Nov/Dec 2017 VOL 61 NUM 3-4 FROM THE HELM Well, it looks like we burned through another boating season. By now most of our members have winterized our boats and are already looking forward to next year's boating season. While this year's season is still fresh on your minds I want to remind you that the District 1 Fall Conference will be held on Saturday, 11 November at the Groton Inn and Suites in Groton, CT. The call and details are in this edition of the Jib Sheet. District 1 has a full days worth of interesting educational seminars planned as well as a few social activities which are a great way to connect with old friends and meet new ones. Information can be found on our website: http:// www.usps.org/localusps/middletown/index.htm. It would be great to see our Squadron have a good attendance at this event. I look forward to seeing some of you in a few weeks. Be sure to review the Call of the Fall Conference on the next page for more information. Please Note!!! MPS Awards night will be held on the 2nd Thursday 9 November at Campagna’s Restaurant, Rt. 66, Portland, Details are on the following page. This year we decided to combine our Middletown squadron Holiday Party with the District 1 Holiday Party. However the Middletown squadron will subsidize each Middletown attendee $10.00/each. Please see details on page 2. I encourage all to participate in the Hartford squadron’s monthly speaker series held at the Olympia Diner, held on the last Tuesday of the month. I wish all squadron members a safe and enjoyable Holiday Season. The USPS teaches and promotes boating safety through education. “Liz” Elizabeth Johansmeyer, AP Commander UNITED STATES POWER SQUADRONS Making the best out of a bad situation. John Gilbert enjoys the final voyage of 2017 aboard “Sea Apple. The weather cooperated with a day of sunshine however there was a stiff breeze out of the west south west. The river was absolutely beautiful
Transcript
Nov/Dec 2017 VOL 61 NUM 3-4
FROM THE HELMWell, it looks like we burned through another boating season. By now most of our members have winterized our boats and are already looking forward to next year's boating season.
While this year's season is still fresh on your minds I want to remind you that the District 1 Fall Conference will be held on Saturday, 11 November at the Groton Inn and Suites in Groton, CT. The call and details are in this edition of the Jib Sheet. District 1 has a full days worth of interesting educational seminars planned as well as a few social activities which are a great way to connect with old friends and meet new ones. Information can be found on our website: http://www.usps.org/localusps/middletown/index.htm. It would be great to see our Squadron have a good attendance at this event. I look forward to seeing some of you in a few weeks. Be sure to review the Call of the Fall Conference on the next page for more information.
Please Note!!! MPS Awards night will be held on the 2nd Thursday 9 November at Campagna’s Restaurant, Rt. 66, Portland, Details are on the following page.
This year we decided to combine our Middletown squadron Holiday Party with the District 1 Holiday Party. However the Middletown squadron will subsidize each Middletown attendee $10.00/each. Please see details on page 2.
I encourage all to participate in the Hartford squadron’s
monthly speaker series held at the Olympia Diner, held on the last Tuesday of the month. I wish all squadron members a safe and enjoyable Holiday Season.
The USPS teaches and promotes boating safety through education.
“Liz”Elizabeth Johansmeyer, APCommander
UNITED STATES POWER SQUADRONS
Making the best out of a bad situation. John Gilbert enjoys the final voyage of 2017 aboard “Sea Apple. The weather cooperated with a day of sunshine however there was a stiff breeze out of the west south west. The river was absolutely beautiful
+++MINUTES OF THE MONTHLY MEETING+++Meeting of 12 October, 2017.
The October executive meeting was held at Farrell’s Restaurant in Portland, CT. There were 5 committee members present. The meeting was called to order by Commander Liz Johansmeyer at 1823. A $25.00 donation will be made to the Education fund in memory of Thomas Brookes. The next Public Boating Course will be held in Portland in the March, April time frame. The next Middletown Power Squadron members meeting will be Awards Night at Campagna Restaurant in Portland, CT on November 9 at 1800. This year the MPS will be joining District 1 for the annual Holiday Party in place of our own Holiday Part we used to celebrate at the Cypress Restaurant. Members and their guest from the Middletown Power squadron who attend will receive $10.00 a person at the door towards the cost of dinner. Please see District Holiday Party information to make your reservations. The committee has also decided to scale back the monthly meetings and in the place of these meeting have joint meetings with the Hartford squadron at the Olympia Diner. The Business meetings will be held with our dinner events. (Awards Night, Holiday Party, Founders Day, and Potluck) Executive Committee meetings will be held in February and May. Check Jib Sheet for meeting announcements. Meetings may be added if needed. Meeting was adjourned at 1930.
Respectfully submitted S/Lt. Jim Olsen, APSecretary MPS
+++ NOTICE OF MEETING +++The next meeting of the Middletown Power Squadron will be held on Thursday 9 November at Campagna Restaurant, 151 Marlbourgh St., Portland. This is our 2017 Annual Awards Night . Commander Liz Johansmeyer, AP reminds all Officers, Department heads, and Committee Chairpersons' that their presence is requested. SEE YOU THERE
District 1 NewsUnited States Power Squadron Sail and Power Boating
Visit the new USPS website at www.usps.org
DISTRICT 1 ACTIVITIES20 Oct Fall Council Meeting
Eversource Corp, Berlin, CT10 Nov Pre Conference Dinner
Olio’s, Groton, CT11 Nov District 1 Fall Conference
Groton Inn and Suites, Groton, CT16 Dec District 1 Christmas Party
Casa Mia Restaurant, Berlin, CT
For more detail on the D1 Activities refer to the “Sounds of 1”
DISTRICT HOLIDAY PARTYHAPPY HOLIDAYS! This year the Middletown squadron will be combining with District 1 for our Holiday gathering. Be sure to mark your Calendar, this will surely be a fun event.
The District is hosting a holiday party on 16 December at Casa Mia at the Hawthorne, 2421 Berlin Turnpike, Berlin, CT. Come and join us for a great “kick-off” to the Holiday season. This year we are having a complete dinner with cheese platter and pizza during the cocktail hour, appetizers of stuffed mushrooms and fried calamari, pastas of Linguine with white clam sauce and penne marinara both served family style, bread and rolls, salad, your choice of 15 veal, chicken, fish, and beef entrees, dessert, coffee and tea. You will select your entrée from the menu when we sit down. The fixed cost is $35 which includes tip and there will be no tax. Cocktails (cash bar) –17:30, dinner at 18:30. Lots of raffle prizes. Please remember to bring a toy for “TOYS FOR TOTS”
For reservations please send your check for $35 per person made out to “USPS-District 1” to: Jim Salvatore, 4-3 Canterbury Ct, Middletown, CT 06457-4934 by 9 December.
D1 Cdr.Charles L Marino, P
CALL FOR 2017 FALL CONFERENCE
DATE: Saturday, 11 November 2017 HOST: Saybrook Power Squadron TIME: 0900 PLACE: Groton Inn & Suites, 99 Gold Star Highway, Groton, CTDRESS: Uniform F or other appropriate attireFor more detail on the D1 Fall Conference Call and Agenda refer to the “Sounds of 1”
Shorter days, cooler temperatures and colorful trees signal an end to boating season, meaning it’s time to prepare the boat for winter.
Winterizing your boat properly ensures a safe, worry-free winter and a trouble-free boating season next year by protecting your boat’s systems and gear from freeze damage.
Whether you store your boat in or out of the water, you’ll need to decide how to cover it. You’ll want to protect from snow, ice and UV rays all winter long. If you do the job on your own, you have three basic cover types to choose from.
1 Plastic tarps: The least expensive option, plastic tarps only last a season or two, tend to flap in the wind and rarely fit properly.
2 Canvas tarps: Although canvas tarps are more expensive than plastic, they’re heavier and flap around less in the breeze. Longer lasting, they may be good for four or five seasons. However, the additional weight means you’ll need to construct a solid frame to support it.
3 Fitted covers: You can find pre-fitted covers that provide an exact match for many popular boat models. Although even more expensive, they fit the best and tend to last the longest.
If you don’t want to cover the boat yourself, you have two options that involve hiring professionals. The first involves finding a canvas company to design and build a custom-fitted cover. Although expensive, this option provides the best protection for your boat and can be reused year after year.
The other professional option involves hiring a shrink-wrap pro. Shrink wrap, a polyethylene with UV inhibitors, shrinks when heated to create a much tighter seal than anything you could make with tarp and ropes. Not only does that seal keep the weather out, but it also doesn’t stretch or tear like tarps do after a few months in the elements. –
boats.com
PLEASE READ THISMERIT MARKS
It is that time of year again. One of responsibilities that our Commander Liz Johannsmeyer must perform as Commander of our squadron is to submit the merit marks to District and National for those who were worthy of earning one. Unfortunately Commander Liz may not be aware of what you may have contributed to Middletown Power Squadron or the United States Power Squadrons. If you feel that you bequeathed efforts to the betterment of the USPS by your contributions please submit the information to Commander Elizabeth Johansmeyer, AP, at [email protected].
Earning a Merit Mark will be based on the acquired facts that you submit. If you do not submit any information our Commander has no way of knowing of your contributions, therefore there will be none granted. Since the USPS is a volunteer organization a Merit Mark is the only pay that you receive for your efforts. Please take a few minutes to get this information to our Commander.
P/DC George M Gilbert, JNeditor
USPS MEMBER UPDATINGIt is each member’s responsibility for updating their personal information on the USPS web site.
Each member should go to this web page and see if their information is correct. Name, address, phone, boat, home port, etc. are all listed. This information is used by National and District to contact members.
A number of members do NOT have the correct email address.
Here is how to do it:1. Go to WWW.USPS.ORG2. On the top row , right side select "Members Log In"
You will need your USPS certificate number and the password given you when you paid your dues.
3. On the member page - top row select "How Do I"4. Lower right corner - select "Update My Personal
Data online"5. Select "LOGIN". (since you already logged on - no
input will be necessary)6. Your personal data page will appear.7. Make changes.8. Select " Submit Changes" or "Cancel no changes"9. Select “Finish"10. Log Off
