Charleston Race Week is an annual premier regatta for inshore and offshore racing sailboats 20′ – 70′ in length and is organized by the South Carolina Maritime Foundation and Charleston Ocean Racing Association. The 16th edition of this event, the fastest growing regatta on the east coast, will be held April 14-17, 2011, headquartered at the Charleston Harbor Resort & Marina in Mount Pleasant, South Carolina. < http://www.charlestonraceweek.com/ >

The South Carolina Maritime Foundation owns and operates the Spirit of South Carolina tall ship. The Foundation’s mission is to create opportunities for life-changing experiences resulting in leaders for tomorrow’s communities. Since its first season of programming in 2007, over 6,000 students have been served. With the support of local partnerships, the South Carolina Maritime Foundation is able to generate funds to keep these exceptional programs in place. Visit www.SCMaritime.org for more information.

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The 30 strong Rolex Commodores’ Cup fleet shot off east down the Solent this morning with the wind and tide but under a grey rain-filled sky at the start of their high points scoring offshore race. The course for the 10 teams is full of zigzags taking them first out towards Selsey Bill while tonight they will be heading west along the bottom of the Isle of Wight en route for a mark off Poole Harbour. At this point the three classes will race slightly different courses before the run back east tomorrow morning that should see them finishing off a line to the west of Portsmouth Harbour sometime tomorrow afternoon.

At 17.00 BST Simon Henning’s Alice II, a Farr 45, and the longest, highest rated yacht in the race, was approaching the Owers turning mark, the easternmost on the course, while the chasing pack were spread five to thirty-nautical miles astern of her. It seems likely that Alice II will steal a march on her Class 1 rivals, as her rounding of the Owers should coincide with the tide turning westbound, while those behind will face a further hour or two punching into it. Already Alice II in the GBR White team looks to be leading the big boat class on corrected time.

The absent Géry Trentesaux, the Frenchman who was instrumental in his country winning the Rolex Commodores’ Cup in 2006 and 2002, would be proud. The First 40, Coup de Coeur, he co-owns with UNCL Commodore Marc de Saint Denis was leading Class 2 on handicap at 17.00 BST as part of the France Blue team. Meanwhile, in Class 3, it was the turn of the Hong Kong team to head the standings, with Christopher Opielok’s Corby 36, Rockall III.

The latest positions from the racecourse indicate that the Irish team is not only still leading overall in the 2010 Rolex Commodores’ Cup, but they have extended their lead albeit marginally. The 17.00 BST sched showed Anthony O’Leary’s Antix second among the big boats, David Dwyer’s marinerscove.ie second in the mid-sized fleet and Robert Davies’ Roxy 6 second among the small boats. With these results the Irish team would be on 44.5 points ahead of France Blue and Hong Kong tied in second on 71.5. GBR Red holds fourth on 86.5, followed by France Yellow in fifth.

In the small boat class, Marc Alperovitch’s A-35 Prime Time in France Yellow was holding fifth. Alperovitch said he had been pleased with their progress. Heading down the eastern Solent they had seen 20 knots but late in the afternoon the wind had dropped to 14 knots – less than forecast. “It has dropped earlier than planned,” he reported. “Normally when the wind drops we should have a clear sky, but that is not the case at all. But maybe there is less pressure.”

Just ahead of them, the crew on board Jim Macgregor’s Elan 410 Premier Flair, lying seventh on handicap, were contemplating the night ahead and the lumpy conditions this evening heading west with the wind against the tide. “It was quite unpleasant earlier: wet and windy and horrible – good British summertime stuff,” commented crew woman Jody Slater adding that on board they were seeing 16 knots from the southwest. “It is quite pleasant now. The wave action is a little uncomfortable, but apart from that is all right. It has stopped raining, which I am deeply happy about. Tonight hopefully won’t be too unpleasant. It is supposed to be wind against tide. Unfortunately as one of the people taking seasickness pills, I don’t look forward to the beating.”

Owner Jim Macgregor had not managed to achieve his plan to use his boat’s longer waterline length to shake off the smaller Corby designs. Macgregor, who pilots ships in and out of Poole harbour for a living and is father of the World Match Racing No.1 Lucy, said prior to the start that his crew, including Olympic 470 sailor Ben Saxton, comprised mostly inshore sailors. “Hopefully we’ll stay awake tonight!”

This morning Simon Shaw, skipper on Michael Williamson’s Summit 40 White Heat, the big boat in GBR Red, walked the course. “At around 5-6pm we get as far east as we are going to go and then it will be a long 12 hour beat all the way to Weymouth for us, around the back of the island. The tide is with us initially and then we are against on the mainland shore just under the Needles, so there will be a lot of tidal strategy in those areas and around Poole.

“It is going to be a really dark night. It is going to be wet – for us that beat is going to be the focus of the race really and the ability of crews to keep their boats trucking through the evening period. Our boat is a little tweaky so it will be doubly hard for us to keep it on the numbers in that environment.” Shaw reckoned that they might rotate the helm and the main sheet trimmer to ensure they remained alert. They are expecting the wind to veer from the southwest back into the northwest tonight before settling back into the southwest tomorrow.

This evening as the teams prepare for a sleepless night on the rail, the British crews will be picturing the French teams sitting down below for a lavish dinner. In fact, the British might be getting the better deal. On White Heat they have a casserole to heat up for dinner, which will be eaten from dog bowls. On Prime Time Marc Alperovitch says they will be eating less palatable freeze-dried. “I love it – it reminds me of the Rolex Fastnet!”

Two yachts have retired to date: Cracklin Rosie (Class 1) and Artemis (Class 2) both from GBR Black.

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MARINNO´s “EXTURN” for simple maneuvering

Compact, practical, high-performance. MARINNO’s external bow and stern thruster “EXTURN” – an innovation combining functionality and luxury beyond any comparison.

A well-known problem
Since ever, bow thrusters have been a practical and popular steering aid to facilitate maneuvering in narrow ports or under difficult conditions. The purchase of a bow thruster, however, is mostly connected with substantial expenditure and numerous disadvantages. How much space is needed in the interior of the ship? What assembly work and costs to expect? How long is the downtime of the boat while the bow thruster is
being installed? Does the boat have the necessary hull shape to install a bow thruster at all? These are only some of the questions which often lead to only one answer: The boat owner decides against the installation of a bow thruster. Up to now. Because the Austrian enterprise “MARINNO maritime innovations” specialized in innovative boat equipment, offers a simple, economical alternative for more safety and comfort: EXTURN – The
external bow and stern thruster.

External bow and stern thruster EXTURN
The term “external bow and stern thruster” already suggests the fundamental advantages of this new
technology. The complete thruster mechanism was reduced to a minimum size and moved to the outside;
ideally streamlined. Instead of – as before – putting a transverse channel in the bow of the ship, which is cost-intensive and takes up much room, the EXTURN thruster is mounted by one threaded bolt which is designed as a hollow shaft and serves as the cable run. An enclosed mounting kit for any kind of hull gives EXTURN the necessary stability. Thus, the required space in the interior of the boat, the assembly work and assembly costs are reduced to a minimum.

Unique flexibility
With its cross section starting from 6.5 inch, with 22 inch length, the EXTURN thruster is mountable onto every place of the hull and every hull shape (v-hull, fl at hull, etc.) in only a few hours, even during the season. This provides unprecedented flexibility to both sailboats and motorboats. Optimal efficiency is reached by the extremely short transverse channel of the thruster. The engines are cooled and protected against overheating
as they are in water, which also keeps engine noise to a minimum. MARINNO offers models starting from 44 lbf to 265 lbf, in 12V and 24V variants and for boats up to a length of 66 feet. The EXTURN thruster can be controlled optional by touch panel, joystick or radio remote control.

Unequaled safety and comfort
“The external bow thruster was originally developed for our own needs, to guarantee more safety and comfort,” reveals boat freak Hubert Holesz, MARINNO shareholder and responsible for R+D. “However, it worked so well that we wanted to also offer it to other boat lovers and hobby sailors. All tested boats kept course much more easily and ran at higher levels. Also, any kind of port maneuvers, no matter in which weather, represented no more problems,” says Holesz. Thus, the EXTURN bow and stern thruster bridges
perfectly functionality and luxury for affordable expenditure. This combination of safety and comfort remains unequaled by all other well-known systems.

Maritime Innovations
With its external thruster EXTURN, MARINNO begins a whole series of new and convenience-oriented products, which, in the near future, will provide much joy for sailors, not only at sea, but also when easily and independently rigging their “jewel”. Further information, all technical details and current news, can be found at
www.exturnusa.com

As harbors become more crowded and boats are getting bigger it becomes more difficult to maneuver safely and accidents are likely to increase. A thruster makes docking easier and safer, because it gives the captain more control over the boat and makes a ship or boat more maneuverable. With the right bow or stern thruster installed it is possible to turn the vessel to port or starboard without using the main drive.

When choosing the right thruster for your boat it is important to consider a few basic guidelines by asking yourself the following questions.

• What’s better, a bow or stern thruster?
• What kind of thruster is best for my boat?
• How much money do I want to spend for a thruster?
• How long will it take to install a thruster?
• How much space do I need in the boat interior to install a thruster?
• What is the maximum runtime of the thruster?
• How efficient is the thruster?
• What about the noise, how loud is the thruster?
• What kind of warranty comes with the thruster?
• How easy or complicated is it to repair the thruster if it needs to fixed?

What’s better, a bow or stern thruster?

This is the first thing you should decide as this will further impact the price and installation of the thruster. If you only want to install one thruster and space is not an issue, you should decide on a bow thruster, given that your main drive is at stern. A bow thruster will provide you better control and maneuverability and is more efficient than at stern. Unless you have a very large yacht or a houseboat one thruster at the bow is enough. If you own a houseboat a second thruster installed at the stern is sure nice to have. The added control provided by a stern thruster helps you to avoid accidents while docking.

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• Take a boating course

Ask the county water police, natural resources police, coast guard or the US power squadron for a free boating course.

• Be aware of climate changes

Check the weather forecasts in the morning before any excursion. Weather can change very quickly therefore keep an eye on the sky while you’re on the water. Pay attention to darkening skies, increasing winds, lightning, or the sound of distant thunder. Bad weather conditions can cause all kinds of dangerous situations for boaters, and if you are caught, reduce speed and proceed with caution. Most PW’s handle best if you head into the waves at about a 45 degree angle.

• Check out the local boating laws

The boating laws are important and different in every area.

• Swimmer

Once on a boat you should know to swim at least 20min in open water. If you don’t know, learn it. Swim courses are offered by the American red cross or local YMCA’s. Ask your passengers to use life safe equipment if they are no-swimmers before leaving the dock. Cold water of less than 70 degrees causes the body to lose heat faster than it can produce it. If you fall overboard and you can’t get out, huddle with your knees to your chest, wrap your arms around your legs and clasp your hands together. Otherwise remain as still as possible.

• Safety basics

Make a safety check list and check-off before boating. Share your safety experience with your passengers. The list should always begin with; tell somebody where you’ll be and when you will return. If you run into problems this will help authorities to find you. Never go out alone.

• Crowded areas

Slow down and be aware for the effects of your boat’s wake. Make sure you know the “rules of the road”.

• Skipper

Appoint someone as the skipper of the boat, who pledges not to drink in order to safely drive the boat and its passengers to shore. The skipper of a boat is responsible for safety and all of his passengers, even if he is not the boat owner.

• Non alcoholic drinks on board

Drink enough water to avoid dehydration. The responsible skipper must not drink alcohol. Moderation and good sense are the keys to a safe and enjoyable boating experience for all. Longer boating trips, exposure to noise, sun, glare and wind can produce a human fatigue and dehydration condition that can affect your balance, vision, judgment and reaction time and can increase your risk of an accident.

• Caution near swimmers and water skiers

Waves and sun reflections can hide swimmers, divers, in the water. Slow down speed and cruise the boat in a short-term.

• Boating party

You’ll all have a better time if others are encouraged in your party and everybody follows the safety procedures. Don’t exceed the load limit even if the boat is anchoring. Your invitation should include to use tennis shoes for grip on deck and carry any kind of coat in case of low temperature.

• Help others

If you locate distress signals do not hesitate to help. If someone is in trouble in the water, use elementary rescue methods first, such as throwing something that floats to the victim. Only as a least resort should you ever enter the water to save someone. Even then, take a buoyand object with you. As a boater you are obligated to render assistance to someone in distress. First aid trainings are offered by American Red Cross, National Safety Council and other local agencies.

Manatees, sometimes referred to as sea cows and believed to be the origin of the mermaid myths, are believed to be making a comeback.  Though frequently seen in the warmer waters of Florida, Charleston does see its share of these marine mammals as well.  In the summer, manatees tend to migrate north from Florida, and there are approximately 75 to 100 sightings each year in South Carolina.  Presently, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is recommending its status to be downgraded to threatened from endangered, however many of these slow moving creatures are severely injured and or killed by propeller boat strikes each year.  When boating, please not only vigilant of potential boating hazards, but of these protected gentle creatures as well.            

The number of alligators has doubled since they were listed as a federal Endangered Species in the 1970s.  Our local population along the coast, coincidently, has more than doubled as well.

The Department of Natural Resources, DNR, receives approximately 500 to 700 gator complaints per year, but roughly one out of five of the alligators pose a threat to residents and or their pets. 

Fortunately, there has never been a fatal alligator attack in South Carolina. Even though the density of alligators in South Carolina coastal wetlands rivals that in Florida or Louisiana, there have only been eight attacks in the last 28 years.  Nearly all were provoked by people trying to feed or catch one of the retiles.

Please keep in mind the following laws regarding coming in to contact with alligators:

– It’s illegal to feed an alligator.

– It’s illegal to harass an alligator.

– Only DNR-approved trappers are permitted to catch alligators.

Many people are aware of the world class fishing in the Gulfstream offshore from Charleston. Going out on those massive and expensive deep sea fishing boats, sitting in the fitting chair, and trolling through open ocean can be a blast. But it’s usually an all day excursion, you’re waking up at the crack of dawn to make it out there at a reasonable time, there isn’t too much to see except just open rolling ocean, and filling the gas tank of those boats is mighty expensive.

Inshore fishing locally, I find, is a lot more enjoyable and flexible for everyone. There are a variety of fish you can catch around the scenic Charleston harbor, intra-coastal waterway, and the surrounding barrier islands. Depending on the season, you can expect to catch Redfish, Speckled Sea Trout, Southern Flounder, Sheepshead, Black Drum, and a variety of tough fighting sharks to name a few. And usually just a short boat ride away, you can always take a break or wind down your day at one of the many watering holes along Shem Creek, the intra-coastal, or wherever you might find yourself around Charleston. Of course, don’t forget to bring your valid saltwater fishing license.

I think it’s very likely that DNR, the Department of Natural Resources, will stop you at least once while on the water.  Well, the probability of being stopped, boarded, and checked by DNR is a lot more likely if you are perhaps a little bit younger looking, have many people on the boat, and look like you are having a “good time.”  I learned this lesson early on growing up in Charleston, SC.  Flashing sirens, guns in holster, Click to continue →

Running aground can not only damage your boat and engine, it can get you stuck for a very long time..  Know the tides.  As I became more confident in my boat and what it could do, I began exploring our local tidal creeks.  Finding the perfect fishing spot or scoping out a potential creek where one could wake board undisturbed away from the crowds, can be a lot of fun.  Time flys by if your not paying attention.

One afternoon, I explored a waterway far away from the intracoastal for quite a while.  Before I realized how far into the creek I was and how much time had passed, I began to hit bottom.  It was by then too late.  The tide was rushing out of the creek to fast, and I simply didn’t have enough time to get out into deeper water.   I not only had to wait almost 6 hours until the tide came back in, I received the sunburn of my life and clogged my engine with pluff mud.  Luckily, I was able to blow out the mud, saving my engine from overheating, and I motored home with having learned a valuable lesson.  Always know the schedule of the tides and be aware of how that my effect you when boating in shallow waters.

stuck in the mud..