A View from the Tiller
By Dale Mack, C22, Harmony
The Columbia River All Catalina Association formed just over a year ago, and today we have fifty-five (55) boats registered ranging in size from a Catalina Capri 18, to a Catalina 50. Most incredible is the volunteerism that helps make CRACA go. Whether it's serving as an officer of the association, volunteering to lead a cruise, or just pitching into set up or clean up one of our monthly activities, I want to thank everyone who has contributed to the success of CRACA over the past year.The Newsletter
As the current Communications Officer for CRACA, my main responsibility is maintaining our website (ColumbiaRiverCatalina.org), and publishing an online monthly newsletter. Compared to the local Catalina 22 Fleet 20 newsletter, where I write most of the material, nearly all of the CRACA material is contributed by members who send me stories and occasionally pictures. Besides being a great recruiting tool, producing an online newsletter saves the association hundreds of dollars annually, and requires a lot less energy to produce (I've been the editor for hardcopy newsletters in the past, and online is definitely the way to go).
Our newsletter typically starts coming together during the last week of the month when I send out a reminder to CRACA officers for monthly reports. Most of what you see in the newsletter comes from folks like yourself who contribute articles. My value-added is the web know-how, adding additional graphics and photos, and editing it all into what you see published on the web.
Cruising reports have become a staple of the newsletter ever since the first one was submitted by Jim Himes (C28, R-Time3) after our Delta Cruise last year. I've enjoyed reliving the CRACA cruising adventures through the words and images of those who attended. Recently we've started receiving cruising articles from members just telling us about their weekend outings (this issue has two such articles). I encourage you to write about your adventures because most of us are always looking for new destinations to visit.
Trailer Sailors Heading North to the San Juan and Canadian Gulf Islands
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| Ganges Marina, Saltspring Island, B.C. |
While the majority of CRACA members own boats that don't lend themselves to trailering, about 20% of our membership possess trailerable boats. The local Catalina 22 Fleet 20, which is made up of both Catalina 22's and Catalina 25's, has a San Juan and Canadian Gulf Islands cruised planned for July 28th - August 4th.
If you'd like to tag along on the cruise or just rendezvous with the others during some portion of it, please contact Catalina 22 Fleet 20 Captain Dennis Thomas at d_sthomas@juno.com. More details and a tentative itinerary are available online at the Fleet 20 website.
A Picture of Your Boat
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| C25 Lematike, Terry & Kathie Annis |
Email Submittal
- Any file format is acceptable, but JPEG is the most common.
- Higher resolution is better because I will resize and adjust the photo for the web.
Snail-Mail Submittal
- Mail your photo to Dale Mack (my address is in your roster)
- I'll scan the photo and return the original to you either at a meeting or via the mail.
- If you'd like, I can also email you a digital copy of your photo, including a version suitable for use as a background for your computer's screen (you'll have to tell me what resolution your monitor is set for).
Columbia River All Catalina Rendezvous
September 21-23. Don't forget to send in your registration for this three-day weekend of fun, festivities and socializing with fellow Catalina owners and factory representatives. This year's honored guests are Frank Butler, Catalina Yachts owner, along with Sharon Day, Catalina Yachts Sales Manager.
The event will take place at Hayden Bay, where you can either bring your boat and raft up (40+ boats are anticipated) or drive to the rendezvous. In addition to meeting Frank and Sharon, there will be tours of boats, poolside activities, live music, and dinner on Saturday.
Complete details for the All Catalina Rendezvous are available on the Rendezvous' website. Registration sent in after July 31st will cost you an extra $10.
Secretary/Treasurer
By Kathleen Lewis, C36, Wind Raven
I have placed the order for the August issue of “Mainsheet”. You should receive the issue about August 15th. The new burgee supply has arrived. Please contact me if you would like to have one. Our first attempt at a roster update was sent to all members via e-mail. The complete roster information will not be in the newsletter.
We now have 55 member boats. Our newest members are:
We now have 55 member boats. Our newest members are:
Noel and Ashley DesMarteau of Portland, Oregon
Todd Bellamy
- Catalina 30 - Spice of Life - is at Tomahawk Bay D65
- Catalina 27 - Sail La Vie - is at Steamboat Landing (formerly Greg Branan’s C27)
Wishing fair winds to all.
With a combined experience of over thirty-one years as both youth members and adult leaders in Sea Scouts, Laura and I decided to buy our sailboat in 1987 after viewing a Catalina 22 at the Sacramento Sports and Boat Show. Although I'd had some prior dinghy sailing experience and had crewed aboard some larger sailboats from time to time, the bulk of Laura's and my boating experience had been aboard large power vessels (34-63 foot) that we had operated in Sea Scouts (Laura is a former U.S. Coast Guard licensed operator for passenger vessels).
Picking a name for our new boat had a lot to do with the desired state of mind we wanted while sailing. Free from the noise of a powerboat, and the challenge of watching over other folk's teenagers (Sea Scouts), the name Harmony seemed perfect for us. We sailed Harmony a lot its first two years due in part to Catalina 22 Fleet 4 being located in Sacramento, CA. Until my job took us to Singapore in December 1989, Laura and I had been the Fleet 4 Newsletter Editor and the Cruising Chairman. Fleet 4's active cruising schedule had taken us to places like Lake Tahoe, San Francisco Bay, Monterey Bay for whale watching, and the California Delta.
We settled in Boise, Idaho after our return to the United States, and found getting out on the boat just a little harder because water was further away. When Laura wasn't totally consumed with the affairs of the cafe/bistro and catering business she owned and operated, we did manage to get out occasionally to Lucky Peak Reservoir just outside of Boise, and to Payette Lake in McCall, Idaho.
Prior to relocating to Vancouver, WA in the summer of 1997, we trailered Harmony from Boise to South Lake Tahoe to participate in the 1997 Catalina 22 National Regatta. The week of racing and socializing was wonderful. While not hardcore racers, Laura and I enjoyed the sailing and the opportunity to renew old Fleet 4 acquaintances and to make new Portland, Fleet 20 friends.
For Harmony, 1999 was a milestone year. It was the first time we had left the boat in the water during the sailing season, and we finally accomplished a twelve-year goal of taking the boat to the San Juan Islands. The San Juan and Canadian Gulf islands were spectacular. Fellow Fleet 20 members were so helpful before and during the cruise, that it really helped make this one of our best family vacations ever.
Laura and I enjoy cruising a great deal, particularly in the company of others where you can raft-up at the end of the day and share snacks and stories. Some of my most enjoyable sails have been spent just outside of Tomahawk Bay Moorage tacking from shore to shore while sharing the day's events with Laura. It doesn't get much better than that.
Sailboat racing never appealed to me much in the beginning because the intensity shown by some seemed at odds with why I got into sailboats in the first place. After crewing aboard a fellow Fleet 20 member's boat in 1998, I got a chance to see that at least in the Catalina 22 fleet the racing was casual with the emphasis on fun and learning. With the encouragement of my fellow Catalina 22 skippers, 1999 was my first full year spent racing Harmony on the Columbia River. Just to put things into perspective, for the six months that Harmony was in the water, I spent forty-three (43) days sailing, and of that, less than a quarter of it was spent racing. In 1999 I won the SYSCO (Small Yacht Sailing Club of Oregon) Spring Series for Catalina 22's, and took second in the SYSCO Summer Series. This year I won the SYSCO Spring Series, and was in the lead for Summer Series when I stopped racing after the successful sale of Harmony at the end of June.
Boatless in Vancouver. Harmony is now berthed in its new owner's slip just inside the entrance to Hayden Bay. For Laura and me, this is the first time in fourteen years that we aren't boat owners, a situation we hope to rectify in the coming months as we search for a Catalina 30. In the meantime, I'm crewing aboard Catalina 22's for the Thursday nights races, and aboard a variety of Catalina's for the Friday Night Beer Can races.
This was really a destination – not a journey. The Commodore and First mate traveled to California June 14 – 17 to visit and tour the Catalina factory.
Our journey began with air flight to Burbank and a drive through Los Angeles traffic in the afternoon. It took an hour to get to our hotel and only 30 minutes to do the return trip another day to the airport. Time on the boat is certainly more relaxing most times. Our hotel room let us view the Catalina factory from the 11th floor.
On Friday, June 15, we were met by the customer service / technical support person –David Graas – who took us on a tour of the factory. We saw all sizes up to the C42 that are built at Woodland Hills.
Molds are used to create the hull, top deck, and cockpit area. These pieces are put together showing no seams. Various components are precut for different models and laid out in a prescribed plan. It reminded me a bit of a jigsaw puzzle.
The basic plan of the outside remains the same for each model. All have interior color options and electronic options. Only the C42 has four different interior plans, but the outside remains the same. Many of the components are made to Catalina specs outside the factory.
The tour and explanations of the various steps in the process of making a Catalina was worthwhile. The consistency creates a quality sailing vessel that we all enjoy.
Every Friday night, from June 8 thru August 31, the various yacht clubs of the Oregon Corinthian Sailing Association (OCSA) host an opportunity for all skippers to sail in these not-so-serious, somewhat whimsical, and just-for-fun, races. Skippers new to racing are especially encouraged to participate.
The races are intended to provide a casual platform for acquiring or polishing skills, and typically have themes associated with them like toga night, western night, etc. where crews are encouraged to dress up. The Beer Can races are a great opportunity to share your hobby with friends and family, while attempting to traverse the course laid out by the race committee.
No special knowledge about racing is required to come out and have fun. More details about the races can be found here. Several members of CRACA have participated in the Beer Can races, so there is lots of information available to help you feel comfortable about coming out on Friday nights.
July 25. The July meeting is scheduled as a dinner at the Portway Tavern in Astoria on July 25 during the Astoria Delta cruise. We will need numbers for dinner as we get closer to the meeting date.
It’s been a busy summer already and we’re just beginning. Conflicting obligations kept Shekinah from a couple of the recent cruises but we hear they’ve been nothing but fun.
The Memorial Day Cruise at Martin Slough experienced many vessels from different clubs and was topped off with some true northwestern weather for the return journey on Monday. Many thanks to Kathryn and Brian Lawrence for their Directorship of this activity.
Father’s Day found the CRACA group at St. Helen’s for a variety of activities including a very interesting tour of the paper mills. Marilyn and Walt Wittke’s efforts as Directors for this one are deeply appreciated.
By this printing, our commodore and others will be heading to Barkley Sound, BC. Later in July, the CRACA annual (2nd time) Delta Cruise will be taking place. Dave and Julie Thomas have graciously volunteered to manage this event. It will be interesting in that the Rose City Yacht Club will be doing the same trip – they’re a great group of people and we have several members who are in both clubs. It should be a laid back, fun trip.
There’s still time for you to plan on the August “Up River Progressive Cruise” – Commodore Michael Lewis will be spearheading that one. October seems like a long way off but it’ll be here soon. Ron and Mari Howell have volunteered to direct us for the Halloween Cruise at Sand Island. (The fact that their last name sounds like howl had nothing to do with their generous offer to assist). John & Annie Meyer will direct the last two cruises of the year, Thanksgiving at Canoe Bay (or Government Island) and the Christmas Ships display from Hadley’s landing.
Here’s our pitch – We have a lot of new members to this club, being a Cruise Director is not a difficult job and it’s a great way to get to know some of the members. In addition, those who volunteer get a really expensive, really flashy T-shirt that identifies you as part of an exclusive group. We still have room for volunteers. If you’d like to work with Ron and Mari Howell on the Halloween Cruise it would be appreciated. This has become an annual, multi-club event and a lot of fun. We expect a large turnout and thus an Assistant Cruise Director could be helpful. Additionally, John and Annie Meyer don’t want to steal all the glory so they’d be glad to give up either the Thanksgiving or Christmas Cruise Directorships. Again, and finally, let us stress that these weekend Cruise Director positions do not require Detail Planners, Social Butterflies, Dock Masters, Cooks, etc. The position is primarily required to be a “clearinghouse” for information before and after the cruise. Any additional planning towards the cruise is always welcome and appreciated. So please, call us and volunteer. Please, everyone, express your appreciation to those who have already volunteered! John & Annie Meyer.
July 20-29. Julie and I are acting as cruise hosts with Jim and Marlene Himes as our backups. As of our last meeting, June 27th, we had five boats going downriver. Most folks wanted to leave Friday, July 20th, to spend the night at the public docks in St. Helens. If others want to leave on Saturday we could coordinate a general leaving time on that day also.
Tentative Schedule
We will be contacting the harbormasters at ports of call and the tavern in Astoria to confirm dates and numbers. Please let us know by July 5th if you are planning on the cruise or driving down to attend the July meeting in Astoria. We will get marina maps to cruisers via fax or mail. We welcome questions and ideas.
Dave and Julie Thomas
Catalina 30, Sunchaser
503-682-2935
djthomas@teleport.com
At one of the CRACA meetings it was suggested that we needed more Gunkholing reports. Here’s our latest.
By Memorial Day Weekend, Annie and I found ourselves totally fried (I mean TOTALLY), from work, activities, etc. At the last minute, we decided to forego the Memorial Day Cruise and head off somewhere alone for a weekend of quiet and sleep. Yes, un-social but sometimes that’s us (hey, at least we’re honest!).
We headed to a new locale, the cove behind Reed Island, just above Washougal. It’s a skinny entrance but I had my latest charts, advice from my dock neighbor and my brand new WASS GPS C-Map, Chartplotter. After four groundings we were starting to get discouraged. A radio transmission out of the blue from another CRACA member gave us some much-needed advice and we ignored the charts for a successful entrance in. (For future reference, at buoy 52, head directly south. Enter more towards the center of the channel than on the island side as the charts suggest. We never saw less than 8 feet of water with this approach. Also, if you do hit ground, it’s all soft silt.).
Once inside, we found very safe anchoring in about 12 feet of water with good protection from currents, wind and wakes. We learned our CRACA saviors had had the same need for reclusion as us. I should allow them to remain anonymous but nevertheless, we had a great time getting to know Don and Pam Evans (C320, Dream Catcher) a bit better. In respect for each other, we kept socializing, snoring, etc. to a minimum.
I can’t recommend this cove enough. It was very peaceful, scenic and secure. The current was slow enough that swimming could have been a possibility and the Evans found a side trip in their dingy to be entertaining. By late night there were four sailboats and a couple of power boats anchored with plenty of room for all. If you need more info on this destination, give me a call.
I had visited Beacon Rock State Park by car and had even hiked the trail with my son and dog all the way to the summit, but I had never been there by boat. Laura and I decided that Memorial Day Weekend would be a perfect opportunity to make the trip.
I had estimated that we'd be motoring between six and sevens hours on the way out, and four to five hours on the way back. The following table shows a summary of the log I kept while heading to Beacon Rock using my GPS.
From Sea Scouts to Catalina's
By Dale Mack, C22, HarmonyEditor's Note: This is the first in a series of mini-bios about the boating background of CRACA members. To kick things off, I've written a short piece on how Laura and I came to own our Catalina 22, Harmony.
Picking a name for our new boat had a lot to do with the desired state of mind we wanted while sailing. Free from the noise of a powerboat, and the challenge of watching over other folk's teenagers (Sea Scouts), the name Harmony seemed perfect for us. We sailed Harmony a lot its first two years due in part to Catalina 22 Fleet 4 being located in Sacramento, CA. Until my job took us to Singapore in December 1989, Laura and I had been the Fleet 4 Newsletter Editor and the Cruising Chairman. Fleet 4's active cruising schedule had taken us to places like Lake Tahoe, San Francisco Bay, Monterey Bay for whale watching, and the California Delta.
We settled in Boise, Idaho after our return to the United States, and found getting out on the boat just a little harder because water was further away. When Laura wasn't totally consumed with the affairs of the cafe/bistro and catering business she owned and operated, we did manage to get out occasionally to Lucky Peak Reservoir just outside of Boise, and to Payette Lake in McCall, Idaho.
Prior to relocating to Vancouver, WA in the summer of 1997, we trailered Harmony from Boise to South Lake Tahoe to participate in the 1997 Catalina 22 National Regatta. The week of racing and socializing was wonderful. While not hardcore racers, Laura and I enjoyed the sailing and the opportunity to renew old Fleet 4 acquaintances and to make new Portland, Fleet 20 friends.
For Harmony, 1999 was a milestone year. It was the first time we had left the boat in the water during the sailing season, and we finally accomplished a twelve-year goal of taking the boat to the San Juan Islands. The San Juan and Canadian Gulf islands were spectacular. Fellow Fleet 20 members were so helpful before and during the cruise, that it really helped make this one of our best family vacations ever.
Laura and I enjoy cruising a great deal, particularly in the company of others where you can raft-up at the end of the day and share snacks and stories. Some of my most enjoyable sails have been spent just outside of Tomahawk Bay Moorage tacking from shore to shore while sharing the day's events with Laura. It doesn't get much better than that.
Sailboat racing never appealed to me much in the beginning because the intensity shown by some seemed at odds with why I got into sailboats in the first place. After crewing aboard a fellow Fleet 20 member's boat in 1998, I got a chance to see that at least in the Catalina 22 fleet the racing was casual with the emphasis on fun and learning. With the encouragement of my fellow Catalina 22 skippers, 1999 was my first full year spent racing Harmony on the Columbia River. Just to put things into perspective, for the six months that Harmony was in the water, I spent forty-three (43) days sailing, and of that, less than a quarter of it was spent racing. In 1999 I won the SYSCO (Small Yacht Sailing Club of Oregon) Spring Series for Catalina 22's, and took second in the SYSCO Summer Series. This year I won the SYSCO Spring Series, and was in the lead for Summer Series when I stopped racing after the successful sale of Harmony at the end of June.
Boatless in Vancouver. Harmony is now berthed in its new owner's slip just inside the entrance to Hayden Bay. For Laura and me, this is the first time in fourteen years that we aren't boat owners, a situation we hope to rectify in the coming months as we search for a Catalina 30. In the meantime, I'm crewing aboard Catalina 22's for the Thursday nights races, and aboard a variety of Catalina's for the Friday Night Beer Can races.
A Journey to Catalina Yachts in Woodland Hills
By Kathleen Lewis, C36, Wind RavenThis was really a destination – not a journey. The Commodore and First mate traveled to California June 14 – 17 to visit and tour the Catalina factory.
Our journey began with air flight to Burbank and a drive through Los Angeles traffic in the afternoon. It took an hour to get to our hotel and only 30 minutes to do the return trip another day to the airport. Time on the boat is certainly more relaxing most times. Our hotel room let us view the Catalina factory from the 11th floor.
On Friday, June 15, we were met by the customer service / technical support person –David Graas – who took us on a tour of the factory. We saw all sizes up to the C42 that are built at Woodland Hills.
Molds are used to create the hull, top deck, and cockpit area. These pieces are put together showing no seams. Various components are precut for different models and laid out in a prescribed plan. It reminded me a bit of a jigsaw puzzle.
The basic plan of the outside remains the same for each model. All have interior color options and electronic options. Only the C42 has four different interior plans, but the outside remains the same. Many of the components are made to Catalina specs outside the factory.
The tour and explanations of the various steps in the process of making a Catalina was worthwhile. The consistency creates a quality sailing vessel that we all enjoy.
Friday Night Beer Can Races
By Dale Mack, C22, HarmonyEvery Friday night, from June 8 thru August 31, the various yacht clubs of the Oregon Corinthian Sailing Association (OCSA) host an opportunity for all skippers to sail in these not-so-serious, somewhat whimsical, and just-for-fun, races. Skippers new to racing are especially encouraged to participate.
 |
| Gary Whitney's C28, KASL participating in a Friday Night Beer Can race. |
No special knowledge about racing is required to come out and have fun. More details about the races can be found here. Several members of CRACA have participated in the Beer Can races, so there is lots of information available to help you feel comfortable about coming out on Friday nights.
July General Meeting in Astoria
By Michael Lewis, C36, Wind RavenJuly 25. The July meeting is scheduled as a dinner at the Portway Tavern in Astoria on July 25 during the Astoria Delta cruise. We will need numbers for dinner as we get closer to the meeting date.
Cruising
Upcoming Cruises and Cruise Hosts
By John Meyer, C34, ShekinahIt’s been a busy summer already and we’re just beginning. Conflicting obligations kept Shekinah from a couple of the recent cruises but we hear they’ve been nothing but fun.
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| CRACA at Martin Slough |
Father’s Day found the CRACA group at St. Helen’s for a variety of activities including a very interesting tour of the paper mills. Marilyn and Walt Wittke’s efforts as Directors for this one are deeply appreciated.
By this printing, our commodore and others will be heading to Barkley Sound, BC. Later in July, the CRACA annual (2nd time) Delta Cruise will be taking place. Dave and Julie Thomas have graciously volunteered to manage this event. It will be interesting in that the Rose City Yacht Club will be doing the same trip – they’re a great group of people and we have several members who are in both clubs. It should be a laid back, fun trip.
There’s still time for you to plan on the August “Up River Progressive Cruise” – Commodore Michael Lewis will be spearheading that one. October seems like a long way off but it’ll be here soon. Ron and Mari Howell have volunteered to direct us for the Halloween Cruise at Sand Island. (The fact that their last name sounds like howl had nothing to do with their generous offer to assist). John & Annie Meyer will direct the last two cruises of the year, Thanksgiving at Canoe Bay (or Government Island) and the Christmas Ships display from Hadley’s landing.
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| Memorial Day Weekend at Martin Slough |
Columbia River Delta Cruise
By Dave Thomas, C30, SunchaserJuly 20-29. Julie and I are acting as cruise hosts with Jim and Marlene Himes as our backups. As of our last meeting, June 27th, we had five boats going downriver. Most folks wanted to leave Friday, July 20th, to spend the night at the public docks in St. Helens. If others want to leave on Saturday we could coordinate a general leaving time on that day also.
Tentative Schedule
Leaving:Folks wanted flexibility in schedule and activities. At this time the only organized activity is our monthly meeting at Portway Tavern in Astoria, Wednesday, July 25th at 7:00pm (dinner time). Some are planning to sail to Ilwaco for an overnighter, weather permitting.
Returning:
- Friday, July 20th St. Helens Public Docks
- Saturday, July 21st Cathlamet
- Sunday, July 22nd Astoria Marina
- Friday, July 27th Cathlamet
- Saturday, July 28th St. Helens Public Docks
- Sunday, July 29th Home port
We will be contacting the harbormasters at ports of call and the tavern in Astoria to confirm dates and numbers. Please let us know by July 5th if you are planning on the cruise or driving down to attend the July meeting in Astoria. We will get marina maps to cruisers via fax or mail. We welcome questions and ideas.
Dave and Julie Thomas
Catalina 30, Sunchaser
503-682-2935
djthomas@teleport.com
A Gunkhole Report
By John Meyer, C34, ShekinahAt one of the CRACA meetings it was suggested that we needed more Gunkholing reports. Here’s our latest.
By Memorial Day Weekend, Annie and I found ourselves totally fried (I mean TOTALLY), from work, activities, etc. At the last minute, we decided to forego the Memorial Day Cruise and head off somewhere alone for a weekend of quiet and sleep. Yes, un-social but sometimes that’s us (hey, at least we’re honest!).
We headed to a new locale, the cove behind Reed Island, just above Washougal. It’s a skinny entrance but I had my latest charts, advice from my dock neighbor and my brand new WASS GPS C-Map, Chartplotter. After four groundings we were starting to get discouraged. A radio transmission out of the blue from another CRACA member gave us some much-needed advice and we ignored the charts for a successful entrance in. (For future reference, at buoy 52, head directly south. Enter more towards the center of the channel than on the island side as the charts suggest. We never saw less than 8 feet of water with this approach. Also, if you do hit ground, it’s all soft silt.).
Once inside, we found very safe anchoring in about 12 feet of water with good protection from currents, wind and wakes. We learned our CRACA saviors had had the same need for reclusion as us. I should allow them to remain anonymous but nevertheless, we had a great time getting to know Don and Pam Evans (C320, Dream Catcher) a bit better. In respect for each other, we kept socializing, snoring, etc. to a minimum.
I can’t recommend this cove enough. It was very peaceful, scenic and secure. The current was slow enough that swimming could have been a possibility and the Evans found a side trip in their dingy to be entertaining. By late night there were four sailboats and a couple of power boats anchored with plenty of room for all. If you need more info on this destination, give me a call.
Beacon Rock Cruise Report
By Dale Mack, C22, HarmonyI had visited Beacon Rock State Park by car and had even hiked the trail with my son and dog all the way to the summit, but I had never been there by boat. Laura and I decided that Memorial Day Weekend would be a perfect opportunity to make the trip.
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| C22 Harmony and C25 Lematike at Beacon Rock |
| Time | Location | Speed (knots) | Distance (nm) |
| 10:08 | Tomahawk Bay Moorage Entrance | 0 | |
| 10:24 | Buoy "14" | 4.8 | 1.4 |
| 10:55 | Buoy "18" | 4.5 | 3.7 |
| 11:08 | I-205 Bridge | 4.5 | 4.7 |
| 11:34 | Government Is. West Dock | 4.7 | 6.7 |
| 11:44 | Government Is. East Dock | 4.6 | 7.5 |
| 12:11 | Chinook Landing | 4.6 | 9.5 |
| 12:29 | Overhead Power Lines | 4.3 | 10.9 |
| 12:50 | Parker Landing (Washougal) | 3.5 | 12.3 |
| 1:29 | Reed Island | 4.4 | 14.6 |
| 2:05 | Buoy "65" near Rooster Rock | 4.5 | 17.5 |
| 2:39 | "67" at Cape Horn | 4.5 | 20.2 |
| 2:58 | Phoca Rock | 4.7 | 21.6 |
| 3:25 | Buoy "76" near Skamania Island | 4.5 | 23.8 |
| 3.33 | Multnomah Falls | 5.0 | 24.4 |
| 4:30 | Beacon Rock Entrance | 29.1 |
We had great weather on Saturday, and the scenery in the Columbia Gorge was fabulous. The wind's velocity continued to grow throughout the day, and we spent the last forty-five minutes of the cruise motoring up and then surfing down windblown swells moving upriver. One moment we'd be doing 4.0 knots and the next we'd be doing 6.9 knots.
The trip upriver took us 6 hours and 22 minutes, and we averaged 4.57 knots for the 29.1 nautical mile journey (I can usually motor at 6 knots in flat water with no current). The strongest current on the whole trip we encountered between the overhead power lines near Camas and Parker Landing where my speed was down to 3.2 knots at one point. My 4-stroke 7.5hp Honda burned about 5 gallons on the way up (I usually figure about 0.75gals/hr with my motor).
Beacon Rock from the water is breathtaking. Inside the cove, we were out of the wind, but surprisingly not out of the current as we discovered while trying to unsuccessfully approach the dock a couple of times (the current flows from Beacon Rock toward the river). Within an hour of our arrival, Terry and Kathie Annis (C25, Lematike) arrived followed by Don and Diana McGee and their friend Rock (C22, <no name>).
Sunday was spent reading, napping, walking the dog, or rowing the raft around. We only saw that portion of Beacon Rock State Park near the docks, but it was beautiful. The Park Service has added new restrooms and showers which were an added bonus, and freshwater was available at the head of the ramp to the docks.
Reports on the radio talked of showers on Monday, so I decided Harmony would start back around 7:30 am to avoid the afternoon winds. After a great night's sleep, we awoke to overcast skies. Within thirty minutes of departure, I was in full foul weather gear and my winter sailing gloves. The 7.0 knots I had expected to maintain downriver was turning out to be more like 6.0-6.5 knots because of the wind and the swells. The first twelve nautical miles were awful as we slammed through swells and fought against heavy rain that was blowing horizontally. We eventually found smooth water out of the main channel and continued downriver.
The trip upriver took us 6 hours and 22 minutes, and we averaged 4.57 knots for the 29.1 nautical mile journey (I can usually motor at 6 knots in flat water with no current). The strongest current on the whole trip we encountered between the overhead power lines near Camas and Parker Landing where my speed was down to 3.2 knots at one point. My 4-stroke 7.5hp Honda burned about 5 gallons on the way up (I usually figure about 0.75gals/hr with my motor).
Beacon Rock from the water is breathtaking. Inside the cove, we were out of the wind, but surprisingly not out of the current as we discovered while trying to unsuccessfully approach the dock a couple of times (the current flows from Beacon Rock toward the river). Within an hour of our arrival, Terry and Kathie Annis (C25, Lematike) arrived followed by Don and Diana McGee and their friend Rock (C22, <no name>).
Sunday was spent reading, napping, walking the dog, or rowing the raft around. We only saw that portion of Beacon Rock State Park near the docks, but it was beautiful. The Park Service has added new restrooms and showers which were an added bonus, and freshwater was available at the head of the ramp to the docks.
Reports on the radio talked of showers on Monday, so I decided Harmony would start back around 7:30 am to avoid the afternoon winds. After a great night's sleep, we awoke to overcast skies. Within thirty minutes of departure, I was in full foul weather gear and my winter sailing gloves. The 7.0 knots I had expected to maintain downriver was turning out to be more like 6.0-6.5 knots because of the wind and the swells. The first twelve nautical miles were awful as we slammed through swells and fought against heavy rain that was blowing horizontally. We eventually found smooth water out of the main channel and continued downriver.
Did I mention the fisherman? Heading upriver on Saturday had been like running a slalom course at times. Between anchor lines, boats, and fishing lines, it was incredible. What was more incredible was the number of these folks anchored in the shipping channel. So here we are on Monday, it's nasty, cold, and wet, and I'm slugging my way downstream and here are all these fishermen out there again. Go figure, the weatherman tells you its going to be a lousy day, but somehow you talk four of your closest friends into coming out with you to sit in an aluminum boat in the middle of the river so you can get pelted by rain, buffeted by wind and swells, just to catch a fish that costs less than the gas you invested to get on the river. Of course, we won't mention what they thought of me.
Despite the adventure of getting home, Laura, Sean, and I really had a great time. We will definitely do this trip again. Here's a couple of other ideas for next time. If you want to break up the trip on the way out to Beacon Rock, consider anchoring overnight at Reed Island, or staying at the docks at Rooster Rock State Park. Definitely bring a raft along because there is lots to row around and see. Ice is available about a 1/2 mile walk from the docks. Bring quarters for the showers.
Technical Tips
Stagger Those Masts
By Dale Mack, C22, HarmonyMany of our activities result in rafting up the boats either at anchor or at a dock. It is important that the boats be staggered so that your boat's mast is either forward or aft of the masts on either side of you. If the masts aren't staggered, the rolling caused by a passing boat's wake can cause the spreaders of the adjacent boats to become fouled. The use of spring lines between the boats is an effective method of maintaining mast stagger.
I speak from personal experience on this point. Insufficient mast stagger cost me a bent antenna and a broken masthead light when a powerboat cruised through our anchorage, causing the masts of Harmony and another boat to touch. While the damage was easily repaired, the incident reminded me that each skipper is ultimately responsible for the safety of his boat during fleet-sponsored activities. If you ever attend an activity where you are uncomfortable with the anchorage or berthing arrangement, please speak up. If the situation can't be corrected to your satisfaction, you always have the option of acting on your own to achieve peace of mind.
Local Sailing Associations
- SailPDX (hosted by Oregon Corinthian Sailing Association, OCSA)
- Small Yacht Sailing Club of Oregon (SYSCO)
- Oregon Women’s Sailing Association (OWSA)
- Portland Yacht Club (PYC)
- Rose City Yacht Club (RCYC)
The Columbia River All Catalina Association newsletter is published online once a month. Articles are the opinions of the authors and don’t necessarily represent the consensus of the Association.
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