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(Click on any thumbnail picture to see a larger image)
June 28, 2010
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On Saturday afternoon, 26 June, the Music City team of Ray Alley and Tom Hudson once again took the paddle trophy for the Atlanta Challenge Cardboard Boat Race. In the first heat against Drunken Skunk of the Oak Ridge Squadron and Yellow Submarine of Atlanta, Music City's Go Green survived a crowded start and the determined challenge of the glow-in-the-dark team to advance to the final round.
In the second preliminary heat, the bright yellow Cheeze Whiz of Knoxville Sail & Power Squadron won over Atlanta's second entry No Joke V.
In the Championship race, Alley and Hudson quickly showed that their teamwork, honed over eight prior races, was the key to victory over the fast hull from the Knoxville skunkworks of Chuck Smith. Drunken Skunk took the consolation race for third place over No Joke V.
Yellow Submarine took the Titanic Award, indeed was the only boat to sink this year; her skipper wisely donning mask and snorkel in anticipation of that eventuality. No Joke V won honors for best design, not leaking a drop despite being constructed of unpainted cardboard.
Alley and Hudson were welcomed at the finish line by their pit crew, Lola and Terry Fitzpatrick, while Liz Alley and Lili Hudson watched closely from dockside for any fouls and cheered the victors along. Following the race the Pirates of the Cumberland retired to the porch in front of the Alleys' apartment for Ray's delightful frozen strawberry margaritas.
Prior events included the Blindfolded Rubber Dinghy Races, in which Liz and Ray placed fourth, and the Line Handling Competition, where our team of Ray and Terry did score points but showed they need a little practice before next year.
More than ninety members from seven Squadrons attended this year's event, held again at the Terrace View Marina Resort near Spring City. Non-competitive activities began with a Friday evening cruise aboard Mike Scher's Sea-Duction and the Fitzpatricks' Next Chapter across the lake to the home of hosts Vickie and Chuck Smith for a low country boil supper. Saturday morning the District 17 Bridge cooked and served a dockside breakfast, and lunch after the dinghy races was buddy-style, with members who came by boat hosting those who came by land.
Saturday evening awards were presented under the cover of the dock at a cocktail party, coincidentally located at the transom of Next Chapter, followed by dinner at the Terrace View's restaurant.
P/C Tom Hudson
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March 8, 2010
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Tired of talking about the recent flood, on Saturday 05 June, Music City Power Squadron visited Arrington Vineyards and Winery for a tasting of their fine locally produced wines, and enjoyed a KFC picnic to the accompaniment of a live jazz band. We also discovered that although oak is seldom used for ribs in boat construction anymore, it is still makes fine barrel staves for aging wine. Thank you to P/C Candyce Corcoran for setting up this event.
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June 4, 2010
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On Sunday 30 May, thirteen adults, as well as about eight younger souls who think themselves headed toward adulthood, got together at Bryant's Grove Cove on Percy Priest Lake to celebrate the beginning of the summer boating season, and to recognize the sacrifice of those servicemen and women who've given their lives in defense of our country. Oh, we also ate very well.
Hosted by P/C Mike Majka, whose birthday we also toasted, five vessels embarked several guests as well as Squadron members. For the first time in three years, the weather was nearly perfect, and the scattered thundershowers did in fact scatter to either side of us as they came northwards; we experienced only a few sprinkles, and the accompanying breezes were most welcome. Water levels on the lake had receded from the flood of four weeks prior, though flotsam was apparent along the shore.
Our flotilla included Nothing to Fear (Rebecca and Mike Majka), Rain E Daze (Candyce and David Corcoran), Reel Time II (Liz and Ray Alley), and Starry Night II (Liz Nelson).
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March 6, 2010
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On Saturday 20 February, we gathered at Rock Harbor Yacht Club again for this year's Change of Watch. D/Lt/C John DiPrima drove up from Chattanooga, accompanied by his wife Lynda, to perform the ceremony of swearing in the Squadron's new Bridge, after which our new Commander, Robby Gilreath, gave a brief talk about his vision for the coming year.
Catering was provided by Park Manor Apartments (thank you Charlotte Nesbitt), and all agreed that the food was very good. A huge and delicious cake was provided by Lt/C Liz Nelson for dessert.
P/C Tom Hudson
.jpg "Click for a larger image")
Ray alley, Robby Gilreath,
and Liz Alley finish off
the evening with the
squadron cake.
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Robby Gilreath playing
host. His first role as the
Squadron's new Commander.
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Candyce Corcoran &
D/Lt/C John DiPrima.
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Nobody went home hungry.
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Lt/C Liz Nelson
provided dessert.
(it didn't last long)
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D/Lt/C John DiPrima
presents the Bowsprit
award to the MCPS.
.jpg "Click for a larger image")
...and Cdr Robby Gilreath
accepts it.
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P/C Tom Hudson (with
instructions from Lil)
cuts the squadron cake.
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P/C Tom Hudson (with
his past commander burgee.
It'll look good on
the cardboard yacht.
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January 12, 2010
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On Tuesday evening 12 January, seven members of Music City Power Squadron took the official Cardio-Pulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) and First Aid training from the American Red Cross. The session was held at the Marriott Springhill Suites near the Nashville Airport, and included nine Marriott associates as well. MCPS members attending were Liz and Ray Alley, Fred Burr, Terry Fitzpatrick, Mike Majka, Elizabeth Stengacu-Nelson, and Tom Hudson.
Some of us taking the course did so as one of the requirements to become Certifiers for the USPS Boat Operator Certification program, while others of us just figured the knowledge would be useful if the occasion ever arose to use it. The first aid section went into far more detail than what we learn in our USPS courses. Inevitably we’ll use one or another of the first aid skills we learned, though hopefully will never need to use our CPR training.
Cdr. Tom Hudson
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January 6-10, 2010
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Well, this year’s Boat Show is over, and in light of the economic challenges our country is facing, I thought I’d scribble a few observations. First of all, I’d like to thank all those in our Squadron who helped set up, staff, and strike our booth this year. And thanks also to Ingram Barge and the Propeller Club for their financial and manpower support again this year.
I was there at the show at least part of every day from Wednesday through Sunday. Setup on Tuesday afternoon and Wednesday morning was complicated by the cold inside the exhibit hall. It seems likely that this show was the first there since before Christmas, and the Convention Center staff had had the heat turned down all that time; that and the opening of the large doors directly onto the street to bring in the boats resulted in a very cold environment. It was Friday before the concrete floor and walls warmed up enough to not drain our own bodily energy.
Wednesday evening seemed to be a little busier than opening night last year; perhaps it was the promotional $5 ticket price, perhaps it was the heavier advertising exposure this year over last. Thursday night was all but dead, what with the snow coming in, the bone-chilling cold, and the National Championship football game on television to watch; officials said the turnstile clicked only 167 times that night. Friday was a little better – during the day we could see a number of parents leading children out of school due to the snow. Saturday was a very good day in terms of traffic, at least in comparison to prior days; only the start of the Predators game that evening could dampen that day’s crowd. And Sunday, traffic was once again…decent.
There were far fewer small vendor booths this year. Gone were many of the fishing tackle sellers, Sham-Wow, and businesses seemingly unrelated to boating and the outdoors. There were no big houseboats from Kentucky for the second straight year. Erwin Marine gave up most of its floor space; they brought no big Carvers to the show, and far fewer big Sea Rays. One of their Chattanooga sales staff (they no longer employ a Nashville sales staff) said that Clark Marine will now sell all the Sea Rays smaller than 30’ here. By contrast, Modern Marine seemed to have taken over all the central floor space Erwin gave up. Their Cobalt and Chaparral display seemed to stretch to the concrete horizon.
The Sea Doo dealer had a ship’s bell that they had a new owner ring whenever they sold a jet ski or runabout; every time it was rung, a cheer went up from all around that end of the floor. The Miss Geico race boat display was a winner among the special attractions, and the Redneck Yacht Club kept the mood light-hearted.
Overall, the mood seemed to be cautiously optimistic, both among the vendors and the lookers. In retrospect, last year many people were in shock from the rapid decline in the economy and in the stock market. Now the economic news isn’t nearly as alarming as it was then, and if things aren’t getting much better, they don’t seem to be getting any worse, and most people have adjusted to what one wag calls The New Normal. Signups are up over last year for our Boat Tennessee and America’s Boating Course classes scheduled for the next few months, which is certainly a good sign.
Cdr. Tom Hudson
Cmdr. Tom Hudson,
Candyce and David Corcoran
man (woman?) the squadron's booth
Robby Gilreath,
and Elizabeth Stengacu-Nelson
host the squadron's booth
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