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Captain Lou's Nautical News Headlines

Capt Lou's Nautical News October 6, 2019 COAST GUARD LOOSENING ITS RULES ON TATOOS The Coast Guard is loosening up its rules on tattoos. A Coast Guard official said the agency's tattoo policy for new recruits and current service members will allow ink on more parts of their bodies. The Coast Guard doesn’t limit the number of tattoos, but it still limits the size and restricts where they can go. The new rules allow Coasties to have a single tattoo on each hand as long as it is no larger than an inch and not on the palm. They can also have a tattoo on a single finger on each hand, excluding thumbs. As for the rest of the body, the new policy allows tattoos on the chest as long as the tattoos don’t go past the collar of the Coast Guard’s dress uniform crew-neck T-shirt. The Coast Guard said rules governing body piercings and other body modifications have not changed. The new tattoo policy is intended to expand the recruiting candidate pool and provide those already serving in the Coast Guard with a few new options. How many people got a tattoo and don’t remember? COAST GUARD RESCUES FATHER AND HIS TWO SONS The Coast Guard rescued a 39 year-old father and his two sons in waters off Scituate after the trio failed to make it back on time from a fishing trip. The Coast Guard identified the father as Mike Ryan and said he was found safe with his children, ages 5 and 6. Officials said the boat broke down halfway between Provincetown and Plymouth on its way back. The family launched the boat in Plymouth Sunday morning, and told other members of the family where they were going and when the expected to return. When they didn't return as planned, the Coast Guard was called and searched day and night until they found the family around three in the morning. During the search, the Coast Guard tweeted, a number of vessels provided assistance. A boat crew from Station Point Allerton in Hull towed the disabled family's boat to shore. POSSIBLE HOAX CALL IN MAINE In a similar story, the Coast Guard used a cutter, a helicopter, and an airplane to search all day yesterday for a man and three children who gave a position of 12 miles off the coast of Kennebunkport, Maine. The Coast Guard said the man reported he was with three children in a 14-foot ‘‘jon boat’’ that capsized. He told the Coast Guard the kids were in the water with life jackets. A Coast Guard cutter continued searching throughout the night. The search area covered about 530 square miles. BODY OF BOATER IN ACCIDENT IN FALL RIVER RECOVERED The body of the 35-year-old man who went missing after a boating accident in Fall River last weekend was found this past week in 38 feet of water by the Massachusetts State Police Marine Unit. The other person on the boat was pulled from the water by a passing boater right after the accident but he was pronounced dead at the local hospital. Officials said the boat capsized and threw both men into the water after hitting a large wake at a high rate of speed. SAILOR RESCUED IN LEWIS BAY HYANNIS On Friday a sailor was rescued from the water after his sailboat capsized in Lewis Bay, Hyannis. He was found shivering in the water by a Yarmouth Division o Natural Resources boat who quickly pulled him onto their boat and gave him a sweatshirt. A fire boat also responded and they brought him to a boat ramp in Hyannis where he was met by paramedics who took him to Cape Cod Hospital where he was treated for severe hypothermia. At last report he was released from the hospital. MARTHA VINEYARD’S TISBURY HARBORMASTER BOAT SINKS This past week the Martha Vineyard's Tisbury Harbormaster's boat sank at the dock. Officials said the boats twin outboard motors and electronics were a total loss and no explanation was given why or how the boat sank. The boat was trailered from the Martha’s Vineyard Shipyard to the Tisbury Department of Public Works parking lot for inspection by an insurance adjuster and a marine surveyor. The boat was custom built by the Welded Boat Company of Texas and was purchased with a FEMA grant for fire fighting and port security. It was believed the boat sank because of corrosion in the fire suppression system inlets. NOAA OFFERS $20000 REWARD FOR UNREPORTED FLUKE NOAA's Office of Law Enforcement is offering a reward of up to $20,000 in exchange for information leading to the successful prosecution of individuals suspected of being involved in significant unreported or misreported landings of fluke. NOAA officials seek information from anyone who may have details of these incidents. Anyone with information is asked to please call NOAA's Office of Law Enforcement's Northeast Hotline at 1-800-853-1964. Tips may be anonymous, however anyone providing information must leave their name and contact information to be eligible for the reward. BOATING IMPORTANT TO ECONOMY Newly released national economic data from the U.S. Department of Commerce showed that outdoors recreation is a powerful driver of national and local economies and is growing faster than the U.S. economy as a whole. This bodes well for the boating, RV, and motorcycle industries. The top five states where outdoor recreation accounts for the largest percentage of each states’ total GDP are Hawaii, Montana, Maine, Vermont, and Wyoming. The top five states where outdoor recreation accounts for the largest percentage of total U.S. GDP are California, Florida, Illinois, New York, and Texas. 27 YEARS ON RADIO STATION WATD 95.9 FM Tune in to "Nautical Talk Radio" with Capt Lou and crew Sunday mornings 11-noon (Boston time) on radio stations 95.9FM, and soon to return on 1510AM WMEX, for the latest nautical news. Also streamed around the world on www.959watd.com. Listen anytime to replay of recent shows at at www.NauticalTalk.com. Recipient of 2018 Mass Boating & Yacht Clubs "Gannett Award" Winner of MASS/Rhode Island Associated Press "BEST TALK SHOW" Winner of Boston's Achievement in Radio "BEST INTERVIEW" award Recipient of American Lighthouse Foundation's "LEN HADLEY" award Recipient of Coast Guard's Joshua James Lifesaving Medal for public service Nominated Boston's A,I.R. "BEST PRODUCED PUBLIC AFFAIRS PROGRAM" Judge of IBEX Innovation Products Judge of NMMA's Progressive New England Boat Show's Exhibitors 25 Year Retired Status U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary Member of Boston Harbor Islands National Park Advisory Council Member of South Shore Harbormasters Association Member of Mass Marine Trades Association Member of Quincy Bay Race Week Member of Mass Boating and Yacht Club Association Member of Stellwagen Bank Charterboat Association Member of Boat Writers International Member of Boat/US Life Member of Mass Striped Bass Association Life Member and Past Commodore of Metropolitan Yacht Club

 

CELEBRATING 25 YEARS ON RADIO STATION 95.9FM WATD"

Listen to the live broadcast of "Nautical Talk Radio" with Capt Lou and crew, Sunday mornings from 11 - 12 noon (Boston time) on radio station  95.9FM WATD, streaming around the world on www.959watd.com. You can also listen to a replay of recent shows anytime during the week a www.NauticalTalk.com.

* Winner of Mass/Rhode Island Associated Press "BEST TALK SHOW"
* Winner of Boston's Achievement In Radio "BEST INTERVIEW" AWARD
* Recipient of American Lighthouse Foundation's "LEN HADLEY AWARD"
* Recipient of Coast Guard's Joshua James Lifesaving Medal for public service
* Nominated Boston's A.I.R. "BEST PRODUCED PUBLIC AFFAIRS PROGRAM"
* Judge of IBEX Innovation Products
* Judge of New England Boat Show's Best Exhibitors
* Member of Boston Harbor Islands National Park Advisory Council
* Member of South Shore Harbormaster Association
* Member of Quincy Bay Race Week Association
* Member of Stellwagen Bank Charterboat Association
* Member of Boat Writers International
* Life Member of Mass Striped Bass Association
* Life Member and Past Commodore of Metropolitan Yacht Club