The U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary, working in concert with Coast Guard Sector Detroit, announces Thursday that it will be offering free vessel safety checks throughout eastern Michigan, northwest Ohio and northeast Indiana during the months of May and June, 2012.

Some recent safety checks resulted in Coast Guard boarding teams requiring mariners to return to port because of a lack of required safety equipment.

The Coast Guard is offering these free, no penalty, courtesy examinations of recreational boats to ensure boaters understand the state and federal safety requirements, and that boaters’ equipment meet those standards.

Coast Guard auxiliarists from Auxiliary Divisions 16, 18 and 20 will be offering vessel safety checks in Ohio from May 12 to May 19, at locations between Marblehead and Toledo, in Michigan from May 7 to June 30, at locations south of Detroit between Monroe and River Rouge, and north of Detroit at locations between Clarkston and Algonac and in northeast Indiana on May 19.

“Checking safety gear before leaving the dock ensures that proper lifesaving equipment is available should something go wrong,” said Chief Petty Officer Gabe Settel, a search and rescue controller with Coast Guard Sector Detroit. “The Coast Guard wants everyone who goes out on the water to come home safely.”

The Coast Guard and Coast Guard Auxiliary are advising that all mariners receive a vessel safety check before heading out onto the water. This is not a boarding or law enforcement action, and there will be no citations given as a result of this examination. Each vessel examiner is a trained boating safety specialist that will make recommendations and discuss issues that will make boaters safer.

For more information contact Lynn Heasel, Auxiliary coordinator at Coast Guard Sector Detroit, at 313-568-9575.

Outdoor Hub, The Outdoor Information Engine - U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary to Provide Free Vessel Safety Checks for Recreational Boats

Five design students from around the country have been chosen to compete in the ninth cycle of Project OR, the industry’s original 48-hour concept-to-prototype design competition held during Outdoor Retailer Summer Market August 2-5, 2012.

The five Summer Market 2012 competitors are:

• Abby Nurre – Junior at University of Cincinnati. Avid rock climber who uses weekend outdoor road trips to soak in inspiration. Minoring in chemistry to better understand textile innovation.
• Jeannette Ray Sheridan – Junior at Framingham State University. Winter Olympic fan who loves to be active and outdoors. Aspires to help people live happier and healthier lives through clothing.
• Katy Jessee – Senior at Missouri State University. Recently completed a utilitarian work wear inspired men’s collection for MSU school fashion show. Finds joy in taking an idea from sketch to final product.
• Kaylyn Smith – Junior at Baylor University. Secretary of the Baylor student apparel organization and dances as a Baylor Songleader. Lifelong seamstress and creator of apparel.
• Rachel Aihara – Junior at California Polytechnic University Pomona. Proud Southern California native with a passion for swimwear. Places importance on the technological aspects of design and production.

Expanded biographies for each of the student contestants are available on the Summer Market Project OR web page.

“These high-achieving students infuse enthusiasm and bring fresh perspective to the design side of our event,” said Kenji Haroutunian, vice president at Nielsen Expositions and OR show director. “We’re excited to give them a chance to learn about cutting-edge performance fabrics, garment components and applications, and hopeful to see great ideas on how they might inspire new trends in the outdoor industry.”

On opening morning of the show, the students will be given a design brief from which they’ll make initial sketches, source materials from the fabric and garment component manufacturers on the show floor, and race the clock to build a prototype before the 48-hour time limit expires.

The final prototypes will be judged by a panel of Outdoor Retailer-selected design, supplier and manufacturer industry professionals that will carefully review each stage of the contestants’ work. The winner of Project OR Cycle 9 will be declared the afternoon of day three after each designer has given a final presentation.

Project OR is possible through support from the outdoor and textile industries. Hyperbola is a supporting sponsor of Project OR; Cycle 9 sponsors also include Cordura, GE/eVent, Invista, Rogers Corp, Schoeller, YKK and media partners, Textile Insight and WGSN. Project OR is directed by Eric Steele of Steele Media and guided by academic liaison Kathlyn Swantko of Fabriclink.

For more information about Project OR sponsorship opportunities or becoming a Project OR supplier, please contact Marisa Nicholson at marisa.nicholson@nielsen.com or 949.226.5760.

Webisodes of past Project OR competitions can be found on www.outdoorretailer.com

Outdoor Hub, The Outdoor Information Engine - Student Competitors for Ninth Cycle of Project OR Selected

The public is invited to help the Friends of Cagles Mill Lake group plant flowers at Lieber State Recreation Area on Saturday, May 26.

Volunteers should meet at the Lieber SRA service area at 1 p.m.

Money donations for flowers and landscaping are also welcome. Donors should make checks to Friends of Cagles Mill Lake at Lieber SRA, 1317 W. Lieber Road, Suite 1, Cloverdale, IN 46120.

All donations are used for events and special projects at Lieber SRA.

For more information call Friends of Cagles Mill Lake president Debbie Buchanan at (765) 720-0717.

Outdoor Hub, The Outdoor Information Engine - Indiana’s Lieber SRA Seeks Volunteers for Planting Day

The New Hampshire Fish and Game Department will hold a public hearing regarding proposed groundfish restrictions affecting Atlantic cod length and creel limits for recreational anglers, as well as rules governing the transfer of lobster licenses, on Tuesday, June 5, 2012, at 7:00 p.m. at the Urban Forestry Center, 45 Elwyn Road, Portsmouth, NH 03801.

The N.H. Fish and Game Department is proposing to readopt as regular rules the current interim rules relative to the recreational taking of Atlantic cod, which: reduced the minimum size of cod from 24 inches to 19 inches; reduced the size of fillets from 14 inches to 12 inches; and reduced the daily limit from 10 to 9 cod.

The state rules for the recreational take of cod were changed on an interim basis on May 1, 2012, in conjunction with U.S. Department of Commerce actions to implement federal rules to reduce the fishing mortality rate for Gulf of Maine cod as required under the Magnuson-Stevens Fisheries Conservation Act.

Fish and Game is also proposing to make certain changes in the rules affecting the transfer of limited commercial and commercial lobster licenses.

FOR MORE DETAILS: The complete rulemaking notices, with original and proposed rule language, can be viewed at http://www.wildnh.com/Legislative/Notices_summary.htm.

Written comments must be received by June 12, 2012. Send to: comments@wildlife.nh.gov (use subject line “Comments on Marine Rules”); or write to Executive Director, N.H. Fish and Game Department, 11 Hazen Drive, Concord, NH 03301; or fax to 603-271-1438.

Directions to the Urban Forestry Center, 45 Elwyn Road, Portsmouth, N.H.: From Portsmouth Traffic Circle: Take the Route 1 Bypass South exit off circle. Merge with Route 1 and go through five traffic lights. Turn left at sixth light onto Elwyn Road.

Outdoor Hub, The Outdoor Information Engine - Public Hearing June 5 on Proposed Cod Rules and Lobster License Transfer in New Hampshire

The Gun Club of America (GCA) today announced an additional training class, Special 1911 & GLOCK Pistolsmithing Course, taught by Master Pistolsmith Gene Shuey at GunStock.

The additional training day opportunity will be held on Thursday, June 14th and Monday, June 18th and are limited to 20 or fewer students.

“Gene Shuey is one of our most beloved instructors and has a wealth of knowledge. Teaching this additional training class at GunStock was just a natural evolution,” said Gene Kelly, President of American Gunsmithing Institute and the Gun Club of America. “We’re really excited to offer this additional course to our members.”

In this course, taught in Shuey’s personal shop, many secrets will be revealed to the attending students.

A complete “how-to” reliability package will be taught for the 1911, including:

• “How-to” balance springs for reliability and softer recoil
• “How-to” make a light trigger job last indefinitely
• Proper use and fitting of guide rods
• “Dos and Don’ts” on finishing 1911 slides for a custom look
• Understanding magazine design, malfunctions and corrections
• Making the 1911 SAFE without the series 80 parts
• Bull barrel vs. bushing barrel
• Methods and hardware on red dot scope mounting

Shuey will also teach students how to build custom, exotic GLOCKs with the latest aftermarket frames, slides barrels and trigger systems. Additionally, Shuey will cover:

• Various methods of installing optics on frames and the slide itself
• The latest in compensators using barrel mounted and modular mounts
• Methods for creating exotic finishes for GLOCKs
• Additional “how-to” demonstrations

The class will conclude with a complete Q&A session on 1911′s and GLOCKs. Please note this course is a separate class offering from GunStock and will be taught on Thursday, June 14th and Monday, June 18th. Cost to attend is $300 per person. For more information on the course, please visit http://gcagunstock.com/tickets.htm. Call the Gun Club of America at 1-800-435-4262 to reserve your spot in this course.

GUNSTOCK is a three day event to be held at the Stillwater Firearms Association (SFA) Range in Fallon, Nevada from June 15th through 17th, 2012. GCA members can attend numerous hands-on, how-to firearms training sessions, clinics and seminars.

Outdoor Hub, The Outdoor Information Engine - The Gun Club of America Announces Additional Training Day Class with Gene Shuey at Gunstock

The International Defensive Pistol Association (IDPA) announced that GlockTriggers.com, the manufacture of custom competition drop-in trigger systems for Glock pistols, will be a stage sponsor at the 2012 Carolina Cup championship.

GlockTriggers.com joins Remington Arms and Smith & Wesson, the Carolina Cup’s two major sponsors, as well as Comp-Tac and Trijicon in supporting the championship.

“We are so pleased to have GlockTriggers.com back this year as a sponsor of the Carolina Cup. Many of our competitors, as well a number of those within IDPA, are fans of their custom trigger work, and appreciate the strong support GlockTriggers.com has provided this and other IDPA competitions,” said Scott Ruby, sponsor coordinator for the Carolina Cup.

As part of their support for the match, Glock Triggers.com will sponsor two of the match’s 16 stages and be on hand during the match to speak with shooters and demonstrate their products.

“We’re big fans of the International Defensive Pistol Association here at GlockTriggers.com and proud to support the Carolina Cup, as well as other IDPA matches around the country. Our products are designed to help competition shooters perform at their highest level which is why we are looking forward to returning to the Cup to visit with friends and see some of the best shooters in world in action,” said Jeff Wilson, president of GlockTriggers.com.

The Carolina Cup, one of IDPA’s three major championships, will take place June 14-16 at The Range in Oxford, North Carolina. More than 360 of IDPA’s top shooters are expected to put upwards of 75,000 rounds downrange in pursuit of titles in Custom Defensive Pistol, Enhanced Service Pistol, Stock Service Pistol, Stock Service Revolver and Enhanced Service Revolver, the five divisions in IDPA competition.

Considered by many to be among the most popular matches in IDPA competition, the Carolina Cup is known for its challenging courses of fire that creatively test all of a shooter’s skills. Due to both the match’s popularity and the explosive growth in IDPA membership, the Carolina Cup has been sold out since early March.

For more information on the championship visit www.The-CarolinaCup.com, or use #carolinacup to follow match news and competitor updates on Twitter. For information on the full line of GlockTriggers.com’s products visit their website or find them on Facebook at www.facebook.com/GlockTriggers.

Outdoor Hub, The Outdoor Information Engine - IDPA’s Carolina Cup Adds GlockTriggers.com to Growing List of Sponsors

Ernst & Young LLP announced earlier this month that MidwayUSA founder and CEO Larry Potterfield, was named a finalist in the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year 2012 program in the Central Midwest region. Awards will be presented at a special gala on June 5, 2012 at the Sheraton Overland Park Hotel in Overland Park, Kansas.

The Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year award recognizes outstanding entrepreneurs who demonstrate excellence and extraordinary success in such areas as innovation, financial performance and personal commitment to their businesses and communities. Each nominee is selected by a panel of independent judges.

“It’s an honor to be nominated for this prestigious award,” said founder and CEO Larry Potterfield. “Since we adopted the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award Criteria in 2006 and received the award in 2009, we’ve been able to significantly improve the way we run the business, all for the benefit of our Customers.”

Regional award winners are eligible for consideration for the Ernst & Young National Entrepreneur of the Year Program. Award winners in several national categories, as well as the Ernst & Young National Entrepreneur of the Year Overall Award winner, will be announced at the annual awards gala in Palm Springs, California, on November 17, 2012. The awards are the culminating event of the Ernst & Young Strategic Growth Forum, the nation’s most prestigious gathering of high-growth, market-leading companies.

Now in its 26th year, the Entrepreneur of the Year Program has expanded to recognize business leaders in more than 140 cities in more than 50 countries throughout the world.

For more information about Ernst & Young, please visit their website or call 314-290-1172.

Outdoor Hub, The Outdoor Information Engine - Larry Potterfield Nominated for Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year

I was really impressed with Bushnell’s new Elite Tactical 6-24 x 50 scope. With a 30mm tube and bright optics, the Bushnell Elite Tactical’s light transmission qualities are better than a standard of the competitive shooting community when compared side by side. I really like the turret system. Its positive, large, and easy to operate turrets are zero-able using the supplied allen wrench. The clicks are strong and tactile as well as audible. Eye relief is a paramount issue on a scope meant for tactical use because different positions can create problems if the scope isn’t forgiving and the Elite shines in this department. The parallax adjustment ranges from a very close 25 yards to infinity, allowing use of the scope for very close in precision shooting. The focusing ring on the ocular end is smooth and fast, as is the power adjustment.

At 200 yards the Bushnell Elite Tactical tracked perfectly in a squaring exercise. This is a must in a competition scope.

I would have liked to see more elevation adjustment than the 50 minutes the Elite offers. Long range shooters may need to incorporate a 20 minute inclined scope base but these are easy to find and might not be needed with flatter shooting calibers. The reticule is a second focal plane system and I actually prefer this for most shooting I do since I rarely need range finding capabilities through the scope. There are advantages to small, constant sized crosshairs for precision shooting at high magnification. The Elite has mil-dot hash marks on the reticule that are correct at 12 power which still allows ranging capability. Perhaps a detraction for some, but an advantage for me are the ¼ minute adjustments. I won two 1,000 yard service rifle championships with ½ minute adjustments on my M14 and didn’t feel handicapped. I mounted the scope on a heavy barreled AR15 and it tracked perfectly. Overall this is the best precision scope from Bushnell I’ve ever seen and it’s certainly as good as anything near its price range and a far better value than many scopes currently being used.

Outdoor Hub, The Outdoor Information Engine - Bushnell Elite Tactical Scope

Our next spotlight on this year’s Region Volunteers of the Year is a twofer. Jeremie and Stephanie Wallace, together, are the 2011 Southern Region recipients.

A select committee of senior NRA staff choose the Region volunteers from the pool of Field Rep-selected Area volunteers. To call attention to their exception service, the Region Volunteers of the Year were brought up on stage during the National NRA Foundation Banquet at this year’s Annual Meeting and were recognized as honored guests.

Jeremie & Stephanie Wallace call Valdosta, Georgia, home and are the current chairman and treasurer, respectively, of the Valdosta Area Friends of NRA committee. With only five years of service these two are relatively new members of the Friends of NRA family, but they’ve made quite the impact in their short time.

The Wallaces raised over $43,000 for their committee in the 2011 banquet season, a number that includes banquet tickets sold, sponsorships, underwriting, and donations. Formed in 1996, the Valdosta Area Friends of NRA committee hosted 63 attendees at its inaugural banquet, raising about $3,000. By 2011 both of those numbers had leaped considerably, with the committee sporting 158 attendees and over $22,000 raised at its 2011 banquet. All in all the Valdosta Area Friends of NRA have had 2,085 attendees to its 16 banquets and has raised $174,195 for NRA programs.

“Jeremie and Stephanie embody the spirit of the Friends of NRA mission. They are truly working solely to raise funds for the future of the shooting sports. Their passion and determination is infectious and wonderful to be around,” Brad Ward, NRA Field Rep, Georgia. “This team deserves our recognition and our sincere thanks, as they are the heart and soul of the Friends of NRA.”

Jeremie and Stephanie have run Georgia’s most successful banquet for the last three years, accomplishing this by securing underwriting for the entire cost of the event prior to opening the doors – impressive. Wanting to share the wealth – literally – the Wallaces stepped up to lead their committee as well as educate other committees in Georgia on how to obtain underwriting and run the event like it is a business.

Outside of the NRA, the two are both extremely active within community organizations such as the 4H, Boy Scouts, and almost any local youth education program or event.

Outdoor Hub, The Outdoor Information Engine - The Wallaces from Georgia are NRA Volunteers of the Year

The Panteao Gun Team will be hosting a free Shooting Sports Clinic during the IDPA Carolina Cup on Sunday, June 17^th. The Clinic is open to all participants of the Carolina Cup. The instructors for the Clinic will be Panteao Gun Team members Bob Vogel, Tom Yost, and “Super Dave” Harrington.

The Clinic is limited to 40 participants, so please RSVP as soon as possible to secure your spot. You can email Panteao Productions at info@panteaoproductions.com. The Clinic will start Sunday at 9:00AM and run till approximately Noon. Participants should bring score sheets from the match along with gear and ammo.

More information about the Carolina Cup can be found here:  www.the-carolinacup.com

Outdoor Hub, The Outdoor Information Engine - Panteao Gun Team to Host Free Shooting Sports Clinic at Carolina Cup