Boating loses a skipper devoted to education

Ahoy.

The boating community unfortunately has recently lost a well-respected member and one who put his life’s work toward helping and educating other boaters. As you head to sea this weekend, be sure to glance out at the horizon and say a prayer for Chief, who passed away May 27.

Many of the professional captains knew Franklin L. Gaines as the founder of the Mariners License Preparation School in Point Loma. He started that school after spending a 26-year career in the U.S. Coast Guard. He retired from the Coast Guard in 1977 and then dedicated his life to teaching recreational and commercial skippers, especially for their Coast Guard Masters License. He held a U.S. Coast Guard Master of 1600 Gross Tons Near Coastal License.

Many charter boat captains and crew members now working in Newport Harbor attended the Chief’s classes or participated in the programs he established in his lengthy second career of teaching maritime programs. Even after the Chief sold the school in 1995, he continued to take an active role in writing new curriculum and teaching.

He was born June 15, 1931, in Hialeah, Fla., and he was preceded in death by his parents, Norma and Frank Gaines, and his brothers Marvin and Melvin. He is survived by two sons, Paul of Double Oak, Texas; and Karl of San Diego; a granddaughter, Kathryn; a brother, Irvin of North Carolina; and a sister, Juanita Martin of Arkansas.

A memorial service is scheduled from 2 to 4 p.m. June 17 at the Neptune Society at 14065 Highway 8 Business in El Cajon. The family is asking that, in lieu of flowers, people send donations to Sharp Hospice in Chula Vista.

The tip of the week is for every boater to know about the free bilge pad exchange program in Newport Harbor. Orange County and Newport Beach have combined teams to help boaters from accidentally discharging oily water from their bilge pumps.

Many boaters for years have used bilge pads to absorb petroleum in the bilge. The problem I and many other boaters encountered was how to properly dispose of the oily pads since they should not be thrown in a regular trash can.

Now, there are six locations in Newport Harbor to dispose the used pads and pick up free new pads.

The six locations are the three fuel docks ? Hill’s, Newport Landing and Island Marine ? and three locations at the Newport Dunes: the launch ramp for trailer boaters, the marina and the storage yard.

I want to commend this worthwhile program as an easy solution that every boater can participate in to help prevent the accidental, unwanted discharge of any oil into our waterways. At your next fuel stop in the harbor, you can ask the fuel attendant how to get free pads and the protocol for dropping off used pads. I see the trailer boats being launched at the Newport Dunes as a major addition to the program. These boaters may not use the harbor’s fuel docks, and they may not know about the program.

Go to www.earth911.org for further information and to learn about other recycling locations for household hazardous waste collection centers.

Remember to tune in to the No. 1 boating talk radio show in the nation at noon every Saturday. “Capt. Mike Whitehead’s Boathouse Radio Show” is on KCBQ-AM (1170) and can be heard online at www.boathouseradio.com.

Safe voyages.