www.c22pdx.org

June 2005
 

From the Captain
By Dale Mack, Crocus, #4248

June's sailing calendar is very full, and it should provide you with lots of opportunities to hook up with other Catalina 22 sailors if you are interested.  I'm planning to be out on the water for the June 18th Upriver Sail (more later in the newsletter) so I'll keep a lookout for you and any possible photo ops.

Racing

For those interested in trying their hand at racing, the SYSCO Summer Series is underway.  You can still signup and participate in the next four races.  If you want to try something really casual, come out and sail in the Friday night Beer Can Races,  they run through August 26th (starting signal at 6:30 pm).

Fleet 20 Roster

Everyone in the fleet should have received an email copy of the Fleet 20 Roster as an Adobe Acrobat PDF file.  As new members join or members send along updates, I send out revised copies.  You can ask for a new copy anytime by just emailing me.

Welcome to Fleet 20

Speaking of membership, we've now grown to thirty-two.  Please join me in welcoming our latest Catalina 22 enthusiast to join Fleet 20:

Stefan Damstrom of Bellevue

Catalina 22 (swing keel), #14306, Delfina.  Stefan sails Lake Washington, Puget Sound, the San Juan Islands, and the Gulf Islands.  If the sail number looks familiar it should, #14306 used to be owned by Fleet 20 Alumni Dennis and Sandy Thomas, when it was known as WindChaser.

Need Crew?

Have you ever wanted to go sailing but needed crew?  If so, I'd recommend you consider inquiring for interest amongst your fellow Catalina 22 owners.  As you'll read later in the newsletter, I was looking for crew to race with me during the SYSCO Summer Series, and I got excellent results by just asking.  You can do the same.  Most Fleet 20 members have email, and their addresses are contained in your copy of the Fleet 20 Roster.  Don't be bashful to ask.  I've had a great time sailing with C22 sailors I meet for the first time online.

Off to My Third Nationals

On June 24-26, I'll be attending my third Catalina National Regatta.  In 1997, Laura, Sean, and I trailered our Catalina 22 Harmony, from Boise, Idaho to compete in the Catalina 22 National Regatta on Lake Tahoe.  In 2004, I crewed aboard Terry Annis' C25 Lematike, in the Catalina 25 National Regatta right here on the Columbia River.  For 2005, I've been invited aboard Bob Gale's and Gail O'Neill's C30, Imagine to race in the Catalina 30 National Regatta on the waters of Puget Sound outside of Shilshole Marina in Seattle.

 

Who Ya Gonna Call?
By Dale Mack, Crocus, #4248

It's a Wednesday afternoon in early May and I'm meeting fellow Fleet 20 member Gary McLean from Sandy, Oregon, who is trailering Sunrise to the M. James Gleason Memorial Boat Ramp in Portland (also known as the 42nd St. Ramp) for the boat's Spring launching.  The week has been wet so I'm carrying my foul weather gear just in case.

Gary called me earlier in the week seeking assistance rigging and launching the boat.  We meet up at about 5:30 pm and set about checking the rig and then finally raising the mast.  As a former road warrior who trailer sailed for the first fourteen years of my Catalina 22 career, rigging the boat is something I've got pretty well down.  Although we managed not to forget, I tend to find folks forget to attach the Windex, topping lift, or spreader mounted flag hoist when raising the mast.  Especially if it has been some time.

Aside from a few sprinkles, the rains held off and we had a pretty simple time launching the boat.  While Gary motored downstream to the boat's berth at Tomahawk Bay Moorage (C95), Gary's cousin and I drove to the marina to meet Gary upon his arrival.

The boat made good time and Gary was just entering the marina as I reached the slip.  At the dock, Gary and I discussed the boat's rigging, while I attempted to decipher the previous owner's layout of blocks and fairleads on the boom, mast, and cabin top.

Sunrise is a nicely rigged boat.  All lines are lead aft, including a single-line jiffy reefing system.  A set of cabin top line clutches handles controls like the halyards.

Look for Gary and Sunrise (#10868) out on the water.

 

  OWSA
Introduction to Spinnakers Class

OWSA Co-Ed Intro to Spinnakers (Cruising & Racing) Class at RCYC

 Weds. June 22 6:30 - 9:30 in clubhouse

Thurs. June 23 6:30 - 9:30 on dock

Fri. June 24 @ 6:00 for optional Beer Can Race

Cost is $40 before June 8 - $50 after June 8

Covers terminology, spinnaker sets, drops, jibes, trimming and sailing angles for both symmetrical & asymmetrical and cruising spinnakers.

For registration contact Alice Stuckey 503 287-9549 or go to www.owsa.net and click classes for registration form.

As of 5/31 we have 10 sign-ups so far, we need 10 more.

 

Cruising

Questionable Weather Makes Lemon Island Rendezvous a One Boat Affair
By Dale Mack

May 21.  The weather had been rainy all week and the forecast for Saturday was only slightly better with scattered showers on and off, and with the probability of rain increasing in the afternoon.

No one had RSVP'd the Lemon Island Rendezvous so I didn't have any illusions that the 1 pm rendezvous point near buoy "14" would find a flotilla of Catalina 22's.  Don Bateson and I met at the boat and caught up on current affairs with each other's families as we readied the boat to get underway.  We left the marina 12:30 pm under overcast skies and no wind.  Undaunted, we made our way to the rendezvous point.  From a being out on the water standpoint it was actually quite nice as evidenced by the fact that I wasn't even wearing a coat.

Failing to find anyone at buoy "14"  we proceeded upriver.  The Spring flow had the tops of the wing dams near Lemon Island awash, so I decided to use our depth sounder/fish finder to navigate between the downstream end of Government Island and the Sand Bar just north of Lemon Island.  Staying close to the tip of Government Island we entered the lagoon and dropped anchor (location #1 on the photo).

The lagoon at Lemon Island is one of those seasonal treats that comes with Spring's higher water.  Our depth sounder never dropped below six feet as we entered, and the lagoon itself showed between  9-10 feet.  The bottom is a sandy mud that the anchor quickly bites into.

With the boat secure, Don and I broke out the snacks and continued our chit-chat of family, friends, and work.  For the next hour or so we enjoyed the most idyllic conditions you can image.  That wind that wasn't present during the upriver trip was now blowing judging from the tops of the trees, but in the lagoon it was calm.  We were surrounded by the sounds of nature as fish jumped about the boat, birds called from the trees, and a family of waterfowl introduced the youngsters to the water.

The wind brought a misty rain that had me putting on my foul weather gear for the return trip.  We decided to forego the sail, so as not to have to dry everything out back at the dock.  Twenty-five minutes later the mist was gone and the boat was in its slip.

I'm sorry others didn't make the rendezvous, but with the questionable weather I sure understand.

 

2005 Cruising Schedule

Date Destination
June  25 - 26 Coon Island, East Dock
July  16 - 17 Government Island, East Dock
Aug. 18 - 21 Beacon Rock (Thursday – Sunday)
Sept. 17 - 18 Sand Island, Upper Dock
(Catalina Rendezvous)
Oct.  22 - 23 Government Island, East Dock

Note:  Fleet 20 cruising is a no host affair.  Most of our destinations overlap with the cruising schedule of the Columbia River All Catalina Association.

 

Come Join in the Summer Sailstice
By Dale Mack

I'm planning to be out there either on Crocus (C22) or Celtic Myst (C30).  I know some of the C25 and C250 folks are also planning to participate.  I figure my crew and I will sail upriver until we get bored or until 4 pm, which ever comes first, and then sail back.


June 18.  Your fellow sailors are sailing “upriver” on June 18th, the Saturday of father’s day weekend and one of the longest days of the year as well.  It is going to be super informal.  Just a bunch of guys and gals out for a day of sailing.

We’ll start at buoy “14” at NOON and head upriver; no formal start sequence, no nothing.  Just be at “14” at noon and start sailing upriver in a giant pack of sailboats.

I know that there will be some Martins and some J/24s.  I would like to see some other boats in a very wide range of sizes (Cal 20/25, Catalina 22/25/27/30/etc., Hunters, J/30s, Ranger 20s, and even BIGGER boats!!).

How far upriver you go is entirely up to you and your crew (and of course the wind and the amount of beer you have on board).  I think that if the wind is good and we can make it to the Camas docks we should stop for a quick bite to eat before heading back downriver, but this is entirely up to you.  If the wind doesn’t cooperate then we can all sail upriver until we get tired of the fun and turn around and head for home.  Sunset isn’t until 9pm or so, so daylight won’t be a problem, and sailing in the dark is fun anyway!

Eric Rimkus
Martin 241 Gladiator
 t.gladiator@comcast.net

 

 
Racing

The Spring Series Was, Well Different
By Dale Mack

A strong 2+ knot current combined with east winds made the Spring Series a challenge this year.  With starts into the current, into the east wind, and across starting lines that were too short for the size of the fleet and the prevailing conditions, crews found themselves taxed trying to maximize the boat's pointing ability without sacrificing the boat speed needed to fight against the current.  Combine that with the fact that other boats were trying to do the same thing at the same time and you start to get a sense of the alertness one had to maintain.  When the east wind was blowing we seem to have little or no wind, and in fact race #4 was canceled by the race committee due to a lack of wind.

Don Bateson, Mike Hibbs, and I never did get the conditions that made us willing to try out our novice skills with the spinnaker, so we stayed with the wing-n-wing configuration.  The one race where it would have been perfect to practice we were short one crew, and decided not to risk the chute with just two of us on the boat.

I'll let Don's smile convey whether we had any fun sailing the Spring Series.  While we had our moments relearning how to sail a Catalina 22 well, they were offset with the times the tracks were smooth, the helmsman got the boat in the groove, and  we were just enjoying being on the water together.

Rigging Changes

Comforting to the crew of Crocus is that the changes to the running rigging worked out very well.  Many of those changes will be featured in future articles in the Technical Tips section.  All lines are lead aft on Crocus which has the added benefit of making single-handing the boat easier.  The biggest learning so far this year is how wonderful having a cunningham on the mainsail can be.  Cunninghams are used to tension the luff of the mainsail or genoa without adjusting the halyard. Luff tension affects draft position and the fullness of the sail.  As the wind's speed increases the draft position tends to move aft causing the sail's shape to be less efficient.  By pulling down on the luff with the cunningham, you are able to pull the draft forward.

SYSCO Spring Series Results

Having a series with only two boats racing might seem strange, but this is a rebuilding year for us as we set our sights on increased participation in future races.  I can tell you from personal experience crewing aboard Crocus, that times when Solus missed a race we were still having a blast matching ourselves up against the 28 and 30 footers in the Cruising Class, catching and passing Cal 20's, and having several of the Ranger 20's chasing us. 

SYSCO Results as Posted
Boat Skipper R1 R2 R3 R4 R5 Points
Crocus Don Bateson DNC 1 2   1 7
Solus Mike McGrath 1 DNS 1   DNC 8

Notes:

  • Race 4 had no wind.
    •
  • DFS, DSQ, DNS, OCS, etc. = 1 + Total number of C22's entered in the series.
  • Solus pulled out in race #2 to serve as race committee when the scheduled race committee failed to show.

Because of Solus' sacrifice in Race #2, Fleet 20 will throw out the race (indicated with [ ]) and score the series as follows:

Fleet 20 Adjustment for Race #2
Boat Skipper R1 R2 R3 R4 R5 Points
Solus Mike McGrath 1 [DNS] 1   DNC 5
Crocus Don Bateson DNC [1] 2   1 6

Congratulates to Mike McGrath and his crew Terry Annis aboard Solus for winning the Spring Series.

 

SYSCO Summer Series
Catalina 22 Racing
June 9, 16, 23, 30, & July 7
By Dale Mack

OK, so you missed the SYSCO Spring Series, and you missed the first race of the Summer Series that began this month.  No problem, you can still sign up and have a great excuse to get out on your boat at least once a week.

Catalina 22 racing is about friendly competition.  More importantly it's about developing our skills as sailors.  Whether you fly a spinnaker or just go wing-n-wing, you'll learn so much while sailing your boat around the buoys.

Don't hesitate to ask anything about racing.  I'm happy to share anything I know.  You can contact me at celtic_myst@comcast.net.

If you are planning to race, you can find the entry form and the Summer Series Race Notice on our website.

Be sure to check out our Fleet 20 Racing page for more assistance.

 

Finding Crew Isn't So Hard
By Dale Mack

When my sailing partner Don Bateson announced that he wouldn't be available for the SYSCO Summer Series, I started thinking of ways to find a replacement crew person.  Colleagues from work were obvious choices, and so were Fleet 20 alumni that had moved up to bigger boats.  Instead, I thought I'd check on the interest level amongst other Catalina 22 Fleet 20 skippers who weren't currently racing their boats.  Prior racing experience wasn't a requirement nor was much sailing experience for that matter since I figured I'd teach folks what they needed to know.  The response to my email inquiry about crewing was nothing short of awesome.  Five skippers immediately responded with their availability.  They were:

  • Joe Bruining, Wingman, #3109

  • Dan Dugan, Harmony, #14286

  • Jim Martin, Balance, #2522

  • Rick Phillips, L H Watt, #1322

  • Tim Taylor, <no name>, #5727

I put together a table of availability:

Availability

 6/9 6/16 6/23 6/30 7/7
Mike Hibbs   x x x x
Dale Mack x x x x  
Tim Taylor x x x x x
Rick Phillips   x x x x
Dan Dugan x x      
Jim Martin x x   x x
Joe Bruining x x x x x

followed by a crew schedule table:

Schedule

 6/9 6/16 6/23 6/30 7/7
Mike Hibbs   x x x x
Dale Mack x x x x  
Tim Taylor x   x   x
Rick Phillips     x x x
Dan Dugan x x      
Jim Martin   x   x x
Joe Bruining x        

Total Onboard

 4 4 4 4 4

While four might seem like too much, it's perfect for teaching skills.  We dedicate one  to the bow and one to each of the genoa sheet winches.  The bow person manages the whisker pole, sits in the bow pulpit when going downwind, and passes in front of the mast while helping the genoa through the tack.

We had our first race together on June 9, and we had a blast.  While we played it real conservative with the start and the mark roundings, we still sailed very well.  The course was C-2-B-2-B-2, and the wind was good enough that we crossed the finish line at 8:15 pm.  Oddly enough the race committee called us done the second time we rounded mark "2" even though we had another lap to go.  The race committee (RC) was flying the "Shorten Course" flag along with the number "2" start flag.  I believe the RC thought they had shortening the course for starts 2-5, but in reality the signals indicated that only the second start was racing a shortened course.  We ignored the RC and sailed our final two legs along with the Ranger 20's we were near.  RC mistakes like this while not common, aren't rare either with local racing.  Race Committees are made of local racers who occasional misinterpret the rules.

I want to thank the guys for coming out and racing with me.  I'm looking forward to the rest of the series.

 

Technical Tips

Tiller Tamer
By Dale Mack

I routinely single-hand Crocus, so being able to step away from the tiller for brief moments of time makes trimming the sheets or going forward to raise or lower the whisker pole a lot easier.  A proven technique I've used before is the "Tiller Tamer" from Davis.  The Tiller Tamer is very simple in design.  A piece of 1/4" line runs into the device, around a sheave, and out of the device.  A knob on top allows one to adjust how much clamping action is applied to the line.  The Tiller Tamer mounts to the tiller with two long stainless steel screws (provided in the kit).  I ran the line around either end of traveler bar and then down to two jam-cleats I purchased separately.  Those with a "new-style" Catalina 22 (1985-1995) can use two stanchions of the stern rail to route the line to the cleats.  

The first time I installed one of these on my first C22 back in 1987 I debated whether to install the device on top or underneath the tiller.  I choose then and I did now to install the device on top of the tiller for ergonomic reasons, and while the mainsheet does occasionally hang up on the knob, it hasn't been the fouling problem I had feared.

Other uses for the Tiller Tamer include securing the tiller at an angle when tied  up to a dock on the river so the boat hovers away from the dock as the river's current passes by the rudder.  In this position you don't have to listen to the fenders squeak all night on cruises as they rub between the dock and the hull.  Another use is maneuvering with the outboard especially when backing.  If you've ever had the tiller nearly ripped out of your hand when backing because you were also steering with the motor, you'll find it a lot easier to just lock down the tiller and use the motor alone.

 

Scuttlebutt

Catalina Newsletters of the Northwest
By Dale Mack

Checkout these links to Northwest Catalina newsletters and local racing:

Columbia River All Catalina Association (CRACA)

Sail Portland

 

     Catalina Assoc. of Tacoma and South Sound (CATSS)

Catalina Association of Puget Sound (CAPS)

Small Yacht Sailing club of Oregon (SYSCO)

 

Upcoming Events

June

  • 9, Race:  Summer Series Race #1
  • 11, TBYC Swap Meet and Pancake Feed, Tomahawk Bay Moorage
  • 16, Race:  Summer Series Race #2
  • 23, Race:  Summer Series Race #3
  • 24-26, Antique Boat Show, Tomahawk Bay Moorage
  • 25-26, Cruise:  Catalina Owners @ Coon Island, East Dock
    •

July

  • 8-10, Columbia River Yacht Showcase, Tomahawk Bay Moorage
  • 16-17, Cruise:  Catalina Owners @ Government Island, East Dock
  • 16, Hayden Bay BBQ, free to sailors
  • 23, Jantzen Bay BBQ, free to sailors
    •

See the calendar

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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.