Smaller Version of Canal Day in the Works

     Chesapeake City, Md. -- The Chesapeake City Chamber of Commerce says it will hold a "smaller, scaled-down version” of Canal Day this summer.

 According to Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Natalie Gentry, a group of citizens, chamber members, staff from Chesapeake Inn Restaurant and Marina and fire department officials met Thursday to discuss possibilities.

    The town's civic association unanimously voted Wednesday to cancel the annual Canal Day events due to decreasing attendance and rising costs.

     The event began as a way for local nonprofit organizations to raise money and has been held recently on a regular basis on the last Saturday of June.

      Chesapeake Inn owner and chamber vice president Gianmarco Martuscelli said the chamber still hopes to partner with the civic association for some of the day's activities.

     “We’re all from the same town and this is not a chamber versus civic association thing,” he said. “We understand that their chief concern was paying for the manpower for the day and we want to help with that.”

     Canal Day has been talked about in the Maryland General Assembly this year as legislators consider bills sponsored by the Department of Natural Resources to require a permit for large marine gatherings, to help pay for policing.

     By a 39-4 vote, the Senate passed their version of the bill (SB127) on March 16. State Senator E.J. Pipkin, R-Upper Shore, voted for the bill while State Senator Nancy Jacobs, R-Cecil/Harford, opposed it.

     The bill will be heard in the House Environmental Affairs Committee on April 4 at 1 p.m.

Boatbuilders and Dealers Expo at Sailwinds Park March 23-25

      Cambridge, Md. -- The Maryland Boatbuilders and Dealers Expo is scheduled for March 23-25 at Sailwinds Park in Cambridge, Maryland. The expo will feature local boat builders and their boats and fishing tackle. Food will be offered by Pig Point, which specialized in barbecued meats and burritos.
     Participating boatbuilders include Composite Yacht, Campbell's Custom Yachts, Eastport Yacht, Judge Yachts, Mathews Brothers, and Dockside Boatworks.
     Gootee's Marine will offer fishing boat, motor, and trailer packages. Shore Tackle & Custom Rods will display angling equipment for the Chesapeake region.
     More information is available at http://www.marylandboatbuildersanddealers.com.

BoatUS: We Aren't Out of the Woods Yet on Navigation System Concerns

Public Comments to FCC Needed by March 1

     Alexandria, Va. -- While boaters view the FCC's move on February 14 to revoke approval of a new broadband telephone network shown to interfere with the country's sole navigational system as positive news, Boat Owners Association of The United States (BoatUS) says we aren't out of the woods just yet. It is urging boat owners to continue to submit comments to the FCC by a Thursday, March 1 deadline to ensure the nation's system of global positioning devices keeps boaters safely on course.

     Last summer, over 18,000 boaters along with many other GPS users wrote the FCCasking the guardian of the nation's airwaves to stop plans by LightSquared, the builder of the proposed broadband network, until independent tests proved there would be no interference with GPS devices which operate on adjacent frequencies. LightSquared originally asked the FCC for permission to build 40,000 network ground stations across the country. Recent government reports concluded interference issues with the GPS system could not be overcome.

     "Despite the great news last week that the FCC has acknowledged interference issues with the LightSquared proposal, we're not ready to declare a victory," said BoatUS President Margaret Podlich. "Given this company's tenacity over the last year, we want to make sure that boaters' needs are remembered as the FCC makes their final decision."

     Here is how to file comments to the FCC through their online comment form:
Click on this link for the FCC's Electronic Comments Filing System:

http://apps.fcc.gov/ecfs/hotdocket/list
Select "Proceeding Number 11-109."
Enter contact information.
In the box that says "Type in or paste your brief comments," here's some important points to select from:
• Explain how you use GPS in your life - on the water, on land or in the air.
• What would happen to your business/personal life if GPS became unavailable or unreliable?
• Wireless broadband service is important, but it should not come at the expense of GPS.
• All the studies show that LightSquared's proposed network would cause interference and that there are no remedies.
• Tell the FCC that you rely on them to protect the integrity of the GPS signal and that you support their recommendation to stop LightSquared's current proposal.
Click "Continue."
If the review page is correct, click "Confirm." Done!

     If you have any trouble, you may contact the FCC ECFS Helpdesk at 202-418-0193 or email at ecfshelp@fcc.gov.

     About BoatUS:

BoatUS - Boat Owners Association of The United States - is the nation's leading advocate for recreational boaters providing over half a million members with government representation, programs and money-saving services. For membership information visit www.BoatUS.com or call 800-395-2628.

Ranger Tugs Delivers 100th R29

     Kent, WA -- Ranger Tugs has announced the delivery of the 100th Ranger Tug 29 to her new owners. The 100th boat was sold by Marc Grove, owner of Wefings Marine, the Apalachicola, Florida-based Ranger Tugs dealer. Marc was also responsible for the sale of the first R29 in 2009 which was also Wefings Marine's 100th anniversary year.

     The R29 was introduced in 2009 and has remained a popular model of the trailerable trawlers since her debut. Marc sold the 100th hull at the 2011 Ft. Lauderdale Boat Show to new owners, Ruth and Wally Naset, who will take delivery in Sumerland Key, FL and plan to cruise their home waters in the Florida Keys and beyond.

     Wefings Marine has been a Ranger Tugs dealer since 2006 and Marc Grove shares, "We love having the Ranger Tugs as part of our line-up. The boats are the perfect size for gunkholing around the Intracoastal waterways but their layout and features allow owners to take them offshore or to more inland waters if they prefer. The "trailerable trawler" is an increasingly popular class of boat as people downsize and look for comfortable and economical alternatives to larger and less efficient boats." Marc visited the Monroe, Washington, production facility of Ranger Tugs to be on site as the 100th R29 came off the production line.

     "It's a rewarding experience to be a part of selling and delivering hull numbers one and 100 of the R29. Over the years the entire lineup has been through various improvements and changes that make them as comfortable, fuel-efficient and maneuverable as possible," said Grove.

     Wefings Marine has also committed to purchasing the first R31 and will have boats available at the Miami, Jacksonville and Baypoint Boat Shows this year.

     The local dealer for Ranger Tugs is Chesapeake Ranger Tugs in Annapolis: http://www.chesranger.com/

Powerboat Races Coming to the Patuxent Sept. 25

     Solomons, Md. -- Mariners are advised that the “Chesapeake Challenge” is scheduled to occur in the Patuxent River on Sunday, September 25, from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. The high-speed, offshore power boat races will operate in a counter-clockwise direction on a marked, racetrack-type course located at Solomons, Maryland, between the Governor Thomas Johnson (SR-4) Bridge and U.S. Naval Air Station Patuxent River In addition, power boat testing and race course practice runs of “Chesapeake Challenge” participants are scheduled to occur in the Patuxent River on Saturday, September 24, from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.
     The Coast Guard has issued special local regulations establishing a regulated area for all waters of Patuxent River, within lines connecting the following positions: from latitude 38°19’45” N, longitude 076°28’06” W, thence to latitude 38°19’24” N, longitude 076°28’30”W, thence to latitude 38°18’32” N, longitude 076°28’14” W; and from latitude 38°17’38” N, longitude 076°27’26” W, thence to latitude 38°18’00” N, longitude 076°26’41” W, thence to latitude 38°18’59” N, longitude 076°27’20” W, located at Solomons.
     This regulated area will be enforced from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on September 24 and from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on September 25. The Coast Guard Patrol Commander may forbid and control the movement of all vessels in the regulated area. All vessel traffic, not involved with the event, will be allowed to transit the regulated area and shall proceed in a northerly or southerly direction westward of the spectator area, taking action to avoid a close-quarters situation with spectators, until finally past and clear of the regulated area. Only participants and official patrol are allowed to enter the race course area. Spectators are allowed inside the regulated area only if they remain within the designated spectator area. Spectators will be permitted to anchor within the designated spectator area. No vessel may anchor within the regulated area outside the designated spectator area.
     Spectators may contact the Coast Guard Patrol Commander to request permission to pass through the regulated area. If permission is granted, spectators must pass directly through the regulated area outside the race course and spectator areas at a safe speed and without loitering.
     All Coast Guard vessels enforcing th spectator area can be contacted on marine band radio channel 16 or 22A VHF-FM. For any comments or questions contact Coast Guard Sector Baltimore, Waterways Management Division, at (410) 576-2674 or Ronald.L.Houck@uscg.mil. Charts 12264, 12284.

Maryland NRP Extend Upper Potomac River Advisory

     Annapolis, Md. -- The Maryland Natural Resources Police (NRP) has announced, based on information received from the National Weather Service and the Maryland Emergency Management Agency (MEMA), that boating and other recreational use of the Upper Potomac River, including its creeks and streams, should be avoided at this time. This advisory is in effect until September 13, 2011 and will be updated at that time if necessary.
     Due to recent precipitation, river levels are hazardous for recreational use on the main stem of the Upper Potomac River from Cumberland to Little Falls.
     Hazardous stages are water levels which pose a threat to non white- water vessels, tubers, swimmers and other recreational users and are caused by wave action, water velocity, and treacherous currents. This hazardous condition may also exist on tributaries of the Potomac River.
     This warning does not apply to professionally guided river trips. The public is reminded that river travel involves risks. Water and boating safety should be of utmost importance. NRP reminds boaters to always wear a life jacket. It is mandatory to wear a USCG approved life jacket while boating on the upper Potomac River from November 15 to May 15 each year.
     For more the latest information on Potomac River conditions between Cumberland and Little Falls, call the National Weather Service at 703-996-2200.

"Thunder in the City" on the Upper Bay, Saturday, July 23

     Chesapeake City, Md. -- Mariners are advised that the "Thunder in the City" powerboat poker run is scheduled to occur on the Upper Chesapeake Bay on Saturday, July 23. Approximately 45 participants will depart Chesapeake City, Maryland at 10:30 a.m., transit westbound in the Chesapeake and Delaware Canal and southbound in the Upper Chesapeake Bay to Baltimore’s Inner Harbor, then return to Chesapeake City by 5 p.m.
     More information is available at http://thunderinthecity.com/