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Jun 2011 BOC On The Water Testing
The MHPS' first ever "Boat Operator Certification On-The-Water
Testing" day on the Hudson River was a resounding success!!!!
Absolutely,
no question about it, it was this Webmaster's [most fun],
learning experience in his 14-year boating career. Definitely a
skills-gap closer.
Anyway, WHEW! .. it was a remarkable learning experience for all participants, where we all
walked away in disbelief, realizing just how much we did not know
about how to handle a boat.
Following were just some of the many skills/maneuvers
we learned and then had to demonstrate on the water: Slalom, Slalom
Astern, Pivot Turn, High Speed Stop, Steer a Range, Controlled
High-Speed Turns, Low-Speed Turns Collision Avoidance, Anchor a
Boat, Coiling and Heaving a Line, etc.
Following were the students: Joseph Todaro (yours truly, MHPS
Webmaster), Robert Verona, John Kwak, Ernest Klopping, Paul Okura,
Frank Palmieri. Tom Thomton,
Ed Weber, and Donald Gladstone.
Following were the Staff:
George Hallenbeck (D2 / District Education Officer, SEO Advanced Certifier), Fred Mangelsdorf (SEO
Advanced Certifier),
Linda Mangelsdorf (Administrator), Mercy Todaro (Webmaster's wife, videographer),
and Dick Winchell (SEO).
Test Boats furnished by:
Joe & Mercy Todaro (MERCY ME 2) and Ed
Weber.
* Very special thanks go to George Hallenbeck & Fred Mangelsdorf, certifiers/presenters, for making this very special day possible.
"Inland
Navigator" Certification Testing
Ed Weber coming to bring Joe & Mercy back to the dock from the MERCY ME 2, which was one of the two boats used for demonstration and by the participants for certification testing. Fred & Linda Mangelsdorf setting up the course pylons, with Don Gladstone in the background taking a picture. Frank Palmieri & Paul Okura helping George Hallenbeck get the course pylons ready. Dick Whinchell (Squadron Education Officer), with Mercy Todaro & Ed Weber talking in the background. Fred Mangelsdorf & George Hallenbeck, certifiers/testers, coordinating the day's events. Fred Mangelsdorf & George Hallenbeck deciding where to set out the buoys, given the suprisingly strong current and opposing winds. Fred Mangelsdorf showing John Kwak & Joe Todaro how extactly these self-adjusting buoys work. Ed Weber (along with Linda Mangelsdorf in the red hat, and George Hallenbeck in the khaki-colored uninform) pre-qualifying a few more of the participants. Left to right: Joe Todaro, John Kwak, Ernie Klopping & Bob Verona. George Hallenbeck presenting class overview and establishing criteria/expectations. Very interesting discussions ensued prior to boarding both testboats. The anticipation and excitment was filling the air. Dick Winchell (SEO) seated. Fred & Linda Mangelsdorf getting ready to set out the buoys for the slalom forward/astern courses and constant radium turn. What an amazing day! Weather turned out to be spectacular! And the strong winds and current ended up being be a big plus.. Preparing to board the vessels to beging the day's exercises. Ed Weber preparing boat #1 for launch whereby boat # 2 (MERCY ME 2) arrived earlier from Charles Rider State Park. Ed Weber putting testboat # 1 on the water. Head of the table: Pat Smalley (past Commander) joined us for lunch, and to assist the staff. Ed giving some good news to George during lunch break. Left to right: Bob Verona, Linda & Fred Mangelsdorf, George Hallenbeck, and Ed Weber. Preparing testboat # 2 (MERCY ME 2) for afternoon certification testing. Testboat # 2 (MERCY ME 2) preparing to cast off following lunch break, eagar to complete certification testing.
The crew of boat #2 (MERCY ME 2) returning to dock, tired but exhilarated, upon completion of certification testing and recovering all the buoys. After recovering all buoys, and returning to dock, everyone attended two more presentations by George Hallenbeck (Onboard Weather Forcasting and Chart Reading) and finally the Class Recap/Wrap-up.
Generally speaking, we all had a wonderful! and memorable! day, filled with fun! and excitment!
Each participant walked away with a number of newly acquired skills and with new sense of confidence (which was the general consensus). As for myself, I didn't think some of the maneuvers were even possible prior to this class. For example, High-Speed Stop? Impossible I thought to myself. No way. But I did it. We all did.
Special THANK YOU to George Hallenbeck and Fred Mangelsdorf, and to Ed Weber, of course, for hosting this event on his riverfront property. We all learned so very much.
But now the question is: When are we going to do this again? :-) When are we going to do get together again as a club or district and hit the water?
Your MHPS Webmaster,
Joseph Todaro
Ed Weber coming to bring Joe & Mercy back to the dock from the MERCY ME 2, which was one of the two boats used for demonstration and by the participants for certification testing.
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