Lake Ontario Sailing

July... What a crazy month

2009-07-13T07:53:00.002-04:00

I cannot remember a July as wet as this one. Wet and cold. Most years we have started our 2 to 3 week cruise by now, but this year things are beginning a little later. Wet and cold is still forecast, but you gotta do what you gotta do.

Talking about crazy... last week Ruth and I went out for a short day-sail; kind of a check on the systems before launch. That is when the GPS receiver started reading over twice our speed as shown on the knotmeter. The heading also shifted some 45 degrees to the west. What the heck??? I have never heard of a GPS failing like that. I did the obvious troubleshooting, such as disconnecting from the data cable to the VHF radio and taking the GPS off of boat 12 VDC power system. Same results.

I tried the unit in the car after the sail, and it appeared to work OK. I asked the question on the Hunter Owners website and received some interesting theories, but nobody had ever experienced the same thing I had. I tried to call Magellan Support, and was told by a recording that they no longer offer phone service for my 5 year old handheld unit. I went to their website and was able to send an e-mail explaining my problems, but no answer yet. Come on Magellan; too much time troubleshooting those fancy car GPS units?

Yesterday was the first opportunity to get it back on the boat and try again. Guess what? It worked! Everything from lat-long data to the VHF radio to direction compared to the compass. My only explanation is that it was an anomaly as we used to call it in the radio service biz.

My ST-60 Wind Instrument had also gone crazy that day, but that's another story. It also worked yesterday after a reset to manufacturer defalts

So, it looks like we are ready to start that cruise to Canada with everything working... for now!

Smooth Sailing..... Ken

Looking forward to May

2009-03-15T09:49:00.002-04:00

The week of May 4th is the magic week for me. I now have a deadline to finish all of my dry-dock work before launch. One thing haunting me is the way Shumway stored the boats this winter. They squeezed a Beneteau to my port side with no more than three inches space at the widest part of the beam. There is certainly no room to get a ladder up for my spring-time application of Polly Glow. I talked with Mic at Shumway, and she said that they would look into it. I hope that they do it before the weather starts to warm up.

I have a huge problem with scheduling cruising this coming summer. I am now back to work full time, and being a "new hire", I have no vacation time for one year. I will be working 10 hour days starting in June, with a 3-day weekend every week. That is what is what they are thinking now, but business is so good at Harris RF Communications, I would be surprised if they don't require more working hours this summer. Here it is, my first week at work, and I put in a 6 day week. They want more, but I figure that since I am new to the position, I wouldn't be able to offer enough for that overtime.

There are also things to do at home. Free time is going to be a little scarce this year. That is a good thing though. The economy is the reason for starting back to work. We are affected like so many others, and the retirement funds are disappearing much faster than they should. Believe me, we have even talked about trying to sell the boat. OMG as they say... I hope it doesn't get that bad. The boat is the reason we worked those many years. I hope jobs open up for the unemployed and things pick up on the stock market.

I will try to do some more postings on the blog with pictures once we get back to sailing.

What do sailors do in November?

2008-11-12T07:32:00.002-05:00

This is a difficult time for most sailors. Our boats are out of the water, sitting on the hard, and the weather is turning colder. Most of the leaves are off the trees, and we are waiting for the first snowfall of the season. The Buffalo snow belt already has been hit by Lake Effect snow, and the south-eastern area of Lake Ontario has also tasted it's first lake effect snow.

I am a fair-weather-friend. I would rather sit in the nice warm house then to venture outdoors in the cold damp breeze. I wore my winter coat and gloves yesterday just to take our dog Ernie for a short walk. I know what is ahead of us, and I'm not liking it. We try to get away to the south for a short break from the winter every year, but this year the economy is heavy on my mind. I have seen my 401K lose 1/3 of it's value, so just like many Americans, I feel I cannot afford a winter vacation this year.

So, I sit here at my trusty computer, working on website designs. I have just released a new version of the Lake Ontario Hunter Sailing Association website at www.lohsa.com, and it looks pretty good (in my opinion). I am almost finished with my son Jay's photography website at www.photopalmer.com and only waiting for new images to publish the new version. I am also working on a new website for the Genesee Yacht Club at www.geneseeyc.org. The present one is old and tired. The new one is exciting; easy to open and easy to find what you are looking for. I hope to get it up within a week or two.

All three websites are being developed using Microsoft Expression Web, which has replaced my old and not supported Microsoft FrontPage 2003. The learning curve is steep, but I am getting the grasp of the essentials. I wish I had a mentor here in Rochester to turn to with my many questions. Being self-taught, I have a DVD collection for learning Expression Web, and I have gone through 2/3 of it. But everything doesn't stick like it used to, and I find myself having to go over sections that I have already visited; again and again.

I would love to see a users group for Microsoft Expression Web in town. It would be a plus for everybody. I have a fellow Harris retired co-worker that is just beginning his Expression Web adventure. We meet about once a month with other ex-Harris guys at lunch, and talk about everything under the sun. Maybe this could be the start of a web designer group.

Anyway, I have really drifted off course on a sailing blog. But winter is coming, and what could be a better way to spend my non-sailing days. Stay warm my friends.

Sailing season is not over

2008-09-19T06:05:00.002-04:00

Wednesday was a great day for a sail! Winds out of the south-west at 10 to 15 knots and little wave action. Ruth had to help my son with his photography business, so I had the afternoon to myself. I decided to finally carry through with a promise I had made to take one of our friends from GYC out for a day-sail.

Ed is a sailor with no boat, having sold his sailboat after knee surgery, and having a difficult time sailing single-handed. Now he relies on his friends to take him out to enjoy his passion. This was the first time I have taken Ed out sailing, and he was like a kid at the wheel. We beat into the wind for the first half of the trip, heading towards a couple other sailboats off in the distance.

Once we were close to them, Ed suggested that we come about and have a race. It really wasn't much of a race with the other boat flying only a jib and us with main and jib up. The speed of Water Colors reached 7.2 knots at one point, about the best my Hunter 33.5 can do.

We reached the Rochester Harbor piers and decided to take the sails down before entering the channel. It was that point that I began to wonder about bringing the boat into her slip. Ruth is always at the helm when leaving and returning to our dock. I am the one on deck managing the dock lines. Now I needed to bring the boat in, only the second time this year, with Ed volunteering to grab the one dock line I have set up at the piling, and then throw it over the winch to stop the boat. I came in nice and slow, and Ed worked the line like an old pro. Once we were stopped, I stepped off to the dock and set the bow lines.

Like I said, it was a great day for a sail, and a great day to be with an old friend. He said that I am on his "A" list now, and he feels safe sailing with me again.

September 1st...Already!

2008-09-01T07:40:00.002-04:00

Are you ready for the sailing season to end? I know that I'm not.

We received the annual paperwork from Shumway Marine asking for a haul-out date. Last year I hauled around October 1st. I think that I wanted to be on land a little early so that I could get a coat of Poli Glow on the hull and get to the bright work that I put off all summer.

Do I try to cover the boat this year? Every year that I try to cover, it doesn't last the winter. Too much snow and wind either collapse the cover or break the framing. One year I had to replace one stanchion and have two others repaired when the wind blew my cover and wooden frame over.

This year I think that we need a little more time on the lake. The water levels are high so that I don't have to worry about getting stuck at my slip (I hope). I can't believe that we didn't visit Sodus Bay this year. God forbid we miss a chance to dock at the yacht club and have the waves beat us to death. They sure could use a break-wall there.

Yesterday we had eight boats rafted up for a short time on Lake Ontario just east of the Summerville Pier. The waves from the power boats knocked the hell out of us, and we were forced to break the raft after an hour or so. Many of us met at the club afterwards to enjoy a nice cookout.

Hey... If you are reading this and want to add your comments... Please do! It should be an easy thing to do by just clicking on the "comments" link at the bottom of this post. Please give it a try if only to say hello.

Also... If you would like to have your story or pictures show up on the website, drop me a line at webmaster@lakeontariosailing.com.

Cheers and have a good Labor Day!
Ken Palmer

EPA Discharge Permit Requirement for Recreational Boats

2008-07-24T06:38:00.004-04:00

CONGRESS RESTORES 35-YEAR EXEMPTION FOR RECREATIONAL BOATS FROM PROPOSED EPA PERMITTING REQUIREMENTS

NO NEW PERMIT FOR BOATS REQUIRED

ALEXANDRIA, VA, July 22, 2008 - In a remarkable display of bipartisan support for recreational boating, both the House and Senate today passed S. 2766, "The Clean Boating Act of 2008" which will permanently restore a long-standing exemption for recreational boats from permitting requirements under the Clean Water Act. The legislation now goes to the White House for the President's signature.

Go to Boat U.S. for the full story by clicking this line.

Did I Say Rain?

2008-07-23T07:44:00.002-04:00

The daily forecast calls for rain. I am beginning to trust the weatherman now since it does rain every day. We must be stuck in some significant weather pattern.

We arrived at Bluffers Park Yacht Club yesterday after an uneventful motoring trip. The only reason I raised my main was to dry it out from the day before.

Not too long after we arrived, we heard the thunder and watched as a storm rolled in (images above). Last night around 11 PM there was a another terrific thunder storm. The bluffs must amplify the thunder because it was really loud.

There is the usual wildlife here like geese, swans, etc. but we thought we spotted a couple minks yesterday across the water behind our boat. I was so interested in watching that I forgot to get the camera out. Darn!

Yesterday's perfect storm

2008-07-22T06:46:00.005-04:00

We left Cobourg around 9 AM. The winds were too light to sail, so we started motoring. The morning was partly cloudy with no indication of rain. Ahead of us were a couple other sailboats motoring west, and we finally caught up to the Catalina. We ran a parallel course when the wind came up a bit. I looked over to to Catalina, and he was raising the main and unfurling the jib.

He started sailing, slower than motoring, but sailing. We unfurled our jib to test the wind, and started motor-sailing over 6 knots. Not to be out done, we raised our main also and shut the engine down. Ah, the sound of quiet.

We sailed for about 10 minutes, then I looked at the sky over the shore. It was an ugly gray and black, and you could see the rain falling on shore. Ruth then heard some thunder, so we decided to stat the engine (sails still up) and motor-sail south, away from the storm. We left the Catalina, and when the clouds stated heading south also, I saw that the Catalina also turned south.

Then the wind and rain hit the Catalina, and another boat that had been sailing east. Their sails started flogging as they tried to recover. It took only a few minutes before the storm hit us. I managed to furl in the jib, but the main was still up and it is a pain to take down. It had to be done though, so with PFD on, I climbed onto the deck holding on for dear life as Ruth continued motoring south, away from shore. I got the sail down, lashing it to the boom with a couple straps.
Poor Ernie was just shaking, so Ruth took him below to get him settled and get my rain jacket. I was soaked head to foot with the rain coming horizontally into the covered cockpit. The winds were gusting way over 20 knots, but I couldn't really see the gauge because my glasses were all wet. I had to turn to the north-west into the rain and waves to keep the rain out of my face. Visibility was very limited and I had to keep a sharp lookout because I knew there were two other boats out there somewhere.

Finally, the storm blasted though and I could see a sliver of light on the western horizon. Just after it stopped raining, the Coast Guard announced the storm. Too little too late for us, but perhaps helping the poor soles racing the Lake Ontario 300. They have had rain every day I'm sure. I never did catch sight of the two sailboats that were there when we entered this storm. We motor-sailed to Whitby Yacht Club, arriving wet and cold.

The folks at Whitby are great. They found us a nice slip for the night next to a Hunter 410. Our Hunter 33.5 looks like a toy boat next to theirs. The owners arrived later and we had a very nice chat. Ernie even met another snoodle from down the dock. This was a 6-year old female that didn't join in with Ernie's barking. I think she took on more of the poodle mix where Ernie has more schnauzer in him.

No picture today. I'm really falling behind on my picture taking. Just a couple days to the Hunter Rendezvous at Port Credit Yacht Club. It will be nice seeing our old friends there.

Mixed bag of weather

2008-07-21T07:10:00.003-04:00

Sailing is not all about wind and waves. All of that water has to come from somewhere... the past few days have been from the sky. Rain, rain, and more rain. The weathermen are still predicting rain every day this week.

We sailed and/or motored from the Bay of Quinte Yacht Club in Belleville to the CFB Trenton Yacht Club in Trenton. The next morning we headed out towards Lake Ontario through the Murray Canal. It was a nice trip, but the bridge-master wanted boats bunched up as much as possible which delayed us about half an hour waited for two other sailboats behind us to catch up.

There was a sailboat in front of us that said things on the radio like "Tell me when you are opening and I am coming through without stopping". Yikes! The bridge-master told him "If the bridge doesn't open, you WILL stop... Bud". This is the same sail-boater motoring towards the bridge at a reported 9 knots. My boat was going 5.5 knots. I guess he had a super-charged engine in that blue boat.

We motored and sailed a bit for Cobourg, arriving before the rain. Here we met some friends from the Point Breeze Yacht Club. Bob, one of the two skippers used to work at Harris RF Communications with me before I retired. Really nice folks from PBYC.

We decided to take a rain day yesterday, and rain it did... all day. Yesterday I finally was able to get the Internet again to catch up on e-mail from the gang back at GYC. All are back from the 2-week cruise to Kingston, where we met with them for three days. Most of the boats had mechanical problems, up to and including having to lay-over at Cape Vincent and replace his Atomic 4 block. Paul and Sue went on home, and Paul drove back to help Burt with his engine. All is reported to be fixed now, and I expect that Burt and Elaine aboard Orion are back in Rochester by now.

We will head for Whitby this morning. So far no rain but light winds. We are heading west to meet with the Lake Ontario Hunter Sailing Association (LOHSA) Thursday for the annual Rendezvous.

I will try to keep posting as long as we have Internet. Keep dry!

Ken & Ruth & Ernie the dog

Please, please, please teach your spouse to sail

2008-07-16T19:37:00.003-04:00

We heard the Coast Guard VHF announcements about a man spotted in the water wearing a blue life jacket, and be on the look-out at the coordinates given. This announcement was given often and understood by this writer only sometimes. That is a subject for a later blog on how poorly the equipment and or personnel in the USCG are understood by you and me, the boating community.

Today we heard channel 16 chatter from a search and rescue helicopter following smoke on the water. Now that I have Internet, I have the rest of the story. Please click HERE to read this story.

If you fell off the boat, would your spouse know how to rescue you? I know mine would...

New race record

2008-07-15T07:24:00.003-04:00

I picked up this news on the Internet yesterday. Ray Howe, a GYC member and builder/owner of Earth Voyager picked up another first. Click HERE for a link to the Detroit Free Press article.

Wet & Windy

2008-07-13T12:29:00.003-04:00

We are at Kingston's Confederation Basin as I write this. Lack of Iternet access has kept me from writing more. From the image above you can see the rain on our dock. It rained all night with high winds. Thank goodness we weren't out on the lake in that mess.

We met up with the rest of the GYC fleet this weekend. The town of Kingston is very busy with the Busker's Festival and many visitors. We had reservations for slips, but we heard the marina turning others away. Last night was a loud skipper's meeting aboard Harry's boat Gnadige Frau.
Bob and Joyce Peters joined the group Friday night. Bob wasn't feeling good Saturday, and they took him to the emergency department for tests. After several hours they released him, and Bob and Joyce decided to drive back home to check with their dosctor. Bob looked great this morning after a morning swim, so I don't think we should worry too much.

Today we are trying to make plans for a rainy day. Perhaps dominos at the new office/lounge. I'll try to write more as time goes on.

Another day in paradise

2008-07-08T09:28:00.003-04:00

We are at the Henderson Bay Yacht Club today. We left Fair Haven Yacht Club at 9 AM and made the decision to sail here rather than Oswego because of the weather forecast. Of course, the weatherman was wrong again, and we didn't get any storm yesterday afternoon. The bad weather is now predicted to be late today or overnight. That means we have to decide to go on to Chaumont or spend a great day here at this nice club.

The winds are very favorable for sailing today, 5 to 10 knots from the south. A 14 mile sail north would be a piece of cake. We did get surprising weather yesterday and was able to sail nicely for half the trip. We were on a broad reach going up to 6.8 knots! That is fast for us, and what made it even better was there were no waves.

Tom McEwen sailed out of Fair Haven with us and headed further north to Cape Vincent. He is still in some pain from his accident, but puts on a strong face. They experienced an accidental jibe a week ago and he fell onto a winch taking the full blow to his chest. He went to the hospital and had x-rays and scans looking for damage, and found nothing unusual (just a heart of gold). He hardly had any bruising.

The picture above is Tom coming from the FHYC.

We try again

2008-07-06T19:55:00.003-04:00

I wrote quite a lengthy blog posting only to lose it when my fat finger hit two keys at the same time. Here is a picture I took at the Pultneyville Yacht Club this morning.

Tonight we are at the Fair Haven Yacht Club where we met up with Merrymac. I am going to make this short to see if I can get through.

Cruising Lake Ontario

2008-07-02T09:29:00.002-04:00

Only a few days left and we should be on our way. Lists are being made and items being gathered to move to the boat. It is quite a serious adventure for us since the longest cruise we have taken was short of three weeks. A sailboat is small quarters for two adults and one dog.

Ernie, our dog gets super excited when we go to the boat. He is a good sailor, but doesn't take too well in high winds and excessive heeling. Ruth had the vet prescribe an anti-anxiety medication to calm him down. The last time we crossed the lake in bad weather, he panted for almost two hours. Maybe we should have tried a brown bag to prevent hyperventilation.

Getting ready to cruise

2008-06-29T13:32:00.003-04:00

We will be leaving Rochester on or about July5th. This year we are taking Water Colors, our Hunter 33.5, and going to circumnavigate Lake Ontario. This will be the first time for a 4 week trip around the lake.

To prepare for it, I bought a gain antenna for USB/WiFi and the Internet. Just checked it out at Amway Marine and it works great. Now maybe I can keep track of e-mail and enter new stuff on this blog about the trip. We can also attach images, so I am really looking forward to this.

A calendar has been prepared with two definite destinations. Kingston on July 11, 12, and 13. We will meet up with the cruising fleet from GYC there. Afterwards it's off towards the Port Credit Yacht Club on July 24, 25, and 26, and the Lake Ontario Hunter Sailing Association annual rendezvous, sponsored by Angus Yachts of Toronto. They are calling it the Angus Rendezvous because they are having customers with power boats come also.

The rest of of the trip will be south then east arriving in Rochester around August 1st. I try to publish more as time goes on.

Goose Poop. What to do?

2008-06-04T17:48:00.002-04:00

It was a cold day in January when we noticed that some geese had stayed behind for the winter. I imagine food is scarce with snow on the ground, but these geese aren't so dumb. Just below the layer of snow on the lawn of Genesee Yacht Club is some good green grass. The geese decided to make our lawn their winter feeding grounds, leaving behind the turds they digested,

One of our members had explored the Internet and discovered a website with a device guaranteed to chase those pesky geese away. It was called "Goose-B-Gone" and sold by Absolute Bird Control, Inc. in Lake Forest California. This box had a digitally recorded warning in goose-talk that said "Don't come here... " It had a built-in speaker and promised to cover up to three acres, available as an option with two external speakers. The price of $195 covered the unit and the extra speakers were an extra $100.

This sounded like just the gadget we were looking for. I placed an order for the Goose-B-Gone (less the external speakers), and received the order a few days later. The unit was placed on our patio facing the river and left to squawk at our intruders.

It seemed to work, with the few geese remaining in the area looking for food, now going to the other side of the river, leaving us alone.

That brings us to the present. There are two families of geese that made our basin their home. One family has four chicks, and the other has six. They look so cute swimming up the river, but please stay away from our grass. No such luck. We now have goose poop everywhere. On the lawn, on the patio, even a few feet from the blaring Goose-B-Gone.

I called Absolute Bird Control today, asking what could I do. When I told them that was purchased in January, they said that the 30 day money back warranty was over, and there was nothing they could do. NOTHING! Of course they invited me to purchase the liquid to spread on the grass, but oh yes, that's another couple hundred dollars. Give me a break!

I wonder what other yacht clubs are doing with the geese problem. I know what it is like to visit a club only to find goose land mines everywhere. Hey... you can comment on this subject right here on this blog site. Please... give me hope.

Royal Clipper Cruise

2008-03-18T10:59:00.003-04:00

Hi gang... Checking in from Florida after returning from a terrific cruise on the clipper ship "Royal Clipper". I cannot say enough good things about this cruise. The weather was great, the people friendly, and the drinks yummy!

This gets the blood warmed up for the sailing season to start on Lake Ontario. We have some great cruising ideas this year and would like to hear from others with their cruising ideas.

Cheers... Ken & Ruth Palmer

Anchoring out near Sackets Harbor

2008-02-16T07:58:00.002-05:00

I check the Hunter Owners Web daily. The latest question is quoted below.

"We are just moving our boat to Lake Ontario for the first time & will be keeping her at Sacket Harbor. Any suggestions of good places to anchor out over long weekends? Any suggestions are welcome of good holding areas with protected harbors in case of weather. Thanks, Janice

Here is a link to that post if you would like to respond. CLICK HERE

Sailing is on my mind

2008-02-09T10:22:00.000-05:00

There may be snow on the ground, but my mind has been on sailing lately. I guess it started earlier this week when I attended a Hospice Regatta meeting. I am on the steering committee this year, so will be spending quite a bit of time helping out.

Revenues for the 2007 Regatta topped $100,000 for the first time, and net proceeds exceeded $90,000. Topping that will take extra effort from our committee as well as from the participants in the regatta. There will be a special "Cruising" fund raiser on August 15th, followed by a clambake dinner afterwards. The regatta and picnic will be August 16th, and the Rochester Race on August 17th. Last year's host was the Rochester Yacht Club with the Genesee Yacht Club hosting this year.

I am told that the Rochester Hospice is one of five on Lake Ontario. Hospice has touched many of our lives, and what a better way to help pay them back for the wonderful work they do. As you may know, the Hospice racers solicit sponsors for their boats. I hope that the folks that read my blog can help out this year by donating towards this very worthy cause.

I have received my docking contract from Shumway Marine, so it is only a couple months before launch. The date hasn't been set yet, but I am sure there is plenty of prep to do as usual. I am also active in the GYC Cruising Fleet and the Lake Ontario Hunter Sailing Association. GYC is planning a two week cruise the middle two weeks of July. Ruth, me, and Ernie the dog, will also be attending the LOHSA annual Hunter Rendezvous. This year the event is moving from the marina in Port Credit, to the Port Credit Yacht Club. There are always many that attend this annual event, and perhaps we have outgrown the Credit Village Marina. I hope that PCYC can try to keep the group together. That is the best part of a rendezvous; meeting other Hunter owners and swapping ideas and sailing stories.

One more thought before closing. This blog is an invitation for my readers to join in. Since it is a blog, and not a forum, you cannot initiate your own thread. However, if you submit a comment to any of my blogs, I can always start a new thread under a new subject. Please feel free to take the step and write a comment or two. Look for the "Comments" link below each of the blogs.

All of these rules are driving me nuts!

2008-02-04T13:31:00.000-05:00

It's that time of the year again. Time to research what is required for pleasure boats to cross Lake Ontario when entering the U.S.

You will not need a passport until June, 2009.

There have been many news stories about the new passport rule for air travelers, and the new identification rules for boaters. No doubt, it is official that if you enter the United States by air, you will need a passport. There are a few exceptions that you can read about on the Department of Homeland Security website.

Traveling to the U.S. by boat is another matter. U.S. citizens ages 19 and older must present documentation that proves both identity and citizenship. Identification documents must include a photo, name and date of birth.

Children ages 18 and under will only be required to present proof of citizenship, such as a birth certificate.

You can read about what documents are needed by visiting the CBP.gov website.

CBP has designated specific reporting locations within the Field Offices that are staffed during boating season for pleasure boats to report their arrival and be inspected by CBP. The master of the boat must report to CBP telephonically and be directed to the nearest Port of Entry to satisfy the face-to-face requirement, or report to the nearest designated reporting location along with the boat’s passengers for inspection.

There are three exceptions to the face-to-face inspection at a designated reporting location for Lake Ontario, NEXUS, Canadian Border Boat Landing Permit (I-68), and Outlying Area Reporting Stations (OARS).

The NEXUS Marine program is a joint Canada-U.S. initiative that offers facilitated customs and immigration clearance for recreational low-risk boaters entering either country through registration into the program. NEXUS is valid for 5 years and satisfies the boat operator’s legal requirement to report to a port-of-entry for face-to-face inspection in accordance with 8 CFR 235.1, but boaters must still phone in their arrival to satisfy 19 USC 1433.

The Canadian Border Boat Landing Permit (I-68) applicants for admission into the United States by small pleasure boats are inspected and issued an I-68 permit for the entire boating season. The I-68 permit allows boaters to enter the United States from Canada for recreational purposes with only the need to report to CBP by telephoning in their arrival.

Outlying Area Reporting System (OARS) is another norther border method for boaters to report entry to satisfy 19USC and 8CFR requirements into the United States from Canada. The OARS program uses videophones, typically located at public marinas, which boaters may use to report to CBP.

Don't forget the infamous decal. You need to purchase a decal if you operate a private vessel that is 30 feet or more in length that enters the United States.

Costs of the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) User Fees is $27.50 (U.S.) per calendar year for a vessel 30 feet or more in length. You can read all about this requirement by clicking here.

So, are you confused yet? It's not as bad as it may sound. I have heard a few horror stories when crossing, but by far most reports are possitive.

Read the Canadian side of the story. Click here.

Motor mount update

2008-01-21T16:04:00.001-05:00

I braved the 12 degree weather this morning and headed out to the boat. I took my camera with me to document the motor mounts (or isolators) and a notebook to write down dimensions. The two shown here are on the port side and easy to get to. The mounts on the starboard side are difficult to get to.

After driving home, I decided to call Hunter Marine for parts information and installation suggestions. They don't carry motor mounts at Hunter and suggested I call their supplier, Mastry Engine Center. They are not retail, and suggested I call Mack Boring. They were very helpful, giving me the correct Yanmar part number and the local suppliers. Joe even e-mailed me the spec sheet on the correct mount (they call it a shock absorber).

Hunter told me that the engine box was installed after the deck was placed, and that I should be able to take apart some of the wood panels for easier access.

I don't know... it still looks like a daunting job. I will have to think a bit more before tackling this project myself.

Winter work on your boat?

2008-01-17T13:58:00.000-05:00

I am told that winter is the best time to work on those boat projects that you thought about last year. Some folks own a sailboat and don't cruise or race; they love to think up new projects and spend the weekends working on their boats. I much rather sail in the summer.

My winter project is one that I don't feel that I can do myself. The engine needs new motor mounts and an alignment. I have hired the local Yanmar tech to do the work sometimes this winter. I can't imagine working on a boat in January or February. Too cold!

I got to thinking this morning as I read the newspaper stock report. I imagine the cost of having a tech replace my motor mounts would be about $450 for the four new mounts, and $700 to $1000 labor for installation and aligning the engine.

How hard can it be? All that I need to do is uncouple the shaft from the transmission and jack up the engine. After blocking the engine, remove the old mounts and install the new ones; lower the engine and align the coupling.

To verify my thoughts, I Googled key words and found the following website. Sleeping With Oars.

I guess it doesn't sound too difficult. Let's see if I can really save that labor cost.

Has anybody out the done before?

So... Do you have a winter project? Please click the "comment" link below and tell us all about it.

How has the low lake level affected you?

2008-01-11T14:17:00.000-05:00

The Great Lakes water levels have been hitting record lows. Some boaters had to haul their boats early for the winter, and others just got stuck in the mud. My yacht club is now having to dredge every two years because of the high amount of silt and the water levels being low.

Dredging isn't cheap. It costs thousands of dollars just getting the equipment to your docks. You have to have all of your paperwork in order, then decide how deep to dig and how long will it last. The final bill can be quite high if you dig down two or three feet.

Boating is becoming a truly expensive hobby. New boats are very expensive, fuel keeps going up, and your yacht club or marina has to dredge more often. Your boat dock now cost much more if you plan on dredging again in a couple years.

Join in this discussion with your views.

General questions to sailors of Lake Ontario

2008-01-04T08:53:00.000-05:00

This thread should be used to ask your fellow Lake Ontario questions. Such as:

Yacht club recommendations
Marina recommendations
Sailboat chartering
Introduce yourself
Tell us about your boat