Come for the Boating Education… Stay for the FriendsSM Official Publication of District 6 Fall 2016 Table of Contents Commander’s Corner Commander’s Corner ........................... 1 From the District Executive Officer ...... 3 By D/C William Herrick, JN From the District Administrative After a beautiful summer we Officer ................................................. 4 head into what will hopefully be Education Corner ................................ 5 a tolerable winter; enough snow to replenish our water, but not District 6 Membership Committee Report ................................................. 6 so cold we break the bank staying warm. Good things From Around the District (and Beyond) 7 have been happening in the USPS Marketing Committee Releases Ads ...................................................... 9 Power Squadron world since last we read. Rendezvous With A Raccoon! ............. 10 New Dock Transporter ....................... 11 The annual Governing Board was held in Pittsburgh the end of Susquenango Sail & Power Squadron’s New Facebook Group ......................... 14 August and positive results from the investment we’ve been making to improve our marketing and recognition were Susquenango’s Summer Sailings ....... 15 revealed there. A series of print ads have been released and District 6 Fall Conference Keynote Speakers ........................................... 17 will be placed in boating magazines to encourage recreational boaters to learn about us. They’re subtle and attractive. Letters to the Editor ........................... 18 Frankly they’re not what we would produce for a national The Editor’s Editorial ......................... 19 market, but that’s probably why we don’t earn our keep District Calendar ............................... 21 gauging what sells to the mass market. The ads don’t lay out Addenda: District 6 Fall Conference who/what we are; they project a serene image of relaxed Information boaters with simple tag lines to stimulate curiosity to Conference Menu ........................... 22 discover United States Power Squadrons. Meal Reservation Form .................. 23 Another significant release was the announcement of the Conference Reservation Instructions Digital Media Library. Produced this year exclusively with ..................................................... 24 Power Squadron talent – one of whom is a retired NBC sports Hotel Room Reservation Form ........ 25 producer - the media, videos, slides, audio, images, are online and accessible to everyone. There’s a fair amount of material online now with more coming. The library serves a dual purpose. It serves as a resource for us as educators and piques peoples’ interest in who we are and encourages them to seek us out, either physically or electronically. The Deep 6 Page 1 of 25 United States Power Squadrons® The Boating Simulator Virtual Trainer was put to use in District in September and received rave The Deep 6 Published four times a year by District 6 of United States reviews. The commander of USCGAux Flotilla 2-2, Power Squadrons. Gene Little, who is also District 6’s USCGAux Liason District Commander officer, had a BSVT in Dunkirk during the USCGAux D/C William A. Herrick, JN—Susquenango District 9ER’s D-Train event. Gene was assisted by Binghamton, NY Seneca’s Commander, Mark Erway, and they 607-723-4818 [email protected] reported that everyone who tried the unit was very Executive Officer impressed with the unit’s capabilities. It should be D/Lt/C Jeffrey Freedman, AP-CN—Syracuse noted that one of the “navigators” who was Syracuse, NY impressed was Rear Admiral June E. Ryan, District [email protected] Commander of the U.S. Coast Guard Ninth District, Educational Officer the Guardians of the Great Lakes. Admiral Ryan’s D/1st/Lt Ken Green, AP – Syracuse 315-682-9604 command covers the five Great Lakes, the St. [email protected] Lawrence Seaway and includes 1500 miles of Assistant Educational Officer international border and 6000 active duty, reserve, [Position vacant] civilian and auxiliary men and women. Many thanks [email protected] to Gene for his continued work to encourage and Administrative Officer expand the relationship between the U.S Coast D/Lt/C Nancy Bieber, S—Susquenango [email protected] Guard Auxiliary and United States Power Squadrons. Secretary D/Lt/C Alvin Carmon, JN—Syracuse National has begun to reach out to the Districts to Canastota, NY get more feedback about the state of Power 315-247-2985 [email protected] Squadrons. Prior to the Governing Board, District Treasurer Commanders were surveyed to compile a list of D/Lt/C Ed Sanders, P—Ithaca questions and comments for presentation to the Interlaken, NY Board of Directors. Those results were delivered in 607-227-7592 [email protected] Pittsburgh and as a partial result the board has asked District Commanders to survey their The Deep 6 Staff Squadron Commanders with results to be presented Editor to the Board in February at the next Annual D/Lt Tom Alley, SN—Seneca Meeting. There won’t be a formal survey – it’s Big Flats, NY 607-562-3909 completely ad hoc, filtered to eliminate [email protected] redundancies, but wide open. Editor Emeritus Fall Conference is almost upon us. One of the P/R/C Richard E. Ashley, SN—Syracuse pleasures of the Fall Conference is awarding 50-year The opinions expressed in The Deep 6 are those of the plaques to members who have displayed a authors and do not necessarily represent those of United States Power Squadrons or of District 6. commitment that few of us will be able to emulate. This year we’ll honor George McKinney from Lockport, Rochester’s Frank D’Aurizio and George Leavitt, and Niagara’s Richard Nixon. Please get your room and meal reservations in as soon as you can. We have some really interesting speakers and it’s always rejuvenating to visit with our Power Squadron brethren. - Bill Page 2 of 25 The Deep 6 Fall 2016 From the District Executive Officer By D/Lt/C Jeffrey Freedman, AP-CN Joint 2017 Rendezvous with historic Fort Henry, waterfront walkway, and a vibrant downtown filled with great pubs and Kingston Power & Sail restaurants. The marina closest to downtown is Squadron. Confederation Basin. Sail charters are Following a meeting in available in Olympic Harbor. Clayton, NY, with Bill and From Kingston, we can then proceed on a May Corcoran, Past powerboat cruise up the Rideau Canal. To help Commander and current celebrate Canada’s 150th birthday, Parks Commander, respectively, of Canada is providing free lockage on the Rideau the Kingston Power & Sail Canal in 2017. Seasonal lockage in 2016 was Squadron (KPSS), boaters from CDN$8.80/ft, amounting to a savings in 2017 D6 will be invited to a summer rendezvous and of over CDN$300 for a 36-foot cruiser. The picnic in July 2017 to be held at Whistler’s Bay Rideau Canal is a 125-mile scenic waterway on Treasure Island, located at the Kingston end from Kingston to Ottawa, Canada’s capital. The of the Bateau Channel. The Bateau Channel Rideau Canal is designated as a National runs from the Canadian Channel near Historic Site of Canada, a Canadian Heritage Gananoque, Ontario in the Thousand Islands River, and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Only to Kingston. Treasure Island is not actually an about 10% of the length of the Rideau Canal is island, but rather a peninsula on the north side man-made cuts and locks; the rest is lakes and of the Bateau Channel near Kingston. Thus, natural waterways. The Rideau Canal, built access to the rendezvous site can be by car or between 1826 and 1832, has 45 locks in 23 by RV as well as by boat. lockstations along the main route. Most of the Syracuse Sail & Power Squadron (SSPS) locks are still operated by hand. The canal member Jim Scherzi has attended this annual passes though urban, rural and natural Rendezvous of the KPSS for the past three landscapes. Ample boating services and quaint years, and he facilitated the recent meeting in towns are along the route. Parks Canada does Clayton. As co-chair of the SSPS Binnacle a wonderful job of providing relevant Island committee, Jim has forged a close information and making all visitors to the relationship with the KPSS by offering SSPS’s Rideau Canal feel welcome. Binnacle Island cottage to Canadian Power Squadron members each year after the deadline for reservations for SSPS and D6 2018 Joint Rendezvous in Thousand Islands. members has passed. In recent years, KPSS Following our joint D6/KPSS rendezvous at has taken Binnacle Island for one week and Treasure Island near Kingston in 2017, and made the cottage and dock available to its post-Rendezvous cruise, we plan to hold a members during that week. Individual second joint D6/KPSS rendezvous during the members of KPSS then became familiar with summer of 2018 in the Thousand Islands, Binnacle Island, and then started to use it, either in Clayton or in Alexandria Bay. With thereby helping SSPS to achieve nearly full Rendezvous attendance declining as D6 occupancy of Binnacle Island during the members age and migrate south, it makes summer boating season. sense to try to boost the number of attendees at our Rendezvous by joining with our neighboring power squadron in Kingston. 2017 Post-Rendezvous Cruise to Kingston and So make sure your passports are up to date, Rideau Canal. and let me know of your potential interest in Following the 2017 joint D6/KPSS rendezvous, participating in the joint D6/KPSS Rendezvous attendees may want to visit Kingston with its at Treasure Island in July 2017, and the post- The Deep 6 Page 3 of 25 United States Power Squadrons® rendezvous cruise to Kingston and the Rideau More specific information will be forthcoming Canal. as details become available. Call at 315-446- 6329 or email to [email protected]. - Jeff From the District Administrative Officer By D/Lt/C Nancy Bieber, P methods can help you.