The 

Aids to Navigation Bulletin 

National Aids to Navigation School Winter 2008
National Aids to Navigation School 

US Coast Guard Training Center, Yorktown, Virginia 

AtoN systems of the United States and its territories are 

established, operated, and maintained by the Coast 

Guard to assist mariners in locating their position and to 

warn of nearby dangers and obstructions. This is done 

for the benefit of commercial vessels, recreational boaters, and to support the operations of the Armed Forces. 

Title 14 of the US Code makes this a responsibility of 

the Coast Guard. 

The Bulletin is published to support the individuals and 

units involved in providing a reliable AtoN system for 

the mariner. The Bulletin seeks to meet the following 

objectives: 

• To provide a means of circulating job skill information among AtoN technicians, 

• To increase the professionalism and knowledge of 

all AtoN personnel, 

• To act as a channel for information flow amidst the 

AtoN servicing units, District Office staffs, Headquarters staffs, and units, and 

• To publish articles and photographs about people, 

units, or events which may be of general interest to 

the AtoN community. 

To satisfy these objectives, it’s necessary for all who 

read the Bulletin to take an active part in determining its 

contents. If you have found a “better way” or performed 

a unique evolution, share it with other people in the 

AtoN field. Submissions are welcome in any form. 

Articles and images may be submitted electronically to 

the editor via email at tracy.m.speelhoffer@uscg.mil or 

mailed to: 

AtoN Bulletin Editor (tnaton) 

US Coast Guard Training Center 

End of Highway 238 

Yorktown, VA 23690-5000 

Electronic submissions are preferred. Please keep photographs in original electronic form, and send them as 

separate files; do not imbed or copy them into word 

documents. 

The articles contained herein are non-directive and nonrecord material. They are published for informational 

purposes only. 

Special permission for reproduction, either in whole or 

in part, with the exception of copyrighted articles or 

artwork, is not required as long as credit is given to the 

Bulletin and the article’s author. 

School Telephone Numbers 

(757) 856-XXXX 

General Information/YN............... 2139

LT B. Huff, School Chief ............. 2143

LT M. Griffin, Asst School Chief. 2509

CWO D. Merrill, Tech Advisor.... 2145

LTjg T. Speelhoffer, Operations....2350 

BMCM W. Weir, Minor Aids....... 2066

EMCS K. Wiehrs, Major Aids...... 2795 

BMC A. Hunter, Buoy Deck TT .. 2068 

Fax .............................................. 2326 

After Hours Technical Support Hotline 

(757) 449-3681 

Editor: LTjg Tracy Speelhoffer 

School Home Page: 

www.uscg.mil/tcyorktown/ops/naton/index.shtm 

Deadlines for Articles: 

Spring 2008 - 30 April 

Summer 2008 - Phonebook 

Fall 2008 - 15 August 

Winter 2009 - 15 November 

Volume 35, Number 2 

On the Cover:

CGC JUNIPER conducts ATON 

Ops in harsh winter conditions 

Photo courtesy of CGC JUNIPER

 
The AtoN Bulletin Volume 35, Number 2 

1 

IN THIS ISSUE . . . 

NATON School Info.........2 

News Clips........................6 

Technical Corner............21 

 Positioning.......................28 

USCGC JAMES RANKIN onloads ice buoys as the sun rises in Baltimore, MD in preparation 

for another day of ice buoy ops. 

Buoy Deck Training Team........30 

Phone Book Corrections...........31 

Good Times................................32 
The AtoN Bulletin Volume 35, Number 2 

2 

Student Remote Access to Computer Accounts 

by BMC Colin Langeslay, NATON School 

As the Coast Guard shifts to the CAC card logon system, we have been getting lots of questions 

about how students will logon here at Yorktown, as computer access is critical to some of our 

courses. To avoid computer difficulties for NATON “C” School students, here is some helpful 

information that you should arrive with to remotely access your account: 

1) You CAN use your real accounts to login BUT you cannot expect to be able to use Outlook 

to access your e-mail, or expect to access documents from your U Drives/My document folders. 

2) Students need to come to Yorktown with the following info: 

-Your workstation name/IP address 

-Your Terminal Services Server name 

-Your Exchange Server name 

Contact your home ESU to get this info. If you’re going to use a Terminal Services Server, 

logon to that server and attempt to use Outlook BEFORE you leave your unit. 

3) If you’ve gone through the procedure of getting the certificates and pin number setup for the 

CAC card, and have registered at the online portal, you should be able to logon with your CAC 

card here at Yorktown. Students should either already be CAC enforced (meaning you can 

ONLY log on with your CAC) or CAC exempted (which means you can't use your CAC to log 

on and are allowed to continue with your user name/password). 

4) And finally, students should arrive at Yorktown with good contact information for their 

home ESU. 

Please remember that Yorktown IRM will help you any way they can, but will not be able to 

manipulate a user's account. Students still need to be supported by their home ESU. Preparation on the student's part is the key to all of this working correctly. We appreciate everyone’s 

cooperation as we continue to ensure that our students are able to get the best training possible 

with minimal complications. We look forward to seeing you here. 

NATON SCHOOL INFO 
The AtoN Bulletin Volume 35, Number 2 

3 

NATON SCHOOL INFO 

Direct Access ETR’s and CGMS Messages 

by YN2 Raven Lancaster, NATON School 

Recently there has some confusion from units with regards to how to go about requesting, cancelling and substituting students for courses at NATON. Hopefully this will answer some questions. Additional info can be found on TQC’s website: 

http://www.uscg.mil/hq/tqc/Index.shtm# 

REQUESTING COURSES 

Below are the prerequisites/requirements for each course held here at NATON: 

Minor Aids

Minor Aids Maintenance AtoN Servicing Tech (MAM): Three months at an AtoN unit.

AC Minor AtoN Tech Course: ANC-MAM or District Training Team MAM road course.

River Tender: Currently stationed on or ordered to a CG River Tender.

Construction Tender: Chief Warrant Officers and Coast Guard enlisted E-4 and above, who 

serve as CO’s/OIC’s/XPO’s and construction deck supervisors on WLIC’s.

Construction Tender for MK’s: MK’s E-4 and above assigned to WLIC class tenders. 

ATON Tower Climber: Three months at an AtoN unit. 

Major Aids

Automated Lighthouse Technician: EM’s/ET’s E-4 and above.

Differential Broadcast Site Maintenance: EM’s/ET’s E-4 and above. 

Solar Powered Major Aids to Navigation: EM’s/ET’s E-4 and above. 

Operations

Aid Positioning: E-4 through E-9 responsible for positioning AtoN; must have been at an AtoN 

unit for three months. 

Officer Basic AtoN: Assignment to an AtoN supervisory billet. 

Officer Advanced AtoN: Officer Basic AtoN (ANC-OB). Prospective CO’s, XO’s, OIC’s, 

and XPO’s of AtoN cutters. 

Officer in Charge AtoN Team: OIC’s and XPO’s of ANT’s; E-5 and above. 

Training Team: CG personnel serving on AtoN Training Teams. 

When submitting an ETR, ensure you include comments pertaining to the situation, such as 

“only qualified member departing the unit,” “mbr has orders as XPO of ANT Hampton Roads,” 

“second request for this course,” etc. Also include in the comments if you want the member to 

attend the course on an alternate date if they don’t get a seat in the course you’re requesting. 

When a member has requested alternate course dates, the ETR will automatically be moved on 

to the next convening date if the member does not get a seat in the class requested. If no alternate dates are listed, the ETR will not be forwarded to the next class. 
The AtoN Bulletin Volume 35, Number 2 

4 

Example ETR comments: 

 

Mbr reported aboard on __________. Request alternate dates if mbr is unable to attend this 

class convening. 

Mbr attended MAM course on __________ at Yorktown. Request alternate dates of 10MAR or 

07APR convenings if mbr is unable to attend this class convening. (AC) 

Mbr reported aboard on __________. Only other qualified positioning tech is departing the 

unit. Request alternate dates. (AP) 

Mbr is/has orders to be __________ (OIC or XPO) of ANT __________. (ANT) 

SUBSTITUTIONS/CANCELLATIONS 

When substituting or cancelling a course, ensure you alert NATON School and send the appropriate message as soon as possible. This enables us to find a replacement so we don’t waste a 

seat in the class. Below are templates for proper cancellation/substitution messages. 

CANCELLATION REQUEST TEMPLATE 

R 

FM UNIT 

TO COGARD TQC CHESAPEAKE VA 

INFO COMDT COGARD WASHINGTON DC//COURSE MANAGER*// 

COGARD TRACEN YORKTOWN//TNATON// 

CHAIN OF COMMAND 

OTHER AFFECTED AFLOAT OR ASHORE UNITS 

BT 

UNCLAS //3502// 

SUBJ: CANCELLATION REQUEST FOR COURSE TITLE/COURSE CODE, CLCVN 

DATE** 

1. REQUEST CANX QUOTA FOR MEMBER RANK & NAME, EMPLID. 

2. MEMBER UNABLE TO ATTEND DUE TO REASON***. 

3. OPTIONAL: REQUEST MEMBER BE RESCHEDULED TO ATTEND COURSE AT A 

LATER (OR SPECIFIC) DATE. 

4. POC: NAME/RANK/TELEPHONE NUMBER. 

BT 

NNNN 

NATON SCHOOL INFO 
The AtoN Bulletin Volume 35, Number 2 

5 

NATON SCHOOL INFO 

SUBSTITUTION REQUEST TEMPLATE 

R 

FM UNIT 

TO COGARD TQC CHESAPEAKE VA 

INFO COMDT COGARD WASHINGTON DC//COURSE MANAGER*// 

COGARD TRACEN YORKTOWN//TNATON// 

CHAIN OF COMMAND 

OTHER AFFECTED AFLOAT OR ASHORE UNITS 

BT 

UNCLAS //3502// 

SUBJ: SUBSTITUTION REQUEST FOR COURSE TITLE/COURSE CODE, CLCVN 

DATE** 

1. REQUEST CANX QUOTA FOR MEMBER RANK & NAME, EMPLID. 

2. MEMBER DOES NOT NEED TO/ CANNOT ATTEND DUE TO REASON***. 

3. REQUEST SUBSTITUTE MEMBER RANK & NAME, EMPLID. 

4. MEMBER MEETS ALL PREREQUISITES. 

5. OPTIONAL: REQUEST MEMBER BE RESCHEDULED TO ATTEND COURSE AT A 

LATER (OR SPECIFIC) DATE. 

6. POC: NAME/RANK/TELEPHONE NUMBER. 

BT 

NNNN 

* COURSE MANAGER (CG-###) can be found in the master training list (MTL). 

http://cgweb.comdt.uscg.mil/g-ocu/programs/MTL.htm 

** COURSE TITLE/COURSE CODE, CLCVN DATE can be found on TQC’s website. 

*** CHOOSE ONE OF THE FOLLOWING REASONS: 

Medical reasons, failure to meet weight standards, administrative reasons, operational commitments, failure to meet prerequisites, family emergency/hardship 

If you have any other questions regarding requesting, cancelling, or substituting courses, please 

don’t hesitate to contact us at NATON. 
The AtoN Bulletin Volume 35, Number 2 

6 

NEWS CLIPS 

STANT Muskegon Receives Third Consecutive Kimble 

Award 

by BM1 Brian Fiscus, USCG STANT Muskegon 

The U.S. Coast Guard Station 

and Aids to Navigation Team 

(STANT) in Muskegon, MI was 

presented with the Sumner I. 

Kimball Award on the afternoon of 10 October 2007. The 

award was presented to the 

crew by Captain Bruce Jones, 

Commanding Officer of Sector 

Lake Michigan, in Milwaukee. 

Mr. Jonathan Seyferth was also 

in attendance on behalf of 

Michigan Representative Pete 

Hoekstra. This award recognizes those units that achieve 

and maintain the highest standards of boat and crew readiness. The award is authorized when a Coast Guard Station meets or exceeds a score of 90% of 

the total possible points. The crew in Muskegon earned 47 of 50 points (94%). 

Of the twenty six Coast Guard ATON units that have a BUSL assigned to it, STANT Muskegon is the only unit in the Coast 

Guard that has earned this recognition during three consecutive inspections (2003, 2005, 

and 2007). 

STANT Muskegon’s ATON 

AOR spans 180 nautical miles 

of lake Michigan’s eastern 

shore from Michigan city, IN to 

Frankfort, MI and is responsible 

for 26 lighted buoys, 86 

unlighted buoys, 49 lighted 

structures, 15 lighthouses, and 1 

daybeacon.
The AtoN Bulletin Volume 35, Number 2 

7 

Great Lakes Coast Guard Rescues 1,289 Buoys 

by PA3 William B. Mitchell, District 9 Public Affairs 

When they first settled here, they thought this 

day would never come. 

Tiny, little zebra mussels have built entire 

thriving civilizations on buoys. 

Then one day, they heard a loud clamor and 

the ground beneath them began to shake violently. Soon after, their entire world was removed from the water and placed on a buoy 

deck. 

It won’t be long now until everything they’ve ever known will come to an end. Some of them 

crawl out of their shells and try to make a run for it, but the sun is emerging. It dries up the 

puddles on the deck and the little pink creatures dry up and perish. 

This drama unfolds every year when the Coast Guard Cutter BRISTOL BAY of the Ninth District does its part in Operation Fall Retrieve in the waters of western Lake Erie. 

Operation Autumn Retrieve, also known as the Fall Haul, is the largest domestic buoy recovery 

operation in the U.S. Coast Guard. It commenced October 14, 2007, with a goal of retrieving 

1,289 navigational aids, and was completed in December. The aids, approximately half in the 

region, are taken out of service during the winter months 

due to decreased vessel traffic and to minimize damage 

from ice and inclement weather. 

To accomplish the aids to navigation mission, the Ninth 

Coast Guard District employs six Coast Guard cutters; five 

Aids to Navigations teams; five small boat stations with 

aids to navigation duties; the Lamplighters, civilian employees who manage the inland waters of Northern Minnesota; and partner with the Canadian Coast Guard and the St. 

Lawrence Seaway Development Corporation. 

It isn’t as much a massacre of buoy critters as much as it is 

a rescue of 1,289 buoys that would have surely perished at 

the icy hand of old man winter. 

NEWS CLIPS 
The AtoN Bulletin Volume 35, Number 2 

8 

NEWS CLIPS 

CGC SYCAMORE Hosts High School Class 

by ENS Leigh Dorsey, USCGC SYCAMORE (WLB 209) 

It’s a cold, blustery morning as a van of high school students and scientists from the Prince William Sound Science Center pulls up at the Coast Guard pier. Rain falls intermittently, mixed 

with some occasional ice 

pellets as kids head to 

school—a typical midDecember day in Cordova, 

Alaska. Not a typical 

school day however, for the 

group of marine biology students from Cordova High 

School. Armed with a net, a 

couple of Conductivity/

Temperature/Depth (CTD) 

instruments, a sediment 

grabber, an underwater camera, an array of collection 

bottles, Petri dishes, and a 

few microscopes, the budding marine biologists clambered aboard CGC SYCAMORE for a day trip to a quiet bay in the rich waters of eastern 

Prince William Sound. After a welcome aboard from the Commanding Officer, CDR Kevin 

Dunn, and safety brief from BM1 Jason Scott, the students spent the hour-long transit to Simpson Bay observing local sea birds with avian biologist Neil Dawson, learning about the environmental effects of oil spills with oceanographer Dr. Scott Pegau, and receiving a tour of the 

SYCAMORE from MK3 

Joshua Lockwood and FN 

James Nichols. 

With the ability to hold position and the proximity of the 

ocean relative to the buoy 

deck, the 225’ turned out to be 

an exceptional platform to 

conduct “over the side” scientific operations. 

Several operations were performed from the buoy deck. 

First, zooplankton specialist 
The AtoN Bulletin Volume 35, Number 2 

9 

Dr. Rob Campbell oversaw 

the group in lowering a fine 

mesh net where it sank for 

about 200 feet before they 

pulled it to the surface, emptying its contents into collection buckets. Although the 

water appeared to be devoid 

of life at first glance, upon 

further inspection numerous 

displays of tiny sea life were 

evident, including minute 

jelly fish, comb jellies, copepods, amphipods, arrow 

worms, sea shrimp, and even 

a squid larvae. Microscopes set up on the messdeck provided an even closer look, and teacher 

Cara Heitz directed her students to take turns drawing their favorite plankton. Next, the CTD 

instrument was lowered over the starboard buoy port at a measured pace to allow the instrument 

to take temperature and salinity readings at depth intervals. The data from the instrument furnished a vertical profile of temperature and salinity for the 230-foot water column. While hauling the CTD back up, field biologist Kevin Siwicke lowered a sediment grabber over the port 

side. Once the grabber hit bottom, education specialist Lindsay Butters sent a “messenger” in 

the form of a metal tube hurtling down the line to activate the spring-operated mechanism that 

closed the jaws of the grabber around a small patch of sediment. Once hauled back onboard, 

the grabber yielded a parcel of oozing mud, complete with polychaete worms and tunicates. 

Members of SYCAMORE’s crew assisted, supplying extra line for the sediment grabber, a 

wash down hose, and even a few dried starfish (previous buoy critters) from the ATON shop for 

inspection under the microscopes. 

The trip was a huge success, providing eighteen 

high school students with 

a chance to conduct college-level experiments 

with world-class scientists, along with a behindthe-scenes glimpse of the 

Coast Guard. 

NEWS CLIPS 
The AtoN Bulletin Volume 35, Number 2 

10 

CGC ALDER Summer/Fall 2007 Notes 

by ENS Matthew Winland, USCGC ALDER (WLB 216) 

July 2007 Waukegan Shoal 

LB 3 (photo at left): ALDER 

departed Duluth, MN in late 

July 2007 to correct a discrepant Waukegan Shoal LB 3, 

reported only as sinking. Arriving on scene, ALDER discovered the 6X20 almost entirely submerged with only 

the top 18 inches of cage and 

light showing. Thankfully, 

ANT Waukegan personnel 

rigged a foam buoy with nylon messenger to the offset 

bail which made recovery 

much safer. It turns out that 

the buoy was actually sitting on the bottom with the counterweight pushed into the muddy bottom: a 20 feet tall buoy in 18 feet of water. Interestingly, the brave soldier was still displaying 

the proper light characteristics. 

August 2007 Recovery of 

sunken boat in the St. 

Mary’s River (photo at 

right): Headed northbound 

up the St. Mary’s River on 

the way back to Duluth 

from Lake Michigan, ALDER used the crane to dewater & recover a sunken 

boat. With some assistance 

from the local station, the 

sunken boat was no longer a 

hazard to navigation. 

NEWS CLIPS 
The AtoN Bulletin Volume 35, Number 2 

11 

August 2007 Working ATON 

in Lake St. Clair (photo at 

left): While working ATON 

in Lake St. Clair, two lakers 

make passing arrangements 

500 yards off ALDER's port 

side. 

November 2007 Decommissioning Lake Superior 

NOAA buoys for the season 

(photo at right): Underway 

to begin the fall Lake 

Michigan ATON run, ALDER stopped to decommission Lake Superior NOAA 

buoys 45006 and 45001. 

Both were already showing 

signs of icing. NOAA 

45001 also showed signs of 

having experienced heavy 

seas; one solar panel was 

completely missing, leaving 

only frayed wires behind. 

Shortly after working NOAA 45001, one of the infamous “Gales of November” came blowing, 

bringing with it waves with heights in excess of 10 feet and winds greater than 30 knots.

NEWS CLIPS 
The AtoN Bulletin Volume 35, Number 2 

12 

A Lesson in Lighthouse History 

by PA3 Annie Berlin, District 1 Public Affairs 

The Coney Island Lighthouse 

gives a warm feeling to mariners returning home after a long 

journey, but for a bunch of fifth 

graders, it’s the coolest thing 

since the TV show “Are you 

smarter than a 5th grader?” 

With the help of the family of 

Frank Schubert, the last known 

lighthouse keeper in the country, Coast Guard Petty Officer 

1st Class Michael Johnson, 

from Aids to Navigation Team 

New York in Bayonne, N.J., 

organized a fieldtrip for the fifth grade class of Public School 48 to the Coney Island Lighthouse. To get the school’s 100 students ready for exams, the teachers introduce a more handson type of learning. This is the first of three history-related fieldtrips the class will take in 

preparation for their exams. 

“All the trips we take end up being on Staten Island, but Brooklyn is part of their history too,” 

said Doreen Crinigan, who has been teaching for 22 years, six of them in Brooklyn. “How often 

will any of them get to climb a lighthouse in their lifetime?” she commented. 

Coast Guard Petty Officer 1st Class Spencer Wilson and 3rd Class Petty Officers Benjamin 

Hughes and Balmore Claros joined Johnson in welcoming the children and giving them an introduction to the lighthouse and what the Coast Guard does to maintain it. 

“We wanted to make sure the children understand its purpose and its importance,” said Johnson, whose team of lighthouse technicians visit Bergen Point every three months to service the 

light and inspect the structure. “Half of them probably didn’t even realize that there was a lighthouse out there. It helps them have an idea of what’s in their neighborhood.” 

Each Coast Guard member took turns taking groups of seven or eight students at a time up the 

87 stairs to the top of the lighthouse. For the Coast Guardsmen, it was a fun day away from 

daily maintenance and the normal workday. “We just wanted to keep the children safe and answer any questions they had as they climbed up and down the stairs,” said Hughes. 

The rest of the class gathered around the visiting members of the Schubert family; Ken, ChrisNEWS CLIPS 
The AtoN Bulletin Volume 35, Number 2 

13 

topher and Scott Schubert, Francine Goldstein, and Pamela and Jacqueline Ali, to hear stories 

about the family growing up in the keeper’s house and how their father and grandfather had 

cared for the light. 

Frank Schubert lived in the lighthouse keeper’s quarters with his family from 1960, when he 

was assigned the position of keeper, to 2003 when he passed away. He was the last known 

lighthouse keeper in the country, and took pride in the Coney Island light throughout the 43 

years that he and his family spent there. 

“I was scared when the stairs were really small at the top,” said smiling and wide-eyed Jessica 

Cabrera, 10. 

Each student enjoyed the Lighthouse, but they all agreed the view was something to behold. 

“My favorite part was seeing the shore and the ocean from the top,” said Alexandrea Fenn, 10, 

who came to the lighthouse on her second day of school after moving from Las Vegas. “There 

aren’t any lighthouses in Vegas,” she said. 

 

Along with learning about the historic lighthouse, the students also learned about the Coast 

Guard and its missions. 

The fifth-grade teachers at PS 48 host many visitors for their students, from fire fighters to 

Army sergeants to moneymakers on Wall Street. 

“We want the children to hear from real people,” said Diane Picucci, the school’s principal. 

“These are people they can aspire to, people from their world. And now they know the Coast 

Guard,” she said. 

NEWS CLIPS 
The AtoN Bulletin Volume 35, Number 2 

14 

NEWS CLIPS 

New York Harbor Buoy Recovery 

by LT Amy Florentino, USCGC KATHERINE WALKER (WLM 552) 

CGC KATHERINE WALKER services aids to navigation throughout New York Harbor, an 

area where heavy traffic and seasonal ice floes often lead to buoy allisions and sunken hulls. 

Most hulls and moorings are recovered with the use of a grapnel hook and chain. However, in 

past years some of these hulls were unable to be recovered, leaving hazards to navigation and a 

fouling hazard for the existing buoy. 

The use of bottom surveys and sonar 

has helped KATHERINE WALKER 

locate some of these missing hulls. 

After location, recovery remained a 

problem. The hulls had little to no 

chain attached and attempts to recover them with a grapnel were unsuccessful. Ever increasing drafts on 

oil tankers and container ships as well 

as major dredging projects demanded 

that KATHERINE WALKER continue attempts to recover these hulls. 

Joint operations with the New Jersey 

state police, Jersey City Fire Department and the MSST Boston/New 

York Dive Teams proved to be a solution to this problem. Though dive teams have been used 

on buoy tenders for years, the heavy currents, hazardous 

water conditions and low visibility in New York Harbor 

posed a new challenge. 

Careful planning with the dive team ensured the evolution was safe. Timing the dives around slack water and 

staging the divers off the Jersey City Fire Boat helped 

minimize time in the water. To increase safety of the 

divers in the highly congested waters, KATHERINE 

WALKER used their small boat as a picket boat and 

worked with Vessel Traffic Service to minimize traffic 

near the dive. Using the sonar on the dive boat and a 

remote operated vehicle, we were able to pinpoint the 

exact locations of the hulls. Due to the murky condiOnce in the water, KW’s small boat assists a diver to the marker. 

Divers were deployed from the decks of the Jersey City Fire Boat, 

which was better suited for dive ops. 

Sonar image of sunken hull after bottom survey. 
The AtoN Bulletin Volume 35, Number 2 

15 

tions, the dive team and KATHERINE WALKER’s crew carefully planned the subsequent recovery. The first dive team descended to the bottom and affixed a Norwegian fender and tag 

line to the buoy hull. After placing the marker, the dive boat moved away from the buoy location and the KATHERINE WALKER moved in. KATHERINE WALKER’s deck force attached a shot of chain around the tag line and lowered it carefully down to the sunken buoy. 

We then affixed slings to the chain and an additional Norwegian fender. The slings were buoyant enough to mark the buoy location and strong enough to allow retrieval of the chain by the 

cutter. 

With the recovery mooring set up and lowered to the exact location of the sunken hull, the dive 

team went back to work. Despite zero visibility, the divers were able to affix the chain to the 

buoy immediately after reaching the bottom. After affixing the recovery mooring, KATHERINE WALKER began to retrieve the sunken hull. Not knowing exactly what was attached to 

the buoy, the buoy deck supervisor carefully raised the load and monitored the weight on the 

crane. Before we knew it, a hull popped up to the surface. The hull had obviously been hit by a 

vessel, was holed, partially flooded and needed to be dewatered prior to coming on board. Despite the damage to the hull and its age, it was in good enough condition to be returned to the 

buoy depot for refurbishing. 

The successful recovery of a lost hull in the murky waters of New York Harbor was certainly an 

accomplishment. The teamwork displayed between all units involved was exceptional. Each 

unit learned more about the others’ mission and the evolution paved the path for future operations.

NEWS CLIPS 

First sight of daylight in several years. Despite heavy growth and a hole 

that caused it to initially sink, the hull was in good shape and even the light 

was intact. 
The AtoN Bulletin Volume 35, Number 2 

16 

The Christmas Tree Ship Sails Again 

by CDR John Little and ENS Erin Chlum, USCGC MACKINAW (WLBB 30) 

with photos contributed by PA3 Matthew Schoefield, District 9 Public Affairs 

As part of the Christmas Tree Ship event 

and the Great Lakes Operation Fall Retrieve, the USCGC MACKINAW 

(WLBB 30) delivered over one thousand 

Christmas trees to deserving Chicago 

families on Saturday December 1, 2007. 

The original Christmas Tree Ship, the 

schooner ROUSE SIMMONS, started the 

tradition in 1896, when Captain Hermann 

Scheunemann docked his tree-laden 

schooner on the riverbank near the Clark 

Street Bridge carrying over 5,000 freshly 

cut trees from Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. To many, this marked the start of 

the Christmas season. 

USCGC MACKINAW (WLBB 30) is in her second 

year as the Christmas Tree Ship, continuing the tradition of its predecessor (WAGB-83), which resurrected 

this historic event in 2000. On November 19, 2007 the 

crew of the MACKINAW, with help from JROTC cadets from Ogemaw Heights High School, loaded 1,100 

trees cut by local growers from Northern Michigan on 

the cutter’s fantail. This allowed MACKINAW to 

keep the buoy deck clear and continue aids decommissioning on the southbound transit to Chicago. For only 

the second year, the Christmas Tree Ship arrived at 

Chicago’s Navy Pier with both buoys and trees on her 

decks. 

The balsam furs, blue spruce and scotch pines are purchased by the Chicago Christmas Tree Ship Committee, which fundraises throughout the year to make this 

event possible. The Christmas Tree Ship Committee 

represents diverse aspects of the Chicago boating community such as the Coast Guard Auxiliary, InternaNEWS CLIPS 

Christmas trees piled high on MACKINAW’s buoy deck 

Distributing trees on the fantail 
The AtoN Bulletin Volume 35, Number 2 

17 

NEWS CLIPS 

tional Shipmaster's Association and 

the Chicago Yachting Association. 

On behalf of Ada S. McKinley Community Services, Inc., volunteers from 

the Sea Cadets, Young Marines and 

the Sea Explorer Scouts assisted the 

MACKINAW crew with the offloading ceremony. Once offloaded, the 

trees were packed into trucks for distribution throughout the Chicago area. 

This popular event also caught the attention of the media, with coverage 

from the Weather Channel, several 

local Chicago TV and radio outlets 

and New York’s HDTV News. 

Following the Christmas Tree Ship Festivities, MACKINAW continued decommissioning aids 

in southern Lake Michigan that mark the vital commercial waterways of Gary, IN and south 

Chicago, IL. Throughout Operation Fall Retrieve, MACKINAW decommissions over 40 large 

buoys in lakes Michigan and Huron, which mostly consist of 8X26 buoys and the 3-meter 

NOAA weather buoys. The cutter also sets more than 20 winter marks. Upon completion of 

the fall buoy season, MACKINAW’s crew then turns their attention to icebreaking operations 

as upper lakes temperatures continue to plummet. 

Her duties as the Christmas Tree Ship fulfilled, MACKINAW returns its 

attention to AtoN with a full deck 
The AtoN Bulletin Volume 35, Number 2 

18 

JUNIPER Completes 37-day AMIO Patrol 

by LTJG Jennifer Makowski, USCGC JUNIPER (WLB 201) 

The idea of rushing home from Key West, 

Florida to endure sub-freezing temperatures 

and a forecast of sleet and snow in Newport, 

Rhode Island may not seem conceivable. For 

the crew of CGC JUNIPER, however, who departed Newport on October 15th, these weather 

conditions were not only tolerable, but even 

appealing as JUNIPER returned on November 

20th from a five-week patrol in the Florida 

Straits. Facing the combination of an increase 

in attempts by Cuban migrants to reach U.S. 

soil and the recent de-commissioning of eight 

Florida-based Coast Guard patrol boats, the 

Coast Guard called on JUNIPER to serve as a 

Cuban migrant holding platform in support of 

Operation BLUE HAMMER, part of the Coast Guard’s Alien Migrant Interdiction Operations 

(AMIO). JUNIPER’s 37-day patrol included 648 hours of underway time, seven days of engine 

maintenance, and liberty time in Key West and Miami. 

JUNIPER first stopped in Key West to load AMIO supplies such as a large tent and a portable 

shower and toilet which were all staged on JUNIPER’s buoy deck. Within hours of departing 

Key West and the famous Fantasy Festival, JUNIPER immediately went to work, welcoming 

82 migrants interdicted at sea by other Coast Guard vessels. This fast pace continued throughout the patrol, giving JUNIPER a total of 138 Cuban migrants, including ten suspected migrant 

smugglers. Three-person security teams 

watched over the migrants around the 

clock as they used wool blankets to make 

their temporary home on JUNIPER’s 

buoy deck. The galley staff provided two 

meals per day, normally consisting of 

black beans and rice with fruit in the 

morning. Seaman Juan Reyes, born in the 

Dominican Republic and raised in Providence, served as the sole interpreter 

throughout the patrol, and helped alleviate 

the language barrier. The security teams 

provided the children with crayons and 

coloring books and the adults with playing 

cards, dominoes, and Cuban news articles 

NEWS CLIPS 

Crew of the JUNIPER completes AMIO preps in Key 

West 

JUNIPER’s security watchstanders look over the migrants on 

their buoydeck 
The AtoN Bulletin Volume 35, Number 2 

19 

NEWS CLIPS 

downloaded from the internet to stave off boredom and restlessness. 

During Tropical Storm Noel, rough seas and high winds plagued the Florida Straits, but with 38 

Cuban migrants living on the buoy deck, JUNIPER remained at sea. Under the “wet-foot/dryfoot” Cuban migrant policy, any Cuban migrant who reaches U.S. soil may remain in the U.S. 

and eventually apply for citizenship. With only one operational engine due to a previous engine 

casualty, LCDR Richard Wester, JUNIPER’s 

Commanding Officer, searched for protection from the weather. “Our [bow and stern] 

thrusters allowed us to hold our position in 

the lee of the Marquesas for four days. Facing our stern towards the wind shielded our 

guests on the buoy deck from the harsh elements. You could barely tell that the wind 

was blowing 40 knots,” he later stated. 

When the AMIO mission was complete and 

after a well-earned port call in Miami, JUNIPER began its trek home just behind Noel’s 

path of destruction. The Chesapeake Bay 

Entrance Lighted Whistle Buoy “CH” was 

found off station, and with its primary unit 

unable to respond, JUNIPER agreed to re-locate the buoy, which marks the center of a precautionary area where four major traffic lanes converge. JUNIPER found the aid 500 yards off station with a badly knotted chain. 

Thanks to the efforts of JUNIPER’s engineers, who tirelessly worked to fix a broken engine 

during their liberty time 

in Key West, and the 

deck force for untangling a monstrous knot 

in the “CH” buoy chain, 

JUNIPER made record 

speed towards Newport. 

As the ship pressed 

northward, the crew’s 

excitement grew greater 

as the air temperatures 

dropped and the anticipation of a Thanksgiving dinner with family 

and friends became a 

reality. 

The “CH” buoy’s knotted mooring 
The AtoN Bulletin Volume 35, Number 2 

20 

Historical Helpers 

by PA2 Matthew Schofield, District 9 Public Affairs 

Boards cracking, nails creaking, and a general cacophony of hammering and prying were what made the day feel different for a 

crew of happy volunteers. A contingent of crewmembers from 

Coast Guard Cutter HOLLYHOCK came in to help restore a large 

part of Port Huron’s history. 

The eight volunteers, ranging from Seamen to Petty Officers, 

wanted to help repair the Fort Gratiot Hospital, which is near the 

Coast Guard Station in Port Huron, Michigan. They offered up 

their time and energy for a good cause, like most Coasties would. 

The first hospital in St. Clair County, Fort Gratiot Hospital was 

built at Fort Gratiot in 1830, and was recently moved by the City 

of Port Huron to Lighthouse Park, where it will become an important part of the Fort Gratiot Lighthouse museum complex. Along 

with the move, extensive renovations are being done to the building. This project includes plans to clean out, refurbish, panel, and paint the hospital to look like 

it did during its heyday. It will also feature a display complete with beds, mannequins and 

memorabilia to recall the atmosphere of the hospital during its operational days. 

Out of respect for the past, the crew saw the degenerated building as a chance to preserve history. With the help of other volunteers, the Coast Guardsmen pulled out the floor and prepared 

the new joists that will set the foundation for the entire project. 

“It is a great way to preserve history and to give something back to the community,” said 

LCDR Mike Davanzo, Commanding 

Officer of HOLLYHOCK. 

He added, “We have an active history 

program and I think it is great to be a 

part of living history.” 

Being part of a service that takes 

great pride in its own storied past, it 

is always rewarding for Coast 

Guardsmen to work hard when it results in the preservation of history. 

NEWS CLIPS 
The AtoN Bulletin Volume 35, Number 2 

21 

TECHNICAL CORNER 

Non-Reflectorized Fluorescent Dayboard Film 

by Mr. Keith M. Davis, CG-432 

COMDT CG-432 has approved a non-reflectorized fluorescent film made by SMV Technologies, Inc., for use in the fabrication of dayboards. The film meets or exceeds the requirements 

established in G-ECV Specification 473A, “Specification for Elastomeric and NonReflectorized Fluorescent Film.” The film is a non-reflectorized vinyl film for use in exterior 

applications where high visibility, conspicuity and long term duration are required. It has an 

outdoor durability of five (5) years when properly applied, with a two (2) year shelf life. The 

film uses pressure-sensitive adhesion and can be applied by using a motorized squeeze roll applicator or a simple hand roller. 

The film can bought directly from SMV Technologies, Inc., via purchase order or credit card. 

The price of the film is listed below: 

USCG6100EL Coast Guard Red $1.27/SF 

USCG5000EL Coast Guard Green $1.27/SF 

Sizes: 24” X 50 yds (300SF) @ $381.00 Roll (minimum of 1 roll) 

 36”X 50 yds (450SF) @ $571.50 Roll (minimum of 1 roll) 

 48” X 50 yds (600SF) @ $762.00 Roll (minimum of 1 roll) 

Minimum order: 1 Roll 

Point of contact: SMV TECHNOLOGIES, INC. 

 Attn: Betty Thorp 

 2431 Destiny Way 

 Odessa, Florida 33556 

 Telephone: 1-727-372-1512 

 1-877-768-8324 

 Fax: 1-727-375-9146 

 1-888-327-6768 

Dayboard fabricators can still purchase the pressure-sensitive vinyl elastomeric film from 

Avery-Dennison that has been purchased in the past. SMV Technologies’ film is another approved film for dayboards that can be used on U.S. Coast Guard aids to navigation. 
The AtoN Bulletin Volume 35, Number 2 

22 

Analyzing a Sling Failure 

by LCDR Steve Wittrock and ENS Janya McCarron, USCGC ASPEN (WLB 208) 

Recently, ASPEN was tasked with setting a standard 19,000-lb, 6-meter NOAA weather buoy 

approximately 500 nautical miles west of Eureka in just over 13,000 ft of water. The weather 

was an 8-10ft swell, plus a wind chop caused by the 10-15 kt winds; a very typical day in the 

North Pacific. Conditions were deemed manageable, and preps for setting the buoy commenced. To attach the main block to the sea catch quick release, a safe working load of 13k 

basketed synthetic sling was chosen. With the basket configuration on the sling, the manufacturer’s stated 26k capacity would be sufficient for the 19k buoy. 

Once the buoy was rigged with a cross deck and all required tag lines, the initial lift to slide it 

out the door was commenced. Due to the ongoing pitching by the cutter in the swell, the BDS 

used an exaggerated outboard lead between the main and cross deck, while maintaining tension 

on the cross deck to help control the fore/aft swing. Shortly after picking the buoy off of the 

deck, the 13k sling parted at the quick release hook, causing the buoy to fall to the deck. Fortunately, the buoy was only about 6 inches off of the deck and still over the rear saddle that supported the keel. The BDS and the buoy deck crew quickly regriped the buoy and hard-decked 

the main block. The buoy was rerigged with a shackle and larger sling between the quick release and the main block and set without incident. 

After an analysis of the failure, there were two primary causal factors noted. The first was the 

increased force developed between the opposing forces of the main and the cross deck, and the 

other was the type of surface that the sling basketed through on the quick release. 

TECHNICAL CORNER 

NOAA buoy just prior to picking up 
The AtoN Bulletin Volume 35, Number 2 

23 

TECHNICAL CORNER 

Opposing Forces

The force on the main fall and all rigging gear in line is a combination of the load being lifted, 

the amount of outboard lead on the main, and the crossdeck load added to the system. As 

shown below in the free body diagram of the system that ASPEN was lifting, the load on the 

main fall was significantly greater than the dead weight of the load it was lifting. 

Explanation: In analyzing the entire system, the tension in the cross deck was adding an additional force in the downward direction which increased the amount of tension the sling had to 

withstand. Even though the cross deck wasn’t pulling down directly, the 30o angle it was pulling at was enough to approach the safe working load that the sling was rated at. The force on 

the sling was calculated using two equations (Fx and Fy, the sum of the forces in the horizontal 

direction and the sum of the forces in the vertical direction. Downward values considered negative) and two unknown values (force in the Main Fall, MF, and force in the Cross Deck, CD). 

With two equations and two unknown values, the forces from the cross deck and the main fall 

can be solved for. 

CD k

MF k

MF MF

MF F

F

CD MF MF

MF CD

F

CD

y

x

10.1

25.6

.939 ( 19) ( .395 )(.5) 0

cos(20) ( 19) ( sin(30)) 0

0

.395

cos(30)

sin(20)

sin(20) cos(30) 0

0

=

=

+ − + − =

+ − + − =

∑ =

= =

− + =

∑ =

19k 

30 ̊

20 ̊

Force in 

Crossdeck 

(CD) 

Force in 

Main Fall 

(MF) 

Buoy 
The AtoN Bulletin Volume 35, Number 2 

24 

Basket Rigging

The synthetic sling that was rigged was basketed around the eye of the Sea Catch quick release 

which has somewhat blunt edges. To gain a true double load on a basket rig requires the sling 

to slide to exactly even the load on both sides of the sling, similar to a pulley. The blunt edges 

can prevent this and slightly overload one side while the other side is taking less stress. Additionally, the blunt edges can cause a stress concentration which also contributed to the sling 

failure. 

One additional note; the sling that failed was about 2-3 years old, but had just returned from its 

annual weight test. This sling appeared to be in good working condition with no indications of 

reduced capacity. Generally, each year all slings are reviewed; if there is any indication of 

damage they are replaced, but if they had little use they are weight tested and kept in service. 

Summary

The two causes of this sling failure were the results of the opposing forces and the way the basket sling was rigged on the quick release device. It is important to always understand the full 

force that will be exerted on the sling when selecting the appropriate capacity. In this case the 

actual loading on the sling was approximately 35% greater then the weight of the buoy alone. 

Additionally, ensuring a smooth fairlead on the sling is critical to develop a double capacity on 

a basket rig as well as eliminate stress concentrations on edges. 

Notes from the NATON Technical Advisor 

CWO4 Dave Merrill, NATON School 

This was a great article written by LCDR Steve Wittrock and ENS Jayna McCarron, USCGC 

ASPEN. It goes to show that even when you have a great plan and have followed all of the 

safety requirements, MISHAPS can occur. Of note was the fact that none of the crew was hurt 

or would have been hurt had the buoy decided not to land on its feet. Why? The deck crew 

were all in their assigned positions, in a safe place, ready to quickly respond to a 6-meter 

NOAA buoy loose on their deck. Here are a few more of my observations. There are lessons 

for the most seasoned of us. Please read on. 

TECHNICAL CORNER 

Sea Catch quick release device 
The AtoN Bulletin Volume 35, Number 2 

25 

TECHNICAL CORNER 

The sling parted exactly where I would have expected it to given the description of bunching at 

the quick release hook. Pinch points like this will significantly reduce the working load limit of 

a synthetic sling even to a point of less than half the WLL. I've pull tested many synthetic 

slings to destruction at rigging shops around the country and have had it proven time and again 

that pinching or bending a sling around even a moderately sharp object will result in (very) 

early failure. 

ASPEN was correct in their observation, "to gain a true double load on a basket rig requires the 

sling to slide to exactly even (on) the load on both sides of the sling, similar to a pulley." If one 

side of the basket hitch is tighter than the other it will take a majority of the load. In this case, a 

13K sling and a 19K buoy may sound like a recipe for an early failure, but there was a safety 

factor that should have prevented this accident. 

All synthetic slings are built with a 5 to 1 safety factor. Of course this would only apply to 

brand new sling right out of the box. As soon as they're put into service they'll begin to degrade 

(very slightly). There are several things that will cause a sling to degrade. Along with time (a 

sling is designed for X number of cycles), there's ultraviolet light (one of the worst), dirt 

(critters), wear spots, etc. Nonetheless, given the weights ASPEN referred to, this sling should 

not have parted. The 5 to 1 safety factor should have prevented that—until we go back to the 

fact that the sling was bent around a moderately sharp object, significantly reducing the WLL. 

ASPEN mentioned that the sling was 2 to 3 years old. This is old by Coast Guard synthetic 

sling standards. We at NATON recommend that a sling be discarded and replaced prior to 

proof testing as the cost of pull testing a synthetic sling is about 95% of the cost of a new sling. 

There is a probable change to the Naval Engineering Manual, Chapter 570, that will extend the 

200% proof testing requirement from once every two years to once every five years. When I 

told you that a 2 to 3 year old sling is old by Coast Guard standards, I was referring to the current proof test standards. Under the new requirements I would expect slings in the Coast Guard 

to be kept for up to 5 years. I still don't/won't recommend pull testing old synthetic slings; it's 

just not cost effective. Cheap insurance is to buy new. 

Be safe out there. 
The AtoN Bulletin Volume 35, Number 2 

26 

Innovation Aboard CGC CYPRESS 

by LCDR Riley Gatewood, USCGC CYPRESS (WLB 210) 

CGC CYPRESS found a creative use of their J-bar davit mounts. Previously, whenever we 

slotted or deployed buoys in or out of the pocket, a line handler was positioned on the respective air castle, and that individual would place a couple of round turns on the hand rail to maintain control of the cage line. After several handrail repairs, the DC’s fabricated a stanchion 

with a Harken two-speed winch on top. This specialized stanchion in the J-bar davit mount provided the line handler the capability to keep tension on the cage line, using a winch, thereby improving personnel safety for a more controlled hand-over-hand technique. 

TECHNICAL CORNER 
The AtoN Bulletin Volume 35, Number 2 

27 

TECHNICAL CORNER 

Freeing mudded-in sinkers with the Level Arm 

by CWO4 Dave Merrill, NATON School 

It’s time for another reminder to the WLBB/WLB/WLM fleet regarding the proper use of the 

level arm on the inhaul winch. Too often in my travels throughout the fleet I witness or hear of 

the buoy deck supervisor (BDS) using the level arm to free a mudded-in sinker that the inhaul 

winch is unable to lift, or pulling in just one more link of chain so that the link will easily slide 

into the chain stopper; you know, the chain under heavy strain, the same chain that the inhaul 

winch just stalled out trying to lift. Let’s make this clear: The level arm is not designed for 

heavy lift. It shall not be used to free a mudded-in sinker. If the inhaul winch won’t lift the 

sinker, place the sinker in the chain stopper and break it out with the ship. The same applies to 

using the level arm to pull that one more link of chain under strain. Instead of trying to pull in 

one more link of chain, try paying out a link. The result is the same, a link of chain that easily 

slides into the stopper. Yes, Boatswain’s Mate, I know, the level arm typically has just a little 

bit more torque than the inhaul winch and if the inhaul winch won’t lift it, there’s a chance that 

the level arm will. All true, but lifting heavy loads was never the intent of the level arm. The 

level arm was designed to spool chain or line evenly on the drum of the inhaul winch. That’s it. 

It simply wasn’t designed to pull mudded-in sinkers, or to get that last link of chain under a 

heavy strain. Each time you do this, you risk significant damage to your equipment and even 

injury to personnel. This risk is compounded in a seaway where shock loading of the level arm 

can easily occur. Some recent history—many of you “salty” BDS are too new to the AtoN 

community to know that one of our 175’s ripped the level arm right out of the deck while it was 

under strain. Don’t repeat a mistake of the past. The first time it was called a MISHAP and we 

all used it as a learning tool. The second time we’ll call it a MISHAP and all learn again, but 

unlike the first time, it won’t go so easy on the offender. All of this will be clearly spelled out 

in the new AtoN Seamanship Manual. Until then, be advised, be safe, and use your equipment 

as it was intended to be used. 
The AtoN Bulletin Volume 35, Number 2 

28 

Vessel Configurations 

by BM1 Rudy Patten, NATON School 

Picture the following scenario: Your crew has ensured that all of the equipment and parts you 

will need for your upcoming buoy run are on board and ready for use, your positioning team 

has verified that the aid information in I-ATONIS and AAPS is up-to-date and accurate for 

every single aid in your AOR, the work schedules have been run and used to plan your trip and 

your crew has been trained and is motivated and ready to work. Your unit gets underway and 

works a number of aids due for servicing. Unfortunately, after returning to homeport, you discover something that tells you EVERY SINGLE aid you serviced was positioned incorrectly, 

and will have to be revisited ASAP at a great cost of time and money. What happened? 

What happened was that despite the efforts of your crew to check the accuracy of your aids in IATONIS/AAPS, they forgot to check the accuracy of your vessel configurations in I-ATONIS/

AAPS. Any aid positioned with an inaccurate vessel configuration is an aid that was not positioned correctly and is very liable to be off station when revisited and position checked again 

using a proper configuration. The positions you recorded with the wrong vessel configurations 

are therefore invalid. 

What’s the problem? The Leica or Trimble receiver is giving the user the position of the GPS 

antenna. The antenna can be anywhere; the mast, above the pilothouse, placed on top of an aid, 

etc. If offsets are not appropriately applied to compensate for the difference between the physical location of the antenna and where the aid is actually being found or set from, the difference 

between the reality and the fiction of an aid’s position can be dozens of yards, resulting in a 

false on or off station determination by AAPS. 

So what do we do to solve this problem? With a correct vessel configuration in AAPS, offsets 

are applied to the DGPS signal to compensate for the difference between the location of the 

GPS antenna and the buoy port in use. This “tricks” AAPS into using the selected buoy port as 

the position it is receiving from the DGPS receiver. 

How to do it? Easy. Choose a reference point. The reference point can be and often is the GPS 

antenna, but it doesn’t have to be. If you choose a reference point other than the antenna, you 

will need to have a measurement FROM that reference point TO the antenna. Also from that 

reference point we measure distances (we call them offsets) to our buoy ports. Measure all offsets in yards (convert from whatever unit of measure is easiest for you, but ultimately the measurements MUST be in yards) from the reference point to any buoy port that you will utilize for 

positioning. 

Measure fore and aft and athwartships offsets separately. Fore and aft measurements are positive for buoy ports forward of the reference point and negative for buoy ports aft of the reference point. Athwartships measurements are positive for buoy ports to starboard of the reference 

POSITIONING 
The AtoN Bulletin Volume 35, Number 2 

29 

POSITIONING 

point and negative for buoy ports to port of the reference point. 

Enter the correct measurements, IN YARDS, that you got either from the ship’s drawings or by 

manual measurement, into the correct column and section in the Vessel Configuration screen of 

either I-ATONIS or AAPS. To get to this screen, use the Data dropdown menu and select Vessels. 

In addition to these measurements, you will need to enter the manufacturer, model and serial 

number of the receiver being used for positioning. You will also have to make note of what you 

are using as your reference point. And finally, you will have to enter your waterline to transducer measurement (this measurement will be the only one recorded in feet) if that applies. 

This is for units whose fathometer does not already account for the waterline to transducer 

measurement, and gives depth under the keel. 

When positioning aids with a jump kit, where the GPS antenna is placed directly next to the aid, 

you will have offsets of 0 yeards. A vessel configuration still needs to be created for a jump kit, 

however, because AAPS requires a vessel configuration to be selected in order to position an 

aid. 

Save all of your CORRECT vessel configurations in I-ATONIS/AAPS, and also print out paper 

copies to store in your hardcopy folder along with your DGPS receiver verifications and any 

other info not related to a specific aid. Finally, when positioning an aid, be sure to choose the 

correct vessel configuration, and on the plot screen, choose the correct buoy port. Accurate 

vessel configurations are one of many important steps you’ll need to position aids to navigation 

using due care. 

Example of a Vessel Configuration in IATONIS 
The AtoN Bulletin Volume 35, Number 2 

30 

BUOY DECK TRAINING TEAM 

Mechanical Chain Stoppers 

by BM1 Chris Wilcox, NATON School 

Regular maintenance of your ship’s mechanical chain stoppers is a very vital part of keeping the 

buoy deck ready for any situation that may occur. Many Buoy Deck Training Team visits come 

up with one common discrepancy: lack of proper maintenance on the mechanical chain stopper. 

Remember, in the not too distant past, this was the only option we had, and in many cases is 

still our only choice. Below is a brief daily inspection that can be performed to ensure your mechanical chain stopper is safe and operational: 

1. Ensure the horse collar fits. Remember, when the chain stopper was manufactured, they 

were made individually, therefore the port may not fit on the starboard and vice versa; simply 

inscribing an S or P would suffice. 

2. Inspect the throat of the chain stopper for wear. Keep in mind, there is no guidance at this 

point for maximum wear. With that being said, the mechanical chain stopper specific to your 

class boat is designed to accommodate the smallest size chain that you use. If it is unable to 

perform this task, it needs to be repaired. 

3. Inspect welds on gussets. A WLM mechanical chain stopper failed at 8500 lbs due to undiscovered cracked welds. 

4. Ensure bail pin is attached to stopper. 

5. Ensure zerk fittings are properly lubricated. 

6. Ensure hinge pins are properly lubricated. 

7. Ensure cotter keys are present and properly opened. 

8. Finally, check the functionality of the stopper itself: 

- Slip pin 

- Strike bail 

- Lift chain stopper with sledge hammer 

- The chain stopper should fairly easily move upward to the peak, then lower back 

about halfway down. 

- While the stopper is in this position, ensure the spring is intact, not overly rusted, free 

of dirt and properly lubricated. 

These steps will ensure that your stopper is ready when you need it. Whether it is gear that’s 

used on a daily basis or something that doesn’t see regular action, we have to take the time to 

keep up with our equipment—a few minutes on PMS can prevent potentially disastrous mishaps. 
The AtoN Bulletin Volume 35, Number 2 

31 

The following are corrections to pages 10 and 23 of the Summer 2007 ATON Phone Directory. 

Corrections are outlined. If you have a correction to information in the Directory, please forward it to the editor and we will publish it in the next Bulletin. 

PHONE BOOK CORRECTIONS 

District 7 (page 10) 

Cutters 

 

ANVIL BMCS R. Harlacher 

(843) 724-7666 

HAMMER BMCS M. Kempton 

(904) 564-7607 

HUDSON CWO M. Moretti 

(305) 535-4375 

JOSHUA APPLEBY CWO J. Vandenheuvel 

(727) 502-1569/70/71/72 

MARIA BRAY CWO R. Hutchison 

(904) 564-7613 

OAK LCDR M. Glander 

(843) 554-8541 

VISE CWO N. Feustel 

(727) 893-3331 

735-4137 

National Data Buoy Center (page 23) 

Director Dr. P. Moersdorf 

(228) 688-1722 

Operations Branch Chief Dr. C. Teng 

(228) 688-7101 

Secretary Ms. E. Kohsnann 

(228) 688-1212 

Scheduling Officer CWO D. Bear 

(228) 688-1713 

Data Assembly Center 24/7 

(228) 688-2835 

Fax 

(228) 688-2869 
The AtoN Bulletin Volume 35, Number 2 

32 

GOOD TIMES 
National Aids to Navigation School 

AFTER HOURS 

Technical Support Hotline 

(757) 449-3681 

Call for after hours and weekend technical support questions! 

Underway on Friday night? Sunday? Have a Question? 

WE CAN HELP!!
DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY 

Commanding Officer 

US Coast Guard Training Center 

Yorktown, VA 23690-5000 

OFFICIAL BUSINESS 

PENALTY FOR PRIVATE USE: $300 

Presorted 

Standard Mail 

Postage & Fees Paid 

US Coast Guard 

Permit No. G-157