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USO Canteen FReeper Style ~ U.S. Coast Guard National Motor Lifeboat School ~ April 3 2003
U.S. Coast Guard National Motor Lifeboat School ^ | 68-69TonkinGulfYatchClub and FRiends of the Canteen

Posted on 04/03/2003 5:07:49 AM PST by 68-69TonkinGulfYachtClub

U.S. COAST GUARD NATIONAL MOTOR LIFEBOAT SCHOOL

  Purpose:  The motor lifeboat is a standard resource platform used by the U.S. Coast Guard small boat fleet.  The central purpose of the USCG National Motor Lifeboat School is to teach coxswains standard practices and procedures to use in executing their missions.  The emphasis is on the ability to use the motor lifeboat (MLB) in the elements for which it was designed, extreme weather and surf conditions.  The goal of the USCG National Motor Lifeboat School is to promote the highest degree of professionalism in seamanship skills. 

History:  The National Motor Lifeboat School (NMLBS) is located at the mouth of the Columbia River on the United States’ northwestern coast at a Point of land called “Cape Disappointment”.  The river’s strong current runs headlong into the strength of the Pacific Ocean tides at this river mouth and coupled with the frequent storms create some of the roughest waters in the world.  Since 1878 this area, also known as the “Graveyard of the Pacific”, has long been home for the Coast Guard rescue facilities and its predecessor the U.S. Lifesaving Service.  During the 1960’s and early 70’s local Coast Guard units pooled their resources in order to conduct coxswain and crew training on the then new 44-foot Motor Lifeboats.  It was acknowledged that these steel-hulled boats were more capable than the wooden 36-foot lifeboats they were replacing.  The crews manning them were typically very experienced with the leadership of seasoned veterans whose seamanship skills were passed on directly to each new crewmember.  The localized training allowed small groups of Coast Guard crews to share experiences and techniques.  A slow trend of decreasing experience base among Coast Guard crews could also be seen through this period.  The Coast Guard’s Thirteenth District (Oregon and Washington coastal area) sought out a method of sharing the lessons learned through hard practical experience with these junior members.  They established a training curriculum and routinely gathered their resources to put on classes focused at operating the 44-foot lifeboat in the surf environment.  The success of these gatherings in passing on skills was soon recognized as potentially valuable for all lifeboat coxswains nationwide.  The training concept was to use experienced Surfmen from the United States northwest coast to show other coxswains from around the nation how best to use the lifeboat in its designed element.  Resources and budget were identified to give dedicated lifeboats to the newborn school along with personnel to provide maintenance and instruction.  With the establishment of a formalized curriculum the U.S. Coast Guard’s National Motor Lifeboat School was established in 1980 in Ilwaco, Washington co-located with the existing rescue station at Cape Disappointment.   With surf conditions often causing 10 to 20 foot breaking waves and wind/sea state extremes such as Beaufort Force 10 across the wide river mouth (also known as a bar), the location was ideal for the lifeboat school.  Increased training needs and a focus on standardization have caused the lifeboat school to expand through the years.  This included new shore maintenance facilities, offices and classrooms that were dedicated in April 1993.  

Lifeboats:  The USCG National Motor Lifeboat School originally had five 44-foot (13.6-meter) Motor Lifeboats (MLB’s) in its inventory.  The coxswains attending the school from around the nation learned operating skills and maintenance techniques for this boat.  When the fiberglass 30-foot (9.2-meter) Surf Rescue Boat (SRB) was introduced to the Coast Guard inventory in the mid-1980’s, several were assigned to the school and similar skills sets were taught on this fast response supplement to the lifeboat fleet.  This changing inventory of boat types continues today.  The 30-foot SRB has been largely removed from Coast Guard use as well as from the school boat inventory.  The National Motor Lifeboat School was an integral part of the testing and development of the U.S. Coast Guard’s new 47-foot (14.7-meter) lifeboat from the beginning.  A team assigned to the school conducted extensive operational tests of the prototype lifeboat.  Their input was invaluable in improving the design and details before final production was begun in 1996.  The National Motor Lifeboat School now operates a fleet of two venerable 44-foot lifeboats and four of the 47-foot lifeboats.  This mix of old and new boat resources allows the school to provide training on both lifeboat types through the years it will take to fully transition the U.S. Coast Guard to the newest 47-foot Motor Lifeboats.   

The National Motor Lifeboat School is a unique U.S. Coast Guard training center that operates under the Office of Boat Forces (Commandant G-OCS). With a staff of about 40 personnel, it serves the Coast Guard as an operations Center of Excellence for the MLB platform providing "C" school resident training, MLB readiness and Standardization assessments, and 47 foot MLB transition training. The NMLB School is located near the mouth of the Columbia River at Cape Disappointment just outside of Ilwaco, Washington. The area known as the "Graveyard of the Pacific" provides the training grounds for Coast Guard personnel learning to care for and operate the 47 foot MLB.

The origin of the National Motor Lifeboat School comes from seasoned surfmen and crews getting together to share common practices and techniques for survival in these treacherous waters. The NMLB School continues this tradition through its hands-on classes for boat coxswains as well as the engineering and operational managers of the MLB fleet. The class for Heavy Weather Coxswain is one of the only ones in the world that teaches the art of boat operations in extreme weather and surf. The self-righting 47 foot Motor Lifeboat is the backbone of the USCG boat fleet and designed for up to 20 foot surf and 30 foot seas. Students turn classroom preparation into practical experience as they work these boats on the Columbia River Bar.


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To: 68-69TonkinGulfYatchClub
Hiya Tonk...this one is from my son

He created this through his animation program specifically for Canteen ;)

201 posted on 04/03/2003 8:31:09 PM PST by JustPiper (Anti-War Protestors Are The Terrorist's Bodyguard!!!)
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To: HairOfTheDog
Yup... Awesome stuff. Grabbed the video and some pics.
202 posted on 04/03/2003 8:36:07 PM PST by Ramius
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To: DoughtyOne
Just heard on the radio that there were "several" inaccuracies from the reports we've been hearing. I guess I must wait to hear from her.
203 posted on 04/03/2003 8:45:37 PM PST by Kathy in Alaska (God Bless America and our Military Who Protect Her.)
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To: JustPiper
"He created this through his animation program specifically for Canteen ;)"

COOL! Tell him Thanks!
204 posted on 04/03/2003 8:45:50 PM PST by 68-69TonkinGulfYachtClub (God Bless and Protect our military and our allies military.)
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To: 68-69TonkinGulfYatchClub
COOL! Tell him Thanks!

Will do. These homeschooled kids are so bright. He taught himself animation and web design ;)

205 posted on 04/03/2003 8:56:07 PM PST by JustPiper (Anti-War Protestors Are The Terrorist's Bodyguard!!!)
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To: Kathy in Alaska
I guess we'll have to. Take care.
206 posted on 04/03/2003 8:59:09 PM PST by DoughtyOne
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To: TxBec
Thanks, TxBec, for adding some jokes for the troops.

Q. What do Miss Muffet and Saddam Hussein have in common?

A. They both have Kurds in their way.

I like this one.

207 posted on 04/03/2003 9:17:34 PM PST by Kathy in Alaska (God Bless America and our Military Who Protect Her.)
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To: 68-69TonkinGulfYatchClub; radu; Radix; southerngrit; tomkow6; TEXOKIE; Bethbg79; MoJo2001; ...

The grass is always greener ... Four-year-old Rachel Weidmayer dodges larcenous brother Daniel in Ann Arbor, Mich.

208 posted on 04/03/2003 9:22:19 PM PST by Kathy in Alaska (God Bless America and our Military Who Protect Her.)
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To: 68-69TonkinGulfYatchClub; radu; Radix; southerngrit; tomkow6; TEXOKIE; Bethbg79; MoJo2001; ...

Height makes right: Kevin Haas, 20, stretches to make a catch over diminutive cornerback Derrick Woodson, 10, in South Bend, Ind. Haas, a Notre Dame student, volunteers in a "Slice of Life" mentoring and tutoring program for urban youth.

209 posted on 04/03/2003 9:40:47 PM PST by Kathy in Alaska (God Bless America and our Military Who Protect Her.)
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To: 68-69TonkinGulfYatchClub; radu; Radix; southerngrit; tomkow6; TEXOKIE; Bethbg79; MoJo2001; ...

So much for carefree bachelorhood, eh, Zyness? Sallie Mary Frances Warren, 94, and Zyness Louis O'Haver, 95, take their wedding vows at the Oklahoma County Courthouse after receiving their marriage license. The couple have been living together since 1925.

210 posted on 04/03/2003 9:43:02 PM PST by Kathy in Alaska (God Bless America and our Military Who Protect Her.)
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To: Kathy in Alaska
AWWWWWWWWWWWWW, that's so cute...but ya know, they missed out on all the wonderful gifts for wedding anniversaries along the way (silver, gold, etc.) :o) hehehe
211 posted on 04/03/2003 9:49:07 PM PST by cherry_bomb88 (teenagers are a parent's revenge on their kids)
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To: 68-69TonkinGulfYatchClub
Tonk,is this good news?
212 posted on 04/03/2003 9:50:15 PM PST by fatima (I have been fine,thinking about bad guys and good guys.)
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To: 68-69TonkinGulfYatchClub; radu; Radix; southerngrit; tomkow6; TEXOKIE; Bethbg79; MoJo2001; ...

A game of leap dog: Ski patroller James Burwick plays with Kai after a hard day of avalanche dog training at Utah's Alta Ski Resort. Patrollers from around the West are meeting at Alta to learn the latest in search-and-rescue techniques.

213 posted on 04/03/2003 9:54:16 PM PST by Kathy in Alaska (God Bless America and our Military Who Protect Her.)
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To: 68-69TonkinGulfYatchClub; Kathy in Alaska; fatima; radu; *all
Good Night Blessing for the Troops
Blessings on you this evening 
May the stars in heaven 
light your way into the 
Milky Way of dreams 

May your day tomorrow 
be filled with love 
laughter and joy... 

Taking away all heart ache 
left stinging... 
and unclouding your vision 
for clear sailing... 

bentfeather


214 posted on 04/03/2003 9:57:30 PM PST by Soaring Feather
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To: fatima
"Tonk,is this good news?"

Yes, however I do have some valid concern for my Brother going to the Persian Gulf.
No matter how soon the war may end, he'll be there at least 6 months on a Coast Guard cutter.
215 posted on 04/03/2003 9:59:55 PM PST by 68-69TonkinGulfYachtClub
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To: 68-69TonkinGulfYatchClub; radu; Radix; southerngrit; tomkow6; TEXOKIE; Bethbg79; MoJo2001; ...

Into thin air with a little help from his friends: Sherpas and Team Everest '03 members pull and push Challenge Trek member Mark Ezzell up the Everest Base Camp Trail in Nepal. Ezzell is one of a group of people with disabilities making a 23-day trek to Mount Everest's base camp

216 posted on 04/03/2003 10:01:41 PM PST by Kathy in Alaska (God Bless America and our Military Who Protect Her.)
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To: Ramius; HairOfTheDog; Delta 21; Kathy in Alaska; All

The 47' Motor Lifeboat (MLB) Action Videos

Watch the 47' MLB prove it's worth in the surf during training exercises at Station Coos Bay, Oregon!
47234 Pushes the Envelope
47234 Takes a Wave on the Beam.
47234 Goes Bow On.
  


217 posted on 04/03/2003 10:02:16 PM PST by 68-69TonkinGulfYachtClub (Tag line (optional, printed after your name on post):)
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To: Kathy in Alaska
Well it's about time she made an honest man of him!
I've heard people were starting to talk.
218 posted on 04/03/2003 10:02:29 PM PST by Valin (Age and deceit beat youth and skill)
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To: 68-69TonkinGulfYatchClub
We will hold hands together.
219 posted on 04/03/2003 10:04:42 PM PST by fatima (I have been fine,thinking about bad guys and good guys.)
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To: Valin
ROTFLOL!! I was kinda thinking the same thing. Can you imagine all those years. Why now?
220 posted on 04/03/2003 10:06:15 PM PST by Kathy in Alaska (God Bless America and our Military Who Protect Her.)
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