Sun Harbor Marina Minute
Welcome to the June 2008 Sun Harbor Marina newsletter.

The Red Bull Air Race has come and gone, and "May Gray" came in right behind them. It looks like we'll have a season of the marine layer arguing off and on with an occasional Santa Ana well into "June Gloom".

About Flying the Flag
You can display the flag on any day, but there are a couple of days in May and June when it's particularly appropriate to raise the flag:

May 15th - Peace Officers Memorial Day (half-staff)
May 17th - Armed Forces Day (3rd Saturday in May)
May 22nd - National Maritime Day
May 26th - Memorial Day (half-staff until noon)
June 14th - Flag Day

It is the universal custom to display the American flag only from sunrise to sunset on buildings and on stationary flagstaffs in the open. However, when a patriotic effect is desired, the flag may be displayed twenty-four hours a day if properly illuminated during the hours of darkness.

When it is displayed from the same flagpole, or halyard with another flag - of a state, community, society or Scout unit - the flag of the United States must always be at the top.

To place the flag at half staff, hoist it to the peak for an instant and lower it to a position half way between the top and bottom of the staff. The flag is to be raised again to the peak for a moment before it is lowered. On Memorial Day the flag is displayed at half staff until noon and at full staff from noon to sunset.

The flag should never be dipped to any person or thing. It is flown upside down only as a distress signal.

When the flag is lowered, no part of it should touch the ground or any other object; it should be received by waiting hands and arms. To store the flag it should be folded neatly. The flag should be cleaned and mended when necessary.

When a flag is so worn it is no longer fit to serve as a symbol of our country, it should be destroyed by burning in a dignified manner. For information in your community try the Boy Scouts of America, Veterans of Foreign Wars, or the American Legion. If they provide a flag retirement service the flag can be dropped off and they will take care of the ceremony.

Safer and Cleaner America's Cup Harbor
We're asking all Sun Harbor Marina tenants with boats to help us track and comply with the transition to non-toxic, bottom-coatings.

If you've had a haul-out since completing our survey, please contact the office with updated information on your newly applied coating. When you next haul-out to have bottom paint applied, please be sure to choose a product that will assist Sun Harbor Marina in conforming to Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) for copper.

In very simple terms, TMDL is the maximum amount of a pollutant that a water body can handle without violating water quality standards. If you have any questions regarding non-toxic paints, please contact the office or the local boatyards for a list of available, compliant products. The Port of San Diego is working hard to come up with solutions that will help with TMDL compliance and recently formed the "Safer Alternatives to Antifouling Paints" Stakeholder Workgroup.

I have been selected as the non Shelter Island Yacht Basin Marina representative. If you have specific questions that require research or would like to know more about the Port's efforts to deal with this multifaceted issue, I will be happy to assist - please call me at 619-222-1167, email me, or stop by the office.

Car Theft at the Marina
On two days earlier this month, a car parked in the Sun Harbor Marina parking lot was broken into and some contents stolen. While the Harbor Police will help keep an additional eye out for us, tenants need to double check that they have locked their vehicle. As a precaution – don't leave items visible in the car. Transfer all items to the trunk or if possible, but in any event, don't leave valuable items in the car.

A Word About Hazardous Waste Disposal
Household hazardous waste (HHW) should NEVER be thrown into the trash or poured down the sink or storm drains. Improper disposal may injure refuse-workers, pollute ground water, waterways, and our oceans, potentially destroying marine life. For these reasons improper disposal is illegal.

Used oil and oil filters can be recycled at many local businesses. Call the HHW Hotline (1-877-R-1-EARTH) or click here to find a recycling location nearest you. Household hazardous waste can be taken to area collection facilities or special one-day events. Here are some more useful tips:

• Many of these facilities accept household hazardous waste from unincorporated residents of the County.
  
• Door-to-door services for elderly or disabled residents is also available upon qualification.
  
• Remember - The legal Household Hazardous Waste transport limit for residents is 15 gallons or 125 pounds
  
• All container labels must be clear (no worn-off labels)
• All containers must be sealed and not leaking
  Different products must not be mixed in one container
• Hazardous waste must be transported in the trunk of the car, or in another area away from passengers and pets.

Attention Sportfishers
The Federal Authorities of Mexico have recently repealed the requirement for boat permits. We can provide the current application for sportfishing licenses. Stop in at the office to get a copy.

Some ECO-Tips
Clean out your mailbox. Catalog Choice is a free service that lets you decline paper catalogs you no longer wish to receive. Reduce the amount of unsolicited mail in your mailbox, while helping to preserve the environment. Go to www.catalogchoice.org to set up.

Carry reusable bags. Many stores give a discount if you bring your own bags, so you will enjoy a double savings.
Problem Trash
As the days get warmer we are finding that tenants are putting the large bags of refuse and recycling, which should go in one of the two dumpsters available, in the trash can near the mailroom.

The trash can near the mail room is for incidental trash (a coffee cup, a trash left from a bag lunch, etc. We've added pictures (taken by our own Chris Donnelly) to the newsletter which we hope will illustrate the scope of the problem. Let's all pitch in to keep our marina clean (and clean smelling).

If you have any questions about where the dumpsters are or which dumpster to use, ask Kathy or Allie.

Floor Refinishing in the Laundry and Showers
The laundry and shower floors in the women's, men's and outdoor showers will be refinished on Wednesday & Thursday, May 28th and 29th from 10 P.M.-4 A.M. and will not be available for use at that time.

That's it For Now
Thanks again for all your cooperation and support in helping make Sun Harbor Marina San Diego's finest clean marina.

Happy boating, and I look forward to seeing you all around the docks!

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



Between the Sheets - Making Your Boat Shine
- By Richard Benscoter
Some years ago I attended a training seminar presented by a manufacturer of consumer and commercial polishing and waxing compounds.

The thing I came away with from the seminar is that waxing and polishing a boat is not as simple as the technique my dad used to make the old Ford shine.

Here's the condensed version of the seminar points:
Myth #1 - My boat is so far gone, it will never shine again. Not true! Take a cotton swab; rub a small spot on the most faded area of your boat with denatured alcohol, and what you see is what the shine on the finish of your boat can be brought to.

Myth #2 - All rubbing compounds will work the same - just buy one. Not true! Rubbing Compounds are manufactured with different grits to cut and clean the surface at different rates - just like sand paper does on wood. You need to choose one that's right for your boat.

Myth #3 - After applying the rubbing compound, I just need to wax. Not true! All rubbing compounds leave swirl marks on the surface of your boat. You need to use a swirl removing compound to remove these before waxing.

Myth #4 - After applying the swirl removing compound, you should use carnauba wax; let it haze; and then wipe it off right away. Not true! Wax needs to form a bond with the surface to be effective. It takes a minimum of two hours for this to occur. Also, don't forget about the sun. You should never wax in direct sun. On a hot sunny day, apply wax after 4:00 p.m.; let it sit over night; and then polish in the morning before the sun is high in the sky.

One last item - When you wash your boat, you always remove some of the wax you just put on - this is of course not a good thing. To minimize this, use a biodegradable soap that is fortified with carnauba wax so that as you wash your boat, you also add some wax to the surface instead of just removing it.

Use these techniques, and your boat will shine like new - it just takes a little time. So get on out there and put you neighbors to shame!

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.

BlueSkyNews.com Fishing Report - Fish Are Still-a-Bitin' and the Water's Gettin' Warmer
- By Jason Coz
Greetings San Diego fishermen - and fisherwomen, of course! The fishing off the coast of San Diego is really good right now - we're seeing lots of ling cod, sculpin and very nice rock fish.

The water is starting to get warmer - As I write this today, the water temperature is 61.5 degrees and we're looking for that 62-63 degree water soon.

As an aside, I should mention that many people think Southern California, and they automatically think that means warm ocean water, but San Diego is under the influence of colder water currents year round. Ask anybody that has come here looking to take a dip in the ocean in the middle of summer, and being shocked at how cold our water is.

Anyway, our colder water is great for fishing. We're also finding lots of bait in the waters off La Jolla; anchovies, sardines and mackerel. Soon we'll be seeing the spring time calico bass and halibut.

It also looks like the bonita are coming up the coast, and they are starting to show up at the Coronado Islands .

See you on the water!

Jason Coz is the owner/operator of the 85' M/V Dolphin half-day sportfishing boat operating out of Hyatt Mission Bay Sportfishing. Jason has his 100 ton captain's license and runs ½ day fishing trips twice a day, 7 days a week. If you have a question for Jason, you can e-mail him at jasoncoz1@msn.com

Are You "At the End of Your Rope?" or the "End of Your Line?"
That probably depends on whether you're on your boat, or at your local pub after three martinis.

On your boat, however, rope is that stuff that comes from the marine store rolled up on a spool. As soon as you cut that rope to a specific length for a specific purpose such as tying up to the dock or for anchoring, etc., it then becomes a line.

Nothing exudes whispered sneers and pity among old salts than hearing a landlubber call a line a rope.

In olden days, sailors at Navy boot camp learned on day one from the Master Chief that there is only one rope on a navy ship, and that's the rope hanging down from the clapper on the ship's bell.

Technology and time have added a few other exceptions to the rule - If you tie a line to the bail of a bucket to pull some water up from the sea, it is called a "bucket rope". The invention of wire rope has led to the distinctions that fiber rope is referred to as line; wire rope is called wire rope, or just wire.

Make sure you don't get "roped in" to a faux pax next time you step aboard!

Boating Skills and Seamanship Course
The U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary's Boating Skills and Seamanship Course is being offered on the weekends of May 17-18 and June 14-15 at the Mission Bay Boat & Ski Club facilities at 2606 Mission Bay Drive.

The 2-day courses start at 8:30 a.m. and end
at approximately 4:30 p.m. and are recommended for both the experienced and novice boater.

The course covers such topics as boat characteristics and structure, nautical nomenclature, legal requirements and necessary equipment, boat handling, aids to navigation, navigation rules, marine radiotelephone and trailering.

The Auxiliary stresses that many insurance companies offer discounts on boat insurance to individuals who successfully complete the course, and Individuals who successfully complete the course and exam are awarded certificates.

There is no prerequisite or charge for the class, but attendees must purchase and read the course book prior to the class, and homework is collected at the beginning of the each morning. Interested persons should contact Seabreeze Books and Charts in Point Loma to purchase the course book and for more information.

S.O.S. From the Galley
- By Monica Giobbi
Next time you're invited to one of those "bring your favorite dish" dock parties or entertaining on your boat, instead of running to the market for something blah, try making this tasty recipe for Italian Bruschetta (pronounced brus'ket'ta) and get ready for the accolades

From the Poop Deck - Doggies on Strike for Cool Treats on Hot Summer Days!
- By Madeline
Oh sure - "Here doggy! It's really hot today, so here's some water and a crummy dog biscuit for you!"

You, the person, meanwhile, are trying to decide whether to have a margarita, a mai tai, or some ice cream. Maybe you'll just have a tall glass of ice water, or a frosty cold beer.

Well I've had it! No more "man's best friend" nice guy treatment until I see some ice cubes in my water bowl and something to cool me off when the docks get hot.

Here's a clue! - They have a new frozen treat for dogs called "Frosty Paws". I'd like the peanut butter kind if you don't mind!

Editor's Note: Madeline is always on the lookout for boating animal stories. Click Here to send Madeline an e-mail about your animal story.



Sailing to the Telltales
- By Brad Poulos
No indicator has yet been developed that approaches the sensitivity and effectiveness of telltales along the luff of the jib. These yarns or "ticklers" monitor the flow of wind across the sail.

Telltales are used for fine-tuning your genoa sheet trim and to fine-tune the course you are steering. Telltales are only an aid when the sail has wind flow across both sides, i.e., when sailing angles between beating and beam reaching. When sailing lower than a beam reach, the sail is catching wind instead of working like an airfoil.

Telltales come in pairs, one on each side of the jib. The best set up is to have three sets evenly spaced along the luff so that you can see how the wind is flowing at different heights of the sail. Telltales should be anywhere from six inches to 18 inches aft of the luff, depending on the size of the boat - the bigger the sail, the further aft the telltales should be. Also, the farther forward they are, the more sensitive they are.

Most marine hardware stores and sailmakers sell inexpensive packets of green and red telltales that stick on to your sail. When applying telltales, always put the starboard one of each pair higher than the port one. This will help you figure out which is which when reading the telltales from the cockpit. The most basic way to read telltales is to get the yarns on both sides of the sail streaming straight back. If the leeward one stops streaming, head up and sail closer to the wind. If the windward one stops streaming, fall off. When the yarn streams straight back, it tells you that there is attached flow over the sail at that particular point. If a telltale stops streaming and hangs limp, there is no air flow and that side of the sail is stalled. If the telltale dances around, flow is turbulent.

By concentrating further on interpreting the telltales, you can get even more information. The following are four different "settings" for telltales:

1. Bow-down Speed-building Mode: Leeward telltale dances and wind-ward telltale streams straight back. This mode is used for building speed when coming out of a tack or when going through steep motorboat chop.

2. Max Speed Mode: Both telltales streams straight aft.

3. Pointing Mode: Leeward telltale streams aft, and windward telltale dances between straight back and 45° above horizontal. This mode is used when sailing to windward in flat water in winds over 10 knots.

4. Pinching Mode: Leeward telltale streams aft, and windward telltale stands straight up. To be used when trying to get over another boat or make it around a channel mark.

Telltale Perspective
When sailing to windward, the degree of course change between "Bow-down Speed-building Mode" and the "Pinching Mode" should be about 5 to 7 degrees. If the telltales go from one extreme to the other after a two-degree course change, put a bit more tension on the luff. The rounder entry angle will broaden the gap between stalled from sailing too high and stalled from sailing too low.

Remember not to sail with the telltales in the pointing or pinching mode in light winds or in wavy conditions. The boat will lose too much speed. In heavy winds when the boat is overpowered, you can reduce heeling by heading up into the pointing mode.

Use your telltales to fine-tune your lead position. With three sets of telltales along the luff, you'll be able to shape the jib like a trimmer on an America's Cup contender. In general, on a beat the lead is in the right place when the lower two sets stream straight back and the inside upper telltale dances about 45 degrees above horizontal.

Brad Poulos is the General Manager at UK Halsey Sailmakers and 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.

What Your Oil Can Tell You About Your Boat
- By Bob Sherman
Most boat owners are familiar with sampling of engine or transmission oil, as it is often part of the pre-purchase engine survey.

The samples are taken with a vacuum pump and sterile tubing, and are analyzed for wear metals and contaminants in a laboratory. The results are usually categorized as normal, reportable, abnormal, or critical - the latter meaning that something serious is imminent.

Companies with heavy equipment and large commercial machinery routinely utilize this technology. However, always weight a trusted mechanic's overall opinion more heavily, and discuss the results with him. If the oil is older than a year, or has high hours, it could have alarming test results- on perfectly sound machinery. Likewise, just because the oil sample is normal, doesn't mean that the unit is free of issues.

A single oil sample, taken at the point of sale, is normally not conclusive. It is not like a blood test for some infectious disease! To get what is considered a reliable result, the oil needs to be sampled three times, each time with fresh oil, ideally with 50 or more hours on it. Therefore, some mechanics believe that a single sample (when buying a boat) is a waste of money. Discuss it with your mechanic or broker.

In my opinion, a one-time test when you are buying a boat is always a good idea. If there are any "red flags", the mechanic can be on the lookout for any symptoms that are indicated by the test results. Also, there should never be salt water or coolant in the oil, even on a single sample. Since the sampling is relatively inexpensive (around $35 per kit), it is usually worthwhile, unless the oil does not have at least 20 hours on it. I recommend to sample engines, transmissions, and the genset, if the boat has one. But again, take it for what it's worth. There is often an explanation for some anomalies.

A boat owner can also have the oil sampled routinely, during the course of ownership - perhaps every other oil change, or every other year. If the unit suddenly had high wear metal levels of a certain type, you could be alerted to an imminent problem. The idea is to "nip it in the bud" before it becomes a serious problem. When it's time to sell, you'll have the "wear trend" reports, which are of great value when reviewing the overall "bill of health" of the machinery.

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. You can send an e-mail to Bob at bobsherman@BlueSkyNews.com

Avoiding "Terminal" Illness on Your Boat
- By Brett Dingerson
This time of year always seems to bring a lot of calls concerning boats that won't start, and the problem is usually the batteries. Boats don't get much attention during the winter months. Batteries that were fine in November are now 6 months older, or 20 in battery years.

You don't really need any expensive equipment or tools to check the health of your batteries if you know a few simple things to look for:

1. If you go to your boat and smell something like rotten eggs, then either your refrigerator quit working or your batteries are fried. Its hydrogen sulfide gas and its nasty stuff.

2. Feel the sides and tops of your batteries while they are being charged. They should not be too warm to the touch. Run your fingers down the side and feel for a hot section, which could indicate a bad cell in that battery.

3. Battery terminals that are coated with a powdery looking substance are also an indicator of a problem.

4. Take the caps off unsealed batteries and use a flashlight (a plastic one) to look inside. Any cells that are excessively lower in water, relative to their neighbors, indicate a problem.

5. Batteries can, and will explode from sparks at their terminals, so one last tip. If you need to replace your batteries, remove all electrical loads from the system before you begin, and use only insulated tools. If you have to use a bare metal wrench to remove battery cables, wrap it in electrical tape from the unused end to the working end and remove the negative cable first. You can always remove the tape when you're done.

Have fun out there!

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

e-Letters to the Editor
Marina Cortez boater Jeff Wakeford writes to ask - "I have a 42 foot sailboat that is documented with the Coast Guard. I use an inflatable with motor to get back and forth from shore when anchored.

The "old salts" around here tell me that since my sailboat is documented, my inflatable - showing the name on the documented boat - is considered a tender and does not need to be registered with the state. The 2008 booklet on the California boating law says my documented sailboat does not need to be registered, but does not talk about its tender.

Are the old salts' information corroded or do I need to register the inflatable with the state?"

Bob Simons replies: "Jeff, if the dinghy is used only as a tender between shore and boat, all you need to do is put the name of the documented vessel on it for identification. If you are seen anywhere else other than a direct shot between those two points, you're probably in trouble.

Personally, I'd blow the five bucks and register it and put the CF numbers on the boat. The numbers are a real security item because most dinghies that are stolen or "lost" have no identification, so they belong to whoever has possession.

Remember, you still have to have all the proper safety equipment on the dinghy because it is considered a powerboat. If you use it at night under power, you also need running lights and you must have a life jacket for every individual aboard. The harbor police love to give tickets to the little dinghies running around because they are an easy mark and usually have numerous violations ($$$)."