FLEET 20 NEWSLETTER
January 2001

Catalina 22 - Fleet 20, Portland, OR

From the Captain
By Dennis Thomas

Here we are heading into the middle of January already. With the mild Fall and Winter so far, it teases us into possibly a false hope that we will just slip into Spring around the corner. I have been going through sailing withdrawals due to this good weather, asking myself why my boat is tarped and sitting in my driveway. In any event spring isn't far away bringing with it the beginning of our sailing season.

With the many little things to do to the boat before putting it back in the water, I need to start planning and scheduling the work, cleaning, applying additional coats of varnish, checking rigging and so on. After the San Juan cruise we have learned many little tweaks from other people and their boats that could make sailing more fun and convenient, besides getting a bigger boat.

This will be our fourth season being involved with Fleet 20. I started out three years ago this spring crewing with Bob Gales aboard his Catalina 22 Imagine. Last spring I began racing our boat for the first time. It was a good experience crewing first, learning as much as I could from Bob and others that I crewed with. I must admit I was apprehensive my first times out skippering in the races. Fortunately for me there was light wind during the Spring Series and when we got into the windy Summer Series I had the help of Dale Mack crewing with me at times. The reason I am going on about this is that for various reasons we had a smaller than usual turn out of boats for racing last year. Otherwise how do you think I was able to win both the trophies, no other boats, I just showed up and sailed. That really did happen once but still counted.

I would like to encourage members of Fleet 20 and anyone interested or curious in racing to consider getting involved in the racing this year. Our racing is low keyed and gives us a chance to get out and have fun on the water. Winning is a bonus. This gives all of us involved an opportunity to learn more, stretch ourselves, steal ideas from other boats and skippers and maybe even steal some of their crew, (if they are really good). I have been told over and over again by more experienced sailors that racing will make you a better sailor and it does.

If you have a boat but you're not sure that you want to race your boat or are new to sailing and want to learn, there are usually plenty of opportunities to crew on other boats.

Please consider being involved with racing this year, the more boats, the more fun. Besides that, none of you would like to see me get the trophies again by just showing up would you?

If you have any questions regarding racing feel free to contact myself, or Dale Mack, or anyone who has been racing.

The Spring Series begins in April and and the race schedule is available online.  I am looking forward to seeing you out on the water.

A New Twist on Recruiting
By Dale Mack

Fleet 20 is sharing a booth with the Columbia River All Catalina Association at the Portland Boat Show running from January 6th to the 14th.

While an earlier invitation from the show's organizer might have allowed us to display one of the Fleet's boats at the show like several other one-design fleets have done, we did manage to outfit the booth with:

• copies of the Fleet 20 membership brochure
• display copies of the marketing brochures for all three styles of Catalina 22's
• and pictures of Fleet 20 activities over the last couple of years 

I've learned a lot about things we might want to do next time.  For example:

• TV/VCR playing a tape of Catalina 22's in action (I've got a good tape from the 1997 Nationals on Lake Tahoe)
• Sign-up sheet or drop cards so people can leave their name and address, especially email.
• Name Tags for booth personnel
• Large banner with "Catalina 22 Fleet 20" and the C22 logo.
• Printed copies of the Fleet's newsletter
• Membership brochures for the Catalina 22 National Sailing Association
• Copies of the MainBrace magazine
• Something like a yacht brokerage board with lots of C22 boat pictures to attract people looking for a boat.  We wouldn't be selling boats, but I found a lot of people tended to stop and look at the boats on "The Sailing Life" display board located near the booth.

It's been enjoyable talking to folks about the All Catalina Association and about Fleet 20.  I've been surprised by the number of people in the market for a Catalina 22.

Renew Your Membership in Fleet 20
By Dale Mack

It's time to renew your Fleet 20 Membership.

The application form is available online, so please fill it out and send it in.

Join us at the Seattle Boat Show
By Dale Mack

January 13 (sa).  Laura, Sean, and I had a lot of fun at last year's show.  If you're planning to be there on Saturday the 13th, let us know and we'll keep an eye out for you.

The Seattle Boat Show and the Lake Union Boats Afloat Show run from January 12-21.  The Seattle Boat Show is held in the new Washington State Stadium Exhibition Center across the street from Safeco Field. What the Seattle Boat Show lacks in sailboats it makes up for in marine equipment booths. To see sailboats, you will want to go to the Lake Union Boats Afloat Show. A free shuttle bus  operates between the Seattle Boat Show and the Boats Afloat Show.  Be sure to visit the boat show websites for details on admission and discounts on tickets and parking.

San Juan Islands Cruise July 21 - 28???
By Dale Mack

Are you thinking about cruising the San Juan Islands this year?  How does the fourth week in July (7/21 - 7/28) sound?  For those of us that race, the fourth week has the advantage of being more than a week after SYSCO Summer Series race #5, and the cruise would be completed two weeks before the SYSCO One-Design Regatta.

Dennis Thomas and I have been talking about the possibly of holding a get together in March at someone's home to discuss Spring plans and do some early San Juan Islands cruise planning.  Let me know what you think about the proposed date or holding a Fleet meeting in the March-ish timeframe.

Looking Under the Headsail
By Dale Mack

Here's a nifty trick Laura and I frequently use when we have guests aboard or we don't want to hassle with the lack of visibility the 150 genoa creates. I find that if I attach a length of line between my 110 jib's tack and the bow, I can raise the sail above the bow pulpit. The increased height puts the sail in better air, and provides great visibility under the sail.

Looking for Crew
By Dale Mack

I'm looking for crew to race with me on Thursday evenings in the Spring and Summer Series.  If you've thought about racing, but aren't sure you're ready to bring your boat out, how about crewing aboard another boat.  The racing starts in April, and the schedule is published online.  You don't need any experience, just a desire to have fun.

If you know of someone who might be interested in crewing, please have them contact me.

Should we race with Spinnakers
By Dale Mack

The Catalina 22 fleet is the only fleet racing on the river with a self-imposed no spinnakers policy.  I know various members have raised the question over the last couple of years of whether we should allow spinnakers since fighting against the two knot current wing-and-wing on a light wind day can be quite a grind. 

If you're planning to race your boat in 2001, would you still race if spinnakers were allowed?  Would you race with a cruising spinnaker if that's all you had?

Trailering - Quick Release Hardware
By Dale Mack

I enjoy the freedom a trailerable boat brings me, and since Harmony is on the road for some part of the sailing season each year, finding ways to minimize the time spent rigging and unrigging the boat has made trailer-sailing easier. Here are some ideas I've borrowed from others.

Ball-Lok Quick-Release Pins with Lanyards. Only three attachment points for my standing rigging need to be released for me to drop the mast (the jib stay, and the two forward-lower shrouds). Instead of playing with clevis pins and cotter pins/rings, I use Ball-Lok quick-release pins. To avoid losing the pins, each one is attached to its turnbuckle with a lanyard.

Snap Shackles. I use snap shackles for:

• the tack of the headsail
• attaching the lower mainsheet block to the traveler
• and attaching the lower boom vang block to the base of the mast

Keel Hose Checkup
By Dale Mack

I've been a long time reader of the Catalina 22 email discussion group, and have picked up a lot of useful information along the way. One story I remember a list member telling was how he had cranked up his keel at the end of a day's sail, and then later when he went to fetch his ice chest, found the floorboards awash. The coiled reinforcement wire in the black hose had become exposed after years of use. While cranking up the keel, the wire became fouled in the keel cable as it wrapped around the winch. At some point the pulling forced exceeded the clamping force of the hose clamps, and the hose was pulled off the through-hull fitting. The top of the fitting (some folks call it the volcano), is below the boat's waterline.

With most boats out of the water, now is a good time to inspect the condition of the keel hose and the hose clamps.  If your only using one hose clamp, considered upgrading to the added security of two hose clamps.

January 13. Seattle Boat Show

March.  Possible Fleet meeting to discuss Spring and the San Juans

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.