www.riverfrontmarine.

com April 2017

RIVERFRONT
MARINE SPORTS

SPRING HAS SPRUNG: IS YOUR BOAT READY?

Spring has sprung and for the thousands of boaters in New England that
means its time to take their boats out of winter storage and put them in the
water. For many boaters, annual preparation and cleaning projects are
necessary rites of spring that help prevent problems that could keep them o
the water once the season is underway.

Contact Riverfront for tips on how to prepare your boat for the season
ahead!

APRIL 2017: temperature 43 (3 below avg.); precipitation 4" (avg. north, 2" above
south); Apr 1-5: Sunny, cool; Apr 6-10: Rain and snow, then showers, mild; Apr 11-17:
Rainy periods, cool; Apr 18-22: Sunny, cool; Apr 23-26: Sunny, warm; Apr 27-30:
Showers, cool.

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The Seal Whiskerers: Navy Looks to Sea

Life for New Ship Sensors
The Navy is enlisting the help of seals but not the kind of highly trained special
operatives with whom it usually associates.
Real seals, specifically their whiskers, may be the key to a new way for ships and
underwater vehicles to sense their environment, scientists think.
When a fish swims by, a hungry
seal senses the wake with its
whiskers. It can tell characteristics
of the fish, such as shape and
size, and track the location even
when it's murky or dark.
Despite the adorable possibilities,
scientists aren't looking to outfit
ships and vehicles with whiskers.
They're studying how the
whiskers function to learn how to
reverse-engineer the system. The science could be applied to the development of a
sensor.
"If we want to design the best systems, it makes sense to take advantage of millions
of years of work that nature has done for us," said Christin Murphy, a marine mammal
biologist.
The research is taking place at the Newport division of the Naval Undersea Warfare
Center. Murphy and colleague Joy Lapseritis looked to seal whiskers because they're
a highly sensitive system of underwater touch that employ bumps to reduce their own
self-induced vibrations, something that may help increase their sensitivity to water
disturbances.
That, Lapseritis said, could lead to a novel passive sensor.
"You don't need to put sound into the water, like sonar," she said. "This is literally
feeling the landscape."
Murphy discussed their work with Ash Carter, then the secretary of defense, when he
visited Newport in May.

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The warfare center receives funding from the Office of Naval Research for in-house
laboratory independent research, including the whisker project. The budget is about
$2.4 million annually, with each project typically receiving $100,000 to $150,000 a
year, according to the center.
The Navy, which is also funding bio-inspired work at universities, has taken a greater
interest in the field in the past decade. Animals do things well that the Navy wants its
underwater vehicles to do well, like the way they propel themselves through water
and can stay put in the face of currents.
Scientists and engineers at the warfare center are studying a variety of creatures to
borrow their best features for potential military applications, from the maneuverability
of a bat in flight to cicadas' ability to transmit sound. One researcher is even trying to
figure out how a sensor could float like a jellyfish.
The seal whiskers project shows "remarkable promise" for the Navy because a seal's
sensory capabilities are so specific and sensitive, said Woods Hole Oceanographic
Institution researcher Andrea Bogomolni, who leads the Northwest Atlantic Seal
Research Consortium.
This month in the lab in Newport, Lapseritis and Murphy measured the motion of a
harbor seal whisker in a tunnel of water as the speed of the flow changed. A cylinder
in the tunnel disturbed the water flow like a swimming fish would.
They work with groups that respond to reports of distressed or deceased seals to
collect whiskers from seals that die. They have run hundreds of trials with different
whiskers and species, and have created a whisker with a 3-D printer. They haven't
set a timeline for finishing the project

Brew of the Month!

Neighborhood Beer Co. Junkyard Pedigree

Junkyard Pedigree Copper Ale is a wonderfully smooth, yet

strong copper ale featuring a complex, nutty-sweetness and
an intriguing hop finish. A modern interpretation of a
Rhineland Dopplesticke, this complex beer creates a unique
blend of easy-drinking refinement and macho bite.

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Recipe of the Month

Broiled Scallops
INSTRUCTIONS
1. Rinse scallop and
place in a shallow
baking pan.

2.Sprinkle with garlic

salt, melted butter or
margarine and lemon
juice.

3. Turn broiler on.

4. Broil 6 to 8 minutes or until scallops start to turn golden.

5. Remove from oven and serve with extra melted butter or

margarine on the side for dipping.

INGREDIENTS

1/2 pounds bay scallops

2 tablespoons butter, melted

1 tablespoon garlic salt

Lemon juice

Meet the Local

Captains and Crew
of Our Working
Waterfront

The event starts at Merrohawke Nature School where guests can learn which boats are open
to visitors. Boats are in the water and dockside. Kids and families are welcome to go aboard
each and learn more about them. Lifejackets for youngsters encouraged if you have your own.

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Boat Special: 2017 Parker 23SE CC

NEW 2017 Parker 23 Special Edition Center Console powered with a Yamaha F225 4 stroke outboard.

This model is equipped with Horizon Blue Gel Coat, 2 piece Bow Rail, Trim Tab Indicators, Powder Coat
package w/ Stamoid Top, T-Top, Fold Down Foot rest, Forward Platform w/ Cushion, Coaming Pads and
two L.E.D. Spreader lights. Contact Riverfront for price details!

Axiom - Touch Screen Multifunction Navigation Displays

A powerful new multifunction navigation system from Raymarine. With built-in RealVision
3D sonar, the all new LightHouse 3 operating system, and blazing fast quad core
performance, Axiom will transform your time on the water. Price starts from $649.

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