The “Impossible Dream”

The scouts are now running in second place in the Boat US life jacket design competition. Only one day left and we need about 800 votes to make first – your vote will count. It’s an “Impossible Dream”?

Vote Richard G. at http://www.boatus.org/design/vote/

Sea Scouts aware cold water can be deadly.

The Sea Scouts watched “Cold Water Boot Camp” DVD and learned how dangerous it is to be in the water when its temperature is only in the 40’s.

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 With air temperatures soaring into the 80’s it is very tempting to get the boats out and go sailing but we now know better.

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A link to the National Center for Cold Water Safety is here .

Bay Sea Scouts STEM Project A Simple Electric Motor

This past meeting the Sea Scouts were challenged to build an electric motor using a length of copper wire, a magnet and a AA battery. Very simple but it did demonstrate the electro-magnetic forces present to produce movement of the wire (armature).

The components for the simplest of electric motors to demonstrate electro-magnetic forces.

The components for the simplest of electric motors to demonstrate electro-magnetic forces present in more complicated motors.

It really worked, the trick was balancing the CU wire on the positive terminal of the battery.

Instagram     Check out the Bay Sea Scout Instagram page to see the motor in action.  Please become a follower to while you are there. We have a lot more up our sleeve.

Transition into spring.

As the ice on Lake Erie melts and is broken up by spring storms we are transitioning back into our STEM adventure of exploring electricity and wind turbines at our regular Tuesday meetings.

Wave action Breaks up Ice On Lake Erie.

 http://www.tumblr.com/blog/bayseascouts  This link will take you to a short video of the wave action breaking up the ice. You can imagine how powerful the waves are.

Bay Sea Scouts See Signs of Spring.

Spring officially started a couple of days ago but in Bay Village we know it is on the way because; the turkey vultures have arrived. A whole “kettle” of them fly up and down the shoreline searching for carrion.

First buzzards of the year scouring the ice on Lake Erie for dead fish.

First buzzards of the year scouring the ice on Lake Erie for dead fish.

The first ore boat of the 2014 shipping season has been sited off the shores of Bay Village. With the Lake Erie over 95% covered in ice it has been a difficult season for the shipping industry. A busy one for the USCG ice breakers.

First ore boat of 2014

Sea Scout Iceboating Plans are a Real Learning Experience.

The one thing we have leaned this winter is that to go iceboating conditions have to be just right.  The ice is the number governing factor, it cannot be too rough.

 Rough Ice not for sailing or skating on.

Rough Ice not for sailing or skating on.

A nice smooth clear ice that is 8 inches thick is ideal for an iceboat and to reach speeds of 50-60 MPH you need a good breeze of 10+ MPH.

Snow covered ice really slows or prevents iceboats from getting up to speed.

Snow covered ice really slows or prevents iceboats from getting up to speed.

You may have good ice and a nice breeze but then you need the space too. Is does not take long to travel a good distance at 40-50 MPH.

Your average skating pond while it may have good ice is hardly large enough.

Your average skating pond while it may have good ice is hardly large enough.

So this year while it has been bitterly cold we have learned that iceboating takes the right conditions and a lot of patience.

 

Freezing Temperatures Thickens Lake Erie Ice for Sea Scouts DN Boat.

Link

It’s been a while since this blog was updated, so here goes, a quick synopsis.

The scouts spent the fall renovating an old Detroit News (DN) iceboat and had it ready to go before it really became cold.

Then the really cold weather came but with it the snow. The lakes and bays froze but were covered in snow mounds which made it impossible to iceboat.  For more information:

http://westlakebayvillageobserver.com/read/2014/01/07/hoping-for-subzero-temperatures

Sea Scouts have refurbished boat  and it's ready to sail.

Sea Scouts have refurbished boat and it’s ready to go sailing.

Unfortunately iceboats don't go to well in the snow.
Unfortunately iceboats don’t go to well in the snow.

 

Sea Scouts work to resharpen DN Ice Boat Runners

Rusted screws and broken heads made for hard work as the steel runner blades were removed from their oak bases. The runners are a critical component of the Sea Scout DN 1228   recently purchased by Sea Scout Ship Intrepid (41).

DN 1228 Runners click here to continue reading

DN Ice Boat purchased by Sea Scout Ship 41

The Bay Village Sea Scouts latest move was to purchase a DN Ice Boat through Craig’s List.  It will need some work to make it ready for the ice but the scouts are excited and willing to put forth the effort needed. We are all looking forward to sailing on the ice at Chippewa Lake this winter. Maybe we can go to BSA Greater Cleveland Council Boy Scout camp to sail?

Scouts purchase Ice Boat

A well worn boat that has not seen the ice for many years that the Sea Scouts will renovate.