An Australian court has upheld the conviction and large fine levied against an American cruiser who was convicted by a customs magistrate of failing to announce the intended arrival of his vessel and crew into Australia. The magistrate assessed a fine of $4,000 and $15,000 in court costs. The yachtsman appealed the lower court's conviction, but last week a District Court dismissed the appeal and upheld the magistrate's finding.

To add insult to injury, the higher court awarded costs of the appeal to the Commonwealth. Read More:

We have added two new manufacturers Origo Stoves and Sportbeat Inc the makers of Reebok Watches.  The watch made for fitness and time.

Don't forget about our Rebate Corner

Bottom Paint and how the world is changing

The Bahamas bans tributyltin on boat hulls.

 
The Bahamas recently joined more than two dozen other nations that have signed a treaty banning the presence of tributyltin on boat hulls beginning Sept. 17.

The U.S. and Canada are expected to follow in the near future. President Bush sent the treaty to the U.S. Senate in

January, according to a statement from paint manufacturer Interlux.

The International Convention on the Control of Harmful Anti-Fouling Systems on Ships, also known as the AFS treaty, was adopted by the International Maritime Organization in October 2001, with the provision it would go into effect a year after ratification by 25 member countries with 25 percent of the world's tonnage.

That number has been reached, and the treaty will be in force in participating countries on Sept. 17 2008.

Winning companies received their awards during a media breakfast held at the Miami Beach Convention Center.

The Innovation Awards, organized by the National Marine Manufacturers Association and judged by Boating Writers International, recognize innovative products that benefit the marine industry or consumer. The products must be "practical, cost-effective and available to the consumer within 60 days of award receipt."

The judges chose the winners from 50 products entered in eight different categories.

“There were some exceptional entries this year, and it made the judging process a challenge,” said Zuzana Prochazka, Miami Innovation Awards chair and member of the BWI board of directors.

The judges selected winners for every category, and several additional products were given honorable mentions.

In the consumer electronics and software category, the judges selected the NavNET 3D by Furuno USA Inc. NavNET is a multifunction navigation suite available in both standalone and black-box units.“This is a truly game-changing product that sets the standard for the industry,” judge John Wooldridge said.

Two honorable mentions were also awarded in this category, which the judges say was crowded with excellent entries. The first went to the HX850S floating hand-held, GPS-enabled VHF from Standard Horizon, and the second was presented to the Satellite Personal Messenger Device, also known as SPOT.

The AirBattens from UK-Halsey Miami was the winner in the Consumer-Installed Non-Electronic Hardware category. According to the judges. AirBattens increases in-mast furling mainsail performance by 15 percent by significantly improving sail shape.

An honorable mention in this category was given to the design of the Adaptive Seating & Steering System developed by Shake-A-Leg Miami.

In the Consumer Personal Gear category, the Innovation Award was presented to the Coastal Compact Life Raft from Revere Survival Products. 

The H2 LED Dock, Marina and Pier Lights by TouchStone Accent Lighting took home the award in the Consumer-Installed Docking and Fendering Equipment category. The H2 LED cleat light was called a simple, well-engineered and sleek light available in 12-volt or solar versions that mount under a standard 10-inch cleat.

The True North 34 from Pearson Yachts/True North Yachts was the winner in the Inboard and Outboard Cruisers category. The judges said the 34-foot True North combines an innovative hideaway tailgate/transom and moveable cockpit seating for a truly unique design.

Walker Bay Boats' Airis High-Pressure Inflatable Kayak was deemed the winner in the Inflatables, Small Boats Up to 15 Feet and Tenders category. Constructed using patent-pending AirWeb technology, this one-of-a-kind performance hull design can be inflated to more than six psi, resulting in a rigid and stable platform that is lightweight and compact enough to be carried as a backpack, the judges said.

Yamaha Motor Corp. took home the award in the PWC, Jet Boats and Pontoon Boats category for its Wave Runner SHO. Yamaha's SHO features several PWC-industry ‘firsts,' including: A nano-engineered hull that decreases the craft's weight by 25 percent; a no-wake mode that automatically sets engine RPM at optimal no-wake speed; and cruise control.

The RPT (Revolutionary Planning Technology) pontoon tube design by Sylvan Marine received an honorable mention from the judges in this category.

In the Runabouts and Fishing Craft category, judges presented the Innovation Award to Boston Whaler for its 230 Dauntless. The revolutionary approach to seating in the Dauntless 230 sets it apart in its class, according to the judges.

This year's Environmental Award went to the Eco-Star 200 electric boat by Starcraft Marine. The Eco-Star 200 combines access to electrical motors with exceptional maneuverability of twin propellers, all on the popular deck boat platform. The judges considered this design to be a positive step for both the boating industry and use of alternative energy propulsion systems.

Congratulations to all the 2008 Innovative Achievement Award winners from CLR Marine.

We must mention one of the 2007 Innovative Achievement Award winners was the Companionway CloZures. 

Continued slump spells summer woes for boaters

Jim Lynch / The Detroit News

The next few months will be crucial for Michigan boaters hoping to see a rise in Great Lakes levels -- levels that have been in a slump for the last few years.

The most recent statistics provided by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers show only Lake Superior is above the level posted 12 months ago, by 8 inches. The rest of the Great Lakes, as well as Lake St. Clair, are beneath last year's levels. And all of the lakes are below their historical averages.

It will take large amounts of snow and rainfall in the remaining months of winter and spring to bring the water back to where it used to be. This is the first look at projected lake levels through the summer and peak boating season.

For Brad Adams there are few things uglier than the 100-foot wall of vegetation that has cropped up between the beach at his property in Forestville, on Lake Huron in Michigan's Thumb. Low water levels have allowed sunlight to penetrate to the bottom of the lake near the shore, spurring the growth of phragmites.

"We used to have a portable dock," said Adams, a retired AAA agent. "Now, there's no way you can even get a boat close to shore."

Boaters in many parts of the Great Lakes Basin have had to adapt to lower levels that they hope are just part of a cycle. In places like Harrison Township, residents who once had access to Lake St. Clair on their own property or through canals now must keep their boats at nearby marinas. Experts, however, say a late-winter and spring with large amounts of rainfall could go a long way toward getting the lakes closer to their historical levels.

"Each lake has its annual variations," said Keith W. Kompoltowicz, a meteorologist with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers' Detroit office. "They start out with their lowest levels in late winter and rise through the spring. We've been through periods in the past where we've spent years above the historical levels. Right now, we've been below those levels for the last few years."

So far in 2008, Mother Nature appears to be doing her part.

"This wet January did help to push lakes Michigan and Huron higher than where we thought it was," he said. "Considering that we are still expecting a fairly wet February things could still improve."

The most recent figures, through January, show:

• The Lake Michigan/Huron system is down between 10 and 11 inches.

• Lake Erie is down 15 inches from last year.

• Lake Ontario is down 17 inches from last year.

• And Lake St. Clair, not considered a "Great Lake," is also down 11 inches from last year.

The drop is the result of decreased precipitation and snow accumulation in recent years. The snowpack is the main recharging element for Superior and Huron. When the snows melt, they regularly bring the lake levels back up.

The U.S. Army Corps makes six-month projections on where the lake levels will be. By July, forecasters predict Lake Michigan/Huron will be 20 to 22 inches below their historical averages. Lake St. Clair will be within 5 to 12 inches of its all-time average and Erie will be within 2 to 9 inches, as will Superior.

Lake Ontario should fare the best, coming within "a few inches" of its historical levels. That's something many residents would like to see more of.

You can reach Jim Lynch at (586) 468-0520 or jlynch@detnews.com.

Pearson Composites of Warren, R.I., acquired the power catamaran business of PDQ Yachts in Whitby, Ontario, Canada. 

“The PDQ boats align perfectly with Pearson's strategy of designing, manufacturing, selling and servicing premium, luxury-branded products for niche markets,” said Pearson CEO Patrick Burke in a statement. 

Pearson says it is no newcomer to multihulls.  For many years the company was the exclusive builder for Lagoon Catamarans in the United States.
 
Under Pearson, PDQs will be built using SCRIMP construction which, the company says, will make the boats lighter and stronger.

The first Pearson-built PDQs are expected to launch in September.
 
Pearson Composites has a 50-year heritage of designing and building boats for the recreational brands J/Boats, Alerion Express and True North Yachts, ranging from 20 to 65 feet, using the SCRIMP infusion technology. Pearson is building 24 new Pedrick 44 sailing vessels for the U.S. Naval Academy for the second time in 20 years. 

Bracketron Inc is one of the leading suppliers of mounting solutions and accessories for use with Satellite Radios, GPS, iPods, Cellular Phones and other portable mobile electronics.

On-line tomorrow!

CLR Marine has worked hard with Standard Horizon to bring you an exclusive closeout price on the GX1255 Quest VHF radio. This superior VHF has the features of a top notch VHF, with DSC, NOAA Weather Alerts and a 3 year warranty...All for $79.79, that's a $30 Instant Savings! Get them while they last, scheduled to arrive February 20th.  ORDER NOW!!!!

US Watercraft of Portsmouth, R.I., was chosen the new builder for J Boats' J/105 in the United States.

“As a licensed builder and service provider of the J/22 and J/24, US Watercraft is ideally positioned to carry the torch forward on the J/105,” said Jeff Johnstone, J Boats' president. “Randy Borges and his team know one-design perhaps better than anyone.”
 
The 2008 model J/105 includes several upgrades such as race-ready keel and rudder, composite tiller, racing mainsheet system and new galley layout. 

J Boats is based in Newport, R.I.

So what is it and how were laws established?  Check out this well-known site for a short history and clear explanation, as well as links to piracy, privateering, and freedom of the seas.
http://www.bartleby.com/65/ma/maritime.html

This site is the home of the UN's division for Ocean Affairs and Law of the Sea and has extensive, current articles related to international maritime law.
http://www.un.org/Depts/los/index.htm

The Admiralty and Maritime Law Guide includes over 1,500 annotated links to admiralty law resources on the Internet and a growing database of admiralty case digests, opinions and international maritime conventions.
http://www.admiraltylawguide.com/index.html

Also, take a look at our CRUISERS LOG BOOKS there is a short article with a link on Staying Safe.

Standard Horizon needs no introduction to the recreational boating industry. This well-known company, whose radios are found at CLR Marine and the helm stations of every brand of boat, has been on the leading edge of marine electronics ever since it was founded in 1969.  Today, as a division of global communications corporation Vertex Standard Co., Standard Horizon continues to pioneer new technology to enhance the safety and enjoyment of the recreational boat owner, as well as commercial vessel operators and Coast Guard personnel.

"The nature of marine communications is constantly evolving, as demonstrated by Standard Horizon's increasing trend to incorporate GPS technology into Marine VHF," said Jason Kennedy, executive vice president of Standard Horizon USA. "We are currently the only manufacturer to integrate VHF with GPS. In 2007, we launched two chartplotters with built-in 25W VHF radios, the CPV350 and CPV550, so the next logical progression was to introduce the industry's first floating handheld VHF with a built-in GPS."

It floats New for 2008 and coming to CLR Marine; Standard Horizon is introducing the HX850S 6-Watt FLOATING Handheld VHF Radio with built-in GPS. "This VHF radio takes handheld communications to a whole new level of safety and performance," said Kennedy. "The HX850S is the only floating VHF handheld on the market that incorporates GPS." Designed for the knowledgeable boating enthusiast, the advanced HX850S FLOATING handheld VHF includes a 12-channel WAAS GPS receiver that allows the radio to transmit a DSC call with your boat's coordinates. This enhanced safety feature makes the radio perfect for a ditch bag.

Image of the HX850S screen.

By Kitty Martin

A 43-year-old sailor from Wailuku, Hawai'i, was rescued last month, after his 30-foot trimaran began taking on water 230 miles off the coast of Maui. The sailor notified U.S. Coast Guard rescue coordinators and activated his EPIRB after the starboard bow broke off, and the center hull began taking on water as the result of a puncture.

The Automated Mutual Assistance Vessel Rescue System, which celebrates 50 years of operation in 2008, played a crucial role in helping save the man. Amver is a global, computer-based, ship-reporting system sponsored by the U.S. Coast Guard. The voluntary program is used worldwide by search-and-rescue authorities to arrange assistance for people in distress at sea.

Citing privacy rules, the Coast Guard doesn't release survivors' names, but it reports that the Amver-participating merchant ship CS Victory took the uninjured sailor to its next port of call, Japan, where U.S. Embassy personnel assisted his return to Hawai'i.

The majority of vessels in the Amver program are commercial ships, but private vessels, both power and sail, may also participate. "As long as a boat is capable of rescuing a person, they're eligible," says Benjamin Strong, director of marketing for Amver.

In a multi-agency response, the Coast Guard diverted a U.S. Navy P-3 Orion along with the U.S.C.G. Cutter Galveston to assist the sailor on the trimaran. But it was the 585-foot, Panamanian-flagged Victory that arrived on scene first and rescued him within six hours of the initial notification.

The advancement of technology has certainly changed the way Amver operates since its inception in 1957. "In the beginning, the program was limited to the North Atlantic," says Strong. "And participating vessels used to communicate by sending Morse code. But now we've expanded worldwide, and everything is done by e-mail."

The Amver system rescued 333 lives in 2006 and 450 people were saved in 2007. "By far, the best way for boaters in distress to notify authorities of their position is by activating their EPIRB," says Benjamin. "And make sure it's registered before you leave."

With Amver, rescue coordinators can identify participating ships in the area of distress and divert the best-suited boat or boats to respond. Prior to sailing, participating vessels send a sail plan to the Amver computer center. Vessels then report every 48 hours until arriving at their port of call. On any given day, there are more than 3,200 ships available to carry out search-and-rescue services.

Created by Sailing World in 1988, NOOD (National Offshore One-Design) regattas attract close to 2,000 boats and more than 30,000 competitors and spectators annually. Each event in the series features three days of sailboat racing for one-design models from 20 to 70 feet in length. In addition to local sailors, sailing's top stars - including America's Cup and Olympic champions - are well-represented at the NOODs. Competitive sailors rate the NOODs as the top national event in each region of the country.

2008 NOOD Regatta Locations

St. Petersburg, FL
February 15-17, 2008, St. Petersburg Yacht Club,
St. Petersburg, FL
 
San Diego, CA
March 14-16, 2008, San Diego Yacht Club,
San Diego, CA
 
Annapolis, MD
April 25-27, 2008, Annapolis Yacht Club,
Annapolis, MD
 
Seattle, WA
May 16-18, 2008, Corinthian Yacht Club,
Seattle Yacht Club, 
 
Detroit, MI
May 30, 2008 - June 1, 2008, Bayview Yacht Club,
Detroit, MI
 
Chicago, IL
June 13-15, 2008, Chicago Yacht Club,
Chicago, IL
 
Marblehead, MA
July 24-27, 2008, Corinthian Yacht Club,
Marblehead (Boston), MA
 
Larchmont, NY
September 6-7, 2008, Larchmont Yacht Club,
Larchmont (Westchester County), NY
 
Houston, TX
September 19-21, 2008, Lakewood Yacht Club,
Seabrook, TX

With the SPOT Satellite Messenger, you and your loved ones have peace of mind knowing help is always within reach. SPOT is the only device of its kind, using the GPS satellite network to acquire its coordinates, and then sending its location with a link to Google Maps and a pre-programmed message via a commercial satellite network. Check it out today! 

PRODUCT REPLACEMENT Standard Horizon discontinues the Quest model VHF and brings aboard the Eclipse VHF.
Standard Horizon discontinues the Black and White Quest VHF Radio and welcomes the Black Eclipse and White Eclipse VHF Radio.

Check them out today!
 
Garmin Part Number Change
Garmin, Long Stem Bronze Triducer MFG Part #010-10193-01 is now MFG Part #010-10193-01