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Upcoming Events
Saturday, April 16 - Bilgewater Bash! - The 2016 Bilgewater Bash will once again be held at the Royal Vancouver Yacht Club, Jericho.
Ticket prices and ordering details are
below in this Masthead, so mark your calendars and buy your tickets
before they're all sold out!
Monday, April 18 - Meeting Night - Patrick Dickie will tell us all about single-handed sailing to Hawaii. Come and hear about this great adventure!
May 13 to 15 - Bowen Island Cruise - Boating season has begun! Haven't been out yet? Join our cruise!
June 11 to 12 - Men's Cruise - Register as soon as possible! See below for more information.
September 10 to 11 - PMD Predicted Log Race - Details coming soon!
Past, current and incoming Power
Squadron members are all welcome at Squadron Nights, held on the third
Monday of each month. We meet at the False Creek Yacht Club on the north
shore of False Creek under the Granville Street Bridge. The doors open
at 7:00 pm, the event begins at 7:30 pm. We look forward to seeing you
there!
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 From the Commander's Log....
We are in
the final stretch for this year; next month is of course our Annual
General Meeting and Change of Watch at the False Creek Yacht Club. For
Vancouver Squadron members, look for your AGM Notice of Meeting to
arrive shortly. You will also be receiving an invitation to enjoy a
delicious barbecue at the AGM again this year. Burger choices and ticket
details will be outlined in the invite. Stay tuned!
This month is also the annual Commander’s Bilgewater Bash, Dinner and
Dance at the Royal Vancouver Yacht Club - Jericho. Open to all members,
family and friends, I look forward to seeing all of you there! Please
see ticket details below.
We have made tremendous strides in our Maritime Radio course, nearing
100 students passing the course this spring alone. It shows that a one
day course is just the right amount of time to spend learning and
passing the two-part exam for the Maritime Radio Operator’s Certificate.
If you haven’t got yours, you can sign up for our last VHF radio course
of the season, May 7. Remember: If you pass the test, your certificate
is good for life!
I am also thrilled that through the generosity of Historian Dennis
Steeves and Education Officer John Steede, Vancouver Squadron and
Pacific Mainland District will be running a brand new Predicted Log Race
in September, open to all CPS-ECP members. Dennis and John have created
a brand new First Prize trophy, a Second Prize trophy, and re-dedicated
Alouette Squadron's 'All-a-Wet' Commander’s trophy to this race. More
details to follow.
The Nominating Committee is also close to wrapping up the proceedings
for selecting next year’s bridge. The slate will be listed alongside the
AGM Notice of Meeting later this month.
If you have any questions about Vancouver Squadron, or would like to
learn more about us, please feel free to reach out to me directly, via
email: cdr@vpsboat.org or phone: 778-386-5828.
Fair winds and calm seas,
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Join Us for Squadron Nights!
Our next meeting will be Monday, April 18.
Our speaker will be Patrick Dickie, who will tell us all about single-handed sailing to Hawaii.
Patrick teaches our Seamanship course and is an experienced offshore sailor. 
In 2012 Patrick sailed his old Spencer 35 Kismet II to Hawaii
and spent a couple of months cruising through the islands before
returning home.
Come and hear about this great adventure!
Squadron
Nights provide a great opportunity to socialize with fellow boaters,
find out what’s happening in the squadron, and
experience fun and fascinating guest speakers. If you haven’t attended
before, we meet in the FalseCreek Yacht Club pub. Guests are
welcome! Be sure to mark your calendar for the third Monday evening
of each month. We look forward to seeing you!
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The Vancouver Power and Sail Squadron’s Annual Commander’s Bilgewater Bash Dinner Dance is a gala event where the Commander declares “The 2016 Boating Season is now open”. Dress is semi-formal and be prepared for a delicious RVYC buffet dinner, door prize draws and dancing to a DJ! The famous secret formula Bilgewater punch is free!
Tickets are $90 each
- Doors Open at 17:45
- Bilgewater begins flowing at 18:00
- Famous RVYC Buffet at 19:00
- Door Prizes at 21:00
- Dancing to the DJ follows dinner & door prizes
- Doors close: at 24:00
There are only 120 tickets available for this fantastic event.
Order soon so you are not disappointed!
A quick and easy way to get your tickets right away.
Call Ruth Cuddeford
604-294-5310
(Mon-Fri 8:30-5:00)
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Vancouver
Power & Sail Squadron
Presents
Maritime Radio (VHF) Seminar
Earn your lifetime Radio Operator’s Certificate.
Course materials includes the Maritime Radio Course manual and a
CD on which there is a movie (It’s Good For Life), a homework program
that asks exam type questions and scores your answers, an audio training
‘tape’ that teaches radio communications, and other training aids.
St. James Community Square
3214 West 10th Avenue
Date: Sat. May 7, 2016
Time: 0900 – 1600
Registration & Information:
http://vpsboat.org or
Peter Bennett 604-817-4165
or http://boatingcourses.ca
Cost: $125 (CPS members $105)
(includes course material, exam and certificate).
**Space is limited to 18 people, so register ASAP
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RVCC SAFETY CHECKS
If you'd like to have a safety check done, please contact Jerry Powers at
604-921-8896, or jwpowers@shaw.ca
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Volunteers Needed
Recreational Vessel Courtesy Check
With
our boating season now only weeks away, we are making plans to
assist local recreational boaters by ensuring their vessels are in full
compliance with all mandatory Transport Canada requirements. This
is done through a system of voluntary safety checks carried out by CPS
volunteers within the Recreational Vessel Courtesy Check (RVCC) program.
Are you interested in becoming a RVCC volunteer?
A typical RVCC day would be a Saturday or a Sunday for 3-4 hours and
involves an examination of the safety equipment onboard. You would
be determining that the requirements of the regulation for the
size of vessel have been met, and the required documentation, such as a
boat license or registration and operator’s card (PCOC) are on board. A
recording of this information is done by filling out a check list form
and a copy is left with the boater.
The
time required for a free voluntary courtesy check is between 20 and 30
minutes and is only done after first receiving permission from the
boater. If all safety equipment and documentation requirements are met, a
CPS decal is issued, indicating that the vessel was in compliance with
all safety regulations at the time of courtesy check. If the vessel is
not compliant with all regulations, we highlight those items to be
corrected on boater’s copy of check list form.
Training
for RVCC volunteers is most important and we currently have an ideal
opportunity to conduct a training session some time before the end of
March 2016. The training session would be 4 to 6 hours in duration
and would be taught by a Safety Officer from the Office of Boating
Safety (Transport Canada). The training session would be scheduled
for a Saturday morning that would be suitable for most of the
volunteers.
Help others be prepared with the correct documentation and safety equipment.
Contact Jerry Powers (RVCC Co-ordinator - Western Region) as soon as possible to take advantage of the training session coming up.
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 Cruise Coordinator's Corner
by Cruise Coordinator Ingrid McLaine,
cruisecoordinator@vpsboat.org
Wow! Is it boating season already? Yes it is! And keeping with
tradition, our first cruise of the year will be to a cozy,
VPSS favourite...you guessed it...Bowen Island!
- Friday, May 13 to Sunday, May 15 - Bowen Island Cruise
If
you can’t make it out on Friday, no problem! Come on Saturday. If
you don’t have a boat, don’t worry! Just come by ferry; There’s plenty
of great accommodation to book.
For
those who are coming by boat: Please reserve by phoning the Union
Steamship Marina at 604-947-0707 and let them know you’re with the
Vancouver Power and Sail Squadron.
Please also call, text or email to let me know you’re coming: 778-879-9024 or cruisecoordinator@vpsboat.org.
Itinerary (optional)
Friday Night:
1800 hrs: Meet up at Tuscany’s Pizza.
Saturday:
1100 hrs: Hike to Dorman Point, 1 ½ hours return (plan to bring a lunch).
1700 hrs: BBQ at the Tower (beef/veggie  burgers will be provided). Please bring a potluck dish.
Sunday:
Breakfast at the Snug Cove Cafe.
And for those looking to burn a few calories after breakfast:
A 20-minute hike up to Artisan Square to check out the cool
art shops as well as the gorgeous views.
We hope to see you there!
Stay
tuned for details about more great cruises over the summer. If
you have any suggestions for cruises that you would like to attend---let
us know! (cruisecoordinator@vpsboat.org).
If you're interested in attending any
the cruises listed above, or if you have any questions, please call or
text Ingrid Mclaine at 778-879-9024 or email me (cruisecoordinator@vpsboat.org).
If you have any ideas for future cruises, please let me know!
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The March
Social night had about 26 members enjoy an informative presentation by
George Creek, President of the Marine Parks Forever Society. George
has been involved for many years and is passionate about his subject.
He was able to give us a good overview of the the Society, its history
and its up-to-date operations.
The Society was originally formed as a fundraiser to purchase new
lands for Marine Parks. All funds raised by the Society go into its
programs and it is completely run by volunteers. A few years ago marine
park maintenance and upgrades were added to the mandate to enable the
Society to be more effective and to use the funds raised in a timely
manner.
All marine parks and the facilities within them fall under BC
Parks. Dealing with BC Parks can be a politically demanding task
and George had some good  stories
to tell us about how the Society works with them, and the various
politicians connected to it. Boaters around BC do not realize the
importance of this Society in keeping marine parks on the
agenda and budget of the provincial government. Creating,
maintaining, and improving marine parks is something that affects all
boaters and George was particularly good in explaining how the Society
was formed and how the membership is determined. Look for proposed
changes in membership to allow growth in the Society so we can all help a
bit more.
 The
current focus is on the Stern Tie Stewardship Program. This ambitious
project will benefit all boaters, as it will allow more boats to
safely anchor in marine parks. Just getting started,  this program will replace some existing stern ties and install many new ones in more accessible and safer spots.
The presentation ended with several good questions about the Stern Tie Program and the Society in general.
Thanks to the Marine Parks Forever Society and George for a great evening.
Brian Kennedy
Programs Officer
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Photos courtesy of Dennis Steeves
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BC Marine Parks Forever Society
A Brief History & Update
The society was formed in 1990 by the
Council of BC Yacht Clubs to raise funds through donations from members
to assist BC Parks to acquire lands for Marine Parks. It was envisioned
that if each member of each club donated just $10 per year, we could
play a major role in the expansion of the Marine Park system.
Since 1990, MPFS has donated $1,250,000 to BC Parks for land purchases. A
complete list of the amounts and years can be viewed on the website www.marineparksforever.ca.
In 2011, the mandate was amended to include the improvement and
enhancement of existing Marine Parks in ways that would be a benefit to
boaters.
In the last few years, the Stern Tie Stewardship Program was launched.
It is intended to install rock pins and heavy link chain to mid tide and
identify each location with a stainless steel plate. To fund the
materials, BC Parks donated the surplus Marine Parks Guides to be used
for fund raising for the project. For a $10 donation, a Park Guide was
given out. Over $14,000 was raised. In 2015, the first 12 pins and
chains were installed in Melanie Cove, Desolation Sound Marine Park with
plans to add significant numbers in Prideaux, Laura Coves and Grace
Harbour in 2016.
 In
Princess Cove on Wallace Island, long link chain was added to existing
rock pins with some pins being replaced. No longer does a boater have to
make like a goat to shore tie there.
Pirates Cove also received some replacements and additions to make shore tying easier.
MPFS is also working with BC Parks to provide a Marine Access point in
Burgoyne Bay Provincial Park (Sansum Narrows). We have requested docks
and mooring buoys be installed along with shore facilities such as
tables, benches, BBQ’s and eventually rain shelters for groups. MPFS is
prepared to fund a significant portion. This effort will be subject to
the cooperation and endorsement of local First Nations.
 In
the last 5 years, MPFS has changed its relationship with BC Parks from
being simply a source of funds for land purchases to a proactive partner
in planning and management of the Marine Park system. It was awarded
the “2014 Community Partner of the Year Award” by BC Parks partially in
recognition of the significant role it played in the Quadra Island –
Octopus Islands Marine Park expansion.
We continue to seek opportunities to enhance and improve the BC Marine Park system for all boaters.
George Creek, President
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Vancouver Power & Sail Squadron Men’s Cruise
Will be held on June 11 & 12, 2016
Indian Arm
- Make new friends in the boating community
- Lots of money to be won along with great prizes
- Other fun events
- Dinner prepared by Red Seal Chef “Phill”
- Transport Canada Safety Checks available
- Try participating in a navigation exercise and learn even more about your boat
- Visit other boats to see how they are outfitted
Please
talk to other members of your Squadron and make them aware of this
popular event. Encourage your male friends to join you. They do not need to be CPS members.
Put a crew together today! The more the merrier!
Vancouver Power and Sail Squadron Men’s Cruise Committee
*If you have any questions about this event – call John Steede at 604-230-0848
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PMD Predicted Log Race
September 10 to 11, 2016
When he was a recent graduate and new
Commander of Vancouver Power Squadron, Jeff Booth entered the Men’s
cruise two years ago and enjoyed the whole event. He also won the
predicted log race over a number of other contestants. He was so
enthusiastic about the log race and the whole exercise, that he wanted
all Power Squadron members to be able to experience the satisfaction of
entering the race and learning about navigating their own boat with
minimal tools. Traditionally, Vancouver has run its Predicted Log Race
during the Men's Cruise (since 1959), when Standard Oil created
their trophy to promote safe boating. They felt that a predicted log race was a useful learning tool that encourages education and safety.
With a men’s cruise, we miss more then half of our boating population,
and Jeff Booth felt strongly that we needed an all-inclusive event. With
that in mind, an all-inclusive event under the banner of Pacific
Mainland District was considered. We learned that there are already
families that are interested in such an event that would be open to all
squadrons and all manner of groups. It was felt that September would be
the best time for such an event, as it would not interfere with other
events and the weather is still favourable. Due to the generosity of Don
White, a meeting place is available, and John Steede and myself have
redesigned two trophies for the first and second place winners of the
log race. Our hope is that all Pacific Mainland District Squadrons will
want to participate in this new event. Vancouver Squadron can plan the
predicted log race, but the rest of the weekend would be a District
event.
A predicted boating log race is allows you to apply the basic boating
skills necessary to become a Power and Sail Squadron member. The
skipper/navigator typically predicts the time their vessel takes to
travel between possibly five control points over a described course.
That is the whole point of the race, except you need to use only your
navigational and chart work skills, and engine RPM, without the use of
GPS or any other time piece. Each boat needs a skipper, two crew (if
possible), as one crew member needs to be available to move to another
boat as an observer and time recorder between each of the control
points. This exercise is a magnificent training exercise for both
yourself and crew, and also helps you learn even more about your own
boat. This is a great exercise for both power and sail boats alike.
Should you be nervous about participating in the log race and/or want to
learn more about a predicted log race, I suggest you contact me at
604-263-4276 or dsteeves@telus.net, as I will be giving a lesson in my home during May and August 2016.
See below for pictures of the two new trophies and the “All-A-Wet” trophy which was donated by Alouette Squadron in 1958.
Special thanks to John Steede VPSS Training Officer for his considerable help and guidance with this project.
Dennis Steeves
Historian VPSS
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Have you renewed your membership?
It takes just a few moments to renew online, and that gives you access to a multitude of benefits. A few include:
 Six issues per year of Pacific Yachting
magazine, which include Propwash, the Pacific Mainland District
newsletter, containing news of other squadrons. (The other six issues
are available at the special discounted rate of $1.83 per issue). Canadian Yachting magazine, which includes The Port Hole, with national CPS news and information.- The
opportunities to further expand your boating knowledge through CPS
advanced and elective courses, and to pass on your knowledge through
proctoring or lecturing.
- The
right to fly the CPS flag. (Police and Coast Guard recognize the CPS
flag as meaning the vessel has a knowledgeable skipper).
- The opportunity to obtain comprehensive CPS boat insurance at significant savings.
- 15% discount of the non-member rate
- 2.5% additional discount for each of any three other courses successfully completed
- 2.5% additional discount for achieving a complete Certificate
- 5% discount for an automatic extinguishing system
- 10% discount for having any four of the following: LORAN, GPS, SatNav, RADAR, Depth
- 10% discount at Rona
Most importantly, membership gives you
the opportunity to make new boating friends and have fun at various
squadrons' social events and cruises, so renew today!
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HELP WANTED
VPSS has an amazing history, and some of that
 history has
been captured in photos over the years. The bridge would like to
digitize these photos in order to create digital albums of all the great
activities we have enjoyed over the years; to remember members,
past and present.
Therefore,
we are looking for some volunteers who would be willing to take on this
project. If you are interested in helping our squadron to honour those
memories, and have some thoughts about how it could be done, please
reach out to Commander Jeff Booth or Historian Dennis Steeves, either by phone or email, and let them know.
Be part of a fantastic legacy project honouring Vancouver Squadron’s 60 years of service!
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Photos courtesy of Jerry Powers
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For Sale
2009 Aluminum Boathouse 52 X 26 Currently at Mosquito Creek.
Boat entrance: door height is at least 22’ 8”; automated roll up door with remotes, UHMW sliders on side of doors
Floor: 3/4 inch plywood with non slip paint
Electrical: 100 amp/24 circuit 110 volt panel. Multiple outlets, fluorescent lights, shore power is 120/50 amp marine twist lock.
Has a mezzanine with staircase and railing.
Multiple 8 ft translucent skylights. Currently houses a 36 Grand Banks with mast up.
$90,000
Phone 604-943-4602
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The Shore Family is offering their vacation home near Lund, Desolation
Sound, for a squadron discount of 10% during the summer, and 20% during
any other season.
Just 2km across the water from Savary Island and 2km south of the
Copeland Islands... Come Experience a piece of British Columbia coastal
heaven!
For more information, visit shoresatlund.com
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