From the Captain
By Mike Hibbs

Here we are in the middle of July and ready for the San Juan cruise. Racing is in full swing and as predicted, there is some competition out there.

There will be 4 or 5 boats in the Puget Sound from our group. Plans are for several boats to be overlapping while visiting the islands. We will be there from July 27 to August 7. Others will be going up a week earlier and yet another boat will be there a week later. As always, a good time is expected. I will go over some of the highlights of the trip next month in the newsletter.

In the races we have several boats registered and a few are doing very well. Right now first place is nip and tuck. Solus is certainly the boat to beat, however Crocus just keeps on surprising. Gromit is also in the running. Remember, the SYSCO One-Design Regatta in August is also a great event to try out your talents. August 10-11.

The weather has been nice for sailing these last few days. High temps and good wind make for very enjoyable evenings. The SYSCO  Delta cruise is coming up for those of you that are looking for a local event to participate in. It encompasses a week long cruise down the Columbia River to Astoria and back again. If you haven't made this trip, it is well worth the time.

Race committee duty is coming up again. July 16 is the date. If you are interested, please contact Mike McGrath for information. If you are wondering how the races are setup and run, this is an excellent opportunity to check it out. We promise to take it easy on you.

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

The Race Committee Needs You July 16th
By Dale Mack 

As Race Captain this year, Mike McGrath needs to recruit you to serve with him as part of the Race Committee for July 16 (Tuesday).  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 Principal Race Officer (PRO) for the night, that's me, 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.

In addition to the Principal Race Officer, we need to fill the following five (5) other race committee positions:

• 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 race committee 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.  We will use my Catalina 30, Celtic Myst as the race committee boat, and Fleet 20 will provide snacks, dinner, and beverages while onboard.  Celtic Myst has life jackets for nine, but you may want to bring your own for comfort reasons.

Our typical pre-race activities will include:

• 4:45 pm - Transfer Race Committee equipment from Pancho to Celtic Myst
• 4:45 pm - Race Committee volunteers arrive at Celtic Myst
• 5:00 pm - Celtic Myst gets underway
• 5:30 pm - Celtic Myst anchored at starting line
• 5:30 pm - Remaining Race Committee volunteers arrive a Pancho
• 5:35 pm - Pancho gets underway
• 5:40 pm - Principal Race Officer (PRO) decides which race course(s) to set
• 5:45 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 Celtic Myst
• 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)

We are still looking for volunteers, so please call Mike Hibbs (503-658-8522) or Mike McGrath (360-604-7967) if you can help out.

One-Design Regatta
By Dale Mack

August 10-11.  The absolute best Catalina 22 racing event of the year on the Columbia River is coming up in August.  SYSCO's annual One-Design Regatta is an outstanding five race, two day extravaganza you and the crew are sure to enjoy.

The first warning signal goes up at 1400 hours (2 pm) on Saturday and Sunday, and no racing starts after 1800 hours (6 pm) on Sunday.  Wind permitting, race committee's typically try to get three races in on Saturday and two in on Sunday.

Compared to our Thursday evening Spring and Summer Series racing, the One-Design has a totally different feel to it.  If you have ever finished a Thursday race and felt like you were just getting into the groove on the last leg, with the One-Design you have the advantage of having more than one race per day.  It's also great being able to discuss between the races what went well, what went bad, and how the team wants to approach the next race.

As boats pass the race committee boat in preparation for the first race, the race committee has typically handed out a notice of where the regatta provided Saturday evening BBQ will be held and where the Sunday evening trophy presentations will take place.  The Saturday and Sunday evening events are a big part of want makes the One-Design such a blast, because there nothing better after a great day of sailing than sipping your favorite beverage and swapping war stories with friends.

SYSCO only requires a minimum of three boats to compete in order to qualify for a One-Design start at the regatta.  Even if you haven't gotten the boat out this year, this is the event you don't want to miss.  Even if you don't know how to race, this is the event you don't want to miss.  As we have been doing this year during the Spring and Summer Series, Fleet 20 has an abundance of former Catalina 22 owners more than happy to crew for those looking for a little help.  Registration for the regatta must be turned in by Friday, August 9.  If you are interested in participating checkout the registration information at One-Design Regatta.  If you have more questions please call Mike Hibbs (503-658-8522) or Mike McGrath (360-604-7967).

SYSCO Delta Cruise
By Vicki Sanborn/SYSCO Cruising Chairperson
Note by Dale Mack

Bill and Vicki Sanborn are former Fleet 20 members and definitely fit into the Friends of the Fleet category.  I'm serving as the fleet's Principle Race Officer for our race committee duty July 16th  because of the confidence Bill imparted to me during times on his boat helping run one of the Tuesday night races.

Laura and I have had to change our intended delta cruising plans because I need to stay closer to home for work reasons, but for those not heading north to cruise the San Juan Islands, we wanted to make you aware of a great Delta Cruise being hosted by SYSCO.  While most folks tend to think about SYSCO and racing in the same breath, SYSCO also has an active cruising program.  In fact, many of the programs presented at the monthly meetings aren't about racing at all.

Bill and Vicki have attended the Delta cruise on a Catalina 22 (they've led past Catalina 22 National Sailing Association West Coast cruises on the Columbia) so they can answer lots of questions you might have.  The Delta Cruise is a great way to explore the river in the company of experienced hands while also giving yourself a chance to meet some of the wonderful people of SYSCO.

Dale Mack

July 27 - August 4.  The 2002 SYSCO Delta Cruise begins as soon as you arrive at Martin Island July 27. This year we have several boats already committed to participate and some will be cutting vacations up North short to join us for some of the best cruising and most fun raft-ups on the river.

Some float plans include Cathlamet, Warren Slough, Mott Island, Astoria (visit the redone Maritime Museum), Ilwaco, Walker Island, and Martin Island.

We invite you to come for the week, or longer, or just for the weekend. Some folks will sail to Cathlamet the first weekend with the fleet, leave their boat and rejoin us Friday evening for the second weekend back to Portland.

Our goal is to rest, relax, sail the boat, enjoy time with friends and family and renew ourselves away from our daily duties.

Vicki Sanborn, 503-286-9257 or upstart@teleport.com.

Beacon Rock & Beyond Cruise 
Starting Friday, August 16
By Dale Mack

The San Juan's cruise will be history, we'll still be looking back with fond memories of the One-Design Regatta, and it will be time to think about where you want to cruise in August.  Celtic Myst and several other Catalina's are heading upriver with the first stop being Beacon Rock state park in the Columbia River Gorge.  The Mack's, Annis', and McGee's made this trip in 2001 and had a great time.  You can read about that trip by clicking here.  For those with more time, the cruise will continue upriver on Monday the 19th and proceed through the Bonneville Dam locks with planned stops at Cascade Locks, Government Cove, and Hood River just to name a few.

The event will be organized as a "progressive cruise" so those with limited time can join at various points. The most popular section by boat will be the first part below Bonneville Dam which could be done within the weekend. However, an extra day on either side of the weekend would make it more do able.  Beacon Rock can be reached after about 6.5 hours of motoring from the I-5 bridge if you decide to skip Friday and catch up with the group on Saturday.

The itinerary for the cruise is very flexible, and the reality is that there will probably be several itineraries in use simultaneously.  For example, an alternative to Cascade Locks is Government Cove just another five nautical miles upriver.  Here's a sample itinerary for the cruise:

Note:  Travel time estimates assume a two knot current, and an upstream speed of four knots and a down stream speed of eight knots.

The 2002 lockage schedule restricts recreational vessel passage to set times.  Upstream lockage is available at 9 am, 12 am, 3 pm, 6 pm, and 9 pm.  Downstream lockage is available at 9:30 am, 12:30 pm, 3:30 pm, 6:30 pm, and 9:30 pm.

Here are some useful web links to visit as you plan your trip:

• How to use the locks
• Maptech's Map Server showing Bonneville Dam
• Cruising the Columbia River - Cascade Locks to The Dalles 
• Port of Hood River
• Columbia River Gorge

Hitchhikers Guide to Racing
By Dale Mack 

Have your bag always packed and be prepared to sail on a boat you hadn't original come down to the marina to crew on.

I, like our Fleet Captain Mike Hibbs pictured right, and several others have been hitchhikers this racing season.  I've really enjoyed bouncing between the various boats and picking up different jobs depending on the needs of the moment.  Each boat is setup a little different and each skipper seeks advice about a different aspect of racing or just plain sailing.

Many of us who are crewing for the Catalina 22 skippers this year have several years of local racing experience to draw on and in some cases are former Spring and Summer Series winners and even former Fleet Champions.  One of the things you notice immediately if you're onboard is there is a lot of talking.  For example, in the pre-start we'll be discussing head sail size, to reef or not to reef, and the favored side of the course.  You'll also hear us counting down the time, keeping the skipper informed of the location of the other Catalina 22's, and keeping the skipper informed of other boats hiding behind the head sail.  As the final minutes tick down to the start, the discussion shifts to when to head for the line.

On the windward legs the team shifts into getting and maintaining speed we compare our performance against our nearest competitor.  Typically chatter sounds something like this:

"Gromit is pointing higher but your speed is faster"

"Stay in the groove, your pointing higher and your speed is better than Solus"

"Ride the lifts and scallop upwind until the lift passes"

"Zephyr is preparing to tack, lets cross his stern and then tack"

"Lets tack now because the wind looks stronger in the middle of the river"

On the downwind (but upriver) legs the boat becomes a lot quieter, partly because the legs are so boring unless the wind is really blowing.  Ok, I've got to confess I dislike downwind racing on the Columbia River, but the truth is, it is the downwind legs that decide who eventually wins many Catalina 22 races.  Spinnakers would probably make the downwind legs more exciting, but we haven't taken that step as a fleet.

So as a hitchhiker, what's in my bag you might ask?

Why the small line?  This is a new addition as a result of sailing on boats that weren't rigged for reefing the main or didn't have a boom vang.  I figure with a small amount of line, I can jury-rig just about anything.

Come Join Us

I can't due justice to how much fun you're likely to have crewing aboard one of the boats racing this season.  In fact, better yet, how about racing you boat in the One-Design Regatta in August and let the fleet put some experienced crew onboard your boat so you can enjoy the event without all the anxiety of doing something for the first time.

Racing Conditions in June were Fantastic
By Dale Mack

Three of the SYSCO Summer Series Thursday evening races were completed in the month of June.  Between the high water and great wind, racing has been unbelievably great at times.  We've sailed in high winds and moderate winds, but thankfully no drifters.  While the skies threatened rain in one race, it never appeared, and most races have been held under sunny skies and sailed in t-shirts.

In addition to some of the well known boats racing, this year we've been joined by three new boats.

Blaine Dickason sailing Gromit, #12286, has steadily been improving from race to race.  Blaine joined Fleet 20 and SYSCO this year, and he and his crew have been a great addition to the local racing scene.
Vernon Hollins sailing Zephyr, #9353, is new to racing Catalina 22's, but he already looks like a natural.  Vernon has been making use of the available hitchhiking crew to draw upon the experience of others, and Zephyr has been improving in each race.
Don Bateson sailing Crocus, #4248, is no beginner to Catalina 22 racing.  Don sailed and raced Gold Rush until the boat's blister problem brought about its retirement.

Sail It Fast by Sailing It Flat
By Dale Mack

On windward legs the Catalina 22's hull design seems to perform best between 12 and 15 degrees of heel.  While beyond 15 degree may feel like you are sailing faster, in reality you are sailing slower and probably developing one heck of a weather helm which slows you down more as the rudder begins acting like a brake.  I had heard and read that 12-15 degrees was the sweet spot, so I went out one day with my GPS to take some measurements.  What I found was that past 15 degrees the boat started slowing down (I had already installed an inclinometer on the boat).

While there are all kinds of adjusts to sail shape and trim that can contribute to helping the boat sail flat, my experience in Fleet 20 is that many boat don't have all the toys, ah I mean adjustments I installed on my boat, so I'll stick to three recommendations anyone can do.

1. Hiking Out.  Keep the crew's weight on the high side by hiking out.  If strong winds are expected, race with three aboard.
2. Luff the Main.  The mainsail is a big contributor to heeling the boat.  By luffing the main during gusts, the boat will stay flat and sail fast.  Since steering and managing the main in moderate to strong winds can be a bit much for the skipper to handle, I recommend the installation of a double ended mainsheet  so the crew near the cabin entrance can play the gusts.  Click here for a look at the system I installed.
3. Ride the Lifts.  If you are already hiking out , luffing the main, and you get hit by a gust of wind that wants to heel the boat, then point toward the wind and let the jib luff until the gust passes.  Besides reducing the boat's desire to heel under the pressure of the gust, you'll be scalloping the boat and few more feet to weather.

July 16 (tu).  Race Committee Duty

July 18.  Summer Series, Race #5

July 27 - Aug 4.  SYSCO Delta Cruise

July 27 - Aug 4.  Fleet 20 San Juan Islands Cruise

August 10 - 11.  SYSCO One-Design Regatta

August 16 - 26.  Beacon Rock & Beyond Upriver Cruise

August 30.  Final Friday Night Beer Can Race of the 2002 Season

more...

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.