon? Make yourself a line-throwing jug. Use soft, floating, polypropylene "clothes line" and a fabric softener bottle.
Ohio has just joined the list of states which will have some form of boating education requirement. Effective 1 January 2000, anyone born after 1 January 1982 must have completed an approved boating course or examination in order to operate a boat with more than 10 HP.