Day Two – Featuring Roy Eaton’s Little Current Cruisers’ Net

Day Two Featured a Visit to Roy Eaton’s Live Broadcast of the Little Current Cruisers’ Net!

Breakfast on day two was proceeded by a short walk from the marina to the Anchor Inn downtown. Roy Eaton’s live broadcast of the Little Current Cruisers’ Net (LCCN) was about to take place. We filled the room with mostly Tugnuts, but other boaters visiting the town docks that day also joined us for the broadcast, the room was overflowing.

Roy (below right) started his career as a marine radio broadcaster while boating in the Abaco Islands in 2001. At that time he provided Canadian news to the popular Cruisers’ Net, located in Marsh Harbor. Back home, Roy later formed Manitoulin Island’s first yacht club, Little Current Yacht Club. In 2004 after receiving a generous donation of broadcast space (in the Anchor Inn) and equipment, Roy started the now very popular Little Current Cruisers’ Net. He used the Cruisers’ Net in the Abacos as a model. The broadcast starts with world and local news, including business, sports, and stock market reports. A marine weather forecast follows the news. Roy always finds a way to interject some local history or relevant folklore all with an eloquent friendly tone. All that is followed by boat check-ins. Later in the broadcast, Roy will ask boaters to exchange messages through the net and ask for any emergency boating or medical needs or calls for assistance. LCCN is a valuable tool for boaters cruising the waters of the North Channel in the summer months, a virtual safety net for boaters.

If you are visiting the North Channel on a boat, please turn on the radio at 9:00 a.m. on channel 71, and don’t forget to check in with Roy during the broadcast by giving your boat name and location.

Late morning, after the visit to LCCN, Mike Smith (above), a Cutwater owner attendee, on M&M, gave a presentation on boat insurance, What to Look for, and Why. Co-founder of Global Marine Insurance (1989), Mike has 40 years of insurance experience and resides on the board of directors of the National Marine Lenders Assoc.

After lunch, Ken and Pauline Phillips, Cutwater owners on Shipperly, gave a presentation on their recently completed Great Loop boat trip.

Rich Odendahl (above), a Ranger Tug owner on Roam, gave a How To presentation on replacing, packing, and adjusting a stuffing box (below).

Mark Renshaw (above) a Ranger Tug owner on Irish Mist, gave a presentation on a Y-Valve, fresh water toilet adaptation.

Even though it was sprinkling on and off all day, “docktails” started to form right on time.

Dinner by Kelly at the Anchor Inn was amazing as usual. We ate well during the rendezvous.

Rich helped Jim with the Last Man Standing drawing tonight. Rich and Jim went around the group after dinner selling cards until a whole deck was gone. Using another full, shuffled deck to call cards during the drawing. You don’t want your card to be called til the end. The prizes are given out to the last three people standing with a generous parts certificate, from Ranger Tugs, given as the grand prize to the very last man standing.

Rich enlisted Stephanie’s, on Neptune, help with calling the cards. She did a great job!

The second to last man standing, Mike and Marylyn (above), got a cash prize, and the last man standing, Mark and Jodi (below) won the jackpot, a parts certificate from Ranger Tugs.