Free NOAA charts

http://www.nauticalcharts.noaa.gov/staff/BookletChart.html

NOAA has a product, booklet charts, that are free and downloadable. NOAA's new official BookletCharts cover the 95,000 miles of U.S. coastline and the Great Lakes. The BookletCharts contain most of the information found on NOAA's full-scale nautical charts, but it is presented as reduced-scale.

Coast Survey has now moved the BookletCharts from experimental stage into official production. Nearly a thousand newly updated BookletCharts are available free on the Web.

While BookletCharts are great for recreational use, they do not fulfill chart carriage requirements for regulated commercial vessels under Titles 33 and 46 of the Code of Federal Regulations.

Please pass these on to anyone who might benefit from the information.

title nauticalcharts.noaa.gov

description...

Boat Beacon for iPhone and Android

Marine AIS Navigation on your iPhone or Android Smartphone.
Boat Beacon was designed and developed by Pocket Mariner’s sea-faring CEO after a near miss at sea – the app provides an affordable and reliable AIS-based collision detection system for iPhone and iPad or Android smartphones and tablets. For the full background to Boat Beacon, read The Skipper’s Story – How Boat Beacon Came to Be
Boat Beacon is available now in the App Store for iPhone and iPad and in the Google Play Store for Android phones and tablets.

More Info

death, again
We sailed Anarchy in this race, but knew nothing of the tragedy that unfolded in the middle of a windless, fairly clear night. We are horrified to think of what actually happened...

Newport Ocean Sailing Association (NOSA) officials learned late Saturday that three sailors in their Newport to Ensenada offshore race had died in an apparent collision with a large vessel several miles off the coast near the border.
The 37-foot Aegean was reduced to debris that looked "like it had gone through a blender," a searcher said Sunday after the boat apparently collided with a larger vessel, killing three sailors and leaving a fourth missing. The U.S. Coast Guard, the Mexican navy and civilian vessels scoured the waters off the shore of both countries for the missing sailor before suspending their search Sunday evening. It was California's second deadly accident this month involving an ocean race.
MORE....  

“Don’t Mess with GPS!"

February 24, 2012

   

Dear BoatU.S. Member:

  

Last summer boaters sent a clear message to the Federal Communications Commission – “Don’t Mess with GPS!" As you may remember, a private company, LightSquared, received preliminary FCC approval to offer a new cellular broadband service. Tests showed this service could significantly interfere with GPS signals.

  

Thanks to over 18,000 boaters who submitted comments, along with many other GPS users, the FCC required additional testing in the fall. (Thank you all for your help!) Last week, these tests revealed that the LightSquared’s network would interfere with GPS and that there are no practical fixes. As a result, the FCC has proposed to withdraw LightSquared's approval.(http://www.gps.gov/news/2012/02/lightsquared/) 

 

The FCC has a new comment period (open to March 1) asking for the public’s opinion. Even if you wrote last summer, please take a few minutes now and write the FCC asking them to protect the GPS signal by saying “No” to LightSquared’s current proposal. Given this company’s tenacity over the last year, we want to make sure that boaters’ needs are remembered as the FCC makes their final decision.

 

Important points to make:

• How do you use GPS in your life – on the water, on land, or in the air?
• What would happen to your business/personal life if GPS became unavailable or unreliable?
• Wireless broadband service is important, but it should not come at the expense of GPS.
• All the studies show that LightSquared’s proposed network would cause interference and that there are no remedies.
• Tell FCC that you rely on them to protect the integrity of the GPS signal and that you support their recommendation to stop LightSquared’s current proposal

You can submit comments directly to the FCC through their online comment form. (We regret we can’t streamline this process for you, but it is important enough we’re still asking for your help.) Here’s how:

1. Click on this link for the FCC’s Electronic Comments Filing System (ECFS):  http://apps.fcc.gov/ecfs/hotdocket/list
2. Select “Proceeding Number 11-109.”  It should be near the top of the list.
3. In the designated boxes, enter your name and mailing address.
4. In the box that says “Type in or paste your brief comments,” do so.  Click “Continue”.
5. A review page will load listing all of the information entered.  If correct, click “Confirm.”
6. If you have any trouble, you may contact the FCC ECFS Helpdesk at 202-418-0193 or email at ecfshelp@fcc.gov

Thank you for taking action to protect the integrity of the GPS system.

 

Margaret Podlich

President, BoatU.S.

GovtAffairs@BoatUS.com

703-461-2878 x8363

 

For an update on this and other government affairs topics please visit BoatUS.com/gov

Jackson Park Yacht Club is hosting a US Sailing Sanctioned Safety at Sea Seminar on April 15, 2012.

Jackson Park Yacht Club is hosting a US Sailing Sanctioned Safety at Sea Seminar on April 15, 2012.  Moderated by Ron Trassbach.   There still are seats available. 
Please go to www.jacksonparkyachtclub.org for information and forms for registration.  [Scroll down, click on the link to get a form to print and mail in with your check.]
Questions can be directed to jpycevents@gmail.com or you can contact Janet Hansen @ 773-233-5520 (this is also her work phone, so please leave a message!).

This certification is strongly recommended for the Chicago to Mackinac Race.

Department of Energy: E15 causes “severe damage” to marine engines

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WASHINGTON – The results from two studies conducted by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory on the effects of E15 on marine engines were released on Friday, showing that the gasoline and ethanol blend can cause issues including drivability, materials compatibility, increased emissions, and long-term durability in outboard, stern drive and inboard engines, according to the release.

New Chicago Fire Boat