From the Captain
By Mike Hibbs

The meeting at Bob and Gail's went well and was attended by a number of people. We met some new members and got reacquainted with some old members.

Terry Annis and Bob Gales are now part owners in a Catalina 22 along with Don Bateson.  It seems that Gold Rush is no more and Don has moved on to another boat.  With this boat, the intention is to make it a racer and nothing more.  You might remember Terry and Bob as previous owners of Catalina 22's in the recent past.

Other agenda items that we covered included plans for an on the water Spring  Rendezvous to be lead by Chris and Ebie Mountford some time in May or June. Also Dale and Laura Mack have offered to lead a cruise to Beacon Rock later on in the summer and to St. Helens in September. We also pinned down some dates for the Puget Sound cruise. They are from July 27th to August 4th.  There will be many people overlapping during those times as well.  If you are interested in joining us there, let me know so we can meet up at an appropriate destination.

Racing.  By the time this is circulated, we will have had the race clinics. I hope that any of you that are planning to race have at least seen the new rules. They are somewhat different than what we have been used to. I think that we will have between three and four boats for the Spring Series. We also have two race committee nights to cover. I think that Mike McGrath is in charge of that, but I know that Bob Gales, Terry Annis, Dale Mack and I will all be there to help out. If you want to help with setting up a race just to see one and get the feel of how it works, I invite you to contact either Dale Mack or myself to get signed up.

May the wind always fill your sails and your days be long.

Congratulations to the Drews
By Dale Mack

Fleet 20 member Sheila Salveson and her fiancée Tom Drews were married on March 16.

Sheila and Tom sail Harmony, #14286, and keep the boat at Hayden Bay.

Sheila is also active in the Oregon Women's Sailing Association (OWSA).

SWAP Meet at West Marine
By Mike Hibbs

Editors Note:  Contact Mike Hibbs if you have items you want to sell at the swap meet.

April 20, Saturday, 7am - 12pm.  We now have a table reserved at the West Marine swap meet. Our area is lucky number 13.  If you have something to sell, please mark the price on it and bring it to the meet on the 20th. You are responsible for your own things unless you can coax someone else to watch over them for you. A bribe is not out of order here.

I have always enjoyed these meets as it is a great time to get those little trinkets that you want for the boat at a substantial discount. I encourage all to attend.

We will have a late breakfast afterwards at Elmers and then several people plan to head to their boats for a rendezvous at buoy "14" for a quick cruise of the river.

Fleet 20 Spring Meeting
By Dale Mack

Our potluck brunch at Bob Gale's and Gail O'Neill's home was wonderful.  You couldn't have picked a more beautiful day.  It was so nice, we moved the meeting outside onto the deck.  Pretty amazing considering it was still March.

Although scheduling conflicts prevented several families from attending, we still had a pretty fair turnout.  Interest in talking about the San Juan's was a particular draw for some.

Special recognition goes to the Thomas' who created fruit fill waffles.  Truth was, all the food was great,  whether you were sampling the quiche, enjoying the chicken and rice dish, delighting in the fruit, or savoring the waffles and bacon, there was lots to eat combined with lots of variety.

Oh yes, beside the food and great conversation, we held our Fleet 20 Spring Meeting.  Topics included the coming racing and cruising season, early plans for the San Juan's, ideas about putting on a couple of workshops for new C22 owners (rigging, reefing, trailering, spinnaker, etc.), and the upcoming swap meet at West Marine.  Most of the content from the meeting is sprinkled throughout articles in this month's newsletter.

I want to thank Bob and Gail for inviting us into their home.  I and many others particularly enjoyed the photos and collectibles from Bob and Gail's travels.

Membership Renewals
By Dale Mack

All current members of Fleet 20 were mailed a membership application in March.  Several members have already renewed (thank you), and I expect to see more over the next couple of months.

Fleet 20 recruiting brochures have been left on C22's found in slips at Tomahawk Bay Moorage.  If you'd like to walk the docks at your marina and leave brochures, give me a call and we can arrange a time.

We'll continue to seek out other Catalina 22 owners who may not know that an active owner's association exists in the local area.  Please be an ambassador for Fleet 20 by getting to know all the Catalina 22 owners at your marina.  

Catalina 22 Launchings
By Dale Mack

Awe Spring!  It's a time when you finally decide that getting the boat back into the water is more important than taking on one more unfinished winter boat project.

One of the benefits of fleet membership is building a network of fellow Catalina 22 owners whose experience you can draw upon when you have questions or need a helping hand.  I've learned much from sailing with other Catalina 22 owners, whether it was where to store all the stuff for cruising, or how to improve the trim of the boat for racing,  it has always been comforting knowing that help was just a phone call away.

I recently helped Sheila and Tom Drews put their boat back into the water.  Sheila and Tom acquired Harmony, in June of 2001, so this was their first time launching the boat.  We met in the parking lot of the 42nd Street Ramp, and proceeded to raise the mast, install the boom and mainsail, run all the running rigging, mount the engine, and pull out the lines and fenders.  To the casual passer by you would have never known that Sheila and Tom hadn't rigged the boat before.

Due to my inexperience at the 42nd Street Ramp, it took us two attempts to finally launch the boat.  The first attempt failed because of the low water conditions (still waiting for the Spring runoff to begin) and the very shallow nature of the ramp.  Tom pulled the boat back into the parking lot where we quickly chalked the trailer's wheels, disconnected the tow vehicle and moved it forward, and then extended the trailer's eight and half foot tongue extension.  The second launching attempt when very smoothly, and Tom's trailer backing skills on the very busy ramp helped us greatly.

While Tom parked the tow vehicle and trailer, Sheila completed the preparations for getting Harmony underway.  What a gorgeous day to be on the water.  We motored from to 42nd St. to Tomahawk Bay where I got off.  After a quick tour of Celtic Myst, Sheila and Tom continued on to Hayden Bay.

I had a wonderful time helping out, and it was great to get out on the water.  Looking upriver and seeing so many sails set against the blue sky with the white capped Mt. Mount in the background was just spectacular.

Planning for the Spring Rendezvous
By Dale Mack

Fleet 20 kicks off the 2002 cruising season with its Spring Rendezvous.  Since we haven't nailed down a date yet, how does Saturday, May 18th (Mother's Day is May 12) sound to folks.  May 18th is also the Tomahawk Bay Yacht Club swap meet so this could be a great opportunity to pickup some bargains in the morning, and enjoy a nice sail and raft up in the afternoon.  After the swap meet, we could rendezvous downstream of buoy "14" and then head to the raft up.

I'd like to propose three possible destinations for the rendezvous.  The first is our old favorite Lemon Island (about 4.5 mi upstream of the I-5 bridge).  The second is The Quay in Vancouver about 0.1 miles downstream of the I-5 bridge.  And, the third is Canoe Bay (Grandma's Cove) about 0.9 miles downstream of the I-5 bridge.  Here's a little piece about each destination.

Lemon Island

The actual location of the raft up would depend a lot on the river's water level.  In 1999 we rafted off the beach at "3", in 2000 we managed to navigate between the sand bar and the tip of Government Island to raft up in the cove between Lemon Island and Government Island at "1", and in 2001, Chris Mountford showed us that at really low levels a channel exists between Lemon Island and the sandbar to its north at "2".  I have found that in the past the cove that normally forms between Government Island and Lemon Island is almost dry between River Stages 2 and 4.  Aerial photos of Lemon Island are available on the Internet at Microsoft's TerraServer.

Vancouver Landing

We'd tie up at the Vancouver city dock that is just below The Quay Hotel and Restaurant.  The dock is just west of the I-5 Bridge.

I'd recommend coming to the inside of the dock.  There are opportunities to walk the trail along the river or venture into downtown Vancouver. 

If you haven't been to Vancouver Landing before, checkout the pictures in the Columbia River All Catalina Association's April 2001 and March 2002 newsletters.  Vancouver Landing offers the advantage of a solid dock, and being a little closer to get to for most members.  Also, people can meet us by car if they'd like to.

Canoe Bay

Canoe Bay is 200 yards east of the Burlington Northern railroad bridge on the south side of the river. Water depth in the bay entrance is 14 feet at 0 river stage with the deepest water in the center of the channel.

Canoe Bay (a.k.a. Grandma's Cove) is where Schooner Creek Boat Works is now located.  One of the nice features of rafting up in the bay is that you are out of the river's current, and the bay has a nice flat bottom that I've found good for anchoring.

Pupu Hour

Pupu is Hawaiian for appetizer or snack.  Once rafted up, we'll break out the goodies and  enjoy the afternoon together.  I'd plan on bring one appetizer to share.

Depending on the destination we select, rafts, deck chairs, good walking shoes, or just a good book might be other things to consider bringing along.

We'll publish more details in the May newsletter and send out an email announcement shortly before the event.  Pass along your preference for a destination to me.

Martin Island Cruise - Memorial Day Weekend
By Dale Mack

May 25-27.  Last year's low river levels and low Spring flow rates permitted a cruise to Beacon Rock for Memorial Day, which under normal Spring conditions might have been more challenging (read slower) in a Catalina 22.  For this year I'd like to propose going the other direction and head to the lagoon at Martin Island.

Martin Island is six miles downstream from St. Helens on the Washington side (St. Helens is 17.4 miles downstream from the I-5 bridge).  Just to put this in perspective, last year's destination, Beacon Rock is 29.9 miles upstream from the I-5 bridge.

The Columbia River All Catalina Association has a nice description with pictures of how to reach the lagoon in their May 2001 newsletter.  Maptech's MapServer online chart of Martin Island also provides you views of Martin Island, along with Microsoft's TerraServer for aerial shots of the area.

If your are interested in this cruise let me know, and look for more details in the May newsletter.

San Juan Islands Cruise
By Dale Mack

So far four families have indicated that they are planning to cruise the San Juan's this summer.  The families are:

• Bob Gales & Gail O'Neill
• Terry & Kathie Annis
• Nate & Margaret Hansen
• Mike & Deb Hibbs

Several are planning to start their cruises on August 27.  Mike & Deb have chartered a Catalina 28 out of Sidney, B.C. for this year's cruise.  If you're interested in sailing the San Juan's this year and would like to do so in the company of other Fleet 20 boats, don't hesitate to drop me or Mike Hibbs a line so we can get you connected up with those coordinating the various itineraries.

Delta Cruise
By Dale Mack

Can't make the San Juan's this year?  How about sailing to Astoria and back.  The Columbia River All Catalina Association has a Delta Cruise planned for July 20-27.  While the itinerary for the cruise hasn't been finalized, here's one alternative.

Another alternative is to skip Walker Island, and spend Wednesday in Ilwaco, before heading back upriver on Thursday to Cathlamet.

Laura, Sean, and I won't be going to the San Juan's this year, so we're going to tag along on the Delta Cruise and experience some aspects of the Columbia River that will be new for us.  If the Delta Cruise is of interest to you let me know.

Experience for Hire
By Dale Mack

Racing starts Thursday, April 18 for the SYSCO Spring Series.  If you find yourself in need of some crew, even if only for one race, please give Mike Hibbs or myself call.  We'll see what we can do about finding you someone, including possibly volunteering ourselves.  There is plenty of Columbia River racing experience available within the fleet should any skipper wish to have a little help as they get comfortable with the local racing scene.

Don't forget, if you're going to race you need to send in your registration because the race committees will NOT be accepting on-the-water registrations (click here for more).

For more information on Catalina 22 racing, click here.

Race Committee Volunteers Needed
By Dale Mack 

As our Fleet Captain Mike Hibbs, pointed out in the last newsletter, Mike McGrath has volunteered to be our Race Captain for the 2002 season.  Basically Mike McGrath will represent Catalina 22 racing on the Columbia River should the Small Yacht Sailing Club of Oregon (SYSCO) or the Oregon Corinthian Sailing Association (OCSA) need to reach someone so information can be passed to other Catalina 22 skippers regardless of whether they belong to Fleet 20 or not.

As Race Captain this year, Mike McGrath needs to recruit you to serve with him as the Race Committee for the May 21 (Tuesday) and July 16 (Tuesday) evening races.  Since the thought of being on a Race Committee might scare off some for fear that they need to know something about sailing or racing, I want to assure you that you don't need to know anything!  All the race committee positions are very easy and can be picked up after about 5-10 minutes of demonstration.  The really easy part, is that the Principal Race Officer (PRO) for the night directs the whole thing, a little bit like a symphony conductor, so as a race committee member you take all your queues from the PRO.

Mike McGrath and I attended the SYSCO Race Committee clinic in March, I attended the OCSA Race Management clinic also in March, and I attended the SYSCO Race clinic in April.  As a result, the new race starting process has been dismystified and we are ready to host a race.

In addition to the Principal Race Officer, we need to fill five (5) other race committee positions each time it's our night to serve.  The positions are:

• Spotter/Recorder - Identifies and records all boats starting and finishing, including competitors who do not complete the race.
• Timer - Calls the time sequence aloud so the start and finish can be properly run.
• Sounder - In charge of the sound signals
• Signaler - Handles the flags
• Line Sighter - Sights starting line to identify boats "on the course side" (OCS, over early) and tracks boats returning to start.  Sights finish line to determine order and moment of finish.
• Mark Boat Operator - Set the racing marks.  Usually two people who can also have other RC roles.

As the race committee (RC) boat gets itself anchored, two of the race committee members will use SYSCO's mark setting boat "Pancho", a Boston Whaler, to anchor race markers at locations identified by the the Principal Race Officer.  For insurance reasons, one of the folks aboard Pancho must be a SYSCO member.  Pancho is kept at Tomahawk Bay Moorage, where several Fleet 20 members also keep their boats.

The first warning signal goes up at 6:30 pm, so most of the pre-race setup like anchoring the committee boat and setting the marks needs to be completed at least thirty (30) minutes before the first signal.  If thoughts of bouncing around on a Catalina 22 as you and five other folks perform race committee duties doesn't sound appealing to you, don't worry, I've volunteered my Catalina 30, Celtic Myst to serve as the race committee boat the night's we have the duty.

Our typical pre-race activities would include:

• 4:45 pm - Transfer Pancho RC boxes and signals to RC boat
• 4:45 pm - RC members arrive at RC boat
• 5:00 pm - RC boat gets underway
• 5:00 pm - Pancho gets underway and scouts wind direction
• 5:30 pm - RC boat anchored at starting line
• 5:40 pm - Principal Race Officer (PRO) decides on race course to set
• 5:40 pm - Pancho setting marks
• 6:00 pm - Course board up, "Come Within Hail" signal up
• 6:00 pm - Recorder ready to identify and record boats as they pass by 
• 6:15 pm - Pancho tied astern of RC boat
• 6:15 pm - PRO walks the team through the starting sequence one more time
• 6:29 pm - "Come Within Hail" flag comes down
• 6:30 pm - First Class Flag goes up (we are now five minutes before the first start)

I'd like to start getting commitments for the May 21st race now, so please contact me if you're interested so I can get a headcount.

What to Expect in the First Race
By Dale Mack

Just hearing that the old familiar starting sequence had been changed caused many to assume the new system would be more complicated.  To help Fleet 20 members understand the new system, I've put together a short example that takes you through the pre-race time right up to the start of SYSCO Fleet H2 (the one the Catalina 22's race under).

First thing you want to do is find the Race Committee (RC) boat.  They should be flying the RC flag.

Once the RC has figured out the course, they  will raise the "Come Within Hail" flag.  This is your queue to sail or motor past the committee boat, collect any paper they might be handing out, and look at the course board to determine which start you are in and which course you are to race.  At the first race of the Spring Series, the RC will be handing out Race Permits issued by the U.S. Coast Guard.  The permit must be carried onboard, and it's good for all the races the remainder of the year.

As you pass the RC, they will check you in either by your sail number or by the name on the boat.  You should also see the course board, typically hanging over the boom.

For my example, the RC is running two separate courses.  Starts 1, 2, and 3 will sail the first course, the Cal 20's (H1) and the Catalina 22's (H2) will sail a shorter course and be the fourth start.  It's very important you look for how many courses, because some RC's will set only one course, and others will set two.  Also, don't assume the Catalina 22's are start four (always check the course board).  My habit is to write the course on blue painter's tape with a permanent marker, and then stick it to the aft portion of the cabin in the cockpit.

Now lets move onto the actually starting sequence.  As a courtesy, SYSCO has asked RC's to drop the "Come Within Hail" flag one minute before raising the first class flag.  OCSA and SYSCO have decided to use the numbered international code flags to identify the different starting classes.  SYSCO has also decided to do rolling starts, so as one class flag comes down, the next class flag goes up.  If the RC was on time, and assuming the Catalina 22's are in the fourth start, then here is the sequence at 6:30 pm:

Minutes to Start	Signal	Meaning	Sound Signal	Time
5	Up	Warning	1 sound	6:30
4	Up	Preparatory	1 sound	6:31
1	Down		1 long sound (2 sec)	6:34
0 5	Down Up	Start Warning	1 sound	6:35
4	Up	Preparatory	1 sound	6:36
1	Down		1 long sound (2 sec)	6:39
0 5	Down Up	Start Warning	1 sound	6:40
4	Up	Preparatory	1 sound	6:41
1	Down		1 long sound (2 sec)	6:44
0 5	Down Up	Start Warning	1 sound	6:45
4	Up	Preparatory	1 sound	6:46
1	Down		1 long sound (2 sec)	6:49
0	Down	Start	1 sound	6:50

Here's a few things to remember.

1. The new system means less time from warning to the start of the first race, so don't sail too far away from the starting line during the pre-start.
2. There is a lot more flag signaling than before so be mindful of what's happening on the RC boat.
3. The Race Committee isn't allowed to answer questions, so ask another boat if you need help.
4. A fleet that gets a "General Recall" must wait until the starts behind them are off before they can be restarted.
5. Read through the OCSA Sailing Instructions, OCSA/SYSCO Race Committee Checklist, and the Sailing Instructions for the race to have a better idea of what is going on.

Running Halyards Aft
By Dale Mack

Here's an alternative method for running the halyards aft to the cockpit.  Instead of the halyards running from the base to deck organizers and onward to the cockpit, this method takes a different approach.   A Harken  #140 pivoting block with #150 cam cleat is mounted to the mast for each halyard.  The tail end of the lines can then be lead to the cockpit for easy halyard tension adjustment without having to go to the mast.

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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.