Craig wrote, >This post reminded me of an incident in Mexico while my wife and I >were cruising our 32-foot sailboat in the Pacific. I had lived and >worked in Latin America for years and so spoke Spanish. We were >anchored in La Paz harbor, where many cruising sailboats stop for a >few months waiting out the hurricane season before heading on down >into the South Pacific. It is also occupied by yachties who have >either decided to stay in the Sea of Cortez or who have, for one >reason or another, become more-or-less permanent. Some of them, no >doubt, became tired of listening to the continual fisherman chatter in >Spanish on Channel 16 . The worst abuse I've heard up here in Canada has come from Commercial fishermen. The level of swearing is embarrassing. Some of these yokels think they're on a private phone line. The level of competent radio use is clearly in decline. I know of a number of kayakers who have very expensive marine VHF radios (not to mention GPS units) but have no clue what to do after they've turned them on. Marine radio procedures are just like all other kayaking or boating skills - use them or loose them. I have a friend who works in the marine section of a popular store here in Victoria. He says most people who come in requesting to up grade their "old" GPS units, don't even know the capabilities of their current units. Gordin Warner Victoria BC *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - Any opinions or suggestions expressed here are solely those of the writer(s). You must assume the entire responsibility for reliance upon them. All postings copyright the author. Submissions: PaddleWise_at_PaddleWise.net Subscriptions: PaddleWise-request_at_PaddleWise.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
> I know of a number of kayakers who have very expensive marine VHF radios > (not to mention GPS units) but have no clue what to do after they've > turned them on. This is where kayaking clubs can provide a service. In Minnesota the Inland Sea Kayakers (ISK) got a grant from Boat/US to create a plastic vest pocket-size safety card (thanks, Jody!). On one side it has basic sea kayaking safety rules; on the other it has basic calling rules for VHF radios. Later the club made a similar arrangement with the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources. The DNR at one point had plans to mail a card to every registered sea kayak owner in the state. However, I know several people who never received theirs, including my wife, so I suspect the DNR ran out of funds after the first mailing. If anyone on the list plans to be at Midwest Mountaineering's Outdoor Expo in Minneapolis this coming weekend, you can pick up a free safety/calling card at the ISK booth. Chuck Holst *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - Any opinions or suggestions expressed here are solely those of the writer(s). You must assume the entire responsibility for reliance upon them. All postings copyright the author. Submissions: PaddleWise_at_PaddleWise.net Subscriptions: PaddleWise-request_at_PaddleWise.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
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