JUNE PICNIC

Monday, June 11, 2012

Lansing Sailing Club/ Lake Lansing

More details in the May issue.  Come out and enjoy the serene view of Lake Lansing from the pavilion at the Lansing Sailing Club.  Bring your kayak/canoes out or even your dingy for a shakedown.   We plan to practice some MOB drills such as line throwing, etc.  Save the date on your calendar!

Click map for larger map.

United States Power Squadrons and the U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary signed an agreement during the Auxiliary’s national conference on 27 Aug. 2011 to broaden their cooperation in vessel examinations, public affairs and education.

USPS and the Coast Guard Auxiliary are committed to improving boating safety through increased boater education, vessel examinations and public awareness events.

“With this cooperative effort we will reach out to the growing population of recreational boaters providing needed training and vessel exams to keep them safe on the water,” said Jim Vass, Auxiliary National Commodore.

"The USPS is proud to continue our partnership with the U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary as we continually strive to improve the boating experience for recreational boaters,” noted Frank Dvorak, USPS Chief Commander.

The Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has announced that a new free reporting option is available for small boaters—the Small Vessel Reporting System (SVRS). SVRS joins the existing NEXUS and I-68 options available to boaters in the Great Lakes.

SVRS enables boaters to report quickly and easily to CBP their entry to the U.S. from foreign waters. It is a free, easy-to-use, voluntary program that you can enroll for online.

SVRS is available to all U.S. citizens, nationals and lawful permanent residents; Canadian citizens and permanent residents of Canada who are nationals of a Visa Waiver Program country. Current Local Boater Option participants, Trusted Traveler Program members (NEXUS, Global Entry, SENTRI) and current holders of an I-68 (Canadian Border Boat Landing Permit) must apply for enrollment in SVRS on-line in order to participate, but they do not need to schedule an interview with a CBP officer to complete their application.

The enrollment system is Web-based. New applicants register online and self-schedule an interview with a CBP officer at an authorized reporting location of their choice.  Participants receive a welcoming email with their Boater Registration (BR) number and password for SVRS.

As of May 2011, SVRS is currently deployed in the following locations:

• Florida
• Puerto Rico
• United States Virgin Islands
• United States/Canada border.

SVRS will be deployed next in the following locations

• West Coast: Oregon to California
• East Coast: New York City to Georgia
• Gulf of Mexico: Alabama to Texas.

It should be noted that unlike NEXUS, this is a CBP program for entry into the U.S. and not a joint program between the U.S. and Canada.

National Boating Safety Advisory Council 87
Resolution 2011-87-01
Appropriate Regulations for Life Jacket Wear by Recreational Boaters
United States Power Squadrons Position Paper

In more than a decade of boating accidents leading to fatalities, it is clear that 80 percent of deaths were due to drowning. Of those, the United States Coast Guard determined that more than 80 percent of victims would have survived had they been wearing a life jacket. In spite of more states and territories adopting various mandatory boating safety education requirements, there has not been a significant decrease in the annual accident, injury and fatality rates. Both Congress and the Administration have made it clear to the Coast Guard that this is a priority.