Myrtle Beach, SC–A recent presentation made by Ron McManus, Executive Director of the Jim Caudle Artificial Reef Foundation, along with Marc Jordan, President and CEO of the North Myrtle Beach Chamber of Commerce, has honored County Commissioner, Brent Schulz, along with other civic-minded leaders for their work in keeping the Intracoastal Waterway free of abandoned vessels.

“Not only does the work of these folks keep our waterway beautiful and safe for fellow boaters, but it plays an important role in growing our local economy,” said McManus. “These vessels, otherwise useless, find a second life as part of our artificial reef system.”

Schulz was praised for his sponsorship of a new ordinance that allows vessels deemed abandoned by the SCDNR to be removed in a timely manner and either sunk on the Jim Caudle Reef or sent to local landfills.

Along with Schulz, McManus praised ‘Chuggie’ Vereen of Vereen Construction, Brian Coggeshall, Towboat USA, and Ron Webber and Bobby Steele of Argos Ready Mixed Concrete of Socastee, whose companies and ongoing contributions have led to the success of the reef.

Located just 2 ½ miles off South Carolina’s Little River shoreline, the Jim Caudle Artificial Reef, also known as PA-01, is truly a South Carolina success story. “In 1993, this was South Carolina’s least visited reef,” said McManus. “Today it is the most visited! Since our early beginning over 200,000 visits have been made to the reef by fishermen as well as divers who enjoy its vibrant habitat.”

South Carolina’s artificial reef system not only benefits the fishermen, but also is a boon to the state and local economy. According to the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources, artificial reefs generate over $83 million annually and create in excess of 1,000 jobs in and around the communities in which they are located.

Speaking in regard to the addition of the abandoned vessels, the always good-natured McManus had this to offer: “These vessels find themselves in good company. The Jim Caudle Artificial Reef currently contains a reef buoy, over 700 concrete cones, 175 steel pup tents, 6 deck barges, 8 BK barges, a concrete mixer, tanker trailer, the dredge Orion, 50 armored personnel carriers, and several hundred tons of concrete rubble.”

For those who know Ron McManus and are familiar with his passion for the project, they know that the list above is just the beginning!

Professional soccer returns to the Cape Fear region with the resurgence of the Wilmington Hammerheads. A full season begins in April 2011. The Hammerheads will be facing 16 teams from various parts of the country as well as Puerto Rico and Antigua. The US teams in their conference include Rochester, New York football club, Dayton, Pittsburgh, Harrisburg, Richmond, Charlotte, Charleston, Ft. Lauderdale, Orlando and Los Angeles.

Bill Rudisil, a previous owner, is the new president and majority owner of the new Hammerheads. Other partners involved include Dr. Clyde Harris, Cindy Harris, Dr. Mario Basegoda, and Dr. Sara Bocherding. “On behalf of the new ownership group, I am very excited to be a part of bringing the Hammerheads back.  It is our hope the community will support us as in years past,” said Rudisil in a statement.

Coach David Irving, who is returning as head coach for the team said, “We are actively recruiting for our first game. That gives us about 4 months to put a team on the field that Wilmington will be proud of!” Coach Irving is actively recruiting and will be hosting player tryouts at a date to be announced. Applications for 2011 tryouts are still being accepted and the coach and management anticipate new player announcements soon.

Season tickets are now available along with merchandise from previous years, including jersey replicas in limited numbers and various sizes.

For tickets and merchandise, please contact the Hammerhead office at 420 Raleigh Street, Suite E, Wilmington, NC 28412 or phone 910-777-2111, or visit the Hammerhead website: www.WilmingtonHammerheads.com.

by Susan Shinn – Special Coorespondent

After a summer full of heat and humidity, it’s no wonder more boat owners are choosing to install air conditioning on their vessels.
At one time, marine air condition was thought to be for yachts only.

No more, says David Wehunt, owner of Southeastern Marine of the Carolinas. Based in Georgetown, the business is a stocking dealer, providing sales and service for boats from Charleston up to Myrtle Beach, Wilmington and Morehead City.

David works with an assistant, while his wife, Hope Langley -Wehunt, handles calls, orders parts and takes care of billing. The company sells and installs Cruisair, Marine Air and Pompanette Air systems.

Marine air conditioning units are about a third the size of their residential counterparts, David explains. “They’re water-cooled instead of air-cooled. You have to keep them flushed regularly, especially if you’re in salt water.”

You must also keep the strainer clean, and check the air filter about every three months – more frequently if you keep pets on your boat.
David says he installs units on boats as small as 22 feet.

“Anything that has a cabin or canvas can be air conditioned,” he says. “They’ve got units that are small, compact and efficient. You can put them in smaller boats. David explains, “We recently did a custom install on a 23ft Bayliner cabin cruiser, the customer loves it, they are able to use it all year long and be comfortable. It also increases the resell value as well.”

The basic principle of an air conditioner is the movement of heat. In a marine, direct expansion (DX) seawater-cooled air conditioner, heat is transferred from the cabin air to the refrigerant gas, which then releases the heat into the seawater. In reverse cycle heating (heat pump), the refrigerant flow is reversed and heat is extracted from the seawater and discharged into the cabin.

Part of the cooling process, in addition to lowering the air temperature, is the removal of moisture from the air. This lowers the humidity, making the area feel more comfortable and helping to keep the boat dry, reducing mold growth and other moisture related problems.

There are three basic types of systems: self-contained units, remote (split gas) systems, and Tempered Water Systems. In selecting the type of system for your boat, many factors must be considered, including: size and layout of boat, required capacity, access for routing necessary tubing/wiring/hoses, location of furnishings, and the storage space you are willing to sacrifice. And of course, cost.

Self-contained units are typically the best choice for smaller boats, up to about 40 feet, due to the lower cost of the units and installation. A self-contained air conditioner has all of the major components mounted on a single chassis, which is installed in the living area, usually under a bunk or settee, locker and canvas area. Cooling only models, as well as reverse-cycle heat pump units, are available. A single unit can cool each cabin, or can be ducted to 2 or more cabins to save space and cost.

David says he has noticed a trend of more boats having air conditioning.

“Absolutely, down here especially in the South,” he says. “If you plan to use your cabin, you have to have air conditioning. You’ll melt.”

Southeastern Marine recently installed two units in a Sea Ray Sun Dancer 410, in the boat’s canvas area. “He loves the performance and the fact that it looks like a factory install.”

Along with custom air conditioning installation,Southeastern Marine sells and services generators and offers electrical, mechanical and plumbing services for boats.

David is an ABYC certified marine electrician, factory trained on Cruisair, Marine Air and Pompanette Air systems. He is also factory trained Mercury/Mercruiser and Yamaha.
While Wilmington/Myrtle Beach/Charleston is his flagship area, David travels a large geographic area, even making sales for Charlotte clients who have boats on lakes Norman and Wylie.