mail call Taxed to the max I read “Taxing Times” written by Dave Wallace (November/December 2010, p. 12) to see what he had to say about government taxation. He has it right when he said every lawmaker at every level is seeking “… newer and better ways of raising money.” I am also one of your readers and a boater that remembers all those creative ways the federal government either proposed or actually passed taxes to go after boaters they perceive as “fat cats.” But I really like Dave’s creativity and humor by suggesting a non-boaters’ tax for those who benefit from the Great Lakes but don’t own a boat. Might sell more boats. You got me thinking, Dave! Van W. Snider, Jr., CAE Retired president, Michigan Boating Industries Association Van Snider’s supportive letter leaves me with mixed emotions. First, it reminded me of other anti-boater issues, including removal of the income tax break of claiming a live-aboard boat as a second home. Then there’s the local harassment over state tax stickers. A friend of mine who is a regular slip holder at a Michigan marina has an Illinois sticker to reflect his legal residence. His encounters with the local sheriff’s patrol are as regular as the sunrise. In my case, a boat purchased in Erie, Pennsylvania, managed to go for three sticker-free years before the law noticed. Nothing spoils a fine sail like the flash of blue lights off your stern. While I appreciate Van’s kind words about my work, he could set a trend that threatens to ruin my reputation as a troublemaker. Nevertheless, keep on thinking, Van—and write if you get an inspiration I can twist into a fantasy worth publishing. — Dave Wallace
Gear fix
In your Gear Guru column in the May 2011 issue (“Safety at Sea” p. 16), you had a write-up on a new Mustang Membrane Inflatable life jacket priced at $90 to $100. A call to Mustang said the jacket was not yet available and the price for the auto inflatable would be $150. Do you have a source where I could buy the auto inflatable for $100? Great magazine! Craig Murchison Midland, MI
6 LAKELANDBOATING.COM J U N E 2 011
Hi Craig. Thanks for writing! Indeed, we have a source for you. The Mustang MIT Inflatable life jacket is currently for sale through Landfall Navigation, landfallnavigation.com. The price for the manual version is $85, and the automatic is $99. — LB
Missing in action The June 2010 issue of Lakeland Boating contained an article by Mark Corke titled “See and be Seen” (Corke Board, p. 10). In this piece, the following statement appeared: “If you have a radar set operating, you’ll show up very well on another boat’s radar receiver, so it pays to always turn your set on.” I fail to understand how your vessel’s presence will be amplified on another ship’s radar (receiver) simply by having your ship’s radar set operating. In other words, how can one ship’s image be amplified on another ship’s screen (receiver) by having its scanner operating? Am I missing something here? By the way, I just finished reading the February 2011 issue of Lakeland Boating, and found the text, contents, quality and mix of articles to be the best ever. Absolutely superb. Congrats! Lincoln W. North, editor Great Lakes Grand Banks Association Newsletter Derek Martin, NMEA-accredited radar installer, Purdue University electrical and computer engineering grad and all-around brilliant boat rigger who works for Calumet Marine in Calumet City, Illinois, says you’re correct, Lincoln. Whereas it seems logical that radar signals transmitted from one boat would be picked up by another radar dish, Martin says, radar units are designed specifically not to receive signals from other radar. Martin explains: “Radar sends out a spectrum of frequencies that hit an object and reflect the signal back, showing how far away that object is. If a boat with radar was next to a buoy and another boat could read that radar signal, it might not be able to see the buoy.” Good catch, and thanks for the compliment. — LB
Got something to say? We love hearing from you! E-mail us at staff@ lakelandboating.com, or drop us a line at Lakeland Boating, 727 South Dearborn St., Suite 812, Chicago, IL 60605. The opinions expressed in Mail Call are not necessarily those of Lakeland Boating. Letters may be edited for length and clarity.
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