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NORTHWIND April, 2012 Page 1

NORTHWIND Volume: 18 Edition: 2 Date: April, 2012

DISTRICT ELEVEN NORTH


Contents Page

2012 EDITION DEADLINES

Jan 06 * Apr 01 * Jul 01 * Oct 01

Please submit all articles in

Microsoft Word to:

Wesley Craig, DSO-PB

[email protected]

NORTHWIND

The official publication of the

United States Coast Guard Auxil-

iary, District 11North.

Vol. 18 Issue 2 April, 2012

Editor: Wesley Craig, DSO-PB 11N

Contributing Editors:

Victor Beelik ADSO-PB 11N

Design and Production:

Wesley Craig, DSO-PB 11N

Proofreaders:

Victor Beelik, ADSO-PB 11N

Chris Jewell

Jen Wuest Garcia

Kenna Craig, D-AA

Webmaster:

Jimmin Chang, DSO-CS

Web: d11nuscgaux.info/

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NORTHWIND

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Editor:

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[email protected]

All uncaptioned photos are in

public domain.

Childrens photos have paren-

tal/guardian releases on file.

Telephone numbers and addresses of members are protected by the Privacy Act of 1974. As a matter of policy, rosters of names, addresses

and telephone numbers shall not be made available to the general public or any outside organization. Privacy of all rosters shall be safe-

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Articles published in the NORTHWIND must be consistent with the stated policies of the U.S.

Coast Guard Auxiliary.

Page 3 DCO Angelo Perata

Page 4 Rod Collins, COS

Page 5 CURTIS S. HAN, DCAPT

Page 6-20 D-TRAIN 2012

Page 21-24 Awards 2012

Page 25-26 I Department

Page 27 Pyramid Lake Patrol

Page 28 Dry Suit Swim

Page 29-30 Utah Boat Show

Page 31 Joe Harris, 11N 11-1 saves a life

Page 32-35 Mega Vessel Exam

Page 36-38 Legal Corner


DCO Angelo Perata, 11NR

District Commodore

In keeping with our District Goals and Strategic Objectives for the

year 2012, to improve Our RBS programs, safety patrols on Inland Lakes,

and the safety of paddle sports, joint training programs are underway at

this time; check the District Calendar for the Optrexs’ in your AOR.

Please remember these events are for any Auxiliary member who wishes

to attend, not just for your Flotilla or Division members. All members are

invited to be part of the training programs, and the fellowship and meeting

with the new members is always a great place to start.

The PCA Fair which was held in Feb was a great success with over 250

members attending. The next PCA Fair will be July 28, 29 because of the

America’s Cup. We also wish to add some training classes after the Dis-

trict Board meeting on June 16, 2012, again because of the America’s

Cup. We will keep you informed as to the type of classes. Classes are

also being offered by the Coast Guard to the Auxiliary members. Please

look into these options.

National Safe Boating Week, May 19-25, is fast approaching. It is a great

time to kick off our many RBS and water safety programs. As an auxil-

iarist, you have many programs you may pursue, each with many posi-

tions offered.

D-Train in Monterey on March 16-18 was sold out and a great success. If

you attended, thank you. We are going back to Monterey for the 2013 D-

train, please set your calendar for March 14-17. I am looking forward to

meeting the many members and their guests. I am already getting my pi-

rate gear ready for fun night. There are so many great things to do in

Monterey and so little time. Spend an afternoon at the Aquarium, check

out the many wineries and various shore activities.


Rod Collins, DCOS 11NR

First off, I want to say thanks to everyone that worked on or attended our

DTRAIN this year in Monterey. Even though the weather was so-so, we had one of

our best turnouts, fantastic training and some memorable fellowship activities. As I

look at the training that was offered at DTRAIN and the two PCA fairs that are offered

each year, I realize that we are very fortunate here in District 11N. To be ready to re-

spond when we are called upon, it is imperative that we maintain our training and keep

our skills current and relevant. As members we have many avenues to accomplish

this. Attend and support training sessions at your flotilla meetings. These do not need

to be full blown training classes, but 30-60 minutes of focused training. Make a list of

those items that you would like to have a review of (comms skills, proper ODU uniform

wear, etc) and give that to your flotilla leadership for consideration. Attend training

classes that are offered by your flotilla and/or division. If you are the flotilla or division

leaders, take a survey of your members to determine what training they want and/or

need. If you do not have enough of your members to have a class, offer it to a

neighboring division and see if they can make up the difference. Everyone should en-

courage members, especially new members, to attend the PCA fairs. Get a group

from your flotilla or division and put a carpool together. It is always more enjoyable for

you and your new members seeing familiar faces. Not only do the PCA fairs have a

diverse group of instructors, arguably the best in our district, but their knowledge and

experience are a benefit to all that attend. The PCA fairs offer many of those classes

that just do not make sense for a flotilla or division to do on a yearly basis. If you have

specific courses that you would like to have offered, please contact the PCA leader-

ship with you recommendations. A great benefit that the PCA fairs offer is great net-

working opportunities with other members. This is an excellent way to pick up new

ideas and get a view of how others may have addressed something that you are deal-

ing with. There are always online and “C” schools for selective courses.

District 11N has many options that you can choose from to keep your training

current and to expand your horizons. Let’s keep that bar high when it comes to train-

ing and keeping our skills current.

I would like to invite everyone to our upcoming District Board & Staff meeting

that will be on Coast Guard Island on June 16. For the times and room please consult

the district calendar.

Thanks again for all that you do for the boating public.


CURTIS S. HAN, DCAPT

RESPONSE

Liaison to Divisions 8, 10, and 11

Spring is here, and the recreational boating season is just about

upon us. We anticipate that the recreational boating activities in the next six months will increase the probability of unforeseeable (yet easily avoidable) mis-haps or incidents. As members of the operations team, we need to stand ready and prepared. Our primary objective is to train ourselves so that we may coor-dinate and execute search and rescue operations efficiently and safely.

We would like to thank the members who frequently participate in joint-training exercises with local Coast Guard stations throughout the year. Working together with local Coast Guard stations provides excellent training and learning opportunities for both active duty and Auxiliary members. Talk with the station's Auxiliary Liaison Officer; talk with the station training officer or Officer-in-Charge. We encourage you to develop a close, working relationship with them. Please keep in mind; we need to remain professional in both appearance and conduct.

At our last District Training Conference in Monterey, California, the avia-tion team put on a workshop promoting a joint Surface, Air and Communication operation and training. It was well attended. The presenters described the benefits and addressed some concerns. We recommend that flotillas and divi-sions incorporate and facilitate joint operation exercises and trainings during OPTREX/OPEX events or during your scheduled patrols. Please check with your Patrol Area Coordinators (PACs) for a list of scheduled patrols (surface, air, communication) in your Areas of Operation. When opportunities arise, work together with your counterparts.

Our District Staff Officers for Aviation, Communications and Operations have been working diligently in assuring our divisions and flotillas get all the support they need. Please feel free to contact the staff officers through appro-priate and proper channels. I will continue to make myself available, should you have any questions or concerns.

Thank you for all you do for the Coast Guard and the Auxiliary.








CDR Curtis L. Sumrok,

DIRAUX D11N

Mayor Della Sala

Monterey, CA

Posting of colors


Tina Perry

DIRAUX Office

LUNCH

LT Kooper

CO Station Monterey



Speakers and listeners

CAPT Maguire

ENS Leahy

Sector San Francisco

CAPT Stowe

Paul Newman



Paul Newman and Command Master Chief Bushey

District 11


CAPT Prince

COS D11

NACOM Vass

Ray Tsuneyoshi, US Power Squadron

US Congressman Sam Farr

California




2011 AWARDS AIDS TO NAVIGATION AND CHART UPDATING – 2011

Recognition for Outstanding Achievement in furthering the Aids to Navigation and

Chart Updating Programs

1st

James B Duncan 468 Points

2nd

Linda R Haynes 450 Points

3rd

Larry Y Kubo 275 Points

CHART UPDATING FLOTILLA TROPHY – 2011

Most Outstanding Performance in Aids to Navigation Program

Sacramento Flotilla 35 619 Points

COMMUNICATIONS AWARDS – 2011

Fixed Land Radio Watch Standing

1st

Stephen E Harrison 1715 Hours

2nd

Shirley C Maxson 195 Hours

3rd

Michael J Casidy 193 Hours

LAND MOBILE TROPHY – 2011

Communicator-in-Command

1st

Jeff C Price 643 Hours

2nd

Warren R Golubski 237 Hours

3rd

Harry Sinclair 185 Hours

COMMUNICATIONS/OPERATIONS – 2011

Most Combined Communicator Hours|

1st

Stephen E Harrison 1715 Hours

2nd


3rd

William M. Leoppard Sr 462 Hours

LAND MOBILE CALL OUTS – 2011

1st


2nd

David L Wormington 19 Call Outs

OPERATIONS, AIR CREW-OBSERVER AWARD – 2011

1st Robert G Moore 39 Hours


OPERATIONS, PILOT AIR PATROL AWARD – 2011

1st

Kent T Garner 39 Hours

No qualifiers for 2nd

and 3rd

OPERATIONS, TOTAL “IN-AIR FLIGHT TIME” 2011

No qualifier

OPERATIONS, VESSEL COXSWAIN – 2011

1ST

Tommy W Holtzman 319 Hours

2nd

Michael C Thompson 309 Hours

3rd

Vern T Maxson 275 Hours

OPERATIONS, PATROL CREW AWARD 2011

1st

Michelle W Thompson 299 Hours

2nd

Shirley C Maxson 268 Hours

3rd

Steven G Bustin 187 Hours

OPERATIONS, PATROL PWC OPERATOR AWARD – 2011

Dee A Walter, Reno Flotilla 11-03, 37 Hours

PAST COMMODORE JACK C BULLOCK MEMORIAL

OVERALL OPERATIONS TROPHY – 2011

Most Outstanding Performance in Overall Operations

Warren R Golubski, Sacramento Flotilla 35

OPERATIONS FLOTILLA TROPHY -2011

For Outstanding Operations Performance

No Qualifier

STEVE MITCHELL MEMORIAL AWARD, MARINE SAFETY AND ENVIRON-

MENTAL PROTECTION – 2011

For Outstanding MS/MEP Performance

Point Bonita Flotilla 17

MEP – MS- CVS AWARD – 2011

1st

Robert E Lund 693 Hours

2nd

Sue K Fry 659 Hours

3rd

Robert L Liu 485 Hours

RBS PROGRAM VISITS, FLOTILLA TROPHY -2011

For Outstanding RBSPV Performance

Sonoma County Flotilla 55


PROGRAM VISITS AWARD – 2011

1st

Gary N Murray 805 Visits

2nd

Peter W Kyryl II 554 Visits

3rd

Anthony D Leonardi 317 Visits

VESSEL EXAMINATION AWARDS – 2011

1ST

William F Dodson 759 VSCs

2ND

Neil P Sliva 456 VSCs

3rd

Jan Jewell 416 VSCs

VESSEL EXAMINATION TROPHY – 2011

For Outstanding VSC Performance

Monterey Flotilla 64

HUMAN RESOURCES, FLOTILLA TROPHY – 2011

Most Outstanding Performance in Human Resources

Capitola Flotilla 6-10

MEMBER TRAINING, FLOTILLA TROPHY – 2011

Most Outstanding Performance in Member Training

Capitola Flotilla 6-10

PUBLIC EDUCATION AND MEMBER TRAINING

INSTRUCTOR HOURS – 2011

1ST

Jim D Blackburn 326 Hours

2nd

Wallace A Smith 147 Hours

3rd

Sue K Fry 106 Hours

PUBLIC EDUCATION, FLOTILLA TROPHY – 2011 Most Outstanding Performance in Public Education

Fresno Flotilla 10-05

PUBLIC AFFAIRS, FLOTILLA TROPHY – 2011 Most outstanding Performance in Public Affairs

Almaden Flotilla 48

COAST GUARD OPERATIONAL SUPPORT – 2011 1

st Jeff C Price 2583 Hours

2nd

Stephen E Harrison 1745 Hours 3

rd William S Kinsey 624 Hours

COAST GUARD ADMINISTRATIVE SUPPORT – 2011 1

ST Guy D Chism 1182 Hours

2nd

Joanna Leighton-Nevesny 719 Hours 3

rd Jim D Blackburn 560 Hours


BEST OF THE WEB – 2011

Most outstanding Division Web Site

Utah Division 7

BEST OF THE WEB – 2011

Most outstanding Flotilla Web Site

Mendocino County Flotilla 87

PAST COMMODORE JOSEPH J WEST TROPHY – 2011 Most Improved Flotilla in all major programs

Palo Alto Flotilla 43

DIRECTOR'S TROPHY – 2011 Outstanding Division

Gold Coast Division 6

DISTRICT COMMANDER'S TROPHY – 2011 Outstanding Flotilla

Kaweah Flotilla 10-06

DISTRICT COMMODORE'S TROPHY – 2011 Outstanding Auxiliarist

Wallace A Smith, Flotilla 6-10

TROPHYS TO BE PRESENTED AT NEXT BOARD MEETING

TRAINING AID TROPHIES – 2011 Best of Type I No Award Best of Type II No Award

Best of Type III Charles R Burgess II, FL 53 Best of Type IV No Award

Flotilla with Most Training Aids Displayed No Award

Best of Show CHARLES DUNCAN, FL 39 The most Outstanding Division Newsletter

North Coast Division 6 The most Outstanding Flotilla Newsletter

New Lake County Flotilla 88 The Most Outstanding Flotilla History Book

Sacramento Flotilla 35


US Coast Guard Auxiliary Newsletter “Direction Finder” February, 2012, Volume XLVI, Issue 02, South Lake Tahoe,

Flotilla 11N -11-04

Most of the members of the Auxiliary never heard about the “Auxiliary International Affairs

Department” or the activities performed by the “Auxiliary Interpreter Corps”. During the last

six months or so the Aux. Interpreter Corps and the International Affairs Dept. of the CG Aux-

iliary were reorganized to form the Auxiliary’s International Department which is composed of

two discrete, but closely related, teams:

The International Outreach team (Formerly International Affairs).

The Interpreter Corps.

The International Outreach (Formerly International Affairs) team's two

major missions, as defined by the USCG, are: To help establish and strengthen volunteer SAR organizations similar to our Auxil-

iary in countries abroad.

Those organizations, similar to the CG AUX, take the mission and resource

pressure off the local official agencies so they may focus on law enforcement,

illegal alien and drug interdiction and anti-terrorism activities.

This promotes the USCG and Coast Guard Auxiliary images by communicating

good will and international cooperation with other Coast Guards and volunteer

organizations dedicated to the safety of life at sea. At the same time, they act as

real “force multipliers” for the local official agencies. These activities are as-

sisted by developing and maintaining effective liaison with international mari-

time safety organizations.

To support the USCG’s International Programs by the organization and deployment of

Auxiliary teams to assist in the USCG’s off-shore commitments.

Examples would be SOUTHCOM’s annual Caribbean TRADEWINDS exer-

cises (where we sent 25 Auxiliarists to Antigua & Barbuda in 2011 to support

the USCG’s multinational maritime program as instructors, interpreters and

Comms Unit staff), PANAMAX, UNITAS and other off-shore programs and

exercises.

The Interpreter Corps’ major missions are: To provide to the USCG, the Department of Defense and to the Auxiliary capable,

qualified and competent language interpretation services for their international mis-

sion requirements.

At present, the Interpreter Corps has 440 interpreters qualified in 48 different

languages. District 11N has 30 Interpreters qualified in 13 different languages.

These interpreters are available for deployment, within the US or abroad, of

teams or individual interpreters, under orders, who are capable of interpreting

USCG AUX InternAtIonAl “I” DepArtment


IF YOU SPEAK, READ AND WRITE A

FOREIGN LANGUAGE,

JOIN THE AUXILIARY INTERPRETER

CORPS!

http://cgwebs.net/interpreter/

for such events as the TRADEWINDS exercise in the Caribbean and the North

Pacific Coast Guard Forum (in 4 Asian languages). The Corps provided inter-

preters for visits of foreign dignitaries who are visiting places as different as

USCG HQ in Washington, DC, or the Food Services School in California or for

a Russian tall ship visiting California ports. Members of the Interpreter Corps

are present and serving at all such events.

To provide to the USCG, the Department of Defense and to the Auxiliary the same

high level of document and program translation capability.

This enables the agencies to develop training materials or translate Public Af-

fairs notices and documents in those same 48 languages. An example would be

the management of the PA efforts surrounding Operation Deep Horizon, in

which we provided interpreters located all over the USA to translate a steady

stream of PA notices for the USCG in some 11 languages – from the comfort of

their own homes.


Reno Flotilla 11-3 patrolled the first

weekend of the Crosby’s Lodge

President’s Day Fishing Tourna-

ment at Pyramid Lake, NV. Keith

White, Dee Walter, Robin Morgan

and Tom Komadina crewed Flotilla

3’s facility, Following Sea.

Shortly after assuming patrol, a call

on VHF channel 16 was heard indi-

cating that a boat had capsized.

Despite repeated calls by Coast

Guard vessel 579, and by Auxiliary Communications Officer Jack Leth, no further

calls were heard about the capsized vessel.

A few minutes later, the Crew of Following

Sea saw the vessel being towed toward

shore (in a capsized position) by a Good Sa-

maritan who heard the cry of help from the

lone occupant of this boat. The captain of this

small pram stood up in the boat causing the

capsize. The captain fell overboard and was

unable to reach the life jackets sitting in the bottom of the boat. In this photo, two

Good Samaritans on shore help the owner (behind the boat) empty his pram of water.

Crew members from Auxiliary ves-

sel Following Sea recovered some

of the owner’s gear that was float-

ing on the water, including his oar,

and returned it to him. Had the

owner’s cry for help not been

heard he would likely have died

from hypothermia. This is a good

example of why we wear dry suits!

Photos by Dee Walter, 11-3

The captain fell over-

board and was unable to

reach the life jackets sit-

ting in the bottom of the

boat.

Reno Flotilla 3 News

District 11N Division 11


Each year the

Operational members of our Flotilla

have to perform a dry suit swim at Lake

Tahoe in the middle of winter. These

dry suits are worn in the event an Auxil-

iarist should fall over board during the

course of a winter patrol. This require-

ment is the same one that Active Duty

Coast Guardsmen must meet. These

dry suits are worn when the water tem-

perature is less than 50 degrees. On

January 29th, when this swim was held, the temperature of Lake Tahoe was a chilly

39 degrees! The swim has multiple functions. For Auxiliarists who have never worn

the suit, it is an opportunity to learn how to put on the suit with the help of seasoned

Auxiliarists. Secondly, the 20 minute swim serves as a leak test in the event one has

developed. Finally, there is no substitute for swimming under real conditions an Auxil-

iarist might experience during a winter patrol.

Auxiliarists participating in this Dry Suit Swim included Flotilla 1 members, Jack Leth

(L), Bill Stolz (4th from

left), and Pat Walter

(3rd from left). Flotilla

3 members included

Robin Morgan (2nd

from left), Dee Walter

(5th from left), Leon

Borden (6th from left),

J i m K r e m s n e r

(kneeling), Keith White

(2nd from the right)

and Tom Komadina

(right).

Pphotos by: Jack Leth 11-1

Reno Flotilla 3 News

District 11N Division 11


2012 Utah Boat Show

Lana Visser FSO-PA 7-8

A cold and snowy weekend did not

deter attendance at the annual Utah

Boat Show, held at the South Town

Expo Center in February.

The 2012 Boat Show is now in the past, but it was very successful in many

ways. The first success was our debut participation in standing watches in the

State Booth as part of our new partnership with State Parks and the Boating

Office. It meant double the work for the Auxiliary members, but we did it! We

talked to many people in both booths, and in many instances sent show visitors

from one booth to the other for more information. It seemed like a win-win for

everyone.

Greenband reported the official attendance at the Boat Show this year was

22,384. We talked to many people who were interested in boating education,

having a VSC, and many expressed interest in joining the Auxiliary. Their con-

tact information is being compiled and will be distributed throughout the Divi-

sion for follow-up contacts.

Thirty-five auxiliarists from our Division stood watches throughout the 36 hours

the show was actually open, and most of them volunteered for a two-hour

watch in both the Auxiliary booth and the State Booth. Flotilla 78 was well rep-

resented as twelve of our members helped with watches throughout the four-

day event, with several participating on more than one day. A special thanks

goes to Bill Rouleau who once again loaded up his trailer with our booth sup-

plies and drove them to the Expo Center.

And, a very big ‘Thank You’ for everyone who participated in this year's Boat

Show! It would not be possible to have a successful booth without the support

from each of you. You are the ones who talk to the public. You are the ones

who hopefully gave each visitor we had a new piece of information that will help

them become a safer boater. You are the ones who helped to spread the Auxil-

iary's message of safe, responsible boating to those you talked to at the Boat

Show. You are the ones who made this show a success, and I can't thank you

enough for your help, your support, and your participation. Continued on next page


Lana Visser & Ann Zocchi – Setting up the Auxiliary booth is hard

work. Volunteers from Div. 7 stand watch & talk to the public at the

2012 Utah Boat Show. Photo’s – Tony Zocchi


April 3, 2012 at about 5 PM, I was aboard my Carver 36 at Pier 39 in San Francisco. I

was on a two hour business call, with my hands-free ear piece in both ears. As I went

to my flybridge to continue my business call and look at the beauty of San Francisco, I

heard someone yelling. I took off one ear piece and started looking around. I could not

make out what the person was yelling, nor when I scanned the area, could I see any-

body yelling at me. There were a lot of people on the walk ways. I continued my call

while trying to figure out what the very faint yelling was. The wind was blowing, so I

could not figure out what direction the sound was coming from. I took off both ear

pieces so I could hear better.

There was a large cruise ship located right next to Pier 39 that was backing up to

leave the SF Bay. I thought the yelling might have something to do with the cruise

ship's departure. After about 15 minutes of this, I caught out of the corner of my eye a

glimpse of some splashing about 5 slips from me on the other side of the dock. Even

though I could only see it for a second, because of the tide and moving 40 foot

wooden sail boat, I knew immediately what it was. I jolted down off my flybridge, off my

boat, yelling "I am on my way to help you, I see you, I will be right there to help you".

When I got there, I saw an elderly man hanging on to a fender for his life. He was be-

ing beaten up by the very heavy wooden sailing boat being smashed into his boat by

heavy tide movement, with him sandwiched in between the two boats. He said he fell,

and asked me to pull him out. The docks at Pier 39 are fairly high off the water and it

was quite a struggle pulling him onto the dock. He was completed exhausted, and thus

he was very little help. He looked and felt like he weighed around 200 pounds. I was

able to pull him up to the safety of the dock. I then secured his boat.

After he recovered his composure, he told me he was out sailing on the Bay by him-

self. When he went to dock his boat, he missed the dock when he went to jump ashore

to tie up his boat. He fell into the water. The cold water and smashing boat/dock totally

confused him. He could have swum to another boat with a swim platform, got out of

the water and then tied up his boat. That is the only way to get onto the dock by your-

self at Pier 39. The dock is too high above the water. He was not wearing a PFD, nor

did he have a whistle. I do not think this man would have lasted very much longer. His

life was spared this time. He got lucky.

Wear a PFD with a whistle attached!!

Joe Harris, 1N 11-1

Reminder of why to wear a PFD and have a whistle attached to your PFD!


Early September 2011, I received a

phone call from Vessel Examiner

Gwendolyn Hammer; Flotilla 113-

12-1 regarding a request for a VSC

on the vessel TwoCan, an 85-foot

Hatteras Yacht, which she received

from the National “I want a VSC”

website. It was determined that

Gwen had performed considerable

research about this vessel and had

thoroughly reviewed the VSC Man-

ual about the many unique require-

ments for the VSC. It was suggested that she take her VSC manual with her in the

event she and the vessel owner needed to consult it during the VSC. It offers both

credibility to what the VE does and instills a level of confidence with the boat owners

when they see the information in writing, Gwen indicated she never leaves home with-

out it. I felt comfortable with her performing the VSC, but didn’t want her or anyone

else to perform a VSC alone or at least without notifying someone. She asked if I was

available and could assist her. Gwen then made an early Saturday appointment for a

couple of weeks later.

During the following conversations with the vessel owner and reviewing the re-

quirements for the VSC, Gwen located more information about the vessel. She

wanted to make certain that the vessel had the correct number of fire extinguishers

including a current certification tag on the fixed fire extinguisher system, and also the

oil and trash placards, the trash plan, the correct navigation lights and that they were

operational, the correct number and type of flares and that they were not expired and

there was a current copy of “Navigation Rules” on board. Also during the course of the

conversations, she mentioned needing an FCC license for the radio. The vessel

owner, Mr. Lofgren, assured Gwen he would produce it at the time of the VSC.

I was confident that Gwen could handle the VSC and did not want her to be in-

timidated by the size of the vessel but this vessel was HUGE! I mentioned to Gwen I

would be there in support of her and would only participate if she asked. We greeted

the owner on the dock did a casual walk around of the vessel, looking at lines, lights,

anchor, etc. This allowed for very pleasant conversation with the owner and set the

tone for the VSC. Prior to boarding, Gwen and I offered to remove our soft sole shoes

(not boots), but Mr. Lofgren was fine with them. I later wished we had because the


vessel had knee-deep carpet, as well as marble and hard wood floors. Once aboard,

Mr. Lofgren provided us the history and a tour of the vessel during which we made

mental notes. This allowed him to show off the vessel and talk about the many unique

features, which included a large 6-person spa, many cabins, and crew quarters! Mr.

Lofgren was a delight to interact with and it was apparent that he had personally either

worked on parts of the vessel or had personally overseen the construction. There ap-

parently was a lot of thought into every aspect of the remodel. Even though he hired

a licensed captain to operate the vessel, he was not there just as a host for guests; he

was very knowledgeable on how all the many systems worked. And then it became

time to focus on the VSC. As one might expect the vessel easily passed the VSC and

it was almost anticlimactic!

Special notes from the VSC

The engine room was huge, 8’

tall and spotless with polished chrome

and aluminum everywhere. One could

easily host a dinner party of 10 with

room to spare! Although large, we

were not overwhelmed (yeah right!) and

focused on checking the engine room

requirements, which are the fixed fire

system and overall condition of the electrical and fuel systems. Because Gwen had

reviewed the vessel before hand, she was able to ask pertinent questions about the

fixed fire system. This showed she was knowledgeable

and it also allowed the owner to share his knowledge

and both to learn more about the system. We were un-

able to locate the oil placard, and knowing it had to be

there somewhere given how well kept everything was

Gwen provided the owner a spare. While trying to deter-

mine a location to mount it, we happened upon the origi-

nal, which had blended in with the wall. Mr. Lofgren de-

cided to display the newer one, which is more colorful.

When it came to the ships bell (a requirement on all ves-

sel over 65’ (inland and international), there was no

problem here! Mr. Lofgren’s boat had a gleaming brass

bell, which appeared to have originally been on the

Queen Mary, prominently secured on the foredeck!


Although there were more than

enough PFDs on board, Gwen

noted most of them were type II’s

and would meet most require-

ments accept for off-shore cruis-

ing, but mentioned many people

do not like to wear them, except in

extreme circumstances. Gwen

used the manual to point out to Mr.

Lofgren the different types of

PFDs and she encouraged him to

think about purchasing several Type I and Type V inflatable PFDs, especially the

Type Vs which are very comfortable. She showed him her inflatable, and let him try it

on. He was very appreciative of the information. I later found out that indeed Mr. Lof-

gren did follow Gwen’s suggestion and purchased several Type V inflatable PFDs.

Next, Mr. Lofgren wished to know what to do with expired flares. Because

there are no easy answers to this question Gwen recommended keeping them on-

board if they are less than 5 years old and use them first in case of an emergency. It

is very sobering when explaining that a hand-held flare only lasts about 3 minutes and

thus supports the reasoning why using older flares first. If older than 5-years, she

suggested contacting the local county waste disposal.

Final Recommendations and Discussion Items

This is the best part of the VSC and given the opportunity, one should review

each item with the boater. While not preaching,

Gwen did a great job taking advantage of the one-

on-one educational opportunity. A couple of quick

examples are; the radio-on a boat this size is re-

quired to have a FCC license (per item 14 on the

7012 VSC form). When Gwen asked Mr. Lofgren

for the documentation, he readily made it avail-

able and was proud to show it! During the discus-

sion, Gwen suggested a pre-departure checklist

to review with passengers; such as how to start

and shut off the engine, how to use the radio,

where the first aid kit is, and location of extra

PFDs and life saving throwable devices. As it

turned out, Mr. Lofgren is an airline pilot and


thought this was an excellent idea! When Gwen sug-

gested a “Float Plan” and provided Mr. Lofgren a

copy, he mentioned he already had his own, but, he

was very appreciative to know there was a simple

form and would review it and make the necessary

changes on his own form.

The onboard first aid kit was reviewed and we were in

for a shock-literally! Mr. Lofgren quickly presented a

huge medical locker with everything in case of any

emergency! The only thing missing was an operating

room and he indicated the dining room table would be

more than adequate! It turns out; Mr. Lofgren’s wife is

a nurse, which is also Gwen’s background, and she

was absolutely in awe when he showed off the AED

defibrillator in addition to the multiple first aid kits

stocked with everything, maybe even to conduct open

heart surgery.

When the topic of Maritime Domain Awareness came up, Gwen was able to

provide the basic information and reminded Mr. Lofgren about reporting suspicious

activity.

Finally, No matter how seasoned the person appears to be, Gwen mentioned

the possibility of aborting the boating day if the conditions (weather, people, problems

with the boat, etc.) are not favorable. This is the hardest thing to do when everybody

is all excited and ready to go, to have to say “no go” but it can save lives especially in

the Bay Area when weather conditions can deteriorate rapidly.

As one can tell, this was not an average VSC. So

after all of the hard work it was a pleasure to observe

Gwen applying the new VSC decal!

A VSC is a great opportunity for the boaters to not

only ensure there is the required equipment onboard, but

to also learn where they are located, how they are oper-

ated and when they are needed. This was also an excel-

lent opportunity for Gwen to share her VSC knowledge,

and gain more knowledge through her research on the

vessel and her interaction with the boater. A truly one-on-

one education for all!

Well done Gwen and thank you for your excellent

work.

Mike Lauro, DSO-VE D11N


LEGAL CORNER

Emergency! Can I Help? What If I Do?

Overview of Good Samaritan Laws

We all have a general idea that if we happen upon a situation where someone is in need

of assistance, we can try to help them, but - what if...?

Good Samaritan laws are so named from the New Testament parable of the traveler

from Samaria who gave assistance to a stranger who had been beaten and robbed and

ignored by others. These laws are designed to encourage a bystander – a stranger, as

was the Samaritan – to assist someone in peril by removing the fear that Good Samari-

tan would have of being sued should the actions taken turn out not to be completely

successful.

Good Samaritan Laws in California, Nevada, and Utah

The three states of D11 North all have Good Samaritan Laws which, in their own word-

ing, provide that someone who renders aid in an emergency will not be liable for civil

damages resulting from their action or non-action. All include several qualifiers:

The action/non-action must be "in good faith"* and "gratuitous" or "not for compen-

sation" (that is, the assistance was not rendered with the expectation of being

paid or rewarded).

The action/non-action must not amount to "gross negligence"** (and additionally,

in California, not amount to "willful or wanton misconduct" ** or, in Utah, be

by the person who caused the emergency).

*“In good faith” denies the protection of the statute to those who acted from some dis-

honest or ulterior motive. **Gross negligence can be described as an exercise of so

slight a degree of care as to justify the belief there was indifference to the interest and

welfare of others. “Willful and wanton” describes conduct by a person who intention-

ally performs an act so unreasonable and dangerous that that person knows or should

know it is highly probable that harm will result. This is quite a high threshold and

should not concern anyone who is not prone to crazy antics.


Those of us who are Californians may remember the concern several years ago over a

California Supreme Court decision that turned on a fine distinction in the statute's word-

ing over a distinction between medical and non-medical assistance that appeared to

leave those without medical training vulnerable. The Legislature promptly remedied

this distinction by amending the statute to state that, “No person who…renders emer-

gency medical or nonmedical care or assistance shall be liable for civil damages….”

Definition of Emergency

Utah defines emergency very broadly in its Good Samaritan statute:

“...'Emergency' means an unexpected occurrence involving injury, threat of in-

jury, or illness to a person or the public, including motor vehicle accidents, disas-

ters, actual or threatened discharges, removal, or disposal of hazardous materials,

and other accidents or events of a similar nature. 'Emergency care' includes ac-

tual assistance or advice offered to avoid, mitigate, or attempt to mitigate the ef-

fects of an emergency.” (UTAH 78B-4-501)

California’s is briefer and narrower : “’Emergency’ means a condition or situation in

which an individual has a need for immediate medical attention, or where the po-

tential for such need is perceived by emergency medical personnel or a public

safety agency.” (Cal. Health & Safety Code § 1797.70)

Nevada does not appear to include a statutory definition of emergency.

Federal Volunteer Protection Act Apply?

Because Auxiliarists volunteer for the Coast Guard, the Federal Volunteer Protection

Act, 42 USC 14501 et seq., would apply to us, but the Act limits that protection to vol-

unteers when they are acting within the scope of their duties. However, Auxiliarists act-

ing within that scope are considered by statute to be government employees – and in

those circumstances when it is not so clear the Auxiliarist is under orders we have the

protection of our three states' Good Samaritan statutes. So the protection this Act offers

would likely not be needed.

Consent

Another aspect not specifically stated in the statutes, but important to remember, is ob-

taining the consent of the person who is the receiver of the aid (or the parent, if it’s a mi-

nor child). If the person is conscious and rational, they must be asked. To act against

their wishes is battery. However, actual consent cannot be obtained from the uncon-


scious, delusional, drunk, or otherwise mentally incompetent – or the absent parent. For

those instances, the concept of “implied consent” – what would a reasonable person

want? – is applied broadly to permit rendering assistance.

Emergencies on the Water

While a potential Good Samaritan on land can decide not to render assistance, a mariner

does not have that choice. There are two US Code sections that codify this ancient duty:

46 USC §2303 requires the individual in charge of a vessel involved in a marine casu-

alty to render necessary assistance insofar as is possible without “ serious danger to …

vessel or to individuals on board.” Subsection (c) then provides Good Samaritan protec-

tion. All three D11 North states have a similar marine casualty statute.

46 USC §2304 broadens the duty to assist by requiring that “master or individual in

charge of a vessel shall render assistance to any individual found at sea in danger of be-

ing lost... [if they] can do so without serious danger [to vessel or passengers]” The

scope of “at sea” is not easily determined and the states do not appear to have a similar

statute. However, I think it would be safe to say that rare would be the Auxiliarist who

would consider ignoring a person in danger of drowning.

Additionally, the Auxiliary Operations Policy Manual 4-C-2 states that an Auxiliarist

who is not under orders who has information about a maritime distress “must advise the

nearest Coast Guard unit without delay”. The unit should be advised that the caller is an

Auxiliarist and should be given a description of the situation and what actions are in-

tended.

Conclusion

Be sensible, stay within your skill set, and then, when the need should confront you, you

will be an appreciated Good Samaritan.

Joanna Leighton Nevesny

DSO-LP


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