Air Force
Miami-Based Shipyard Adds Electronic Systems Division
Florida shipyard RMK Merrill-Stevens is adding a new Electronic Systems Division to the company.To lead the new business the company hired David Gratton, a new RMK Merrill-Stevens employee with experience in the electronics industry. Gratton’s career in electronics began in 1980 upon entering the U.S. Air Force. Gratton later worked on the environmental testing of NASA components for Teledyne Systems Company. Gratton has specialized in navigation, communications, and audio-visual, IT/networking, and PLC systems for commercial and recreational vessels.
Aus Navy at Home on Water in Sailing Champs
Navy sailors asserted their dominance for the second year in a row, by again winning the Australian Defence Sailing Association’s inter-service championship held at Rushcutters Bay in Sydney. Each service crewed Elliott 7 yachts in the three-boats-a-side team racing event that culminated in duels between top Navy and Air Force skippers. Sailing Association president Wing Commander Sean Ahern put Navy win down to the skill of their best sailor, Sub Lieutenant Chris Eddes. “The other Navy boats don’t tend to do as well but they seem to come out on top because Chris is such a good sailor,” Wing Commander Ahern said.
Safety Alert: Global Navigation Satellite Systems
This past summer, multiple outbound vessels from a non-U.S. port suddenly lost GPS signal reception. The net effect was various alarms and a loss of GPS input to the ship's surface search radar, gyro units and Electronic Chart Display & Information System (ECDIS), resulting in no GPS data for position fixing, radar over ground speed inputs, gyro speed input and loss of collision avoidance capabilities on the radar display. Fortunately, the vessels were able to safely continue their voyage using radar in heads up display, magnetic compass and terrestrial navigation. Approximately 6nm later, the vessels' GPS units resumed operation.
Tanker Rescues 3 US Sailors 50m off Panama
The U.S. Coast Guard said it coordinated the rescue of three sailors aboard a sinking sailboat approximately 50 miles south of Balboa, Panama, at approximately 5:23 p.m., Sunday. The sailors, whose vessel was reportedly taking on water for several days, were rescued by the 600-foot motor vessel Glenda Meryl, an AMVER system vessel. Watchstanders from the 11th Coast Guard District rescue coordination center in Alameda, Calif., were notified at approximately 4:15 a.m. Sunday of a distress signal from a U.S.-registered 406 MHz emergency position indicating radio beacon (EPIRB) that was traced to the 42-foot Even Star.
Marina Projects Secure Approvals for River Hamble Project
The Royal Southern Yacht Club and Royal Air Force Yacht Club are delighted to have been successful in securing Harbor Works Consent, Planning Permission and a Marine License for the development of the proposed Prince Philip Yacht Haven on the River Hamble. Specialist consultancy Marina Projects Limited has been the lead consultant throughout an extensive feasibility, design and consultation process that has been undertaken over the last 18 months. Mark Inkster, Immediate Past Commodore for the Royal Southern…
Places of Refuge
The concept of force majeure has been broadly accepted since mariners initially encountered the perils of the sea. Persons and governments ashore have been obligated, at least by natural law, to accept and succor those in distress at sea. Concomitant with force majeure is the notion of providing a ship in distress with a place or port of refuge. A place of refuge is where a ship could go to avoid or ameliorate the peril and then depart at the earliest opportunity. While the original need for force majeure and a place of refuge was to reduce the risk to the lives of those on board the ship…
