News – True North Marine

58th Annual Christmas Boat Lane Parade Down Christmas Constellation

We’re excited to announce the 58th Annual Christmas Boat Lane Parade has been re-routed down the 1st Annual Christmas Constellation. Christmas Constellation is on the Canal down Davis Road and Constellation Pointe. Homes along the canal are invited to decorate and host viewing parties for the Parade. We encourage homes to be decorated December 1st – December 31st for a boating destination all month long! Keep reading for details.

Register in the Parade or become a sponsor here: https://www.clearlakearea.com/events/annual-events/christmas-boat-parade/

ATTENTION BOATING COMMUNITY:

ATTENTION DAVIS ROAD AND CONSTELLATION POINTE RESIDENTS:

ATTENTION CHRISTMAS BOAT LANE PARADE PARTICIPANTS:

Clear Lake Plantation Canal Depth Profile

Aka Davis Road Canal, Constellation Pointe Canal, etc.

December 8^th, 2019

Nighttime navigation on the Clear Lake Plantation Canal is generally straight forward. The canal extends 5,000 feet south of the Clear Creek channel in Clear Lake to the center of a turning basin on a bearing of 163.6° True. The canal is 200 feet wide until 1,000 feet south of the center of the turning basin where it narrows to 170 feet. Until the narrowing of the canal there are various docks and boat lift that extend as much as 60 feet into the canal both the east and west shores leaving a free navigation channel 80 feet wide. After the narrowing of the canal docks no longer appear on the west side but approximately the first 20 feet from the west shore is shallow with some submerged obstructions. At 800 feet from the center of the turning basin and extending to the turning basin a marina extends from the east shore some 100 feet into the canal narrowing the free navigation width to some 70 feet. The turning basin is approximately 350 feet in diameter and is free of obstruction save one dock which extends 90 feet from the south-southwest shore.

The depth of the canal in the navigation channel varies from entrance to turning basin with the entrance exhibiting less depth. The wind driven tides in the bay cause a variation of 4 feet between canal mean sea level and extreme low tide. During December, January and February the tide level tends to be below average at low tide due to more frequent north wind. Based on a survey conducted December 4^th, 2019 at low tide you may expect a center canal depth of between 4 and 5 feet between the Clear Creek channel and the canal entrance increasing to 5 to 7 feet after entering the canal, and increasing to 7 to 8 in the turning basin. The canal slopes up to the banks on either side and as a result the depth at 20 feet east or west of the centerline of the canal can be expected to be 3 to 4 feet between the Clear Creek channel and the canal entrance increasing to 4 to 6 feet after entering the canal, and increasing to 6 to 7 in the turning basin. The turning basin has a gentle bottom slope and depths 40 feet from the shore can be expected to be 3 to 4 feet.

Note: The canal’s extreme low tide is experienced during prolonged and strong cold front (Blue Norther) during which low tides can reach levels two feet below the values provided above and normal, non-storm driven canal high tides can reach 2.5 feet above the values provided above.

The canal approach is marked by pilings with the returning port piling lighted by a flashing one second green light. Two center channel buoys 180 feet apart mark the entrance to the canal proper each with flashing one second white lights and can be used as a range navigation aid. Two center channel buoys with flashing one second white lights mark the transition of the canal approximately 1,000 feet from the turning basin center. The turning basin center is marked with a turning marker (green flashing one second).

Note: This canal information is for general information and should not be taken as sufficient to maintain safe navigation. Operators are responsible for the safe navigation of their vessel regardless of the data provided in this document.

Clear Lake Plantation Canal

Navigation Information Summary:

5,000 feet long from Clear Creek channel on a heading of 163.6° T
200 feet wide with piers and docks protruding 60 feet from each side
Channel shifts slightly to the west in the last 1,000 feet to accommodate a marina on the east
Centerline depth at low tide varies from 4 feet at the entrance to 8 feet at the turning basin
Approach is marked by pilings in Clear Lake with port return light lighted (green flashing 1s)
Entrance is marked by two centerline buoys (white flashing 1s)
Channel shift on southern end is marked by two buoys (white flashing 1s)
Turning basin center is marked by a buoy (green flashing 1s)
Recommend keeping turning basin center buoy close to port during reversing turns

Navigation Aid and Obstruction Locations:

Approach Piling #1, left (GF 1s) (29° 32.7650’ N, 95° 4.6057’ W)
Approach Piling #2, right (29° 32.7511’ N, 95° 4.6231’ W)
Approach Piling #3, left (29° 32.7152’ N, 95° 4.5820’ W)
Buoy #1, entrance, center (WF 1s) (29° 32.7010’ N, 95° 4.5892’ W)
Buoy #2, entrance, center (WF 1s) (29° 32.6723’ N, 95° 4.5811’ W)
Buoy #3, center (WF 1s) (damaged) (29° 32.4630’ N, 95° 4.5100’ W)
Buoy #4, transition, center (WF 1s) (29° 32.2460’ N, 95° 4.4360’ W)
Buoy #5, channel transition, center (WF 1s) (29° 32.1590’ N, 95° 4.4070’ W)
Buoy #6, turning basin center (GF 1s) (29° 32.0228’ N, 95° 4.3577’ W)
Obstruction (Dock Post East) (29° 31.9870’ N, 95° 4.3541’ W)
Obstruction (Dock Post West) (29° 31.9924’ N, 95° 4.3565’ W)

Don’t Let Water Leaks Go Undetected!

Boating, News

Windows, windshields, hatches, and port light – What do all of these items have in common? They can leak!

Given that we’re off to one of the wettest years in recent history, you may have noticed evidence on board your vessel of water leaks. Do not let them go uncorrected!

Rain water leaks (that can also allow water intrusion during boat washes…) can wreak havoc on your interior, and greatly de-value your yacht, or cause seriously expensive interior repairs. Damage can happen quickly, and if it goes undetected can slowly expand the scope of damage to frightening levels. Water leaks can cause aesthetic damage in terms of water stains or discoloration on finished wood or other surfaces. They can also cause elevated humidity levels inside the boat that breed mold and mildew. Damage can get more severe and permanent from there. Eventually, everything from wood headliners, bulkheads, subfloors, etc. will rot. What causes water leaks at these areas? Typically one of two things – either the gasketing or weather stripping material is dirty, dry rotted, hardened, or otherwise deteriorated, or the caulking between glass, aluminum, stainless, or plastic frames and the hull or cabin top has failed. Neither caulking nor rubber products will last forever, especially after years of suffering through our Texas summers. Physical damage and broken hardware can also initiate leaks.

How do we identify leak points? This is typically a two person operation. One outside the vessel with a water hose, and one inside closely inspecting the interior for water entry. While this sounds labor intensive, the entire vessel can be efficiently inspected in a reasonable amount of time. It can sometimes be difficult to definitively diagnose the source of a leak on rainy days because water cannot be as easily concentrated in specific areas as it can on a dry day with a dock water hose. That said, rainy days are the best time to determine if the boat is water-tight! Sometimes where water finds a way in on the outside of the boat is not directly connected to where the leak ends up and is visible in the interior of the vessel. Many times we have tracked down root causes of water leaks that were many feet away from where there was actual visual evidence in the interior. Water can migrate long distances when there are multiple layers of construction materials in between!

Lasting repair methods can vary, and do typically require some expertise to accomplish. No doubt you’ve seen various methods of temporary repairs around the marine (blue tarps, tape, excessive silicone, etc.). Sometimes replacement gasket or weather stripping material is available. Sometimes a window or hatch can be removed and re-bedded without damaging it. Other times it may make more sense to replace the assembly entirely. Sourcing replacements can require significant industry and vendor knowledge, and can be time consuming, especially if exact replacement parts are no longer available. However, many times the full replacement option is a good investment in the boat, and can really improve outside and inside appearances.

Don’t forget! Opening port lights and hatches should have their gaskets cleaned and lubricated regularly, generally about 3-4 times per year. Some designs are prone to leakage when seals get dirty. Make sure cleaning and lubricating substances will not damage the rubber. Otherwise, non-opening port lights, windshields, and windows typically do not require any regular maintenance, except for normal cleanings.

The interior of your yacht should be inviting and a place you look forward to spending time. Don’t let water leaks destroy that by damaging your interior. At best these problems can be irritating – at worst they can progress to a point where the interior is unhealthy and uninhabitable due to mold and mildew issues!

While these problems can be expensive to repair, consider the ever-increasing cost of letting them go, and the value of dealing with a company that has extensive experience in this area!