I still have a few VSC stickers left if anyone is interested in having their boat inspected.

Certain Kidde fire extinguishers are being recalled.  The recalled fire extinguishers can become clogged or require excessive force to activate, posing a risk of not discharging.  In addition, the nozzle can detach with enough force to pose an impact hazard.  These fire extinguishers have either a Vertical Pull Pin or Push Button.  Fire Extinguishers with either a metal handle or curved plastic handles are not affected.  You can check it out online at https://www.kidde.com/home-safety/en/us/support/product-alerts/recall-kidde-fire-extinguisher/ . Kidde will replace them for free.

There has also been a question as to whether the Coast Guard approved electronic distress lights satisfy the requirements for recreational boats when used on coastal waters.  Here is what I found:

For boats under 16′ in length: Distress signals are only required when operating between sunset and sunrise. If operating at night, one electric distress light or three combination day/night red flares are required.

For boats 16′ in length or greater: One orange distress flag and one electric distress light – or – three hand-held or floating orange smoke signals and one electric distress light – or – three combination day/night red flares; hand-held, meteor or parachute type are required.

With that being said it is prudent to have additional flares of various types on board, even if they have expired.

You can contact me at johnprofant@cox.net, or (805) 455-9173.                                                 

Here’s some tips about using your autopilot (adapted from a United States Coast Guard article written by Tom Bower at

https://www.boatingsafetymag.com/boatingsafety/perils-autopilots):

Of course autopilots shouldn’t be used in crowded situations like entering or leaving a harbor.  They become very useful for open water passages in day and night.  Using the autopilot doesn’t relieve one of basic seamanship responsibilities but actually enhances the ability to pay more attention to other seamanship activities like keeping an even better lookout for whatever is out there on the water.  It takes your focus from steering a course to keeping a good lookout. On the other hand you could be tempted to do other things, like reading, talking, or going down below for something, that actually take your attention off of doing a good lookout.  If you must do something like this be sure that the sea is clear of obstacles or they are far enough away to avoid them in all directions before leaving the helm, or even better, ask one of the crew to stand watch.  On long passages it’s imperative to check your surroundings on a regular basis and the best way to do that is by setting a loud timer for an appropriate interval (such as 5, 10, 20 minutes or more depending on the situation) to remind you to check the radar, speed, course, and surroundings so you are assured your course will be clear and safe until the next time check. 

Autopilots have many useful features that make navigation easier but they can kill you if you don’t use them properly.  They rank right near the top in causing collisions at sea according to insurance investigators.  This should serve as a reminder that we need to use autopilots carefully and as they were intended, and it’s the skipper’s responsibility to ensure that the autopilot is used correctly.

If you have any questions or suggestions feel free to contact me at rdciolino@cox.net or 805-682-4543.  Sail safely!   

 

                                                                                                                                        

                          www.hooklineandshooter.com

 

Summertime means shark time, and threshers are a favorite target of private boaters. They range in large numbers along our coast and are often caught within a half-dozen miles of shoreline in water from 40 to 120 feet deep. The really big threshers (to over 300 pounds) however are typically caught 3 to 20 miles offshore where they feed along major current breaks and upwelling spots. 

T-sharks cover great distances when they get the urge to travel, yet picking a good place to fish for them isn’t difficult. They forage in areas with concentrations of baitballs such as anchovies and sardines. They have a particular taste for mackerel. Follow the baitfish and you’ll stand a good chance of finding threshers. Some of the most common areas are off of La Jolla, Santa Monica Bay and the Santa Barbara Channel.

Two favored methods for thresher fishing are trolling and drifting. Slow-trolling with diving plugs (think size 18 to 22 Rapala lures in mackerel patterns) and large weighted bait hoods with mackerel pinned inside is most common offshore for very large T-sharks. Trolling with smaller lures is also effective inshore for the small to medium size threshers.

Drifting with baits is the more common method inshore. How to rig for drifting is a topic for lively debate. Some folks want to use a winch and a telephone pole. Personally, I like to see people use a 6 to 7 foot medium-action rod and a conventional reel (like a 6 to 7-foot, 50-pound rated custom Vague Rod from Hook, Line & Sinker fishing center in Santa Barbara) with 65 or 80 pound braided line, a heavy chafe-leader, and a single large bait hook. This is true sportfishing, and that class of rig allows for plenty of sport while giving the angler a reasonable chance of boating an angry shark.

The size of the hook is determined by the type and size of the bait. With an eight-inch mackerel I use a 6/0 to 7/0 hook and I nose, tail, or belly hook the mackerel (try all three hooking methods). With a sardine or very large anchovy I’ll use a 2/0 to 3/0 hook. No weight is required unless there is considerable wind and the drift is so quick that a livelined bait stays right on the surface. Then I’ll use a sliding sinker on the main line above the leader so I can keep baits several feet under the surface. On a very calm day it helps to tie an inflated balloon near the base of the leader to keep the bait high in the water. Take the reel out of gear and set the clicker.

Shark fishing is a fun combination of frenzied activity, great patience and ongoing bait catching work. Aboard my charterboat, I have one or two people constantly working Sabiki bait rigs to catch small mackerel, sardines or smelt. Threshers will eat anchovies or sardines ganged up on a hook, but when we can jig up some 6 to 8 inch mackerel we have the perfect baits.

A powerful tail-whack is usually the first indication of interest from a thresher checking out your bait. That zips the clicker on the trolling reel and gets everyone’s attention. A hook will often stick in the tail and you are in for a long hard fight because you can’t turn that critter. More often however the shark will whack the bait, then turn around and take the bait in its mouth and swim off with the reel’s clicker complaining loudly. That is when you set the hook… very hard. Now hang on tight because you just lit the fuse on a big stick of dynamite!

Lots of June gloom as expected but it didn’t keep us from some of our most enjoyable events and activities.  The month started out with an entertaining and very educational presentation on local Heavy Weather by Mike Pyzel.  This very anticipated lecture resulted in standing room only in the Waterfront Classroom.  Our Fun and Entertainment meetings are gaining momentum and attendance is resulting in a packed house.  What was not anticipated but is very exciting is that when the presentation is over at about 9pm, members tend to hang around and socialize afterward for quite a while.  So come join us for the program and stay for the social time afterward.

The Progressive Dinner followed shortly after that meeting on Saturday, June 9.  Those who attended were able to work up quite an appetite as the order of courses took us from Marina 2 to Marina 1 and then back to Marina 4.  Another well-attended event, we were joined by a few new members and they enjoyed the opportunity to tour a few of the squadron’s boats and view a really excellent new teak deck on the Ablitt’s S/V Maude.

We received notice that the Ventura Squadron was going to make their annual trek to Santa Barbara Harbor and invited our squadron to a happy hour on their member’s 55’ motor yacht, M/V Mariposa, on June 15.  We appreciate them extending a welcome to their neighboring squadron.  They presented us with a bottle of champagne which we opened and shared around.

We didn’t schedule any squadron cruises to the islands this year because the past has shown that trying to schedule cruises at our February planning meeting doesn’t result in very positive results due to the fickleness of weather and members’ other commitments.  So this year we just proposed that if someone is going over, they should announce it to the fleet and invite anyone available to go that weekend.  Such was the case when Scott Burns announced he was headed over on Friday, June 15.  As a result, three vessels, S/V Benchmark, S/V Quiddity, and S/V Libertad enjoyed a weekend away from the mainland.

Finally, we asked Steve Young to schedule some Evening Sail activities, just a quick trip away from the docks, shake out the sails or crank over the motor –everyone knows how a boat will rot if not used.  June 28 was the first one he scheduled and even though he couldn’t attend, he rallied several boats out of their slips and into the deep blue.

More of the same coming up in July and the rest of the year.  And don’t overlook our great lineup of educational courses.  Marine Electrical Systems just completed and Piloting is underway, still time to join the class.  The class instructor is John Profant, one our most experienced and distinguished members.  In fact, please join me in congratulating John on being the squadron’s most recent member who has qualified for Life Membership.

Plaudits for Progressive Dinner

 

The evening of June 9, for the Progressive Dinner, turned out to be made-to-order for strolling from boat to boat, and stopping at four different boats to enjoy tasty appetizers, salads, main course and desserts. The first stop was at the Segoes’ boat M/V Sea Goer, where I had to keep reminding myself to slow down and that there was more to come, because the appetizers and salads were so delicious. This was the first time that we’ve had the Progressive Dinner in several years, but the Slocums and Stoudts on S/V Bobcat and the Ablitts on S/V Maude showed that they haven’t lost their touch in preparing grilled-to-perfection tri-tip and fabulous beans and bread. When we thought we couldn’t eat another thing, we went to our boat, S/V Ecco Bella, for dessert. There was plenty to tempt, but Virginia’s several gallon bowl of sliced strawberries to accompany pound cake and whipped cream was a show-stopper. Besides all the great food, of course, the best part was connecting with friends — old and new. Thank-you to the Yorks for organizing this event, all boat owners who volunteered their boats, and of course all the great cooks!