FLEET 20 NEWSLETTER
September 2000

Catalina 22 - Fleet 20, Portland, OR

From the Captain
By Dale Mack

Sailing with children was a big part of Fleet 20 in August. Whether it was the August Rendezvous or having adult children fly into Sidney B.C. to join you on the San Juan/Gulf Islands cruise like Terry and Kathie Annis did, it emphasized how truly family oriented we are as an organization.

As we head into the last couple of months of the sailing season, there are still lots of Fleet 20 activities to participate in.  If you can't make the St. Helens Cruise, consider attending the "Sail for the Cure" or the Columbia River All Catalina Association's Rendezvous.  Details on both are provided below.

The St. Helens Cruise (Sept. 16-17) shouldn't be missed because it's a great sail down river with a wonderful dockside social in the evening.  Details of the cruise were covered in the August newsletter.  The plan is to rendezvous near buoy "47" (a green navigational aid west of the Burlington Northern Railroad Bridge) and depart for St. Helens at 11 am.  Our destination is the city dock located in front of the courthouse.

The Olympia Cruise (Oct. 21-22) should be a lot of fun if we luck out and have a sunny Fall weekend.  The plan is to trailer the boats to Swantown Marina in Olympia and launch.  We'll spend Saturday exploring Budd Inlet and possibly the waters around Boston Harbor and south Squaxin Island.  I'm thinking that Saturday night we'll spend at the Percival Landing docks in downtown Olympia so that we're within walking distance of one the town's many restaurants for dinner.  We may want to make guest docks with power a priority so we can bring small electric heaters along.  On Sunday, we can stroll through the Olympia Farmer's Market, followed by a couple more hours of sailing before retrieving the boats and heading home.

Sail for the Cure

September 16.   Hosted by the Oregon Women's Sailing Association (OWSA), the Sail for the Cure is a benefit for the Oregon & SW Washington affiliate of the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation. The format of this event is designed to be fun as well as emphasize boat-handling skills and crew work rather than competition. The event is open to women skippers with mixed crew. Entry fee is $20 per person. Each participant will receive a t-shirt and be eligible for door prizes. For more information contact Linda Wanitchek (503) 621-3302 or Alice Patten (503) 245-2882 or sailforthecure@mailroom.com.

Columbia River All Catalina Association
Hayden Bay Rendezvous
By Dale Mack

September 16 - 17.  If you can't make the Fleet 20 St. Helens cruise, consider participating in the All Catalina raft-up at Hayden Bay.  The recently formed Columbia River All Catalina Association (www.ColumbiaRiverCatalina.org) is hosting The Great Columbia River All Catalina Association Rendezvous at Hayden Bay Moorage on September 16 & 17. The theme of the activity is "Cheeseburgers in Paradise" and will feature a raft-up in the moorage and an onshore party.  Most of the activities will take place on Saturday.  Those wishing to stay the night can do so and turn it into an overnight cruise.  The rendezvous is open to all Catalina owners (membership in the Columbia River All Catalina Association is not a requirement).

Lifesling Workshop

September 23.  OWSA is offering a Lifesling Workshop. The workshop will include a lecture and on-the-water drills. The workshop begins at 11am followed by practice rigging the boats and on-the-water drills with one Lifesling coach per boat.  The cost is $20 for OWSA members, $25 for non-members. For more information contact Dee Turner 503-810-6219 cruznfst@aol.com.

November Tropical Party
By Dale Mack

November 18.  Fleet 20 hasn't traditionally had an activity in November, but we're going to change that this year.  Come join Laura and me as we attend the Oregon Corinthian Sailing Association's (OCSA) Tropical Party.  This event is open to all sailors (not just OCSA members).  I'll make reservation information available on the web as soon as I receive it from OCSA.  Here's an excerpt from the OCSA newsletter.

By Dale Waagmeester, OCSA Commodore

This year's OCSA Tropical Party is being held at the Portland Yacht Club (PYC).  We are trying to bring a lot of people to the party (250 is the PYC limit) to help us defray the costs. One change that we are making to accomplish this feat is to bring in a top-notch band for entertainment. The Lloyd Jones Struggle has been signed to play for the party. Lloyd is finally making the big time after playing around Portland and the West Coast for many years. He plays at venues such as the Waterfront Blues Festival, Mt. Hood Jazz Festival, The Bite, etc. Lloyd has CD's out in the record stores; his newest one is putting him on the national map. I would call Lloyd's style of music as a Blues/Funk.  Lloyd is a sailor, too, and he is very anxious to play for us. Unfortunately, top-notch bands cost money, so Lloyd doesn't come cheap. Our goal is to sell out, and to sell out early. We are asking you to encourage your crew members to come, to bring friends and neighbors. We need for this event to SELL OUT and we are confident it will. Once the 250 limit is reached we will not be able to accept any more reservations, so make your reservations early! Reservation forms will be sent out to OCSA members in September. In the past, it has been a common practice for sailors to skip the dinner and just show up at the party, free of charge. While we want every sailor available to come to this party, we also want it known now that late comers will be charged a cover at the door. Most likely, however, the banquet will be sold out and late comers will, unfortunately, be turned away. My advice is the register early. We truly want you all to be there. The cost will be $20 per person for a great dinner, free tropical drinks and some of the best entertainment you will ever experience. Frankly, this is a ridiculously good deal. Where else can you have a quality night out on the town for 20 bucks? I am going to invite 10-20 of my crew and friends. I hope that you do the same.

San Juan Islands Journal
By  Dale Mack

The process of planning for this year’s trip to the San Juan Islands started about nine months before the scheduled departure date of July 28^th. After several exchanges of email and continuing discussions at Fleet 20 social activities, the framework of an itinerary started to emerge in May and firmed up in June. As the months ticked by, the number of boats grew from the four that attended in 1999 to eight for this year.

Although this was only my second year cruising the San Juan’s, I volunteered to lead the cruise, which in Fleet 20 meant coordinating the schedule, calling ahead to verify that space would be available, and communicating details about the cruise via email and the phone.

Laura and I came away from our first trip to the San Juan’s with a set of preferences about what we wanted to do next time, and that’s something you just can’t get out of the numerous books that describe the area. In 1999, I had kept notes on everything from how much fuel and time we consumed on each leg of the cruise, to how much food we brought along, so planning for 2000 was a lot easier. Because two of the eight boats on the trip would be cruising with children on board, destinations with docks and shore side facilities was a priority in creating the itinerary. Since anchoring out is an important part of the San Juan’s experience, our itinerary enabled folks to go off and explore on their own for a day or two and then rendezvous later with the rest of the fleet.

Laura and I decided to include an additional night at Roche Harbor, so we departed for the San Juan’s a day earlier than the rest of the cruise participants.

The trip from Vancouver, WA to Anacortes (via I-5 and Hwy 20) took about 5.5 hours pulling the boat with our Ford Explorer (4.0 liter V6). Our destination was Cap Sante Boat Haven at Anacortes, where we launched and rigged the boat in preparation for our Friday morning departure.

I like Cap Sante because they have a lift for launching and retrieving the boat which keeps the trailer out of the salt water. Laura and I didn’t pre-load the boat with food, because the marina is located across the street from a Safeway grocery store. Another nice feature is that West Marine is about 2-3 blocks away.

Launching involved parking in the lift queue, loading the gear aboard the boat, mounting the motor, connecting the fuel, readying the fenders and lines, removing all straps between the boat and trailer, and then waiting to be flagged over to the lift. After backing the boat under the lift, the attendants then placed two wide straps under the boat and lifted it off the trailer and into the water. We moved our truck and trailer to the long-term parking area and settled into our slip for the night after raising the mast.

Don and Carol Hayes, who live in Edmonds, WA and keep their boat Windrose (#13247) at Anacortes during the sailing season, came by to say hello. Don and I had connected via the Internet and had realized that our planned vacations were going to overlap. It was great meeting a fellow C-22 sailor and sharing stories of our experiences sailing in the San Juan’s.

We awoke to rain and low clouds on Friday morning. With a plastic tarp strung over the boom, waypoints to Roche Harbor programmed into the GPS, and me in my foul weather gear and life jacket, we departed Anacortes in the late morning when the current in Guemes Channel was most favorable.

Near Thatcher Pass, the low lying clouds gave way to fog. Visibility for the next three hours varied from one hundred yards to one nautical mile and made me grateful I had the GPS and the radar reflector on the mast. The passage took 4.75 hours, and burned three gallons of fuel in my 7.5 hp Honda.

Arriving at Roche Harbor was such a relief. Not just because the fog and rain was behind us, but because Roche Harbor is such a charming spot with great facilities. Included with the berthing is access to the resort’s swimming pool and tennis courts (very popular with my eleven year old).

Unlike the 1999 itinerary when we moved to a new destination everyday, the 2000 itinerary reflected the slower pace many of us in Fleet 20 said we were looking for in our next trip. While the crew aboard Harmony (#14286) enjoyed another day at Roche Harbor, the other cruise participants were back in Anacortes busily preparing their boats.

Our plan had been for everyone to meet up at Roche Harbor for a group picture in front of the roses before the balance of the group headed onto Garrison Bay for the night, but another day of morning fog in the islands conspired against us. As the afternoon dissolved into early evening, I finally received an update from Terry Annis onboard Lematike via cell phone. The fog had delayed the group, causing them to miss the optimum current conditions. They were now slugging it out against 2-4 knot currents. While I had covered the distance from Anacortes to Thatcher Pass in less than two hours, Terry said it had taken them four hours.

We never got our group photo. By the end of the day, Dave and Linda Harcombe onboard Shearwater (#13741) had joined us in Roche Harbor after a seven hour passage, while the balance of the fleet was anchored in Garrison Bay after a nine hour passage.

We awoke to bright sunny skies and no fog on Sunday. We timed our departure to pick up a favorable current, and after rendezvousing with Shearwater, headed to Sidney.

The Port Sidney Marina is where we cleared Canadian Customs.

Sidney describes itself as "Booktown" because of the nine bookstores within easy walk of the marina. Sidney offers a little of everything, from coffee houses and bakeries to marine hardware and a cetacean museum.

Dinner Sunday evening was a fleet potluck affair featuring salmon. We gathered together some chairs and tables the marina provides on the docks and combined them with fold-up chairs many of us carry onboard. This was our first opportunity to socialize together as a group.

Monday was our opportunity to visit Victoria, B.C. and the world famous Butchart Gardens. Most of those venturing out took advantage of the excellent bus system to see the sights. Laura and I opted for a rental car (only a short walk from the marina) so we could visit some of the places we first saw on our honeymoon years earlier.

Our passage from Sidney to Ganges on Saltspring Island was made under calm conditions. From the blue sky reflected off the near glass-like surface of the water, to the occasional sightings of seals and dolphins, it was a great time to be out on the water even if the sailing wasn’t optimal. Ganges is the commercial hub of Saltspring Island, so it is a good place to restock groceries and ice. Ganges is also home to many artists and art galleries.

We stayed at Ganges Marina, which was a short walk from downtown. We were a little disappointed with the facilities which were limited to only two toilets and two showers for the whole marina. The next time we visit Ganges, we’ll try Salt Spring Marina which has better washrooms and showers, as well as a complete laundry that will wash and fold your clothes for a very reasonable fee.

While Ganges was nice, Laura and I were looking for something more laid back, so we departed Ganges a day earlier than the rest of the fleet and traveled the seven nautical miles to Otter Bay on North Pender Island. Of the places we’ve visited so far in the Gulf Islands, Otter Bay is one of our favorite destinations.

Whether you’re watching the sunset from the deck, tossing horseshoes on the grass, or taking a dip in the well-maintained pool, Otter Bay is a great stop. Special features include adults only swimming from 4-6 p.m., live piano playing on the veranda, and a quaint and quiet harbor.

The rest of the fleet joined us on Thursday after sailing from Ganges. Being able to actually sail in the San Juan’s became of focus of our dockside social that evening. The consensus was that you should expect to do most of your travel under power in order to cover the day’s passage in a reasonable amount of time. Our typical passage was about fifteen nautical miles, which we usually covered in three hours while motoring only. In order to get some sailing in, what we found worked for us was to sail part of the passage, or to motor to the destination, and then go out for a sail.

One of the interesting benefits of sailing in the company of other boats is the sense of community that develops. Although we each took care of our own cruising arrangements (i.e. meals, berthing, reservations, etc.) there was still this feeling of working together to make the cruise enjoyable for everyone.

Our typical evening routine involved swapping stories of the day’s passage, sharing information on what we had done to make the boats more comfortable for cruising, strolling between the boats visiting, and learning more about each other.

Friday marked the end of the Canadian portion of our cruise as we made preparations for heading back to the San Juan Islands. Terry and Kathie Annis aboard Lematike, and Bob Gales and Gail O’Neill aboard Imagine would continue exploring the Gulf Islands for another week while the rest of us began heading home.

Our first stop on the way to Deer Harbor on Orcas Island was to clear U.S. Customs at Roche Harbor. The Customs dock was very busy when we arrived, so we became part of nearly twenty boats from very large to very small waiting their turn at the dock.

With Customs cleared, we rafted up at the guest dock. After everyone had a chance to stretch their legs and have lunch, we were on our way again.

The run to Deer Harbor found the fleet in swells resulting from the afternoon winds and the wakes of some large powerboats. Though the seas were easily handled, it was a departure from the typically smooth conditions we had become accustomed to.

As four boats concluded the day’s passage at Deer Harbor, Dave and Linda Harcombe aboard Shearwater, and Nate and Margaret Hanson aboard Yacht-A-Fun, proceeded on to the anchorage northwest of Double Island and anchored for the night.

After everyone had come back from their evening sail or trip to the pool, we reviewed our departure plans for Saturday. To avoid a strong ebb current in Guemes Channel near Anacortes, we estimated that we need to be underway at 5 a.m., so we all agreed to a 4:30 a.m. wake up call for the skippers.

Fog! After more than a week of no fog, it was disappointing to see visibility below 0.5 nautical miles and variable. As the time drew closer to 5 a.m. we know we were going to miss the rendezvous with the two boats anchored at Double Island. Attempts to reach them on the radio had been unsuccessful, but we were getting bits and pieces of the traffic between the two boats and their attempts to connect us. We delayed our departure until we had enough light and visibility to Pole Pass which was a little over one nautical mile away.

With the radar reflector up the mast, and a large number of waypoints programmed into the GPS, we got underway for Anacortes. Ongoing attempts at connecting with the other boats met with no success. So, as we passed south of Double Island, we slowed to 1-2 knots so Dream A Little Dream could buzz up to the anchorage and see if Shearwater and Yacht-A-Fun were still there.

Visibility was varying from half of nautical mile to over two nautical miles as we passed south of the town of Orcas. Dream A Little Dream found no one at Double Island about the same time we started to hear fragments of conversations on the radio between the two boats. With the knowledge that they were proceeding ahead of us, we picked up our speed to 5-6 knots and headed east through Harney Channel.

Visibility improved to over three nautical miles as we headed southeast between Lopez Island and Blakely Island. Weekend ferry traffic also increased from Ocras all the way to Anacortes. Peering out into the grayness looking for dark masses required an extra level of vigilance that was tiring.

We finally established radio contact with Shearwater as they were heading east through Thatcher Pass. They reported that the fog looked worst eastward, so they and Yacht-A-Fun were going to head over to the anchorage west of James Island and wait for conditions to improve.

Visibility at Thatcher Pass was one nautical mile. The next six nautical miles of the passage across Rosario Strait were my least favorite moments of an otherwise great cruise. North of James Island visibility improved to 1.5 nautical miles, so we decided to proceed eastward. Shearwater and Yacht-A-Fun rejoined the group that included Harmony, WindChaser, Little Hector, and Dream a Little Dream.

Although the fog was miserable, Rosario Strait was calm. About midway across Rosario Strait visibility dropped to a quarter mile or less. The six boats were strung out in a line, so that while any one boat could see at least two other boats, the lead boat could not see the last boat. We corrected this by slowing to allow the group to bunch up.

Finally the fog began to lift and we finished the remaining three nautical miles of the cruise in bright sunshine. Whew!

Despite the two episodes of fog, we had a great time on the cruise. The scenery was spectacular, the weather beautiful and the company enjoyable. Even with last year’s experience under our belts, we still ended up with too much food aboard the boat. Here’s a few of my thoughts about planning for our next cruise.

• Bring two rolls of quarters for use in the showers and laundries.
• You can wash clothes at least once on the cruise, so bring about half as many clothes as you think you’ll need.
• Bring less food because you'll probably eat out frequently.
• Make advance reservations when you can.
• The GPS was great. Don’t leave home without it.
• Avoid traveling in fog even if it means changing the itinerary or getting home a day later.

1. Harmony (Dale, Laura, and Sean Mack)
2. WindChaser (Dennis and Sandy Thomas)
3. Little Hector (Chris and Ebie Mountford)
4. Dream a Little Dream (Mike, Debra, and Rachel Hibbs).
5. Shearwater (Dave and Linda Harcombe)
6. Yacht-A-Fun (Nate and Margaret Hanson)
7. Windrose (Don and Carol Hayes)
8. Lematike (Terry and Kathie Annis)
9. Imagine (Bob Gales and Gail O’Neill)

August Rendezvous
By Dale Mack

We had a great time at the August 26^th Rendezvous in Grandma’s Cove on the Columbia River. Despite the scattered clouds that threatened all day we never saw a drop of rain, and in fact enjoyed a pretty sunny day in the afternoon.

Spots near Portland out of the river’s current are rare, and Grandma’s Cove is one of those spots. Located on the Oregon side, the cove offers warmer water and a protected area for swimming and rowing.

It didn’t take long after we were rafted up for the younger members of the crews to start hitting the water.

Three boats braved the questionable weather and were greeted with wonderful conditions. First to arrive and anchor were Bill and Vicki Sanborn aboard Upstart. Next were Dale, Laura, and Sean Mack along with Sean’s friend Ian aboard Harmony. And lastly were Kurt, Nancy, Eric, Nate, and Kelsy Riddle along with Kelsy’s friend Michelle aboard Vixen.

Kurt and Nancy Riddle have owned Vixen (#9353) over eighteen years. Before moving to Oregon, they used to sail their boat on the Great Salt Lake when they lived in Salt Lake City, Utah. This was the Riddle’s first Fleet 20 activity, and I hope they had as much fun as we had meeting them.

Another participant in the rendezvous was Sherman, a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel aboard Harmony. Sherman had no trouble making friends;-)

As the late afternoon transitioned into early evening we shared appetizers before eventually getting dinner started around 6:30 p.m. The after-dinner treat was build your own Smores using the barbecue aboard Harmony, which proved quite popular with the under-12 crowd. Despite a few sticky spots in the cockpit, the kids did great.

We all had a great time talking and looking at each other’s boats. As the light started to fade we found it hard to think about having to say goodbye and head for home.

Double-Ended Mainsheet By Dale Mack A double-ended mainsheet facilitates the mainsail being controlled from either end of the sheet.  This arrangement allows a crew member to manage the mainsail in gusty conditions while the skipper focuses on steering.  It's also useful when racing with three aboard because one person can stand in the cabin and control the main. On Harmony, a Harken #140 pivoting exit block w/aluminum cam is mounted on the underside of the boom just above the threshold leading into the cabin.  At the aft end of the boom, the original block was replaced with a Harken #127 double block.  After running the mainsheet through all the blocks, a figure-eight knot was added to each end of the line. For those times when you don't want to use the setup in its double-end mode, just pull the line through until the figure-eight knot near the cabin encounters the #140 block.  Now you're single-ended again.

September 16-17.  Cruise to St. Helens

October 21-22. Olympia Cruise.

November 18.  Fleet 20 attends the Oregon Corinthian Sailing Association (OCSA) Annual Tropical Party at the Portland Yacht Club (PYC).

December 2. Fleet 20 Holiday Party

The Fleet 20 newsletter is published online once a month. Articles are the opinions of the authors and don't necessarily represent the consensus of Fleet 20.