The city-owned Punta Gorda Bayfront Center, located on Charlotte Harbor adjacent to Gilchrist Park, is currently leased to the YMCA, but a competing lease proposal by the Charlotte Harbor Community Sailing Center would provide better utilization of this waterfront location, encouraging and promoting public enjoyment of our harbor for area residents.The YMCA has made very limited use of the water access that the facility provides, instead using it as a day-care center for kids and to generate income by renting out the facility to various community and church groups. The rental income is beneficial to the YMCA's other activities in the community, but little of it seems to return to the Bayfront Center. None of the YMCA's current activities require a waterfront location. They simply are not making good use of this public facility to promote recreational and educational use of Charlotte Harbor because that is not their primary mission.

The Charlotte Harbor Community Sailing Center is a tenant at the facility, sub-leasing some interior space from the YMCA and using the yard and boat ramp to conduct sailing classes for children and adults and to provide residents who do not live on the water with a place to store and use small boats. With the YMCA's lease up for renewal, the Sailing Center has offered the City of Punta Gorda a competing lease proposal. The Sailing Center's proposal is to continue current uses of the building and land, including those by the YMCA and other groups, but also to expand boating opportunities for sailors and other boaters by directing rental income back into its boating safety and sailing instruction programs and into improvement of the Bayfront Center facility. Please watch the video below, in which Sailing Center President Dennis Peck explains why he believes that awarding the lease to the Sailing Center would benefit our community.

As Dennis Peck explained, the Sailing Center was founded to promote sailing, but he believes that the Bayfront Center should be used by a range of small boats, including kayakers, stand-up paddle boarders, and powerboats that are small enough to launch manually at the small boat ramp. The Bayfront Center is an ideal place for all kinds of small boats to access the Harbor and it would be nice to see more use of the facility for boating-related purposes. The Sailing Center's proposal is to focus on public access to Charlotte Harbor.

The YMCA does a lot of good things in our community and others around the nation, but their primary mission is not to promote boating on Charlotte Harbor. Awarding the Bayfront Center lease to a non-profit organization that is primarily focused on recreational and educational use of Charlotte Harbor would benefit the public more simply because no one cares about local boating like local boaters. Awarding the lease to the Sailing Center would not significantly impact the YMCA, which could continue its limited use of the facility. As Dennis Peck pointed out, the main difference would come from directing money generated at the Bayfront Center exclusively back into the Bayfront Center facility and into development of more boating opportunities by the public.

For more on this topic, please read this article from the local Sun newspaper:

Groups Offer Two Visions for Bayfront Center

See also my account of helping out with one of the many Kids' Sailing Camps run by the Sailing Center to teach kids sailing and safe boating.

I completely agree with this letter sent to City Commissioner Dennis Murphy by local boater Roger Strube, who gave me permission to publish his thoughts here:
Dennis Murphy,

Re: Recommendation from the Bayfront Use Evaluation Committee

I was extremely disappointed with your recommendation that the City award the lease for the Bayfront Center to the YMCA rather than the Charlotte Harbor Community Sailing Center. Awarding the management of one of the few public, on shore assets, to an organization whose primary focus is not facilitating access to Charlotte Harbor by our citizens is not in the best interest of the public.

The YMCA has a long history as an important resource for the public it serves. However, the YMCA's primary mission is not to serve the boating public. I served on the Board of our local YMCA when my son and daughter were on their swim team. Kathy and I used the exercise facility and played racket ball on their courts. We participated in other YMCA sponsored events. Neither the land-locked facility back home nor the Bayfront facility, currently managed by the YMCA in Punta Gorda, have ever had a focus of providing small boat access to open water by the public.

The YMCA is not organized or administered to serve the boating public or facilitate public access to the water. Management of this public shore line facility by an organization without this primary focus will continue to impede public access and delay development of sailing and boating safety instruction for our youth, our adults and the disabled.

The Charlotte Harbor Community Sailing Center's primary mission is to facilitate public access, boating safety, sailing instruction and sailing event participation. The CHCSC is uniquely organized and at a rare location to fulfill this mission. The Bayfront facility offers a small, narrow ramp where folks may manually launch their small sailboats. More importantly, the Community Sailing Center owns a number of boats that are available for use by qualified folks who pay a minimum yearly membership dues. The leadership and "staff" are all highly qualified volunteers. Our citizens do not need to own a boat, have property on the water or join an expensive yacht club to have access to the water. Access to the Harbor, water safety training, sailing instruction, small boat racing events and even the boats needed for these activities, are available for minimal membership dues through the Charlotte Harbor Community Sailing Center.

I do not understand your committee's recommendation to continue YMCA management of this public facility. The assertion printed in the Sun-Herald that the YMCA was "...contemplating a sailing activity" is simply not believable and should be dismissed as a political distraction. The Community Sailing Center has a well developed "sailing activity" with experienced management, certified instructors and hard assets (boats). The CHCSC management team, serving as the board for the Bayfront facility could easily manage the present "more broad-ranging community based utilization." The bridge games and group meetings would continue; only the primary focus from a rental meeting facility to a waterfront activities center would change.

I am hopeful the City Council will make the proper decision regarding access to the Harbor and use of our public resources.

Roger H Strube, MD (retired)

There will be a public hearing on this matter on January 2, 2013 at 9:00 am and I hope to see many local boaters there!

The post Better Use of Punta Gorda Bayfront Center is Possible first appeared on Tropical Boating.

Safety first is the golden rule of boating. Children should always wear a PFD while out on boats, and adults and pets should wear them whenever conditions warrant it. Anyone who can't swim, including adults, should always have on a PFD while aboard a small boat.

U.S. Coast Guard rules require that all recreational boats carry at least one wearable PFD for each person on board, including appropriate child-size PFDs and infant-size PFDs for youngsters on board, and that all boats 16 feet or longer (other than canoes and kayaks) also carry at least one throwable PFD. Check your state's regulations for additional requirements.

And don't forget your beloved furry friends! If your dog likes to go boating or swimming with you, be sure to put a doggie life jacket on him anytime it might be needed — in open water, in rough weather, in waters with a strong current or undertow. Dogs, particularly large dogs, can be very difficult to hoist back aboard your boat, and most doggie life jackets include a convenient handle on the top of the back area to allow you to lift your dog aboard. A winch, boom, or halyard can also be used to lift your dog aboard if he's just too heavy.

PFD Types

When it comes to PFD ratings, the lower the number, the higher the safety. Type I PFDs offer the best flotation and chance of survival for an unconscious person or one at sea far from rescue.

• Type I PFDs:
  Also called offshore life jackets, these are the most buoyant, and are designed to turn an unconscious person face up in the water. Type I PFDs are suitable for offshore use, in rough waters, and in isolated waters where rescue may be a long time coming. They are more expensive, bulkier and less comfortable to wear than other types of PFDs, but provide the greatest degree of protection.
• Type II PFDs:
  Also known as near-shore buoyancy vests, these PFDs are best for calm waters where rescue is expected quickly. They will turn some, but not all, wearers face-up in the water. They are more comfortable and less bulky than a Type I, and also less expensive.
• Type III PFDs:
  Designed to keep the person vertical in the water, these life jackets are best suited for situations where rescue is certain to come very quickly. These PFDs are popular for recreational uses such as water-skiing and wakeboarding, because they are more comfortable than Type I or Type II PFDs.
• Type IV PFDs:
  Type IVs are the popular "cushion-style" throwable PFDs, liferings, and horseshoe-shaped buoys. All boats 16 feet and longer (except kayaks and canoes) are required to carry at least one throwable PFD. These are not meant to be worn, but are designed to be thrown to a "man overboard" to give the person something to hold onto to keep him afloat while the boat turns around to rescue him.
• Type V PFDs:
  Also called "special use" devices, the Type Vs include inflatable pouches and suspenders, hybrid devices, full-body hypothermia suits, and other devices. Some Type Vs are considered PFDs only when they're actually being worn, so if you choose to carry Type V PFDs on your boat, either they must be worn at all times, or you must also carry an approved Type I, II or III PFD for each person aboard.

  Inflatable PFD pouches and inflatable suspender-style PFDs (such as the popular "SOSpenders") are more comfortable to wear while aboard a boat, and many boaters who wouldn't otherwise wear a PFD may wear an inflatable PFD. Some inflatable PFDs include buoyant material in addition to the air flotation. These are known as "hybrid" PFDs, and they may be worn by children as well as adults. Inflatable PFDs that use only air flotation are only available in adult sizes and may not be used by children.

Note that there are specialized vests and jackets for various activities, such as fishing PFDs and kayaking PFDs. For your required PFDs, always look for the CGA label and the type. There's nothing wrong with wearing a non-CGA vest if you wouldn't otherwise wear a vest at all, but you should know that it's not Coast Guard Approved for buoyancy or other functionality, and you must still comply with regulations requiring CGA life vests aboard your boat.

For more information on the important of PFDs, types of PFDs, and choosing the right PFD, the Coast Guard offers a wealth of information, including a downloadable pdf on choosing the right life jacket.

Shop for PFDs

The post PFDs: Personal Flotation Devices first appeared on Tropical Boating.

Boating Can Be Miserable When You Get Caught in a Thunderstorm

One fine summer morning when I was a teen, I took off in our 15 Whaler with my girlfriend and my oldest friend. Biscayne Bay was nearly flat and we ran down to Eliot Key to ski and swim. After lunch, my friend made himself scarce for a while, taking a walk out on one of the flats. Or somewhere. He could have burst into flames, and we probably wouldn't have noticed. I had seen a little thunderstorm developing over the land, but who cared about that? Not a teenage boy alone on a boat with his girlfriend, I can tell you that.

That is, until the first puff of cool wind hit, coming out of the west, and I saw my friend walking briskly across the flat towards the boat. I did not notice as the storm grew from a little lump over Homestead to a huge line extending several miles north, all of it coming our way. It was maybe halfway across Biscayne Bay, and it was still growing. We tied everything down for a high speed run home, hoping to run around the north edge of the storm before it could get us. That might have been possible in a boat that went 90 mph, but for us, it soon became apparent that it wasn't happening.

A Growing West Wind and Black Clouds

The west wind had blown up quite a chop as we rounded Sands Key, and it looked bad to our left. Black clouds with lots of lightning. I briefly considered holing up at Boca Chita Key until the line passed, but decided the storm looked better to the north, and I'd rather encounter that part of the storm out on the flats. What a stupid decision.

I knew how to pick my way along the edge of the shallow waters extending from our location up to Key Biscayne by looking at the color of the water. In the prevailing east and southeast winds, hugging the flats means riding in calm water. With the wind out of the west, I had to stay up in very shallow water to avoid the chop.

Intense Lightning and Blinding Cold Rain

As we approached the flats off Soldier Key, the leading edge of the storm hit. The rain wasn't as heavy as some storms I've encountered, but the lightning was intense. I was blinded by the cold rain whipping into my face at high speed, and lightning was coming down all around the boat. A few bolts hit very close, and it was incredible to see. It looked white with a pinkish hue, and we could feel the simultaneous BOOM through our whole bodies. One hit less than 100 feet to starboard, and I thought for a moment that if I had to get blown up, at least I got in a good last day out boating with my friend and my girlfriend.

Looking for Deeper Water

I was trying to find the deeper water, but the usual colors were blurred by the chop, the gusty winds, and the rain. I left a few prop scars in the flats as I got too close, but never slowed down. The others were covered with towels and ducking to avoid the rain, but still they were freezing. I was cold and miserable as well, and determined to get us out of that storm as soon as I could. I was also thinking what an idiot I had been, ignoring the storm and letting it catch us. If I had just looked up and seen what was going on 15 minutes before that cool breeze hit, we could have easily outrun the developing storm. But I didn't, and I didn't seek shelter in the last available place, and there I was, getting pelted by rain, alternately scraping the flats or getting tossed by chop in deeper water, and almost getting struck by lightning in a small boat.

When you're out boating, even with your girlfriend, always keep an eye on developing thunderstorms.

We picked our way along for another miserable mile or two in the heavy rain, with lightning coming down further and further away to the east. Soon the sky to my left was lighter, and less rain was coming down. We were under the trailing edge of the storm in no time. The wind died down, and ten minutes later we were crossing the bay on a nice, sunny day in a light chop.

The post Boating and Thunderstorms Don’t Mix first appeared on Tropical Boating.

Selecting Your Marine Toolbox

First, if you want a waterproof marine tool box, get one that is also airtight. I've used a "waterproof" marine tool kit on small boats, and most are merely water resistant. Eventually, the water and salt get in, and your tools get ruined if you don't notice it quickly. I went through lots of tools. I tried using a fishing tackle box and just being careful about protecting it from spray, but the results were similar. I could not find a tool box which could survive on a small boat and keep the tools separate from the water and salt.

I gave up and bought a Pelican box. It's more expensive, but worth the money. Pelican marine boxes are sturdy and airtight, not just waterproof. I have had mine for ten years now, and the only time water got in was on one occasion when I inadvertently closed a plastic tie-wrap in the lid, preventing the gasket from sealing. Fortunately, I discovered it before much damage was done. Before I bought the Pelican box, my tradition was to find out that my tools were rusty and unusable when I actually needed them. It's nice to open it up knowing all will be well inside.

What's Inside my Marine Toolbox?

At right is a photo of the contents of my own marine toolkit contents. On top are the upper and lower foam pads. One fits inside the lid of the tool box, and contains first aid supplies, fishing licenses, and boat registration. Although the box is watertight, the papers, band-aids and gauze are kept in a Ziploc bag slipped behind the foam lid insert. On small boats (this is primarily used on our 15' Boston Whaler), I gave up trying to keep a separate first aid kit. None were sufficiently water resistant, so I just carry a few first aid supplies in my tool kit.

The foam insert for the bottom of the box (top center in the photo) has some plastic tie-wraps, a piece of light braided rope, and two short lengths of electrical wire with terminal ends on them. To the right is the Pelican case itself. The knob on the front is a pressure relief valve. If you load your case in a warm room and take it out into the cold, you might not be able to pull it open without releasing the vacuum — that's how truly airtight it is!

Here are the contents of my boat tool box (from left to right in the photo):

• A wrench
• Some Neosporin antibiotic ointment
• A bit of galvanized bailing wire
• A little bottle of Hydrogen Peroxide
• The thing that looks like a bottle opener is actually a kind of wrench. It has little teeth along the edge of the top-shaped cutout, and fits small nuts and bolts. The other end is tapered, and makes a decent screwdriver.
• A razor blade
• Needlenose pliers with wire cutter
• Fishing pliers with wire cutter. Fishing pliers are double-jointed, and close with the jaws parallel to each other, making them nice for small nuts and bolts.
• A really loud, shrill whistle. OK, so it's really dirty as well, but it's a one-piece whistle of sturdy plastic, and can't fail. It is the only piece of equipment in the box that is required by the Coast Guard on my boat.
• A pair of pliers
• A Phillips head screwdriver
• An adjustable wrench
• A length of electrical wire (about 5' long) with insulated alligator clips on each end. This is very useful if you need to find out whether some wire or connection is actually working, or when you find out one is not working when needed. Clip, clip, and go.
• A short Phillips head screw driver and a short flat screwdriver. It is very frustrating to be unable to fix something because your screwdriver is too long. A friend once had to cut his screwdriver and then turn it by grabbing the shaft with Vise Grips.
• A spark plug wrench with flat screwdriver on shaft
• Electrician's pliers with wire cutter
• A small rag. I ruined lots of t-shirts before I learned to carry along a rag.

The only items missing from the picture are a smallish pair of Vise Grips and a roll of electrical tape.

The Importance of Having the Tools When You Need Them

Having a watertight marine tool kit can get you out of lots of trouble. A few simple tools and supplies can mean the difference between getting home on your own and being towed home, or worse. Lots of problems on a boat are electrical, so don't forget that in addition to tools, you may be a piece of wire short of going home. Bring raw materials. That little oily rag is not there because I'm neat. It is there because engines are hot and electrical problems can be sparky. You don't always want to grab things with your bare hands. If something has broken, some bailing wire might get you home. A friend once wired together a broken shift lever on my outboard engine, and did such a good job that I left it that way for a few years, until the engine was next at a professional marine mechanic's shop.

A few first aid supplies can allow you to clean, disinfect, and protect a small wound. If you do not have basic disinfectants and bandages, a small cut can turn into a raging infection. I keep the razor to open up deep wounds for cleaning, and to remove fish hooks, spines, and splinters. The light line has many uses, one of which could be a tourniquet if someone is bleeding badly.

On most outings in small boats, I never open the box. But I've learned to always keep it aboard the boat, even for the shortest trips. It is better to have it and not need it than to need it and not have it. Worst of all is to need it, have it, open it, and find only rusty junk inside. Been there, done that, got the rust-stained rag.

• Shop for Pelican Waterproof Cases

The post What Should Be In Your Small Boat Marine Toolkit first appeared on Tropical Boating.

Not Even for a Split Second

We were spearfishing off the Berry Islands.

A group of us had gone out spearfishing off the Berry Islands in my friend's inflatable dinghy. I had left my swim fins in our boat. No problem, I would stay in the boat and pick up fish as the others speared them. Someone had to do it.

Someone speared a grouper and lost it in a hole, and soon the whole gang was trying to get it out. Circling around the divers, I just had to see what was going on, so I put on a mask and jumped in the water. I was holding on to the boat and watching the action below, and as the boat shifted around me, I went to change hands. At that moment, a little swell grabbed the boat and lifted it away from me. Winds were about 10 to 15, with the occasional whitecap, and that little boat just took off, with me in hot pursuit.

I was on swimming and water polo teams for years, and this incident was 15 years ago — I was young and fit. I knew how fast I could swim on a sustained basis, and started swimming at that speed. I was not gaining on the boat. I turned it on and began sprinting. I was closing, but slowly. With my last energy, I thrashed out the final strokes at top speed and grabbed the lower unit of the engine and pulled. It was not locked down, and started to tilt up! I was losing my grip as I got my other hand on just above the cavitation plate.

Just before that happened, my friends had extracted the grouper from the hole. Now they were swimming around in the bloody waters just over the scene of the biggest shark attraction for miles, one of them holding the fish above his head. They were yelling for me to come and get them. I was breathing hard and scared to death, and still had not gathered the strength to climb in the boat. They had not seen the desperate sprint, and thought I was just letting the boat drag me along as I was sightseeing.

I finally got in the boat and went back to pick them up. They were pissed until I told them why I was so late getting back, then faces fell as they realized how close we came to losing the dinghy and possibly my life. We weren't that far from shore, and if I hadn't caught the boat, they would have been able to swim in easily. I was sprinting away from shore, so who knows what might have happened to me.

I just let go of the boat for a second, to change hands. I didn't put out the floating stern line because I wasn't going to let go of the boat. Never let go of the boat, even for an instant. Put out a line, and tie it to yourself. Most boats can be blown by the wind faster than you can swim, especially if you forgot your swim fins.

The post Never Let Go – The First Rule of Boating Safety first appeared on Tropical Boating.