333 West Harbor Dr.
San Diego, CA 92101
Telephone:
619-230-8955
Office Hours:
Monday -Saturday
8:00am - 5:00pm
Sunday
9:30am - 6:00pm
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619-234-1500 ext. 6100
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619-230-8368
E-mail Address:
ken.guyer@marriott.com
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From
Your Marina Manager and Staff
Welcome to the February 2009 Marriott Marina newsletter.
The San Diego Boat Show has come and gone, and it was a great success. Things at the docks are back to normal. Many thanks to everybody who helped get things done for the show.
Welcome New Marina Team Member
We are pleased to have a real veteran of the Marriott join our team. Del Towne is working with Laura and Marina Campos as a marina attendant.
These are the great people who keep the marina restrooms, laundry, and docks clean and neat. Del has been with the San Diego Marriott Hotel and Marina for almost 19 years. Many of our marina guests will recognize him from when he was an assistant at poolside.
Del is a very energetic and hard worker. He really seems to like his new assignment and being outside interacting with our marina guests. His message to you all is to please call on him if you need anything.
About Turning In An Unneeded Parking Card - Please Turn It In To The Marina Office
If you are turning in a parking card you no longer need, please turn it into the marina office and get a receipt for it.
When you do, we can trace the card and you have documentation when it was turned in. If you turn it in to the Ace Parking office and there is a problem with being billed after it was turned in, you will have to rectify it with Ace.
Also, please check your billing monthly for proper charges. We have had guests who have been billed for parking cards they believe they turned in. It is more difficult to retrace the billing and give you the proper credit the longer it is before you discover a potential error.
SAVE WATER!!!
Please be sure your water hose is secure before leaving your vessel for any period of time. Make sure it is not leaking while you are using it. Leaks come from old or missing washers at the connections, or small leaks in the hose. It can also be the hose bib at your dock box. In the case of a hose bib leak, please let the marina office know ASAP so we can repair it.
Also make sure your boat workers know to secure the water completely when they are done washing your vessel. Dripping water is a waste and causes damage to the wood around your slip. PLEASE NEVER LEAVE WATER HOSES UNDER PRESSURE CONNECTED TO YOUR VESSEL WHEN YOU ARE GONE FOR LONG PERIODS OF TIME.
If you have any questions, please contact the marina office. 619-230-8955.
That's it for me - enjoy the newsletter and I'll see you at the marina.
Yours Truly,
Ken Guyer - Marina Manager
ken.guyer@marriott.com
Down to the Wire - More About Zincs
- By Brett Dingerson
"Do zincs really work?" - The answer is a resounding yes! An oversimplification about how they work has to do with the fact that zinc is low man on the metal food chain, so zinc anodes are "sacrificed" in a process called galvanic corrosion. Investing in zinc therefore will save you laying out a bigger investment in eroding bronze, stainless steel, props, shafts, rudder shafts, thru-hulls, and all the other more expensive words in a mariner's vocabulary.
"How long should my zincs last?" - Every boat has a different demand for zinc anodes to maintain proper protection, but a properly bonded, painted, and maintained boat with properly sized zincs should expect annual replacement. If you're experiencing dramatically shorter zinc life span, there is probably something that needs to be corrected.
One reader asked, "My boat is on a mooring ball, not in a marina, and I also think my zincs are disappearing too fast." One possible reason - fast currents can accelerate zinc usage. This could even be a factor with your slip location in your marina. If you think this may be a factor with your boat, try positioning the zinc in a more protected area. Bonding your boat will also protect you from any onboard stray currents and eliminate those issues.
"I have heard that if you don't use mil-spec zincs, they won't work." - You don't have to use zinc at all for a sacrificial anode, but that's a subject that doesn't matter to the average boater. If you buy a zinc from a qualified marine store it will be "mil-spec" and you can use it.
"I didn't know that if my neighbor's boat's zincs are gone, his stray current could start eating my zincs away - is that true? - How far away can current like that stray?"
Zinc life span and stray current are two separate subjects. If your neighbor's zincs are gone and you are properly isolated it's not going to affect you. If your neighbor has stray current and you are properly bonded and isolated, that's not a problem either. Electrical currents can travel from one end of a marina to the other, but are certainly more severe if you allow your boat to be a piece of the puzzle. So, isolate your boat and bond your boat and you'll be in good shape.
"I understand that one cause of fast zinc erosion is that I may have reverse polarity on one of my 110 volt devices." - That's definitely true, but reverse polarity can also kill you; so the zincs are the least of your problem - get that situation repaired immediately!
Editor's Note: Brett Dingerson has over 25 years experience as a marine electrician, with a specialty in marine galvanic corrosion protection. He has worked with a wide range of sailing and power vessels and is the owner of San Diego-based Marine Electric. If you have an electrical question for Brett, send e-mail to brett@BlueSkyNews.com
From The Inside - We're All In The Business of Selling
- By Gus Giobbi
Whether it be selling your time, a product, a service, or trying to sell an idea, a good deal of selling is about enduring long periods of rejection with the confidence of knowing that if you shoot a thousand bullets, you're bound to eventually get a few birds.
In tough economic times like these, everybody has to work harder to make their numbers; especially in the boating market.
That said, this is an excellent time to dust off the 'ol basics of selling rules and do a refresher. Here's my personal top 10 check list for you other peddlers out there.
1) Are you talking to the person who can sign the order? Are you sure you know the answer to that question? If you haven't asked; you don't!
2) If you're not talking with somebody who has the authority to sign the order, is your message reaching the person who can sign the order? If your message is blocked from reaching the decision-maker for any reason, you don't have a prospect.
3) Have you qualified the prospect? Don't waste your time with wishful thinking. Do they want it; need it; and can they afford it?
4) Have you adequately explained the benefits of what you're selling? Don't assume the prospect magically understands what you can do for them and why yours is better than the competition.
5) Have you overcome the prospect's objections? Don't even think about continuing on with your sales pitch if the prospect has told you he "doesn't think he wants to buy your widget because...". Overcome the objections; or move on to the next prospect.
6) Have you answered all of the prospect's questions? Did they ask you if your widget comes in chartreuse? Ignore questions at your peril.
7) Have you asked the prospect if there are any unanswered questions? If so, repeat steps 5 and 6 over and over until you ask this question and they say, "No, I don't have any more questions."
8) Have you asked for the order? The minute number 7 is out of the way, that's the time to ask if there's any reason why the order couldn't be signed. This is when you'll find out if the prospect has been sandbagging some objections or still has some unanswered questions. If so, go back to step 6.
9) Have you made it easy to order? The prospect said he'd sign the order! Congratulations! Oooops -Did you forget to bring a pen? Did you forget to bring a contract? If a prospect has to do more than sign his or her name and write a check, you have not made it easy enough to order.
10) Is the money in the bank? It's not? Then have a quiet celebration and keep your mouth shut until it is! There's a million things that can go wrong between getting an order and the check clearing the bank.
Happy hunting! Remember, money never goes away - it just changes hands. The salesman's job is to find out who has it today!
Coast Guard Auxiliary "Tip" of the Month
- By Bob Simons
The Coast Guard reminds boat owners that as of February 1st, 2009, only digital 406 MHz emergency beacons will be monitored.
This phasing out of analog 121.5/243 MHz beacons has been in the works since 2000. The change affects all maritime beacons, including emergency position-indicating radio beacons and personal-locator beacons.
Beacons are mandatory for commercial boats, but the Coast Guard recommends that all boaters use them.
Search-and-rescue crews rely on these beacons when they hunt for lost boaters. Satellites home in on distress signals sent by activated beacons and help pinpoint the boat's location.
This new beacons are more reliable and more accurate than the old ones, and they have fewer false alarms.
Editor's Note: Bob Simons has been in the Coast Guard Auxiliary for thirty years and owns a small sailboat as well as a small powerboat. He teaches classes in Boating Safety & Seamanship as well as Basic and Advanced Coastal Navigation. Bob is also the co-owner of Seabreeze Books and Charts in Point Loma. You can send an e-mail to Bob at bobsimons@BlueSkyNews.com.
Coming Back to San Diego in May? - Red Bull Air Race
The Red Bull Air Race is tentatively scheduled to return to San Diego on Saturday and Sunday, May 9th & 10th.
We'll have more details for you in the March newsletter, but in the meantime you can click here to check their web site.
Between The Sheets - About Your Diesel Engine and Low Sulfur and Soy Fuel
- By Richard Benscoter
As the sulfur content in diesel fuel has been reduced, there are many questions, rumors and speculation on what the long term affect this fuel will have on our engines.
I for one believe the effect will be a non-event occurrence like when we did away with leaded gas for our cars. This is very evident on the freeways today as there are a considerable number of older cars still on the road that were built before the advent of no lead auto fuel
Low sulfur fuel is here to stay - so what does low sulfur mean to me?
Low sulfur diesel produces less corrosive substances in the engine, less air pollution and slightly less lubricity. Accordingly, additives have been added to increase lubrication qualities. Low sulfur diesel is simply oil that has had a larger percentage of sulfur removed from it. It is still composed of the various hydrocarbons that normal diesel is composed of, but with less sulfur than previously.
Since sulfur in a hydrocarbon product is a contaminant, removing it will not have any effect on the storage in your fuel tank, and less sulfuric acid will be formed in the engine sludge after combustion. Less sulfur equals less sulfuric acid in the engine sludge, which equals longer engine life - a very good thing for boaters!
I have used a blend of Soy Diesel at 20/80 (20% soy, 80% diesel) for a few years with no ill effect. In the testing literature provided by the manufacturer, the particulate reduction is about 31% from 100% diesel and 21% percent carbon monoxide and 47% hydrocarbons. Soy diesel also has greater lubricating qualities which will lessen wear on fuel system parts - an important benefit - less wear equals less money spent on engine fuel system repairs.
Besides lessening the carbon footprint of your boat, that black exhaust trail left on your boat after motoring to Catalina will be gone, and the smell of diesel exhaust will change to sweet odor.
Soy is considerably safer than diesel for on board storage as soy diesel is all but impossible to ignite; is biodegradable, and a very low toxicity if ingested.
If you plan to try a soy diesel blend check with your engine manufacturer before you proceed. Each engine manufacturer uses different materials in their injector pump seals and system parts, and they may not be compatible with Soy diesel.
See you on the water.
Editor's Note: Richard Benscoter is a long time avid sailor. He's a member of the Silver Gate Yacht Club and owner of the Mariners Woodshop. If you have a sailing question for Richard, send e-mail to richard@BlueSkyNews.com.
From The Sea Bag - What's In Your On-Board Library?
-By Frank Mowry
Having time to read is a perk we cruisers enjoy, and while on-board nautical libraries vary in content, they generally contain the "must have" technical manuals which guide us through the intricacies of the diesel engine and instruct us how to arrive at San Miguel and not San Pedro; and the "fun to have" which entertain and shorten the long hours downwind when neither wind nor sea state has changed in days.
What follows, are some of my favorites in both categories. Nigel Calder's "Cruising Handbook" has been called "the essential guide for choosing, equipping, and sailing coastal or offshore cruising boats", and I would heartily agree. Mr. Calder has written other helpful books including "How to Read a Nautical Chart" and "Boat Owners Mechanical and Electrical Manual".
The Southern California cruiser should also get to know Brian Fagan. His "Cruising Guide to Central and Southern California" and "Staying Put", an anchoring monograph, are excellent resource documents.
The Southern California Cruisers Guide by the Santa Monica Restoration Commission, contains a wealth of information about major destinations in our cruising area including drawings and superb aerial photographs of major harbors. Another cruising guide of merit is Margo and Charles Wood's "Charts of the US Pacific Coast". Paper charts (and knowing how to apply them) covering your areas of travel should be on all cruising boats. The mantra "never depend on a single navigational method" should not be taken lightly! To compliment your paper charts, Frank Larkin's "Basic Coastal Navigation" contains easy to understand instruction.
But enough of the technical stuff! The cruiser doesn't live by fixes alone! How 'bout the fun stuff to read while underway or bobbing on the hook. By its nature this list is long as your arm and very subjective.
Among the works I favor are Patrick O'Brien's historical novels about the British Navy during the Napoleonic Wars. This is fascinating stuff and written with riveting prose that keeps the reader returning for all 22 volumes! Nicholas Monsarrat's "The Cruel Sea" is a nail biter about sailors in the North Atlantic during WWII.
For the history buff, I can recommend John Keegan's "The Price of Admiralty". He discusses in some detail the four major naval battles that helped change the course of modern history: Trafalgar, The Battle of Jutland, The Battle of Midway, and The Battle of the North Atlantic.
The volumes mentioned and many more "sea stories" can be obtained form Captain Ann at Seabreeze Books and Charts in Point Loma. So much to read, so little time! If you have a favorite you'd like to pass along to our readers, please send me an e-mail and let me know about it.
Frank Mowry Editor's Note: Frank and Martha Mowry have enjoyed cruising southern California waters for 10 years aboard their 42' Island Packet sloop. They are members of the Southwestern Yacht Club. Click Here to send Frank and Martha an e-mail.
Secrets About Sails - Trimming An Older Headsail
- By Brad Poulos
Last month I gave some trim tips for working with an older mainsail. This month I'll cover some trim tips with a jib or genoa.
As sails age they change in subtle but significant ways. Compared to a new jib/genoa, an older sail is usually fuller and more draft-aft. The sail stretches and moves away from the rig, and you eventually get a hook and vertical wrinkles in the leech area.
In addition to robbing your boat's top boat speed potential, old baggy sails exert more heeling force than drive, which makes the boat react more violently to the seas and causes it to take more water over the deck. Excessive heeling angles make it more difficult to move around the boat and will cause your non-sailing family members and friends to avoid spending an afternoon on the water with you.
Here are some tips to keep an older jib or genoa going:
- Because the draft is relatively far aft, use extra luff tension (i.e. halyard) to move the position of maximum draft forward. Again, this is a judgment call in light air because more luff tension means a flatter sail. But you can't usually carry "speed wrinkles" along the luff like you can with a newer sail.
- You may need to move the lead outboard slightly to reduce backwinding in the main caused by a fuller, more draft-aft headsail.
- You may also need to move the jib lead forward or aft depending on what has happened with the leech.
- Minimize leech hook by easing the leechline as much as possible (without causing leech flutter).
- Sail with a little extra headstay sag to help keep the draft forward (unless the sail is very deep overall).
If you can't figure out why your boating life has changed for the worse, try analysis - of your sails, that is. Work with your local sailmaker and their AccuMeasure software. Using photographs and the software, sailmakers can measure sail shape parameters to help you access your sail trim and condition.
Editor's Note: Brad Poulos holds a US Coast Guard 50-ton masters license. Brad is also an ASA certified sailing instructor. If you have a question regarding the use or care of sails, send an e-mail to brad@BlueSkyNews.com.
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