Sun Harbor Marina Minute
Welcome to the Sun Harbor Marina October 2007 e-mail newsletter. Well, Summer has gone by in a flash, and I want to thank you all for a great boating season. Before we know it, the frost will be on the pumpkin.

2nd Annual October Pumpkin Carvin' Contest
And speaking of pumpkins, listen up all you witches and warlocks - Halloween is fast approaching! It's not too soon to be start practicing your spells, mixing your secret brews and carving a winning jack-o-lantern!

The pumpkin carvin' contest will be on Saturday, October 27th. There will be haunted prizes given for the most creative by our panel of judges. Bring your masterpiece to the marina office by noon. A potluck and trick-or-treating will begin at 1:00 p.m. for all judges, carvers, ghosts and goblins. The sign-up sheet for the event is in the Laundry room or call the office.

Nautical Swap Meet Set For Sunday, October 14th
Why not check your garage, storage bins, and hidden compartments on board to see if you have some items you’re not using that you can turn into extra boat space and extra cash?

Sun Harbor Marina will host a Nautical Swap Meet on Sunday October 14th from 6 a.m. to 10:45 a.m. in the parking lot. (No heavy oily engine parts, please).

Those interested in having a display area please call the marina office. The display fee is $10 per area, maximum of 3 display areas per person.

Great News For Sun Harbor On-Line Boaters
Wi-Fi now available at your slip. SDBay has set up an antenna to boost their signal to cover Sun Harbor Marina. To sign up for their services go to SDBay.com and click on the Welcome Sun Harbor Marina link.

The fees are $24.95 per month or free when combined with services from Discount Boat Services. SDBay will provide all technical support. Disclaimer: Sun Harbor Marina is not affiliated with nor endorsing SDBay. We hope the service will make your boating experience here more convenient.

Welcome Aboard New Boaters
Sun Harbor Marina extends a hearty welcome to the following new boaters:

B 56 - Ken DiFonzo - Just Knot Thinking -
A 42 - Alan Gallagher - Longboarder
B 67and 68 - Steven McManus
B 71 - Tom Lea - Bloody Mary Morning
A 93 - William Fry - That's Captain Jerk to You

Why not stop by to say "welcome aboard" when you get a chance!

A Final Word About the Red Bull Air Race World Series
You already know from last months newsletter all about the Red Bull Air Race World Series being held this Friday and Saturday, September 21st & 22nd.

For the latest on bay closures, schedules, and a neat 3D map of the race course, visit www.redbullairrace.com.

Recognize Our Local Tenant?
Well, we love to have him swimming around the marina, guarding our boats and facility. But we have to draw the line at sunning on the docks or swim steps.

Problem is the Harbor Seal is big (and potentially harmful) so what do you do? As it turns out the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) National Marine Fisheries Service has some pretty specific guidelines for us.

A few of the "potential methods of non-lethal methods or techniques" and "deterrents to avoid" are:

• Noise Makers: horns, whistles, bells, clapping, banging on pots, pans or drums, empty aluminum cans on a string banging together
  
  
• Physical Contact: high or low pressure water hoses, brooms, toy water guns (e.g., "Super Soaker®").
  
  
• Methods to Avoid - the following methods and techniques have an increased likelihood to cause injury or mortality and should be avoided.
  
  
• Devices with Injurious Projectiles (e.g., spear guns)
  
  
• Sharp/Pointed Objects (harpoons, spears, gaffs)
  
  
• Aggressive Tactile Methods (e.g., striking animals with bats, hammers, etc., impact with vehicles or boats)
  
  
• Tainted Baits

Who May Deter Pacific Harbor Seals and California Sea Lions?
In summary, certain private citizens, marina owners, government officials, and commercial and recreational fisherman may deter Pacific harbor seals and California sea lions under certain conditions, as described below:

Private Citizens - Only the owner of the private property (e.g., a dock or vessel) may deter Pacific harbor seals and California sea lions in order to prevent damage to their private property.

Marina Owner - Only the marina owner, or an employee of the owner, or an agent of the owner may deter Pacific harbor seals and California sea lions to prevent damage to the marina.

Government Officials - City, county, state, or federal officials or their employees may deter listed and Pacific harbor seals and California sea lions determined to be "nuisance" animals to prevent damage to private or public property, or to protect the public from potential threats.

Commercial and Recreational Fishermen - Fishermen can deter Pacific harbor seals and California sea lions from damaging gear or depredating catch, only if they are actively fishing.

If you have questions about protecting your property and/or fishing gear and catch from Pacific harbor seals and California sea lions, please contact Marine Mammal Specialists (562-980-3232) or NOAA's Office for Law Enforcement (1-800-853-1964).

A Special Thank You To Diàne Mandle
We'd like to give a special thank you to Diàne Mandle for her performance on Tibetan Bowls during our celebration National Marina Day. Her deft performance shaped gorgeous sonic colors and rhythms that brought to mind the vast wonder and movement of the sea; it was a perfect end to what was a fun and informative day for all of us here. Anyone who might be interested in her music might want to see her website: Her CD "Return To Om" can be purchased there. Allie has already put the CD on his iPod - he raves about it!

Christmas Will Be Here Before We Know It!
On a final note, I am looking for suggestions to take our Christmas decor in the marina to a " new level " this year. I know it seems early to mention this but the planning for these events takes time. Please e-mail or call me with any ideas to change the lighting contest this year or any suggestions you may have regarding a holiday party as well.

Also, yes, it's also time to start planning for the San Diego Bay Parade of Lights. The 36th Annual Parade will take place on December 9th and 16th. For more information visit www.sdparadeoflights.org

Gentle Reminders
Please remember to keep dinghies uncluttered; securing all items according to U.S. Coast Guard rules.

Also, please remember that containers of gasoline may not be stored on the docks or in your dinghy Only secured gas tanks are allowed in your dinghy.

NO pets in the restrooms, laundry room, rec room, mail room or offices

No batteries in the dock carts - the weight load is damaging to the carts and the potential battery acid leak can damage the next person's items that they are hauling.

Please close the door to the Rec Room when you leave. The door was recently left open with the room unattended overnight. This leaves the equipment in the room an easy target for theft. All the equipment is for the use of marina tenants - we need you to help protect the property. We are seeing an increase in vagrants on the property and neighboring property. Don't let the Rec Room become a vagrant's new shelter.

Award Winning Training Class To Be Presented at Sun Harbor Marina
The "Suddenly Solo" class provides information that is clear, concise, practical and applied equally to the "crew" of either a power or sailboat - large or small. .

The U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary has graciously agreed to teach the highlights of their award winning "Suddenly in Command" training class to marina tenants from 1:00 pm to 5:00 pm Saturday, October 20th. Lunch will be served at noon for each attendee.

"Suddenly in Command" has been designed specifically to prepare spouses, significant others or sailing mates on what to do if the skipper should either fall overboard or otherwise become incapacitated while on the water.

Training will include the use of safety equipment, VHF radio, determining your position, who to call for help, how to start or stop the boat, and a host of other "need to know" topics.

Seating will be limited for these "must know" seminars, so please RSVP to the Sun Harbor Marina Office 619-222-1167 now to ensure your seat.

That's it For Now
Thanks again for a great Summer boating season. Remember, if you have any questions or items you'd like to share in our newsletter, please let us know.

Kathy OBrien - Sun Harbor Marina
kathy@sun-harbor.com

Breaking News: Sales Tax Law Reverts Back!
With the passing of the new California State Budget, apparently the old "90 Day Rule" for CA state sales tax has reverted back. For the past three years, California buyers who sought to avoid sales/use tax had to keep their boats out of state for 365 days; out of state residents; six months. The old law has now returned. This is great news for boaters, and for marine related businesses.

As of 8/22/07, it is once again possible to comply with the law without being assessed sales/use tax on your next yacht purchase, but only under the careful guidance of a qualified attorney who specializes in the area.

Basically, the closing takes place outside the state, usually with an "offshore delivery". The boat must remain out of the state for more than 50% of the time, during the first six months of ownership. Special steps must be taken for it to be valid, including special documents. There are many pitfalls and technicalities that could void this exemption. If you do this, it must be done right, or you will not only pay the tax, you could be liable for penalties and interest! Yacht Brokers are typically not qualified to fully guide you through this process with certainty. I refer my clients to two excellent attorneys in San Diego: Cris John Wenthur and Paul Trusso.

Both are well qualified to assure that your efforts will pay off.

Editor's Note: Bob Sherman has over 19 years of Yacht sales experience and is the owner of YachtSource. He is also qualified to instruct on all vessel types, and has held 100-ton Captain's license since 1982. He is an avid sailor, and scuba diver.

Between the Sheets - What's That Smell?
You arrive at the marina and open your boat for a long anticipated weekend of fun and relaxation, and you're greeted by an unpleasant fragrance. It's not from the usual suspects like the holding tank, yet there it is.

The fact is that other than a few days in Winter, the water your boat sits in is colder than the outside air temperature all year long. Recalling our grade school science, we remember that different temperatures from the outside and inside of a vessel induces condensation, which depending on the length of your water line can produce a quart or more of water during a twenty four hour period. That can add up to a lot of water in a week .

Since rough surfaces make up a lot of the inside of most hulls, a lot of the condensation never makes it all the way down to the bilge; instead it collects on anything in its path - life jackets, paper packaging from stored items, basically everything in contact with the inside hull. Add darkness and mold and you have that unwanted fragrance.

Solution? Remove, clean and dry everything in contact with the inner hull below the water line. Scrub the surface with non toxic biodegradable soap that will not harm the environment. Leave the access to the areas open until they are completely dry. If you must store items in these areas, ensure they are not in contact with the hull, or store them in a water tight container or bag. Lastly, leave access to these areas open when you leave your boat, so air can circulate.

Footnote: Another often overlooked source of unpleasant odor is the result of sea water leaking from shaft packings. Sea water contains microscopic animals that when removed from their environment will die, decay, and cause that rotten egg smell. Solution? Install dripless packing. I've been using GFO fiber packing on my boat for years with exceptional results and dry bilges.

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.

About Galvanic Isolators
Fred Parenti writes - "Dear Brett - I installed a 20 gallon Force Electric Water Heater two and a half years ago, and I installed a galvanic isolator at the same time. The isolator was placed between the boat's ground and the ground to the water heater and shore ground.

After 2 1/2 years, the side of the aluminum tank started leaking a rock-like debris into the hot water lines. What do you think is going on?"

Fred - A good question about water heater tanks and their relationship with shore power ground. They don't really have a relationship, other than the normal green safety ground that should be connected to the metal framework surrounding the heater itself.

Since a water tank holds a separate electrolyte (water), it forms its own galvanic environment. The ship's ground is floating in the same sea as the dock, so they have their own galvanic environment going on.

So, what could be the cause of your "rock-like debris"? Well, I've had a hot water tank at home that had rock like debris in it; hard water deposits. Aluminum is extremely susceptible to attack by certain heavy metal ions, particularly copper. If there are copper water lines upstream or connected to this tank, that could be the reason. Aluminum is also subject to "poultice corrosion", which might occur at the bottom of the tank if there is a thin layer of hard water deposits denying access to a fresh supply of oxygen.

If the heating element is not isolated from the tank the aluminum will become the sacrificial anode. Rapid accumulation of debris will occur. In conclusion I'll quote from the Boat Owner's Guide to Corrosion. "...aluminum is not the material of choice for top-of-the-line water heaters...if you can afford to have your water tanks made of stainless steel, or better yet Monel, it will be well worth the expense in terms of tank life and taste."

I'd also go ahead and give the manufacturer a call - they are usually pretty helpful. Good luck -Brett

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 a sailing question for Brett, send e-mail to brett@BlueSkyNews.com.

USCG Issues Marine Safety Alert
Statistics show that many mariners in distress do not properly identify themselves nor provide a precise location when radioing for help which delays rescue services in arriving at the scene quickly and providing the assistance needed.

Many marine communication devices, including marine radios equipped with Digital Selective Calling (DSC) and Automatic Identification Systems (AIS) equipment rely upon a 9-digit Maritime Mobile Service Identity (MMSI) number to identify itself and more importantly the user of the device.

The U.S. Coast Guard and the National GMDSS Task Force is concerned that many users of these devices are not obtaining, registering and/or properly entering their assigned MMSI into these devices. Lack of an MMSI will make some of these devices inoperable, such as AIS, or incapable of operating advanced features or distress alerting capabilities of the device.

Leaving the MMSI unprogrammed, entering a false identity or not updating a previously-programmed device with your own identity may delay a rescue and under certain situations is unlawful.

MMSI use and registration greatly assists the U.S. Coast Guard in responding to an alert since it contains a description of the vessel and telephone numbers used to contact the vessel's owner or point of contact in an emergency.

MMSI numbers are issued by the FCC if the vessel requires a Station License, otherwise they can be obtained from Boat U.S., Sea Tow, and Shine Micro often at no charge.

Those having MMSIs should keep registration information current, including phone numbers, address, name and type of boat. Most new marine radios have a special Distress Alerting Capability that will, upon the touch of a button, transmit a distress message which can include its identity (MMSI) and location-only if the radio has been programmed with a MMSI and is connected to an electronic positioning system (e.g. GPS, LORAN).

The Coast Guard recommends DSC-equipped VHF radios for all mariners because of these capabilities. The Task Force is also on record recommending that all vessels going as much as one mile offshore should carry a VHF radio (preferably DSC) and if exceeding VHF range (20-30 miles) should carry a 406 MHz Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacon (EPIRB) or a 406 MHz Personal Locater Beacon (PLB) which can be detected by search and rescue satellites almost anywhere in the world.

Coast Guard's Rescue 21 Project is Upgrading the Coastal Network for DSC Reception. The Coast Guard has implemented an extensive project to fill gaps in its VHF coastal radio coverage and to upgrade the system for DSC operation. Rescue 21 is currently operational in portions of the Pacific Northwest, Gulf of Mexico, Florida, and the East coast.

Vessels with DSC capability should not delay obtaining, registering, and/or properly entering their assigned MMSI into their radios while Rescue 21 coverage is increased. There is already an extensive watch on the DSC calling channel by other vessels who can relay alerts to the Coast Guard

Visit these websites (or e-mail) for additional information: AIS, DSC, GMDSS at www.navcen.uscg.gov/. Global Maritime Distress and Safety System Task Force at gmdss@comcast.net, Rescue 21 at www.uscg.mil/rescue21/home, or RTCM at www.rtcm.org.

(Reprinted from "Industry News" courtesy of AMI and GMDSS Task Force)