The 2012 Tokyo Sail & Power Squadron (TSPS) Change of Watch was held on Wednesday, February 15, 2012 at the Foreign Correspondent’s Club of Japan. This event is held every year in February and provides an opportunity for members to get together over dinner and drinks to hear from the outgoing Bridge a report on the previous year and to elect the commander and Bridge for the current year.

The event was a success, with incoming Commander Warren Fraser hosting the event and taking the audience through …

Visit the 2012 Change of Watch page for the full story, video, and photographs of the event.

There's a lot of useful information in this picture

Weather is an excellent course, but it takes at least 8 weeks to absorb. Now, we have something that can take you part way there in only two evenings. It is our new Introduction to Weather and Weather Forecasting seminar. A no-homework survey of the essentials to understanding what makes clouds and what we can do about it. If you’ve always wanted to guess better than NHK, have ever been on the water and needed a quick forecast for “right here, right now–and by the way, does that cloud mean rain?” or just want to save carrying your umbrella for no reason, this is the place to start.

When and Where it is:
The class is February 27  and March 6 from 7 to 9 pm at the sky-high offices of White and Case just outside the North entrance to Tokyo Station. (Directions when you sign up)

(NOTE: Please ignore the 10 am calendar entry on our website: It’s a Google service error and cannot be changed)

What it is:
A two-evening slide lecture for members and non-members answering your questions about what causes weather and how forecasting works. No prior knowledge is assumed, and the class makes a great introduction to more advanced USPS courses for sailors. Note: Lecture format with some classroom participation.
The safety and comfort of those who venture out on the water have always been weather dependent. This seminar serves as an introduction to the basics of weather and forecasting. It is a must for boaters who have never taken a weather course. Each seminar participant receives a waterproof McGraw Hill Captain’s QuickGuide for Onboard Weather Forecasting designed for onboard and field use. Each participant also receives a full color Student Guide with slide images and complete notes written especially for the seminar.

Sign up today and begin writing down your weather questions.

To sign up, go to our Introduction to Weather signup page or contact our Education Officer.

Tombo Under Gennaker Off the East Coast of Oshima

The first of what we hope will be many posts from our members.

From Tom Proctor:

I wanted to get in an Oshima run before the end of summer last year, so I set sail aboard my Hallberg-Rassey 310 Tombo one early Saturday morning in August for Habu. Conditions were a bit iffy as a typhoon was parked far to the south and threatening to come north to Tokyo. We had a northerly pushing us south to Oshima under an assymetrical spinnaker on Saturday for a fantastic run down to Habu. After tying up in Habu, conditions worsened and overnight a large swell built from the south and a strong northerly set up some larger waves. On the way back however, we did manage to hook this beautiful mahi mahi (see photo below) while trolling up-current off the east coast of Oshima. The fish came to the boat beautifully lit up in a vivid blue – too beautiful to keep, so after a couple of photos, we threw her back to live another day. We caught her on 30 pound test trolling a string of 10 cm blue and silver squid – one of my most productive lures for Sagami bay.

……………………………….

….. Islands in Shimoda Harbor – From ‘Land and Seascapes’…..

The 2010 Galleries Page

.

(Originally published as a news release from Saito Challenge 8 )

JACKSONVILLE FLA – Japanese single-handed sailor Minoru Saito was named recipient of a transoceanic cruising award of the United States Power Squadrons at the organization’s national meeting last week. It was only the second time the award to honor adventure boating has been presented by the organization.

Saito was flown from Tokyo to Jacksonville Fla. to receive the Juan Sebastian del Cano Award, named for the navigator who finished the first-ever circumnavigation led by Ferdinand Magellan in 1522. Saito was cited for successfully completing his 8^th solo circumnavigation this past fall at age 77, an international record, as well as for his nearly 40-year sailing career that includes a non-stop solo circumnavigation in 2005 at age 71.

Saito is a member of the Tokyo Sail & Power Squadron, the only non U.S.-based squadron of the 420-squadron, 45,000-member boating safety organization.

California USPS members Darrell Allison and Kenneth Griffing reported that Saito-san received a standing ovation from attendees at the national conference.

The response was “very touching,” Allison commented.  “Lots of people wanted to meet and greet him and have their pictures taken with him. He was a real rock star!” he said.

Several squadrons in the mostly Southern California district that includes the 100-member Tokyo squadron raised money for Saito’s trip to Florida. Griffing, who led the donation effort for the airline ticket, was also instrumental in arranging the del Cano Award, which was first presented by the USPS in 2007.

Hunter Brumfield, co-chair of the all-volunteer Saito Challenge 8 Support group that served as his shore crew in Japan, spoke afterward with Saito, who is a Guinness World Book record holder among other major international recognitions. “As a sailor who flies both the Japanese and U.S. flag on his boat, Saito-san couldn’t be prouder of this newest honor from the USPS,” Brumfield said.

Photo: USPS Chief Commander Frank Dvorak presents Minoru Saito with the del Cano Award for transoceanic cruising. Kenneth Griffing, past commander of USPS District 13, is at center.

For more information on Saito-san’s record-breaking circumnavigation, go to the Saito Challenge 8 website.

The voyage south to Phuket began on January 9th, 2012 and since then Stuart has maintained a blog with regular updates on the adventures of Fujin and crew as they make their way south, including an entry about a stretch of nasty weather with 55 knot winds and huge following seas as Fujin approached Okinawa.

Stuart plans to join Fujin and crew in Singapore for the last five-day leg to Phuket.

Best of luck from TSPS to Stuart, Fujin, and crew!

To read Stuart’s Yacht Fujin blog, click here.

Subscribe to weekly updates. Download and import our calendar of events into your personal computer at home or office – you’ll never miss an event that way. Come back often.

Keep in mind that we’re still tinkering with settings and functionality as we work toward maximizing the usefulness of the site..

So, have a look around. You’ll soon find there are plenty to posts to read, photos to look at, videos to watch, and events to join.

We hope you enjoy the new site and find it useful. Feel free to subscribe by clicking on the “Follow” button floating at the bottom of the page.

Greetings fellow TSPS member,

It’s that special time of year at the squadron when we begin planning our social, boating, and education activities for 2012. It’s also time for the Change of Watch, the squadron’s most important annual event. It’s when we get together over a sumptuous dinner and chart the course for the organization for the coming year. We select a new executive committee, hear reports from various members of the current committee, and meet fellow members new and old to talk about boating, adventures on the water, and my own personal favorite, boats.

This year we will have a very special guest in attendance. Minoru Saito, who recently completed his world-record eighth solo circumnavigation in Yokohama, will be on hand to give a brief presentation about his adventures on the high seas, and tip a few drinks back with his fellow TSPS members.

Please open the ‘CoW Invitation’ link below for all the details on the 2012 Change of Watch event. If you are unable to open the attachment or see the contents, please contact me at wfraser@mac.com

CoW Invitation

It will be an interesting and enjoyable evening, and on behalf of the TSPS Bridge, we look forward to seeing you there.

Sincerely,

Warren D. Fraser
Commander Designate

The CoW will kick off 7 days, 5 hours ago