From the Captain
By Dale Mack, Catalina 22 Fleet 20 Captain

Happy Holidays to everyone.  I hope you and your family are doing well.  As I look back on 2008 I'm reminded of the wonderful year of sailing we've enjoyed.  On the racing side, participation was good and the use of spinnakers has made the Catalina 22 a fun boat to race on the Columbia River in spite of the current.  Cruising once again found fleet members exploring the San Juan Islands, gunkholing along the Columbia River, and enjoying the delights of a day sail with family and friends.  May you have a prosperous sailing season in 2009.

Farewell

December marks the end of my term as the Catalina 22 Fleet 20 Captain and this will be my last Fleet 20 newsletter.  I've sold my share in Crocus to Don Bateson (my partner in the boat).  So ends my twenty-one year love affair with the Catalina 22 (I purchased my first C22 in 1987).  It's been a delightful experience that has taught me so much and brought me in contact with many wonderful people.

The Macks joined Fleet 20 in the summer of 1997 after moving here from Boise, Idaho.  What we found was a small group of enthusiastic C22 sailors who both cruised and raced their boats.  Today I still know many of those former Fleet 20 members even though they eventually moved into larger boats.  Laura, Sean and I look back with very fond memories of our cruises to the San Juan Islands and the Canadian Gulf Islands with Fleet 20.

Laura and I will continue our cruising adventures aboard Celtic Myst, our Bayliner 38 motoryacht.  As for the 2009 racing season, I anticipate I'll be crewing aboard one of the cruising class boats, since my desire to race sailboats hasn't diminished.  Is another sailboat in my future?  Probably yes (at least for racing), if the past is any indication.

See you on the river,

Dale

2008 Christmas Ships Parade
By Dale Mack

December 10 - 21. The Christmas Ship Fleet is an all volunteer group of approximately sixty boaters from the Portland/Vancouver area.

Starting December 10th, the fleet began its 54th year of parading 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.

January 3-11.  It's hard to believe that the Portland Boat Show begins its nine day run in less than a month.  For many the show kicks off the planning for the new sailing season in the Portland/Vancouver area.  Admission to the show is $10.00 (free to children 12 and under).

The show opens at 11 am on the weekends, so this is a great opportunity to go out to breakfast, browse around West Marine, and then head over to the show.

January 23 - February 1.  The Seattle Boat Show and the Lake Union Boats Afloat Show run from January 23 - February 1.   Be sure to visit the boat show websites for details on admission and discounts on tickets and parking.

Fleet 20 Newsletter Reaches a Milestone
By Dale Mack

This edition of the Catalina 22 Fleet 20 newsletter represents the 108th issue since first going online in January of 2000.  As the newsletter's editor, I want to thank everyone for sharing their photos and stories, and allowing me to tag along occasionally.

Chronicling the adventures of local Catalina 22 enthusiasts has been both fun and rewarding.  Along the way I've had the opportunity to meet a lot of great folks.

Subscribe to the MainBrace
By Dale Mack

I'd like to make you aware of one of the great resources for Catalina 22 owners. The MainBrace is the official magazine of the Catalina 22 National Sailing Association (www.catalina22.org) and has been in continuous publication since 1972.

The MainBrace is mailed to Association members six times a year (January, March, May, July, September, and November).   The magazine contains articles about cruising, technical tips, family activities aboard C-22's, racing, regatta notices, and news from more than sixty Catalina 22 Fleets spread across the country who conduct many local activities.  Information on how to join the Association and get the magazine is available at www.catalina22.org .  The cost to be a member of the association is only $27.50 a year.

Editor's Note:  Part one appeared in the November newsletter.

Day 2

I Departed Sand Island at 9:00 am and arrived at Walker Island at 12:00 pm. I awoke about 7:00 am and cooked up some breakfast on Promiseland’s slide out galley.  It was a cool and foggy morning and the fog was getting thicker, to the point I couldn’t see past the tip of the Island.  I decided against departing until the fog lifted as there is a good amount of commercial traffic along this stretch of the river and Promiseland doesn’t have a radar reflector.  I spent the next couple of hours rigging the sails, and decided to pull out my autopilot.  I had never used my autopilot before and decided today was the day as there was no wind and I would be motoring to my destination.

Looking north from Sand Island on a foggy morning, a good time for another cup of coffee!

The fog cleared about 9:00 am and I was off.  My Autopilot is now a good friend of mine and affectionately referred to as Auto.  Auto enabled me to review my charts, eat, walkaround the boat, and put on my fowl weather gear for the occasional rain shower without having to hang on to the tiller. This turned out to be a whole new world of freedom while single handing.

The reach of river from St. Helens to Longview is a combination of sandy beaches, forested Islands, and industrial ports with huge ships.  I enjoyed all of it very much.  The river is wide, deep, and easy to navigate. At one point near the Oregon shore my depth sounder reported 140 feet!  People were beachcombing and camping along many of the beaches and there were numerous coves, sloughs, and places a Catalina 22 could easily explore, some would require raising the keel and motoring, but being able to do that is one of the reasons I enjoy these boats so much.

I noticed my three-gallon gas tank was half empty (Promiseland’s motor gets about 30 miles a gallon at 5.5 knots– another reason I really enjoy Catalina 22s), and knowing I would likely have to motor home the next day, I stopped in Kalama for gas. The Kalama fuel dock offers diesel and unleaded fuel with a single, self serve, automated pump that only takes credit or debit cards. I sacrificed my plastic card offering to the pump and filled my small tank. A few minutes later I was on my way again.

I motored past Rainier which I found to be a rustic, charming town to view from the river. Rainier has a public dock with easy access to the small City. There’s a gas station, restaurants, pubs, a hardware store, and a grocery store within walking distance from the public dock. I didn’t stop, and instead continued on toward Longview. I approached Longview and passed under the Lewis and Clark Bridge. The charts show the bridge having over 1,000 feet of clearance, plenty for Promiseland.

Rainier – an easy walk to gas and groceries here, but the public dock can be extremely rough and wet if there are waves from wind and boat wakes. There’s also a Saturday market in the summer that’s very near the public dock for fresh veggies and fruit. Lewis and Clark Bridge near Longview

I awed at the huge ships in port at Longview and continued motoring on toward Lord Island. Walker and Lord Islands are about four miles downriver from the Lewis and Clark Bridge, and the opening to the slough behind the islands is at the downriver side of red buoy “10”. The channel is close to the Oregon shore and the depth at the entrance to the slough was about 15 feet. There are wood dolphins and piles projecting out toward the channel along both sides of the slough. I don’t recommend navigating the slough in the dark.

Once behind the islands the channel deepens to 22 – 40 feet. About 1.5 miles up the slough there’s a nice dock that’s not shown on the chart. The dock can accommodate about six to eight boats and does not have power or bank access. There’s very good anchorage along the islands in the slough. The bottom is mud and sand and the depth very gradually decreases as you approach the islands’ shoreline. There was one other sailboat anchored off of Walker Island and four boats at the dock. I raised my keel and anchored at low tide, just off the downriver tip of Lord Island in about six feet of water. As the tide came in the depth under Promiseland increased to about nine feet.

Promiseland at anchor looking at Lord Island.

The area behind the islands is very beautiful and reminiscent of the scenery around Beacon Rock. The Oregon shore is lined with a forest of fir trees covering a bluff wall that comes down and meets the water.  There are a couple of rock cliffs with coves along Oregon shore where the water is over 40 feet deep. There were two Bald Eagles soaring around and I watched two salmon jump completely out of the water not far from my boat.  There were numerous birds including the largest Great Blue Heron I’ve ever seen that poked around the bank about 40 feet from my boat for several hours gobbling up small fish.

Looking at the Oregon Shore while anchored behind Lord Island.

I put on my swim trunks, lowered the swim ladder and climbed into the water to cool off. I quickly discovered a decent current and decided it would be better to hang onto the swim ladder and rest in the water and not attempt to swim. The water was very clear and I could see the bottom of my rudder, which is disappointingly covered in algae only six months after new bottom paint.

Later in the afternoon a 36-foot Hunter sailboat came in, explored around for a good spot, and anchored about 100 feet from Promiseland. We exchanged waves and our boats swung around our anchors as the tide changed. That evening I heard a group of Coyotes howling on the Oregon shore. A few minutes later a group from the Washington shore started in and they went back and forth for several minutes. Their songs echoed off the bluff across the anchorage and it sounded like I was in a giant concert hall at a coyote opera. I heard three loud, and very close splashes to my boat in the dark. I couldn’t see the shore, but made out three deer swimming across the slough from the island to the Oregon shore. That night the sky was absolutely clear and I watched several shooting stars as I snacked on some hot Jiffy Pop. The anchorage was glass calm that night with no wind or waves, and it was so quiet my ears were buzzing as I crawled into the forward berth to sleep.

Day 3

I didn’t wake up until 9:30 the next morning; I’ve never slept that long and that well at home, let alone in the small, lumpy v-berth on Promiseland.  There was a layer of sea smoke rising off the water and Promiseland was connected at the hull of her reflection in the water mirror below us.  I cooked up another breakfast on the stove, made some coffee and thought seriously about taking an extra day off and staying another night.  Unfortunately the real world doesn’t make exceptions so I cleaned up the dishes and made ready to get underway for civilization.  I pulled the anchor at about 11:00 am and headed down the slough. Pulling out of the slough and back into the river I realized something I hadn’t paid much attention to on the way downriver, the City of Longview is directly across the river from Walker and Lord Islands. I was merely a river-width away from a city with an industrial port, yet I was completely isolated while tucked away behind the islands.

I pointed the bow up a windless river, woke up Auto for work, and began the long motoring trip home. I pulled into Tomahawk Bay at 9:00pm that night, happy to have accomplished another Columbia River exploration with Promiseland.

Some afternoon sun on the river as we head back to Tomahawk Bay.

Where Do You Want to Go?
Looking Ahead to the 2009 Cruising Season
By Dale Mack

Whether you only day sail your boat or enjoy the occasional overnight aboard, here are a few of the locations you should consider visiting in 2009.

Cruising the San Juan Islands

Are you thinking about cruising the San Juan Islands in 2009?  This is a great trip in a Catalina 22.  Destinations like Roche Harbor, Friday Harbor, and Deer Harbor, just to name a few offer great docks and wonderful shore side attractions.  For those wishing to anchor out, locations like Garrison Bay, Double Island, and Sucia Island offer protection and scenic views.  Cap Sante in Anacortes is a great jumping off point for this cruise.

Portland Destinations

Here are my picks for nearby overnight destinations for those in the Portland area.  These locations are also great day sail locations for quick rendezvous':

• 0.7 nm downstream from the Interstate Bridge
• Schooner Creek Boat Works calls the cove home.
• The bay is public property.
• The cove is protected from the river's current.
• Boats typically raft up
• In the late summer it is a great location to swim and bring the dinghy.
• A low tide there is a wonderful sandy beach near the entrance.

Lemon Island - North Side

• 4.5 nm upstream from the Interstate Bridge
• Typically anchor off the beach or nose into a sand bar
• The cove between Government Island and Lemon Island is wonderful if the water is high enough to get in.
• Nice sandy beaches
• No shore side facilities
• Wonderful sail back

• 8.7 nm upstream from the Interstate Bridge
• Wooden docks with land access
• Not as nice as the Government Island, East Docks because the facility is showing its age, but still very much worth consideration.
• No sand beaches
• Can sometimes be less crowded.
• Ashore there are campsites with picnic tables and fire pits
• Outhouse facilities are available

• 9.1 nm upstream from the Interstate Bridge
• Newly rebuild in 2004 with concrete docks and an aluminum ramp to shore
• Covered picnic structure
• Campsites with picnic tables and fire pits
• New composting toilets
• Lots of sandy beaches
• Avoid outer docks, because the wakes of  passing boats will make for a bumpy stay.
• If you motor there because the wind isn't cooperating, the sail back is usually wonderful.

• 9.9 nm from the Interstate Bridge.
  • 4.2 nm downstream to the Willamette River
  • 2.6 nm up the Willamette River
  • 3.1 nm down the Multnomah Channel
• Very nice wooden docks with shore access
• No campsites, picnic tables, or fire pits
• No shore side toilets
• The Columbia River and Willamette River legs of the cruise can be nice sailing.

What is a Typical Fleet 20 Day Sail
By Dale Mack

If you're like many in Fleet 20, you probably day sail your boat, with perhaps an occasional overnight thrown in.  Furthermore, you probably rarely sail with, or raft up to other Catalina 22's when you do get out.  Fleet 20 has traditionally organized a couple of on the water rendezvous to give folks an opportunity to mingle with other Catalina 22 owners, and checkout each other's boats.

What Do We Do on a Day Sail?

Lemon Island, near the I-205 bridge is a common Fleet 20 day sail destination, so I'll use it as an example of what a day sail might look like.  We start the morning off with a group breakfast at one of the local restaurants near the river (i.e. Elmer's).  After breakfast everyone heads to their boats.  Those who are boat-less would be matched up with a boat looking for crew.  Between 11 and 11:30 we'd rendezvous near buoy "14" and then head upstream to the north side of Lemon Island.  We tend to gravitate to one of two raft up locations (listed in priority order on the photo) depending on the river's level.  Once rafted up, we share snacks and conversation for a couple hours before breaking up the raft and sailing home.

I own a C22 but I don't know anyone else in Fleet 20

My first contact with Fleet 20 was via email when I was still in Boise, preparing to move to Vancouver.  By the time I first met the Fleet Captain in person after several email exchanges I felt like I already knew him.  So if you've never come to a Fleet 20 function consider this an open invitation.  Email is always a great way to get started.

Lay the mast down on a pair of sawhorses and then remove the upper shrouds, and all of the clevis pins that hold the halyard sheaves and the forestay and backstays in place.
With the sheaves removed, you can pull the two halyards.
For some odd reason a previous owner placed caulking on the masthead fitting.  When the system goes back together after the upgrade, no caulking will be used.
The cast aluminum masthead fitting after cleaning with a wire brush.
The new sheaves for this project were purchased from Catalina Direct.  Install the two sheaves and clevis pins without the cotter pins and mark where the holes have to be drilled in order for the halyards to pass into the mast.  If you have a newer masthead fitting, then these holes will already be present.
The two holes marked.
Center punch the marks to prevent the drill bit from wandering.
Drill the two marks.  Gradually work up from smaller diameter bits to a 1/2" bit.
After drilling the two holes to 1/2" diameter you need to smooth the edges to prevent chafing the halyards.
A round rat-tail file is used to smooth the edges of the holes on the topside.
A round rat-tail file is used to smooth the edges of the holes on the underside.
The parts of the casting that come in contact with the mast have been coat with zinc chromate for corrosion protection.
The two exit blocks for this project came from Catalina Direct.  I decided to install mine 2.75" up from the base of the mast.  Some folks install one forward of the centerline and one aft of the centerline in the belief that it reduces halyard to halyard chafing.    I decided to install mine on the centerline of each side of the mast I found there was plenty of room to avoid chafing.
Once the distance from the base of the mast has been determined, you mark the other end of the fitting.  The distance between the two marks represents the length of the slot that will be cut into the mast.
Center punch each end of the slot.
Drill a pilot hole at each of the center punched positions.
Gradually work up from smaller diameter bits to a 1/2" bit.
The process of drilling and cutting aluminum produces a lot of sharp edged waste.
Continually vacuum up the waste to avoid it getting into your clothes or contaminating your work area.
Draw lines between the two 1/2" holes you drilled for the slot.
Remove the metal between the two holds.
Use a flat file to smooth the sides of the slot.
Use a round rat-tail file to smooth the ends of the slot so they don't chafe your halyards.
Install the exit block and mark where the machine screws will go.  Don't drill all the holes first.  Drill, tap, and install one screw and then move onto the next.  This approach greatly improves your chances of having everything line up at the end.
After each hole is drilled it is careful tapped.
All four holes tapped and awaiting the installation of the exit block.
The exit block installed.  The base of the mast is to the right in the photo.
An inside view of the installation showing that the screws don't need to be that long.
The new 5/16" diameter internal halyards installed and in use.  You can also go with 1/4" halyards if you what to reduce weight.

Checkout these links to Northwest Catalina newsletters and local racing:

• Columbia River All Catalina Association (CRACA)
• Sail Portland (hosted by Oregon Corinthian Sailing Association, OCSA)
• Small Yacht Sailing Club of Oregon (SYSCO)
• Oregon Women's Sailing Association (OWSA)
• Catalina Association of Tacoma and South South (CATSS)
• Catalina Association of Puget South (CAPS out of Seattle)

December

• 6 - 21, Christmas Ship Parade

January

• Boat Show:  3 - 11, Portland Boat Show
• Boat Show:  23 - Feb 1, Seattle Boat Show
• Boat Show:  23 - Feb 1, Lake Union Boats Afloat Show

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.