From the Captain
By Mike Hibbs

Here it is November and the holidays are already upon us.  It is time to think about the fleet Holiday party and new officers for the coming year.  The Holiday party is going to be held at Chris and Ebie Mountfords new place on Hayden Island on December 15th.  We picked that date due to the short duration between Thanksgiving and Christmas this year and felt that a Sunday afternoon would be a better fit for the members than the typical Saturday night timeframe.  I want to thank Chris and Ebie in advance for hosting this gala event. It promises to be great fun.

It seems that Dale Mack has done it again. He has tirelessly put time and energy into the fleet newsletter and for the second year in a row, has won Newsletter of the year award from the Catalina 22 National Sailing Association. Congratulations Dale for a job well done. You have made the fleet newsletter something to be proud of and we in Fleet 20 appreciate your effort.

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

Holiday Party
By Mike Hibbs

December 15.  Please join Chris and Ebie Mountford as they host the Fleet 20 Holiday Party at their home on December 15th.  This very popular event will start off with a potluck dinner, followed by a presentation of the fleet's awards for Fleet Champion and Most Improved Sailor, election of new officers, and will finish with a White Elephant Gift Exchange (click here for instructions on how the exchange works).

Directions to the Mountford's:

Columbia Point West
Building “J”
317 Hayden Bay Drive
503-240-4745

Take the Jantzen Beach exit and go towards the Double Tree Inn on the east side of the Bridge. Take Hayden Bay Drive to the East until you see the Columbia Point West condominiums. Look for Building J and park either in the parking lot or on the street and go to the West end of the J building. The Condo is on the top floor, and the number is #317. Call if you get lost.

Please call Ebie or Chris to discuss what to bring for the Potluck.

2002 Christmas Ship Parade
By Dale Mack

December 8 - 21. This local tradition celebrates its 47th year in 2002.  The Christmas Ship Fleet is an all volunteer group of approximately sixty boaters from the Portland/Vancouver area.  Starting December 8th, the fleet will parade nightly for two weeks along the Columbia and Willamette Rivers. 

A schedule for the Columbia River and Willamette River fleets is available at the Christmas Ship Parade website at www.christmasships.org.

Ideas for 2003
By Dale Mack

The leaves are falling, frost covers everything in the morning, and being greeted by fog is not an uncommon event.  While many Fleet 20 boats have been pulled from the water and are now sitting under tarps on their trailers, it's not too early to start thinking about next year's Fleet 20 activities.

Looking back on 2002, some of our non-racing activities seem to have been causalities of members moving up to larger boats.  While Fleet 20 members still did lots of non-race related C22 sailing, some of our traditional events like the Spring and Fall Rendezvous' saw lower participation.

As we look forward to 2003, I'd like to highlight some of the non-racing activities that are in the works and worth considering as you plan your schedule for next year.

Boat Shows.  The Portland and Seattle boat shows make great land cruise destinations.  In the past for the Portland Boat Show we've gone out to breakfast, visited West Marine, and then migrated to the boat show.  Of the two Seattle boat shows, the Lake Union Boats Afloat Show is the one with all the sailboats, and the Seattle Boat Show is the one with all the gear booths.  The Seattle boat shows lend themselves to Fleet 20 members sharing lunch or dinner together.

Spring Planning Meeting - March.  As much a Fleet 20 social get together as it is a planning meeting.  We typically hold it at someone's home as a potluck brunch.  We'll share and trade photos, relive the previous season's adventures, and discuss some of our plans for the coming year.

Spring Rendezvous in May.  We start off with a group breakfast at one of the local restaurants, and then head down to the boats for a day sail and raft-up.  Past raft-up destinations have included Lemon Island, and Canoe Bay (formerly Grandma's Cove).  At the raft-up, we typically share potluck appetizers.

OWSA Ladies Cruise - May.  The Oregon Women's Sailing Association sponsors an annual Ladies only overnight cruise that several Fleet 20 members have attended in the past.  Since several Fleet 20 members and Friends of the Fleet own larger boats that have attended this cruise, perhaps we could start discussing possible participation at the Spring Planning Meeting. 

Memorial Weekend Cruise.  I'd like to resurrect a cruise Fleet 20 used to participate in more than a decade ago.  This cruise's destination is Martin Island, downriver from the town of St. Helens.  The sail from Portland to Martin Island can be some of the best sailing you've ever enjoyed on the Columbia River.  Once anchored in the lagoon at Martin Island, you can enjoy the long weekend just kicking back or exploring the lagoon in your dinghy or kayak.

Ackerman Island Cruise - June.  Here's an easy overnight cruise upriver to Ackerman Island (just before you get to Camas).  We'll raft-up together just off the beach with the Columbia River All Catalina Association, and enjoy an relaxing afternoon and evening socializing with fellow Catalina owners.  On Sunday we'll enjoy a great sail home.

July 4th Rendezvous.  While several of us have in the past invited friends down to our boats to watch the evening fireworks, how about adding a new twist in 2003.  I'm envisioning something like we rendezvous on the river perhaps between McCuddy's on Marine Drive and the tip of Tomahawk Island.  We'd anchor and raft-up for a couple of hours to socialize and share appetizers.  By 3 or 4 pm we'd break up the raft and head back to our respective marinas to watch the fireworks.

San Juan Islands Cruise & Columbia River Delta Cruise - July.  Still too early to tell whether there is any critical mass around doing either of these cruises as a group.  Both cruises typically target the third or fourth week in July as a starting date.  I know some of the fleet's non-C22's have been talking about going north in 2003, but nothing is firm yet.  As for the Columbia River Delta Cruise, this would be something the fleet hasn't attended since 1993 when former C22 owner and current Friends of the Fleet Bill and Vicki Sanborn hosted the 1992 and 1993 Catalina 22 National Cruise on the Columbia River.  You can find Bill's 1992 story from the cruise reprinted later in the newsletter.  As with the previous cruises, those attending would tag along with the Small Yacht Sailing Club of Oregon (SYSCO) on the Delta Cruise.

Beacon Rock Cruise - August.  The Gorge is one of the jewels of the Columbia River.  This cruise takes you to a spectacular destination, while letting you enjoy some truly awesome scenery.  Typically a combination of sailing and motoring, the cruise is best enjoyed over three days.  A possible itinerary would have the flotilla spend the first night anchored in the protection of Reed Island, upriver from Washougal.  The second day has you arriving at Beacon Rock State Park in Washington, where you'll spend the balance of the day hiking Beacon Rock, exploring in your dinghy, or just relaxing with a book back on the boat.  The trip home on the third day takes only about two-thirds the time it took to reach Beacon Rock because of the assist from the river's current.

St. Helens Cruise - September.  Nothing marks the coming arrival of Fall then the St. Helens Cruise/Race sponsored by SYSCO.  Fleet 20 has a long history of attending this sail from Portland to the St. Helens' City Docks.  The old city docks are scheduled to be ripped out and replaced with brand new docks in time for the 2003 season.  The sail from Portland to St. Helens is great, and regardless of whether you're racing there or just cruising there, you and your crew will enjoy this overnight cruise.  Fleet 20 always hosts a potluck dinner for its members on the docks on Saturday evening.  Sunday morning breakfast at the St. Helens cafe is another long standing cruise tradition.

Sail for the Cure - September.  Started as a grassroots effort by a group of local female sailors, the Sail for the Cure is quickly growing into one of the "must attend" events of the sailing season targeted at raising funds for the fight against breast cancer.  Fleet 20 hasn't participated in this fairly new event, but it's worth considering for 2003.  The event is a day sail topped off with a BBQ on the lawn at Tomahawk Bay Moorage.  Each boat participating pledges $20 for everyone onboard, and must have a female skipper who doesn't necessarily have to be driving the boat, although in Laura's case I think she'll be driving the boat;-))

All Catalina Rendezvous - September.  The Columbia River All Catalina Association (CRACA) is moving the date of their annual rendezvous to avoid conflicting with the Sail for the Cure.  This is definitely a Catalina love in, from Capri 18's to Catalina 42's you'll be surrounded by fellow Catalina owners sharing a weekend together.  There is usually a potluck dinner on Saturday, a potluck breakfast on Sunday, and lots to see and do in between.  Socializing and touring boats is a popular pastime during the event.  The location of the event has moved about year to year, but every destination selected to date, and the possible destinations for 2003 are easily within reach of a Catalina 22.  Click here for a story from the 2002 rendezvous.

SYSCO Awards Banquet - October.  So why would you want to go to an awards banquet for an organization you might not even belong to?  First, the event is not restricted to SYSCO members, and the camaraderie and food has a reputation for being great.  Secondly, several members of Fleet 20 and their race crews are members of SYSCO, so you'll be spending the night at a table talking with folks you know.  And thirdly, as long as the Catalina 22's in the Portland area keep showing up to the races with three or more boats, SYSCO will award the Catalina 22 fleet trophies for the Spring Race Series, the Summer Race Series, and the One-Design Regatta.  It's a fun event and typically well attended by fleet members who race.

Coon Island Cruise - October.  Yes, I know many folks have pulled their boats by October, but for those that haven't here's something new to consider.  About a four hour motor from Tomahawk Bay Moorage is Coon Island on the Multnomah Channel.  Laura and I lead the CRACA Halloween Cruise to Coon Island this year and we had a lot of fun.  Click here to see a story from this year's cruise.  We brought a portable propane heater to take the chill out of the cabin in the evening and in the morning.  Yeah I know I went in my C30 and not a C22, but here's why I think the cruise is doable in a C22.  First, my C30 motors at between 5 and 5.5 knots, which is less than the 6 knots I'm used to in a C22.   Secondly, we spent most of our time off the boat socializing so boat size wasn't a factor.  Thirdly, as I mentioned before we used a propane heater, which I figure would heat up a C22 faster than a C30.  And lastly, as we were motoring home on Sunday, we passed a Catalina 22 going the opposite direction on Multnomah Channel (honest, I have video tape).  Ok, maybe this activity fits into the nice try Dale category, but I thought I'd throw it out anyway.

OCSA Tropical Party - November.  The Oregon Corinthian Sailing Association (OCSA) is the governance council for sailboat racing in the Portland area.  They sponsor an annual tropical party at the Portland Yacht Club.  This event is open to all sailors (not just OCSA members).  The Tropical Party is one of the great end of year events for Columbia River racers and cruisers.  Cocktails start at 6 PM, dinner begins by 7 PM, followed by a short but very humorous OCSA Awards presentation of awards such as the "Sandbox" to the person with the most time spent on a sandbar.  There is also a Silent Auction, Door Prizes, Costume Contest, and Dancing 'til Midnight.

Fleet 20 Holiday Party - December.  This very popular event starts off with a potluck dinner, followed by a presentation of the fleet's awards for Fleet Champion and Most Improved Sailor, election of new officers, and finishes with a White Elephant Gift Exchange.  Held at at member's home, it is always well attended, and full of good cheer.

Well there you have it, a full year of potential Fleet 20 activities and not a single one focused on racing a boat.  I hope as you think about how you'd like to spend some of your boating time in 2003, you'll consider attending one of these many opportunities.

Catalina 22 NSA West Coast
Cruise of the Columbia River
Story and Photos by Bill Sanborn, Fleet 20, Portland
Reprinted from Mainsheet, November 1992, pgs. 69-71.

Editor's Note:  As Fleet 20 members start thinking about cruising plans for 2003, this story from 1992 is reprinted in hopes of encouraging folks not heading north to the San Juan's to consider joining the Delta Cruise hosted by SYSCO.

In August, some 100 sailors joined in the bicentennial celebration of the discovery of the mighty Columbia River by cruising its waters from Portland to the Pacific, an event sponsored by the Small Yacht Sailing Club of Oregon (SYSCO), the C-22 NSA, and Catalina 22 Fleet 20 in Portland. Catalina 22s, 25s, and 27s participated, along with many other types of yachts. Additionally, C-22 owners John and Loretta Schnitzius from Cocoa Beach, FL, traveled along the river by car, meeting up with cruisers along the way and camping beside the water. The following are excerpts from an account of the cruise written by Bill Sanborn, the Cruise Director.

David and Barbara Thompson on Boat

Our objective for this cruise was to follow the lead of Captain Robert Gray 200 years earlier. As he sailed into the river, he named it after his American ship, Columbia Rediviva, and he made a chart, which he passed on to a Spanish commander, Bodega y Quadra, who passed the chart along to an English commander, Captain Vancouver. Vancouver sailed into the Columbia River in 1792, sending Lt. Broughton and crew 100 miles upstream in longboats, just past where the city of Portland now sits. In planning this cruise, we wanted to share our knowledge of the river with new explorers, just as Captain Gray passed along his experience to others.

It was truly impressive to sail on the Columbia River with so many newfound friends. While the river is busy with ships, tugs and barges, and fishing vessels, our fleet was also impressive. Radio communications between commercial vessels commented on the presence of so many sailboats on the river in the middle of the week.

We met our guests at the launching ramp at 10:00 a.m. on Saturday morning, August 1. The winds were light, and we mostly motor sailed to our meeting at Martin Island, where the fleet split into three large rafts. I immediately began to make ice cream, and then rowed the dinghy around to give each sailor a large dipper-full of ice cream and a copy of the "Boating Guide to Cruising the Lower Columbia River. " Dinners cooked aboard and introductions all around completed the evening.

On Sunday morning, we were back in the channel at 9:30 on a high tide. The day brought winds of 8 to 10 knots, and we went to weather with our 150s, until the faster boats ahead of us reported winds of 25 and above at Cape Horn. In anticipation, we changed down to our 110s and reefed our mains, and still found our hands full in the face of the wind. About 4:00, at Cape Horn, we entered a narrow channel inside Puget Island. All the boats handled the conditions and the choppy waters without incident. Most of the lake sailors had sailed in similar circumstances, with the current being the only new variable.

BBQ at Cathlamet

Sunday evening at Cathlamet was the only time the entire fleet was together in one place; boats came as went according to their own plans of things to see and do along the way. At Cathlamet, we shared a Columbia River salmon BBQ along the shore. Jim Canton, the editor of "Freshwater News," a local boating paper, did a super job cooking 50 lbs of salmon, corn on the cob, baked beans, and salad. We fed over 100 people, and then held a short skippers’ meeting to discuss various itineraries and cruising options.

Monday was a scheduled slow day, as we waited for a favorable flood tide until 6:30 p.m., in order to sail into Warren Slough. The cruisers used the time to visit Cathlamet, buy groceries, get a hot shower, and to go to Portland and move their trailers into position for alternate pullout sites. Those going toward Astoria via the main channel left early in the day on the ebbing tide.

After lunch we crossed the main channel to a sandy beach, where we went for a swim and the kids searched for floating rocks from Mt. St. Helens. Aboard Windmill, we led the rest of the boats, motoring through Clifton Channel. We were fortunate to make it safely past the Horseshoe Island Light, where the shoals are treacherous. When we reached Warren Slough, we counted 22 boats. We had some excitement getting the rafts anchored, and just as we were tying up, the tide changed, causing quite a scramble until we were able to attach the anchor lines to pilings via the dinghy. Fortunately, everyone stayed calm, and we were able to pass a quiet evening in the secluded anchorage.

Tuesday morning we left on the falling tide for our last outbound leg to Astoria. At Settler's Point we raised our sails for the trip down the North Channel and across the bay to our moorage at West Basin. The wind was light, but the outgoing tide carried us very well. As we came out of the lee of Tongue Point, the wind built, and it was an exhilarating sail, using anchored ships as a slalom course as we tacked down the main channel to our stop at the newly rebuilt West Basin.

Tuesday evening, we discovered that 40+ people can push a Hunter 40 below the boot stripe, as we crowded aboard Tom and Sue Stoe's boat for drinks. Later, the group spread out to dinner at several Astoria restaurants. We also took advantage of the marina's showers and re-iced our coolers. Some couples took advantage of the rooms at the Red Lion Motel, which overlooked the marina, in order to have a night off the boat. Others enjoyed an evening of dancing to live music in the motel lounge.

On Wednesday we visited the Columbia River Maritime Museum, which has a detailed display of the history of the river, including that of the native inhabitants, and how the maritime use of the river affected the development of the West and world trade. We toured the retired lightship Columbia, which is now a floating part of the permanent museum display. We also toured the USCG cutter Reliance and heard stories about drug interdiction, fishing patrols, and rescues at sea.

After the tour we went back to our boats for lots of relaxing, reading, sharing of information, and a sail on the bay. Some of the cruisers went fishing and returned with their legal limit of salmon.

Flood tide and tailwind made for fast ride for Bob Watt on Dawn.

Thursday morning we were greeted with rain. Two inches fell in 12 hours, but in the midst of a prolonged Northwest drought, the rain was welcome. Our goal for the day was to sail off the wind back to Cathlamet on the flooding tide. The ride can sometimes be very wild, and the wind was building all morning, so sail selection was problematical. We opted for the 110, adding the main as conditions warranted. About five miles out, the wind lightened, and we added the main, experimenting with both the jib and the cruising spinnaker on opposite sides. We decided the cruising spinnaker alone was the best option, because we were sailing by the lee to avoid gybing, and in flatter water the auto helm kept the boat on course. We arrived at Cathlamet late in the afternoon, where other SYSCO Delta Cruisers awaited us. We joined up for a dinner of Belt Buster hamburgers in the town.

On Friday, while many of the cruisers decided to go back toward Portland to end the cruise on Saturday, Vicki and I did not like to be like the horse who speeds up the closer to the barn he gets. We headed toward Walker Island and a good anchorage protected from the wind by a high bluff. We were able to sail all the way. Late in the afternoon the wind rose and, with the help of the incoming tide, created high waves and an exciting ride. The crew of Boat reported 7.1 knots on their knotmeter, with lots of 6+ knot readings.

That evening, six C-22s rafted up, and Vicki and I made a gallon of ice cream to share. During the night, as the tide turned, LaToy's stern anchor pulled loose, but the three bow anchors held firm against the current, so we allowed that we would not drift out to sea by morning.

While Mike and Matt enjoy time on the bow, Cindy Peterson is at the helm of Fire Cat.

We broke up the raft midmorning on Saturday and headed to St. Helens, motoring due to a lack of wind coupled with a low battery. One fellow told me later it was the first time he had used his engine to recharge his battery and was surprised how well it worked. We were now down to four C-22s, and we all stopped at the city docks at St. Helens. During the afternoon, a race out of Portland to St. Helens brought a fleet of 25 boats and crews to share the docks with us. Vicki and I knew most of the sailors, so we had an enjoyable meeting.

Only three crews elected to stay on their boats, so we cleaned out our coolers and fixed a potluck meal. We met up on Boat with Dave and Barbara Thompson and Warren and Marilyn Welsh from At Last. It was an enjoyable evening, which we completed by going to a movie up the street from the docks.

The next morning, Sunday, several of the SYSCO Delta Cruisers arrived from Martin Island and joined us for breakfast at the St. Helens cafe. After the meal, all the racers from Portland, the cruisers who had just joined us, and our four C-22s sailed for Portland. It was a beautiful spinnaker run, and the large fleet made a statement about how sailing is alive and well on the Columbia River.

It is our hope that when people cross the Columbia River on the way to the San Juan Islands, they will realize it is more than just a bridge they are crossing, it is the greatest river on the Western slope of the American continent, with good wind, warm, fresh water, sandy beaches, and no crowds. As I told our guests all week long, "The river is open 365 days a year." The SYSCO Delta Cruise of the Columbia River is an annual event, and we invite you to join us in 1993.

Editor's Note:  In 2003, the Catalina 22 National Regatta will be held on Cascade Lake, Idaho, just north of Boise.  What follows is the first in a series of reprints of articles from the 1991 National Regatta which was also held on Cascade Lake.  Since nearly a hundred Northwest Catalina 22 owners read the Fleet 20 newsletter each month, we're hoping these reprints generate some Northwest interest in attending the 2003 National Regatta either as a racer, crew or as a cruiser/spectator.

Racing the Nationals in a Winged Keel C22
By Bob Baker, Fleet 4, Sacramento, CA
Reprinted from Mainsheet, November 1991, pgs. 76-77.

It was September when we first talked about going to the Nationals in Idaho. Janice, my wife and crew, and I were successful racing our winged keel in local fleet races and looked forward to seeing how the boat would perform at the national level. Our boat, Prime Time, had always been competitive on reaches and downwind legs, but seemed slower than swing keels on the beats. We had raced three full seasons but still felt we could do more tuning to increase our upwind speed. Our local sail manufacturer, Sharon Hart of Hart Sail Design, had been very cooperative in helping us to get the best out of our Hart sails, which were designed for light air. While at the Nationals, Chris Snow of North Sails of San Diego, went out with us to brush with Terry Cobb in his Catalina 22. Chris was very helpful in tuning both boats. It turned out that both 22s needed to have rigging and sails set much looser to improve upwind boat speed. We also picked up a new North Genoa that Chris just happened to have along to use with our Hart main.

Janice and I, along with five other Sacramento Catalina 22s, arrived in Idaho Friday before the Nationals. A local weekend regatta was taking place, and we signed up. The winds varied from a light 5 knots to 20-knot gusts. Usually we were not fast in heavy air, but we seemed to be getting better at driving the boat in the gusts by dumping as much mainsheet as necessary. We usually have much less rounding up problems in our winged keel than the swing keels have. This seemed to help us, and we received first place for the two-day regatta. With a Monday break for shopping and dinner, we felt we were ready for the Nationals.

On Tuesday, the first day of National racing, we had two fair starts and held our own upwind. We received two 7ths but could have had two 4ths if I had made some better tactical decisions. On Wednesday, the wind came up for the start of the race, a reverse course. We read the second mark on the course sheet wrong and were 26th around the second mark, two minutes behind the boat ahead of us. Fortunately, it was a long race, and the wind dropped and clocked to a run. We worked our way up to a 4th place at the finish, about 30 seconds behind the first place boat, Jerry Ingalls, who was also from Sacramento. Going into the final day of racing, we were tied for fifth. We felt like we had good boat speed after the second day when we had loosened the rigging even more and were ready for the last day of racing.

Janice likes to tease me from time to time and proceeded to take pictures up until the 5-minute gun of both races while I tried to maneuver in the starting area. We ended up with good starts in both races, no thanks to the camera, and rounded the first mark in the top 10. It appeared we were sailing faster than all other boats downwind. I heard later four previous national champions as well as other racers were taking a poll to make it illegal for the winged keel to race downwind legs. We received a 2nd and 4th on the last day, giving us a 3rd overall for the Nationals.

Included are some details of our racing strategy for interested winged keel racers.

Boat Setup: Removed excess life rafts, paddles, and sunshade but retained a port-a-potty and ice chest.

Mast Rake: Rake back with main halyard hanging 13 inches from mast at boom level.

Stay Tension: Uppers 450 pounds, rear lowers 300 lb., forward lowers 250 lb., and forestay 180 lb. both upwind and downwind.

Genoa: Sheet on inboard tracks, 5 to 6 inches off spreader. Halyard tight enough to remove most wrinkles from luff, but not all of them.

Main: Cunningham on lightly upwind with a few wrinkles still in sail luff and loose on reaches and runs. Boom vang very lightly snug on all legs. Traveler all the way to windward on beats. Outhaul tight with two-inch shelf on beats and loose with full shelf on reaches and runs.

Hull: Factory blister guard with keel only sanded to remove paint bubbles.

Upwind: Always keep the boat moving at maximum speed while maintaining point. When in doubt, go for boat speed instead of pointing, but never let the lee side genoa telltale luff.

Reaches: Janice works the genoa sheet constantly and tells me when to trim the main. Main leach telltales flow about 20% of the time.

Runs: Never sail dead downwind, but always on a very slight reach. This requires good whisker pole jibes.

In closing, we recommend you try the next national regatta. We learned more about racing in three days at the Nationals than in two years of regular sailing. We also met great new friends, ate wonderful food, and have memories to last a lifetime. Thank you, Bob Wood and family, and all other Idaho fleet members for such a good time.

Tarp Support
By Dale Mack

So there you are with memories of last year's ripped tarp in your head, and you're getting ready to repeat the same mistake again.  If you're like me you've ripped and patched a couple of tarps, used split tennis balls on the stanchion tops, and even tried a more expensive heavier gage tarp.  In search of a cheap better solution, the operative word here is cheap, I spied this Catalina 22 ready to be covered with a tarp.

This boat uses less than $10 in 1/2 inch PVC to create a frame for the tarp and minimize some of the chafing that occurs on the stanchions.  Each PVC pipe has to be cut to length for its specific location on the boat so that it will span from one lifeline to the one on the opposite side.  A hole has been drilled in each end of the pipe and a small piece of twine lead though which is used to secure the pipe to the lifelines.  Each pipe is then labeled with a permanent marker starting with "1" at the bow and continuing aft.  The numbering helps remind you next year the correct order of the pipes.

The spacing of the pipes along the boat's length is up to you, but it is recommended that a pipe be placed on each side of a stanchion within about 6-8 inches of each other.  Since the stanchions tend to be a major chafe point, this doubling up of the pipes helps extend the life of your tarp.

While snow loads aren't typically a concern in the Portland area, I'd still recommend you consider adding at least one and possibly two mast supports.  These supports can be simple 2x4's placed between the mast and the boat.  I'd place the first support so it rests on the mast step.  Drill a hole through the 2x4 so you can run a piece of line and then tie it to the mast so it would hang from the mast if the mast were lifted.  The second support I place about equal distance between the mast step and your aft mast carrier.  Attach the 2x4 to the mast in the same fashion described earlier.

Good luck with your next boat project.

November

• 16, Annual Tropical Party @ PYC (open to all sailors)

December

• 15 (su), Holiday Party and election of new officers

January

• 4-12, Portland Boat Show
• 17-26, Seattle Boat Show
• 17-26, Lake Union Boats Afloat Show

See the calendar

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.