Recent content by AUXOPdwp

1-1/4" by 1/2" reducing street tee I suggest you contact www.fawcettboat.com, a chandlery in Annapolis MD that stocks an excellent assortment of bronze fittings. You will find a form under the 'Contact Us' link. Direct your inquiry to Rick Sadler who is one of the owners of this and prior...

Interpreting 'who's who' in the CGAUX is difficult 'from the outside looking in'. I'll cite a number of facts that you must digest to make sense of it. 1st - CG Auxiliary employs a "chain of leadership" instead of a "chain of command". 'Rank' is not as powerfully authoritative as it is...

Lest I leave the wrong impression menzies, CGAUX has no LE power by definition. Yet, it's often the case that LE has too few assets to address circumstances. When a dozen or two CGAUX facilities are maintaining an exclusion zone, two or more Response Boats are keeping station nearby, and will...

Not with a 'blue flasher' but we intensely hope our frenzied operation of our horn, loud hailer, red/amber flashers, spotlights, hand held signage and such will convey the message. It's especially interesting when we must block traffic from traveling north or south under the Chesapeake Bay...

Sounds like a MUST.

USCG's viewpoint is that they have Air and Surface assets, which includes active duty as well as Auxiliary facilities. Civilian owned aircraft and boats must be formally 'offered', inspected for capabilities compliance and formally accepted/authorized for use as a US Government Operational...

Yes. Auxiliary OPFACS frequently maintain exclusion zones. Sometimes with 2 armed active duty coasties aboard, sometimes without. Why do you ask?

Agreed. There is a sensitivity, however, to not abusing the use just to RTB for a TV show, for instance. Behavior control is stronger than ever. Semper Paratus Don

As a practical matter, Blue lights aren't energized unless there is good cause. Training (e.g. practicing SAR patterns, Set & Drift testing, or what is shown in photo) doesn't warrant alerting onlookers to a facility operating with urgency. Active Duty or CGAUX facilities will display blue, or...

They are RB29's (not 25s) and should have been communicating on CG112 (either encrypted or in the clear) rather than 16 or 22A. The absence of flashing blue lights is a perceptive understanding that they're not engaged in Law Enforcement activity. Semper Paratus Don

We were eager to head north thru NY to Great Lakes in May, made easy by our air draft of 14' instead of the 57' our 42' sloop required. COVID negated that plus most of our summer. Eager to get underway again, we will go south hoping to enjoy new harbors. Please share your knowledge of the West...

For those who travel, the following video is pertinent and encourages self assessment of your preparedness. Even at home where I live on the water with my boat at my private dock, I will never ride out a storm in my slip if big tidal surge is possible. After boats floated well above their...

I'm your huckleberry One's attitude toward this has to do with what kind of cruising you do and your perspective. Now that arthritis has forced me to give up bluewater sailing and move to a puddle jumping trawler, I have scaled back on contingency measures. Once on a voyage from Annapolis to...

Anchoring in preparation to endure unusually strong winds and/or sea forces, essentially relies on various techniques to reduce forces that may exceed your anchor's holding power, or, that may elevate your anchor's lead angle by 8 degrees or more, thus initiating a breakout. Increasing catenary...

No I didn't miss it, but twice in my life, I've had to weigh anchor after windlass failures. I'm a great believer in selecting the bow anchor size recommended for storm duty, which is why I replaced a 35# Delta with a 47# Excel. Without a windlass I, or my wife, will need to hoist 47# plus at...