Scuttlebutt Fall 2014 Page 1

Scuttlebutt Vol. 27 No. 4

Waterway Radio and Cruising Club ‘Serving Radio Amateurs Afloat Since 1963’

I first want to recognize the hard work and dedication

of all of the volunteers that make the Waterway Radio

and Cruising Club, the Waterway Net, and our three

follow-on Nets (Land Cruisers, Winlink, Computer) so

successful. Well done to all and thanks for all of your

hard work.

In reviewing the year to date there are several events,

both large and small, in which your Waterway Radio

and Cruising Club is playing a part on behalf of the

cruising community. I want to mention only a few.

Earlier this year Rear Commodore Ridge/N3JUY re-

vised our weather reporting format to line up with NO-

AA’s new weather zones. Although there have not

been an overwhelming number of calls for additional

weather, when they have occurred the system has

operated as designed. Additionally, implementation

of our on-line position reporting database late last

year has proven worthwhile. We have had over 700

check-ins to the site since late July of this year. Any-

one can access position reports by call sign or boat

name thru our website at www.waterwayradio.net .

From your Commodore

— Bob Norman, KE4OIL

As I write this the Seven Seas Cruising Association

Gam at Camp Letts on the Rhode River is ongoing

and, for the first time, Ham exams will be given there

and the WRCC is manning a table under the leader-

ship of Bill/WA6CCA, our 2013 Commodore, and

Scott/WA0LSS, the current SSCA President. These

gams just south of Annapolis are always well attend-

ed by cruisers getting ready to migrate south so it

should be a fun and interesting occasion.

Within the SSCA context I had occasion to corre-

spond with one of our own Waterway Club members

of long-standing. Ginny/KA5YLM who joined the

WRCC some forty years ago has been a member of

the SSCA for sixty years having joined that organiza-

tion in June 1955. She has been involved in the Flori-

da anchoring issues from the beginning and she just

received the title of Honorary SSCA Historian. Well

done, Ginny, and our best wishes to you.

Following the mention of Florida’s longstanding an-

choring issues above, you should be aware that this

is once again under active discussion. I want to

thank Ron/N1GYX for volunteering to attend the Flor-

ida Fish and Wildlife Commission workshop on an-

choring restrictions on 3 September in Vero Beach.

He spoke for our Club and was in good company with

many representatives from other cruising organiza-

tions including SSCA. His report appears elsewhere

in this issue. Anchoring controversy in Florida has

been ongoing for a long time and has not been easily

resolvable. Our approach is to get the authorities and

legislators to recognize that cruisers are generally

not the problem and to craft legislation and rules tar-

geting derelict vessels and ‘liveaboard’ vessels to

better regulate them. The term ‘liveaboard’ in Florida

applies to floating structures which may or may not

be capable of propulsion and which are not attached

to a private or commercial pier but are tethered to

the bottom and occupied over many months.

Our WRCC picnic will be held on Sunday the 16th of

November coinciding as usual with the SSCA gam at

Melbourne, Florida. It will follow the catered format

(Continued on page 2)

Page 2

Scuttlebutt Fall 2014

established last year and will be a great opportunity

to meet many WRCC members that you hear on the

air and have never seen. Information on purchasing

tickets and directions to the site are included else-

where in this issue and will also be on our website:

www.waterwayradio.net. You also have an opportuni-

ty to ‘dress’ for the occasion by ordering apparel

such as golf shirts or hats with the WRCC burgee logo

from our store affiliate which can be accessed on-line

via our website.

Nominations officially open on 1 October to fill the

Commodore, Vice Commodore and Rear Commodore

duties in our Club for 2015. Please give this some

thought and forward nominations to Jeanie our Club

Secretary at secretary@waterwayradio.net . All that is

required is a statement that you have spoken with

your nominee and he or she will serve if elected.

Nominations will close on the 31st of October. Candi-

dates will have an opportunity to speak at the picnic

and elections will be held thereafter

.As the cruising boats gather in various ports prepar-

ing for the trek south please remember that the Wa-

terway Net exists solely to serve you, member or not.

If there is something you need or would like to see

changed let me know via email at commo-

dore@waterwayradio.net . Keep a close watch on the

weather. This is old hat to the experienced cruiser

but may not be as obvious to those on their first trip.

Our weather section of the Net has been tuned pretty

well and is flexible enough to meet your needs. If you

don’t hear what you want, ask for it. And, fly the Club

burgee. You are guaranteed to meet some interest-

ing people by doing so!

Additional volunteers are always appreciated to fill

the various positions in the Club and on the Nets or

to act as an occasional net substitute. Having a land

station is not a requirement. If you desire to help out,

contact any of the Club officers or those who are cur-

rently participating in Net duties.

Lastly, this has been my final opportunity to make

‘official’ remarks to the WRCC. It has been an honor

and a privilege to serve with so many skilled and ded-

icated professionals on the Net and in the Club as

well as to help serve the general cruising community.

See you on the Net and on the water,

Bob

KE4OIL

Commodore

(Continued from page 1)

Last year’s 50th Anniversary Picnic in Melbourne was

a great hit, with record attendance. This year we are

again providing a catered barbeque dinner with all

the trimmings. The menu includes Pulled Pork, BBQ

Chicken, Buns, Potato Salad, Cole Slaw, Tea, Lemon-

ade, and a keg of Beer. We would also like to extend

an invitation to attend to anyone who may be inter-

ested in membership in the Waterway Radio and

Cruising Club, sponsor of the Waterway Net. Come

join us for our special celebration.

When: Sunday November 16 at 11:00; lunch will be

served at 12:00. This is the same weekend as the

SSCA Gam.

Where: Wickham Park, Pavilion #4, 2500 Parkway

Drive, Melbourne, FL 32935.

Cost: We are asking for $16.00 per person to cover

expenses. For convenience, this may be paid on the

main page of the WRCC website via PayPal (http://

www.waterwayradio.net/ ). Payment may also be

made by writing a check payable to WRCC. Mail your

check to WRCC, 27 Cheyenne Ct, Palm Coast, FL

32137. Other payment options may be arranged by

contacting the WRCC Secretary.

Very Important: The deadline for all payments is Sat-

urday, November 8. This is necessary to allow order-

ing time for the caterer. We cannot guarantee that

food will be available if not reserved by the deadline.

Please don’t miss this opportunity to register early for

this special event.

Land Cruisers: The RV campground area has been

enlarged and upgraded. Early reservations are en-

couraged. The fee is $23.31 per day with tax and in-

cludes full hookup. Please call 321-255-4307 for

reservations and further information.

Arriving by boat: Transportation will be provided for

WRCC members on boats anchored near the SSCA

Gam site and the Eau Gallie Library on the west side

of the ICW. Contact Ned Buck, W4KS, for pickup at

321-725-1591 or email: nbuck@palmnet.net.

Arriving by Car: The pavilion is located at Wickham

Park. Turn East off Wickham Road onto Parkway

(Continued on page 5)

Waterway Annual Melbourne Picnic

— Ron Knaggs, N1GYX

Scuttlebutt Fall 2014 Page 3

My Shaky CW Start

When I say shaky, I mean shaky, literally. I am a new

guy to WRCC just joining in time for last year’s big pic-

nic. Code was a requirement when I got my license in

1995 and I actually made a number of CW contacts

at 5-10 wpm. The challenge that was back then, and

the hobby was put on the shelf while taking care of

aging parents and then setting up a newer boat for

extended cruising.

Now it is 2013 and I decide this is the year to join

WRCC, mind you at the very last minute. We had a

small circle of friends who were very active members.

Skip and Cherylle of The Eleanor M, Tom and Cathy of

Perseverance II, Bob and Pat of Chanticleer, Bob and

Chesley of Cygnet and last but not least our es-

teemed Commodore and Julie, of Quest. We find our-

selves heading down the coast and arrive in Vero

Beach just before the big 50th Anniversary Picnic and

just after the sign up date. I asked Bob N1ILF if there

was a chance to still sign up. Bob asked Jeanie

N4WFN, the miracle worker and we were in.

While at the picnic we met Tom K4WJC and he was

selling a little outbacker antenna. This seemed the

perfect solution to getting my Ham rig operating from

the good ship Anania. Having spent some time on

the WRCC web site I was aware of the CW group.

Wouldn’t it be nice to try to regain some of that code I

had learned almost 20 years ago? I now had a goal

and started to turn on the radio at 0615, tuned to

7047 KHz each morning to listen for the early birds.

Boy did the dits and dahs go flying by! The web site

said 18-27WPM but it sure seemed a lot faster. After

listening each day to both the net and W1AW code

practice, things started to slow down a little. I was

able to copy Bob KA3OCS one morning and he report-

ed being in Vero Beach-- same place we were. I

looked up his boat info in the roster I was given at the

picnic and started to look for him in the anchorage.

This would be great, someone I could ask a few pro-

cedural questions about getting on the CW net. Well I

looked and looked but could not find a Bristol 29.9

called Ace of Diamonds in the mooring field. There

went my attempt to find a mentor. Much later I found

out Bob had gotten a new boat the Bonnie K. I proba-

bly dinghied right by it. Now I guess I’m on my own so

I set a goal to check in by the end of the year, a

month and a half away. That was goal, but listening

to those dits and dahs fly by in a blur… was this real-

istic??

Lots of time was devoted to practice. Each day, start-

ing with my practice sending as a side tone, not on

the air, I would send the full alphabet and numbers

forward and backward twice. Then with paper and

pen I would try to copy the net, beginning at 0700.

Each day I would try to find time for W1AW code prac-

tice.

As I was practicing and seeing the end of the year

fast approaching, I started to worry. What if I give

them my call sign for the list and missed hearing it

when it was my turn to send my report? How could

you miss your own call sign? Not too hard consider-

ing my call sign N2ST. It is easy to send, not too

many dits and dahs but there is a “but.” During my

listening, knowing the end of the year was fast ap-

proaching, I started to notice a very high use of the

letters ST. Every morning there were a few CW mem-

bers who called in short time. Well guess what! In

code the abbreviation for “short time” is /ST. I would

hear the ST and jump. Are they calling on me? May-

be not, but then someone reports the weather as

overcaST. Another ST whizzing by. Did I miss my call

again? The Net Control Station asks any more ST or

any more for the liST. And final straw, there is mem-

ber of the CW group, AG4ND, and his name is For-

reST. They are sure making it hard on my nerves.

Add in a few reports about laST night’s rain or a faST

approaching front and my knees are knocking and

the hand is really shaking.

Well, it’s about December 28th and I send out my

first shaky N2ST, and someone actually copied me.

When I did get on the air, I would write down every-

thing I was going to transmit, then practice by send-

ing it as a side tone at least twice, trying to eliminate

my mistakes and improve my spacing. Mistakes are

noted with a few quick dits or e’s sort of like an eras-

er. I sure used up a few erasers, but no one suggest-

ed I was in the wrong place. They politely acknowl-

edged receipt of my report.

Every day the group puts out an email as a summary

of the morning activity. The most important part of

the summary for me was that my code was read.

Generally what I sent, or tried to send, was on the

list. Hooray!

Well, it has been 8 months; my mistakes are fewer (Continued on page 5)

— Tom Stefanic, N2ST

Page 4

Scuttlebutt Fall 2014

There continues to be interest in

“alternative” medical care, from chiro-

practic, thru massage therapy and yo-

ga, to herbal medicines, etc. I just fin-

ished an advanced course in herbal

medicine and I feel the need to share

some of the concepts with you. First

the overview: So called ‘herbal medi-

cine’ has been a part of medical care

for thousands of years and included opium (from

which we get morphine), digitalis (to boost the heart),

penicillin, etc. In fact, in main stream medicine, more

than half of what doctors prescribe even today

comes from plant or fungal sources. Even so those

medical adjuncts you can buy in the health food

store, without a prescription, are titled “alternative

medicines”

My course dealt with nine (9) such herbals, Saw Pal-

metto, St. John’s Wort, Ginko, Ginsing, Eschinacea,

Kava, Garlic, Valarian, and Andrographis. There is not

room here to deal with all of these but I will share

some details about a couple and urge you generally,

if you do take these, or their cousins, to ALWAYS tell

your doctor what you are taking so as to avoid mixed

medicine complications. Your doctor may, or may not

know much about such herbs but should be advised

to consider their mix in your care. This is especially

true if you plan surgery, or a general anesthetic.

One of the risks in taking non-prescription herbs is

the absence of quality control in their preparation.

They are considered “food” items and do not get the

rigorous evaluation that prescription medicines must

pass.. I quote, “In the United States, herbal medica-

tions are considered dietary supplements and are

regulated by the Dietary Supplement Health and Edu-

cation Act (DSHEA) of 1994 [3]. Under this legisla-

tion, some claims, including structure and function,

may be made by the manufacturer without requiring

proof of safety and efficacy needed for conventional

FDA-regulated medications. .. .. .. “ In other words

you are on your own regarding potency and safety

when you take herbals. The bottles may have no

drug at all or up to 100 times the labeled potency.

Let’s look at a few starting with St. John’s Wort. It is

an antidepressant, and has about half the potency of

antidepressants prescribed by doctors. It is so well

accepted that it qualifies as a prescription medicine

in Germany. Watch out! If you take it along with a

main line prescribed antidepressant you will likely be

overdosed. Inform you doctor.

Let’s look ay Ginko biloba. It may well be beneficial in

early age-related memory loss. Some have found

Ginko helpful to suppress dizziness and/or vertigo.

Only 2-3 % of users develop side effects from Ginko,

but those who do may develop skin rashes, head-

ache, diarrhea or even convulsions.

Now let’s look at Saw Palmetto. This has been exten-

sively studied and is found to be effective in helping

older men afflicted by slowing of the urinary stream

due to BPH (enlarged prostate). The dose has been

worked out and if you need this discuss the details

with your doctor. Yet, even here, if you take anticoag-

ulants like warfarin (Coumadin) you can throw the

dosage off since herbs have an effect on blood coag-

ulation.

Let’s take one more, Eschinacea. Some take it for

management of the common cold, and related respir-

atory infections. It was already in use by Native Amer-

icans when the first Europeans arrived here. Echina-

cea is a widely sold herbal medicine in the United

States and is the third most popular natural product

overall (surpassed only by fish oil and glucosamine)

According to the course I took the Eschinanea dose

is: “For treatment of cold symptoms and upper res-

piratory infections, an initial 300–1000 mg titrated

dose of powdered herb in capsules or its equivalent

(tincture or juice) is administered for 5 to 7 days. Use

for more than 8 weeks at a time should be avoided

because of the potential for immunosuppression .

Preparations containing 15% pressed herb are used

topically as disinfectants.” It should not be given to

folks who are allergic to ragweed and related plants

like daisies. When given to children a small percent-

age get skin rashes. Overall, from my experience and

my recent study herbals in medicine do have a role

to play, according to your personal choice, as long as

you become informed about the risks vs. the bene-

fits, and as long as you inform your doctor (esp. sur-

geons, and anesthesiologists ) what you take are

taking and why.

73 de Jim Hirschman, K4TCV

[3] http://www.netce.com/coursecontent.php?

courseid=942&works=true#bibl.workscited.3

Comments from the

Sick Bay — Jim Hirschman, MD,

Fleet Surgeon, K4TCV

Scuttlebutt Fall 2014 Page 5

PICNIC and VOTING It is that time again. Time to ask

your friends if they would like to

run for one of the positions that

govern this fine WRCC organiza-

tion. The jobs are not difficult.

The Commodore is in charge of the

Waterway Net (we like to call him or her the “Net

Manager”) and generally keeping everyone in line, as

well as keeping track of the daily volunteers for Net

Control, relays, weather, and Fleet Captain assign-

ments. The Vice and Rear Commodores are there for

backup should the Commodore not be available to

monitor the Net. They also help the Commodore in

making decisions that affect the rest of us. Occa-

sionally either the Vice or Rear Commodore will be

assigned as the Weather Coordinator, or Fleet Cap-

tain, but those positions are at the discretion of the

Commodore and are often assigned to other volun-

teers. Probably the biggest responsibility is to BE

THERE when the Commodore cannot. So, see. They

are not hard jobs. If you want to nominate someone

for any of these three offices, please just make sure

that person is willing to run before you submit their

name (you can even nominate yourself, which elimi-

nates the ‘willing to run’ issue). Nominations are

open the month of October, and I will be sending out

the Bill and Ballot on or about November 1 where

you can vote and pay your dues. The winners will be

announced on December 1.

Our Annual WRCC picnic is on November 16 at Wick-

ham Park in Melbourne, and we will be catering it

again like we did last year. That being said, I will

need your RSVP no later than November 8 so we can

have an accurate head count. Prepayment will be

available via PayPal, or when you send in your dues.

The picnic will cost $16 per person. If you want to

use a credit card and do not want to use PayPal, just

call me. We now have the mobile app called PayPal

Here which will let me input a CC for payment. Just

like PayPal, there is a fee, so checks are cheaper. If

you are a ‘maybe’ for the picnic, please let us know

that.

And, last but not least, let me welcome aboard our

new members: Bob Masterson, KK4THG from St.

Secretary/Treasurer’s

Report — Jeanie Schreiber, N4WFM

Augustine, and Judy & Bill Chappell, KC3CXI, current-

ly cruising and joined while in New Bern NC.

Hope to see everyone at the picnic.

Jeanie, N4WFM

and I am able to copy more of each station’s report.

On a final note if you would like to hear the music of

CW give the group a try: 0700 am Eastern Time on

7047 KHz. The members have been very patient

with me and I am sure you will receive a warm wel-

come. I am looking forward to this year’s picnic so I

can put a few faces with their “fists”.

73, N2ST

(Continued from page 3)

Drive, and left into Wickham Park. Turn right after

entering Wickham Park and follow the road around

until you reach Pavilion #4, also called the Sam

Fuller Jr. Pavilion. This is also the site of our picnics

for the past several years.

Driving Directions to Wickham Park Picnic

From I-95 South Bound: Take Wickham Road, Exit

191. Turn left on Wickham Road East (Rte 509) for

about 8 miles. Turn left onto Parkway Drive at the

next traffic light after passing Brevard Community

College. Turn left into the entrance of Wickham

Park, then turn right after entering the park and fol-

low the road until you reach Pavilion #4.

From I-95 North Bound: Take second Melbourne

exit, Exit 183, Eau Gallie Blvd. (Rte 518). At the third

traffic light turn north (left) onto Wickham Road.

Turn right at the traffic light on Parkway Drive. Turn

left into the entrance of Wickham Park, then turn

right after entering the park and follow the road until

you reach Pavilion #4.

Motels

Near I-95 Exit 180 on US Highway 192:

Holiday Inn Express, 321-724-2050 Hampton Inn,

321-956-6200 Days Inn, 321-724-2051

America’s Best Value Inn, 321-768-8439

Near I-95 Exit 191 on Wickham Road (Viera):

Holiday Inn, 321-255-0077 La Quinta Inn, 321-

242-9400 Hampton Inn, 321-255-6868

(Continued from page 2)

Picnic

Page 6

Scuttlebutt Fall 2014

Roster Updates

Roster Updates since Summer SB KN4MX (A) Passages Capo, John Tayana V42 aft cockpit cutter Cupstid, Gina 411 Walnut St # 8439 C:(954) 494-8780 Green Cove Spgs FL jc@irbs.com 32043-3443 gina@irbs.com ~~~ - - - ~~~ N4SZV (E) Shenandoah Nossaman, Doug Southern Cross 35 2333 20th St. NW C:(202) 841-1022 Washington DC mdnoss@verizon.net 20009-1411 ~~~ - - - ~~~

New or Changed E-Mail Addresses

C6 AGG cfwardle@gmail.com KF4 BY kf4by@outlook.com K3 ORC k3orc@me.com

Additional Call Signs Since Summer SB

KC3 CXI G Judy Chappell KK4 THG G Bob Masterson

New Members Since Summer SB

KC3CXI (G) Charbonneau Chappell, Judy & Bill Island Packet 40 513 Highland Ave (570) 401-6251 Clarks Summit PA jchaps01@gmail.com 18411-2527 ___________________________________

KK4THG (G) Lucky Lady Masterson, Robert P. Shamrock 22 Walkaround 3304 Kings Road South (949) 637-1587 St. Augustine FL bobmasterson1@gmail.com 32086-5423 ___________________________________

***** ***** ***** *****

Nominations for WRCC Officers

The nominations for all three WRCC Officers for 2015 will open on Octo-

ber 1 and close on October 31. Voting will be the month of November.

Please submit your nominations to WRCC Secretary Jeanie Schreiber at

secretary@waterwayradio.net. We are looking for nominees for Commo-

dore, Vice Commodore, and Rear Commodore. And, make sure your

nominee is willing to serve if elected (no blindsides J).

***** ***** ***** *****

WRCC volunteers working at the Sevens Seas Cruising Association

GAM at Camp Letts, Edgewater, MD (Annapolis). Two portable sta-

tions were operating. There were three antennas, an inverted V, verti-

cal dipole, and a Ham stick. Pictures compliments of Annette Baker,

KK4YVJ.

Scuttlebutt Fall 2014 Page 7

Some web sites for help in determining what is going

on around the waterways this season:

Salty Southeast Cruisers Net cruisersnet.net

Waterway Guide waterwayguide.com

Active Captain activecaptain.com

Around the Waterways

Down East Gam Report

— Dick de Grasse, K1AMV

The 24th annual Seven Seas Cruising Association

Down East Gam was held on August1, 2, and 3,

2014, at Dick and Kathy de Grasse’s (s/v ENDEAV-

OUR) cottage on Gilkey’s Harbor, Islesboro, Maine.

What a Gam! 61 boats anchored in the harbor and

147 sailors attended. It sprinkled in the morning but,

as usual, it cleared up in time for an outstanding pot-

luck lunch. There was a delightful mix of sailors from

all over the world: Seven Seas Cruising Association,

Ocean Cruising Club, Waterway Radio and Cruising

Club plus lots of new attendees. There were more

than six circumnavigators and about half the sailors

on the lawn had sailed at least one ocean in their

own boats. It’s easy to feel humble among such great

sailors. The host boat I WANDA, sailed by Mary and

Christian Verlaque, had 41 dinghies tied behind them

during the Friday afternoon hors d’oeuvres cocktail

party raft-up. After lunch on Saturday everyone enthu-

siastically acknowledged the attendees as Mary Ver-

laque read through the list. Our guest speaker was

Captain Skip Strong, author of “In Peril”. Skip signed

copies of his book and spoke about maneuvering his

688 foot loaded oil tanker off the Bethel shoal in Flor-

ida in order to save a disabled tug and NASA barge.

Currently he is a Penobscot Bay and River Pilot. What

an incredible sailor! Sunday Pam and Denis (s/v

GLIDE) spoke about their July, 2014, sailing trip to

the Artic. Special thanks to all the helpers and espe-

cially to Dick and Suzy Guckel (s/v CERCA TROVA,

Herb and Ruth Weiss (m/v ANCIENT MARINERS) and

Irv Halper, (s/v HANGOUT ), for the pictures. Seven

Seas Cruising Association was represented by Presi-

dent Scott Berg (s/v CHARDONNAY), Treasurer Steve

Kauffmann (s/v CELEBRATION) and Corresponding

Secretary Betty Romberg (s/v BRIGHT AYES). Mark

your calendars: sea God’s willing the 25th annual

Down East Gam will be held Friday and Saturday, July

31 and August 1, 2015.

Respectfully submitted,

Commodore Dick and Kathy de Grasse, Islesboro,

Maine USA

***** ***** *****

SNIFFING OUT RADIO NOISE SOURCES ON A

CRUISING BOAT THEN….SNUFFING IT OUT!

Editor: This article will be in the winter Scuttlebutt. If

you need a PDF copy earlier, please contact Bill Tray-

fors. His e-mail is btrayfors@wdsg.com.

***** ***** *****

Page 8

Scuttlebutt Fall 2014

Boat U.S. membership with our

group discount

is only $15.00 per year.

Sign up using our

GROUP ID:

Nautical Winter Fun — Stephen (KJ4ZOY) & Beth Deitch

It wasn’t our fault. I need my teeth ‘periodontalized.’

And then I figured the eye doctor and dermatologist

needed their shot at me/us. Our family resources

are mostly mid Atlantic, so we thought it made sense

to stay at CYC in Washington, DC for winter 2013 –

2014. I must say the quality of medical care in this

town is exceptional. And the Capital Yacht Club is a

great place with great people.

The weather was sort of exceptional also. We haven’t

experienced a real winter for more than a few days in

20 years. What a shock! We needed to buy coats.

Our reverse cycle air conditioners/heat pumps

stopped working when the Washington Channel/

Potomac cooled below 42° F. Our cats repaired to

their carrier (equipped with heating pad) rarely to be

seen (except for meals). One Strataglass panel on

our cockpit enclosure cracked when it went below

20° F. Compressor oil solidified in our keel cooler so

that our refrigerator needed a rehab to continue

working. And our potty tank vents periodically iced

up. Before the channel completely froze over, the ice

crunching into the hull made alarming noises. We

were able to secure a used “ice eater” which circu-

lates warmer deeper water up into the hull to make

ourselves a zone of clear water. But when the chan-

nel froze nearly completely, every duck in the area

Ice in the Washington Channel. Some of it is 2”

thick.

It seriously crunched against the hull.

The good news? Capital Yacht Club has a great dock

crew that made provisions for ‘winter water’ and

pump out. And many here (read that Scott and Phil)

had the best advice for survival. And when we

bought more food than we could keep in the refriger-

ator, getting ready for the next and the next snow, it

was no problem. We kept it in the cockpit. Actually

we put some things in an insulated cooler in so they

wouldn’t freeze!

We lived in Kemah, TX (suburban Houston) for 15

years until retiring in 2009. One time, just once, on a

Christmas Eve, Nightingale had 2” of snow on deck.

It lasted about 18 hours. In mid February 2014 WE

HAD A FOOT OF SNOW on the foredeck.

Looking out the dodger window during a brief respite

in the weather. Note the winter savvy folks had their

boats shrink wrapped to keep the heat in and snow

out. With good venting and determination to with-

stand any seasonal affective disorder this looks a

great idea.

(Continued on page 10)

Scuttlebutt Fall 2014 Page 9

Sunshine

Where the WRCC

Meets to Eat

Bahamas, Nassau - Lunch

December-May, every

Thursday, 12:30

Green Parrot Restaurant C6AGG—Carolyn

Bahamas, George Town, - Lunch Weekly Jan-Mar

Details on the Net

FL, Marathon - Lunch Wednesdays @ 11:30

November to May

Lazy Days Restaurant ND7K-Chuck Grey

FL, Melbourne – Lunch

Dragons Lunch 2nd Wednesday 11:30, Pineda Inn, US Rt 1 North of Mel-bourne. Contact W4KS or KN4RB

FL, Pensacola Beach - Lunch

2nd Tues every month — Hemmingway’s on the Beach Contact Chuck Cook—KE4KEA (850) 380-4217

FL, St. Petersburg - Lunch 2nd Sat 1230 MIDTOWN Sundries, 200 1st Av S

Ken Cowan—KC4OSZ

(727) 821-5383

NC, Oriental - Breakfast - Last Sat 0900 @ Village Restaurant -(Repeater 147.210+ tone 151.4)

Listen to the Net for de-

tails: 7.268 MHz at approxi-

mately 0800 ET. Please con-

tact the Editor with any

changes to this list.

The following members or their families received a card or

flowers from the club:

July

None

August

Walter Tedford KD4JOW Silent Key

September

None

Be sure to send any Get Well or Silent Key requests or notices to Debbie at

sunshine @ waterwayradio.net

— Debbie Lerner KD4GRR

A second Public dock has been opened in Oriental, NC. It is located on the

eastern side of the harbor opposite the existing Town Dock. It is on the Ori-

ental Marina side of the harbor.

There are no services available, but is free with a 48 hour time limit. It can

be identified by the wood slats attached to the pilings above the dock sur-

face.

Second Public Dock — Tom Finta, K8TF

Page 10

Scuttlebutt Fall 2014

The SEA CHEST

*FOR SALE*

Place your for sale items here! Last months item sold

in 1 day!

*WANTED*

Siemens M65 or SM46(M65) Solar panel. Needed to

replace a bad panel in a 4 panel array. John Car-

bee, W4tpo@carbee.com 321-728-4019

Editor — Remember, this is free. There are no charg-

es to place your item in the Scuttlebutt newsletter.

The dock crew has a snow blower, and cleared a

path after the 12” snow. You can see the depth.

As winter abated a bit, we were left with only the ici-

cle reminders.

On Sept 3 in Vero Beach I had the privilege to repre-

sent the WRCC at a meeting held by the Florida Fish

and Wildlife Commission to discuss three topics. Re-

cent attempts in the FL legislature to return the right

of local communities to establish local rules and reg-

ulations was discussed by parties on both sides of

the issue. Another problem in FL is derelict boats and

how to deal with them and finally some concern

about heads. Representatives from the City of Miami

Beach, Ft Lauderdale, SSCA, and BoatUS among oth-

ers were allowed three minutes to discuss the is-

sues. There were about 75 in attendance with 30

speaking. The representatives from FL Fish and

Wildlife took notes and ran a well-organized meeting.

Another meeting was scheduled for the next evening

on the West Coast of FL.

Once the notes and comments from those two meet-

ings are summarized, a concept questionnaire will be

released for the public to fill in and return via the in-

ternet.

As for our input, I pointed out that liveaboards should

not be confused with transient cruisers. We agree

that there are sufficient laws to cover heads, and we

also do not like derelict boats in anchorages we use.

However, uniform, well published state wide rules

concerning anchoring are a benefit to our community

as we move around the state. Further, if shore based

communities are to restrict anchoring in certain are-

as that represents a danger to navigation and for

other valid reasons, other than “get that boat out of

my backyard”, then sufficient alternative anchoring

areas should be mandated at the same time as re-

strictions are imposed.

There are several website where you may obtain ad-

ditional information on the subject. A few of those

are:

http://myfwc.com/boating/anchoring-mooring,

http://www.waterwayguide.com/waterway-updates/

news/GEN/4103/Get-ready-for-new-anchoring-

regulations-in-Florida

http://www.waterwayguide.com/waterway-updates/

news/GEN/4185/ALERT-Florida-anchoring-

regulations-meetings-announced?

utm_source=iContact&utm_medium=email&utm_ca

mpaign=News-and-Navigation-

Blasts&utm_content=ALERT+8-16-2014-final

Anchoring in Florida — Ron Knaggs, N1GYX

(Continued from page 8)

Icicles hanging on hull Icicles from the bimini

(Continued on page 11)

Scuttlebutt Fall 2014 Page 11

Here's a pic of Born Free at the Commodore's dock in Tipers

Creek, flying the WRCC flag. That's Bob and Julie's boat, Quest,

across the dock. Pic was taken during a visit Tuesday, July 29,

2014. We were on an 8-day cruise of the Chesapeake in very fine

weather.

Bill Trayfors—WA6CCA

Here's a close-up of the flags on Born Free

as seen on the photo to the left. The three

flags from the top are:

1. Capital Yacht Club, Washington, DC (my

home port);

2. SSCA; and

3. WRCC.

Survival tools:

Nautical Winter Fun (Continued from page 10)

1 of 2 heaters, dehumidifier removes condensate

It’s now moderating a bit. The water temperature is

up to 37° F at the time of this writing (early March).

So, if the Potomac doesn’t flood with the snow melt

(to add to the indignity!) and the sun comes back it

will all be over. And the high yesterday was already

up to 36° F.

Next year? NEXT YEAR? While sailing plans always

remain subject to change, we fully intend to use lati-

tude to keep us warmer. Read that at least 12 to

15 degrees further south!

We expect to spend the month of April scrubbing,

lubricating and turning Nightingale back into a blue

water cruiser. We have quietly apologized to her for

how dirty she is. And I’d better apologize to the

reader for my whining and complaining. Come on,

Spring! Those cherry blossoms better be gorgeous!

Stephen (KJ4ZOY) and Beth Deitch, Nightingale

Trawler lamp puts out excellent warmth!

Waterway Radio and Cruising

Club

Scuttlebutt is published quarterly to inform membership about Waterway Net news, activities and items of interest. Club Officers and Staff: Commodore: Bob Norman KE4OIL Vice Commodore: Al Miles KG4VIB Rear Commodore: Ridge Gardner N3JUY Sec/Treas: Jeanie Schreiber N4WFM Send Roster Updates & Address Changes to: secretary@waterwayradio.net Fleet Capt: Ed Napoleon KC4JKW Safety Officer: Tom Rader K4WJC Scuttlebutt Editor: Art Howard KC0TPG Send articles and pictures to: Editor@waterwayradio.net Exam. Coordinator: Ron Knaggs N1GYX Fleet Surgeon: Jim Hirschman K4TCV Sunshine Fund: Debbie Lerner KD4GRR Requests: sunshine @ waterwayradio.net Weather Coord.: Rich Gardner N3JUY Historian: Ron Knags N1GYX Webmaster: Bill Boyle N4UMS Contributions Please send to: Jeanie Schreiber N4WFM Membership Application may be downloaded from the WRCC web-site: www.waterwayradio.net

Inside This Issue Commodore’s Message ............... 1 Waterway Annual Melbourne Picnic2 My Shaky CW Start ................... 2 Comments from the Sick Bay ....... 4 Secretary/Treasures Report ......... 5 Roster Updates......................... 6 Nominations for WRCC Officers .. 6 WRCC Volunteers at SSCA GAM . 6 Down East GAM Report ............. 7 Sniffing Out Radio Noise Sources .. 7 Around the Waterways ............... 7 Nautical Winter Fun .................. 8 Second Public Dock ................... 9 Sunshine ................................. 9 Luncheon Schedule .................... 9 Sea Chest ............................... 10 Anchoring in Florida ................. 10 Born Free Pictures ................... 11

Scuttlebutt Waterway Radio and Cruising Club

27 Cheyenne Ct.

Palm Coast, FL

32137-8966

S/v Samana is now located in the Chesapeake Bay wait-ing for a new jib. The old jib finally gave out after over 10 years of use. It blew out twice and I got out the trusty

Sailrite Ultrafeed® sewing machine and repaired the jib

sail both times. I do not need to fix the old sail a third

time!

For those of you following along on my daily check-in dur-ing position reports you know we have covered a lot of water the last sev-eral months. We really enjoyed our time in the Eastern Caribbean. Now it is nice to be back in the USA. After some boat work at the Indiantown Marina we left for New Smyrna Beach for a short stop and then did an off-shore (where the jib blew out the second time) to New Bern, North Carolina where we spent a month at the dock and explored the area. A special thanks to Ed & Wendy Napoleon (KC4JKW) and Dick & Judy Giddings (W3RDT) for welcoming us to New Bern and taking us around and showing us the area. We really enjoyed the hospitality. New Bern is an interesting place to stop and explore. The twice weekly Farmers Market allowed us to get fresh vegetables. Surface transportation is needed to get to a grocery

store. The historical downtown is well worth a visit.

Thank you all for the submissions to Scuttlebutt. I staged several articles

submitted in September for future issues.

Please share your news, stories, photos, items of interest, comments and suggestions. Send

them to: Editor@waterwayradio.net or

alhowar@attglobal.net.

73, Art — KC0TPG

Vol. 27 No. 4, Fall 2014