Most Higman boats (90%) have in operation, RCI Fuel Purifiers. Do they replace typical cartridge fuel filters? No, but they should add additional fuel cleaning capacity to prevent filter clogging.

RCI fuel purifie

Are they maintenance free? No, but maintenance is fairly simple.

The RCI fuel purifier is a simple, one step unit that removes 99% of water and 95% to 98% of heavy particulates, down to approximately 10 microns. Even today's "clean" diesel fuel will easily become contaminated during transportation and storage. The purifier performs this function without the use of a replaceable, changeable, or cleanable filter element, cartridge, or bowl.

By removing contamination immediately before the fuel enters the engine's filter system, the purifier delivers cleaner fuel.

Cleaning the unit is called "Purging" and should be conducted every 100 to 150 operating hours.

How to Purge:

Shut down engine

It is NOT necessary to drain the entire unit.

A. Only contamination should be removed.

B. Purging is complete when clean fuel is observed draining from the purifier.

For Purifier operating on the suction side of the fuel system:

1. If unit is equipped with a fuel shut off valve:

a. Shut off fuel flow to purifier.

b. Using a bottle, a jar, or a similar container, open the drain valve (located at the bottom of the purifier). Purge or drain contaminants until clean fuel is observed. We suggest you open and close the drain valve several times in a rapid succession to assure all contaminants have been removed and the drain is sealed.

c. Remove fill plug at top of purifier and top off fuel level in unit.

d. Purifier is ready to resume operation.

Check with the repair department if you need additional information on the purifier.

Ear & Hearing Care

Our ears not only enable us to hear, but they also play a part in maintaining our balance. Both of these senses are vital to our ability to function in daily life. Yet, how often do we think about our ears? We can't even see them, except when looking in a mirror, or at a photograph of ourself. Most of us take for granted what our ears do for us daily until we notice something wrong, such as a stabbing earache, or embarrassing moments if we often have to ask others to repeat what they just said.

General Care

It is important to have your ears checked regularly by your primary care doctor. Use sunscreen on your ears when outdoors in sunny weather to help prevent sunburn and skin cancer. If you notice unusual bumps, moles or scaly areas on your ears, get these checked. See a doctor immediately if you injure your ears, have ear pain, or notice any changes.

Cleaning Ears

Clean your ears with extra care. Wipe the outer ear with a washcloth or tissue. Gently use a Q-tip, but only at the opening of the inner ear. Earwax is the ear's way to clean itself, but if you get a build-up of wax that lessens your hearing, see your doctor to have it removed. Do not ever use sharp or pointed objects in your ears as they can easily injure the ear canal or eardrum, possibly causing permanent damage.

Illness and Medications

To reduce your risk of ear infections, treat upper respiratory illness promptly (ear, nose, throat). If you experience sudden hearing loss, have constant noise in your ears, drainage from the ear, ringing in the ears or balance problems, see a doctor right away.

Safety Issues

Hearing loss prevention consists of steps you should take to help prevent noise-induced hearing loss and avoid damaging hearing as you age. Protect your ears at home, at work and during recreation. Earmuffs and earplugs protect by reducing most loud sounds to an acceptable level. Activities such as riding a loud recreational vehicle, hunting, and listening to extremely loud music for a long time can be damaging. Wear hearing protection and take breaks. When using a personal sound system, keep volume at a comfortable level. If someone else can hear what you are listening to, the volume is too high.

Have Hearing Tested

Consider regular hearing tests especially if you work in a noisy environment. A hearing check can provide early detection of hearing loss. Learning you have lost hearing puts you in a better place to take steps for correction and prevent further hearing loss. Have your hearing checked by an Audiologist if you or anyone else questions whether your hearing is normal. An Audiologist earns a Doctor of Audiology degree (AuD) and can test, diagnose, treat and manage hearing loss and balance disorders. They can prescribe and fit hearing aids and provide hearing rehabilitation.

Signs of Hearing Loss - Take Action to Protect Ears and Hearing

-Difficulty hearing conversations, especially with background noise

-Frequently asking others to repeat what they have said

-Misunderstanding conversations and answering inappropriately

-Difficulty hearing on the telephone

-Requiring TV or radio to be louder than others in the same room

-Feeling that people are mumbling when they talk

-Difficulty hearing outdoor sounds, such as birds chirping

-Agreeing, nodding, smiling during conversations, yet not really hearing

-Withdrawing from conversations & gatherings because too difficult to hear

-Reading lips to try to follow what people are saying

-Straining to hear or keep up with conversations

-Noise within your ears or head not caused by an external source

Friday Questions Resume

Training for the whole crew!

Friday Questions will be released every other Friday. The vessel will receive them via email on both the wheelhouse computer and the training computer. The presentation and short quiz are intended as a crew activity, however, the Captain can use these as best fit. You can include them in a safety meeting or for a crew member that may need some extra help.

At the end of each quiz it will ask for the employee ID's and you will have the option to email the results. If you are unable to email the results through the presentation please send a separate email with the name of the quiz, the score and the employee ID numbers of those participating.

San Jacinto Maritime Field Trip

Future Mariners visit Higman Marine!

SJC Maritime Degree Program Aboard M/V Red River

Students of the San Jacinto College (SJC) Maritime degree program recently visited two Higman vessels, M/V Orange and M/V Red River.

The SJC degree program is designed to attract and train students for the Maritime Industry. The classmates were in two field trip groups with one tour guided by Gordie, and the other by Andy. They enjoyed a 20-minute boat ride from the Peninsula office to the San Jacinto Monument.

There was a question and answer session and discussion to introduce them to our world of boats and barges.

SJC Future Mariners Tour M/V Orange

SJC Maritime Degree Program Tours M/V Red River

Opening for Leadership

First 2013 Leadership Session coming up in early October.

The Higman Leadership and Management Course is a 2 day interactive seminar that works through the challenges of vessel management and crew leadership. The course is designed to prepare our Wheelmen with the leadership and management skills needed to successfully manage Higman vessels.

We still have a few openings in the 2013 sessions:

October 3-4

October 15-16

Please call or email Janis to schedule a meeting.

Welcome, Amy Kappes!

We are pleased to have Amy join our Company in the Safety & Vetting Department at the Houston Office. Previously, Amy worked for Genesis Energy for 10 years, most recently at Genesis Marine performing Regulatory and Compliance duties.

Amy is a TCU graduate with a degree in Accounting and Finance. She is a Native Houstonian, and is married to Jeff. The couple has a six-month-old son named Donovan. Please join us as we welcome Amy aboard!

Hold the Date

2014 Wheelmen's Seminar Dates

The dates for the 2014 Wheelmens Seminar have been set. When making plans for next spring please take into consideration these dates:

March 17-18

March 27-28

April 7-8

Wheelmens Seminar is required for all Pilots, Relief Captains and Captains. We apologize that these dates will not work perfectly with all vessel schedules. Please make plans with your crewmembers.

If you would like to plan early please email your dates to Janis.

Reporting Incidents

Reference: Higman Policy & Procedures Manual, Incident Management, Section 4, Part A

In an Incident Management situation all accidents no matter how insignificant must be reported to the Dispatcher by the vessel crew. To make the report, call your Dispatcher at the Higman main office in Houston at 713-552-1101.

For Spills, the initial report is made to the QI ( Qualified Individual), and then, to the Dispatcher. The Dispatcher will then notify the Port Captain and Safety Department.

As a reminder, in the evening and on weekends, first call the main office to report all incidents: 713-552-1101.

Be sure to adhere to Policy & Procedures at all times. Make no deviations. It does not matter whether you think the matter is worth reporting or not. It is necessary to contact your Dispatcher first. Afterward, you may contact your Port Captain.

All reports must be submitted in a timely fashion.

Best Practices

Every boat has good ideas

Good ideas need to be shared, refined and become "Best Practices." A "Best Practice" is defined as a method or technique which shows results superior to those achieved with other means, and is used as a benchmark. In addition, a "Best Practice" can evolve to become better as improvements are discovered.

This column is dedicated to sharing the best practices developed while operating your tow. Each issue we will outline a "Best Practice" sent in by the fleet. Share your "Best Practice" by sending to Gordie.

This week's "Best Practice" is sent in by the crew of the M/V SPINDLETOP

During night time locking operations, set up portable barge running lights instead of your plug in lights.

Battery powered running lights

When moving barges in and out of locks with the boat, wired running lights need to be disconnected and reconnected as the position the boat changes. When moving the tow out of the lock, it may not be practical to plug the running lights into the recepticle on the tow knee.

Use portable running lights set up on the lead barge to cover navigation lighting. This is especially useful when up on the Tenntom running a series of locks.

The portable lights normally are good for 12 hours, so set them up prior to transits and forget them.

Submitted by: Capt Scott Bryars, M/V SPINDLETOP

Rose Point ECS

Navigation Tip of the Week.

ROSE POINT ECS Navigation Tip of the Week will attempt to give you useful tip in opereating the program. As installations continue on Higman boats, you know there is plenty to learn about use of the system. Consult with your RP ECS manual and the training video to round out your knowledge.

If you have a software tip or shortcut you find useful, let us know!

Deleting Tracks

A Track is a navigation object that shows a line where your boat has been. Tracks work by recording your position at certain intervals and connecting those positions to mark the track line.

Over time they can build up and slow down Rose Point ECS. They can take up a lot of computer memory and will slow down your computer. From time to time you should delete some of the tracks

To delete Tracks on your Rose Point System:

Two ways to do it.....

Individual Track lines

Place the cursor over the individual Track Line you want to delete. Right click on the mouse. A menu will appear that will allow you to delete the selected track Line.

All Track Lines at once

Click on "Ships Log".
Click on "Tracks".
Click on 1st Track Line on the list. It will highlight.
Scroll to the bottom of the Tracks list.
Push the "Shift" button on your keyboard and then click on the last Track line on the list. All Track Lines on the list will highlight.
Right Click on the highlighted area and select "Delete" from box
All Track lines will disappear.

Deleting Track Lines

Nav Zone

What do you do with an answered radio call?

Kelvin Wilson on M/V Guadalupe

You are coming down the Houston ship channel preparing to pass another vessel in a head on situation. You have tried hailing the other vessel several times, but they just won't answer. What should you do?

Per Rule 34 (h) states "If agreement is not reached (via radiotelephone), then whistle signals shall be exchanged in a timely manner and shall prevail."

And if they will not answer your whistle signals...

Rule 34 (d) also states "when vessels in sight of one another are approaching each other and from any cause either vessel fails to understand the intentions or actions of the other, or is in doubt whether sufficient action is being taken by the other to avoid collision, the vessel in doubt shall immediately indicate such doubt by giving at least five short and rapid blasts on the whistle." If you had attempted to make contact by radiotelephone and via whistle signals without answer you need to sound the danger signal. If you are in a VTS area, you may want to sound your signals with your radio "mic"ed, to ensure your compliance of the rules are recorded on the VTS system.

Obligations to answer a radio call:

Under 33 CFR 2607, those required to maintain a listening watch on Channel 13 shall transmit and confirm the intention of his vessel and any other information necessary for the safe navigation of vessels. But if a vessels radio is inoperable they do not have to stop the vessel, but are required to sound appropriate sound signals.

USCG Rules of the Road

INLAND ONLY.... You are overtaking a power-driven vessel in a narrow channel and wish to leave her on your starboard side. You may __________.

a. attempt to contact her on the radiotelephone to arrange for the passage
b. proceed to overtake her without sounding whistle signals
c. sound five short blasts
d. All of the above

INLAND ONLY.... Passing signals shall be sounded on inland waters by __________.

a. all vessels upon sighting another vessel rounding a bend in the channel
b. towing vessel when meeting another towing vessel on a clear day with a 0.6 mile CPA (Closest Point of Approach)
c. a power-driven vessel when crossing less than half a mile ahead of another power-driven vessel
d. All of the above

INLAND ONLY....Two vessels in a crossing situation have reached agreement by radiotelephone as to the intentions of the other. In this situation, whistle signals are __________.

a. required
b. not required, but may be sounded
c. required if crossing within half a mile
d. required when crossing within one mile

INLAND ONLY....Two vessels are meeting on a clear day and will pass less than half a mile apart. In this situation whistle signals __________.

a. must be exchanged
b. may be exchanged
c. must be exchanged if passing agreements have not been made by radio
d. must be exchanged only if course changes are necessary by either vessel

INLAND ONLY.... You are overtaking another power-driven vessel and sound a whistle signal indicating that you intend to pass the vessel along her starboard side. If the other vessel answers your signal with five short and rapid blasts, you should __________.

a. not overtake the other vessel until both vessels exchange the same passing signal
b. not overtake the other vessel until she sounds another five short and rapid blast signal
c. pass the other vessel along her starboard side
d. sound five short and rapid blasts and pass along her starboard side

Nautical Trivia

Live Oak Poaching along the Gulf Coast, early 1800's

One of the great resources exploited along the Gulf Coast of the United States in the early years of our nation was the Live Oak. The Live Oak grows only along the coast from Southeast Virginia to the Texas border and on the west Coast of Cuba. These trees is usually grow 40 to 70 feet tall and can have a span of 150 feet. They can shade a half acre. The trunks often reach 20 feet in circumference.

Because of the natural curves, it was especially well-suited for shipbuilding. Ship carpenters found that with its strength and durability, the Live Oak was one of the best materials for building the wooden ships of the era.

Natural range for Live Oak

By the middle 1700's, New England shipbuilders advertised the use of Live Oak lumber in their vessels. The S/V "MARY-ANNE" was launched in 1748 in Georgetown South Carolina by New England shipbuilder Benjamin Darling. The builder acclaimed that "the frames are all live oak and she is allowed by good judges to be the compleatest vessel ever built in the America, and inferior to none in Great Britain".

By the early 1800's, many other countries coveted our supply of Live Oak for shipbuilding. Britain, France, Spain, the Netherlands and Denmark were all markets for illegally cut Live Oak from the Gulf Coast.

In 1831, three small Baltimore built schooners were purchased by the Navy for patrolling the coast of Florida to Louisiana/ Texas border to stop lumber poachers.

The 50 ton schooner "SPARKS" was assigned to the Atlantic coast. The "ARIEL" (48 tons) cruised in the Gulf of Mexico between Cape Sable and Perdido River and the "SYLPH" (41 tons) covered the waters between Perdido and Sabine Rivers. Each was armed with one gun.

The only surviving log is that of the "SPARKS" and it reveals a disappointing ten-month cruise lasting from mid June 1831 and late April of the following year. She embarked from the Washington Navy Yard under the command of Lieut. William P. Piercy whose complement included in a mid-shipman, eight seamen and two boys. They were beset by gales and foul weather and ran aground twice.

Seven of the seamen deserted but we're finally replaced by five new crew members. In nearly a year at sea, they sighted and boarded only one vessel loaded with Live Oak. The American schooner "ARGO" bound for the Navy Yard at Charlestown Massachusetts apparently her cargo was legal.

The schooner "SYLPH" suffered a harsh fate. She departed Pensacola in July and was assumed lost with all hands sometime during the great hurricane of 1831.

Typical 1830 schooner

After a trial of one year duration, the ambitious experiment of patrolling the Florida and Louisiana coastal waters was abandoned. The two remaining schooners "ARIEL" and "SPARKS" were decommissioned and sold. As one critic remarked "to succeed in suppressing oak running along the labyrinth southern coast with the Marine force would have called for well nigh of the combined navies of the world".

Information from "Live Oaking, Southern Timber for Tall Ships", by Virginia Steel

Stern Shots

M/V Point Mallard brings in a deck barge to assist the dredging at the new Channelview Office.

9/10/13 Deckhand Class

New Deckhand Matthew Fitzpatrick practices throwing lines

Dates to Remember

2013 Advanced Pilothouse Management at SCI

Fifth Session SEP 23 - SEP 25

2013 Higman Leadership and Management Course

First Session Oct 3 - 4

Second Session Oct 15 - 16

2012/2013 Tankermen Seminars

Complete for 2012/2013. Will restart JAN 2014.

Watch for new dates.

2014 Wheelmen's Seminar

First Session	MAR 17-18
Second Session	MAR 27-28
Third Session	APR 7-8

To schedule training please email Kelly or Janis or call at 281-864-6011.

CBT Certificates earned by Higman employees during 2013...........2640

DO ALL CREWMEMBERS HAVE ACCESS TO THE HIGMAN TRAINING NEWSLETTER?

PLEASE MAKE SURE A HARD COPY IS PRINTED AND MADE AVAILABLE FOR THE CREW.
Add your email address with the "Join our Mailing List" button (above, page 1, left side) to get your own copy!

Answers to this weeks Nav Problems: A,C,B,C,A

Close those engine room doors.....

I have been working three weeks in the our new office at Peninsula Blvd and I have made one important observation.

Many of the towboats that pass my office are operating with their engine room doors OPEN. Have I seen Higman boats operating that way? No I have not, but I will be on the lookout.

Why is it so important to me?

The towboat M/V J.R. NICHOLS sank near this site on February 10, 2010. One crewmember died. Two were dramatically rescued by two Higman boats, the M/V SABINE PASS and the M/V SNIPE.

Down flooding is a serious hazard especially on low freeboard towboats. It does not take a huge amount of water to accumulate in the lower engine room after a large wake from a passing tug or ship breaks onboard. The water will free surface to one side or the other of the lower engine room and then cause the list on the boat to grow. Before you know it, the boat is going down.

Close those door!

Have a great and safe week...gak

Sincerely, Gordie, Kelly and Janis

GORDIE KEENAN
KELLY CLEAVER

JANIS ANDERSON

� 2013 HIGMAN MARINE SERVICES, Inc.