Neil Arnal, Vessel Examinations

Our Vessel Safety Checks picked up in April.  We performed VSC’s on 50 boats and 22 paddle craft for the month.  Our totals for the year are 121 boats and 72 paddle craft for a grand total of 192.  We are on schedule compared to last year’s total of 487.

April’s two scheduled VSC’s took place at Wiggins Pass Boat Ramp and Lovers Key State Park Boat Ramp.

Just a reminder to our Vessel Examiners who are now up north:  you can perform VSC’s on boats where you are.  Send the 7012 form to me and I will process it so that you and Flotilla 96 will receive the credit.

National Safe Boating Week takes place in May.  We will be performing VSC’s and handing out safe boating literature at Fish Tale Marina on May 19^th and 20^th in recognition of National Safe Boating Week.  We currently have six VE’s signed up to cover this great event.

Grant Skaggs, Navigation Systems

We have been busy in April doing aids to navigations and attending classes. Ten members of the flotilla attended an Aids to Navigation (ATON) class for our division. Six of those are learning to be new ATON verifiers. The class explained many new forms and procedures for ATON verifiers to use. 

Ninety-four ATONs in Water Turkey Channel, Alternate Route Channel, Estero Pointe Channel, Coconut Pointe, and Southern Passage have been observed and recorded by ATON verifiers. More observation will be done soon. 

Michael DiPierro, Program Visitation

April was a busy month for Team Program Visitation.  We added three new Program Visitors to our roster and two new Program Visitors became certified.  The team now numbers 14.  We established eight new Partners and have a total of 51 working Partners.  We made 43 visits in April for a total of 173 so far this year.

Mike Dobrovic still holds the record for the most visits for the year, posting an incredible 58 visits.  Keep up the good work, Mike!

Ned Herrmann, Operations

Michael DiPierro receives coxswain certificate.

April was a busy and breezy month.  We had nineteen patrols in all, including ten that were routine safety patrols.  In addition, we had two Qualification Exams, one for a new coxswain and one for crew requalification. Six other patrols involved Aids to Navigation verification, and we had one night navigation.

The topic of our next Operations meeting, June 6, will be Patrol Planning.

Ed Walters, Communications

With hurricane season approaching, I met with Ned Herrmann and John Gaston to review the status of equipment in the trailer. We agreed to purchase the following items to be installed in the trailer before May 15:

Heavy Duty Battery

Smart Battery Charger

Flashlight-LED

Lantern-LED

First Aid Kit

We will have new instructions  and a checklist for watchstanders who are on duty in the trailer. Functionality of the equipment will be tested during scheduled patrols later in May and June, as well as any necessary training .

We need to verify insurance coverage on the trailer as it applies to the vehicle and to the person towing the trailer. We are recommending that the trailer not be towed long distances and that it be secured locally during a tropical storm or hurricane.

Mike DiPierro has offered to design a new antenna system. In the interim, we will continue to use the existing antenna and install a secondary marine antenna using insulated materials.

Ed Walters, Human Resources

We received no new member applications in April. 

Ross Tisci is scheduled for swearing in at the next general meeting, May 16.