Soundbounder

A recent article on Gizmag.com reports on a new “super-cavitating” military vessel created by New Hampshire-basedJuliet Marine Systems (JMS). According to the article, the new boat—dubbed GHOST—features special tubular foils that create a bubble of gas around the foils, all but eliminating drag. JMS states that “GHOST is a combination aircraft/boat that has been designed to fly through an artificial underwater gaseous environment that creates 900 times less hull friction than water.” http://boatinglocal.com/news/new-boat-flies-through-water.html

A semi-trailer headed eastbound on Interstate 94 drove off the road onto a pond near Monticello this morning, then broke through the thin ice and sank. State Patrol spokesman Eric Roeske said that the driver escaped with minor injuries after driving through a break in oncoming traffic after crossing the interstate median. The accident happened just after 6 AM this morning, on the western end of the Minnesota Department of Transportation's test facility on I-94. Roeske said arrangements are underway to get the truck winched out of the water. http://minnesota.publicradio.org/collections/special/columns/statewide/archive/2012/01/semi-trailer-sinks-in-icy-pond-by-i-94.shtml

http://www.boston.com/Boston/metrodesk/2012/01/boatyard-blaze-woods-hole-destroys-two-vessels/99CT40KM5sNP0lZgTuSDNO/index.html

Additional video here: http://falmouth.patch.com/articles/video-photos-fire-breaks-out-at-quissett-boatyard#video-8832584

Cape Cod Times is reporting that a boat-storage building at the Quissett Harbor Boatyard in Falmouth, Massachusetts, has been completely destroyed by a fire that began at around 2:00 p.m. today (January 4). Video: http://boatinglocal.com/news/quissett-harbor-boatyard-storage-building-gutted-in-blaze.html

The Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office arrested a South Bristol lobsterman on November 30 after he allegedly threatened another lobsterman with a shotgun, firing a single round. Gregory Lawson, 53, faces charges of reckless conduct with a firearm and terrorizing. The round didn't hit anybody and it's unclear whether Lawson intended to shoot the other man, Zachary Geyer. Lawson fired the gun "close enough... that he could have injured" Geyer, LCSO Lt. Rand Maker said. http://boatinglocal.com/news/lobster-wars-flare-in-maine.html

Old Johnson Outboard commercial Now don't be getting any bad ideas!

45 Powerful Images from 2011 according to BuzzFeed: http://www.buzzfeed.com/mjs538/the-most-powerful-photos-of-2011

National Geographic is currently holding its annual photo contest, with the deadline for submissions coming up on November 30. For the past nine weeks, the society has been gathering and presenting galleries of submissions, encouraging readers to vote for them as well. National Geographic was kind enough to let me choose among its entries from 2011 for display here on In Focus. Gathered below are 45 images from the three categories of People, Places, and Nature, with captions written by the individual photographers. http://www.theatlantic.com/infocus/2011/11/national-geographic-photo-contest-2011/100187/ 45 photos

Boston Whaler has expanded its classic Montauk series with the release of the new 210 Montauk, Whaler’s largest Montauk to date. http://boatinglocal.com/reviews/boston-whaler-debuts-montauk-210.html I haven't seen one yet, and the price is steep, but it looks sharp. LOA: 21′ 4″ Beam: 8′ 6″ Draft: 12″ Weight (dry, no engine) 2,500 lbs. Deadrise: 16˚ Person cap. : 9 Max. power: 200 hp Max. weight: 2,800 lbs. Fuel: 66.5 gals. Base price: $51,996

Poor choice of words. I meant that having the hidden compartments is a violation of law regardless of whether there is "content" in them. I tried to use the example of a smuggler getting busted even if he is not caught with actual contraband. My mistake. i hope this clears it up: The boat was boarded for routine inspection on Aug. 7 in the outer harbor, said Hamel. Using a well-established method, the team took routine measurements to account for all spaces when something didn't add up. The master of the vessel, said the Coast Guard, gave permission to remove the panel, revealing the "insulated void" with a deck drain. http://www.southcoas.../NEWS/108190307 "Installing a hidden compartment on any vessel is a violation of U.S. law," Neptun said. http://www.glouceste...ders-boat/print

Hidden fish compartments are a pretty big violation. This isn't some technicality Oh. How can they tell they are hidden fish compartments? I though all fish compartment would be hidden under the deck and out of the way.Where do hidder ones go? I have a few compartments on my boat. I hope they aren't illegal. I'm probably safe either way though. I'm pretty sure I don't have any way to catch a tuna fish If you read the stories you wouldn't be asking that. It's the same set-up smugglers use....only in these cases they were for fish.

Hidden fish compartments are a pretty big violation. This isn't some technicality

Busted twice this year for hidden compartments It turns out that the New Bedford, Massachusetts, commercial scallop fisherman who was forced to give up the 881-pound bluefin tuna he accidentally caught in a net earlier this week has a history of fisheries violations. Fisherman Forced to Give Up Tuna has History of Violations

Good article by Al Ristori in the Star-Ledger last week: The primary exploiter of the resource is Omega Protein, a large corporation that catches millions of pounds to be reduced into fish meal and oils at its factory in Reedville, Va. The company’s giant reduction boats have been banned from state waters, but in Virginia it’s allowed to purse seine even in Chesapeake Bay, where most of the approximately 160,000 metric tons the company boated last year came from. Though still abundant, the present volume of menhaden is historically small. The American Sportfishing Association noted that menhaden stocks have declined 88 percent over the last 25 years, and are at their lowest numbers in recorded history. Anglers are also worried about the lack of young-of-the-year “peanut” bunkers that have seemed to be missing this fall. http://www.nj.com/shore/blogs/fishing/index.ssf/2011/11/ristori_one_step_closer_to_ame.html

Victory for Menhaden Declared by Anglers, Conservationists At its annual meeting in Boston, Massachusetts, the Atlantic States Fisheries Commission’s Atlantic Menhaden Board yesterday (November 9) approved new management measures that aim to end the overfishing of menhaden and increase coastal stocks to sustainable numbers. The board voted to set a harvest target of 30% of Maximum Spawning Potential (MSP). MSP is the total number of adult menhaden in the population, under an unfished-stock scenario. To achieve this goal, the current harvest will need to be reduced by 37% when the new measures are implemented. http://boatinglocal.com/fishing/victory-for-menhaden-declared-by-anglers-conservationists.html

The crew didn’t seem legit either. There were too many of them, and their clothing stood out. Sure, they were dressed like lobstermen, but it was an L.L. Bean version of how a fisherman would dress. With the Ledge Lighthouse in the background, it was too choreographed a scene; straight out of a catalogue. It turns out that Escape is indeed a commercial lobster boat, but she is a charter boat, as well. The smartly dressed people I saw aboard were customers, along for the ride. The fading lobster industry on Long Island Sound has led some creative fishermen to seek harvest from other sources of income. http://boatinglocal.com/news/soundbounder-beat-creative-lobstermen-turning-to-charters.html yeah...I wrote it hope you like it

Peter Vican, who in 2008 caught a 76-pound, 14-ounce striped bass to set the Rhode Island state record for largest striper, has bested his old mark with a monster 77-pound, 4-ounce fish taken on Sunday, June 19. The fish was caught on a live eel fished off Block Island at 3:30 a.m. If the weigh-in holds up to official scrutiny, the fish would be the second largest striper ever taken on rod and reel, just 1.4 pounds shy of the existing world-record fish taken by Albert McReynolds in 1982. Photos: http://boatinglocal.com/fishing/77-4-pound-striper-sets-new-ri-record.html

This is a good thing. I have heard (?) NY honors a CT license. Is this so? Yes I believe that NY and CT honor the others license

This year Massachusetts will honor saltwater fishing licenses from CT, RI and NH http://boatinglocal.com/news/ma-to-honor-saltwater-licenses-from-ct-ri-and-nh.html Good to hear

The Coming Striped Bass Collapse Excellent piece by Tim Coleman