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Are you attending the US Sailing National Sailing Programs Symposium?

The US Sailing National Sailing Programs Symposium is scheduled for January 11-14, 2012 in Long Beach, Calif.

The JSA of LIS board has regularly sent representatives to the NSPS and we encourage our member clubs to think about attending as well.

The NSPS is the premier event for sailing education in the United States, bringing together program directors, instructors, volunteers, parents and industry representatives to share and learn best practices with one another about running, maintaining and improving sailing programs. The goal is to have participants come out of the symposium with ideas to apply to their own sailing programs to make them better and help them grow.

JSA of LIS office has summarized the preliminary agenda so you may easily view the topics to find those that interest you.

See all the details about the symposium on the US Sailing NSPS web page.

 

 

Storm Trysail promotes Junior Safety at Sea

The Storm Trysail Foundation has posted a recap of their Junior Safety-At-Sea Seminars that were hosted during 2011 in Newport RI, Larchmont NY, Annapolis MD and Perth Amboy NJ.

Approximately 300 junior sailors – ranging between the ages of 12 and 20 – were taught the importance of safety when sailing on big boats through classroom sessions, dockside demonstrations and on-the-water experience.

Now Storm Trysail is looking to expand these programs across the country. It is working with US Sailing to create guidelines that will assist volunteers in other regions to host a Junior Safety-at-Sea Seminar.

Rich du Moulin, who heads up the Junior Safety-at-Sea effort, said, “We want to make this program accessible and easy for people who have never done this before. If there is a strong interest in a given place, we can get some Storm Trysail Club members to help set up the lesson plan, work with them as mentors and possibly help with seed funding.” 

For more information:
-See summary about the Safety-At-Sea Seminars on the Storm Trysail Foundation website.
-Also see the detailed training curriculum posted on the offshore section of the US Sailing website.

 

Not Just For Cars: Safety Risks of Boating and Texting

In the past few years, states have been cracking down about cell phone use – particularly texting – while driving. But what about while boating?

While it may be tempting for instructors to send a quick message to coworkers, program staff, parents, or friends during those long days on the water, it is imperative to stress the importance of cracking down on cell phone use while on a powerboat or other craft.

At a number of JSA of LIS regattas this summer, parents and spectators have been shocked to see instructors spending more time texting and less time paying attention to racing. This safety issue is magnified tenfold when texting takes place while the engine is running and when an instructor is driving the boat.

The dangers of cell phone use while boating have recently been in the eye of the national press in the aftermath of two incidents involving the matter. Last summer, a tug pilot talking on a cell phone steered into a stalled tourist duck boat on the Delaware River in Philadelphia. The collision resulted in two fatalities. In two separate situations two winters ago, Coast Guard vessels hit small family boats during holiday parades in San Diego and Charleston. Recent investigations into both incidents revealed that drivers and crew members were found to be texting moments before the collisions.

The US Coast Guard, in conjunction with the National Transportation Safety Board, released a statement last summer prohibiting the use of cell phones by operators of CG boats, and restricting the use by crew members.

In a press release, NTSB Chairman Deborah Hersman said, “The use of wireless communications devices while operating vehicles in any mode of transportation poses an unacceptable distraction.”

Just as in a car, cell phones are important items to have on a boat in event of an emergency. Features ranging from weather notification systems to the smartphone app for the Racing Rules of Sailing can also be great on-the-water advantages.

However, it is important to set parameters limiting the use of these phones for safety's sake.

“It's such a huge safety issue. The New York state law says no texting and driving – the same should apply on the water,” says Allison Simkins, JSA Board Member and former longtime program chair at Centerport Yacht Club.

“This is a new thing we need to deal with,” said Simkins. “I'm an advocate of having your phone out there, in case there's an emergency, but the bottom line is that there should be no texting when that boat is underway or when that engine is turned on."

An instructor, who wished to remain anonymous, said, “Phones can be distracting and it might be tempting to respond right away to a message or call. But the priority should definitely be, as it always is, coaching the kids and making sure everyone's safe.”

We urge programs to begin, or continue to have, open dialogues with instructors and staff about restricting cell phone use in powerboats to appropriate professional situations, as the number one priority should always be maintaining responsibility for the safety of young sailors on the water. Driving and texting does not compute into this equation.

Image credit Dane Granlund

Annual Safety at Sea Seminar Emphasizes Preparedness and Prevention

The heat index may have already been breaking 105, but there were fires blazing outside the junior clubhouse at Larchmont Yacht Club this past Friday.

The Larchmont Fire Department’s fire safety demonstration was just one of the events on the docket for the annual Safety at Sea Seminar. The event featured a variety of demonstrations, activities, and discussions centered around safety preparation and emergency prevention on big boats.

The seminar, presented by the Storm Trysail Foundation in partnership with Larchmont YC and the JSA of LIS, celebrated its fifteenth anniversary this year.  Storm Trysail held the first seminar at LYC, and has since expanded to host additional seminars in Marblehead, Mass., Newport, R.I., Perth Amboy, N.J., and Annapolis, Md.

Safety at Sea Chairman Rich du Moulin estimated that Storm Trysail has worked with over 3000 sailors, 500 boats, and 5,000 man overboard drills in the past decade and a half of seminars.

“Big boat sailing is really an adventure, and that’s what is so great about it – but it requires knowledge, teamwork, and seamanship,” said du Moulin in opening remarks.

Sailors and instructors attended five different sessions, all focusing on specific aspects of these themes, including crew organization, man overboard situations, preparation for squalls, fire safety, and equipment and rigging safety.

Kelly Robinson and Ann Myer led the dock demonstration on LYC Commodore Carl Olsson’s J/105 Morning Glory. Robinson and Myer discussed safety tethers and other equipment, and invited several sailors to come aboard and practice reefing the mainsail. 

Captain John Caparelli and members of the Larchmont Fire Department reviewed the different types of fires that can occur on boats and how to prevent and extinguish them. In a demonstration activity, they lit contained gas fires that sailors were able to practice extinguishing.

Caparelli stressed the importance of preparedness and personal safety, saying, “Fiberglass burns very hot and very fast, so you don’t have a lot of time to make decisions. Boats can be insured, boats can be replaced, but if you feel that you’re getting in harm, then get out of the boat.”

Bob Boehringer’s talk, “Preparation for Squalls” drew examples from recent events to talk about extreme weather sailing, including the 100+ knot sustanined winds that ripped through last week’s Chicago-Mackinac Race as well as the 40+ knot gusts that came through New York Harbor last week.

Boehringer recommended that sailors keep a close eye on weather forecasts a month preceding distance ocean sailing and other offshore events. 

“Start watching weather patterns so you have an idea of what the weather might do in the future. You need to know what it is, where it is, and how its works,” he said.

In a classroom session on Man Overboard situations, Adam Loory reviewed rescue techniques. He highlighted the importance of safety tethers – “Never unhook while you’re on deck” – and other preventative measures. Loory also showed videos about crew recovery, emphasizing how the safest and most effective approach to crew recovery is from a close reach.

“Practice the method ahead of time. Don’t count on ‘Oh, we’ll just grab the person and pull them in,’” said Loory.

After a morning of classroom sessions, sailors and coaches were ready to hit the water to practice maneuvers on boats that had been donated by owners for the day’s use. However, the afternoon sailing session was called off due to light air and extremely hot weather.  Each club received instructions and drills for a 3-hour on the water practice to complete on their own time.

Participants felt that the seminar provided a variety of valuable lessons and tools.

“It’s been really useful,” said Steve Lewis, from Riverside Yacht Club. “This is my second time here and I am still learning stuff.”

“It’s good for getting filled in for all the safety things you never knew before,” added Michael Haidinger, another Riverside sailor.

Sailors will have the opportunity to put their newfound knowledge to the test in several upcoming JSA big boat events this August, including the Dorade Trophy and the Beach Point Overnight.

For more pictures of the event, see here.

Sunscreen: What You Should Know

Break out the zinc oxide: with the summer in full swing, sailors are logging long days out on the water soaking up the rays.

Here are a few tips we’ve compiled to help you stay covered up and protected!

APPLICATION: “Application is ABSOLUTELY the most important factor in sun protection. I have a morning ritual of taking a shower and then immediately applying 3-4 coats of sunscreen. Heat and moisture from the shower open skin pours allowing it to absorb significantly more product. Applying sunscreen on the boat just doesn't cut it and I inevitably come away with too much sun.” - Chris Larson (via Scuttlebutt.com)

…and REAPPLICATION!: “Dermatologists suggest that customers look for products that say ‘broad spectrum,’ have an SPF between 30 and 50 and generally reapply lotion every 40 or 80 minutes.” – The New York Times

WEARING LAYERS: Most sunscreen rubs off – long sleeves protect from wear and will do a good job keeping the sun off. “I always wear rashguards so the only thing exposed to the sun is my face.” – Page Railey (via Scuttlebutt.com)

IS SPF 100 WORTH IT?!: “Higher SPFs frequently cost more, but are they worth it? Many dermatologists don't think so. “Once you get to SPF 50, it's really getting silly,” said Boston dermatologist, James Spencer. “SPF refers to multiples of how much longer it takes the skin to burn," but it isn't a linear progression. An SPF of 30 doesn't offer twice as much protection as an SPF of 15, for example. An SPF 15 blocks 94% of UVB rays, SPF 30 blocks 97%, and SPF 45 blocks 98%. Spencer recommends sunscreens with an SPF of 30, as does the American Academy of Dermatology, “because we know you're not going to put enough on.” – The Los Angeles Times

For more information, see the New York Times’ article on the FDA’s newest sunscreen rules as well as Scuttlebutt.com’s “Sunscreen for sailing” forum. 

Readers: what sunscreen do you use for sailing? Let us know in the comments!

Image credit, nytimes.com.

Spaces available in June 13 Accelerated Powerboat Handling Course

Will you be driving a motorboat this summer? Make sure your safety skills are up to speed!

Think of it like a driver’s education course for boating. Powerboat handling courses offer valuable safety skills for instructors, parents, club members, and any youth who already have their powerboat certification. The JSA recommends clubs schedule the US Sailing Safe Powerboat Handling course as part of regular junior sailing curricula beginning in 2011.

Noroton Yacht Club is hosting an Accelerated Safe Powerboat Handling Course next Monday, June 13^th. Several spaces remain in this accelerated, one-day course. The course will be focusing on hands-on qualification of all skills relating to equipment, rules of the road, navigation, preparation, environment regulations, safety, and emergencies. This is a great way to prepare for the upcoming summer season.

When: Monday, June 13^th, 2011, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Where: Noroton Yacht Club, Darien, CT

Cost: $160 pp

Course prerequisites: CT Safe Boating Certificate or equivalent

Suggested age: 12 – adult

To register, e-mail Tory Crane ASAP (crane@optonline.net) to discuss getting the study materials in advance. Bring a copy of your CT Safe Boating Certificate and check payable to "Noroton Yacht Club" to the course on Monday.

Can the iPhone make you the Ultimate Sailor?

 

With the accessibility and convenience of the Internet on phones, virtually any and all information is at one's fingertips. 

The revolution of the iPhone and its applications, or apps, has taken the technology world by storm and leaves no field of interest unexplored, including all elements of sailing. Apple & iTunes supplies an app for every need, concern, want, and interest for sailors. 

Whether you're learning the ropes or have had a lifetime of experience, 'there's an app for that' on the iPhone.  Listed below are a few of the top sailing applications for iPhones, check them out and see which ones best fit you!

For the Skipper-in-Training:
- SailX     
Simulating a full-featured sailing environment, learn the ins and outs of sailing and racing through this communally interactive app.  Through the SailX tactical trainer, get access to real-time regattas and communicate with other online sailors in addition to simulated sailing environments.  The app features three racing formats (fleet, team, match-race), five boat types (laser, catamaran, skiff, team, keelboat), and tons of simulations ranging from wind effects to sheet control.  SailX allows you to get access to live regattas while simulating real life scenarios, so you can be knowledgeably ready for anything.
- You-Tack Pro  
 For those who still need to brush up on their racing rules, You-Tack Pro is any captain's dream.  The app is a comprehensive way of learning and reviewing all the ISAF Racing Rules of Sailing through illustrations, explanations, 3D animated quizzes, definitions, and description.  This easy to use app tests your sailing knowledge through simulations of real life scenarios; some of the quizzes include 'Sailing Upwind', 'Windward Mark', and 'Learning Signals'.  An added bonus: the quizzes are taken from the International Sailing Association Federation Case Book for 2009-2012.  Save your quiz results and specific rules in the favorites folder for a quick brush-up before any race.

For the savvy navigator & tactician:
- iNavX 
Looking for an easier way to keep your charts handy?  The iNavX app keeps all the official NOAA RNC US water marine charts in the palm of your hand.  iNavX covers all West Coast, Gulf Coast, East Coast, Great Lakes, Alaska, Hawaii, and US Virgin Islands charts in detail.  In addition, the app's built in GPS helps you plot your current position, map waypoints & routes, and track your progress.  Plot, zoom, scroll, and navigate with this 5 star rated app!

For the sailing history buff:
- History of Sailing  
Expand your horizon of sailing knowledge with this friendly, illustrative app.  The History of Sailing app covers the history of sailing through facts, illustrations, and engaging stories.  Browse through chapters of sailing physics, history, and points of sail to become a full-fledged sailing history expert.  One reviewer testified, "I had my friend who knew nothing about sailing give this a read for 30 minutes, he was able to carry on a conversation with me about sailing physics.  It’s a great guide to what sailing is all about."

For the 'can't-get-enough-sailing' enthusiast:
- Live Skipper 
One of the first multiplayer sailing games for the iPhone, Live Skipper is a virtual regatta simulator.  Create a boat, choose sails, watch the weather, and start competing in races around the world with real virtual opponents.  This app brags a 50,000+ player community, with the favorite feature being the real weather conditions simulated.  With a new race beginning every Friday, only one of the competing boats can come in first place.  Now you can get your sailing fix on or off the water.

- American Sailing Association 
Designed for new and experienced sailors, the ASA app is designed to fit and enhance the sailing lifestyle.  This app has everything for everyone: learn the art of typing knots, brush up on the identification of nautical flags and vessel lighting, find sailing schools in your area, and tons more.  Need to look up a quick term?  The app comes with a full sailing glossary for reference.  Want to check the forecast?  The app has direct access to the ASA Social Media Gateway, featuring national and satellite radars, tropical conditions for US cities, 5-day forecasts, wind data, and tide predictions.  Interested in to-the-minute sailing updates?  Use the app for direct connection to ASA's Facebook updates and Twitter feed.  ASA has always maintained a mission to "promote education and safety throughout the sailing community", and they continue to do so through their extensive app.

Download these apps and become the handiest sailor on or off the water.  Turns out, the ultimate sailor can fit right in your pocket.

And here are some other apps mentioned by our Facebook fans:
 - Ayetides
AyeTides displays tides and currents for nearly 10,000 location around the world. It is a stand-alone application and does not require internet access to function. 
 - MotionX GPS 
Designed and used by Philippe Kahn during his record setting Transpacific Run. The app has a virtual compass for navigation and a stopwatch to record time, distance, speed and average pace. MotionX-GPS is a great way to compare results from one race to the next and at the end of the day.
 - Animated Knots by Grog:
Are you all tied up in knots? Well, this app has been created by re-engineering the content of the very popular website, including all the knot tying animations and descriptions.
 - WindAlert
WindAlert is an app that draws from a database that includes over 40,000 weather stations across the globe. Features include favorite lists of weather stations separated into unique user-generated profiles and customizable wind alerts delivered through the iPhone when conditions reach thresholds set by the user.

Did we miss any iPhone apps that you find useful? Or do you prefer Android apps? Let us know by leaving a comment here.

This article was contributed by our guest author, Ali Tortorello, from Boston University, whose family sails out of Cedar Point YC in Westport CT.   

If you also have a story you'd like to share, please contact us and we'll get you published on JibeTalk!

 

US Sailing Summer Road Show wants to visit you

 
 

The inaugural US Sailing Summer Road Show will be making stops at sailing organizations from Maine to Maryland to participate in a variety of events including regattas, junior clinics, and community outreach programs, adult learn to sail seminars, and other sailing events.

The Summer Road Show team will be on the road from Memorial Day (May 30) through Labor Day (Sept. 5).

Here are a few ways US Sailing's Road Show can participate in your organizations’s events and programs:

• Regatta or Site Visit
  US Sailing will stop by your regatta or event and provide a fun interactive experience to promote sailing and share information about some of its products and services. 
• Clinics
  The US Sailing Road Show team can host a one day/afternoon clinic for youth programs at Yacht Clubs and community sailing centers, or help out during an already established clinic.
• Youth Program or Sailing School
  The US Sailing Road Show team would love to help instruct at your Junior Program or Sailing School for the day. Their Level 1 certified Instructors are happy to help out and coach for a day at your program or sailing school.

If you'd like to have the Road Show team visit your event,  to give it more exposure or just a little support, please submit your invitation to the team. All clubs and community sailing centers located from New England to the Mid-Atlantic are eligible.

Ted Turner: Still Tenacious

During an ESPN program Saturday about the America's Cup 12 Metre Era Reunion held in Newport RI, Gary Jobson stated, “Ted Turner is the essence of the America's Cup”.

During that reunion, Turner was quoted as saying, “If you knew how hard I had to work to win that America’s Cup. I remember being a 17-year-old freshman at Brown when a friend had access to a 28-foot boat and we watched the America’s Cup at Castle Hill. I looked at the Sceptre and the Columbia sail by, their crews all in white. I said, ‘Boy, I’m going to work my butt off to get there someday.”

Turner has been dubbed the "Mouth of the South," "Captain Courageous" (or "Captain Outrageous") and "Terrible Ted." A 1978 biography described him as "handsome, loud, opinionated, arrogant; a self-styled Rhett Butler." Even his detractors say he is fearless.

Sailing World’s editor, Dave Reed, writes about Turner's tenacity in the November 2010 issue:

Until recently, I knew of Ted Turner only what can be found in his memoir, Call Me Ted: media tycoon and pioneer, charitable do-gooder, land conserver, and one seriously feisty and skilled sailor. I got a full dose of this last trait when I sailed on board American Eagle at the 12-Meter North Americans in September. 

His longtime friend and tactician, Gary Jobson, started the regatta’s first four races but surrendered the wheel to Ted thereafter. It took a few laps before Ted hit his stride, but when he did so, the boat felt alive. From behind his sunglasses, I could sense he was in tune with the telltales, the yarns on the shrouds, and the speedo. He didn’t need to be told whether he was too high or too low. He knew exactly how to coax the ol’ girl around the racecourse. 

On this two-race day, Gary relinquished the starts to Ted, who nailed the first one, crossing the line with speed and with Columbia and Easterner in his hip pocket. Our lead quickly grew, at which point Ted looked over his shoulder and declared, “Hot damn! Look at that! Hee-hee.” (read more at Sailing World)

And speaking of being tenacious, the Storm Trysail Foundation has a dinner in Stamford CT on November 12 to honor Ted Turner, Gary Jobson and the rest of the crew aboard Tenacious, winner of the 1979 Fastnet Race. The dinner subscription and auction will benefit the Storm Trysail Foundation, which sponsors the junior safety at sea seminars and intercollegiate big boat racing. To learn more about the dinner, see the foundation website.

Teen Sailor Abby Sunderland Meets NASA Team That Helped Saved Her Life

Six months since 16-year-old Abby Sunderland's 40-foot vessel, Wild Eyes, was damaged in a storm, leaving her stranded in the middle of the Indian Ocean, she has met the people who developed the technology used to save her life.

Abby visited NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Md., on Oct. 25 to meet Search and Rescue Manager Dave Affens and a team of engineers. He and his team developed the Search and Rescue Satellite (SARSAT) technologies that contributed to her rescue.

"Without NASA technology, she may have lost her life," Affens said. "This case was more interesting than most because we contributed to every aspect of it.

Affens explained in detail to Sunderland and the group how SARSAT technology operates. "We developed the concept of detecting distress signals by the satellite, relaying it to the ground stations where the locations were calculated," Affens explained. "We then launched the distress-detection device on a NOAA weather satellite, tested the concept, and approved the system for operational use.

"The system is great, super actually," Sunderland said about the search-and-rescue technology that pinpointed her exact location during the aggressive storm.

Sunderland's signal reached an Indian satellite (INSAT) and two NOAA weather satellites that were launched by NASA and used NASA technology to pinpoint her location less than an hour later.

"It was a real surprise when the Airbus flew over me. I wasn't expecting it, I was expecting it to be weeks," she said about the amount of time it took for her rescue to begin. "When you set off your beacon, you know someone is going to hear you, but I wasn't sure if I was going to be helped. But I don't think it could have been done any faster," she added.

Also critical to her rescue was a yellow personal locator beacon, about the size of a BlackBerry, that emitted an emergency distress signal picked up by a SARSAT satellite orbiting 22,500 miles up in space.

Because Sunderland used the device correctly and made a point to register the beacon with NOAA (adding personal and contact information), the U.S. Coast Guard's Pacific Area Command in Alameda, Calif., was able to contact her parents in less than 10 minutes.

"We couldn't ask for a better scenario," said U.S. Coast Guard's Adolfo Viezca, also in attendance. "When beacons aren't registered and I'm on the receiving end, I don't know who you are, where you are and I end up with a quagmire."

Sunderland isn't discouraged by her ordeal. She still plans on sailing the world solo, carrying the beacon and relying on NASA technology of course. "Overall, it's the best experience of my life," she said.

See full report, including animation showing how the SARSAT system works, at the NASA website 

And here is another NASA report about a rescue in the North Atlantic during January 2010.