MacGregorSailors.com

Yeah, from time to time I hear fishermen here socializing on the radio for short periods, usually not on 16, so it happens. I've never heard anyone get chastised either on the air, or after, for doing it though.

The airwave traffic is fairly light most of the time, and it's sometimes handy when sailing on a Sunday afternoon for checking the score of the Bill's game!

16 is pretty busy in San Diego. The Coast Guard or Harbormaster will clear you off the channel quickly if you do anything but call an emergency or hail a negotiation to another channel.

Offshore though we get fishermen singing and whistling into the VHF on various channels including 16. Drives me EFFING BANANAS. I hate that crap.

It is amazing how many times in a day I will hear someone on 16 say "RADIO CHECK!" I ignore them but the local Coast Guard sure does not ignore them - they get told to stop it.

I never ever talk on the radio - the only way I ever even push the button on the microphone is because someone is trying to talk to me - and in those cases all I ever say is "OKAY" or "Bye" or "THANKS".

That's pretty much the limit of my 'radio protocol' vocabulary. Matt is right - the Harbormaster is pretty strict around here. On other channels there is more interesting stuff to hear: few weeks ago there were people trying to help a whale that was stuck in a net - lots of people were on the radio. It went on all day and everyone wanted to know how the whale was doing. And of course if there is an emergency I like to monitor the radio traffic because I am curious about what happens. 90% of that stuff is always some power boat with motor problems. The Coast Guard always sends those guys "sea tow". (I bet that's not cheap).

The radio is fun to listen to when there is something going on I guess.

"C'mon?, "c'mon back" and "got yor ears on?" ok for Channel 16?

BOAT wrote:It is amazing how many times in a day I will hear someone on 16 say "RADIO CHECK!" I ignore them but the local Coast Guard sure does not ignore them - they get told to stop it.

BOAT wrote:It is amazing how many times in a day I will hear someone on 16 say "RADIO CHECK!" I ignore them but the local Coast Guard sure does not ignore them - they get told to stop it.

That's what this is for
https://www.seatow.com/boating-safety/a ... dio-checks
I'm sure your busy harbor has it.

The radio is fun to listen to when there is something going on I guess.

I remember years ago some kids were calling in a distress call. We listened to the CG on ch22 triangulating their position. I hope they got seriously busted.

More fun was the days of analog cell phones and scanners. Some of the interesting calls we heard. Drug deals going down to hot and heavy breathing. That was some entertainment.

RussMT wrote:
That's what this is for
https://www.seatow.com/boating-safety/a ... dio-checks
I'm sure your busy harbor has it.

Haw Haw! That's so funny - I went to the web site to see the "radio check" thing Russ told me to look at and the guy in the video looks exactly like my old Power Squadron instructor! HO ho ho! - how come all those Power Squadron instructors all look like retired Navy with those same haircuts!? That brought back a lot of memories.

BOAT wrote:how come all those Power Squadron instructors all look like retired Navy with those same haircuts!? That brought back a lot of memories.

I was a Power Squadron Instructor and I don't have that kind of haircut.



--Russ

RussMT wrote: I was a Power Squadron Instructor and I don't have that kind of haircut.
--Russ

Hmm, not sure I can trust you as my instructor then - you don't have the right haircut - your supposed to have a crew cut and look like a retired Navy guy and talk like Buzz Light-year. Are you sure your an instructor?

BOAT wrote:

RussMT wrote: I was a Power Squadron Instructor and I don't have that kind of haircut.
--Russ

Hmm, not sure I can trust you as my instructor then - you don't have the right haircut - your supposed to have a crew cut and look like a retired Navy guy and talk like Buzz Light-year. Are you sure your an instructor?

I was when I lived in New Jersey. Raritan Bay Power Squadron. Still a member there. We tried to change the name to Raritan Bay Power & Sail Squadron but got shut down. I still maintain the website and tried to sneak the name in but got busted. Kept the banner just in case.



I'm a strong proponent of boating education. I've seen too many people who needed it.

-Russ

Ever hear the phrase" hit with an ugly stick as a child"?

In New Jersey do they sail out of Liberty Harbor over there by the Statue of Liberty? I was there once - I saw a MAC X boat in that harbor. Was your Power Squadron in that Marina too? It was a pretty big Marina by our standards here in Oceanside.

BOAT wrote:In New Jersey do they sail out of Liberty Harbor over there by the Statue of Liberty? I was there once - I saw a MAC X boat in that harbor. Was your Power Squadron in that Marina too? It was a pretty big Marina by our standards here in Oceanside.

Yes, Raritan Bay is close to NY Harbor but on the other side of the Verrazano bridge. We have members all over the region. Not sure if any are in Liberty Marina. There lots of big marinas around there as well as lot of boats. Well not sure how many survived Hurricane Sandy. My brother still lives there and said lots of boats were lost.

We anchored outside of the Statue of Liberty in 1986 overnight for the centennial. Was a total zoo. Crazy cigarette boats dropping M80s off their transoms near our anchor. Great fireworks show and then the idiots started to move their boats. Never forget that scene.

How come there are no cigarette boats here in Oceanside? Are the cigarette boats only for inside of bays and harbors? (There are no protected waters here where I am). I always wondered why there are no cigarette boats here - I have heard of them and i see them at the Sacramento Delta and on TV but never here in my town. (In Sacramento they always pull up with those big BOOM BOOM BOOM speakers real loud).

http://www.vanityfair.com/online/oscars ... ew-sailors

Norca wrote:There are a lot of good videos on youtube on what not to do
This guy obviously have all the formal training to be a captain, there are strict requirements to pilot a ship like this:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7ocTTkH ... freload=10