America's Boating Club - Great Blue Hill Sail & Power Squadron

Cruising Under Power and Sail

Did you ever dream of cruising to exotic destinations, chartering in foreign waters, or gunk holing in quiet backwaters? Learn what you need to confidently plan your boat trip and go cruising. Gain the self-reliance and practical skills needed to explore ports and coves for a weekend or weeks at a time. Take Cruising and Cruise Planning and join your fellow boaters for raft-ups and rendezvous up the river, down the bay, and along the coast.

Dates: 7 Tuesdays - April 2 to May 14, 2024
Hours: 7:00 to 9:00 pm
Location: Westwood Council of Aging, 60 Nahatan Street, Westwood
Fee: $75 ABC members. $125 non-members.
Registration - 2 choices: Go to https://www.tickettailor.com/events/greatbluehillsailandpowersquadron/1190855
OR call or email Joe Kelliher, see below.
Offered by: Great Blue Hill Sail and Power Squadron www.abc-gbh.org
More information: Joe Kelliher, 508-668-8149, [email protected]

Save the date for the ABC District 34 Fall Conference!

This is an advance notice that the ABClub Southeastern New
England/ USPS District 34 Fall Conference will be held at the
DoubleTree by Hilton Cape Cod in Hyannis on October 28, 2023.
Please mark your calendar today so you don't miss this
conference.

The conference will be an all-day event on Saturday. The agenda
details and conference fee will be announced later. All members
are encouraged to attend (not just squadron and district
officers).

As has been the custom for many years, conference attendees are
encouraged to book a room on Friday night and arrive before 6pm
to participate in a social hour at the hotel before going out to
a local restaurant for a group dinner. Some members may also
choose to stay Saturday night in which case there will be a
social hour at the hotel after the conference concludes followed
by a Saturday night group dinner. In addition, I would like to
note that we are working under the sightseeing program for
Friday October 27, and you may want to reserve the hotel for
Thursday night.

The discounted room rate of $144.00 per night is available for
Thursday, Friday, and Saturday. Last date to book with
discounted rate September 25, 2023. All reservations are
telephoned directly to the Hotel at (508) 771-1700 or booked
online at www.capecod.doubletree.com using our designated Group Code 90C (that's nine-zero-c). To receive the preferred rates
please identify your affiliation with the group.

The DoubleTree by Hilton Cape Cod - Hyannis is a first-class
hotel with all the amenities we could ask for at the price.
The conference rooms are very nice. Each has outside windows
but shades to allow for A/V projections. There is a choice of
a group of conference rooms we can configure as needed. We can
run 2 sessions simultaneously.

We will have the main dining room for lunch and dinner on
Saturday. Also, we will have the Room for Social Gatherings &
Registration, which we can set up as usual at our conferences
for Friday and Saturday. Nobody except us will have access
there.

We need volunteers to help in organizing different aspects of
the conference.
Please let us know if you have any questions, comments or you
want to help with this event.

Cdr Valentina Bizunok, JN
ABClub SNE/USPS District 34
617 417 5009
[email protected]

Thanks to our hosts the O’Malleys for hosting yesterday’s Summer BBQ / Pool Party! It was great catching up with friends for a mid-season check-in. And thanks to Cdr Andersen for handling the grilling duties!

Congratulations to incoming Commander Jim Andersen, and many thanks to outgoing Commander Dave Albanese for your leadership over the past year. 

Congratulations to Chuck Eliot on 50 years of membership!

Congratulations to Helen McHowell-O’Malley on attaining Life Member status after 25 years in the squadron!

Congratulations to new member Dale Sogge on being sworn into our squadron tonight by outgoing Commander David Albanese. Welcome!

Please join us for our Annual Meeting and Change of Watch on Thursday May 18th! It’s a meeting you don’t want to miss! Read below for all the details:

Boating season will be here before we know it, but before that is the District 34 Spring Conference at the New Bedford Fairfield Inn! The conference starts on Friday night, March 24 and continues through Saturday, March 25.

For hotel information, complete agenda, registration and payment information go to https.abc-d34.org

We are all set up and ready for the 2023 New England Boat Show!

Looking for something to keep yourself busy this winter while your boat is in storage? Come join America's Boating Club - Great Blue Hill Sail & Power Squadron for:

BOAT HANDLING COURSE AND SEMINAR SERIES
Increase your competence, build your confidence, and have more fun on the water! For both sail and power boaters, take the classes that are important to you.

BOAT HANDLING COURSE- USPS Members can take any of the following for $25 each. Earn your Seamanship (S) rating by taking all 6 classes and passing the exam on Monday 4/20. Register for all 6 for only $99! Non-member prices are $35 per night or $149 for the 6 nights. In Person classes are at the Westwood Council on Aging, 60 Nahatan Street, Westwood, MA.

Registration: https://buytickets.at/greatbluehillsailandpowersquadron/830508

Mon. Mar 06 – 7 to 9 pm, Rules of the Road- Avoid collisions and other hazards! Know the rules of the road; know what to do when you share the water with other boats. Instructor: Capt. Jeff Gardner

Mon. Mar 13 - 7 to 9 pm, Docking with confidence- Docking can be one of the most stressful tasks you can perform. Look like a pro. Protect your boat, your passengers, and yourself with the docking/undocking skills you need. Instructor: Dave Albanese

Mon. Mar 20 - 7 to 9 pm, Boating with Confidence- Gain confidence, knowledge, and skills that you need for a variety of boat-handling situations. Learn about basic operations; trimming your boat; operating on plane; handling seas and waves; dealing with bars, rivers, rivers, and bends; and other situations you will encounter along your cruise. Instructor: Capt. Jeff Gardiner

Mon. Mar 27 - 7 to 9 pm, Anchoring- Whether it's for fishing, swimming, a lunch break, or an overnight stop, one of the real pleasures in boating is "hanging on the hook" in some quiet spot. Know how to anchor in a variety of situations, weather, or seabed and be prepared to adjust for changing conditions. Instructor: Joe Kelliher

Mon. Apr 3 - 7 to 9 pm, Emergencies on Board- No one wants to think about it, but emergencies happen on boats. Be prepared for a variety of boating mishaps, medical emergencies, and other crises! Instructor: Laurie Reilly, RN

Mon. Apr 10 - 7 to 9 pm, Knots and Line Handling- Learn how to secure your boat to docks, piers, and other boats; handle rescue and repair situations; manage running rigging; anchor securely; and tow other vessels or people. Full 6 session exam at end of class. Instructor: Joe Kelliher

We look forward to seeing you all at the seminars! Feel free to invite your friends and family.

If you have any questions please feel free to call Jim Andersen at 781-248-5759 or email at [email protected]

Buy tickets – BOAT HANDLING COURSE AND SEMINAR SERIES – Westwood Council on Aging, 60 Nahatan Street , Westwood, Mon Mar 6, 2023 7:00 PM - 9:00 PM BOAT HANDLING COURSE AND SEMINAR SERIES – Westwood Council on Aging, 60 Nahatan Street , Westwood, Mon Mar 6, 2023 - Increase your competence, build your confidence, and have more fun on the water! For ABClub members and non-members, sail or power boaters!

Congratulations to new members Ross and Lynn Gilleland on being sworn into our squadron tonight.