Keep hatches battened for looming storm

Ahoy.

The weekend is here and another storm is heading our way, so batten down the hatches. If you are planning to take your boat outside the jetty entrance in the next few days, watch for rough sea conditions. I am glad I am not cruising in the outer waters this weekend; I predict the swells will top 20 feet. Hold off on any voyages to Hawaii.

Do you know how the phrase “batten down the hatches” originated? A few centuries ago, canvas was used to cover openings like cargo holds and hatches during a storm, and sailors used wooden strips called battens to secure the cloth in place. Thus the command “batten down the hatches” could be heard across the decks as a storm approached.

In a sense, we still batten down the hatches nowadays when we use fabric covers to protect dinghies, deck gear and other items onboard a boat ? not just to keep water out but to protect these things from the sun.

MARINE COMMITTEE MEETING

At 7:30 a.m. Tuesday, the marine committee of the Newport Beach Chamber of Commerce will have its monthly meeting at the Newport Sea Base. One item on the agenda is the Clean Vessel Act.

Members of the Marina Recreation Assn. are eligible to receive up to $1,000 in grant money through the Clean Vessel Act for repairs and maintenance to their vessel sewage pump-out systems.

Mariann Timms, membership services coordinator for the association, will speak about this grant program and also about the California Clean Marinas Certification program, also administered by the association. Marinas can still apply for funds to install new pump-out systems at their facilities.

I remember once reading a report about the conditions of the pump-out stations in Newport Harbor, and it was not favorable. That was some time ago, however, and I am curious to know the status today. I rarely take a boat to a pump-out station because I instruct the owners of larger private yachts to have a pump-out company regularly service the vessel. This eliminates the need to get the vessel underway with crew and any chances of bathing a crew member in sewage from a mishap. I have seen pump-out mishaps, and they are rather messy.

The major sewer spills in the bay, however, are from sewer lines under the streets. These terrestrial spills dump thousands of gallons into the harbor, and the raw sewage floating on the water can diminish my boating pleasure.

You can find out more information about the marine committee meeting by calling the Chamber of Commerce at (949) 729-4400. For information about the Marina Recreation Assn., contact Mariann Timms at (209) 334-0661 or timms@marina.org.

TIP OF THE WEEK

The tip of the week is to check your anchor’s ground tackle before you set the hook this boating season. The anchor rode ? the line or chain or combination of the two ? is out of sight and out of mind for most boaters until they need it, either to anchor at Catalina or to keep them from drifting into the surf line in the event of engine failure.

I recommend that you pull out all the rode onto the dock. Clean and inspect it, and please do not call it rope. Also, marking the rode every 10 or 20 feet is a good way to know how much of it is under the sea.

Remember to tune in to the No. 1 boating talk radio show in the nation every Saturday at noon. “Capt. Mike Whitehead’s Boathouse Radio Show” is on KCBQ-AM (1170) and can be heard online at www.boathouseradio.com.

Safe voyages.