July 2019

Inside this issue:

Social Report

Commanders Report

Sponsors & Supporters

Looking Ahead

Flotation

Boating Quiz

Boating Experiences

Squadron Officers

Buy & Sell

Member Introduction

Ripple Rock Squadron

Ripples from the Rock

Social Report

2019 AGM / 60th Anniversary Celebration

Thank you to everyone that came out to our AGM and our 60th Anniversary Celebration! It is wonderful to see so many people come out to participate in celebrating our Squadron. Many Thanks!

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Social Report - Debbie Williams

Hello Fellow Boaters and Ripple Rock Squadron Members! It’s been a very pleasant Spring and beginning of Summer! The Mother’s Day Weekend at Gorge Harbour get together was a fun time including Campbell River Yacht Club. The more the merrier as they say! We even took the Ferry over to Gorge for the Sea Fest to say Hello to the Courtenay Yacht Club the next weekend. It was a busy time and a full Marina!

There are so many local Marina’s to enjoy in our area. Some of our favorites are Lund Harbor, Gorge, Refuge, Squirrel Cove, and the Malaspina Inlet. Of course there are many easy to get to spots for boating recreation. Sharing these trips with other boating enthusiasts is what makes it that much more enjoyable.

Our Ripple Rock Web Site has a Calendar with any events upcoming in the future. We are considering placing upcoming motor and/or sail get togethers on the calendar for those who would like to participate. Send an email in to the Web Director, and it will be placed on the Calendar. Those who would like to participate either call a designated contact person, or rally together at a starting point. If needed, just arrive at the destination. Be sure to check ahead of time for any reservations you may need or where to anchor!

Happy and Safe Boating to All of You this summer.

Commander’s Report - July 2019 - Brian Cruise

Here we are in mid-July already! I hope everyone has been able to take advantage of the great boating weather we’ve had until now to visit their favorite cruising grounds. I’ve been spending a lot of my time commuting between Campbell River and Squirrel Cove where Barb and I are building our off-grid and water access cab3in. On days off from driving nails, we’ve been able to visit some of our favorite places and to take scenic detours home from Desolation Sound.

In May and June we held our season opening cruise to Gorge Harbour, our AGM at Driftwood Restaurant and our 60th

Anniversary Celebration. All were great social events with lots of talk of summer boating plans [and dreams!]. Big thanks to all those who organized these events for us.

The Bridge met in early June and has decided to schedule one Boating 2/3 course for next ‘year’. It will start in October, take a break over Christmas, and resume in January. We hope this schedule will encourage those who are too busy in early September to think about signing up for training to attend. More details, including dates, will follow soon.

October 16th-20th, 2019 the CPS Annual Conference will be held in Victoria. I encourage everyone to put this

on your calendars and plan to attend with Ripple Rock friends. I’m sure we will see more information from the National Office in our email inboxes on the Conference soon. Take note that early bird pricing for attend3ing the meal and social events ends on September 2nd.

Finally, let’s all remember that the primary reason for the existence of CPS and Ripple Rock Squadron is the encouragement of safe boating practices, for ourselves and others who are working and playing on the water.

Be safe out there!

Brian Cruise

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Sponsors & Supporters

Discounts may be available.

The rate is set by the business where applicable.

Please enquire before any purchase & show your Membership Card.

A-1 Radiators Ltd

Advanced Marine Power Ltd.

Advantage Travel The Travel Place

Altech Diesel Ltd

Beaver Aquatics

Bill Howich RV & Marine

Boatland

Cloverdale Paints

Daigle Welding & Marine Ltd.

Discovery Marine Centre

Discovery Harbour Fuel Sales

Encompass Marine Ltd.

Island Inkjet

Ideal Tackle

Waypoint Insurance

J.B. Radiators

Lordco Parts Ltd.

Lube-X Fast Oil Change Centre

Madman McKay’s

Napa Auto Parts

North Island Propeller Ltd.

Ocean Pacific Marine Supply Ltd

Periscope Promotions

Plastics Plus Fabricating

Redden Net Ltd.

R.H. Printing Ltd.

River Sportsman Ltd.

Salmon Point Resort

Sinnott & Co. Law Corp.

St. John Ambulance

TEC Marine Surveying

Topstitch Upholstery

Tyee Chevrolet Oldsmobile Ltd

Tyee Marine & Fishing Supplies

White’s Diesel Power & Marine

Ripple Rock Squadron

Box 481

Campbell River, BC V9W 5C1

Phone: 1-250-923-6587

www.ripplerocksquadron.com

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Looking Ahead for Fall 2019

DATE: EVENT: CONTACT:

Sept 5 Bridge Meeting Any Bridge Member

Oct 2 & 9 Radio Operators Course Any Bridge Member

Oct 3 Bridge Meeting Any Bridge Member

Oct 16 - Dec 18 Boating Level 2 & 3 - Wednesday Nights Any Bridge Member

Dec 15 Christmas Brunch Any Bridge Member

Ripples—Buy and Sell

ITEM DESCRIPTION: PRICE: CONTACT:

Lowrance Multi-Function Gauge, LMF-2000 – new, still in

the box

$100 Brian Cruise, 250-830-4372

Flotation - by Capt. Geoff

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In the last article “Overboard”, I touched on PFDs. The whole flotation subject can be a bit boring, until you

or your loved one accidently falls overboard or something similar. In my time in Coast Guard, I saw some

tragic outcomes that could have been different if people had been wearing some type of flotation device. So

I’m a believer.

There are a number of flotation options out there. The most common for pleasure craft

is the PFD, or Personal Flotation Device. Transport Canada used to require that they be

brightly coloured, but a number of years ago relaxed that with the hope that more peo3

ple would wear them at all times. There are a number of different types of PFDs, from

the common vest type, to jackets and suits with built in flotation, to inflatables.

There must be a PFD (of the correct size and with Canadian approval) for each person aboard a pleasure craft.

Remember that for an inflatable PFD to be counted in an open boat, it must be worn at all times and they can3

not be used for a personal watercraft or for white-water. Inflatable PFDs users must be at least 16. At the oth3

er end of the spectrum, PDF jackets and suits provide some thermal protection in the water.

The next step up is the lifejacket. These are required for commercial vessels. There are three

classes; Small Vessel, Standard and SOLAS. They all provide more flotation than a PDF

and each have different marking and other requirements, but the common factor to all of

them is the concentration of flotation on your chest and the collar. This configuration will

roll you onto your back and keep your face out of the water, even if you are hypothermic or

unconscious.

The main problem with lifejackets is that they are not comfortable to wear, as they restrict your mobility, the

collars flap in the wind and tend to chafe your neck over time. This is why a PFD is generally the preferred

option for Pleasure Craft, despite not being required to support your head.

The inflatable PFD, when inflated, will also roll you onto your back and sup3

port your head clear of the water. They are also generally more comfortable

than a vest type PFD in hot weather, and some double as a safety harness.

There are several inflation options, from blowing it up orally, to pull cord

CO2 systems, to automatic systems that will inflate on entering the water.

There are two basic types of automatic systems, one that will activate when

the PFD gets very wet and the hydrostatic release type that only triggers

when submerged. The downside to inflatables is the higher cost to purchase

and maintain, and there is always the chance that the air bladder may have

been damaged through long hard use, so it won’t stay inflated.

Inflatable PFDs require special maintenance, which will be found in your manual. You should also check

over your other PFDs regularly to make sure the material, straps, buckles, etc., have not deteriorated. The

foam flotation can break down over time, particularly if used as a seat or a fender, so you should test the buoy3

ance occasionally by wading into the water and bending your knees to see how well you float.

As mentioned in “Overboard”, accidents can happen in seconds on an otherwise normal day. Along with sup3porting you in the water, PDFs help against cold-water shock. Even aboard a 70’ cutter, we made it a policy to wear PFDs whenever we were on the open deck.

For more information on PFDs, check the Boating Safety Guide. A link to it is available from our Website at https://www.ripplerocksquadron.com.

Campbell River is a beautiful area to go boating, but it comes with some challenges, mainly strong currents in

the narrow passages. If you want to know more, consider taking our Boating 2&3 course, where we provide

some local knowledge along with how to read a chart and compass and lots of other things to keep you safer

on the water.

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Flotation - Continued

Boating Quiz

For this issue we will take a look at several chart symbols. Here are three common ones. Do you know what

they represent?

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Boating Quiz Answer

They are all symbols for individual rocks.

The one that looks like an asterisk denotes a

rock that dries (shows above the water) at chart

datum (locally referred to as zero tide, as your

tide table would show a height of zero). The

height to which it dries will be an underlined

number in brackets, somewhere near it.

The plus sign, with four dots, means that the

highest point of the rock is awash (just at the

surface) at a zero tide.

The simple plus sign means that the rock is just

below the surface at a zero tide. Exact depth is

unknown, but it is dangerous to surface naviga3

tion.

Assume calm conditions, a metric chart and a 2 metre tide. If our

drying rock has a height of 2 metres, it will be just awash. With the

same 2 metre tide, the rock awash will actually be 2 metres below

the surface, and the dangerous rock will be a little more than 2 me3

tres below the surface.

Note that these are Canadian Symbols. If you are using US paper or

electronic charts, or electronic charts from another supplier, the

symbols may be different. Chart 1 (available in PDF from a link on

our website) lists all symbols used on Canadian Charts.

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Ripple Rock Squadron Bridge Officers

NAME POSITION PHONE

Brian Cruise Commander 250-923-6761

Kevin Kavanagh Past Commander 250-337-8462

Ian Marshall Executive Officer

Tony Robson Training & Supply Officer 250-923-6175

Paulette MacLean Treasurer 250-923-6175

Jacqueline Rice Secretary 250 923-0229

Ken Johnstone Membership / Privacy Officer 250-923-7492

Kevin Kavanagh ATO ROC(M) DSC 250-337-8462

Lee Andrew Chief Proctor 250-850-0979

OPEN Social Director

Anne Bosshart Historian 250-923-6304

Brenda Coates Ripples Editor 250-202-8406

Geoff Sanders Web Director 250-287-2133

OPEN Publicity Officer

Lionel Botting ATO ROC(M) DSC 250-830-1726

OPEN Environment

OPEN MAREP

We welcome members to attend all Bridge meetings.

Call ahead (250-923-7376) if you have a topic to add to the agenda.

Bridge Member Introduction - Ken Johnstone

Wanted to take this opportunity to introduce to you one of our newest Bridge

members, Ken Johnstone.

Ken has been a member of the Ripple Rock Squadron for 11 years. He and

Lynn moved to Campbell River from the West Kootenays to be closer to their

children, to be by the ocean, and to prepare for retirement. They have a sailboat

and enjoy sailing in the local waters.

He looks forward to helping promote membership in the Ripple Rock Squadron

and supporting the good work that we do. Welcome Ken!