ColumbiaRiverCatalina.org		April 2004

From the Commodore
By Dale Mack, C30, Celtic Myst

The unusual string of dry weekends has had my marina a buzz with activity and the arrival of new seasonal dock mates.  The tarps are off and the sails are back on.

This month's meeting (April 28) at North Sails of Oregon should be very interesting to anyone who'd like to learn more about sails.  Kerry Poe will be welcoming us into his new larger sail loft, and has offered to have a grill running for those who'd like to BBQ their dinner.  More information, including the address can be found later in the newsletter.  Between dinner and the start of Kerry's presentation, we will vote on the candidates for next year's officers (May 2004 - April 2005).

If I don't see you at the West Marine swap meeting on April 17th, look for Celtic Myst out on the river afterwards.  I'll have my camera ready just in case an opportunity presents itself to take a picture of you and your boat.

Good luck to everyone planning to participate in racing this year.  Whether it's aboard a Catalina or one of the other popular fleets like the Santana 20s, Cal 20s, J/24s, or J/30s, I hope you and your sailing mates have a great time regardless of where you finish the race.

Association Historian Enters the Digital Age

In recognition that the association wants to minimize the number of artifacts that must be stored and passed from outgoing officers to incoming officers, we approved by way of a vote at the last meeting to altered  the deliverables of our association's Historian.

It was decided that CRACA will not maintain a collection of annual scrapbooks. Instead, the club will archive a digital history of club and save it on CD or DVD. The current scrapbook will be made over into a boat show advertising piece not design to highlight any particular year, but instead to simply show the highlights of various types of CRACA activities. In this fashion the scrapbook will occasionally be updated with old material being replaced with new material, but the overall size of the scrapbook will remain relatively constant.

Notes from the Secretary/Treasurer
By Kathleen Lewis, C42, Wind Raven, sewingmaven@msn.com

At present we have 40 boats that have joined or renewed their membership for 2004-2005. Thanks to all of you that have sent updates regarding your roster information.

For those who haven't renewed yet, please do it ASAP so we can include you in the 2004-2005 roster. The roster will be printed the first half of May.

Please welcome our newest members:

Russell Birch of Tualatin, OR

Catalina 30, Ambition at Bay, berthed at Tomahawk Bay

Mike & Pam Hollingsworth from Yacolt, WA

Catalina 30, Isotonic, berthed at Steamboat Landing

I Need Your Help with My Catalina 400 Charter
By Carl Sorensen C27, Mojito, carls@caremedical.com

I have chartered a Catalina 400 from Anacortes Yacht Charters for ten days in September this year. I've chartered from them before, but the largest has been a Catalina 30. The only requirement they have for this year is that they want me to become familiar with the C400 and to prove competence in docking, close quarter maneuvering, etc.

Fellow CRACA member Larry Brandt, a ASA Instructor, has said he will give me the needed instruction and letter of competency for me to submit to AYC.  Anacortes Yacht Charters has also said that my checkout doesn't necessarily have to be on a C400, a C36-C42 would also be fine.

Here's my question, is there someone in CRACA that would be willing to allow Larry to teach Beth and me on their boat for approximately eight hours (Larry's boat is in Bellingham).  I'm happy to reimburse the boat's owner for the cost of the fuel, etc.

If you help, I would be extremely grateful.

Government Island Cruise
By Jim Elieff, C30, Fortune (Cruising Chairman)

April 24-25.  It looks like the Government Island, East Dock cruise is going to be a no host affair.  I recommend folks bring an appetizer and dessert to share Saturday as it has become a tradition on CRACA cruises to share snacks before doing our own thing for dinner, and then sharing dessert later.

Memorial Weekend Cruise
By Jim Elieff, C30, Fortune (Cruising Chairman)

May 28-31.  Memorial Weekend will see us anchored in the lagoon at Martin Island.  Plan on appetizers and dessert Saturday and Sunday.

Marilyn and I will be going to McCuddy's Landing Friday night and on to Martin Island Saturday morning.  Our stop at McCuddy's will include dropping in at Mark's on the Channel for a meal or two.  Anybody that wants to cruise along with us is more than welcome.

Catalina 30 Racing
By Dale Mack, C30, Celtic Myst

So far, four crews have decided to come out and sail in the SYSCO Spring Regatta, April 24-25.

• Bob Gales, Imagine, #5217
• Duane Christensen, Stormy Weather, #1418
• Mike & Pam Hollingsworth, Isotonic, #5898
• Dale Mack, Celtic Myst, #6382

I've alerted the event organizers (SYSCO) that the racing experience amongst the Catalina 30 owners varies, and that we want to keep the racing fun and casual. The Catalina 30s will be racing WITHOUT spinnakers, so a request has been made to the Race Committee to take that into account when specifying a course for the C30s. Last year's Race Committee did a very good job of handling this.

There is still plenty of time to enter the race if you are interested. April 21st is that last day SYSCO will accept entry forms for the event. I've attached at the end of the email pointers to more information on the event.

Here are some links to more information on the regatta and on local racing:

• Race Notice
  • http://www.c22pdx.org/racing/SYSCOSpringRegatta.htm
• Race Entry Form
  • http://www.c22pdx.org/racing/OCSAraceform.pdf
• Race Instructions
  • http://www.c22pdx.org/racing/OCSASailingInstr.htm
• Race Committee Instructions
  • http://www.c22pdx.org/racing/OCSARaceCmteChecklist.htm

Plans for the April Meeting
By Dale Mack

What	General Membership Meeting This meeting will be held at the North Sails loft. After a brief business meeting to elect our new CRACA officers, sail loft owner Kerry Poe will discuss sail trim and sail care.  For those who don't have time to eat before the meeting, Kerry has offered to setup a BBQ if you'd like to bring something to cook, or you're welcome to bring something ready to eat.
Where	North Sails Oregon www.northsailsoregon.com 7911 NE 33rd Dr. Portland, OR 97211 503-282-4282
When	Wednesday, April 28th 6:00 - 7:00 pm, Dinner & Social 7:00 - 8:30 pm, Election & Program
Program	Sails Sail trim, care, and selection.  Kerry said he'll pull together something targeted at cruisers like CRACA.

Nominees for CRACA Officers

Commodore	Dale Mack	C30, Celtic Myst
Vice Commodore	Jim Himes	C28, R-Time
Secretary/Treasurer	Kelly & Debbie Martin	C30, Zonkers
Cruise Officer	Jim Elieff	C30, Fortune
Communications	Dale Mack	C30, Celtic Myst
Hospitality Officer	Dave Peoples	C42, Jammin
Historian
Safety	Mike Moen	C30, Born Free

 

Plans for the May Meeting
By Dale Mack

What	General Membership Meeting This is a bring your own beverage and dinner event.  The grills at RCYC will be hot and ready for your use, or you can bring something ready to eat.
Where	Rose City Yacht Club www.RoseCityYachtClub.org 3737 NE Marine Drive Portland, OR  97211 503-282-2049
When	Wednesday, May 26th 6:00 pm Dinner 7:00 Program
Program	Weather Our very own Dave Peoples (C42, Jammin), will pass along some useful information on maritime weather.

Places You Don't Want to Visit
By Dave Thomas, C30, Sunchaser (Safety Focal)

Editor's Note:  If the grounded C30 pictured below has you curious, click here to read the full story.  You can also click on the photo to size a larger version.

The February issue of NW Yachting had an interesting article by Mark Bunzel --- "The 10 Places in the San Juan and Gulf Islands You Don't Want to Visit! Part1." This is must reading for those sailing the Northern waters who are looking for good places to run aground. He provides pictures and charts so you know exactly where to go for a good grounding. It's a great opportunity to see if you can out do those pictured in the article.

Kidding aside, if you can find a February issue, it's good reading, and useful information. The first part covers: Wasp Island and Wasp Passage, Pole Pass, Mosquito Pass, The Entrance to Fisherman Bay, and Johns Pass. Part 2, in March, covers the next 5 problem areas in both the San Juan and Gulf Islands. He will also have an Honorable Mention list of places that are worth noting as places where caution is advised.

Mark offers these tips to avoid unexpected landfalls:

1. Review your course on the charts before you leave.
2. Check the tide, current and the winds to determine the impact.
3. Avoid areas with unmarked hazards.
4. Slow down.
5. If unsure, stop the boat until sure.
6. Checkyour attitude! Most groundings happen due to a lack of vigilance.

He also suggests we consider:

• A collision at 1/2 Knot = haulout and paint repairs to the gel coat.
• 1 Knot = sand, fill, paint + 1 day in the yard.
• 5-6 Knots = $5,000 - $30,000 in repairs & 3 weeks in the yard.
• Higher speeds can result in passenger injuries.

Flare Shoot Off
By Michael Lewis, C42, Wind Raven

There is a U.S. Coast Guard sponsored flare shoot on May 8, 2004 at 0830 hours at Kelly Point Park.  Bring you old expired flares and enjoy shooting them off. You will see the difference between SOLAS and USCG approved flares.

West Marine has some useful information about flares.  Click here to see the West Marine information.

A coalition of state, county and federal marine officials have cited serious potential for collisions between recreational boaters and commercial shippers on the Columbia River. The task force has agreed to step up enforcement of state and federal rules this spring, ticketing boaters who are caught blocking navigation on the Columbia River.

A person guilty of blocking the channel could face thousands of dollars in fines.

"Despite our best education efforts in recent years, we still find that too many anglers choose to remain anchored in the channel when a commercial ship is approaching, forcing the ship operator to take unnecessary risks," said Randy Henry, of the Oregon State Marine Board.

March and April are popular sturgeon fishing months, with anglers arriving early to anchor up in their favorite sturgeon hole. Ships navigating the lower Columbia River must stay in the narrow-but-deep river channel to avoid running aground. "When a hardcore angler refuses to move, the ship operator must make a very difficult choice - try to go around and risk putting the ship aground, or hope the angler moves at the last second. Either option is a potential catastrophe," says Henry.

To prevent such incidents, the U.S. Coast Guard, Oregon State Police, and Oregon and Washington county sheriff marine patrols are cooperatively focusing enforcement efforts on the Columbia River below Bonneville. "If the Coast Guard cites you for a Rule 9 violation, you can face a fine of five thousand dollars," says Henry. Rule 9 of the International Steering and Sailing Rules states that a vessel of less than 20 meters must not impede passage of a vessel that can safely navigate only within a narrow channel. State laws support the rule but provide for a citation of only $237.

Even if the river appears to be wide, anglers should still move when the ship is near. "When those large container vessels approach a bend in the river, they essentially skid through the entire turn, requiring a much wider path than the vessels width, and it all has to occur in the channel," says Henry.

"The other problem is that these ships move deceptively fast," says Henry. "They can travel a mile in seven minutes or less. If you wait until the ship is a thousand feet away, you might have less than a minute to move. You're betting your life on whether your motor starts on the first try."

It's not illegal to anchor in the channel, and Henry hopes boaters understand that. "But what they also need to understand is that, after three years of outreach efforts, hundreds of warnings and relatively few citations, law enforcement is going to start ticketing all violators in an effort to get the message out. If you're anchored in the channel and a ship is approaching, you must move and you must take your anchor and float with you."

Boaters with questions on safe anchoring techniques are encouraged to visit the Marine Board's website at www.boatoregon.com/anchor.

Randy Henry
Randy.H.Henry@state.or.us
Public Information Representative
Oregon Marine Board
www.boatoregon.com
503-373-1405 x247

Catalina Newsletters of the Northwest
By Dale Mack (Commodore), C30, Celtic Myst

Checkout these links to Northwest Catalina newsletters and local racing:

Catalina 22 Fleet 20 of Portland

• www.C22pdx.org

Catalina 25 Fleet 94 of Portland

• home.comcast.net/~fleet94/

Catalina Association of Tacoma and South Sound (CATSS)

• home.earthlink.net/~catss/CATSS Web Page.htm

Catalina Association of Puget Sound (CAPS)

• capsfleet1.com/News Letters.htm

Small Yacht Sailing club of Oregon (SYSCO)

• www.sailpdx.com/sysco.htm

Sail Portland

• www.sailpdx.com

April

• 17, West Marine Swap Meet
• 17, Daysail after swap meet
• 24-25, SYSCO Spring Regatta
• 24-25, Bartlett Landing Cruise (Government Island, East Dock)
• 28, General membership meeting @ North Sails Oregon

May

• 15, Tomahawk Bay Yacht Club Swap Meet
• 15, Daysail after swap meet
• 21-23, Ladies Cruise, Coon Island - East Dock
• 26, General membership meeting @ Rose City Yacht Club
• 28-31, Martin Island Cruise

See the calendar