Upcoming events
are on our fleet home page http://www.catfleet69.org.
Note: Some links to photos on this
page don't work because of changes to
Google Photo albums.
December 2024:
Holiday Party. Following
Fleet Traditions, we enjoyed good
conversations, food, recognitions,
and the gift exchange game. Hosts
extraordinaire, Katie and Steve.
Location was AYC clubhouse. 48
attendees. Weather was cool, around
58 degrees. Lake Level 638.14'. A
good time was had by all.
November 2024: Hot Toddy and
Nautical Trivia Contest. Hosts
Marie, Katie, and Steve. With winds
forecasted to gust up to 25, which is
not good for rafting up, we opted to
meet at the AYC Clubhouse. The
temperatures were unseasonably warm.
At least one boat did go sailing
first. Hosts provided delicious
sandwiches, hot toddies, tea, and hot
chocolate. Others brought sides. The
trivia game was fun and three prizes
were handed out. In attendance there
were 28 sailors. Lake level
638.5'. What did the defender have to
win to earn the right to be in the
America's Cup race? It's not what most
people think. Answer.
November 2024: Safety at Sea - A
primer. Michael M gave an
excellent presentation on safety
considerations for sailors, whether
near shore or far off shore. The key
point is to be prepared. In advance,
you need to have knowledge, vessel
readiness and equipage, crew safety
training, and safety at sea training.
"In the moment" you need to have
situational awareness, response,
optimism & determination, and
luck. The sailing community has
learned a lot for unfortunate
incidents and applied that knowledge
in safety training. In attendance were
33 people, including our speaker, 3
new members, and 6 on zoom. We elected
a 2025 commodore. Lake Travis level
was 638.65' or 44.5% full.
OktoberFest 2024. It was
a Wunderbar OktoberFest 2024, hosted
by Robert, Sheila and Peggy. On a
99-degree October day, we rafted up in
North Travis Landing Cove. Winds were
from the south to southwest around 5
to 10. In the raft-up there were 21
people (2 guests) and 8 boats: C30,
C27, Capri 25, two C22s, C250, and two
C25s. Two member sailboats motored by
(C25 and C22). We had bratwurst on
sticks, sauerkraut, red cabbage, cole
slaw, German potato salad, homemade
pretzels, more pretzels, cheese,
fruit, and many incredible desserts.
We ate, we swam, and we sailed. Many
thanks to our hosts and all who came!
Travis level 639.69'.
October 2024 Meeting: Rules of the
Road Made Easy. Todd gave
a very informative and entertaining
presentation on the Right of Way rules
for boats of all types, and especially
for sailboats. He talked about a
Collision Course in which the relative
bearings stay constant. That is, if
the other boat is repeatedly at the
"9:00" position relative to your boat,
you will collide unless you or the
other boat takes some action. There
are rules about who has the right of
way (stand on) and who has to yield
(give way.) The simple rule acronym is
POW. The POW boats have to "give way"
to the "stand on" boats. P = Port
gives way to Starboard. O = Overtaking
boat gives way to the boat being
overtaken. W= Windward boat gives way
to the leeward boat. We had fun with
practicing interactively with many
examples. There were 31 at the
meeting, including 27 in the room and
4 on zoom. One guest, who later joined
the fleet. Welcome ! Lake Travis level
was 639.6'.
September 2024 Breakfast Cruise:
For about 40 years, the Catalina fleet
has had a Breakfast Cruise. We have
many fond memories of sunrises over
the water. This year, instead of
Arkansas Bend because of low water
(again), we met at Keller Marina. Our
hosts, Clay, Robert, Jeff, Marilyn,
Todd and Patti provided a spectacular
breakfast of pancakes, eggs, sausage,
potatoes, bacon, and coffee. Others
brought delicious sides, and toppings.
The wind was light and the
temperatures ranged from mid 60's to
84 degrees. There were 16 attendees,
including 2 new members and a guest.
Lake Travis level was 641.14'. For the
record, there were a few suggestions
that we make this a Brunch in the
future.
September 2024 Meeting: "Things
I Wish I had Known When I Started
Sailing" by all
members of the fleet,
led by the Commodore.
Examples: Anchoring,
Avoiding Collision, Rule
of the Road, 70x50
binoculars, boat choice,
carbon dioxide danger,
cleats, compasses,
emergency kit (where is
it?), hypothermia,
towing, tying knots,
statute vs nautical
miles, knots vs mph,
crew overboard, making a
plan, etc. In
attendance were 32
sailors, including 2 new
members and 4 on zoom.
Travis level was 642.81'
which is 48.8% full.
August 2024: Swap Meet and
Burgers Land Cruise.
Hosts Harry and Robert. August
cruises are often held on land due
to the excessive heat. This year we
met for a Swap meet and burgers/hot
dogs at Mansfield Dam Park. We
rented the air conditioned pavilion
and displayed our nautical goods
outside under the shady trees. In
attendance were 24 people, including
4 guests and 3 who came after lunch.
The temp was 100, winds were light,
and the lake level was 641.48' or
47.3% full.
August 2024: St Lucia Sailing
Adventure. Paul, Mary,
Dave, and Vickie told us about their
June sailing adventure on a 42'
mono-hull in the Windward Islands,
from St Lucia to Bequia and Canouan,
and back. Before setting sail, they
spent time experiencing the lush
tropical volcanic landscape of St
Lucia. It was blue water sailing to
past St Vincent, but manageable with
rolling waves coming in from the
Atlantic to the Caribbean Sea. The
photos and stories were both
informative and enjoyable. In
attendance were 25 people. That's 24
in the room, including a guest, and
Ann Marie's cousin Beverly on zoom.
Lake level was 641.78' or 47.6%
full. A nice rise from last month.
The LCRA forecast thru February is a
minimum of 640'.
July
2024 Full Moon Cruise: On
this day in 1969 at 9:56 pm CDT, Neil
Armstrong first stepped foot on the
moon. It was a perfect day for a Full
Moon Cruise. Kacey and Julie, with
assistance from Emily and new members
Jenna and Trevor, hosted a fun cruise
by providing pulled pork tacos, apple
cole slaw, and Moon Pies! There were 6
boats: C30, C27 (with ten people!),
two C25s, and two guest Pearson 26s.
(Two other boats, C30 and C22 came
nearby, but had to turn back.) In attendance were 21
sailors, including 3 guests and 2
attending their first cruise. Two
boats provided the anchors in north
Travis Landing Cove. After eating we
swam in the 90 degree water. The air
temperature was in the 80's. Winds
were gentle 5 to 10 from the ESE. The
sun set and the moon rose right on
schedule and it was glorious. There
was a Moon trivia contest (name of
this month's moon, distance from the
moon to the sun, and the lengthy of a
moon cycle.) Travis level was 634.2',
which is 40.5% full.
July
2024: Racing from Florida to
Mexico. Steve W gave a
very engrossing presentation of a
multi-day 456 nautical mile race he
crewed on in April. The Regata del Sol
al Sol began at the St Petersburg
Yacht Club in Florida and finished at
the Isla Mujeres Yacht Club in Mexico,
the oldest yacht club in the Mexican
Caribbean. It is located just over 8
miles east of Cancun. The boat, which
had 5 on board, is named Blue Heron,
was Catalina 425 #1. Their course was
very dependent on the Gulf of Mexico
Loop Current. This race has been
happening for 52 years. It was the
biggest weather Steve has ever sailed
on (and he has sailed a lot) with 10'
waves and wind gusts to 38. It was a
tense race. The captain and crew
safely arrived and placed second in
their class. At the meeting, there
were 30 members, including 4 on zoom.
Lake Travis level was 634.29' or 40.5%
capacity.
June 2024 Breakfast Tacos and
Swimming Cruise. Hosts Steve and Katie. The
forecast was 100 degrees so our
hosts had the smart idea to start
early. We started anchoring in the
north cove of Travis Landing at 9
am. Hosts provided breakfast tacos
and fruit, while others brought
sweets, fruit, and juice. It was
delicious. We then jumped in the
lake and floated, visited, and
stayed cool. It was a great way to
spend a summer day. Four anchors
were dropped and retrieved. One
collected a huge salad of hydrilla.
There were 8 boats, including a C22,
three C25s, one C250, one C270, one
C27, and one C30. There were 27
attendees, including 3 guests.
Travis level was 634.4'.
June 2024 Meeting: Trimaran
Sailing by Bill C and his Crew. Bill gave an
informative and entertaining
presentation on why a Trimaran can
be an appealing boat for both
cruisers and racers. It's
very sailable, even with just one
experienced sailor on board, but
better with more. His boat is a
Sprint 730 MK2 (about 24') and is
an excellent size for Lake Travis
and Inland waterways. It folds up
and is easily trailered. He told
us how the 4 sails are especially
good for sailing up Lake Travis:
Main, Jib, Asymmetrical Spinnaker,
and the "screecher," a reaching
sail. He races with a crew of 3
and crew collaboration is the
biggest component of
competitiveness on his boat. It's
also great for cruising and has
had up to 12 people on the at one
time. It's stable, heels less than
a keel boat, and can tack 90
degrees. His crew described the
fun of cruising and another crew
told us how much fun it is to be
race. In attendance were 33
people, including 3 on zoom, 3 new
members, and 2 visitors. Lake
Travis level was 634.8' or 41.0%
full.
May 2024 Cruise: El
Once de Mayo. Hosts James and Sarah. It was a festive
"Once de Mayo" cruise. We ate
Cochinita Pibil, Esquites, Mexican
Rice, Pickled Onions, and cookies.
After eating, we play Loteria, aka
Mexican Bingo. We anchored in
Barry's Cove. It was narrow at
632.3' and winds were from the East
to Southeast from 10 to 20, but with
three anchors in the right places,
we held on. Better yet, all anchors
were retrieved. There were 19 people
on six boats. A fun time was had by
all.
May 2024 Meeting: Medical Safety
at Sea by Joe R. Joe
recounted many stories where
medical attention was required
while sailing during his
presentation. He asked members
for their input regarding their
experience with CPR and what
they would do during some
medical situations, such as
heat/sun stroke, hypothermia,
injuries that happen aboard,
getting hit in the head with the
boom, etc. He was at times
quite funny in his storytelling,
but very serious about planning
ahead for any sailing event. Consider taking a CPR
in-person class. Look at the ASA
Medical Emergencies at Sea class: learn.asa.com/p/handling-medical-emergencies-at-sea
. On charters, First Aid kits are
often not perfect. Bring your own
bandages as they are often depleted.
Have a plan. Have a cell phone.
Remember RICE for injuries. Take a
"Just in Case" bag of items. In
attendance were 30 people, including
3 on Zoom, 26 members in the room,
and one guest speaker. Lake Travis
was at level 632. 17' or 38.7% full.
Or 61.3% empty.
April 2024 Kemah Cruise: Hosts John G and Dave Z.
The plan was to sail on Galveston
Bay on two boats out of Kemah. One
was to be chartered (Hunter 42
from Windward SeaVenture) and the
other was private (Catalina 445).
However, the wind forecast was for
the 20's gusting well into the
30's. Between that and the waves,
we decided it wouldn't be
suitable, so it was canceled. We
hope to try again another time.
About 18 people signed up. Travis
level was around 630.5.
April 2024 Meeting: Places to Sail in
the USA. A terrific presentation
by Todd that described places to
sail in the US, including Puerto
Rico, where a passport is not
needed for travel. He told us
about itineraries, when to go to
avoid crows, and the weather and
water conditions. The locations
included New England (Newport
and nearby islands), Lake
Michigan (Traverse City),
California Channel Islands,
Puerto Rico & the Spanish
Virgin Islands, and Lake
Superior (Apostle Islands.)
There were 38 attendees
(including 4 on zoom).
Travis level 630.89'. That's
37.6% full. The meeting was led
by Joy.
March 2024. The "Sailin' on the
Green" St Patrick's Cruise was a
fortunate success with good
weather and a great turnout.
Hosts were Steve and Cheryl with
assistance by the crew of C30
Rendezvous. Travis level was
631. 25' and winds were shifting
from the NE to SE at 4 to 7 mph,
so we set anchor towards the
south side of the canyon that is
formed at this lake level in
Barry's Cove. With ten boats (16
represented), we set 4 anchors
in all. All came up without
problems. In attendance were 39
sailors. We had corned beef and
cole slaw, along with a
wide variety of delicious dishes
provided by attendees. There was
a delightful assortment of Irish
music. We then played a game and
green prizes such as kiwis,
candy, and Lucky Charms were
handed out.
March 2024
Meeting: The Good, Bad, and
Ugly of Anchoring on Lake
Travis. Steve gave an
excellent presentation on the
various aspects of anchoring in
Lake Travis. He discussed the
essentials of a Good Anchoring
package. Then he covered the
good and bad ways to "set" an
anchor. There are obstacles in
our lake, such as tree stumps,
whole trees, rocks, ledges,
abandoned dock cables, and even
other anchors. Sometimes you
lose one, sometimes you find
one. It's important to know what
obstacles you might face in
various favorite anchoring
locations. A total of 44
attended, including 4 on zoom,
39 in the room, and a baby. Lake
Travis Level was 631.44' and
fairly steady. It's 38.1% full.
The meeting was led by Cheryl.
February 2024 Valentine's
Cruise. It was a beautiful
February day with sunny skies,
light wind and a high
temperature of 56. Hosts were
Cindy and Paul on their
Catalina 270. They provided
the honey roasted ham and a
kale+ salad, while others
brought salads, breads, and
sweets. We then played a
challenging Valentine's Trivia
game, which was won by Joe. We
left the raft-up around 5:40
and enjoyed a lovely Violet
Crown sunset. There were 4
boats (C30, C270, C250, and
C25) and 13 sailors, included
one new member and a returning
member. Travis level was
around 632'. A fun time was
had by all!
February 2024 Meeting: Sailing
in Tahiti. Brian G talked
about their Sailing Charter
in Tahiti, which is part of
an archipelago in French
Polynesia. They sailed on a
Lagoon 52 catamaran with at
least a dozen people. They
sailed in November and found
the area to be uncrowded.
The weather was pleasant
with occasional showers,
similar to the Caribbean.
The topography is “old
volcanic” with worn down
mountains and lagoons
surrounding the islands.
They began in Raiatea, then
Bora-Bora, Taha’a, Huahine,
then back to south of
Taha’a, and Raiatea (charter
base). He showed photos and
videos and we could see that
the sailing, scenery, and
snorkeling were all
beautiful. In attendance
were 38 people, including 2
guests (speakers) and 3 on
zoom. Travis Level was
631.52'.
January 2024
Cruise: The January
"Sailing and Sandwiches
Cruise" was planned for
Saturday the 27th but the day
was cool with winds forecasted
to be 15 with gusts to 30. So
Saturday was canceled and
Sunday was offered as an
optional "Let's Go Sailing"
cruise. As it turned out, at
least 2 and maybe 3 fleet
boats went sailing on
Saturday. (C25 and C22 with an
unidentified C22 nearby.)
Maybe 4 members total. On
Sunday, there was an AYC
Frostbite Series race. The weather
was sunny, 65
degrees, with winds
10 to 15 from the NW
to SW. Eight
fleet boats raced (C30, two
C25s, three C22s, Capri 25,
and Capri 22) and 17 members
participated on board
Catalinas, Capris, and a
Hunter. After some frosty and
wet January weekends, it was
great to be out on the water.
Travis level was 631.34'.
January 2024
Meeting: Let's Sail in
2024! Commodore Harry led a
well-organized and informative
planning meeting for 2024. We
discussed the meeting program
and cruise plans for each
month. It'll be fun! In
attendance were 30 members,
including one new member and 5
recently new members. Lake
Travis level was 631.1'.
Weather was mild, but the cold
freeze is coming on Sunday!
December
Holiday Party 2023:
The All
Catalina Fleet holiday
party was held at AYC. In
attendance were 59
sailors, including 2
guests. We recognized the
five new member families
who joined in 4Q23.
Annette did a great job as
the host. We recognized
the 2023 Officers (Marie,
Harry, Sheila, Diana,
Robert) and the 2024
officers (Harry,
Christy, Diana, Sheila,
Robert), as well as the
Appointees (Clay, Cheryl).
Congratulations to Clay
for receiving the Stough
Award. We then did the
Nice Nautical Gift
Exchange (blankets, ropes,
lights, books, libations,
etc). Gifts were brought
for Blue Santa and will be
delivered by James. It was
a mild evening, around 65
degrees and little wind.
Travis Level 631.23'.
November
2023 Cruise: Hot Toddy. We had high hopes
for clear weather, but the cool
rain and drizzle came in around
10am and stayed. We preferred
warm and dry, so we opted to
meet inside. There were 23
attendees including three
guests. Fun was had by all as we
concocted variations of hot
toddies and snacked on
sandwiches and other goodies.
The event concluded with a
competitive game of nautical
trivia. Hosts were Marie
and Louise. Lake level was
632.28’.
Also worthy to note: Fleet
member Christy donned on her
scuba gear and successfully
retrieved the anchor stuck in
October from a depth of 22’ in
South Travis Landing. It
had been wedged in a rock ledge
and the chain was wrapped around
a tree stump. Yay!
November 2023 Meeting: "That
Boat!" by author and boat
builder, David Nichols. All of
us, with what might be called
the "boat gene," have had many
affairs with "that boat" -
the one you just had to
have! Author, sailor, boat
builder and nautical designer,
he joined us to talk about the
“boat gene” and all the
pleasures and miscalculations it
can cause. He spoke about
how “she’s so worth it”, every
step of the way despite issues
and problems that can arise. He
shared pictures and told his
story about navigating his new
boat from Tampa to New Orleans
via the inter-coastal
waterway. He told us about
his book "The Brotherhood of
Pandora." The meeting was then
opened up to other fleet members
to share their “boat gene”
stories. In attendance
were 33 people. 2 on zoom. 31 in
person. 4 "guests" in person.
Travis Level 632.27'. We had
some good rain during the last
month. Need more.
October 2023 Cruise: After watching the
Annular Eclipse in the
morning, Fleet 69 went
sailing. It was a beautiful
autumn day with temperatures
in the 70's and winds 12 to 18
from the North. Because of the
wind direction, we rafted up
in a new location, the south
cove of Travis Landing. There
were 5 boats (C30, C270, two
C25s, C22) with 14 sailors.
The food was pot luck snacks.
The cove seemed like a good
location until we attempted to
retrieve the anchor. It was
likely caught in underwater
cables for nearby docks. Hosts
were Steve & Cheryl. Travis
level was 627.95'.
October 2023
Meeting: What's in Your
Sailing Bag? Harry led an
interesting and educational
interactive session on what
one should take along when
sailing, whether it's a local
day sail or an extended
cruise. For this exercise, we
decided to have a weekend on a
boat in Puget Sound, and
listed everything we should
and could take along. It was
also a lot of fun to compare
notes, remember, and learn. In
attendance were 28 people,
including one guest and 4 on
zoom. Travis level
628.11.
September 2023 Breakfast
Cruise: The 38th Annual
Breakfast cruise was held at
Keller's Marina, partly because
of the falling lake level of
629.33', a level not seen since
Spring 2015. Many thanks to our
Batter Blasters Clay, Robert and
Jeff, and assistants Marilyn and
Patti. There were 27 attendees
(1 guest.) Winds were generally
in the teens. The high
temperature was 102 degrees,
making it the 80th 100+ degree
day this year! We had a wide
range of breakfast foods and
drinks. A fun time was had by
all, again!
September 2023 Meeting:
Catalina Factory Tour.Marie
shared a wonderful and
interesting presentation about
how Catalina sailboats are
made. She visited the boat
building facility in Lago,
Florida, and told us about the
plant facility, the boat
building process, company
leadership changes, and fun
facts. John G provided a brief
history of Frank Butler and
his contribution to Catalina
Sailboats. (Click
here for details.) There
were 25 attendees (one on
zoom). Travis level is going
down more than a foot a week
now and is at 629.97'. .
.
August 2023 Cruise: Wok 'n'
Roll Reinvented. This year Akiko was
the "chef culinaire," with
assistants Norma (egg rolls),
Sheila (Asian Broccoli Salad),
and Robert (Char Siu Pork).
Steve was the creativity
assistant with Souvenir Menus
that included history of each
dish. Many thanks to Robert and
Sheila for once again opening
their home to the fleet. Main
dishes included Beef &
Broccoli, Poor Beijing "Duck",
Fried Rice, Shanghai Pork Belly,
Shrimp in Chili Sauce, and Stir
fried Eggs and Tomatoes. Others
brought delicious salads and
desserts. While many of us sail
in mornings and evenings during
this heat wave, it was nice to
be in A/C comfort. So far, as of
8/13/2023, Austin has had 53
days of 100 or more degrees,
including 36 days in a row so
far. There were 33 attendees,
including 4 guests. Travis Level
was 634.3 and falling about .1
feet a day.
August 2023 Meeting:
Catalina 25 Selection and
Renovation. Jeff &
Marilyn told the story of
their two-decade quest to
find, renovate, and launch
their Catalina 25 sailboat,
Winging It. Their detailed
narrative and photos covered
the discovery of a boat
with the features they wanted
(1989-90, wing keel, etc.) in
Abilene, the preparation to
trailer it to their
home, the
ten-month-long-ice-storm-interrupted
cleanup, repair, and
renovation, and the eventual
launch. It was a very
informative and entertaining
presentation. There were
22 attendees including 3 on
zoom. Travis level was
634.71'.
July 2023 Cruise: The forecast was 105
degrees so the fleet decided to
meet at an air conditioned
restaurant overlooking Lake
Travis. The chosen location was
Beachside Billy's in Volente,
which offered a great view of
the growing Starnes Island, A/C,
and a shaded deck with fans.
There were 13 members in
attendance. Thanks to Marie for
researching lakeside restaurants
and making the reservation. Lake
Travis level was 636.45.
July 2023 Meeting: Weather
for Sailors, by Joe. We're going
sailing - on Lake Travis, in the
BVI, anywhere - and everywhere
we need to know the weather
conditions. No fear. Joe
described weather patterns in
North America created by air
flow, land features, and the
earth's movement, the types of
clouds produced with these
patterns, and he related it to
our ability to anticipate
weather conditions that can be
expected when we are sailing. He
handed out copes from a
presentation he attended long
ago on "Weather for Private
Pilots." In attendance were 31
members, including 2 on zoom.
Lake level 636.74'. All the
docks at AYC are now out on the
point.
June 2023 Flor de Caña
Cruise:We want to send a
special thanks specific members for
volunteering to host the 16th Annual
Flor de Caña Cruise in June. A
lot of planning, preparation, and
effort goes into this type of
cruise, so we all want to thank them
for all the work they put into
setting up this cruise. Even though
the heat became a big deterrent for
sailing, along with the low RSVP
rate, we hope to enjoy a Flor de
Caña cruise in the future. Many
thanks for all you did!
June 2023: The heat index was
to be 110, so the fleet opted
for a Sail and Swim Cruise.
There were 4 boats, C30, C270,
C22, and C27. Two boats went for
a sail before joining the
raft-up. The usual Travis
Landing Cove was occupied by jet
ski racing so we anchored in a
small cove to the NW. The depth
was near 60'. We swam and we
ate. There were 17 sailors in
all, including 2 guests. The
winds were south 5-15 and the
air was 95 to 92. The anchor
came up OK, but was loaded with
hydrilla, an invasive plant that
has recently invaded our lake. A
raft-up with the fleet was a
great way to spend a hot summer
evening...in and on the water.
Thanks to our host, Marie. Lake
Travis Level was 638.5'.
June 2023 Meeting: Knots
of Fun, by
Steve. We're
going sailing - on Lake
Travis, in the BVI,
anywhere - and
everywhere we sail, we
need knots. If you don't
have a good knot when
you need it, you might
think your sailing day
is not so fun. No
problem. We have lots of
knots: hitches, bends,
bindings, stoppers ....
over 5,000 knots. Have
hope. We only need a
handful for most jobs,
so we'll have lots of
fun - Knots of Fun!
There were 29 members
attending, including 2
on Zoom. Joe reported
that the Lake level is at
639.02 feet; the lake is 46%
full and is up about 6 inches.The 6 month projection,
through December 2023 is 642
feet.The lake level is being
held between 639 and 640 feet.The lake has been
around this level for the past
6 months as well.
May 2023
Meeting:Vikings:
Raiders, Traders, and
Settlers, by Todd. We learned that
"Viking" is a verb, not a noun.
They covered a large range of
territory, from current day
Russia and Turkey to Greenland.
There were 24
attendees, included 1 on Zoom
and 1 guest. Lake Travis level
was 638.15'.
May 2023: The
festive Cinco de Mayo
cruise was held on
Saturday, May 6 in Travis
Landing Cove. Hosts James and
Sarah delivered delicious
dishes, including “Cochinita
Pibil” (slowly cooked highly
seasoned pork), freshly heated
tortillas, and
"Capriotada"(Mexican bread
pudding) for dessert. Others
brought guacamole, chips, salsa,
fruit, beans, and more. Several
boats cruised or raced before
arriving in the cove. The five
boats included a C250, C30, C25,
and two C22s. There were 17
sailors including 2 guests.
Winds were 10 to 20 from the
south. High temp was 88 degrees.
Lake Travis level was 638.0'.
April 2023
Catalina Fleet 69 Bird Watching
Cruise. The
early bird gets the worm, so we left
the AYC docks at 8 am and arrived on
the north side of Sometimes Island
at 9 am. Winds were light from the
south. Temps started in the 60's but
by mid-afternoon, it was 93 degrees.
We saw birds, tho probably not as
many as last year. Many thanks to
our Audubon birders who had amazing
abilities to see, hear, and identify
birds. Hosts were Robert and Sheila.
Since it was early, we had breakfast
pastries, donuts, and muffins. One
boat tested the depth between
Mansfield Dam Park and Sometimes
Island and as predicted, it was deep
enough to get to the south side at
Lake Level 638.39'. There were 3
boats (C30,C30,C250) and 9 people,
including 2 guest birders.
April
2023 Meeting: The 2022 Wooden Boat
Festival in Port Townsend,
Washington, by Diane and Mark. Web
site is https://woodenboat.org/
. It's the largest wooden boat
festival in North America where
people of all ages and interests can
experience the beauty of wooden
boats and the maritime culture and
history. The next festival is in
September 2023. If you go to that
area anytime, visit the Northwest
Maritime Center https://nwmaritime.org/about/.
If you like boats and the Pacific
Northwest, you'd enjoy the video and
stories about the Race to Alaska. https://r2ak.com/
. In attendance were 22 members
(including 1 on zoom) and one guest.
Lake level was 638.48'..
March 2023 Cruise:
Sailin' on the Green. Ten boats
on the water. Most
participants sailed near Starnes
Island. Five boats
rafted up (C30, C25, C25, C22, C22) Travis
Landing Cove and enjoyed green food
and socializing. Three
sailed/motored by in the cove: C250,
C22, RC. Two sailed but didn't come
into the cove (C270, C30).
People-wise, there were 16 in the
raft-up, 8 in the come-bys, and 7 in
the other, for a total of 31
participants.Winds 8-12 NNW to S. Temp
82 degrees. Sunny. Hosts Cheryl
& Steve. It was a lovely spring
day. Travis level 638.92'.
March 2023
Meeting: Sailing Beyond Lake
Travis, by Linda McD. Linda
started sailing as a girl scout
and has been actively sailing ever
since then. Her list of sailing
experiences in all parts of the
world, including an around the
world race, is impressive. She
talked about the various ways a
person can get on a boat. Charter
with friends in interesting
locations. Help with a delivery.
Charter with a sailing
company. Connect with offshore
racing organizations. Take more
sailing lessons. Dare to dream.
What's next for you ? Number of
members attending was 29.2,
including 3 via Zoom. Lake level
639.57.
February
2023 Chocolates and Cherries
Cruise. On a warm February
day with a high temperature of 76
degrees and mild winds, it was a
good day for sailing and rafting-up.
There were 8 fleet boats with 20
fleet members(C30, two C270s, C250,
C25, and three C22s. We started with
southerly 10 knot winds near AYC and
sailed to LCRA Mark 4 and along
Sometimes Island. We then let out
the sails and turned downwind, and
soon the wind switched to the north
and essentially became zero. Five
boats with 14 sailors rafted up in
"Travis Landing Cove." At the
current lake level of 639.69', the
depth was around 60'. We then
enjoyed an impressive variety of
chocolates, cherries, fruit, and
salty crackers. Hosts were Steve and
Cheryl.
February
2023 Meeting: Sailboat Chartering
in Turkey, by Can. Fleet
member Can is an experience sailor
who has sailed along the
Mediterranean coast of Turkey many
times. It's a beautiful place to
sail with clear water, good winds,
interesting places & cultures to
see, and friendly people. He
provided his insights as to what a
charterer can expect, where to go,
approximate costs, how to get there,
how to do Mediterranean mooring, and
when are the best times to go (May
& June, September &
October.) We also had a "nautical
book swap." In attendance were 29
adults (26 in person, 3 on zoom) and
one adorable baby. Lake level was
639.65.
January 2023 Sandwich
Cruise: On an unseasonably warm
MLK holiday in January (78 degrees),
Fleet 69 set sail to enjoy sailing,
sunshine, and time with friends. The
winds were very light, around 6 from
the south, but we all raised sails and
managed to keep our boats moving. Six
out of seven boats met at Starnes
Island and sailed around. In all,
there were 25 sailors and one dog. It
was called the "Sandwich Cruise" so at
least one boat had delicious
sandwiches for lunch. The dog had
potato chips. Some ducks had crackers.
The boats included C30 Rendezvous,
Beneteau 36.7 Wanda, C270 Afternoon
Delight, C270 Soulstice, C25 1842, C25
Summer Song, and C22 Coyoacan. There
were at least three other Catalinas
sailing. It was a good day for
Catalinas! Five paramotors must have
been on a cruise also, and buzzed by
our boats. It was a great day to be
sailing ! Lake Travis Level was
639.6'.
January
2023 Meeting: To set sail in the
new year, the fleet met at the Red
Lotus and via zoom to make our plans
for 2023. Total attendance was 31,
with 16 in person and 12 members on
9 computers. The latest Covid
variant, Omicron XBB.1.5, has been
on the rise in Travis County. The
meeting was led by new 2023
Commodore Marie. There were 3 adult
guests. Travis level was 639.76'.
For the next 6 months, LCRA's
projection says the lake will
range between 637' and
668' and they will try to keep it
steady. La Nina still has control
over our rainfall, but maybe that
will change soon.
December 2022 Holiday Party: The 2022
All Catalina Fleet 69 Holiday Party
was a fun and festive evening at the
Austin Yacht Club for Austin's
Catalina Sailors. In attendance
were 50 sailors, including 45
current members. Annette and her crew
did a great job with tracking RSVPs,
set-up, and clean-up. Many thanks to
AYC for the use of the
holiday-decorated clubhouse. We shared
stories of our adventures and cruises
of 2022 and plans for 2023. We talked,
we ate, we presented recognitions and
awards, and we exchanged gifts.
Congratulations to Joy, who was
awarded the Stough Award. We installed
new officers: Commodore Marie, Vice
Commodore Harry, Treasurer Robert,
Secretaries Sheila and Diana.
Appointees: Historians Clay and
Cheryl. A great time was had by all.
The weather was cool and the lake
level was 640.5', compared with 662.2'
one year ago. Happy Sails to all in
2023 !
November 2022 “Chili” Weather Land
Cruise:
The weather took a turn for the
worse for an on-the-water cruise, so
we moved it indoors with short
notice and planned a chili cook-off.
Eighteen Fleet members met at Robert
and Sheila's to compete for a First
Place People’s Choice prize in the
cook-off. Seven dishes were entered
into the competition including a
Mother’s recipe, Classic deep red
beef chili, Green chili stew, Chili
beans, Three-meat chili, Smoked pork
with black eyed peas chili, and Taco
chili. They were perfectly delicious
crock pots full of goodness. Others
brought salad, appetizers, and
desserts. After attendees were able
to taste the entrants, ballots were
cast for their favorites. A trio of
ribbon-wrapped wooden spoon utensils
were awarded as the prizes. Lake
level 640.3'.
November 2022 Meeting:
Central Texas Water Coalition. Speaker Jo Karr
Tedder. This
is a non-profit that advocates
for water policies that will
preserve the Highland Lakes as
irreplaceable nation resources
supplying water for more than
two million Central Texans and
providing an important economic
engine for the tourism industry
and Texas. CTWC takes a
broad-based approach and
multi-disciplinary approach that
is based on applying facts,
current science, and best
practices for water management.
Thanks for an excellent
presentation. In attendance were
28 people, including 3 guests,
21 members in the room, and 4
members on Zoom. Lake level is
640.29'.
October 2022 Oktoberfest
Cruise: Diane and Mark hosted
yet another Wundebar Oktoberfest
cruise with the most boats since 2005
and the most sailors on the water
since 2010. We feasted on sausage,
sauerkraut, brisket, and many other
German-themed dishes. With eleven
boats, we nearly spanned the width of
Barry's Cove at Travis Level 640.4'.
There were 35 attendees, including 5
guests. The boats included a Cape
Dory, two C22s, one C250, two C25s,
two C270s, two C30s, and a Beneteau
36. There was a lot of eating and
socializing during the short three
hours in the cove. It was mostly sunny
with temperatures in the 70's. Winds
were from the north to northwest at 5
to 8. Anchoring was tricky with at
least six anchors. One anchor pulled
up a pile of cables and 2 other
anchors. One anchor was lost and one
anchor was found for a "net zero" for
the fleet!
October 2022 Meeting:
Mapping the World, by Todd. Starting
over 500 years ago European
explorers discovered new lands, but
they didn't take the time and
considerable effort to accurately
pinpoint where the new lands
were. James Cook was the
transition figure; he was a master
explorer and he was a meticulous
cartographer. We started
with his legacy and then included a few famous
19thcentury
cartographers who made travel and
trade safe for the rest of us even
today. We learned how
modern day cartographers continue
the process--same objectives, just
better tools. Attendance: 32
members and one guest at the Red Lotus
Restaurant and including 3 on zoom.
Lake level 641.50'.
September 2022 Cruise:
Breakfast Cruise. Our fleet has
been having wonderful Breakfast
Cruises every year since at least
1985, and this one was no exception.
Hosts Clay, Robert, and new Batter
Blaster Jeff flipped, stirred, and
grilled. Marilyn was sous-chef and
members contributed. Even though
autumn started 2 days prior, it still
felt like summer with light winds and
temperatures in the 90's. We met at
Keller's Marina, across from AYC,
where we had a couple of shade trees,
our own shade tent, our folding
chairs, and sturdy concrete picnic
tables. Thanks to Todd for the idea
and arrangement. We feasted on
pancakes, bacon, mini-sausage,
scrambled eggs, all kinds of fruit,
real maple syrup, nuts, other
toppings, and breakfast breads.
Beverages included OJ, coffee, and
mimosas. One boat sailed in (Capri 25
from AYC) and another went sailing
from the marina after the cruise
(Catalina 22 JJ). Attendance was 26,
including 5 guests. Lake level 643.5'.
September 2022 Meeting:
The Care and Feeding of Batteries,
by Meryl. We learned all
about Moore's Law, types of batteries,
what to look for when buying a
battery, how to maintain a battery,
and how to prolong a battery's life.
If you want a lead acid battery, a
deep cycle type works best for
sailboats. Try to keep multiple banks
of the same type. For Li-Ion
batteries, use a special charger and
do not overcharge. Attendance: 18 at
the Red Lotus, 7 on zoom, 25 total.
Lake
level 645.23'.
August 2022 Swap Meet,
BBQ, and Bird Walk: On a very
hot August day, fleet members enjoyed
a "land cruise" in the shade and with
access to A/C in Mansfield Dam Park.
The day started around 8 am with a
Bird Walk. As the day became warm, we
headed to the rented pavilion and
shade for the swap meet and lunch.
Members set out nautical items for
free, swap, or sale. Many treasures
were found. The pot luck lunch
included a delightful variety of
picnic foods, including BBQ. Hosts
were Diane, Dave, and Sheila. There
were 21 fleet members and 3 guests in
attendance. Lake level was 645.15'.
August 2022 Meeting:
"Sailing Voyage aboard The Elissa:
The Historic Tall Ship of Texas."
John G gave us an excellent
presentation on the Elissa. He showed
photos of all parts of the boat,
including the hull, rigging, sails,
steerage, spars, and more. He
explained how the various parts were
handled to sail the boat. He also
showed a couple of videos of the
classic boat under sail. We now know
what "Splice the Main Brace" means and
will attempt to follow up on that
command later this year. Many thanks
to John for sharing his expertise. We
met via Zoom because of recent
concerns with the COVID omicron
variants 4 and 5, which seems to be
spreading more that before. In
attendance were 22 computers and 28
members. Lake level is 645.36'
July 2022 Meeting: BVI
Full Moon Flotilla Panel Discussion
and Photo Awards. Several of
the flotilla captains, along with some
who had never chartered before, talked
about their experiences during the
recent Full Moon BVI Flotilla Cruise.
We heard about where they went, what
they did, what went well, what did not
go well, how was the provisioning, how
about the packing (too much or too
little?), did they enjoy snorkeling?,
what else did they do, how was the
pre-trip preparation, what where their
adventures, and how was the race to
Anegada. Clay showed and awarded
"Photo Journalism Awards" to those who
shared photos on our charter Facebook
page. The meeting was held at the Red
Lotus. There were 36 attendees,
including 29 in-person, 7 via zoom,
and 3 guests. Lake level
648.93'.
July 2022: Fireworks over
Starnes Island: It was a hot
summer evening and a good time to
watch the fireworks over Lake Travis
from various viewpoints. Two fleet
boats, a C-25 with 4 sailors and a
C-22 with at least 2 sailors, ventured
out of a narrowing entrance to Pool
Canyon Cove. Carefully navigating
their ways around "Keller's Point,"
they floated around Starnes Island and
watched a beautiful show of fireworks.
Meanwhile, 6 fleet members were on the
AYC point, from where they could see
the Starnes Islands fireworks, as well
as fireworks from up Cypress Creek,
Hippie Hollow, and Travis Landing.
With the grand finale, it was well
worth seeing. (2
boats with 9 sailors. 8 members, 1
guest, 6 on shore. 650.2')
June 2022 Full Moon BVI
Flotilla Cruise: There are so many stories
and tales to tell about our Fleet
Flotilla in the British Virgin
Islands. We started by flying to St
Thomas, which was the most
challenging part of the trip. We
rode the ferry boat to Roadtown,
Tortola, BVI and went to the
Moorings Marina to check in and find
our boats for the coming week. Some
had lunch at Cane Garden Bay. We
joined together for a lovely dinner
at the Mariner Inn Restaurant, where
we were entertained by steel drum
music. On Sunday morning, we set
sail and headed to the Bight at
Norman Island. Some snorkeled, some
ate, and some just relaxed. The next
day, we went different ways to see
different islands, including Spanish
Town, Peter Island, and Diamond Cay
near Little Jost Van Dyke. Most of
us visited the famous Baths. On
Tuesday, we docked at Scrub Island
and enjoyed the pool and the Trellis
Bay Full Moon Party. Then it was off
to more adventures, spending the
night in Gorda Sound. One boat was
at Leverick Bay, 2 at the Bitter End
Yacht Club, and 2 at Saba Rock.
Early the next day, we left for
Anegada, some racing along the way.
We toured and snorkeled at Loblolly
Beach. Then we celebrated Joe's big
birthday on the beach at the Anegada
Reef Restaurant. Dinner for 40 and
most of us had freshly caught
lobster. We were treated to music by
our own Joe and Joy, and a special
birthday cake. On Friday, we set
sail for Jost Van Dyke. Some in
Great Harbor and some in Little
Harbor. We visited the Soggy Dollar
Bar in White Bay. Then we had our
Farewell Dinner at Foxy's and met
Foxy himself.On Saturday, we took
various paths. Some opting for a
sail around Tobago Island, some
hanging out at White Bay, and some
checking out Soper's Hole. Boats
spent the night at White Bay, Peter
Island, and the Moorings Marina. On
Sunday, it was pack up and check out
time. We boarded the ferry and most
of us left the islands that day. The
week went way too quickly, but we
did and saw a tremendous amount in
just 7 days. We got a good feeling
for the islands and their various
personalities. We're ready for the
next time! It was a Fantastic
Fleet Flotilla.
(6 boats, 48 sailors, 26
members, 653.16' - 651.91')
June
2022 Mostly Moon
Cruise: Hosted
by Kacey, Julie, and Emily.
The winds were a fair and
pleasant 12-15kts out of the
south which allowed for an
anchorage at Sometimes
Island on a mostly quiet
Lake Travis on a Sunday
evening. The breeze, fading
sun, and recurring plunges
did a great job of staving
off the 100+ degree clear
sky day. The moon was
a little slow in rising over
the Austin hills and crested
just south of the Oasis
around 7:15 pm. C-30 "Night
Breeze" was able to raft up
with C-250 "Flying Cloud" to
enjoy the moon-themed
smorgasbord of snacks
and drinks as the sun and
moon said hello and goodbye
to each other in a timely
fashion. C-22 El
Coyoacán
made a valiant effort through
mechanical challenges to make a
race to the moon (and moon pies).
During a 'high speed' transfer,
reminiscent of pirate smugglers of
lost times, Coyoacán
and crew were able to take
over watch for the night shift
with goodies on board to
provide some amazing photos
to close out the
cruise in style. Overall the
event operated like a, mostly,
well-oiled machine with each
of the three boats and seven
sailors being well-fed and
thankful to be out on the
water yet again. Lake level
was reported at
652.89'.
June 2022 Meeting: Safety
Briefing for Sailboat Crew, by
Harry. Whether you are sailing
on Lake Travis, along the Texas Coast,
or in the Caribbean, all skippers need
to follow the example of airlines and
prepare a pre-sail safety briefing.
Harry briefed all of us on this topic,
and what should be included on a
safety checklist. He talked about
situations to be aware of and prepared
for, such as grounding, collision,
line caught in prop, crew overboard,
etc. This meeting was held a week
early and on Zoom in order to meet the
needs of several fleet members. In
attendance were 23 computers, 27
members, and 2 guests. Lake level is
653.54'. Even though we got some rain,
the lake only went up inches.
May 2022 Cruise: The 15th
Annual Flor de Caña Cruise was
yet another fantastic cruise. It was
hosted by Salvador, Nina, Annette, and
Robert. It was an unusually hot day
with temps in the upper 90's, so after
rafting up in "Zip-Line Cove" in
Cypress Creek, most decided to jump in
to cool off. Anchoring was a little
tricky on the steep and rocky shore,
but we managed to hook one anchor that
held us all. There were lots of
surrounding activities with other
boats and people zipping by on the
zip-line. We had plenty to eat,
including marinated pork, 2 types of
cole slaw, salsa, guacamole, chips,
fruit, bunuelos, and chocolate brownie
cookies. Also the starring
beverage with mixers. At anchor there
were 8 boats (C22, 3-C25s, C-250,
2-C270s, and one C-30) and 22 sailors.
Winds were south at 12-18 from the
south. Lake level was 653.82'.
Boats departed around the times of sun
set and moon rise. There was a Total
Lunar Eclipse and viewing
conditions were perfect. It was a
sight to behold from the water. One
boat motored over to LCRA marker 2 to
see the moon set and rise over the
Oasis, then returned to Cypress Creek
where 2 Catalinas were rafted up to
watch the Eclipse. One boat stayed the
entire night. It was a very memorable
evening on the water.
May 2022
Meeting: Sailing in Croatia.Louise
and Walter shared a fascinating
and educational presentation of
their June 2021 sailing
adventure sailing and traveling
in Croatia. They spent a total
of three weeks in Croatia, one
week sailing in the Adriatic Sea
around the islands off the coast
of Croatia near Split and two
weeks on land, exploring the
country of Croatia.
Besides sailing, they saw
beautiful blue water,
waterfalls, learned
fascinating history, visited
picturesque towns, and had a
great time. There were
a total of seven people on the
Hanna I (450S catamaran) and a
flotilla of 4 boats. They highly
recommend the flotillas offered
by NauticEd.
In attendance were 39 people,
including one guest. Lake Travis
level 654.23'.
April 2022 Early Bird
Watching Cruise: Great morning and early
afternoon of birding on the water at
Sometimes Islands across from Windy
Point. Cloudy skies, temperatures in
the upper 60s at the start with
light S winds diminishing towards
the end of the raft up, lake level
657.73'. With an early start for
better birding, we were not
disappointed in the number of
species we observed. As we motored
from AYC, four Scissor-tailed
Flycatchers, calling in flight, gave
a nice display as they flew past us
providing a hint of the good birding
we were about to experience. As we
motored along the western shore
towards our meet up point at
Sometimes Islands, two Bald Eagles
were spotted sitting near the
waterline, one of the highlights of
the cruise. These are continuing
birds that had been spotted several
times in the week prior to our
cruise. Robert and Sheila set an
anchor that held for the entire
cruise, four more boats rafted up
for a total of 5 boats (C22, C25,
C250, C270, C30) with 18 members and
three guests. Travis Audubon Members
attended and were very knowledgeable
and identified many more birds for
us. All who had binoculars were able
to observe many of these birds, and
we gained experience spotting them
and describing to others where to
look to find them. We all brought
our own lunch and beverages and had
a delightful time being with each
other, it was a fantastic cruise! In
all 33 species and 296 individual
birds were reported in this
checklist on eBird. https://ebird.org/checklist/S107227289
April 2022 Meeting: The
Revival of
Sail Power for
21st Century
Maritime
Shipping,
by Mark Z.Mark
researched and
presented an
eye-opening report
about the state of
Maritime Shipping
as it relates to
the size of
commercial cargo
vessels, the
amount of fuel
they use to
operate, the
pollution they put
into the
atmosphere, and
the trending
remedies to reduce
that output.
Attendees included
20 members and one
guest. Lake level
is 658.05'.
March 2022 Catalina
Olympics Cruise. It was a sunny
and windy March day, with winds 12-16
with gusts to 20-25. High temperature
in Austin was unseasonably warm at 88
degrees. For this cruise, each boat
was awarded points for arriving at
Marks E and D on time, having safety
equipment, and performing various
maneuvers such as Mariner Overboard,
stopping at a point, heaving to, and
anchoring. Irish Ayes won Bronze,
#1842 won Silver, and Rendezvous won
Gold. Awards were medals and kites.
Many thanks to James and Sarah, and
Congratulations to all participants! Five
boats (one C22, three C25s, one C30)
and 14 sailors. We
rafted up in Barry's Cove. Or
tried to until the anchors broke
loose. Lake Travis level 659.65'.
March 2022 Impromptu
Cruise. The weather looked good
for sailing so 3 boats and 8 sailors
went for a sail on Wednesday, March
16. Two of the boats, Rendezvous and
Afternoon Delight, left the harbor
first and sailed towards the Sometimes
Islands. They then headed north and
met up with Coyoacan near Starnes
Island. Lake level 660.02'. AYC Dock 6
was moved to the end of Dock
one.
March
2022 Meeting: Packing for a
Sailboat Charter, by Louise and
Cheryl. This was a
delightful and informative
presentation about how to pack for a
sailboat charter cruise. The topics
included preparation, airline
considerations, preparing your
phone, luggage selection, how to
keep it light and compact, safety,
packing lists, packing details,
items that can be shared with the
crew, and more. It also included a
video about he vs she packing
styles. Also, some suggestions on
how to make a charter a fun and
enjoyable experience. This meeting
was via zoom with at least 23
computers and 30 people (3 guests).
Lake level 660.31 was reported as
660.58'.
February 2022 Flotilla
Rally Cruise: Reports
are that there was about four hours of
sailing in perfect conditions. “It was one of the finest
days of sailing I have had in many a
month.” “I hadn't single-handed
since before the pandemic, and that
part was downright magical.” Winds
S to SW. High of 73 degrees. Winds
6-15, gusts to 22. Three boats (22,
250, 270) and 8 sailors. Travis level
661.09'.
February
2022 Meeting: Boat Electrical
Systems by Jeff J. His
presentation covered many topics,
including what makes a complete
circuit, how to use a volt meter,
using an Ohmmeter, testing fuses,
looking for shorts, wiring,
connections, and troubleshooting
boat problems. He recommends "Ugly's
Electrical Handbook" as a reference.
If you wish to obtain equipment, the
Fieldpiece Instruments test meter is
good.
Attendance: 27 devices and 34
sailors. Travis Level 661.08'.
January 2022 Frostbite
Cruise: Taking advantage of a
nice weather day before a cold front
blows in on Saturday (40's and gusts
in the 40's), the fleet cruised on a
sunny Friday afternoon. They met at
Starnes Island at noon. One boat with
three sailors. Lake level was 661.49'.
January
2022 Meeting: After meeting
in person two months in a row, we
went back to meeting via Zoom
because of COVID Stage 5 in Travis
County. Last year we wore masks and
were vaccinated once, twice, and
boosted, but Omicron took over.
Nonetheless, we met and planned our
activities for 2022 with optimism
and enthusiasm. We had a lot of good
ideas and volunteers for our
programs and cruises for the year.
The calendar reflects that. In
attendance were 25 computers and 35
members. Lake level was
661.54.
December 2021 Holiday Party: The 2021 All
Catalina Fleet 69 Holiday Party was
a fun and festive evening at the
Austin Yacht Club for Austin's
Catalina Sailors. In attendance were
40 sailors, including current
members, new members, and guests. We
shared stories of our adventures and
cruises of 2021 and plans for 2022.
We talked, we ate, we presented
recognitions and awards, and we
exchanged gifts. Robert and Sheila
were awarded the Stough Award. We
also had an entertaining and very
creative "Holiday Nautical Hat"
contest. We also installed new
officers: Commodore Joy, Vice
Commodore Marie, Treasurer Robert,
Secretaries Sheila and Diana.
Appointees: Historians Clay and
Cheryl. A great time was had by all.
The weather was cool and the lake
level was 662.2'.. Happy Sails to
all in 2022!
November 2021 Brunch
Cruise: This year our
Annual Breakfast Cruise was a Brunch
and in November. It was perfect! Many
thanks to Batter Blaster hosts Clay
and Robert. We met in the picnic area
of the beautifully renovated Arkansas
Bend Park. We had it all... eggs,
bacon, sausage, pancakes, beverages,
and lot of toppings including nuts,
blueberries, and strawberries. We also
had delicious apple crumb cake
(thanks, Sheila!) and jalapenos
stuffed and wrapped (thanks, Akiko!).
There was one boat, who docked in the
south cove. In all, 17 sailors were
there and had a great time. Partly
sunny skies (but we were under the
trees), light wind, and around 72
degrees. Lake level 662.75'.
November
2021 Meeting: Annapolis Boat Show.
Steve W. (of sailatx.com/)
gave an interesting report on a
recent 2-day visit to the Sail Boat
Show in Annapolis, Maryland. He
showed photos of the scene, the
crowds, and the boats. The show also
has lots of booths of vendors
selling anything you need for a
sailboat... from bottom paint to
radios to clothing. It's a lot of
fun and if you ever get the
opportunity to go, it is a
worthwhile and enjoyable trip. There
were 25 members attending the
meeting in the Red Lotus Restaurant.
Lake level was 663.13'. We nominated
and elected the 2022 Officers:
Commodore Joy, Vice Commodore Marie,
Co-Secretaries Diana and Sheila, and
Treasurer Robert.
October 2021 Cruise:
OKTOBERFEST 2021. It was a
beautiful Autumn day for our
Oktoberfest Cruise, hosted by Diane
and Mark. We had good food, good music
and most of all, we were rafted up
outside with OUR FRIENDS. The
temperatures were around 70 degrees
and winds were 12-15 with gusts to 20.
We anchored far into Cypress Creek
East, hoping to avoid the north winds,
but it was still gusty. In all there
were 10 boats (two C22s, three C25s,
one C250, one C270, one C30, an
invited Pearson 31, and a Sunfish!)
There were 30 attendees, including 5
guests.
Lake
level 663.3'.
October
Meeting: Provisioning Your
Cruising Boat, by Harry. Harry is a very
experienced leader of sailboat
charter cruises in the British
Virgin Islands and elsewhere. He
generously shared his knowledge and
experience about how to provision a
boat with about 8 people for 7
days.
TOP 10 SUGGESTIONS:
#10 – Work
off a detailed menu (Recommendation:
Plan for simple meals. 3 dinners and
all lunches and breakfasts on the
boat)
#9 – Use
an ice chest instead of the
refrigerator for cold drinks, water,
and beer
#8 – Buy
18 – 24 gallon jugs of water
#7 – Make
sun tea every day
#6 –
Consolidate trash into a large bag
instead of several smaller ones (saves
money as you pay per bag)
#5 – Do
not over-buy on food (one of the most
common mistakes)
#4 – Throw
away all packaging and boxes away to
prevent a potential roach problem
#3 –
Someone needs to be the galley boss to
make sure everyone helps to keep
counters clean and disinfected and
keep track of the inventory
#2 – Use
an ice chest (rotate ice)
#1 –
Everyone should have their own water
bottle, which can be refilled with ice
and jug water. This saves on plastic
and helps everyone keep track of their
own water bottles.
September 2021 Cruise: This
month was a flotilla sail because of
COVID Stage 5. One report said that 2
Catalina 25s met near Starnes Island
and sailed around and into part of
Devil's Cove. It was fine that day
(after Labor Day, after all.) On the
radio they heard the JJ Boat, a
Catalina 22 rarely seen at a cruise.
We look forward to hearing more about
the sailing that day. There were about
6 sailors on 3 boats. Lake level was
664.01'.
September 2021 Meeting:
"How to Sail across the
Atlantic in a 10' Boat," by John
G. He
didn't really do it himself, but
he did read the book "Alone
Against the Atlantic" by Gerry
Spiess and Marlin Bree.
Gerry
Spiess was an Minnesota
school teacher who sailed
his 10-foot (3.0 m)
home-built sailboatYankee Girl solo
across the Atlantic
Ocean in 1979 (3800
miles) and across the Pacific
in 1981. It was a very
carefully planned design
and implementation. There
were 22 members attending
the zoom meeting (COVID
Stage 5). Lake level
661.1'.
August 2021 Cruise: There
were no signs of Friggatriskaidekaphobia
for a group of Fleet 69 sailors, as
they sailed between LCRA markers 5 and
8 on a Friday the 13th afternoon and
evening. The temps were in the 90's
and the wind varied from 7 kn in the
afternoon to 18 by sunset. There were
3 cruising boats: C30, C25, and C22,
with 9 sailors. There were 3 fleet
members racing on Catalina Capris of
lengths 22 and 25. So, one could say
there were 5 boats and 12 sailors. Or
not. In any case, it was
pleasant time to go sailing and be
with friends. The sunset was gorgeous.
Lake level 666.1'.
August
2021 Meeting: Diane
detailed a 10 month trip on a Catalina
350 sailboat, which they took through
the Erie Canal and the Atlantic
Inter-coastal Waterway from Cleveland,
Ohio to Port Charlotte, Florida. They
spent 1 year preparing for the trip.
They left Cleveland on August 31st,
and sailed to Buffalo, through the
Erie Canal, down the Hudson River, in
the Atlantic Ocean off the coast of
New Jersey, the Delaware River, the
Chesapeake, along the East Coast ICW,
to the Florida Keys, Fort Myers,
ending at Port Charlotte. The stories,
history, photos, and experiences were
fascinating. The meeting was back to
Zoom because of COVID Stage 5. In
attendance were 25 devices, 32
sailors, and 2 guests. Lake level is
666.22'.
July 2021 Wok n Roll Land
Cruise: It was yet another
fantastic Wok n Roll Land Cruise. Many
thanks to our incredible cooks and
hosts, Norma, Akiko, Clay, Sheila, and
Robert. We played it safe since it's
still COVID time and wore masks and
spent much time outdoors in a
beautiful back yard. It was wonderful
to spend in-person time with our
favorite sailors and talk about
cruises we have done and cruises we
will do! There were 27 in attendance
and 5 received personal delivery of
meals. Lake level was 666.7'.
July 2021 Meeting: "LCRA
Highland Lakes Water
Levels and Flow
Management" by Joe. In the
1930s Sam Rayburn and Lyndon
Johnson were instrumental in
forming the Lower Colorado
River Authority to tame the
lower Colorado River and to
bring power to rural Central
Texas. The lakes would provide
drinking water to the area as
well as electricity. There are
five main dams on the lower
Colorado River in Central
Texas: Buchanan, Inks, Wirtz,
Starcke, and Mansfield.
Irrigation for four coastal
families of rice farmers must
be provided as set in law by
the Texas Legislature. LCRA
functions: Allocate, Control,
and Store water. In complex
operations, LCRA calculates
inflow + demand + status of
Colorado River below Mansfield
Dam in order to determine dam
releases for drinking,
irrigation, storage, and
recreation.
There are 250 coastal rice
farming operations using
ground water, but those four
families must still receive
water from the Colorado River.
The LCRA Board of Directors
approved a new reservoir to
provide water to them, and
maintain higher levels in Lake
Travis. Arbuckle
Reservoir in Wharton
County is nearly complete.
This new reservoir will help
LCRA maintain a more constant
level on Lake Travis.
See LCRA website for more
complete information: https://www.lcra.org/.
There were 30 attendees,
including 2 guests. In Person!
Lake level 666.64'.
June 2021 Cruise: 14th
Annual Flor de Cana. After 16
months of COVID-19 restrictions and
meeting in a 2D world of Zoom
meetings, our fleet was finally able
to raft-up IN PERSON and 3D for our
14th Annual Flor de Cana Cruise. There
was no wind, the temps were around
100, but no one cared. We were
together, on the boats and in the
water. We had so much catching up to
do. For the first time, we anchored in
the quiet cove near Cypress Creek
Park. It took about 30 min of motoring
to get there, but then it was just us,
some herons, and kayakers. There were
7 boats (C30, C27, 3-C25's, C250, and
a C22) and 17 fleet members. Robert
cooked up a fantastic meal with
marinated pork with tortillas, rice
& beans. Others brought sides,
including cole slaw, desserts, fruit,
and cheese puffs. The cruise founder,
Salvador, attended via What's App. It
was a fantastic and memorable cruise.
Lake level 666.2'.
June
2021 Meeting: "Sea Scouts" and
"The Opening of the Arctic Ocean."
Sea Scout Gabi gave an excellent
presentation on "all about Sea
Scouts" as one of the requirements
for advancement in Ship 911. Then
Mark told us what he has learned
about the opening of the Arctic
Ocean, starting with an interesting
book he read by James Stavridis
titled "Sea
Power: The History and Geopolitics
of the World's Oceans."
Attendance was around 31 with 4
guests. Lake level is up to 666.14'.
We've been meeting via zoom since
April 2020. We're planning to meet
in person next month! Yay!
May 2021 Cruise: Sailing
Lake Travis. The cruise was
postponed twice and was finally held
on Memorial Day Sunday. There were
lots of power boats of course, but by
late afternoon the winds were good and
many boats had left. The best sailing
was around Sometimes Islands. The
busiest was between Starnes Island and
the Power Lines. Participants included
4 sailors on a C30 and 2 sailors and a
dog on a C22. So it was 2 boats and 6
sailors and a dog. Thanks to recent
rains, the lake has come up a bit,
though not nearly enough, to 661.6'.
May
2021 Meeting: Secrets of Lake
Travis Coves, by Robert. Robert
drove his fishing boat to
each of the locations
mentioned in the program.
He took photos of each
location. He also included
screen shots of his GPS at
each cove. If I documented
the locations here, they
wouldn't be secrets.
Thanks! Lake level
659.75’. Up 1.75’ since last
month’s meeting. 22 attendees.
April 2021 Cruise: On
a beautiful April spring day, 15
sailors on 6 Catalinas (C30, C270,
3-C25s, C22) sailed in the first Fleet
69 Coddiwomple Cruise. We sailed
in a purposeful manner towards vague
destinations, in the areas of the LCRA
mark 9 near the power lines and
Starnes Island. The high temperature
was near 90, south winds were 8 to 15
and gusty at times. Because of COVID
stage 3, we didn't raft up, but it was
fantastic to sail with and among
friends again. Lake level was around
657.8'.
April
2021 Meeting: "Cruising in the
Abacos, Bahamas" by Harry Polly. Harry gave us an
excellent overview with photos,
stories, and maps of cruising in the
Abacos Islands. The waters are
shallow and are protected from the
Atlantic by a long barrier reef,
making for pleasant sailing. The
people are friendly, the snorkeling
is great, and the islands are fun to
explore. Elbow Cay with Hope Town
has a candy cane light house that is
the last kerosene-burning lighthouse
in the world. It has to be lit with
a match. At the right time, you can
see a Junkanoo parade. Go to Man of
War key and buy bags made out of
sail cloth. It's all different now
because of recent devastating
hurricanes and cruisers now go to
other islands in the Bahamas. There
are around 800 of them. In attendance were
23 computers at one time or another.
31 attendees if you count 2 quick
appearances. No guests. Lake
level 658.02'. Lake
forecast link
here is between 640' and 660'
by October 1.
March 2021 Cruise:
Sailing of the Green. The cloudy
& cool day turned into a sunny and
warm spring-like day. Winds were light
to moderate. This was a flotilla style
cruise in which we met at Starnes
Island and sailed up the lake and into
Sandy Creek. Some of us ventured into
Long Canyon. We were "wearing our
green" for the St Patrick's theme.
There were 5 boats that arrived at
various times from 1 to 5 pm. 11
sailors. 658.8'.
March
2021 Meeting: "Searching for the
Northwest Passage" by Todd. He
gave a compelling
presentation about the
search for the NW Passage,
a shortcut by sea from
Europe to Asia. How much
of a shortcut? Huge, tens
of thousands kilometers,
it’s a BIG deal.
Currently, tankers that
burn fossil fuel
contribute to climate
change, so it would be
beneficial to travel the
shortest route possible.
Many attempts failed, usually
tragically. Roald
Amundsen, a Norwegian
explorer, finally navigated a
NW Passage 1903-1905, with a
small, maneuverable ship and 7
men. Taught by Inuits, they
learned to live off the land,
even building igloos to
survive the winter. In attendance were 31
sailors, including 2 guests. 26
devices. Lake level 658.66' and
steady. LCRA
forecast for 9/1/21 is between
640 and 660, depending on wet or dry
conditions.
February 2021 Cruise: On the
Water After the Big Freeze Cruise:
The week before the cruise, Austin
endured record cold temperatures, 6
inches of snow and ice all combined
with power and water outages. Leaking
pipes and fallen trees were still
being dealt with by many in the fleet
over the weekend. Strong Southerly
winds brought dramatically warmer
temperatures for the cruise on Sunday.
The day started cloudy with gusty
winds of 15-20 mph. The winds later
moderated to 5-8 mph, the clouds
cleared, temperatures reached 74 and
it turned into a perfect day of
sailing. COVID stage 4 was in effect.
A total of 5 boats with 9 sailors
joined the cruise. COVID stage 4 was
in effect so most met up at Starnes
Island and sailed as a flotilla back
down the lake towards Cypress
Creek. Boats included a C30, two
C25's, a C-Capri-22, and a C22's. Lake
level 658.85'.:
February 2021 Meeting: Delivering
a 52' Catamaran from Florida to
the BVIs, by Jonathan. Jonathan gave an
interesting presentation about
sailing on
a Fountaine Pajot Saba 50 foot, 17 ton catamaran named
"Good Vibrations" from Ft.
Lauderdale, Florida to the U.S.
Virgin Islands. He
found the crew position via https://gosailingapp.com/. Departure
date was in November 2020 and 6 – 9
days were allotted for sailing to
the final destination. Five sailors.
They traveled 1100 nautical miles
(1265 statute miles). Winds were a
constant 8 – 12 knots.They
had 250 gallons of fuel with an
extra 150 gallons. Along
the way, they often fished and
caught a wahoo, which gave them
meals for many days. He
showed examples of the navigation
tools that were used on the trip.The
captain used an I-Pad and backup
laptops to control the boat. They
used GPS chart plotter, radar,
autopilot (Auto Guidance), AIS
(Automatic Identification System),
and Predictwind (IridiumGO!) (here's
a sample) for navigation.
In attendance
were 26 sailors (1 guest) on 19
computers. Lake level 658.9'.
Water temp 55. Air temp in the
20's and falling to the single
digits over the next few days.
Brrr. (Little did we know that
the Big Freeze of 2021 was about
to hit Texas. Massive power
outages for days. Water
unavailability then non-potable.
Then broken pipes.)
January 2021
New Year's Cruise: Didn't
happen due to weather, though some
members sailed at other opportune
times.
January 2021
Meeting: Planning the Year
Ahead. Our first meeting of the
year was held via Zoom, but with
optimism for the year as the
COVID-19 vaccine roll-out has
started. Commodore Meryl revealed
our theme for the year: "All
hands on deck for first rate
seamanship, little skylarking,
and clear sailing."(Webster defines
Skylarking in nautical terms -
to run up and down the rigging
of a ship in sport; frolic, act
up, clown around. )
After some social time, we
discussed what we would like to
have for meeting programs and
cruises this year. Many ideas were
discussed, both new and old
favorites. This year we'll learn
more about boat deliveries, the
Northwest Passage, the Abacos
(Bahamas), Secrets of Lake Travis
Coves (and where to not run
aground or how to get off
aground), Sea Scouts, swap meet,
star gazing, solo sailing, sailing
with a team, and fiberglass. For
cruises we'll have (or hope to)
our traditional Flor de Cana,
Breakfast, Oktoberfest, and Wok n
Roll cruises. This will be fun! In
attendance were 20 members. Lake
level 659.25'.
December 2020 Holiday Party: The
2020 Fleet Holiday Party was held
via Zoom, as were the majority of
meetings and cruises in this year
of the COVID-19 pandemic. We
couldn't gather in person, but we
did the best we could in these
circumstances. We started with our
"social time." After a song by Joy
and a toast by Walter, we
reviewed the year with slide shows
by Cheryl. We recognized the 2020
contributors: People who were
officers, gave a meeting program,
or hosted a cruise. They received
caps and/or fleet logo tote bags.
The treasured Stough Award was
awarded to Louise, for her
outstanding efforts to keep the
fleet alive and active throughout
the year, while encouraging others
to enjoy the sport of sailing.
Thanks! To make the party more fun
and festive, we had a funny hat
contest. Winners were Walter the
pirate, Diane with the bicycle hat
tree, and Clay with the
wide-brimmed hat with sailing
ornaments. We were split into
several "chat rooms" so we could
have table-like conversations with
3 or 4 other people. A good time
was held by all. Congratulations
to our 2021 officers: Commodore
Meryl, Vice Commodore Joy,
Treasurer Robert, and Secretaries
Diana and Sheila. Cheryl and Clay
will continue as Historians. There
were 23 computers and 34 people.
Lake level was 659.25' and
falling. A year ago it was 670'.
November
2020 Hot Toddy Not Cruise:
It's been a warm (70's and 80's) and
dry autumn with variable winds. On
the day of the cruise, a cold front
was in the forecast for
mid-afternoon. Two boats from AYC,
C30 and C270, attempted to sail in
winds 0 to 5. After over an hour,
they returned to the docks. Soon
thereafter, a C22 headed out to the
lake, hoping to catch better wind
when the front arrived. Around 3 pm,
the wind shifted to the north and
quickly increased from 0 to 22, with
gusts to 26. "It was blustery . . .
we crossed a consistent line of
"whoa"/¿"woe"" and they motored back
to the dock. The wind eventually
settled down to the mid to upper
teens. By then, all boats were
safely back in their places. There
were 3 boats, 6 sailors. Lake level
was 659.5' and falling.
November
2020 Meeting. "Sailing
Travelogues" by fleet
members. Presentations included
sailing in the Cyclades of Greece,
Belize, San Juan Islands, British
Virgin Islands, Lake Travis (end to
beginning to end), Tahiti (ocean
passage to Tikeahau, an atoll in the
Tuamotu Archipelago),
Abacos, and the Florida Keys &
Biscayne Bay. In all there were 20
computers and 30 attendees,
including one guest who later
joined. Lake Level was 659.74'.
October
2020 Cruise: It was a
beautiful Autumn day for an
Oktoberfest Cruise. Temperatures
were in the 60's with clouds giving
way to sunshine. Wind was light,
from 0 to 5 from the S to SE, so we
opted for Barry's Cove rather than
drifting to/from Arkansas Bend. C25
"Summer Song" was the first to
anchor in a 32' deep depression in
the ever-narrowing cove. They were
joined by a C25, Capri 22 "Güneş" and C22
"Coyoacan". Masks were worn. They
had 3 anchors. Meanwhile, three
boats sailed in & out of the
cove, decided to not raft up, and
found enough wind to enjoy a
peaceful afternoon of sailing. That
included C270 "Afternoon Delight,"
C270 "Soulstice," and C30
"Rendezvous." In all, there were 7
boats with 14 sailors. Lake level
was 660.7'.
October
2020 Meeting: History of
Circumnavigation by Sail,
including single-handed, by John
G. John's presentation
was partly based on the book "A
Brief History of the
Circumnavigators", by by Derek
Wilson. He also provided a list of
books and movies on this topic, so
we can continue to learn more. The
quest to find a western route to the
Spice Islands began in 1519 and
resulted in the first
circumnavigation of the Earth.
Ferdinand Magellan led the Spanish
expedition, but was killed in the
Philippines in the second year of
the Expedition. Juan Sebastian
d'Elcano from Spain completed the
journey when he arrived in Spain in
Sept 1522. Starting with 5 ships and
265 crew, the voyage ended with one
ship and just 19 surviving crew
members. Subsequent
circumnavigations were attempted and
succeeded, but there were also many
failures until the discovery and
treatment of scurvy. Ex. Sir Francis
Drake, 1577-1586, started with 164
crew and returned with 59. We
learned more about Captain James
Cook (1st East bound
circumnavigation), Sir James Ross
(Ross Sea & Ice Shelf), and
others from several European
countries. Then there were single
handed circumnavigations and
eventually races around the globe,
including the 2018 50th Anniversary
of the Golden Glove Race. Jean-Luc
Van Den Heede finished first at age
73 in 121 days. See
his story here: link. At the
meeting there were 19 computers, 27
attendees, including one guest. Lake
Travis level was 661.48' and slowly
falling.
September 2020: Flotilla
Cruise: On the Water, Socially
Distanced, and Almost Full Moon at
Arkansas Bend. Saturday was a
perfect sailing day with 78 degrees,
partly sunny, and south winds 10-15
mph. A total of 11 boats with 22
sailors joined the cruise. Most met at
Starnes Island and cruised together to
Arkansas
Bend. Eight of the boats enjoyed the
afternoon by anchoring and swimming at
appropriate distances in Arkansas Bend
cove. Five boats stayed overnight and
included 2 new member boats.
Temperatures in the mid-70s with a
light breeze overnight made for
perfect sleeping in the cove. On
Sunday morning, the winds picked up to
10-15 mph with gusts over 20 mph, and
we enjoyed refreshing morning sails
back to our docks. Boats included two
C30's, C270, C250, three C25's,
C-Capri-22, and three C22's. Lake
level 662.19'.
September 2020:
Zoom Cruise: BVI Full Moon
Flotilla 2022 discussion. We
had a zoom meeting led by Louise and
Harry to discuss plans for a Fleet
69 cruise in the British Virgin
Islands in 2022. This was an initial
meeting to discuss boats,
itineraries, costs, plans,
questions, and more. In attendance
were 26 sailors and 18 computers. We
started with "social time" and were
very pleased to see Keith and Sue !
Many thanks to the organizers who
have looked (and continued to look)
at various options and plans. Lake
level was 662.37'.
September 2020
Meeting: We were fortunate to
have three topics this
month! First, Todd told us about how
he and Patti double-handedly lowered
the mast of their Catalina 25
at the dock. The purpose was to
replace parts at the top of the
mast. They then decided to use the
adult method of raising the mast.
They took it to Sail and Ski Marina
and employed a professional to do
the job. Secondly. Sea Scout Emma
talked to us about the invasive
species Zebra Mussels. Her
presentation was informative and
well done. This will give her credit
towards earning the Quarter Master
rank, which is like (and more) the
Eagle rank in Scouts. Thirdly, Chris
S, Skipper of Sea Scout Ship 681,
told us about the apps and devices
the scouts use to
navigate, track their paths, and
read the lake depth. Thanks to all !
In attendance were 33 sailors,
including 30 members and 3 guests.
Lake level was 662.72'.
August 2020: Hooky Sailing Cruise: To escape
the heat and the weekend crowds, we
had a Fleet Hooky Cruise on Tuesday
morning, 8/18/20. There were five
sailors on 3 boats: Catalina 30
"Rendezvous", Catalina 270 "Afternoon
Delight", and "the purple" Catalina
22. Winds were light from N to NW at 0
to 4. Temps were still in the
80's. We motored & sailed from AYC
to Starnes Island where we found
enough wind to use our genoas. All in
all, it was fun to get out on the
water, be socially distant with
friends, and breathe the fresh air.
Lake level is 664.32' and
falling.
August 2020: Trivia Land Cruise: Cruise
and Game show host Louise divided the
sailors into two teams and led a fun
game of nautical trivia. Team B had
the help of a treasure chest, wing
keel and full spinnaker to be the
first across the 25 point finish line.
Navigation errors and a yellow
quarantine flag denied Team A the win.
Questions included the following:
Where did Napoleon die? What is the
"rake of the mast." Tell a story. How
many feet in a nautical mile? Flood vs
ebb tide. Bermuda's parent country.
When to use a plow anchor. Who was in
charge of US Lighthouses until 1939?
Name of Joshua Slocum's boat. Deepest
lake in the world. Where did Columbus
land first in the new world? In
attendance were 5 computers with 8
sailors. Lake level 664.66'.
August
2020 Meeting: BVI Bitter End Yacht
Club 2.0. Harry P has made
about 45 trips over the years to teach
sailing to students. His presentation
began with photos of some of his
charters and scenery of the British
Virgin Islands. He found that docking
at the Bitter End, which is in Virgin
Gorda Sound, gives people a chance to
walk ashore or visit restaurant and
store. Nice cabins, beautiful beach.
Over the years there has been
hurricane damage, but nothing like the
total destruction caused in 2017 by a
category 5 hurricane, Irma, with winds
of 177 mph, and gusts up to 225 mph.
He played a portion of a video (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MeqNYIopw80)
from Peter Isler showing the
destruction and interviews with
members of the Bitter End owners, the
Hoken family. They shared plans for
rebuild of the resort, and are calling
it Bitter End 2.0. https://beyc.com
. In attendance there were 20
computers, 29 members, and one guest.
Lake Level is 664.90' and falling.
July 2020
Cruise: Sailing Annapolis to
Solomons Island and Hampton plus The History
of the Fleet Breakfast
Cruise: With
COVID 19 social distancing still in
effect, the cruise was held online.
Our first host of the afternoon, Steve
W, shared his recent experience
sailing on the Blue Heron. Blue Heron
is an all new design Catalina 425 that
has been named Cruising World
Magazine’s Domestic Boat of the Year
as well as Sail Magazine’s Best
Mono-hull Cruising Boat 40 to 50 ft
category. Especially of note was a
video demonstration of the powered,
in-mast furling feature. In-mast
furling along with the self tacking
jib should make life quite easy aboard
this beautiful new yacht! Steve’s
friend owns the boat and is cruising
the East Coast. Steve and his brother
joined the trip in Annapolis,
stopped Solomons Island, MD (crab
cakes!) and ended their part of the
voyage at Hampton, VA.
Co-hosts Cheryl and
Clay then chronicled the long
running Catalina Fleet 69’s
Breakfast Cruise. The Breakfast
Cruise has been ongoing for 35
years. Cheryl presented photo
albums from 1985 thru 2005. During
that 21 year time span, there were
only two years without the
Breakfast Cruise! Back then, Long
Canyon was the popular place to
go, where at many lake levels,
they could tie up to shore and
step off the bow. After developers
closed access to land, they moved
to Arkansas Bend, where some could
come by boat and some by car. Many
boats spent the night. Clay then
shared pictures and interesting
notes for the years 2007 thru
2019.For the “younger” sailors
in the fleet, these memories
provided a wonderful window into
the rich history and traditions of
Catalina Fleet 69.
In
attendance were 13 computers with
16 sailors. Lake level was
667.72’
July 2020
Meeting: "Catalina Sailing
Adventures with YouTube." In this program,
Clay told us the history of
YouTube and how its videos
can help sailors learn more
about all aspects of
sailing. He told us about
features of YouTube, which
include searching by
keywords, creating playlists
(so you can find your
favorite videos), and
subscribing to channels (so
you can follow your favorite
video creator). We learned
that quality helps to make a
video much better. We looked
at several types of videos
that interest us. The areas
include how to fix up an old
boat, what type of boat to
buy (including tours and
factors to consider), how to
take down a mast on a
Catalina 22, where to go
cruising, and how to splice
lines. For entertainment
(and information) we watched
a few video clips of people
who live the cruising life,
whether they are
single-handing, sailing to
the Tortugas, or visiting
interesting places in the
world. There’s also nautical
history to discover,
especially by visiting sites
connected with maritime
museums. San Diego,
Chesapeake, and Mystic
Seaport are ones we
mentioned. Thanks! There
were 23 attendees on about
15 computers. Lake level is
668.87’ and falling.
June 2020: 13th Annual Flor de Caña
Cruise, hosted by Salvador and Nina.
It was a sunny, 90 degree
afternoon with light winds, however,
with COVID-19 social distancing still in
effect the cruise was held online.
Louise set up the cruise via Zoom and
hosts Salvador and Nina shared pictures
and stories from Nicaragua.
Salvador first gave an overview of the
country's geography, regions, and
climate. Nicaragua has a rich history
with one of the oldest Spanish cities in
the Americas as well as being
geographically diverse with volcanoes,
two coast lines, mountains and rain
forests. The blue white blue pattern of
the national flag represents Nicaragua’s
territory sandwiched by the Atlantic and
Pacific oceans. Nina then shared
pictures from around the country
featuring beautiful beaches, volcanoes,
lakes, lagoons, islands, rivers, and
rain forests. She recommended you go to
the web site Flor
de Caña.com and
read about the rum history and recipes.
In attendance were 13 computers with 17
sailors. Lake level was 671.99’
June 2020 Meeting: Engines:
Outboard, Diesel, and Electric. First, Pat F talked about the
"Care and Maintenance of gas and
diesel engines." For
all engines, he
recommended that you run
your engine regularly.
For gas engines, Pat
recommended to keep the
fuel tank full, use
non-ethanol gasoline and a
gas stabilizer. Ethanol is
hard on non-fuel-injected
engines, especially on the
crank seals on a two
stroke. On
outboards, the water pump
impeller should be changed
every three years.
He discussed carburetor
cleaning methods and
recommended new spark
plugs every year for easy
starting.
Steve W talked about his
Catalina 270 LE which he
uses for his charter
service. After the diesel
engine gave out, he
decided to replace it with
an electric one. He obtained
his motor conversion through
Electric Yacht, which focuses
on re-powering sailboats.He purchased four
96-pound batteries and built a
wooden box to house them.His motor weighs
approximately 65 – 70 pounds.
He was able to install the
motor and batteries himself
with the help of a couple of
friends.
He reports that his
engine is very quiet and
he is able to charge it at
the dock.There
are plenty of gauges
to keep track of the
engine's performance.
It's been able to go 7
knots and has had no
problems or
limitations on range.
There were 22
attendees, including
speakers. Lake level
672.23'.
May 2020
Cruise: Virtual Nautical Trivia. Louise
hosted the online cruise via
Zoom. In attendance were 11
computers with 16 sailors. Our
game host divided the sailors into two
teams and led an entertaining game of
nautical trivia. Team B enjoyed
fair winds and following seas and
finished with the most points.
Unfortunately, Team A was becalmed and
set upon by pirates denying them the
win. Among the questions were story
telling, such as "The first time
I saw the ocean" and "The first
time I went sailing."
Questions included, which lake is Gitche
Gumee? What cruise line owned the
Titanic? Which is bigger, St Thomas
or St Croix? What is the eye of the
wind? What is the name of a racing
Catamaran Class? How long is a
league? How many rudders on a
skiff? It was great fun.
Lake level was 671.91’.
May 2020 Meeting:“Sailing
and Seamanship – Ancient Origins”
Todd gave us an excellent
presentation about seafaring in the
time of the Romans and the story of
Paul as told in the Bible in Acts.
We learned that many elements of
modern navigation existed in that
time. They understood the prevailing
winds, currents, depths and sea
floors. They used landmarks,
lighthouses, range markers, lead
lines, clouds, birds, and the sun
and stars. They sailed eight months
of the year, avoiding winter
weather, aka “mare clausum.”
Paul sailed on 2 types of ships. One
was smaller and sailed along the
coastline from Caesarea to Myra
(Turkey). He then boarded a cargo
ship called a “Corbita.” They were
large, up to 200’ long, and had 2
sails: a square main sail and a
small foresail. It sailed best
downwind and well enough on other
courses no higher than a beam reach.
Roman mariners steered to the lee
sides of land, avoiding the
dangerous windward sides.
Forced south by a contrary wind, the
sailors found the lee of Crete and
landed there. It was late in
the year but they set out
again. Soon a strong nor’easter
arrived.The sailors
dropped sails and secured the ship,
lying ahull.For
14 days and nights, they drifted 476
miles. When soundings showed a
nearby coast, they prepared to
abandon ship. When the
ship struck, everyone swam to
safety. They had
reached Malta, and after winter,
Paul was taken on to Rome. At the
meeting there were 28 attendees.
Lake level 672.01'.
April 2020 Cruise:
April Bird Cruise. Hosts
Sheila and Robert's original plan
was to sail to Arkansas Bend Park
and observe the lake birds from both
boat and land perspectives. However,
Texas is still under the "shelter in
place" rule due to the CoViD-19, so
our cruise was held via Zoom
instead. Sheila started the cruise
by telling us how she got interested
in Bird watching (started with a
cardinal) and how she continues to
get information from local and
online resources. She and others
have a variety of bird feeders in
our yards. She showed us pictures of
birds that are commonly found in
back yards in our area. Then she
showed summer birds, since summer
seems to be arriving early this
year. Fleet members then showed
photos of birds they have seen in
and around their neighborhoods.
Others talked about birds they have
seen. Carolina sparrows, wrens,
purple martins, hummingbirds,
cardinals, bluebirds, blue jays and
more. We also talked about
references (see photos), including
Facebook "what's this bird", iBird
pro, Travis County Audubon Society.
In attendance were 22 members. Lake
level was 674.22'
PDF file
with a checklist of birds compiled
from eBird.org. These birds have
been spotted around this time of
year at Lake Travis and reported
on the site. Lake
Travis eBird Checklist
April 2020
Meeting: "First Aid for
Sailors" by Kimery. After
"sheltering in place" because of
the COVID-19 virus for a couple
of weeks and counting, it was
fun to have a zoom virtual
meeting with the fleet. We're a
close-knit group, with some
members who have belonged to the
fleet for decades, and some who
have just joined. We all share
the love of sailing and the
camaraderie comes naturally.
Kimery, owner of the The
Expedition School, gave an
excellent presentation. Besides offering
unique adventure opportunities,
Kimery and her team have helped
prevent injuries and save many
lives in their community as a
first response medical team.
Medical situations: If not if by
when. Be prepared. The
presentation began with a
question. "What do you carry on
your boat for First Aid?" She
recommends 5 types of kits:
First Aid Kit -
include items for injury and
wound care
Medication Kit -
chewable aspirin for heart
attack and Benedryl for
allergic reactions
Repair Kit - zip
ties, duct tape, WD-40, and
tools
Survival Kit -
communications device such as
radio and cell phone, water,
batteries, food, flashlight
Nutrition Kit -
items to replenish
electrolytes, sodium, and
calories to fuel the body
(think sugar snack and salty
snack such as pickle juice and
salted almonds) Everyone
should have a boat tow number
on their phone. Be aware of
the signs of heat stroke and
hypothermia.
Drinking
too much water can dilute your
system of electrolytes and other
minerals. Consume something like
Gatorade or add hydration tablets
or powder to your water. All
boaters should wear USCG approved
Type III Personal Flotation
Devices (PFDs) while on the water.
We shol all try changing the
mindset of boaters. For example:
we did not used to wear seat belts
in cars. Now more than 90% of auto
occupants are wearing them.
In attendance were
33 members, one guest, and our
speaker. Travis level 673.5'.
March
2020 “Spring
St. Patrick’s Day
and Wearin’ O The
Green Cruise”was unfortunately canceled due to
the Coronavirus 2019 and the need to
maintain "social distancing" and
sanitary precautions. Hosts were Mark
and Diane. The plans sounded like a
lot of fun so maybe we can try again
later. Travis level is still around
670.0'.
March 2020
Meeting: "Trips, Traps, and
Shortcuts of Bareboat Chartering
in the BVIs" by Harry Polly.
We learned about many things to
consider when chartering in the BVIs
or anywhere. Rule #1: Everything is
alright, until it's not! Bring water
bottles. No glass. Use an ice chest
to hold beverages for the day, to
minimize opening the frig/freezer.
Bring paper charts and navigation
tools. Rule #2: Two ways to do
things, smart (which is also easy)
or hard! Get a catamaran. Have
a detailed sail plan. Have a chain
of command and don't try to do all
by yourself ! Rule #3: I cannot tell
you what works but I sure can tell
you what doesn't! Get a briefing on
your own chartered boat. Have a meal
plan and share the work. Cruising
guides are great. Link to Soper's
Hole status. Thanks! There
were 30 attendees and Travis level
was 670.0'.
February 2020 “el Velero
de Amor” "Love Boat"
Cruise: It
was an unusually warm, mostly sunny 75
degree day for our February “Love
Boat” cruise. The winds were calm at
noon and some of us sailed and some
motored across the lake. Eight boats
with 26 sailors rafted up in Barry’s
Cove. Three members enjoyed their
"first cruise" and were very
impressed. Hosts James aka “Capitán Esteban”
and Sara aka “Julieta la Directora de
Cruzeros” welcomed each arrival with a
lei and later fired up their grill to
prepare “Angels on Horseback” - bacon
wrapped hot dogs on a half bolillo,
schmeared with refried beans with
onions and garlic and then chipotle
mayo on top. Other sailors brought
sides and sweets to share. After
dining, James called six rounds of
“Loteria”, Mexican picture bingo and
then handed out several rounds of
nautical door prizes. Finally our
hosts served cocoa with marshmallows.
The wind picked up to 8 mph during the
afternoon and all enjoyed a refreshing
sail back to our docks. Boats included
a C30, C270, C27, three C25s, and two
C22’s. Lake level 670.5’. Many gracias
to our hosts! (report by Meryl)
February
2020 Meeting: "Race from St
Petersburg to Havana" by fleet
member Steve W. He presented
his experience as crew aboard a
Catalina 425 sail #1 "Blue Heron,"
competing in the Cruising A division.
The first race was in 1930. There is a
sporting exception that allowed these
boat to enter Cuban waters, but legal
documents are still required. The race
is 285 nautical miles from St
Petersburg, down the west coast of
Florida due south to Marina Hemingway
in Havana. it took them about 60
hours, sailing from Monday to
midnight Wednesday. The crew adhered
to a detailed schedule as to who's on
the helm and who's not. After arrival,
there were tours, festivities, and a
boat parade. He showed photos, videos,
and shared stories of the boat and the
voyage. Thanks! By the way, he is the
owner of 2 interesting web sites
(including blogs, podcasts, and a
charter business): https://www.sailatx.com
and https://www.sailwithsteve.com.
Joe
handed out a chart showing the Lake
Travis Level Forecast: Click
here for the link. There were
39 members in attendance. Lake level
670.51'.
January
2020 New Year's Resolution Cruise. It
was a pleasant January day reaching 61
degrees, partly sunny, with south
winds varying from 7 to 10 mph. Five
boats with 18 sailors, including a new
member, rafted up in Barry's Cove,
where we all shared our sailing
resolutions for the new year. Everyone
brought their own sandwiches and
drinks, but a few brought some goodies
to share, such as sweet and sour
meatballs and delicious caramel
chocolate brownies. Everyone stated
his/her 2020 Sailing resolution. They
included: Participate in more fleet
cruises this year; Keep a sailing
journal or logbook; Have fewer boats
and get them in better shape; Trailer
the boat out of town for a cruising
adventure; get more sailing
certifications; and Sail faster! Boats
include a C30, C270, C25, and two
C22's. Lake Level 670.94'. (report by
Meryl :-))
January
2020 Meeting: We kicked off the
approximately 46th year of Catalina
Fleet 69 with lively discussions about
programs and cruises for 2020. We
began as a Catalina 22 fleet, but as
members added or moved to larger
boats, we became the All Catalina
Fleet 69. Look at the calendar page to
see the plans we have for the year. In
attendance were 35 sailors, including
2 guests who later joined, and 4
members attending their very first
meeting. Welcome to all! Lake level
671.0', which is 3' above "average"
and steady.
December 2019
Holiday Party: The 2019 All
Catalina Fleet 69 Holiday Party was
a fun and festive evening at the
Austin Yacht Club for Austin's
Catalina Sailors. In attendance were
67 sailors, including experienced
and novice sailors, "old" and new
fleet members, and guests (12). We
shared stories of our adventures and
cruises of 2019 and plans for 2020.
We talked, we ate, we presented
recognitions and awards, and we
exchanged gifts. We also installed
new officers: Commodore Louise, Vice
Commodore Meryl, Treasurer Robert,
Secretaries Sheila, Diana, and
Cheryl. Appointees: Historians Clay
and Cheryl. A great time was had by
all. The weather was mild and the
lake level was 670.0'. Happy Sails
to all in 2020!
November
2019 Hot Toddy Cruise: Hosts:
Louise and Walter. It was a rare
beautiful autumn day with temperatures
in the 60's, mostly sunny, and winds
around 10. It was a good day to sail
to and from Barry's Cove. We enjoyed a
wide variety of hot beverages,
including spice tea, hot chocolate,
and special concoctions with honey,
cinnamon, and more. We
intended to play a nautical trivia
game but got distracted by lively
conversations and discussions. So it
was postponed to 2020. There
were 7 boats with 15 sailors.C270 (7
people), C22, C25, C25, and C250. Lake
level 671.4'.
November
2019 Meeting: Shackleton's Boat
Journey. John G gave a
presentation on Shackleton's
Boat
Journey by Frank
Arthur
Worsley, navigator of the ship
Endurance and part of the 1914
journey after the original boat
(Endurance) was crushed by Ice (in
1915), leaving the 28 men stranded
on pack ice.The
crew drifted on the flow ice for
over a year. They managed to launch
the 3 life boats and reach Elephant
Island some 60 miles away.
The focus of the talk was the
dangerous journey in freezing
weather on one of the row boats
which the crew had managed to jury
rig into a sail boat. Six men made
the journey in 30 degree weather to
South Georgia Island some 650
nautical miles away in about 16
days. Read Wikipedia to learn about
the other parts of the journey,
including how the crew got over the
mountain to the whaling station on
the other side of the Island, as
well as the voyage to rescue the
remaining 28 crew members.
We also announced the winners of the
2019 photo contest, the first one
since 2014. Categories and winners
were the following: Scenic - Sue and
Diane. People - Cheryl and Clay.
Other - Dianna and Todd.
Congratulations to everyone for
submitting a competitive set of
photos "of a boat or from a boat." !
Prizes were West Marine gift cards.
There were 39 attendees, including
one guest / former program speaker /
C22 owner. Lake level 671.3' and
steady.
Oktoberfest
2019 Cruise: Ach du lieber it
was a wunderbar cruise. It was a
beautiful autumn day with temperatures
in the 60's and winds 5-10. Two days
before, it was in the 90's and the day
before, the 50's. Hosts Diane and Mark
provided 2 types of sausage as well as
a mini-keg of German beer and oomp-a
music. Others brought sauerkraut, red
cabbage, German potato salads, fruit,
German chocolate cupcakes and
brownies, pumpkin cookies, and other
German-themed sides. All delicious. We
played a mug holding contest to see
who could hold a large glass mug of
water with one arm extended for the
longest time (2 minutes?) Rafting up
in Barry's Cove were 2 C-270s, one
C-30, 2 C-22s (with new members on
first cruise), one C-25, and one Capri
22 (Lake it or Knot, attending her
first cruise with new owners!) In all
there were 7 boats and 19 attendees.
Lake level 672.5'.
October 2019
Meeting: Tips for Taking Pics on
Lake Travis and the PBJ Sailing
Series at the Austin Yacht Club,
by professional photographer and AYC
member Bill Records. Bill pointed
out that the Texas sun is about the
worst lighting you can find for
photos. In addition to the sun,
taking photos of sailboats on Lake
Travis is tough because of all the
white (caliche, sails, boats -
everything is white!). His
suggestions are to use a fast
shutter speed and try to take
pictures in the early morning and
early evening when the light is less
harsh. And, to be in the right place
at the right time to get a great
photo.
The second part of the presentation
focused on the AYC PBJ Summer
Sailing Series for kids 4-10 years
old. We were treated to several
photos of adorable 4 and 5 year olds
sailing Optis. We also learned a bit
about how you teach sailing such a
young group and the history of the
series as a way to increase
membership. For more information
about the programs offered by AYC,
go to austinyachtclub.net.
There were 32 attendees, including
our speaker and one guest. Lake
level 672.6'.
September 2019
Breakfast Cruise. We've been having
Breakfast Cruises for at least 31
years. In 1988 it was the Mimosa
cruise. It's always a popular
favorite and this one met the high
expectations. Many thanks to Batter
Blaster hosts, Clay and Robert. We
met up at the renovated Arkansas
Bend Park, which now has
picnic tables, grills, steps, shade,
walking paths, playground and
bathrooms with running water, soap,
and hand dryers! We had pancakes,
bacon, mini-sausages, eggs, fruit,
toppings, pecan rolls, and more.
There were plenty of trees for shade
so even tho it was another 100
degree day (!) in September, we
stayed cool enough. Three
boats (C30, C250, C22) with 4
sailors spent the star-lit night
with bows tied up the shore and
anchors to keep them off the
shore. In the morning, 4 cars
and a C25 arrived. In all, there
were 13 sailors. At
lake level 674', we had to wade or
swim to get to shore. A few feet
higher or lower, depending upon
where you tie up, it might be
possible to step off the bow of a
C22 onto land.
Note: The weekend before,
there was an informal Full Moon
Cruise at Arkansas Bend. There were
3 boats (C22, C250, C270) and six
sailors. The weather was perfect. It
all just shows that the Catalina is
a wonderful boat for cruising and
sometimes racing! Come join the fun.
September 2019
Meeting: Sailing Travel Stories.
Todd told us about sailing with
friends from Narragansett Bay to
Martha's Vineyard and Nantucket
Island on a 42' Jeanneau. It was in
the month of May, when the weather
was cool but pleasant, and very few
other boats were in the anchorages.
Joe and Joy told us about their
sailing time on Lake Erie from
Cleveland with fleet members Dave
and Dianne on a Catalina 35. Gary
and Paulette and Louise and Walter
talked about a June cruise in the
BVIs and USVIs on a two Moorings 48
foot catamarans. They were part of a
flotilla of 9? boats, which included
crew who were getting certified in
ASA 103, 104, and 114. This included
the 36 mile and 5 hour sail to St
Croix. Harry, the Flotilla leader,
gave us more information about the
cruise. James and Sarah told us
about their fun trip sailing their
very own Catalina 22 from Rockport
to Port Aransas in March. More
details coming.
It was a popular meeting with 37
attendees, including 34 members (one
joined that evening) and 3 guests or
visitors who plan to join this fun
and informative fleet! Lake level is
674.9'. Water temperature is 85.5
degrees! Air temp has been around
100 all week.
August
2019 Wok n Roll Land Cruise: We've
been doing this biennial favorite for
about 25 years. The first year it was
done outside on the shores of Lake
Travis, cooking shrimp puffs and stir
fry dishes on a propane-fired stove.
After that year, we decided to do this
inside with A/C and during the hottest
month of the year. Norma and her
cooking and host team of Akiko,
Robert, Clay, and Sheila put on an
incredible buffet of delicious dishes.
They included Roast Duck flavored tofu
egg rolls, salad with ramen noodles
and mandarin oranges, BBQ Pork (Char
Siu), Kung-pao Fried Shrimp, Sweet and
Sour Meatballs, Chicken with Mushrooms
and Broccoli, Pepper Steak with Cashew
Nuts, Fried Brown Rice with Eggs,
Jasmine White Rice, Almond Jelly,
Almond Cookies, and Fortune Cookies.
Many many thanks to this team for all
the work and effort they put in to
make this an incredible meal. In
addition, attendees brought delicious
appetizers and salad. There were 37 in
attendance and Lake Level 677.72'.
August
2019: "Update
on Sea Scouts: Ship 0441,
Lake Travis", presented by 2 leaders, Jeff and
Dee, and 3 scouts. Many thanks
for a well-presented program about Sea
Scouts, the local Ship 441, and photos
and stories of their adventures this
year. We were impressed by the Ship's
dedication and monthly activities.
They've been to Sea Scout Training in
Galveston, sailing on Lake Travis and
other lakes, rock climbing, kayaking,
Port Aransas, and most of all a
expedition trip to Atikokan, Ontario
(Quetico and Crownlands). The latter
involved canoeing, portaging through
muddy waters, and camping in the great
outdoors without any of the modern
conveniences and connections. In
attendance were 26 members, 1 visitor
who will join, and 5 speakers. Total
32. Lake level 678.6' and falling.
July
2019 Cruise to the Gnarly
Gar. Host,
Robert. It was a fun cruise to the
renovated Gnarly Gar restaurant (http://www.gnarlygar.com/) which is on the
north side of Lake Travis, across
from Lakeway and near Point Venture.
Near LCRA Marker 17. The 11
attendees, including 2 guests,
enjoyed brunch and burgers. Most of
us went by car in the 100 degree
heat, but one Catalina 250 sailboat
came from AYC (mile 6). The wind was
on the nose at every turn and the
motor-sail took about 2.75 hours.
There was a good following wind for
the sail home, which took about 2.5
hours. We didn't see any gars in the
water, but there were plenty of
catfish, ducks, and live music to
entertain us. It was fun and worth
another visit. Lake level 679.89'
and falling.
July
2019 Meeting: First Aid, CPR, and
Safety Outdoors, presented by
Kimery, founder and director of the
Expedition
School
https://www.expeditionschool.com.Here
are the notes: First Aid.
She has extensive experience
in providing first aid/CPR training.
Whether on the water, single track
mountain bike terrain, or open water
swims, Kimery and her ES team has
helped prevent injuries and save
many lives in their community as a
first response medical team. AND she
has a Catalina 22! The keyto water safety is to develop
layers of protection by learning
CPR, first aid, wearing life
jackets, and being prepared.Kimery suggested that
people read about “real life
scenarios” to help prepare for
outdoor emergencies. There
were 10 attendees. Everyone must have
been traveling this week! Lake level
680.7'.
July 2019
Field Trip to see the La
Belle Exhibit. Hosts Todd and
Patti. We went to see the 1686 French
colonial Shipwreck
of La
Belle at the Bullock Museum
. In
1684, French King Louis
XIV sent explorer René-Robert
Cavelier, Sieur de la Salle,
across the ocean with four
ships and 400 people to North
America. In 1686, La
Belle, the one
remaining expedition ship, was
wrecked in a storm and sank to
the muddy bottom of Matagorda
Bay in Texas where it rested
undisturbed for over 300
years. In 1995,
archaeologists located the ship
and began a decades-long process
of excavating, recovering, and
conserving the ship's hull, along
with more than 1.6 million
artifacts.
A museum docent gave us an
introduction to the exhibit, after
which Todd gave us additional
information and led us on a
tour of the exhibit. We
then went to the café for ice
cream and cookies to celebrate a
birthday.We then
watched the movie
"Shipwrecked" in a museum
theater. Many of us have seen
the exhibit before, but it has
been extensively renovated and was
educational for all. 17
attendees.
June
2019 Summer Picnic Cruise: Hosts Joe
and Joy provided delicious grilled
burgers and fixings and shade. Others
brought more shade, side dishes, and
desserts.
We met in Cypress
Creek Park
where there is a nice deep pull-up
shoreline anchorage (as long as the
wind is in the right direction) at
lake level 681.0. There were 28
attendees, including one guest. Three
boats: C25, C22 and C250. June
2019 Meeting: Boat Maintenance.
Vickie, manager of the Austin West
Marine store, brought
some boat cleaning and maintenance
samples and discussed the
application benefits of each. She
talked about maintenance products to
solve common problems encountered
while either day-sailing or living
aboard. You can find West
Marine Austin on its Facebook
page. Visitors can post questions,
learn about events, etc. Order
products at https://www.westmarine.com/
. Some recommended products include
SailKote Spray: Dry lubricant
spray to make things like
companionway hatches slide easily.
Also removes stains from vinyl
cushions. Dry
Lube: In addition to make
things slide, it removes ink
stains. Starbright:
Non-skid deck cleaner and mold
remover. Liquid electrical tape.
Startron removes water from
fuel. Stop leaks with Vaseline
and Flex Seal. For the teak,
she recommends varnish. Not oil. UseCetol.
Use the 2-part teak cleaner. She
also recommends Epifanes.
They make top side
paints and varnish.
West
Marine
also offers vinyl letters
to complete your boat’s name on
the stern. There were 36
attendees. Lake level 681.2'.
May 2019.The 2019 Cinco
de Mayo Cruise was
held on el Dieciocho de Mayo and
hosted by James & Sarah. It
was well worth the wait as we had
ideal weather for sailing (south
winds 8) and swimming (air 90
water 72+). We met in Barry's
Cove, and after cooling off in the
lake, our hosts dished up plates
of delicious Puerco Pibil,
chori-beans, and fresh corn
tortillas. Others brought rice,
guacamole, buñuelos mexicanos, and
brownies festivos. After launching
the parrot float, we went for the
crazy bird piñata. We were
rewarded with baggies of treats
and toys. There were 6 boats (two
C22's, two C25's and two C270's)
and 17 sailors. Lake level 680.5'.
May 2019 Meeting: Zebra Mussels
in Lake Travis, presented by Robert
and James. Highly invasive fresh
water mussel from Black Sea area in
Russia/Ukraine where cold fresh water
contains their growth. They are spread
by larvae (invisible to the naked eye),
and first appeared in the U. S. in the
Great Lakes. They grow on anything
practically including other wildlife.
They are now in Texas lakes and are here
to stay in Lake Travis. They destroy
natural habitats and food chains. They
do clean the water from pollutants and
other fauna, but even this can be a
problem. The only thing that can be done
is to prevent their spread to other
Texas fresh water bodies by making sure
all parts of boats and trailers that
touch the water are washed and dried (5
days in the sun kills them) before
putting into another fresh body of
water. All the fleet should check water
intakes and bilges on their boats to
make sure you are zebra mussel free.
Fleet members received a link to the
presentation. 37 attendees, including 2
new members and 5 guests. Lake level
684.7' after lots of rain. More
coming.
May 11-12, 2019: Turnback Canyon
Regatta. The original plan was to
sail to Lago Vista's Bar K park on
Saturday, enjoy Lago Fest, stay
overnight, and sail back on Sunday,
Mother's Day. However the weather did
not cooperative with storm forecasts
around 70%. A rainy week raised the lake
to 684.7'. Bark K park was closed and
Lago Fest was canceled. AYC decided to
run races to/from AYC on both days. The
first race started on Saturday, but was
soon abandoned because of lightning.
After lunch, boats went back out on the
lake and enjoyed an afternoon race.
Dinner was pizza with impromptu music.
On Sunday, there was a race and it was a
beautiful day with sunshine and good
winds, tho shifty from the north. The
races started at AYC and went to LCRA
marker 12 for classes B and C. Among the
35 boats that were participating, there
was one fleet boat (C250) with 3 members
on board. Another fleet member was crew
on an Ensign. Two fleet members served
on the Race Committee.
April 2019
Cruise:
12th Annual Flor de Caña Cruise:
Many thanks to Salvador and Nina for yet
another wonderful cruise. Along with the
Grilled
pork tenderloin marinated in lime,
achiote and other secret tropical
spices, we had
tortillas, fruit salads, brownies, lemon
bars, Ensalada
de repollo (Nicaraguan-style coleslaw,
dried plantains, picante sauce,
nuts, chips and dips, avocados, Calypso
music from Nicaragua's
Caribbean Coast and Corn
Islands, dancers, and more. It
was a warm sunny day (80
degrees) with nice winds (5 to
12 SSW). Great for sailing to
Arkansas Bend. In all there
were 23 sailors (1 guest) and
7 boats: 2 C-22's, 2 C-25's,
2-C270's, and one C-30. Lake
level 681.04 with surface temp
of 65 degrees. Three people
took a dip in the lake to cool
down.
April 2019 Meeting: Secrets
of Sailing Lake Travis (SOS
LT) by Steve. In this
informative presentation and
discussion, we learned about
the winds of Lake Travis, wind
shifts, geographic affects,
headers lifts, oscillations.
We learned about places to eat
such as the 512 Cafe in Sandy
Creek, Ernie's (still there)
and the Gnarly Gar. Where to
see refuge in high winds.
Where the low areas are. Look
at other boats and their wind
vanes to predict and see the
wind. Look for changes in
color in the water (depth and
wind indications). Keep your
weight in the center of the
boat. Keep your boat flat.
Watch for the influence of the
cliffs and how they funnel the
air. For GPSs, we like
Garmin's Montana model and the
Navionics app on the phone.
Also iBoating. Go to the LCRA
site to get detailed maps. Or
even Google maps. Side note on
boat leaks: Gary likes "flex
seal". Attendance: 26
members. Lake level 680.9
after a rainy weekend.
March 2019 St Patrick's
Cruise: It was a
lucky pre-Spring sailing day
with sunshine, mild temperatures
(60), and moderate winds (7-12).
Many thanks to host John and
boat-hosts Diane and Mark. John
cooked up a delicious Irish
stew. There were 3 offerings of
Irish Soda Bread ... all very
different and excellent. Others
brought snacks and goodies,
green and white. We had green
decorations, shamrock glasses,
& green hats. The sailing
was good, both to and fro. In
all there were 5 boats with 12
sailors. C30, C270, C25, C22,
and C22. Travis level 681.3'.
March 2019 Meeting: "How to
Tack a Square Rigger" and
"Right of Way Rules," by Todd.
Throughout sailboat history, the
sail configurations were made to
match the task and the
technology. Sloops and
Schooners, for example, had
triangular and angular shaped
sails and were made to go
sailing closer to the wind. The
Ships, Brigs, Barks had mostly
square sails and were very good
at following the trade winds. As
for the right of way rules, just
ask yourself if you are a POW.
If so you must yield to the
other boat. That is, sailboats
on Port tack yield to
boats on starboard tack. A
sailboat that are Overtaking
another sailboat must yield. And
sailboats to Windward
yield to sailboats that are
leeward. (Think about the
dangers of a lee shore.) If you
are a power boat, you must yield
to a sailboat, unless you are a
barge or large boat that cannot
maneuver very well. In all
cases, avoid collisions.
Yielding boats make their
intentions clear. Right of way
boats must hold their courses.
There were 23 members in
attendance. Lake level is
holding steady at 681.42'.
February 2019 Valentine's Game
Cruise: It was a
sunny February day with a high
temp of 59 and north winds 10-15
and a good day for sailing and
rafting up in Barry's Cove. (2
anchors from 1 boat). We started
by enjoying an assortment of
home-made chocolates, heart-shaped
& thumbprint cookies,
brownies, and more, followed
by a healthful assortment of
fruits. Then hosts Steve &
Cheryl led the game, aka Fleet
Feud ! Using the previously
gathered fleet responses to
nautical questions, the games
began. There were 5 teams with 2
to 4 members each. It was fun and
all seemed to enjoy it. The "C25
Team" was 1st and "C22 Team" was
2nd. Prizes were chocolates and
constellation bags. Seven boats,
19 people, lake level 681.7'.
February 2019 Meeting: "Tuning,
Rigging, and Anchoring," by Joe
L. This was an
informative overview about how to
tune the mast (and more) to keep
your boat and mast "positively
stable." With handouts for
Catalina 22s and 25s, we talked
about adjustable back stays that
allow one to adjust the rake of
the mast forward and back. This
can affect the weather and lee
helm, and it's best to have a
small amount of weather helm or at
least a balanced helm. i.e. If you
let go of the tiller or wheel, the
boat goes straight or slightly
upwind. There are additional
adjustments one can make with the
sails and shrouds to achieve this.
Should your shrouds be adjusted
like a finely tuned violin ?
No. Steel is stronger than
fiberglass. We also talked about
how to approach a fleet raft-up
"the right way." It's best done
under motor. Approach from upwind,
go down wind, turn behind the
raft-up, then head up-wind and
slow the boat down. If not slow
enough or you have the wrong
direction, it's OK to try again.
Have lines ready on the bow and
stern so you can tie up to another
boat, and have fenders out and
ready. Make sure the spreaders do
not hit. Many thanks to Joe for
the information and talk. 28
members attended, even tho it was
Valentine's Day. Lake level
681.55'.
January 2019 Sandwich Cruise: It was a sunny January day
with 52 degrees and north winds 8 to
12. It was a very pleasant day to
sail and anchor if one wears enough
layers (at least 4 for some.) Six
boats with 13 sailors rafted up in
Barry's Cove, where we enjoyed our
sandwiches, delicious Mexican hot
chocolate, and various snacks. Boats
included a C30, C270, C22, and three
C25's. Afterwards we sailed and
enjoyed the quiet lake with the
light breeze. Lake level 682.3'.
January 2019 Meeting: Thanks
to Commodore Clay and all, we had a
fun and enthusiastic meeting in
which we brainstormed, planned, and
volunteered for meeting programs and
cruises for the new year. We had lots of
ideas and suggestions. Click
here to see them.There
were 27 attendees, including new
member Libby (and Dan who couldn't
attend.! Lake level 682.3'.
December
2018 Holiday Party: It was
another fun and memorable fleet
holiday party in the AYC clubhouse.
Lots of good food, conversations,
recognitions, and gifts. The
highlights of the evening were our
six special guests, the families of
venerable fleet members Herb and
Irma. We thoroughly enjoyed hearing
their stories of their parents and
grandparents. Our fleet's "Stough
Award" is given each year to the
fleet member who represents their
love of sailing and giving to
others. This year, Steve P was the
recipient. We did the traditional
gift exchange, which included tote
bags, coozie, dancing Santa,
nautical cook book, door mat,
cleaning supplies, air horn,
nautical lights, flashlights,
beverage, picnic supplies, coasters,
books, mugs, and more. Updated photo
albums were on display. Thanks to
our commodore and everyone who
contributed (set-up, clean-up,
recognitions) to make this a fun
event. Officers for 2019 include:
Commodore Clay, Vice Commodore
Louise, Treasurer Robert, and
Secretaries will vary month to
month. Cheryl and Clay will continue
as co-Historians. There were 53
attendees, including 8 guests. Lake
level is steady at 681.22'.
November 2018 Hot Toddy Cruise: It was
perfect weather for a Hot
Toddy Cruise. 50 degrees and
NE winds 5-10. The lake had
just opened after flooding to
704', so we were happy to be
sailing again. We met at
Starnes Island, sailed, then
anchored in Barry's Cove.
Hosts Louise and Walter
prepared sandwiches and quinoa
salad, while others brought
sides. Louise then carefully
prepared and served hot
beverages consisting of hot
tea, honey, lemon juice,
spices and sometimes more. We
then played a fun game of
Nautical Trivia, with prizes.
There were 3 boats in the
raft-up (C30, C270, and C22)
and 11 people. As we were
leaving, C22 Double Happiness
arrived and sailed along side
as we cruised back to our
marinas. Lake temperature was
68 degrees. Lake Level 681.8'.
November 2018 Meeting: Elections
and Maidentrip: (draft notes) The
first order of business was to
nominate and elect officers for
2019. The commodore will be Clay, VC
Louise, Treasurer Robert, Secretary
will be a team, including Joy,
Louise, Diane, Annette and others.
We then watched the movie
"Maidentrip." She is the youngest
person to sail around the world
alone. Wiki
page. If you'd like to know
where Laura and her 38' ketch,
"Guppy" are now, go to her website
at lauradekker.nl/English/Home.html.
There were about 25 attendees
including 3 guests. Lake temperature
has rapidly fallen to 70 degrees. On
October 20, the lake reached
704.34', and was just below the
level of the AYC clubhouse upstairs.
The lake was closed for a couple of
weeks, and many of our docks were
inaccessible. On meeting day, the
lake level was 681.93 and falling
slowly.
We also did a "Nautical Book &
Video Exchange." Some samples:
A Voyage
for Madmen – by Peter
Nichols, recommended by Steve P. https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/6055.A_Voyage_for_Madmen.
October 2018 Wurst-fest Cruise: Ach du Lieber! Lake Travis
is closed due to high water (falling
from 704' to 697' ) ! To celebrate
Oktoberfest, we drove our land yachts
up to Walberg for Wurstfest.
For some it was a tradition, for
others it was a new experience, and
fun was had by all. There were 26 in
our fleet group, including 2 alumni
and 2 guests. We ate wiener schnitzel,
bratwurst, sauerkraut, German potato
salad, and more. Weather was perfect,
with sun or moon and 80 degrees. Many
thanks to Diane and Mark for hosting
this entertaining cruise!
October 2018 Kemah Cruise: Our fleet enjoys sailing on
Galveston Bay and we chose a good
weekend to do so. Lake Travis was
recently closed due to high water (max
704') and the forecast was more
rain and cold weather. On Saturday we
chartered Hunter 38 "Mystic Winds" and
Sunday, Hunter 42 "Paradise" from Windward Sea
Venture in Kemah. There were 10
on board on Saturday and 8 on
Sunday. Saturday temps were in the
70's with winds 10-15 to 19 in late
afternoon. On Sunday, it was much
windier and cooler with temps in the
60's and winds in the upper teens to
22. With reefed jibs and mains, the
boats were very comfortable and
manageable. On Friday we had fish and
shrimp at Joe Lee's and on Saturday we
had fish, shrimp, scallops at Topwater
Grill in San Leon. Many thanks to
Captain John for organizing this fun
weekend!
October 2018 Meeting: Boat Checklist
Review. Led by Robert
and Sheila. What should every
boat have for safety, weather,
comfort, and more? Check your
boats and make sure you are
ready for all conditions and
situations. References: A
Boater's Guide to the
Federal Requirements for
Recreational Boats and Safety Tips:
https://www.uscgboating.org/images/420.PDF or
catfleet69.org/documents/Boater
Guide.pdf.
Look
at book page 70 or pdf pages 37 for
the Boater's Pre-Departure
Checklist. Examples
of sailing checklists: https://www.cs.hmc.edu/~geoff/checklists.html. In attendance there were
18 fleet members. Lake level is
665.81' with temperature of 81
degrees.
September 2018 Cruise:We had 4
boats for the Harvest Moon
Festival Cruise and 8
members. Hosted by Clay and
Robert with moon cakes, shredded
BBQ pork, stir-fried rice, as
well as several salads and blue
cupcakes contributed by other
members. There was no rain; just
nice NW winds so we could run
back to AYC or Cypress Creek
marina in quick fashion. Clay
gave us a preview of what we
need to talk about at next
month's meeting, Boat Checklist.
Just ask. The weekend
marked one of the most important
Chinese cultural festivals. For
centuries, it has been the custom
to have a family gathering, eat
special food, and admire the full
moon and paper lanterns. There are
at least 3 legends about how Moon
Cakes were invented. At the
cruise, we learned about one or
more of them. We learned why the
Chinese see a rabbit in the full
moon. On the following Monday, the
full moon was gorgeous because it was
the 15th day of the 8th lunar
month. You can read more about
the cultural significance, the
legends, and what are moon cakes in
this Wikipedia article. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mid-Autumn_Festival. The
lake level has been rising some
because of the higher than normal
rainfall. Lake level was 657.42'. We
started the year around 669' and the
lowest so far was 654'. At AYC, two
docks were moved to the side of the
point at around level 660'.
September 2018 Meeting: This month
we gave a fond farewell to longtime fleet
members, Keith and Sue. While a
slide show ran in the background, we
told stories of their sailing
skills, races, cruises, and
adventures. Keith is known for his
amazing sailing abilities, whether
it is rounding a racing mark or
arriving at a fleet raft-up under
sail. "After all, we ARE a sailing
club." Joy wrote and sang a
song, describing how "we're gonna
miss you." We had cupcakes and a
toast to bid them fair winds and
calm seas. The lake level is 655.25'
and 85 degrees. It's been sort of
holding steady the last week because
of the rain, but is getting low and
we need to watch the depth. At AYC,
2 docks have been moved out to be
along-side the point. Attendees
included 33 people, with 3 guests
and 2 new members. Welcome to the
fleet!
August 2018 Cruise: We've
experienced yet another series of
100-degree days, so we decided to meet
in an air-conditioned place for the
cruise. The original plan was to go to
Shack 512 (formerly Cafe Blue), which
is on the Sandy Creek arm of the lake,
and on Lime Creek Road. However, the
funicular was not working and it was a
slippery slope with steps to the
restaurant. Plan B: We went to some
place new, Beachside
Billy's, at the Volente Beach
Resort, where we had a view of the
lake and Starnes Island, and enjoyed
burgers and salads. There were 16
attendees. Lake level 656.23' and
falling.
August 2018 Meeting: Gary and
John presented part II
of their Tall Ships
Experience.
We learned more
about types of tall
ships and of their
best day sailing, in
the Pensacola Parade
of Boats. Lake level
656.2'. I counted 22
attendees, all
members.
July Independence Cruise: It was a hot & dry day,
and Lane and Mary did a great job
hosting this summer-themed cruise by
serving hot dogs and ice cream
sandwiches. The moderate southerly
winds allowed all 5 boats (C30, C27,
C270, C25, C25) to sail to the cruise
in Barry's Cove. Once anchored and
rafted, we went for a swim in the 85
degree lake. The three visiting
grandsons enjoyed it especially.
Besides hot dogs and ice cream, we had
blue corn chips, delicious cole slaw,
watermelons x2, cherries, deviled
eggs, and brownies. We then motored or
sailed back to our marinas before
sunset under the 3-day-old crescent
moon. It was a fun cruise with 5 boats
and 19 attendees, including 4 guests.
Lake level 659' and falling.
July 2018 Meeting: Tall Ships Experience
slide show and presentation by John
G. In
April 2018, John G and Gary P had
the wonderful opportunity to sail on
the Oliver
Hazard Perry (OHP) full-rigged
ship from Galveston to Pensacola, as
part of the Tall
Ships Challenge, Gulf Coast 2018.
The OHP was built in 2015 in Canada
and Rhode Island and her home port
is Newport, RI. She is 200' long
(waterline 117', deck 128'), made of
steel, and has 20 sails for a total
sail area of 14,00 square feet. She
has 3 masts, 13.5 stories tall,
draft of 13', and 7 miles of
rigging. She is Rhode Island's
Official Sailing School Vessel and features educational
programs focused on growth with
leadership development opportunities
for students of all ages. She has
twin 385 HP Cat Bio-diesel engines.
She has no cam cleats or winches,
but 160 belaying pins, so John gave
us a demonstration on how a belaying
pin is used to secure a line. For
the voyage to Pensacola, the strong
wind was right on the nose, so they
motored most of the way. But once
they got there, they were able to
participate in the boat parade and
sail the ship with full sail. Gary
and John had the 8-12 am and pm
shifts. 18 professional crew and
about 20 "volunteer crew." John
explained how to steer with the
wheel behind or beside the skipper.
It sounded like a fantastic
experience and we look forward to
hearing Gary's part of the story
next month. In attendance were 28,
including one grandson. Lake level
is 659.29' and falling.
June 2018: 11th Flor de Caña Cruise. Hosted
by Robert & Sheila and
Salvador & Nina. It was
a windy day and 3 boats left the
marina and one tried to anchor in
Barry's Cove. However the eventual
decision was to return to AYC and
enjoy the pool and picnic tables
there. There was music, food, Flor
de Cana, decorations, and dancing.
At least 15 attended, including a
grandson. Lake level was 662' and
falling. June 2018:Sea Scout Trey
talked
to us about the Sea
Scouts in general and recent
sailing projects, training,
cruising, and sailing opportunities.
He talked about the ranks and the
highest Sea Scout rank, Quartermaster,
and the challenges it requires,
including real-time problem solving
on a boat. "It takes a ship to make
a Quartermaster." We heard about Point
Glass, a 82' former Coast
Guard patrol boat. Sea Scouts (history)
was started in 1912 and is a part of
the Scouts BSA organization. There
were 30 attendees including 3 guests
(including speaker.) Lake level
663.17' and falling.
May 2018:
Doce de Mayo Cruise: Held a week after Cinco de
Mayo, hosts Steve and Akiko served
delicious fajitas and his
world-famous guacamole. For the
first time, the fleet cruise was
held at Keller's Marina, which is on
the north side of Pool Canyon across
from AYC. Many thanks to Patti and
Todd for arranging this. We had
shade, picnic tables and good access
to the water. Before the
festivities, 3 boats went sailing
(C22, C25, C270) with nine sailors
in moderate winds. It was the first
cruise sail for C270 Afternoon
Delight with her new co-owners! On
land, besides the aforementioned
foods, we had fruit and lots of
desserts including incredible
coconut cake, Mexican pastries
(sorry I forgot the names),Goya
cookies, and brownies. Thanks to
James, we had a star pinata full of
goodies. Blinded-folded by
lake-sourced sunglasses covered with
foil, the ladies went first and
managed to knock off several of the
"arms" which became hats, and
generally weaken but not destroy the
structure. They left that to the
guys. After a few swipes, candy,
recorders, and toys tumbled to the
ground. A fun time was had by all 20
attendees. Lake level has fallen to
667.1', which is lower than it was
on this day in 2016 and 2017 but
higher than in previous years. Turnback
2018was
held May 5-6 to coincide with
the new date for Lago Fest.
The traditional storms arrived
on Friday this year. On
Saturday, for the race from
AYC to Lago Vista, the
winds were nice and moderate.
At Lago Fest, there were many
food trucks and the
entertainment was Asleep at
the Wheel (tho they started
late due to technical
problems.) On Sunday the winds
were evasive and the shortened
race was started past Thurman
Bend (mark 22) and ended at
Hurst Creek (mark 14). Eight
fleet members sailed on C22,
C27, C270, C30 and Tartan 28
boats. Lake level was 667.6',
which is 14' lower than last
year.
May 2018 Meeting: Many thanks to West
Marine Austin's new store
manager, Vickie, for this month's
program. She started by telling us
about her vast sailing experiences,
which included living on a boat for
ten years and sailing from New
Orleans to Florida to Bahamas and
all the way down the Caribbean chain
of islands to Trinidad. She then
talked about the store and West
Marine's "new" price
matching policy, which is a
good deal for the customers. She
said that inflatable PFDs should be
inflated every two years to make
sure they are still good and have a
fresh inflating cylinder. She talked
about the rules and recommendations
for flares on a boat, comparing
coastal vs inland lake environments.
She recommended the Orion
Locator Electronic SOS Beacon
which is only $99.99 and complies
with Coast Guard requirements for
both day and night distress signals.
It's waterproof, includes a flag,
and is easy to use. On Saturday, May
19, the store will sponsor a
National Safe Boating Event. We
talked about the Kidde Fire
Extinguisher recall
details. When sailing on long
or short cruises, it's nice to keep
a journal of where you went and who
you met along the way. In attendance
were 25 members and the speaker.
Lake level 667.4'.
April 2018 Olympics Scramble
Cruise: Hosts Todd & Patti.
After a very windy day on Saturday,
on Sunday the winds were light to
moderate and temperatures were in
the low 70's. It was a good day for
the Catalina Olympics challenge. We
started with "on the water"
challenges. First, we hailed the
lead boat on VHF radio. Then we
arrived at mark D at 5:00 sharp.
Then we did the heave-to maneuver.
Then we did man-overboard with a
pair of styrofoam balls. We
proceeded to the anchorage in
Barry's Cove and did more
challenges. Put on life jackets,
find the fire extinguisher, find the
first aid kit, put a band-aid on the
port tack of the mainsail, and start
the engine (not the primary
skipper). Steve and Cheryl won first
place, followed by the Louise &
Robert team. It was a fun time and
everyone learned something. Thanks!
We then relaxed and had snacks and
sandwiches and mini-cupcakes. There
were 8 boats, 21 people and the lake
level was 668.1' and falling. Extra
credit: Watch how to do a man-overboard drill
and heave to: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1XU-8lk3C7U
April 2018
Meeting: Rigging and Tuning by. Joe presented a wealth of
information on how to tune and rig a
Catalina sailboat. North
Sails recommendations. Pete's
recommendations. And videos.
He also provided maintenance check
lists. We talked about the
discovered of 400-500 zebra mussels
on a member's boat and the recent
informal fleet land cruise in
Galveston for the Tall Ship
Festival. 29 attendees. Lake level
668.23'
April 2018: Galveston Tall Ships.
17 fleet members attended this
fun event in Galveston. There were 6
tall ships: 2 barques (Elissa,
Picton Castle), 1 full-rigged
(Oliver Hazard Perry 2015) and 3
schooners (When and If 1939,
Oosterschelde 1918, and The Lynx).
We watched them parade along the
coast line on Thursday from a
beautiful viewing pool deck on the
6th floor of a condo building. On
Friday we went to the festival. On
Sunday, 2 fleet members got on board
the OHP and served as crew from
Galveston to Pensacola. In our
typical cruising fashion, we had
breakfasts and dinners together
several times. We all had a great
time!
March 2018 St Patrick's Irish
Cruise: This cruise was hosted by
Steve and Cheryl. We started by
meeting at Starnes Island for a (very)
light air sail. We then rafted up in
Barry's Cove and listened to Irish
music while enjoying corned beef
sandwiches, green pasta chicken, key
lime bars, brownies (with green
sprinkles), green eggs, edamame,
veggies, sushi, spinach pies, subs,
green cupcakes, dips, and more. We
then played an Irish Trivia Game. We
had several knowledgeable players, but
our winner was the most-Irish person
in the group. Prizes were green
chocolates and gold chocolate coins.
Water was 60 degrees and one attendee
dared to take a plunge. It was the
warmest day of the year so far, with a
high of 89 degrees. Winds were light.
Lake level 668.8'. After raising
anchor (a challenge) we mostly sailed
back to our marinas. There were 20
sailors on 7 boats, including C30,
C270, C27, C250, C25, C25, and C22.
March 2018
Meeting: New
venue. Mangia Pizza on Mesa Drive
has closed so we met at the Red
Lotus Asian Grill on Jester
Boulevard. Attendees ordered
meals individually, gave
positive reviews, and agreed
to meet at the same place next
month. Viking Longboats: Todd
gave us a very interesting
and informative multi-media
presentation on the Vikings,
their ventures, and their
longboats. The first thing we
learned is that "viking" is a
verb, not a nationality.
Danish and Norwegian Vikings
were dominant over the north
Atlantic, including England,
Scotland, Ireland, Iceland,
Greenland, Labrador, Normandy,
and other parts of Europe that
were accessible by water from
around 750 to 1100 CE. There
were a great seafaring
people and the best
shipbuilders of their day.
They had keen navigational
skills by observing the motion
of the sun and stars to
estimate latitudes. Like the
Polynesians, they also studied
clouds, winds, waves, and
birds to determine proximity
and direction to land. Dublin
was founded by the Vikings.
Normandy was "named after" the
North people. Between the 10th
and 12th centuries, the
Vikings started to assimilate
into European cultures as
Christianity spread,
populations grew, and the
Normans conquered England. By
the 12th Century, the Viking
culture had virtually
disappeared outside of
Scandinavia and Iceland.
Other interesting factoid: The name "Bluetooth"
is derived from the nickname
of the tenth-century king Harald Bluetooth,
who united Danish tribes into
one kingdom. The logo is a
rune representing his
initials. If you want to read
about interesting Viking
stories, look for W. Hodding
Carter, the leader of
"Viking Voyage 1000".
There were 32 attendees,
including 2
guests/members-to-be.Lake
level 668.9.
February
2018 Sailing Cruise: At 11:02
am, the cold front arrived at
AYC and the temperature rapidly
dropped from 60 to 45, with
gusts to 22, and some mist. It
settled in at 45 degrees and 10
knots, making sailing possible,
if one is dressed appropriately.
The plan was take new UT Sailing
Club members sailing, but they
had enough boats to accommodate
all their attendees. So we ate
our sandwiches and went sailing:
2 Catalina 25's and 8 sailors.
We headed north, a little west,
and around Starnes Island. It
was great fun. Lake level
668.72'.
February 2018 Meeting: Knots
for Sailors, by Steve.Steve gave us an
interactive and informative
presentation on the
essential knots that every
sailor should know. He
provided lines (ropes) to
each attendee so that we can
all practice. He talked
about the different types
and uses of lines. Attendees
who were already familiar
with a specific knot helped
others. We learned how one
skipper prefers to coil and
secure a line, while another
told us how he varies his
cleat hitch by purpose: to
secure the main halyard vs
secure the boat to the dock.
The knots we covered were as
follows: stopper knot,
stevedore stopper,
half-hitch, clove hitch,
bowline (and the several
different ways of making
one), reef or square knot,
taut line hitch, rolling
hitch, trucker’s hitch, and
sheet bend. 28
attendees. Lake 668.75 and
falling. Lake temperature 55.9
degrees.
January 2018: Cabin Fever Cruise
and Events: As January
weather in Central Texas often
does, the temperatures varied from
the teens to the seventies.
Sometimes it rained, snowed, and
iced, and sometimes it was sunny
and dry. The cure for Cabin Fever
is to get out there.... either on
the water whenever possible, or
get together with others who like
to sail. The sailing part was on a
Saturday, when one boat and two
people (that we know of) sailed in
sunshine, 65 degrees, and winds
around 15. Some other fleet
members were doing race committee
for the AYC Frostbite Series. The
the next day, the forecast was
rain, wind, and cold. So at least
3 went to the Boat House Grill for
catfish. Sadly, this favorite après-sail
place to eat closed after 19
years. On the same day 13 sailors
met at the Sundancer Grill on
Hurst Creek for burgers, shrimp,
brunch, fish, and salads. A week
later, 14 attended the Austin
showing of the nautical film,
Vanishing Sail, at the Bob Bullock
Texas History Museum. For all the
activities, there were 22 (unique)
participants. Lake level is
staying around 669' plus a bit.
January 2018 Meeting: It was a
good meeting in which we all
offered ideas for fun cruises and
informative meetings in 2018.
Commodore James and Vice Commodore
Clay led the way. The minutes
and online calendar will
eventually reflect the results of
the meeting. For the 2018
Secretary, we'll rotate the duty
with "Secretary of the Month." In
attendance were 35, including 2
guests of Akiko and Steve. Lake
level is 669.33.
December 2017 Holiday Party: On a cold
and rainy evening, 50 Catalina
sailors gathered at AYC to enjoy
the warmth of friendship and
memories of the past year. We also
celebrated the 40th Anniversary of
Catalina Fleet 69. Many thanks to
the skippers and crews who
prepared foods, set up, carved,
organized, led the program,
presented the awards, and m-c'd
the game, and cleaned up. Officers
for 2018 were elected and
installed: Commodore James, Vice
Commodore Clay, Treasurer Robert,
and Secretary TBD. Appointees
included Cruise Chairperson
Lizette, Historian and webmaster
Cheryl, and co-Historian Clay.
Also, Congratulations to James,
who was awarded the Stough Award!
Lake level 669.3'.
November 2017 Autumn Flotilla
Cruise: It was a pleasant Autumn
day to go sailing, with temperatures
in the low 70's and winds south
5-10. Four boats (C22, C25, C250,
C30) and 13 sailors met at Starnes
Island around noon and leisurely
sailed to Arkansas Bend, North Cove.
Leaves were starting to change and
the park was closed for renovation,
so the anchorage was scenic and
peaceful. The blue heron was
undisturbed by our presence until
one of us caught a fish. Lake
level 670.2'. Water temp 69. We
snacked on sandwiches, fruit,
brownies, and pumpkin pie squares.
The C25 and C250 stayed the night.
No specific host.
November 2017 Meeting: "Sailing
and Wellness". Lizette gave us an
energetic and informative
presentation on how to be well and
fit for our sailing activities. She
talked about good nutrients and how
important it is to drink water.
Exercise, including stretching, is
very important to maintain various
parts that could be easily injured
by repetitive or occasional stress.
Yoga is a good way to maintain
fitness, and she demonstrated a few
poses for us. Everyone tried to do
the back bend. After the program, we
"surprised" Keith with cakes and
candles to commemorate his 90th
birthday. Happy Birthday, Keith!
Keith and Sue are longtime members
of Catalina Fleet 69 and sail a
Catalina 27. He's been sailing since
a youth. He has participated in
Turnback Canyon regatta almost every
year (maybe all.) (Notable quote mentioned
by Sue: "The pessimist complains
about the wind; the optimist expects
it to change; the realist adjusts
the sails." by William Arthur Ward.)
There were 24 members in attendance.
Lake level 670.23'.
We had nomination of officers (we
forgot to vote!) for 2018:
Commodore: James, Vice Commodore:
Clay, Treasurer: Robert. Secretary:
TBD. Cruise Chair: Lizette.
Historians: Cheryl and Clay. Web:
Cheryl.
October 2017: Oktoberfest 2017, hosted by Diane and
Mark, was a wunderbar success! 7
boats: C30, C270, 2-C25's, 2-C22's,
and Columbia 7.5. Sailors: 18. We
had all types of German foods &
beverages. Sailing was good (5-9 kn)
and swimming was fine (80 deg).
Barry's Cove. Travis level 671.25'.
October 2017 Meeting: UT
Meteorologist Troy
Kimmel talked to
us about Wild Texas Weather.
Excellent presentation.
Thanks!
September 2017 Breakfast Cruise: The annual tradition of the
Catalina Breakfast Cruise
continues, in one form or another.
Many thanks to the 2017 Batter Blaster
Team of Clay, Robert, and James for
fantastic cruise. The challenge this
year was to find a place that allowed
comfortable and safe access from both
land and water.
Arkansas Bend Park is closed until
end of 2018 for renovations. Sandy
Creek Park is sloped and rocky at
this lake level. Cypress Creek Park
(great last year) is too shallow at
lake level 672'. And Bob Wentz Park,
next to Windy Point is too exposed
for anchorage. So we had a 2 (or
more) part cruise. On Saturday
evening, 4 boats (C22, C22, C250,
& C30) and 6 sailors anchored in
Barry's Cove (map).
We had grilled sausage, fried
chicken, steak, and salads. And some
beverages, adroitly served by
Robert. The day and night
temperatures and breezes where just
right. Not too much and not too
little (72-90 degrees, 0-12 knots).
On Sunday morning, we were up before the
sun (7:25 am) and feasted on pancakes,
scrambled eggs, bird's nests (not the real
kind but eggs in a hole cut out of bread
and grilled), and 2 types of sausage. And
beverages. It was fantastic. After a swim,
it was time to leave for the next part of
the weekend event, which was a 11 am lunch
at Ernie's
on the Lake, which is near/in
Emerald Point Marina near the
high-lines. One boat sailed
directly there, one went to AYC and
drove, one sailed back to Cypress Creek,
and another had other afternoon
obligations. At Ernie's, there were 16
sailors and landlubbers. The service was
great and the food was pretty good. The
view of the lake was great. There's a
very nice set of docks between the
shoreline and a motor-boat marina. The
entrance between the marina and the
jetty looked narrow, but apparently a
36' sailboat can get in there. If the
guest docks are too shallow (mentioned
as a possibility), one can tie up to the
long side of the marina. Note to fleet:
we should add this to our list of places
to sail to, just like we've done to
Sandy Creek Marina. Also, it would have
been possible for those with boats to
come to the Saturday dinner or Sunday
breakfast only. The numbers: 6 people on
4 boats overnight, 16 people & 1
boat at lunch, 18 participants, Lake
level 671.5'.
September 2017 Meeting: "Journey of a Lifetime."
During
her 70th year, Linda participated in
the challenging 41,000 nautical mile 2015-16
Clipper Round the World Race. http://clipperroundtheworld.com/
. This is a
race of about a dozen 70-meter (75.5')
steel ocean-racing yachts with 95'
off-the-water masts. They start and
finish in the UK, going around the
Cape of Good Hope and Cape Leeuwin in
Australia, and thru the Panama Canal.
Not Cape Horn! It consisted of 14
races in 6 ocean crossings and they
stopped in about 14 ports on 6
continents around the world along the
way. While Linda has been sailing
since she was 6, participants were not
required to have any previous sailing
experience. They went thru 4
weeks of safety and skills training
before leaving in August 30, 2015.
They finished on July30, 2016.
Participants signed up for around the
world or specific legs, but there were
about 690 participants in all. It was
exciting and exhilarating, to say the
least. From beautiful sunsets &
sunrises, to waves taller than the
mast and challenging winds, the
memories and friendships that were
formed are golden. Read about her trip
here: bandboat.wordpress.com.
Also, now that she has this experience
and the desire to return to the sea,
this past summer, she participated in
the famous sailboat race, Fastnet
2017! 608 miles, 4 days
and 10 hours. Wikipedia's Fastnet_Race
tells the basics. Cowes, England, by
Land's End, around Fastnet Rock (off
the coast of Ireland), and finishing
at Plymouth. Thanks,
Linda, for an informative and
inspiring presentation!
More links: clipperroundtheworld.com/news/article/meet-the-crew-linda-mcdavitt,
texasmonthly.com/the-culture/sailing-round-world-seventh-decade/,
charity teamability.org/linda-around-the-world/,
and more.
At the meeting, there were 26
attendees, including our guest
speaker. Lake level 672.12' and water
temperature 81..
August 2017 Cruise: Wok n Roll Land
Cruise. Hosts Robert & Sheila and
Clay & Norma. This was the best
ever Wok n Roll cruise, thanks to the
incredible effort by Norma and her crew.
We had Tofu Egg Rolls, Colorful Prawn
Chips, BBQ Pork (Cantonese style), Steak
with Green Peppers and Cashews, Sweet
and Sour Chicken Wings, Seafood and
Broccoli, Egg Fried Brown Rice, and
White Rice. Also Broccoli Slaw with
Ramen Noodles and Mandarin Oranges,
green tea, Petits Pineapple Cakes,
Almond cookies, and much more. There
were 37 attendees, and better yet, we
had a wonderful mixture of new and
experienced members. We all enjoyed
exchanging sailing stories and
adventures. Who sailed where when and
how? Plus, Blackbeard the Pirate himself
showed up and "knighted" one of our
members with a saber and eye patch. It
was a wonderful time and many thanks to
all, especially our hosts, for a
wonderful evening. Temperature at 6:00
pm was 100 degrees. Lake Level was
673.14'.
August 2017 Meeting: Preparing a
Cruising boat for Cruising, by Steve
and Meri. It was an
informative Q&A session in which
they talked about the work they have
been doing on their beautiful Island
Packet 38. The boat was in excellent
condition, but like most used boats, she
required some work to make her into a
reliable live-aboard boat. She is
currently on a dry-dock cradle in
Florida, looking forward to blue-water
sailing soon! Attendees: About 25,
including guest Pete R, who used to be a
sail-maker. Lake level was 673.94.
July 2017 Bastille Day Cruise: Even though it
hadn't rained for a month, the rain and
lightning decided to pay a visit to Lake
Travis on our usual cruise day. The
theme was Bastille Day and all things
French. There were three boat-crews,
including 2 at AYC (C30 and C270) and a
C25 at Lake Travis Lodges Marina. The 2
AYC boats waited at AYC to see if the
storms would blow over in good time, but
they did not. So we first gathered
underneath the AYC clubhouse to discuss
plans. Meanwhile there was to be a race,
but it was abandoned because of the
weather. When the front came in with
full force (28 mph wind) we moved
upstairs to the clubhouse and set up the
cruise event there. We had several
quiche dishes, Salade Nicoise, sparkling
beverages, wine, bread, fruit, donuts,
sushi, and many types of cheese. All
delicious. We enjoyed the camaraderie
and after a while, the cooled down
temperatures made for pleasant outdoor
seating. The C25 had plans to go to
Barry's Cove and spend the night, and
got there early, before any storms. They
had the cove to themselves, endured the
wind, rain, and lightning, and returned
safely to their marina. We'll declare
there were 3 boats and 13 cruise
participants. Lake Travis level was
675.09'.
July 2017 Meeting: 28 attendees, including one
guest. Lake level 675.41'. We watched
the film "Sailing
the World Alone." This
documentary was about the 1994 -
1995 BOC Challenge race in which
20 sailors from various countries
sailed solo around the world,
starting from Charleston,
S.C. Many boats
sustained severe damage, and
unfortunately, one man was lost at
sea and never recovered. It
was an excellent documentary, and
you can learn more about it here:
June 2017 10th
Annual Flor de Caña:
The Flor
de Caña
Cruise is always a popular cruise for
Fleet 69. This year was no exception.
Twenty-three sailors arrived on 8
boats, including 6 Catalinas, a
Columbia 7.6, and a Sunfish. Hosts
Robert and Sheila did an outstanding
job with food and beverages, and
attendees pitched in with delicious
dishes and more. Traditional hosts
Salvador and Nina were unable to
attend, but based on the photos, a few
attendees tried extra hard to make
them proud. It was around 90 degrees
so most went for a swim. Others sailed
the Sunfish, thanks to Louise.
Coyoacan came to her first cruise in
over 2 years! She's beautiful. We were
in Barry's Cove, Lake level 679.7.
Winds light to moderate. A beautiful
day.
June 2017 Meeting: The rebuilding of
Catalina 22 Coyoacan. In the
second installment of this series,
James presented a slide show on the
many wonderful things did to restore
"El Coyoacan" over the last 2.5 years.
After an incredible amount of effort,
precision, and dedication, and amazing
support and patience by his wife the
boat was launched at AYC on June 2.
From bow to stern, from top of the
mast to the bottom of the keel, every
part was carefully examined, restored,
and/or improved. Even the trailer was
extensively repaired and improved with
useful features. James thanked several
fleet members for their support and
assistance throughout this effort. The
hard work paid off, as the shiny
nautical-black-hulled boat is
gorgeous. Now they can reap the
benefits, i.e. go sailing, of all the
hard work and dedication. A couple of
fleet members are going thru medical
issues, and we wish them well and look
forward to their return to fleet
activities. Meeting attendees, all
members: 17. Lake level: 679.81'.
May 2017 Turnback Canyon Regatta &
Cruise: Repeating the success of
2016, Turnback Canyon Regatta
participants returned to Lago Vista.
Three fleet boats with six members raced or sailed on Saturday
to Lago Vista, anchored overnight,
partied at Lago Vista’s event in the
park called “ Lago Fest” (Lagofest.com)
and sailed or motored back to AYC on
Sunday. At Lago Vista there were food
trucks, 3 bands, and a good place to
compare the day's sail. Fleet member
Diane did an excellent job managing
the regatta. At Lago Vista, one fleet
car with 2 members hosted an
information table about sail training
opportunities at AYC. 8 fleet members
participated. In the entire regatta,
there were 52 boats. Weather was nice
on Saturday and Catalinas arrived in
about 4 or 5 hours (20 miles). On
Sunday, the wind was light to
non-existent, so many motored back.
Trophies were presented and then the
traditional storms arrived.
May 2017 Cruise: Cinco de Mayo. On the 13th of May
we celebrated Cinco de Mayo in Barry's
Cove. James and Sarah prepared a
delicious marinated pork butt and beans
while others brought themed sides. Winds
were light but several managed to sail
to and from. The heat was on so several
went swimming while the mariachi music
played. There were six boats, 17
sailors. Co-hosts Diane & Mark
provided the host boat and brought a
special surprise guest (see photos).
Lake level 679.45'. It was a great day
to be on the water to sail, swim, eat
and enjoy the camaraderie of Fleet 69.
Muchas Gracias to our hosts !
May 2017 meeting: "Weather
for Sailors," presented by a former
Air Force pilot and avid sailor
who is keenly aware of challenges
we sailors face when we sail. We
learned all about the various
cloud formations, what they
indicate, and what they
forecast. Thanks to Joe for an
excellent presentation. 22
attendees. Lake level 679.63'.
April 2017 Easter Egg Cruise: Todd
and Patti had a clever idea for a cruise
that combined a Sailing Scramble on the
water with patronizing a new restaurant
on the lake, where the landlubbers could
join the on-the-water sailors. On the
water there were 4 boats and 11 sailors,
including 3 competing boats with 9
sailors. Todd dropped 9 sets of plastic
balls attached with string into the
water, and the competitors picked up the
balls with book hooks. When one ball and
string, a competitor wound the string on
the pole like a piece of spaghetti. All
attempted to retrieve the lonely ball
with a bucket, but alas, there was one
lost bucket and ball. Prizes were
chocolate bunnies, appetizers, and
drinks. On the shore, we met at the
newly installed "Shack
512" restaurant at the
Sandy Creek Marina, where Cafe Blue and
Nik's used to be. (Which was quite busy
and the docking space was crowded with
power boats.) There were 23 in
attendance at the restaurant. The
landlubbers went on a land-based Easter
Egg hunt and found eggs with jelly beans
and coupons for appetizers and drinks.
That is, unless the kids got there
first. It was all great fun! Air 82
degrees, water 68 degrees, wind 7-14
mph. Lake level 681.1'.
April 2017: Sea Shanties with
Joy and Lane. This favorite
meeting program subject was offered in
memory of our favorite Shanty-mam, Caryl P. Weiss,
singer and song-writer in the Admiral
in the Texas Navy. We learned about
the various types of music and rhythms
that were sung during specific tasks
on a sailing vessel, such as running
the capstan, raising the sails,
pumping the bilge pump, or spending
time in the fo'c's'le. We all listened
and sang, and had a great time. Many
thanks to our singers. There were 26
in attendance, including one
repeat-guest. After rain earlier in
the week, the lake reached 681.6' and
by the time the meeting was over, the
level was 681.3'.
March 2017 St Patrick's
Cruise:
Beautiful Spring Day with high temp of
82, S winds 5-10, water 63. Hosts
Cindy and Paul. Good stew and
naturally green food were served on
the C30. Cindy put so much work into
the delicious chili that she hurt her
back and could not come! Raft-up
anchor was fouled by a metal cable. Barry's
Cove at 681.8'. Three boats with
3+4+3=10 people.
March 2017 Meeting: French Canal
Cruise. For
the program this month, Steve and
Akiko showed interesting pictures and
videos and told stories about their
October boat cruise on the Canal
du Midi (wiki)
in the southwest of France. They
chartered from Le Boat
a 36' (13' beam) river boat that was
comfortably set up with 2 cabins and 2
heads. In ten days, they traveled 98
miles, passing through 63 locks,
dropping 579 feet overall to the
Mediterranean Sea. The largest single
drop was 44'. They took the train from
Paris to Bordeaux to Toulouse and to
Castelnaudary, where they got their
boat. Speed limit was 5 mph. Along the
way they saw Carcasonne (Medieval
fortress, the highlight of the trip).
They tied the boat up each night and
visited towns such as Trebes, Homps,
and Beziers. They ended the charter in
Port assafieres, where they rented a
car and stopped in Lyon on their way
back to Paris. They recommend this
trip, but with few locks and shorter
distance, so one can better enjoy the
towns in the daytime. 25 meeting
attendees. Lake level 682.14' with
temperature 62 degrees.
February
2017 Catalina Chili and Chocolate
Cruise:
It was a beautiful
February day, with a high temp of 88
degrees and south winds between 10 and
15. Just perfect for an afternoon on the
lake, now at 682.5'. Two boats sailed
around and met in Barry's Cove. There
were 4 on the Catalina 25 and 7 on the
Catalina 30 for a total of 11. We
enjoyed both mild and spicy Chili,
thanks to Joy and Cindy. We had
brownies, chocolate cake, frosted
brownies, chocolate wine, chocolate
almonds, and bread. Add to that, lots of
conversations and friendships. We sailed
back to our marinas, either on the helms
or winches, or enjoying the sun, wind,
and waves. Many thanks to hosts Lane,
Mary, Joy and Joe for a memorable cruise
on a enjoyable afternoon.
February 2017 Meeting: Celestial
Navigation. Todd gave an
excellent presentation on Celestial
Navigation by starting with the basics
and continuing into more advanced
subjects, so that everyone in the
meeting could understand at one level or
another. For example, Dead Reckoning and
other pieces of knowledge, such as how
to measure time and speed, were early
requirements for navigation. Where are
the planets tonight and what will their
positions tell you about your latitude ?
Where is Polaris (North Star) or the
Southern Cross? How can you know the
precise time (GMT) on a boat that is
damp and rocking? Many thanks for
expanding our horizons. In attendance
were 32, including one guest. Lake level
682.8'.
January 2017: Sandwich Cruise. It
was a foggy day with temperatures in the
50's, but the wind was gentle and made
for fun "winter time" sailing. It was a
3-5 layer day and we stayed warm. The
food theme was "Sandwiches and Snacks."
Two boats, six sailors. We watched
the AYC Frostbite race and enjoyed
sailing around. For après sail, we went
to Los Pinos. Lake
level 682.9'.
January 2017: This month's meeting
was about Planning for the Year. We
had active discussions on what we
would like to learn and do. See the calendar page
for a draft of what we discussed. If
you have more suggestions, talk to one
of our officers or cruise chairperson.
There were 33 members in attendance.
Lake level at the meeting was 682.93'.
On the first of January, the lake
level was 681.7'. In 2016, it
was 676.77. In 2015 it was 623.24. In
2014 it was 628.59. In 2013 it was
631.07. In 2012 it was 626.52.
December 2016: We had a fantastic
holiday party at AYC on Saturday,
12/10/2016. There were 48
attendees, including 4 guests and some
new members. Many thanks to the
organizer, Diane; meat smoker and
carver, Joe; decorators Cindy and Joy,
and many many others who volunteered to
set up and clean up.
Congratulations to Joe, who received the
Stough Award! And congratulations to our
new officers for 2017!
Co-Commodores, Joe and
James, VC John G, Treasurer Robert
(returning for his 11th year on the
job), and Secretary Cindy. Cruise
Chairperson will be Lizette. Cheryl
and Clay will continue as
co-historians.
For the
record, the Lake level was 681.7'. Temps
were in the 50's. It was a great evening
to be by the lake.
November 2016 Cruise
to Sundancer Grill, Hurst Creek.
Organized by Diane. It was an
unseasonably warm November day (80
degrees) with winds 5-9, better than
the forecast. Two boats and 8 sailors
(6+2) sailed to the Sundancer
Grill in Hurst Creek. 11 sailors
went by car for a total of 17
attendees. We dined on blue-burgers,
shrimp and grits, salads, etc, while
overlooking the Sail and Ski Marina at
a lovely lake level 682.5'. There was
a nice dock (to the far right as
entering the harbor) for visitors.
November 2016 Meeting: "Racing
the Pacific Cup, San Francisco to
Hawaii." Justin and Chris sailed in the Pacific
Cup Regatta, the "FUN
Race" from San Francisco to Hawaii,
twice, in 2014 and 2016. He showed
photos and exciting videos of their
races. The first race was in their
J/120 (40') named Shearwater. It was
not your typical image of a J; it
looked quite comfortable and took 13
days for the trip. Wanting to go
faster, they bought a custom
Schumacher 28, a very sleek and
downwind-fast sailboat, and named her
Spadefoot. Conditions were quite
different, bigger waves and higher
winds this time, making for an
strenuous adventure of 11 days. Go to
this website and watch the movie he
presented and read more at http://www.svshearwater.com/.
It was a most fascinating tale of
experiences. Awesome to see and
hear. Thanks.
October 2016 Kemah Galveston Cruise: On October 29 and 30,
Catalina Fleet 69 chartered a Hunter
42 mid-cockpit sailboat from Sea
Venture in Kemah, and cruised on
Galveston Bay. Nine sailed on
Saturday, 8 on Sunday, for a total of
10 participants. Weather was
unseasonably warm, in the 80's. Winds
were 5 to 12, East to SE. There was
much to see, including J-Fest, a
regatta of J-boats ranging size from
22' to 35'. There were also
fishing boats, barges, cargo ships,
dredgers, diving pelicans, the Beast,
cruisers, and the Texas White House.
We ate at Joe Lee's on Friday and
Baytown Seafood on Saturday. A
fantastic time was had by all. We
missed those who wanted to come but
could not.
Many thanks to John G for making this
happen! Travis level was 680'.
October 2016 Long Distance Cruise: Host: Robert. Since
the level of Lake Travis is at a
recent high of 680.3', the goal for
this cruise was to sail and/or motor
up the lake, past Lago Vista and past
the area where the Pedernales flows
into Travis. The plan was to meet near
Starnes Island at before noon on
Friday and start sailing to the cove
at Lago Vista, channel marker 30. On
Saturday, the destinations could be
Turkey Bend, at channel marker 45, on
the north shore, or Cow Creek, aka
Turnback Canyon, at channel marker 32
on the north shore. Sail back on
Sunday. Two boats participated, a C250
and C22, and two sailors, Robert and
Clay. One boat went to Cow Creek, up
the Pedernales River, and to the Gnarly
Gar, which is across from
Lakeway. The other boat sailed to Lago
Vista on Friday and back on Saturday.
Participants said there were
waterfalls, pretty shorelines, ghosts,
birds, and wildlife. Weather was
perfect, with highs near 80 and lows
in the 50's. Travis level 680'.
In reality, the Friday destination was
Cow Creek. The cruise then went up the
lake and into the Pedernales River.
(p.s. watch out for power line).
Saturday night was at the dock at the
Gnarly
Gar (They have plenty of guest
slips, tho check on the size and
availability. They also serve Sunday
breakfast and brunch.) Two boats and 2
skippers participated, and additional
photos and details will be aded as
they are known.
October 2016 Meeting: More Places We
Have Cruised. Led by
Co-Commodore John, starting with some
slides. Lake level 680.79. The
program consisted of mostly verbal
reports by various members who had
sailed in locations described in the
book. Places included sailing
experiences in the 1970’s in Sai Kung
bay and crewing a race on Hong Kong
harbor. Ocean navigation sailing class
in Tahiti. Motor charter in the
Channel Islands from Vancouver to
Desolation Sound. Others described the
beautiful rugged coastline scenery and
sea wildlife such as Orcas that were
seen while cruising from Vancouver to
Alaska and the San Juan Islands.
Another recounted her trip to
Antarctica and visit Terra Del Fuego.
Another recalled seeing Thailand
beaches and islands from the air
during a Vietnam tour of duty. Another
shared impressions from their cruise
among the islands of Stockholm,
Sweden. Only member present had
visited New Zealand. In short, it's
clear that the Fleet 69 members have
been to a large number of the great
places to sail described in the book!.
September 2016 Cruise:
Breakfast Batter Blasters. Once
again, this was our Best Ever Breakfast
Cruise. Many thanks to the Batter
Blaster team of Joe, Clay, Robert, and
John. The lake is near "full", so it was
a good opportunity to try a Travis
County Park that is closer to town,
Cypress Creek Park. (map).
For those coming by boat, it was fairly
easy to drop a stern anchor, pull up to
shore, and step onto large rocks on the
shoreline. On shore there were picnic
benches and we set up a shade tent.
Several came on Saturday and spent the
night on their boats. Nice sunset,
waxing moon, and lots of stars. It was
not too hot and not too cold. In the
morning, more sailors arrived by boat
and by car. The cooks fired up the
grills and cooked pancakes, sausage, and
eggs. Attendees brought toppings
(walnuts, blueberries, real maple
syrup), fruits, juices, cheesecake,
coffee, beverages, and more. There were
7 boats (6 overnight), 30 sailors (10
overnight), and 3 dogs. Lake 680.9'.
September 2016 Meeting: Coastal Navigation with a
workshop plus a mini workshop on
knots. By Capt Gary.USCG 100 Ton Licensed &
Certified ASA Instructor. With a detailed packet of
handouts, Gary went over the skills
needed to sail beyond
the visible horizon, using navigational
techniques of Dead Reckoning, Plotting a
Compass Course, shooting a Bearing on a
tower or light, using charts and a
compass rose, and using Parallel Rules
and Dividers. We practiced using real
nautical charts, making variations from
Magnetic North from True North. What are
the colors and shapes for the
navigational buoys? Even nuns get
embarrassed (red.) Odd cans are green.
Some are striped, vertically and
horizontally. The top color indicates
the main channel. For those who were
interested in tying knots, we will
also had a mini-workshop on the
bowline knot, stopper knot, Deck Cleat
knot, Reef Knot, Clove hitch, two half
hitch & slip hitch knots and more.
It was a quick overview of complex
topics, but it served as a review,
reminder, or introduction for fleet
members. Thanks, Gary. Attendees: 26
members, no guests. Lake Level 680.94'
(the
graph).
August
2016 Land/Lake Cruise, "Jump In." On
the day before the cruise/party, it was
105 degrees in Austin and (in most
opinions) too hot to sail. In
August we often have a "Land Cruise." If
it is near the lake, so much the better.
This year's event was hosted by new
members and gracious hosts, Lydia and
John. It was an unusually rainy and
cooler day. (This August is the rainiest
ever in Austin.) Thirty fleet members
and guests attended We feasted on John's
brined, smoked, and pulled pork, and
attendees' delicious sides. We talked
about the Olympics in Rio, discussed
more than just 50 places to sail in the
world, and enjoyed the camaraderie of a
friendly and fun fleet. Many thanks to
our hosts! Robert won the door prize, a
night at a B&B on the lake!
Attendees: 30. Lake level 678'. A link
to the photos was emailed to members.
August 2016 Meeting: We have a fun and
interesting meeting based on the book,"50
Places
to Sail before you Die".
(2007, Chris Santella). We had
a slide show, photo albums, and lots of
interesting discussions on all the
places fleet members have sailed. It's
an impressive list, covering most
continents and many, many countries. We
didn't cover them all, so we will likely
continue this theme next month, along
with a discussion of where we would like
to go next. Attendance was 34, including
2 guests. Lake level 677.97'.
July 2016 Picnic Cruise: Pot
Luck. 4 boats, 2 cars, 13 sailors. Nice
south breeze for sailing and keeping
cool. We sailed to the Sandy Creek
Marina (website)
for swimming, having a picnic, and
swapping stories. Nik's on the Lake
opens this week. Lake level 680.1'.
Water temp 84. Air temp 100. Photos.
July 2016 Meeting: Common situations
that could require a tow. The scheduled
speaker could/did not come so
Co-Commodore Gary filled in with a talk
about his experiences, and then opened
it up to members for discussion .
We covered the following subjects:
running aground, retrieving a stuck
anchor, managing a leak in the hull, and
getting help if you don’t have a radio
or phone. 19 attendees. Lake level
680.25'.
June 2016
Cruise: 9th Annual Flor de Caña
Cruise.
Barry's
Cove (map).
This year it was hosted by
Robert, Mark & Diane. Traditionally
hosted by Salvador and Nina. Senor Roberto made
his famous Nicaraguan shredded pork
tacos, Argentinian beans, and grilled
plantains. Senor Marko made his famous
blackened tomato salsa from home grown
tomatoes, Senora Akiko made her famous
flan, and Don
Stephen made Nicaraguan
Empanadas. Everything was
delicious, along with sides such
as fruit, chips, upside down
pineapple pie, and hummus. Suggestions.
There was also
cola and rum.
Winds were
light getting there, so most of us
motored most of the way. Afterwards,
there was more wind in the 5-10 range,
so many of us raised the sails. At the
raft-up, we sought shade and the cool
waters in the 90 air temperature heat. 6
boats (C25, C25, C25, C250, C27, C30),
18 people. Lake level 682.75'. Photos.
June
2016 Meeting: China’s
Maritime Disputes, by Todd,
Maritime History Lecturer.The History
of this conflict and the US’s
Pivot to Asia. Here are some additional
references: “11-dash
line,” Suzerainty, United
Nations
Convention on the Law of the Sea.
29 attendees, including 3 guests.
Lake Level 692' and falling, and
closed until noon on Friday,
6/10/16.
May
2016 Cruise: Turnback Canyon
Regatta. For the first time in
5 years (2011), thanks to the (more
than) full lake level, this popular
regatta "got back" to Lago Vista. On
Saturday, over 60 boats sailed 20
miles up the lake in moderate
southerly winds (reaching and
downwind) to Bar-K Park in Lago Vista.
It took 4 hours for the Catalina 30s.
We anchored our boats, tied to shore,
swam to cool off, and went to Lago
Fest, which included plenty of
food (BBQ, Mexican, Cajun) and music
(including the Beatles cover band, The
Eggmen). After an entertaining
lightning show to the north, rain
storms rolled in, and sailors retired
to their boat cabins, tents, or other
accommodations. On Sunday, the upwind
sail was challenging with light and
shifty SE winds and power boats
everywhere. The race course was
shortened at LCRA Marker 14, near
Hurst Creek. That was 4.5 hours in a
C30. Race participation included 3
fleet boats and 5 fleet members
(should have been 6, ask Clay.) At
Lago Fest, there 11 fleet members and
family/friends. Lake level 684'. Photos.
May 2016
Meeting: "Basic Navigation
and Piloting - a Path to Earn Your
ASA-105 Certification," by
Captain Harry, who is an ASA 101,
103, 104, 105, and 106 instructor
and a US Sailing Small Boat Sailing
Instructor Level 1. This was a very
informative presentation on
Navigation, Cruising locations,
Useful tools and references, and
opportunities for expanding
knowledge and gaining
certifications. He has led
navigation courses on boats in the
Caribbean twice a year for many
years. Students on board take on the
serious roles of Captain,
Helms-person, Navigator, and
Engineer, all in rotation so
everyone gets experience and testing
on navigation, including night-time.
Basics: Where am I and how do I get
to where I want to go?
Types of Navigation: Line of Sight,
Dead Reckoning, GPS, and Celestial.
All are important, and it is also
important to gather information from
multiple sources, to verify &
correlation for accuracy. Do not
depend on the GPS alone. Confirm
your position with the depth. Get
your head out of the boat. Work well
with the team.
References:
U.S. Chart No. 1 describes the
symbols, abbreviations and terms
used on all NOAA, NGA and
international nautical charts, as
well as the symbols used to portray
NOAA ENC® charts on ECDIS.
http://www.nauticalcharts.noaa.gov/mcd/chartno1.htm
How to Read a Nautical Chart, by
Nigel Calder. amazon.com/How-Read-Nautical-Chart-Understanding/dp/0071779825
The Weekend Navigator, by Bob Sweet.
amazon.com/Weekend-Navigator-2nd-Robert-Sweet/dp/0071759964.
Read what the the U.S. Power
Squadron and the U.S. Coast Guard
trust as the definitive authority on
electronic navigation.
Attendees: 17, including 16 members,
1 guest, including our speaker.
April
2016 Cruise: Olympics Scramble
Cruise. We met North of
D Marker near Barry’s Cove and Starnes
Island. A temporary buoy was set up
for On-the-Water Events, including
being on time, hailing on the radio,
sailing around the buoy, and heaving
too. We then went to Barry's Cove for
the following events: anchoring, rope
toss, crew starting the engine,
finding first aide kit, finding and
properly putting on life jackets. All
this included snacks and sandwiches.
Many thanks to our hosts, Todd
& Patti, Robert & Sheila.
Sunny, light air, but we managed to
sail anyways. Six boats, including 5
sailboats and a power boat. 14 people.
Lake level 684' (or almost). Photos: Google.
April
2016 Meeting: "Amazing
Restorations of Older Catalina
22's" by Jon F and James D.
March
2016 St Patrick's Irish Green
Cruise: The Luck of the Irish
was upon us as we had a beautiful
March day for sailing. Five boats and
18 sailors enjoyed the afternoon in
Barry's Cove. We had Irish stew,
Corned beef sandwiches, Green bars
& cookies, Irish veggies, and
more. Temps were in the 70's and winds
around 10. Co-hosts were Steve,
Cheryl, Cindy & Paul. A fun time
was had by all. Lake
level was 679.43' (and rising to
681' one week later.)
March
2016 Meeting: Co-Commodores
Gary and John talked about Polynesian
Navigators.
Starting around 1500 BC, sailing was
a key part of the Polynesian
culture. They sailed to South
America, North America, Indonesia,
Easter Island. Historians have found
corresponding languages, food, etc.
all over. They used the sun and
stars to navigate. Also, proximity
to islands was determined by winds
and clouds (Color reflections off of
islands), waves and swells, birds
(40 miles from island if small) and
fish. Notches on boat that line up
with the stars and the circle
(latitude.) Paid attention to where
they had been. Canoe had a spiritual
connection.
In 1976, a group decided to recreate
the Polynesian sail from Hawaii to
Tahiti. They had help by a master
navigator. The Hōkūleʻa was the name
of the sailboat. In 2007, the
Polynesian Navigation Society
graduated 17 Master Navigators.
* For an excellent presentation on
this subject titled "Never Lost," go
to and study http://www.exploratorium.edu/neverlost/
.
* Read about the Hōkūleʻa and
the Polynesian Voyaging Society: http://www.hokulea.com/.
The site has numerous interesting
links. It was built in Honolulu,
Hawaii and launched on March 8,
1975. It is now approaching
Cuba after having sailed over
140,000 nautical miles across the
Pacific. Length: 62 feet,
Width: 20 feet. Hōkūleʻa is
the Hawaiian name for the star
Arcturus.
* Mau Piailug, was navigator from a
small island called Satawal, in
Micronesia. He was key in the
education of Polynesian Navigation.
Here is a video tribute to him,
complete with chants: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KGzc38ODWEg.
* Learn about the 32-point Star
Compass: http://pvs.kcc.hawaii.edu/ike/hookele/on_wayfinding.html.
February
2016 Valentine's Cruise: Our
newly engaged couple and sweethearts,
Lane and Mary, hosted this cruise in
Barry's Cove. Reports say that there
were 5 boats and 19 people in
attendance. They told stories of first
sailing adventures with sweethearts.
High was 71 and southerly winds were
5-12 with early gusts to 17. Lake
level 677.6'.
February 2016
Meeting: Sailing Photography. Bill
R is a professional photographer
and an active member of the Austin
Yacht Club. He has combined those
skills and takes many photos of
the regattas and kids programs at
the club. He proceeded to show us
great photos of many regattas,
kids, races, and close ups of
participants.
His advice when photographing is
to put the camera away between
10am and 4 or 5 pm. The light is
more interesting before or after
those times. He prefers photos
that are 2x3 format. For Junior
and other sailors, remember
"Tiller Towards the Trouble."
There were 4 photos entered in the
contest although there was no
clear “ winner” announced. 20
members attended. Lake level
677.6' and steady. No rain since
January 6.
January 2016
Bloomin' Cedar Fever Cruise:
On a sunny and cool January day, 3
boats and 7 sailors sailed to
Barry's Cove and rafted up. It was a
very pleasant day to be on the lake,
with very few boats around. Even tho
the temps were in the 50's, the
winds were light and we did not feel
cold. We enjoyed hot chocolate, hot
tea, hummus dip with veggies,
Alouette dip and crackers, chocolate
liqueurs, brownies, and shrimp.
There was no specific host. Lake
level is a beautiful 677.5' and
steady.
January 2016
Meeting: Officers for 2016
are as follows: Co-Commodores Gary
and John G. VC James. Treasurer
Robert. Secretary includes a crew of
12, coordinated by Cheryl. Appointed
positions include Cruise Director
Diane and Historians Cheryl and
Clay. The meeting was held at
Mangia's on Mesa. Attendance
included 32 members. Lake level
677.35. Gary led the meeting,
Kimberly took minutes. The program
was to talk about what program
topics and cruise themes (and dates)
we'd like to have this year. Many
ideas were bounced around. The
calendar will be updated when
specifics are determined. It was a
great start to the new year.
December
2015: Fleet Holiday Party. On a
relatively warm and humid evening, 40
members met at the Austin Yacht Club
to celebrate the past year, renew
acquaintances, and look forward to the
coming year. For the record, 46 were
originally expected, 40 attended
appetizers, 36 had dinner, and 34 were
there for the gift exchange. The
Catalina 22 Fleet 69 (racing at AYC)
was also included. Several fleet
members belong to both Catalina
Fleets. Ten attendees are members of
AYC. Cheryl coordinated the event with
decorations by Diane, Kimberly, and
Cindy. Joe and Robert prepared the
meats. Co-Commodore Steve led the
recognitions. Last year's Stough Award
recipient Diane awarded the 2015
Stough Award to Steve and Akiko.
Congratulations! Read
all about it here.
Many many thanks to all the
Fleet Contributors in 2015. Photos.
Lake level 674.7'.
November
2015 on Lake Travis Cruise: One
boat braved the threat of rain and
went sailing. In spite of the
forecasts of a 40% chance of rain,
there was essentially none. It was
cloudy and cool, with temps in the
60's, and winds were light. One boat,
not sure how many crew. Say 4. Lake
level 671.5.
November
2015 Kemah
/ Galveston Bay Cruise Weekend was
planned for Saturday
and Sunday, November 7 & 8. Twelve
participated. On Friday we did the
pre-charter walk-thru of "Paradise," a 42' Hunter
center-cockpit sailboat from Windward
Sea Ventures, based in Kemah.
Friday Dinner (Nov 6) at Joe
Lee's was an excellent choice by our
"local knowledge expert."
On Saturday the forecast and result
were cold (60's), windy (gusts in the
20's), and rainy. We went shopping,
eating, and touring. Went to the new
location of Boaters' Resale and found
good bargains. Went to West Marine, of
course. Lunch at T-Bone Tom's. Some of
us went to the San Jacinto Monument
and the Battleship Texas. Others tried
to go to Galveston to see the Elissa,
but it was closed because of the
motorcycle rally. Dinner was at
Baytown Seafood in La Porte.
On Sunday, we were ready for sailing.
It was a perfect day with temps in the
60's and sunny to partly cloudy. Winds
in the teens. We sail up towards the
cruise ship channel and observed a
cruise ship preparing to depart. Did
not see any dolphins and even the
pelicans were rather sparse this day.
Sunday dinner was Monument Inn.
Monday, we had ten. Winds were lighter
but we had expert light-air sailors
aboard, so we found the wind and had
another fun day of sailing.
Some then left for home, and the
remaining 6 had dinner at an Italian
restaurant that is popular with the
astronauts, Frenchies.
Many many thanks to
John G, who was the
organizer, skipper, and boat charterer
of record. And thanks to all who
participated! Lake Travis level 671.1.
November 2015 Meeting:The Speaker was
Flotilla Commander of the U.S.
Coast Guard, Berhilo Galvan. He
had some interesting stories about
safety and rescues of Lake Travis
and the Highland lakes. The U.S.
Coast Guard Auxiliary is the
uniformed, all-volunteer component
of the United States Coast Guard.
The Auxiliary was created by an
Act of Congress in 1939. The
Auxiliary conducts safety
patrols on local waterways,
assist in Search and
Rescue, teach boating
safety classes,
conduct free vessel
safety checks for the public,
provide boating safety
literature to dealers, as
well as many other activities
related to recreational
boating safety. The Coast Guard
considers the Auxiliary
its primary resource for
recreational boating safety
outreach and prevention.
Gary led nominations and elections
of 2016 officers. Co-Commodores:
Gary and John G. VC: James.
Treasurer: Robert. Secretary: A
crew, one per month.
Attendees: 22. Lake level:
671.5.
October
2015 Mediterranean Competition
Cruise: The
first-ever Catalina Mediterranean
Travis cruise included boats from
France, Montenegro, Gibraltar,
Lebanon, Greece, Morocco, Slovenia,
and Spain. Each boat was decorated and
crews brought food, costumes,
decorations, music, and knowledge of
their countries. Nick
& Jessica were
the judges (They
are the proprietors of Cafe Malta, a
Mediterranean Restaurant in
Southwest Austin & well traveled
Mediterranean explorers.).
Competition was tight but Mark and
Diane of Morocco were the winners.
Many thanks to our hosts Steve and
Akiko for this clever and fun idea.
There were 8 boats, 2 cars, 24 fleet
members, and 2 guests. We met at Sandy
Creek Marina. Travis lake level was
665.7' and falling. Near record
temperatures were in the 90's and
winds were light.
October
2015 Meeting: Chuck Wheeler of The
Sailboat Shop
talked about on the
season that was and
what is trending. Lake
level 665.8'. 25
attendees, including
our speaker.
September
12-13, 2015 Breakfast Batter Blaster
Cruise: It had been 5 years
since we've had a breakfast cruise at
Arkansas Bend, North Cove (map)
and it was great to be back.
Many thanks to our Batter Blaster
Team, Joe, Clay, John, Robert, and
Joy. At lake level 667.4',
there was plenty of water. Each boat
dropped a stern anchor, tied the bow
up to shore, and some were close
enough to allow cruisers to step off
the bow onto the shore. We also had a
LBRB (Little Bitty Rubber Boat) that
served well for transporting people
and things. The weather could not be
better, as a break in the hot (upper
90's) weather dropped 10 degrees day
and night, and there was a nice
breeze. Saturday: There were 5 boats
and 7 sailors. There was also a truck
and trailer with grill, cooker, and
smoker. For dinner we grilled burgers,
hot dogs, bratwurst, chili, and steak.
There were also educational aspects to
the cruise. We used our VHF radios to
communicate while boats were under
way. As boats approached the cove,
sailors on land and sea used signal
mirrors to communicate. After sunset,
we enjoyed the lights of the stars and
airplanes. Steve used a flashlight
beam to point to constellations,
planets, and bright stars. Binoculars
were also used. Overnight, the temps
dropped into the 60's but the warm
lake water (85 degrees) kept us warm.
In the morning, 11 more sailors
arrived in 1 boat and 5 cars. Total
attendance was 18 with 6
boats and 6 vehicles. Driving to
the park is fairly easy: https://goo.gl/maps/VWMbe and driving directions.
The Batter Blaster Team cooked up
eggs, pancakes, bacon, little smokies,
and served syrup, orange juice,
coffee, and mimosas. Others brought
fruit (including Akiko's beautiful
fruit tray), bagels, breads, and more
coffee. We enjoyed it all under the
tent and in a circle of folding
chairs. Afterwards, the boat people
went for a swim. Then, we all enjoyed
a delightful sail back to our marinas.
Many many thanks to our hosts and
everyone involved. Let's do it again!
Photos.
September
2015 Meeting:Our speaker and
fleet member, John G, presented a
slide show of the Chesapeake
Bay Maritime Museum
(CBMM) and the Tall Ships in
Philadelphia this summer. At
the CBMM they saw various boats
that are unique to the east coast
such as the skip-jacks, a flat
bottom boat used to harvest
oysters and a log canoe. The Tall
Ships Festival in Philadelphia
main attraction was the French
ship replica L'Hermione sailed by
Lafayette in the Revolutionary
War. The warship was 217 feet
long, 40 feet wide with a draft of
16 feet and could reach 13 knots
speed with all sails being used,
and had 32 cannons. Lafayette and
his navy played a major part in
the Revolutionary War blockade of
Chesapeake Bay and the defeat of
the British. Tied along the shore
of the Delaware River were a 16th century galleon
replica; the "Eagle" a coast guard
boat built in 1937; the battleship
"The New Jersey" which saw action
in World War II, Korea, Vietnam
and the Persian Gulf retired in
1991; a 1925 wooden gaff rigged
schooner, and restoration of 1888
Elf and a copy of the 1812 "Lynx,"
a privateer ship. The "Sagres"
departed for Portugal under full
sail from the docks. Quite
impressive. Pointers: The Philadelphia-Camden
Tall Ships Festival 2015,
Philadelphia
Independence Seaport Museum,
and the Chesapeake
Bay Maritime Museum,
tallshipsphiladelphia.com/ships/
.
There were 24 attendees,
including 2 guests and new
owners of a Catalina, Karen
& Dale. Welcome! Lake
level is 667.5' and falling.
p.s. Watch out for the power
lines over Lake Travis.
Details here.
August 2015 Wok n Roll Land Cruise.
It was hot and the winds are
light in August, so Norma and Clay
cooked up a storm of Chinese dishes at
the home of Robert and Sheila. This
was the 8th time they have put on this
buffet of Chinese delights for the
fleet. We had tofu and vegetables egg
rolls, prawn chips, Cantonese roast
duck, BBQ Pork (Char Siu), sweet and
sour chicken wings, pepper steak with
cashew nuts, shrimp and seafood with
vegetables, fried brown rice with
Chinese Sausage, steamed Jasmine rice,
fortune cookies, almond cookies,
Oolong Tea. Attendees brought
appetizers, salads, and desserts.
There were 33 attendees. Lake level
669.4'. Photos.
August
2015 Meeting: Capt. Greg, Rear
Admiral of the Austin Sailing
Society, gave us a talk on
anchoring. He not only talked
about 'how to' but how the darn
things work and will cover some of
the newer fangled devices that are
out there. He covered everything
from the basics (which we could
all review by reading one of those
basic sailing books we all have at
home) to the more advanced
cruising situations that involve
tides and other boats in an
anchorage. Take your time to find
the right anchorage. Practice
effective communications between
bow and stern. Have the
appropriate size and type of
anchor, chain, rode, and number of
anchors. Different bottom surfaces
have different requirements. Greg
recommended googling
Tom Neale's articles, which you
can find
online in such places as Sea
Savvy. 28 attendees. Welcome to
new members, Lydia and John! Lake
level is 669.5'.
August
2015: Balloons over Lake Travis: This
was the 25th year of this event,
usually held the first or second
Saturday of August at sunrise. Sunrise
was at 6:54. Balloons first became
visible from the lake around 6:49, and
take off was around 7:10. There were
many sailboats and power boats in the
area near Mansfield Dam Park, hovering
over Sometimes Islands since the lake
is around 670'. This year, there 6
balloons, but only 5 actually left the
park. There were 2 red/white/blue
realtor balloons, one Texas flag-like
balloon, one red/yellow/blue checkered
one, one pink/yellow/turquoise, and
one green/yellow/red. One of them
"dipped the basket" (or nearly did so,
as it was too far to tell for sure) in
the lake. Winds were near 10 from the
at the surface. They flew over
Commander's point, Travis Landing,
then over towards Volente. The number
has varied from year to year. It was
well worth the effort to get up early
and leave the dock by 6 am. Many
people drove to the park to observe. Central
Texas Ballooning Association: centraltexasballooning.org.
July
2015 Catalina Sailing Scramble: The
Sailing Scramble Cruise, hosted by
Todd and Patti, was a fun cruise with
maneuvers and tasks to accomplish
while under sail and at anchor in
Barry's Cove. On the water, we had to
arrive at D-Mark (north of Starnes) by
2 pm, check-in via VHF radio, heave
to, pick up a mooring, and do 2
man-overboard drills, while reaching
and running. At anchor, the crew had
to find the first aid kit, put a
band-aid at the tack of the main,
start the engine, and retrieve the
fire extinguisher. Details.
After all that, we sailed, swam, ate,
awarded prizes, and toasted the hosts'
wedding anniversary. What a great
idea...let's do it again! Lake level
is a luxurious 671.52', weather was
sunny, 90's, and light wind. There
were 7 boats and 20 participants for
the first half, 4 boats and 13
participants for the second half. For
the third half, there was an
additional boat with 6 people. Photos.
and/or G-Photos.
July 2015 Meeting:
Our
speakers this month represented the
Sea Scouts Ship
that is associated with AYC, "SSS
Old Ironsides." It is ship
681 of Lago Vista. We first heard an
excellent presentation by a
15-year-old Sea Scout, who is
working his way up the Sea Scout
ranks from Apprentice to Ordinary,
Able, and Quarter Master. He told us
about a recent cruise on a retired
coast guard ship in the Gulf of
Mexico and the ICW, where they
cruised 24 hour a day for several
days. They had to deal with
navigation (including communications
with tugs speaking in heavy accents
in the night) and engine
maintenance. He enthusiastically
described his experience with
sailing, boat safety, maintenance,
& handling, seamanship, as well
as knowledge of 20 kinds of knots.
He aspires to a career in the
Merchant Marines. If a scout works
all the way up the ranks, they
automatically earn the Military rank
of E-3. The organization is open to
both boys and girls.
He was followed by Chris S, who is
the Skipper of SSS Old Ironsides.
Sea Scouts are a part of Boy Scouts
of America, and is a program for
Scouts in High School up to the age
of 20 or 21. If you have any friends
or family who might be interested,
this is an excellent opportunity to
learn seamanship, along with the
skills of leadership, discipline,
citizenship and to be prepared.
Learn more at bsacac.org/scouting/sea_scouting
or seascout.org.
Meeting Attendance: 18 members
and 2 guests. Lake
level holding steady at 671.46'.
June
2015: Flor
de Caña
Cruise. 2015's
8th Annual Flor de Caña cruise,
hosted by Salvador and Nina at
Arkansas Bend. 8 boats, 29
sailors. At lake level 670.1' (40'
higher than last month's cruise),
the cove looked very different
with overgrown bushes. We all
enjoyed sailing up the lake on a
nice breeze, then rafted up with
bow and stern shore lines.
Nicaraguan Foods were fantastic,
as were the beverages. There was
some rain on the anchorage but the
air was warm. Later, we went
swimming. Around 5:30 we started
to leave to motor home. Half-way
there, it rained and rained.
Spirits were not dampened and good
times were had by all. Photos.
June
2015 Meeting: Todd has an
excellent series of presentations
called "Pirates, Patriots, and
Privateers," and this month he
talked about "Barbary Coast
Pirates and the Birth of
the US Navy."
It was very interesting and I
obviously need to do more reading
on this topic, including the Tripolitan War
(aka first Barbary War
(1801-1805), Napoleonic Wars,
paying of tribute to the Barbary
Pirates, Commodore William
Bainbridge (US Navy), Dey of
Algiers, Xebec Mediterranean
sailing shops, William Eaton,
and the frigate class ships such
as the USS Constitution. We
learned about how the frigates
were built to be strong, but
selecting word from specific
types of trees from various
parts of the nation, based on
the wood's shape and
flexibility. Todd recommended a
1950's news reel called
"America's Enduring Past," about
the USS Constitution. I didn't
find anything with that name,
but this
you-tube link on the
Constitution, done in the
1950's, looks very informative.
Thanks, Todd! Lake level
669.02'. 22 attendees.
Turnback
Canyon Regatta
(5/23-24/15): It was a weekend of
sailing, music, rain, wind, and
floods. Central Texas experienced
floods, loss of lives, and extensive
property damage. Lake Travis rose 7'
Saturday night, and 10' Friday to
Sunday. The weekend started at around
637'. By Sunday evening it was 647'.
By Tuesday morning, 655.5'. Recalling
some stats: On 1/1/2015 it was
623.34' (>32' feet rise to
Tuesday a.m. over the Memorial Day
weekend. ) At the beginning of May
(5/1/15) it was 629.5' (26' rise). You
can view lake history at travis.uslakes.info/Level.asp.
John's sailtravis.us,
and the LCRA
daily report.
Turnback Regatta was a great success
in spite of the rain. There were 3
races: 2 on Saturday, which went up
past mile marker 14, just past Hurst
Creek and before that huge Crosswater
marina, and back. One on Sunday,
around the buoys. Saturday evening
there were 3 bands, 3 food trucks:
juices, cupcakes, and Mexican/Italian,
and BBQ. One fleet boat raced, and
that was Robert and Sheila on their
C250. Keith crewed on a Ranger 23
(which received a nice 4th place
trophy.) Other fleet members
co-chaired (Steve), decorated (Diane),
served on race committee (Steve S),
did registration, helped with dinner
tickets, helped around the club, took
photos, hauled centerboard boats as
the lake rose, went on the spectator
boat and came to dinner. I can think
of 19 fleet participants. Thanks to
all! The large set of AYC photos is here.
The subset with Catalina participants,
and more, is
here.
Cinco
de Mayo Cruise (5/16/15): Hosts
James & Sarah (food), Todd &
Patti (host boat). Sandy Creek Marina.
Sailing
there was downwind and fun. Good
location, with a nice dock and the
ramp getting there wasn't too bad (and
there was a funicular for part of the
trip). No lost anchors and no rocking
boats. Lake level was good for fixed
keel boats. Great food (quesadilla
tacos, sort of) and beverages
(grapefruit fizz with additions.)
There were 3 boats with 7 sailors, 7
cars with 11 more, for a total of 18.
Lake level 631.36'
and rising. Photos.
May
14, 2015 Meeting: Vic of
AYC was our
guest speaker. He
told us everything
we always wanted to
know about the
Austin Yacht Club,
how to become a
member, learning
opportunities, the
programs for kids,
plans for the future
and more. Attendees
included 22 members
and our guest
speaker. Lake Level
630.8' and rising)
April
2015 Galveston
Charter Cruise, aka
Third Coast Cruise: April 11-12, Kemah to
Galveston and back. Charter was canceled due
to the forecasts. Eight sailors
went anyways and enjoyed an
evening and a day in Kemah and
Galveston. We will attempt to
reschedule the charter in October.
Here are the original details:
Coordinator:
John G. He will captain one boat
and Gary will captain the other.
Where:
Watergate Marina on Clear Lake
to Harbor House Marina in
Galveston on Saturday and return
on Sunday.
Accommodations:
Stay on the boat for a small fee
or stay in nearby hotels.
Food: We'll go
out for dinner on Friday and
Saturday evenings. Bring your own
beverages, snacks and lunch on
board for the day sails
Of interest:
The Elissa and exhibits at the
Texas Seaport Museum link
Lake level
628.54'
April
9, 2015 Meeting:
Sail Making 101 by
John Bartlett, bartlettsails.com, talked about
Sail-making 101. He is a
local sail-maker with an
excellent reputation. He
races locally and afar
on all types of boats,
including a Moth.
He is also a cruiser.
His sailcloth provider
of choice is Dimension-Polyant.
He said sails are "all
about the cloth" and
talked about the
different types. Some
are better for racers
(such as laminates,
which have short
lifespans) and some for
cruisers. Dacron is
still an excellent
choice for cruisers. His
favorite sail cloth is
polyester molded Dacron,
which get better with
each generation. For
Catalina cruising sails
that are functional and
durable, consider film
weight and thread count.
For each boat, one needs
to find that sweet spot
angle of heel that
balances the boat,
usually 10 to 12 degrees
of angle.
Thanks, John! There were
20 attendees. Lake level
628.38'.
P.S. For entertainment,
look at Sailing
Anarchy.
March
2015 Cruise: Jane
Bond Cruise.
Agent
007 would have to agree
that this was the best
weather weekend all year.
Agents Jane (Bond) and
Lane co-hosted a fun
"James Bond" theme cruise
with a tricky trivia game
and appropriate beverages,
near the north end of
Sometimes Peninsula.
Agents brought gold-themed
foods to nourish the
gathering, as we schemed
our next assignments. Some
dressed to kill. There
were 19 sailors with 5
boats present and 12 boats
represented. Temps were in
the 60's, winds were
light. Lake level was
626.86'. Last year,
SPECTRE attempted revenge
by grabbing onto an
anchor, but MI6 prevailed.
Not so this time. The
score was 3-1. In any
case, it was fun and many
thanks to our hosts for a
great time. Lake level =
626.86'. Photos.
March
2015 Meeting: Captain
Harry Polly, ASA
Master Sailing
Instructor.
He is an ASA
instructor for ASA
101, 103, 104, 105,
106, and maybe even
more. He has
certified sailors
not only on Lake
Travis, but also on
the Texas Coast and
Lakes, Galveston,
and the BVIs. He has
had his own sailing
school around Dallas
and taught open
water sailing for a
week around Hawaii.
He is very
interesting and
informative, with a
wealth of sailing
knowledge and
stories.
Lake level 626.48'.
Attendees included 31
members and 4 guests.
February
2015 Cruise: We
had a little of everything
on this cruise on the 15th
of February. Winds varied
from 18 to zero. Sometimes
it rained. Mostly it was
cloudy. Temperature
reached 70, but by the
next morning, it was in
the 30's and rainy. It was
good weather for ducks, as
you will see in the
photos. There were 3 boats
sailing and the ten
sailors represented at
least six boats. (maybe 16
boats, depending upon how
you count.) We sailed from
AYC or Keller's Marina to
Starnes Island, to just
past Devil's Cove, back to
the island and south
towards mile marker 5. It
was a fun day for all.
Lake level 625.7'. Photos.
February
2015 Meeting:
"Standing on the Shoulders of Claudius Ptolemy" or
"What is this Old Guy doing in
my Chart Plotter?"Exploring the relationship
between time and place,Captain Greg, Licensed as a 100
ton USCG Captain about 1990,
received his Certification as an ASA
instructor around 1995, and serves
as the Rear Admiral of the Austin
Sailing Society. In his day job, he
uses GPS and GIS to gather field
data in creating cartography for the
Official Departmental Map for TxDOT
and in the regulation of billboards.
He has skippered square topsail
schooners on three coasts and the
Great Lakes as well as pleasure
vessels in the Caribbean and on Lake
Travis. His personal sloop is the
Catalina 28, Mk II “Ruthmary T.”
There were 28 attendees plus our
speaker. Lake
level 625.5'.
To learn more, watch these:
January
2015 Boat Show
& Spontaneous
Cruise:
The
Austin Boat Showhad one kayak with a
sail, 2 Beneteau sails (not the
boats) hanging from the ceiling,
and lots and lots of power boats
and campers. Plus there were
exhibits with cushions, drones,
cooking pans, yard sticks, and
marina promoters. At least 5 of us
went and handed out a few Fleet 69
postcards.
The Spontaneous or Impromptu
or Flash Cruise happened on
Sunday the 18th. While some chose
to stay indoors and watch
football, and/or didn't pay
attention to the much-improved
weather forecast, three Catalina
and 10 sailors enjoyed a beautiful
afternoon sail on Lake Travis.
Temps were in the sunny 60's and
winds were 0 to 10. We started at
AYC on a 22 (Steve, Meri, guest),
a 27 (Keith & Sue), and a 30
(Steve, Cheryl, Lane, guest, and
Jane C), and motored half-way to
Starnes Island, where we found
some wind. We sailed north towards
Sandy Creek, then turned west up
the lake, just beyond LCRA marker
8. The wind slowed down but that
gave us time to enjoy sandwiches
and snacks. Then we caught the
wind again and headed south
towards Windy Point, and back
north to AYC. It was fun to enjoy
a day on the water, after more
than 2 weeks of unseasonably cold
weather. Lake is holding steady at
623.4'.
January
8, 2015 meeting: On a cold winter
evening, 18 members and 2
guests met at Mangia Pizza
on Mesa Blvd. Officers and
Appointees for 2015 are as
follows: Co-Commodores:
Steve L and Gary
P, Vice-Commodore:
John O, Secretary:
Paulette,
Treasurer: Robert,
Past Commodore:
Diane C,
Webmaster: Cheryl,
Historians: Cheryl
and Clay. After an
active social time and dinner,
Steve L led the meeting. There
was active participation in
the planning of activities for
this and future months. We
will have traditional cruises,
repeats of new ideas from last
year, and some new and
creative ones. Some will be on
the lake, on the land, and on
the coast. See the Calendar
page for the results.
Lake level is 623.4'. Photos.
Dec
2014: On a
seasonably warm December
evening, 54 sailors of the
All Catalina Fleet 69 and
Catalina 22 Fleet 69 met
at the Austin Yacht Club
to celebrate a year of
sailing and friendship,
and to look forward to the
year ahead. That included
43 AC69 fleet members, 3
of their guests, and 8 who
belonged only to C22-F69.
There are 8 who belong to
both fleets. Officers were
installed (see November
notes below.) Contributors
in 2014 were recognized.
The Stough Award was
presented to Diane for her
dedication and love of
sailing and Fleet 69. Lake
level 623.6'. Photos.
Nov
2014: Catalina-ville
Cruise:With
a forecast of 53 degrees and
drizzle, we decided that Jimmy
Buffet would rather be someplace
warm and dry, so we went to the
Iguana Grill. In a large
glass-enclosed room overlooking
Arkansas Bend, we had a fun time
listening to tropical music, eating
Tex-Mex, and catching up on what we
missed at the Thursday meeting. 21
Attendees. Lake Level 622.19'. Photos.
Nov
2014: Veterans of
the Fleet: We had a
very productive meeting
with discussions of
plans for the holiday
party, the fleet
treasury, and nomination
of officers and
nominees. Thanks to
these volunteers:
Co-Commodores: Steve L
and Gary P,
Vice-Commodore: John O,
Secretary: Paulette,
Treasurer: Robert, Past
Commodore: Diane C,
Webmaster: Cheryl,
Historians: Cheryl and
Clay. Then some of our
fleet Veterans, and we
were surprised how many
there were, talked about
their services to their
country. We had
representatives from the
Navy, Air Force, Army,
and Air National Guard.
They shared lots of
photos and stories.
Thanks!
Oct
2014: Autumn Cruise:
The
rain stopped by noon,
clearing the way for a
very pleasant Autumn
Afternoon on the lake.
While several were busy
with football, ACL Music
Festival, US Boat Show,
car racing, singing, work,
under the weather, etc,
two boats and 4 sailors
sailed to Arkansas Bend
for a fun afternoon of
pot-luck sandwiches &
snacks, relaxation,
camaraderie and sailing.
Temperatures were in the
upper 60's, skies were
cloudy, and winds were
north around 5-12. Lake
level 623.93'. Photos.
Oct
2014: La Belle: The
Ship That Changed
History Special
Exhibition. The
Director of Special
Exhibits at the Bob
Bullock History of Texas
Museum, David D, gave an
excellent talk with plenty
of details and photos of
the exhibit. His
presentation started with
the initial construction
of the ship in France and
talked about the fleet of
4 ships that left France
in 1684, with 3 purposes:
military, merchant, and
colonization. La Belle was
54' long and 18' wide,
with a shallow draft. Not
a big boat. They were
looking for the
Mississippi River and
ended up near Matagorda
Bay. Wealthy French
explorer René-Robert
Cavelier, Sieur de La
Salle was the leader of
the expedition.
Researchers first
discovered the possibility
of a shipwreck in the Bay
in 1975 and upon the very
first dive in 1995, a
canon with the seal of
French King Louis XIV was
found. After nearly 20
years of excavation and
restoration, the ship will
be reassembled piece by
piece in the museum.
You'll want to visit it
often to see the progress.
There will also be a web
cam, so you can watch it
remotely. There will also
be a 4-D film with a true
story of a youth on the
ship. Read all about it
here: thestoryoftexas.com/explore/exhibits/la-belle
and thestoryoftexas.com/la-belle.
Lake level 623.96'. 26
Attendees.
Sept
2014: Brunch Cruise:
This year, the
Batter Blasters took a
break and we patronized
a new lakeside
restaurant, Sundancer
Grill, at the Sail
and Ski Marina in Hurst
Creek. The plan was to
spend the night at the
S&S Marina dock, and
go to Brunch at 11 am.
However, a cold front
rolled in just in time
to dampen our plans for
an overnight on the
boats, but not the
brunch. Several boats
were planning to spend
the night (we'll try
again later). One boat
sailed/motored in on
Sunday. 23 sailors
enjoyed the autumn-like
60's degree weather on
the scenic outdoor deck
of the restaurant. The
food was creative and
delicious. Thanks to our
hosts Joe and Clay (and
others)! Lake
level 622.9'. Photos.
Sept
2014 Meeting.
Chuck of the Sailboat
Shop
talked about various
sailboat topics, which
included sailboat sales in
the US (up), Catalina
yacht plans, new services
at the shop, new location,
new boats, used boats, and
more. Someone,
to be left nameless,
asked, "Suppose a friend
is sailing a Catalina 22
with a swing keel, and the
wind suddenly picks up and
our boat ... er, his
boat.... hits the rocks.
Hypothetically speaking,
of course. After that, the
keel makes a lot of
knocking sounds. What
could be going on and how
can it be fixed?" Well, if
your boat hits the rocks,
hypothetically of course,
you may have loosened the
keel bolts or damaged the
pivot pin. You need to
inspect these parts and
tighten up the keel bolt.
It's best to take it out
of the water and inspect,
if you can find a ramp. He
recommended replacing the
worn out bronze pivot pins
on old swing-keel
Catalinas.
There were 19
attendees at
Mangia Pizza
Mesa. Lake
level 623.0'.
Air temps in
the 90's.
August
2014 Cruise: Pirate
Invasion. Temperatures
had been at or near 100 all
week, so all agreed that it was
a good time for a Pirates Pool
Party.Diane
and Mark hosted the Fleet in their
backyard pool with 26 pirates and
wenches. The pirate theme included a
treasure hunt, cannon ball toss,
grog, and a delicious buffet.
Costumes and sword play were in
abundance. Lake level was
about 626.3' on August 16. Photos.
August
2014 Meeting: 28
attendees at Mangia Pizza on Mesa
Drive. Lake Travis level continued
to fall to 626.56'. One year ago it
was 622.7'. (Ref:
travis.uslakes.info/Level.asp.) New
fleet postcards are now available
for placement at marinas or to be
handed to people we meet on the
dock. You can see them here: Front
and Back.
For the program, Todd talked
about his recent Blue Water
Passage from St Thomas to
Bermuda to Newport. The trip was
part of the certification courses
for ASA 107 Celestial Navigation
(relies mostly on the sextant) and
ASA 108 Offshore Passage-making
(which requires very detailed
post-voyage documentation and a
seamanship book.) The school was the
Blue
Water Sailing School. The boat
was a Dufour 43. They went over 1500
miles and were on the water twelve
days. You can view a subset of the
charts here: charts.
July 2014
Bastille Day Cruise: Vive La France! We
met along the NW side of
Sometimes Island/Peninsula
(see Sometimes
Peninsula map).
Apologies to those who drove
to Mansfield Dam Park,
planning to hike and swim to
the boats. We later heard that
they enjoyed an evening at the
AYC pool. On the water, we
enjoyed French wines and
snacks and floated around.
Thanks to Lane for hosting,
and Robert and Sheila for
sharing their boat. Winds were
good for sailing to &
from. Water level 628.8'.
Tally: 25 attendees, with 21
on the water and 4 at
AYC. For boats, there
were 5 on the water, 9
represented on the water and 2
represented at AYC for a
virtual total of 11. Photos.
July 2014: Lake level 628.9'.
Attendees 22, including one
guest. There were 2 programs
this month:
Rafting Techniques,
by Salvador. References (links)
and notes: Sailnet
Forum Discussion. Also
here. This is a good article
that everyone should read. It
describes some tie-up techniques
and etiquette tips. Ground
Tackle: Selecting Anchors
and Rodes (Boat US, Don Casey,
April 2012): Three strand nylon is
"king" for anchor lines. Use 1/8"
rope for each 9' length of boat. Choosing
the Right Rope (Boat US, Don
Casey, June 2012). Dock
lines (Boat US, April
2012): Up to 27', use 3/8" rope.
For 28-31, use 7/16" rope.
Etiquette: Circle the fleet before
joining, evaluate the situation,
request permission to tie up, and
ask which place is best. Use your
VHF Radio to communicate.
Request permission before boarding
a boat, and try to avoid crossing
thru the cockpit. Help keep host
boats clean.
Cruising the Baltic
Sea. Robert and Sheila gave an
excellent presentation on the
history, geography, culture, and
touring of several countries
around the Baltic
Sea. They went via Enrichment
Voyages, starting in
Germany, and visiting Poland,
Lithuania, Estonia, Russia, and
Sweden. It's an interesting region
for sailors because the Hanseatic
League was a sea-going commercial
and defensive confederation of
merchant guilds and their market
towns that dominated trade along
the coast of Northern Europe in
the 13th to 17th centuries. They
showed us many great photos of
their trip, including several of
sailboats, of course.
June 2014 "Flor de
Caña"
(Flower of the Sugar
Cane)
Cruise: The 7th Annual Flor
de Caña Cruise had good
sailing winds, anchorage,
food, and friends. A total of
21 people (one guest) arrived
on 5 boats, 1 powerboat, 1
car. Fourteen boats were
represented. We tied up in a
small cove in the north side
of Arkansas Bend. Lake Level
630.5'. Air low 90's, winds
12-18 mph. Many thanks to
hosts Salvador and Nina for
yet another fun cruise! Photos.
June 2014
Meeting: Program:
Tim
B, the
LCRA Water Operations
Manager for all of the
Highland Lakes.
http://www.lcra.org/water/Pages/default.aspx
. He gave us thorough
overview of water
surfaces management
programs on the entire
chain of Colorado
River lakes, from Tow
to Matagora Bay. LCRA
was established in
1934 as a water
conservation district,
thanks to
Representative LBJ.
Purpose was related to
rural electrification.
With popularity, so
came the challenges of
control of marinas
& docks,
houseboats, buoys,
etc. There are 144
marinas and 7000 wet
slips on the Highland
Lakes. LCRA maintains
1100 buoys.
Here's an LCRA video
of the Sandy Creek
September 2012 flash
flood: LCRA
Sandy Creek Flood
Video. Here's
the longer unofficial
version: Sandy
Creek Flash Flood
Video.
Many
thanks to Tim for a
very interesting
program.
Lake level 629.4
before the meeting and
the latest rainstorm.
19 attendees.
May
2014 Cruise: Cinco de
Mayo (on the 10th): James and Sarah
did an outstanding job
hosting their first fleet
cruise. It was a great day
to be on the lake, with just
the right mixture of wind (5
to 12), air (90), and
water (72). Host
boat "El Coyoacán" flew the
Mexican flag in the host
country position while we
all relaxed on a floating
piece of Mexico. Hosts
prepared a sumptuous variety
of flavors: Puerco Pibil,
Chori-Beans, rice,
flour tortillas, chips, and
their favorite boat drink,
the "Paloma." Others brought
guacamole, salsa, and a
delicious flan dessert.
After digesting, the crew
raised the brightly-colored
star-shaped pinata, with the
jib halyard and a whisker
pole. Well, they did for a
while, before it went for a
swim. Still intact, but
dripping red water over a
guest boat, it was whacked
by an oar, and bags full of
candy fell on the decks and
water. All or most were
retrieved. Then it was time
for a refreshing swim and
relaxation. At the end of
the afternoon, we raised
anchors and sailed or
motored back to the main
part of the lake.
The location was in a
Cypress Creek Cove. While
pleasant in the colder
seasons, the wake from power
boats caused some rocking
and rolling. We talked about
returning to Travis Landing
Cove (water access only) or
Arkansas Bend for future
cruises.
There were 6 boats
physically present. 13 boats
were represented by the 19
people present. Of those
represented but not present,
3 were on dry land on
trailers, a couple had motor
issues, and 2 were in
marinas 5-10 miles up the
lake. There two C22's, one
Capri 22, one C25, one C27,
and one O'Day 28 (with a C28
owner on board). Lake
level was falling at 625.0.
Photos.
May 2014
Meeting: Sailing
Photography presented by
local Sailor and Professional
Photographer, Bill R. Bill
has an
impressive
professional
and
volunteer
resume. He is
very involved
with Junior
Sailing at
AYC, as both
an instructor,
coach, and
photographer.
He gave
us lots of
suggestions and
ideas for taking
better photos on
and of
sailboats, from
both technical
and aesthetic
points of views.
He also
presented an
slide show of
his photos,
including many
taken of junior
sailors and the
Easter Laser
Regatta,
including a
interesting
sequence of
photos in which
a Laser sailor's
hiking strap
broke as she
rounded the
leeward mark.
Tell a story
with your
pictures. He
said to use
your best
camera, as
there are ways
to protect it
from rain and
splashes. The
best times to
take photos
are before
10 am and after
4 pm for good
light and shadows.
Try manual
mode, using
1/1000 second
time. Try
to get different
angles
and
perspectives.
Don't put the
horizon in the
very middle
but keep it
straight.
Consider
geometry and
backlighting.
For photos of
people under
biminis, use a
fill flash (or
features of
some of the
newer
cameras.)
Above all,
remember that
photography
rules are made
to be broken.
If a
scene or object
looks good to
you, take the
picture. Meeting
Location Change:
We met at
the Mangia's
Pizza
restaurant
near Mesa and
Spicewood
Springs Road,
and decided to
meet here in
the future,
instead of
Pizza Bistro
at Mopac &
Gracy Farms
& Burnet
Road. Photo
Contest
winners:
Unusual Boat
Photo: 1.
"Rower in
Maine," by
Todd, 2.
"Masts in the
Mist,"
Salvador. Pets
and/or Kids
and Boats: 1.
"Sailing with
Grandpa," by
Joy, 2. "Best
Place to Read
a Book," by
Steve S.
Racing and/or
Action: 1.
"America's Cup
Teamwork," by
Cheryl, "Kiwis
on Edge," by
Diane. Funny
Fleet Photo:
1. "Clay Dives
In" , 2. "We
Have a Funny
Fleet." Photos.
There were 26
attendees. Lake
level 625.1.
April
2014: This was our
first-ever
James Bond Diamonds are
Forever Cruise, hosted by Agent
Jane I. It was a beautiful
April day with temperatures
in the 70's and winds 5 to
15 mph. Our instructions
were to sail to Arkansas
Bend, raft-up, eat
appetizers and drink Bond
style beverages, and find
out how much we know about
James Bond. Three boats
complied: Catalina 28
Destiny with 4 agents,
Catalina 250 Flying Cloud
with 4 agents, and Catalina
270 Solstice with 5 agents
(one of them named Ursula).
Catalina 25, Ebb Tide III,
with 3 agents on board,
including Mr Bond himself,
had to abort her mission. She sailed
from Lake Travis Marina
(aka U-Float-Em) to a
place to a point just off
Emerald Point Marina where
they turned around.
The trivia game was a lot of
fun, with questions about
the music, singers, titles,
and more. Prizes were little
bottles and chocolates.
Attendance was lower than
normal because it was Easter
Saturday. We'll count 4
boats with 16 agents,
including 4 guests. Lake
level 626.7'. Photos.
April
Meeting: Central
Texas Amateur
Radio Connection
with Jeanne
Socrates'
Solo Unassisted
Non-Stop Global
Circumnavigation,
by Tom W.In October
2012, Jeanne started
her voyage from
British Columbia,
Canada, on her 38'
Najad 380, named
Nereida. Two months
later, her 2
computer systems
failed as well as a
satellite phone
(which also didn't
work well in
Southern regions of
Earth.) Tom has
a state of the
art WinLink
system and was
able to
communicate
with Jeanne. He
is also very skilled
with Ham Radio
Emergency
Communications and
contests. He helped
Jeanne stay in
contact with others
for the remainder of
the voyage by
staying in constant
contact and
transcribing her
dictated blog and
emails, and
uploading and
emailing them. Refer
to the article
about Tom in
the Austin American
Statesman.
Attendees: 21 plus our
speaker. Lake level:
627.0'.
This was our last
meeting at the Pizza
Bistro Restaurant.
They closed 2 months
later.
March
2014 Cruise: The "Honor
the March Winds"Cruise
was held at the closed
Cafe Blue overlooking
Sandy Creek on a
not-too-windy & cloudy
day, with a 50% chance of
thunderstorms that never
materialized. Temps were
in the 60's. We had kites,
wind chimes, socks &
spinners to show our
appreciation of the March
winds. The food theme was
Gone with the Wind
Southern Cooking. To top
it all, there was a
surprise shower for
special grandparents and
great-aunt/uncle to be.
Hosts were Sue&Keith,
Patti&Todd. A fun and
surprising time were had
by all. 28 sailors (3
guests) came in cars and
one boat. Lake level
627.8'. Photos.
March
2014 Meeting: Star
Gazing.
This was a
very special and
different (for
us) type of
meeting. We
first met at the
Boat
House Grill
for (mostly)
catfish dinners.
Twenty-one fleet
members (and one
long time
alumni, Marty,
just happened to
be there, too.)
Representatives
from the Austin
Astronomical
Society,
Jim and Joyce,
gave us a
briefing on
celestial
navigation and
a preview of
what we will
be able to
observe in the
night's sky.
We then drove
to the Mansfield
Dam Observation Area on
Lake Travis. The
temperature was moderate
and skies were mostly
cloudy, but we were able
to see Orion's belt and
his brightest stars Rigel
and Betelgeuse. Thru the
telescope, we were able to
see planets and more
stars. Hints: If you are
the Gulf of Mexico and
lose all electronic
navigation, just head
north and you'll reach
land, eventually. Which
way is north? Find the
North Star. If there is a
crescent moon, the cusps
of the crescent point to
the south. So does Orion's
sword. The angle from the
horizon to the North Star
approximates your
latitude. To get the
longitude, get a good
clock, the book
"Longitude," and the
resource book. Learn how
to use a sextant before
you need to. To learn
more, look at the web site
for the Austin
Astronomical
Society
and go to their
public monthly star
gazing sessions at a place
near Lake Buchanan.
Attendees: 21 members plus
2 speakers. Lake level is
627.7'.
February
2014 Cruise (2/22):The
Winter Olympics in Russia inspired
the Boat Olympics Cruise, hosted by
Robert and Sheila. Ten boats (one C30, one
C27, two C250, two C25, one
Capri 22, three C22) with
24 sailors rafted up in Cypress
Creek. It was a beautiful day to be
on the lake, with temps in the 70's
and winds around 10. The games (and
Gold medal winners) included anchor
drop (John G and crew), line toss to
a "man-overboard" (Keith, with
quarter-finalists Jim, Salvador,
John G, Keith, Mark, Harald, James,
and Christian), motor start (Todd
and it looked like Keith was close,
too), and life jacket drill (Patrick
and Salvador). The "raise the
mainsail" drill was canceled due to
shifty winds. Swim noodles were
raised when a task was
completed. Robert prepared
Borscht and Russian Boar (pulled
port), while others brought Russian
foods such as Pirozhkis, herring,
potatoes, and Russian tea cakes.
Everyone had a great time and we're
ready to do it again! Lake level
627.7'. We have LOTS of photos
and more.
February 2014 Meeting:Michael
talked about his adventures while
trailering his Catalina 25 on the
Florida Atlantic coast, the Florida
Keys (Key West 13 days, bad weather,
rocket launch), the Erie Canal,
Pennsylvania and Lake Erie for 5
months, and more. Lake level
627.86'. Attendees: 23.
January
2014: Return to
Sandy Creek Sandwich
Cruise. Winter on
Lake Travis. One day it can
be 18° and a few days later,
70°. That's what we had this
week. On a sunny Saturday
afternoon with light to
variable wind, three boats
(9 people) and three cars (3
people) with a total of
twelve sailors found their
way to the Sandy Creek
Marina, which is up Sandy
Creek, north of Starnes
Island, and next to the
closed-for-the-winter Cafe
Blue. It was a successful
cruise, in which we mostly
sat on Charles and Pat's
C250 and swapped sea
stories, sailing mishaps (I
mean "experiences"), and
naval stories. Keith
demonstrated the proper way
to secure a line on cleat so
that it doesn't get jammed.
It was a great day and a
good place to dock. The
store was open, so we bought
a few items. Later on, 2
members moved to the
expensive boat's dock patio,
where there was a free party
with beverages. There was a
good sailing breeze to get
there, but everyone had to
motor back in the late
afternoon. The weather was
great. Lake level was
628.46', which is 2.2'
higher than last time we
were there! Photos.
January
2014 Meeting: Commodore Diane
(yes, we like the sound of
that) kicked off the year
with a lively discussion
of program topics and
cruise themes for the
year. It's
nice to see everyone so
anxious to host a cruise
with new and different
ideas. While we like the
traditional themes, it's
refreshing to invent new
ones.
We talked about sailing
books we've read,
sailing movies we've
seen, and recent sailing
adventures.
Diane first introduced the officers
for 2014: Vice
Commodore
Salvador,
Treasurer
Robert, and
Secretary
Cheryl. The
appointees for
2014 are
Cruise
Directors
James and
Sarah (welcome
aboard!), and
Webmaster/Historian
is Cheryl,
with
assistance
from Clay.
There
were 27 attendees. Lake level
628.5'. Photos.
December 2013 Holiday
Party: All
Catalina Fleet 69 wrapped up a
fun year of cruises and meetings
at the 2013 Holiday Party. Our
original hosts, Sue and Jim, had
the flu, so we quickly pulled
together our efforts and met in
the AYC clubhouse. It was
beautifully decorated and was a
good place to have a sailing
party. Thanks go to Commodore
John for arranging for the venue
at the last minute. Many thanks
to Joe and Joy for preparing the
delicious smoked turkey and
brisket and managing the galley.
For the "program," Commodore
John presented thank you gifts
(hats) to 2013 contributors and
installed the 2014 officers.
John was the well-deserving
recipient of the Stough Award.
Then there was the lively gift
exchange, with everything from
tools to towels to rum. A fun
time was had by all! There were
38 attendees. Lake level 628.1'.
Photos are by Cheryl and Clay. Photos.
November 2013 Cruise: WurstFest Cruise,
now called the Anchoring Polka
Cruise. Lake Level 626.61'.
Arkansas Bend. We started with 7 boats
and 22 sailors. We were anchored in
the middle of the north cove. Then the
gusts came out of the cove and 2 out
of 3 anchors broke loose. Anchor
drill. 1 and ah Start your engines. 2
and ah raise the anchors. 3 and ah
Scatter. Hop. 1 and ah go forward. 2
and ah drop anchor, 3 and a
engines off. Relax and have fun! We
"lost" 2 boats and 6 people during all
that, but later gained a boat and 2
people. Overall there were 8 boats and
24 sailors at a Wunderbar Cruise!
Many thanks to Mark and Diane for
hosting a fun and scrumptious cruise.
They provided the smoked sausage and a
mini-keg of beer. Our fleet cooks
brought sauerkraut (3 kinds), Kartoffelsalat (German
Potato salad), Apfelkuchen (apple
cake), pumpkin pie, salad,
pickles, cheeses & crackers,
and more. Danke to all!
As for the sailing part, we could
not have asked for a nicer day. It
was a good 2 hour sail for most of
us to Arkansas Bend. Winds were as
forecasted, 10 to 15 with gusts to
20. The high temperature was near
80. The buddy-system worked well,
with guest crew on most of the
boats. Photos.
November 2013
Meeting:"Sea Shanties
with Joy" Our very own fleet
Shanty-Mam, Joy, sang and led us
in singing Sea Shanties. She
started out with a tribute to Caryl
P. Weiss, a distinguished
shanty-mam who sang for our fleet
several times (including 12/11/10,
a Black Tot Day, and a fleet
anniversary cruise) and was
commissioned as an admiral in the
Texas Navy. We learned about the
types of shanties for working on
the boat: Capstan (turning device
to raise anchor and draw near the
dock), Haul a Halyard (to raise
one of many sails on a ship), and
Pump (4 strong beats to pump out
the bilge). There also Fo'c'sle
shanties, for when sailors are on
shore or have time off. It
was a fun and joy-ful
evening! Lake Level 626.61'. Attendees: 23.
October 2013,
Galveston Bay Cruise: In search
of deeper water, 18 members and guests
of Fleet 69 headed for Kemah for a fun
weekend of sailing on Galveston
Bay.
The weekend was launched on Friday
with a dinner for twelve on the deck
at Jackie's
Brick House. On Saturday, 10/25,
there were 12 sailors on Hunter 41 Alamanda,
chartered from Windward
Sea Venture, and captained by
John G. There were 6 sailors on
Phyllis' Catalina 25, Summer Song.
The weather was perfect. Winds were
near 10, the sun was shining brightly,
and temperatures were near 80. We just
sailed around, mostly south of the
Kemah channel and west of the ship
channel, and when it was time for
lunch (Subway was the popular
non-domestic choice), Alamanda hoved
to and Summer Song sailed downwind. We
sailed from around 10 am to 5 pm.
Everyone who wanted to helm, did. On
Alamanda, there was coaching and
teaching by Todd and John (and maybe
others). All lines on the boat were
identified and if possible, labeled.
In the evening, we met at the Seabrook
Classic Cafe for sea-food and
sea-tales.
Overnight, a strong front moved
through the area with lots of thunder
and rain. (All but one were in hotels.
We'll have to ask Andy for a boat
report.) The forecast was for a
clearing by noon, so many of us waited
it out on Alamanda. Around noon
Alamanda left the dock with 11 sailors
on board. Winds were light but
adequate. The rain had stopped and we
had a pleasant sail along the
shoreline. Our seaworthy Commodore
passed a "what would you do?" test
when the boat engine suddenly stopped
as we were returning to the marina in
the narrow channel, with one boat
tailgating us and another coming
towards us. We returned to the dock by
4 pm. Some headed for Austin, and some
had dinner at T-Bone Tom's.
The next part of the weekend was on
Galveston Island itself. Phyllis
organized a day of touring, starting
at the Sunflower Cafe. We visited the
Elissa
and Texas
Seaport Museum, the Drilling Rig Museum,
perused the fresh seafood shops,
visited the Customs
House and checked out the Cow
Quilts exhibit. Hurricane Ike was in
2008, and thousands of oak trees fell
due to floods and winds. The result
was many tree stumps. Three creative
artist transformed dozens of these
stumps into creative sculptures,
so we drove around to see as many as
possible.
It was a fantastic weekend plus. Many
many thanks to John G and Phyllis for
leading it all!
p.s. Travis has been rising a little
and is at 623.8'. Here are some Photos
to start with.
October
2013 Meeting: Sailing the Na Pali Coast:
John and Ann Marie described a sailing
trip they took on a chartered 65'
catamaran along the Na Pali coast of
Kauai.
America's Cup #34 in San Francisco:
Steve and Cheryl were in San Francisco
to watch the competition between
Emirates Team New Zealand and Oracle
Team USA on AC72 catamarans. They
showed pictures and described
experiences of the day they were on a
65' sailboat named Ruby.
History of the Titantic: Gary Payne
gave us a very interesting and
detailed presentation on the history
of the ship Titantic, which set sail
on her maiden voyage from Southampton,
England, for New York City in April
1912. The Titantic ran into a sea of
icebergs and sank. You know the basic
story. Gary told us things we didn't
know. There were many ways to analyze
the tragedy, such as what went right
and what went wrong with the
unsinkable ship. The Titantic carried
2,224 passengers and crew and more
than 1500 people were lost that night.
Lake Level 620.1'. 26 attendees.
September 2013 Breakfast
Cruise: Cloudy
skies kept us cool for the annual
Breakfast Cruise hosted by Clay,
Joe, and John O on the expanding
shores of the Austin Yacht Club. We
christened ourselves the Batter
Blasters! (see photos to
understand). Joe marked the spot in
his GPS, so that someday, we'll be
able to sail our boats over the very
same spot and say "back in September
2013, we had a land cruise 62'
below." About five sailors spent the
night on their boats. Total
attendance was 30 (I counted 27 in
the photos.) Joe made camp stove
scrambled eggs and smokey links.
Clay and John flipped pancakes to
order with toppings like
blueberries, pecans, and walnuts.
Plenty of mimosas and Starbucks
coffee too. Lake Level 619.4'! Photos
The La
Belle was built in France in 1684. She
was 54’long, 8’ draft, and held 45
people, along with farm animals all
living on deck! Her skipper was the
famous French explorer, Robert
Cavelier, Sieur de La Salle, aka "La
Salle."
She had a shallow draft which was made
for the rivers and swamps of America
but was not a very sea-going rig. La
Salle’s goal was to conquer west of
the Mississippi and claim it for
France. The La Belle sank in Matagorda
bay in 1686 and was hidden there until
some marina archeologists from Texas
A&M found it in 1995. La Salle was
murdered by his own men, but many of
the occupants and children survived
and integrated into the Indian and
Louisiana culture. Some made it back
to Canada and France.
The archeologists have been working
since that time to authenticate it,
raise it, and preserve it for future
use. It is housed in a building at
A&M where it resides in a
polyethylene glycol pool and will be
freeze dried to further preserve it.
The La Belle’s hull is to be on
display at the Bob Bullock Texas
History museum in 2014, along with
items found in and around her.
A few of our own members have been to
the site in Matagorda Bay to view her
in a coffer dam.19.6'.
Travis level is 619.6'.
August 2013 Summer
Potluck Cruise. The high
temp was 106 degrees, but the water
was 21 degrees cooler and there was
a nice breeze. Two boats with nine
sailors, representing at least six
Catalinas, rafted up in Cypress
Creek Cove for a pleasant lunch-time
cruise. It was too early for the
powerboats, so the cove was
relatively calm (and quiet after the
party boat left.) We feasted on
picnic fare such as fried chicken,
macaroni salad, fruit salad, subs,
and brownies. We raised anchor by
early afternoon and enjoyed a nice
sail (winds 2 to 12, ESE) back to
our marinas. Lake level was a dismal
623.10'. Islands that haven't
touched air in 50 years are starting
to appear. Thanks to Capt Grz for
hosting the cruise. Photos.
August 2013 Meeting:
Cruising in the Abacos, Bahamas:
Six of
our fleet members, Steve &
Meri, Steve & Cheryl, Phyllis,
and Diane Z recently chartered a
Moorings 41.3 (Beneteau) mono-hull
in the Abacos Islands in the
Bahamas. It's a popular area for
sailboat cruisers and is far from
the activity and development of
Nassau. It's more like a mixture
of the BVIs (with islands and some
settlements) and Belize
(with a turquoise sea between a
piece of land and barrier cays.)
Weather is similar to southern
Florida. The beautiful Sea of
Abaco is relatively shallow and
most harbors must be entered and
exited in rising tides. Other than a
couple days of tropical
rain, we had good winds and
plenty of sunshine. Snorkeling
was especially good at Fowl Cay.
Food was great, especially if you
like conch, fish, and Key Lime
Pie. Island settlements were fun
to visit. Some are known for their
unique fabrics and creations, some
for eating, some for
boat-building, and the best-known
of all, Elbow Cay, has the famous
red and white striped lighthouse
that has been operating for 150
years. We saw parrots and a
micro-version of a Bahamian
Goombay Festival. It was fun and
is recommended for anyone who
enjoys sailboat cruising. 30
attendees. Lake 623.45'.
July 2013 Cruise: Tanabata Matsuri
Cruise (Evening of the
7th) is a Japanese star festival. It
celebrates the meeting of the deities
Orihime and Hikoboshi (represented by
the stars Vega and Altair
respectively). According to legend,
the Milky Way separates these two
lovers, and they are allowed to meet
only once a year on the seventh day of
the seventh lunar month of the
luni-solar calendar. Click
here for more details. In
present-day Japan and at this cruise,
people generally celebrated this day
by writing wishes, sometimes in the
form of poetry, on tanzaku (small
pieces of paper) and hang them on
bamboo (wish tree), sometimes with
other decorations.
The fleet dropped anchors in a new
place, "CypressCreekCove"
in the updated fleet
map. The
host boat, Ebb
Tide III, then
made a grand entrance
into the anchorage
area, with
music playing
and flags
flying from
every
available stay
and
shroud. Good
luck fish kites
were streaming
from the top
of the mast,
and a bamboo
tree was on
the stern of
the boat. It
was quite a
sight to
behold.
It
was around 109
degrees so
many cooled
off in the 85
degree
water before feasting
on a wide
variety
of homemade
Japanese
cooking,
prepared by
Akiko. She served the
following:
• Gomoku zushi
- sushi rice with 5 (go)
ingredients - mainly
vegetables + shrimp
• Green beans &
fried tofu
• Edamame (soybeans in
the pod)
• Sliced pork with miso
sauce
• Paripari salad (crisp
slivered wonton skins
over shredded
vegetables)
• Chicken stuffed with
pickled plums
• Oshinko - Japanese
pickles (not what you
think)
• Azuki (sponge cake rolled with red
bean jelly for dessert)
Many
thanks to our hosts for
putting on a fantastic
cruise! There were 8
boats,
and there would have
been 9 if one more
motor had been cooperating.
I counted 25
people,
including 2 guests.
We'll
discuss whether
or not to
return to this
anchorage. It
was nice
because it was
near most
of our marinas,
protected from
the main body,
and we could
watch the zip
liners zip along
the shoreline.
It was not the
best because
of all the
other boats
(power) in the
anchorage,
wake from the
power boats, variable
and light
winds for
sailing, and one
particular unmarked
shallow
area in the
creek (thank
goodness for
swing keels.)
Winds were
light, around
5.
Temp at the UT
Lake Travis
Station was
109. Lake
level was
624.9', the
lowest
since 1964.
p.s. The next
day, it rained
4"
upstream and
Travis
rose near to
625.2'.
Photos.
July
2013 Meeting: Zen and the Art of
Boat Motor Maintenance, with Pat
F. He
is
a local legend
in the area
for fixing
boat motors.
He discussed
the care and
maintenance of
outboard motors, and
diesel engines. He
also answered many of
our boat
motor questions and
problems. Welcome to
new members James and
Sarah! Lake level
625.05', the lowest
since 1964. Attendees:
28.
June 2013 Cruise: 6th
Annual Flor de Caña Cruise: All week
long, Saturday's weather forecast
was for a 10 to 20% chance of rain.
That wasn't bad, because that
usually means we could have, at
most, a brief passing shower before
sunset. However, Saturday's morning
forecast from the NWS said there was
a 40-50% of rain and thunderstorms,
with lightning. The cruise was to be
at Arkansas
Bend, which is a 2-3 hour sail
or 1-2 hour motor for some members.
Quick, informed, and safe decisions
had to be made, and we chose to find
water elsewhere, in Mark and Diane's
swimming pool. Many thanks to them
for hosting us with 4-hour's notice,
and many thanks to Salvador and Nina
for a successful 6th Annual Flor de
Caña Cruise. The culinary skills of
our fleet continue to be impressive,
with Grilled Port Tenderloin
marinated in lime, achiote and other
secret tropical spices, plantains,
yucca, cassava, rice, Nicaraguan
cole slaw, flan, assorted fruits,
and much more. Tropical fruit juices
were mixed with the exquisite rum or
La Croix. After dinner, we jumped in
the pool and had, how shall I say
this, a really fun time. I'll just
say this: Esther
Williams' Synchronized
Swimmers have nothing to fear
from us, but watch out next year.
There were 28 attendees, including 6
guests. Lake level was 628.5' (so
Sometimes Peninsula
is now there) and falling, winds 5
to 10, and temperatures around 92. Photos.
June
2013 Meeting: Mike of White
Hat Rumprovided
us a very informative and
entertaining presentation on
the story of his locally-built
rum business and the
Nautical History
of Rum. Their
web site describes
it well: "White
Hat Premium Texas
Rum is handcrafted
in small batches
just outside of
Austin in Manor,
Texas. We make it
with South Texas
molasses from
plantations that
have seen our
state through all
six flags. We add
natural water
originating from
springs residing
here long before
Texas was ever
Texas. We triple
distill in an
effort to produce
the cleanest rum
possible. And,
once our spirit is
allowed to rest in
American oak
barrels for just
the right amount
of time, it can be
called White Hat
Rum. The
nautical aspect
of rum began
back in the 16th
Century,
when ships
were starting
to sail the
seas for
commerce, and
crews were
difficult to attract
and keep. The
beer and wine
were
not good
incentives
since they
didn't do
well in damp
and hot conditions.
However, sugar
cane
and rum
were
discovered in
the Caribbean,
and the
tradition began.
This on-board
custom
lasted until
July 31, 1970,
when the last
rum was served
in
the Royal
Navy.
The tradition
continues to
this day in
ports around
the world,
where
hard-working
sailors meet
to relax after
days on the
sea. There
were 28
attendees,
including our
guest speaker.
Welcome
back to Jim
J!
Lake level persists
at 628.5'.
May 2013 Dragon Boat
Cruise: 5/11/13.
It was a beautiful sunny day on the
shoreline of Lake Travis at Travis
Landing. Many thanks to our hosts
Diane Z and Steve L, and assistants
Gary and Paulette. 24 sailors and
one dog were there. Clay came on
Double Happiness, but we never saw
her because she had engine problems
and landed in another cove. (photo
proof to follow.) We had several
authentic Chinese dishes, many of
them homemade, such as Kung Po
Chicken, Almond Gelatin, Glazed
Walnuts (recipe),
Stir Fried Rice, Chinese Vegetables,
and more. We also had Crispy Duck
and fortune cookies. The air was
near 80, water near 68, and winds
5-10 with gusts. The lake was at
628.3' (which is .2' below the level
where Sometimes Islands become a
peninsula) and some fleet boats
could not be launched or preferred
to avoid the shallows. Photos.
May
2013 Meeting:"Nautical
Roundtable". Diane C
facilitated a roundtable of
sailing-related topics. We started
with a panel of knowledgeable
members giving 5-minute
presentations on topics of
interest to all. Gary talked about
anchoring and which anchors to use
in which situations. All cruisers
should agree on a hand-signaling
system between the bow-person and
the helm-person (sometimes it
helps to have someone in the
middle.) Michael told us about
risks of ethanol fuel in our
boats' tanks and how aviation gas
might be better. Problems can
occur because ethanol and water
can mix. Try googling "ethanol gas
sailboats" to get good
explanations. Todd talked about
how to heave to (video),
and how it can be useful on Lake
Travis (to work with your sails
when solo'ing), relaxing between
races, or handling a storm. Robert
talked about preparing for sailing
on oceans and around the world.
The room was then opened for
questions. One question was about
solutions for leaky windows. One
solution was to "get a new boat."
Another was to get a kit from
Catalina Direct. That's a good
source for all things Catalina.
Then, in preparation for the
Dragon Boat Cruise, Todd gave us a
brief history of Chinese world
sailing. The peak time was in the
1400's during the Ming Dynasty.
Their boats were gigantic when
compared to the European boats of
the time. However, under the Ching
Dynasty, they pulled back and
became more isolated until the
1800's. Attendance: 31 people,
including 3 guests (one new
guest). Lake = 628.34'.
April 2013 Cruise:
Hawaiian Luau. It was an
Aloha Luau cruise hosted by Gary and
Paulette, with assistance from Dave
and Diane, at Travis Landing. Several
boats were sailed to the cruise
location, which was also
accessible by car. At lake level 631.2', there was a nice
cove with dinghy
access to a
beach-like
area. It
was a nice day
for a light-air
sail. On the
shore and
under
canopies, we
feasted on a
large buffet
of Hawaiian
food,
including
Kapalua Pork, Poipu
Chicken, Hawaiian
Rice, coconut
fruit
salads, cole
slaw, bread,
Hawaiian salsa,
coconut cream
pie, and upside-down
pineapple
cake. There were
also
an
assortment of
fruity
beverages.
In addition,
we even had a
sailboat
made out of
Spam. A
cool breeze
came up and we
wound up
around a
nice campfire.
Many Mahalo thanks
to our hosts
for the food,
location,
tents, chairs,
stump
removal,
and
aloha spirit.
Thanks also to
Michael
and Steve L
for providing
dinghies.
The
numbers: Forty-one
attendees, 34
members, 7
guests, 5
boats, and 15?
cars. Air temp
77, water 65,
winds around
10 knots. Lake
level 631.2'.
Photos.
April 2013 Meeting: Todd gave us a fact-filled
presentation on "America's Original
Hybrid Vehicles -- the Transition from
Sail to Steam in 1800s."It
was very interesting to learn or be
reminded of the transitions from
square riggers to schooners to
steamboats, paddle-wheel boats to
propeller-driven boats to boats with
both motors and sails. 27
attendees, including 2 guests. Lake
level 631.3'.
March 2013 St
Patrick's Green Cruise: St
Patrick's Day Cruise. Saturday's winds
were 20 to 30, but Sunday's winds were
a pleasant 5-15 for the sail to
Barry's Cove. Conditions were good for
a raft-up. There were 18 people on 8
boats: C25 Ebb Tide III with 5, C22
Affinity with 2, C250 Flying Cloud
with 2, C27 Cool Change, C22 Double
Happiness, C28 Destiny with 3, C22
Be-Bop-a-Lula with 2, C22 Gata Gorda with 2. Temps were
well into the 80's. Robert and
Sheila hosted up an Irish feast with
Corned Beef & sides, and
Shepherd's Pie. Others brought a
variety of green or
Irish foods. It was a great
day to be on the lake! Photos.
Lake level 630.6'.
March
2013 Meeting: Sailing Photography, presented
by local Sailor and Professional
Photographer, Bill R. Bill has
an impressive list
of credentials, far
beyond being a
volunteer
photographer at the
Austin Yacht Club.
He's taken pictures
for Sailing World,
Texas Monthly, and
Friday Night Lights. He
gave us lots of
suggestions and
ideas for taking
better photos on and
of sailboats, from
both technical and
aesthetic points of
views. He also
presented an
excellent slide show
of his photos,
including many taken
of junior sailors,
and talked about
photo-op challenges
and opportunities. He said
the best times to
take photos are before
10 am and after 4
pm, in order to get
good light and shadows.
Try manual mode.
Higher
ISO settings are
OK on digital
cameras. Tell
a story with
your pictures.
Try to get different
angles,
from higher or
lower
perspectives.
Don't put the
horizon in the
very middle.
Always
be ready to
get that
special photo
by keeping
your camera on
Auto or Program
mode when you
aren't actively
taking
pictures. Excellent
meeting and
program! There
were forty-one
attendees,
including 8
guests. Lake level
630.7'.
2013
Sailing Photo
Contest
for the First
Annual Fleet 69 Photo Contest,
67 photos were entered by 17 people in
3 categories: 1. Sailboats, 2. People
or Pets on Sailboats, 3.
Sunsets/Sunrises. The extremely
difficult job of judging was done by
Bill R and Cheryl. Prizes of gift
cards at Precision Photo were award to
2 places in each category, plus 5
honorable mentions. The pictures
ranged from nostalgic to picturesque
to gorgeous to whimsical. Thanks to
all the participants!
Valentines
2013
Cruise: 2/10/13. On a very
pleasant partly-sunny February
afternoon, with temperatures in
the 60's and winds 5-10 in the
early afternoon, 18 sailors and 6
boats anchored in Barry's Cove for
a Valentine's Fabulous Fruit
Cruise. Many thanks to our host,
Michael, who also provided a
delicious Valentine's slush-punch
libation. We had a well-balanced
fare of fruits and chocolate
concoctions. Boats (# sailors)
included C25 1872 (2), C250 Flying
Cloud (6 coming, 5 going), C27
Cool Change (1 coming, 2 going),
C27 Escape (3), C27 Sweet Sue (4),
and C30 (2). Lake level 631.5'. Photos.
February 2013
Meeting: Bob and
Karen presented highlights of
their 2012 live aboard cruising
adventures, with focus on
Chesapeake Bay cruising. This was
their second year on their
Catalina 30. For the program, (1)
they showed videos and photos of
sailing and motoring over the
waves of coastal bays and channels
of the ICW. They saw lots of
flora and fauna, including Bald
Eagles, dolphins, and
manatees. (2) Then they gave
us a visual tour of the
historical, scenic, and
interesting sites of the
Chesapeake Bay area. They got to
see the Pride of Baltimore under
sail. They told us about the
sinking islands, such as Tangier
and Hooper, due to rising sea
levels and subsidence of the
coastal land. (3) You, too, can
cruise the Chesapeake! There are
several chartering
companies based in Annapolis.
Attendees: 29. Welcome to new
member, Andy!
January
2013
Cruise: The high for
Saturday was supposed to be
moderate (60's), but the forecast
also included
a high probability of rain with
thunderstorms. Sunday's high was
to be in the 40's and windy. So,
we opted for an indoor cruise.
Karen and Bob proposed a new and
clever theme: The Stone Soup
Cruise. No, this wasn't to be
based on my mother's favorite soup
recipe, but rather a legend
that goes something like this:
Some sailors had just arrived in a
port and were hungry. No one would
give them food. So, they filled a
pot with water, added a stone, and
brought it to a boil. Villagers
would walk by the dock and ask
about the soup. One by one, they
determined the soup needed more,
and would contribute seasonings,
vegetables, meats, and more. After
a while, the sailors had a
delicious soup to enjoy ! In our
case, the hosts provided the broth
and each sailor brought a bowl
with something tasty for the soup.
They brought meat, herbs, Japanese
vegetables, other veggies, and
pasta. The result was a delicious
and warm soup to go along with
talks of past and future days of
sailing! Eighteen members
attended. Lake level 631.9' (the
rain didn't help much.) Photos.
January
2013
Meeting: Commodore John G
launched the first meeting of 2013
with thanks to our holiday party
hosts, a photo show of the fleet's
2012
photo
album, and discussions of
cruises and programs for the
coming year. Cruise Director Steve
L led the cruises discussion and
successfully found volunteers for
every month. See the Calendar
for the results. Twenty-seven
attendees. Lake Level 631.9'.
Officers and Appointees for 2013
include: Commodore: John G, Vice
Commodore: Diane C, Treasurer:
Robert,
Secretary/Historian/Webmaster:
Cheryl, and Social Director: Steve
L. Meeting
Photos.
December
2012
Holiday Party: December 2012
Holiday Party: Sheila and Robert
once again opened their beautifully
decorated home to the fleet and
hosted a wonderful party. A
near-record of forty-one members and
guests attended. We socialized, ate
well, installed new officers, and
did the gift exchange. Cruise hosts
and program presenters received
non-skid and non-breakable Catalina
mugs. Congratulations to Todd, the
2012 recipient of the Stough award
for his outstanding enthusiasm and
contributions to the fleet and fleet
membership. For the gift exchange,
the most popular gifts were Norma's
hand-made blanket, liquid-filled
bottles and cup-holders. There were
also bottle openers, journals, sail
bag, Jimmy Buffet CD, door mat,
candle holder (sailboat), sailboat
necklace, boat hook, flashlight, and
more. Oddly, there were no calendars
this year.
For
photos, click on these links. Party
Photos and the 2012
Album.
November
2012
Cruise: Italian Pasta Land
Cruise - Andiamo ! (Let's Go ! )
The lake was low (633.2'), the
winds were high (15-25), and
several fleet members were without
accessible boats, so we had a land
cruise. Michael was the cook and
host, while Bob and Karen
graciously opened their home to
the fleet. Twenty-one attended. We
feasted on 2 types of spaghetti
sauce (meat and vegetarian),
antipasto, numerous delicious
salads (remember the kale),
breads, and cheeses. For dessert
we had Italian Chocolate cake,
red-fruit bars, and fruit. We
talked about boats, the Kemah
cruise, and sailing on the
Chesapeake Bay. Many thanks to our
hosts! Photos
November
2012
Meeting: Twenty-five members
met at the Pizza Bistro. Commodore
Todd led his last regular meeting
of the year with the nomination
and election of the officers for
2013. They are as follows:
Commodore: John G, Vice Commodore:
Diane C, Treasurer: Robert, and
Secretary: Cheryl. Also, Cheryl
will be the webmaster and
historian with Clay as the
assistant, and Steve L will be the
cruise director / social chairman.
Officers will be installed at the
Holiday Party. Many thanks to our
officers of 2012 for their
dedicated contributions. For the
program, Steve showed a set of
slides that showed overlays of our
Kemah cruise GPS trackings
over Google Earth (r) satellite
photos. It was fascinating
to see our path. We could see the
tacks and long 5.3 mile reaches.
We also saw how our "anchored"
boat moved at Redfish Island. It
slipped foot by foot, then stopped
for a while, then began to slip
again, hold, slip, etc until we
decided it was time to raise
anchor.
Remember
the
meetings of 2012 here.
Lake level 633.3'.
Clear
Lake
- Kemah - Galveston Bay Cruise
2012 - We had a super
time with great winds and
wonderful hosts.
On
Friday night (Oct 19), 24 of us
met at Jackie's Brickhouse for
dinner on the patio. We ate
everything from chicken fried
steak to oysters, and exchanged
plans of the weekend to come. Some
stayed until 9 pm to hear the
band. It was a pleasant evening to
eat outside.
On
Saturday (Oct 20) morning at 9:30
am, all 4 boats headed for the
Bay. Two charter boats from Windward
Sea Venture Charters and two
member boats left from the
Watergate Marina:
Hunter
410, Alamanda with Captain
Gary and his reliable crew
Paulette, John & Ann Marie,
Akiko and Steve, Todd and Patti,
and Judy & Bill.
Hunter
336, Sassy, with Captain
Robert with sporty crew Joe,
Shirley, Keith, Sue, Lane, Sue,
Annette, David
Catalina
320,
Persuasion, with Ensign
Dave with activist crew Steve
& Meri and Steve &
Cheryl. (On Sunday, Admiral
Phyllis and Patrick joined the
crew.)
Winds
were great on both days, with a
little more on Sunday. They ranged
from 10 to 20 and waves were "not
bad at all." On Saturday, we all
sailed between the "barn and the
silo" to Redfish Island, where we
anchored independently and ate
lunch. Redfish Island is a very low
island with channel dredgings that
has come and gone over the years. It
makes a nice daytime anchorage,
providing protection from the waves
but the coolness of the breeze.
Ships pass by in the channel, just
on the other side of the island. The
bottom is a sticky icky mud, which
caused problems with the raising of
the anchors in some cases. But, we
continued on with a fantastic broad
reach back to the Clear Lake
Channel. Phyllis' boat performed
beautifully and kept up with the
other 3 boats.
On
Saturday night, thanks to Dave
"going overboard with hospitality",
we had a delicious BBQ dinner from
T-Bone Tom's, a popular Kemah
restaurant. We ate next to the
race-track shaped pool at Watergate
Marina and exchanged stories of our
sailing day.
Sunday
(Oct 21) was also great
sailing. Summer Song took a lay-day
since her crew abandoned her, and
P&P joined Persuasion. As we
exited the C-L Channel, Persuasion
and Sassy stayed near each other as
we sailed to the south, toward Red
Fish Island. After that, we took
independent courses. Persuasion
headed towards the "north cut of the
ship channel" to see what it looked
like. It was well marked. The
charter company said it was closed
to charter boats, but there were
sailboats making the crossing.
We looked for dolphins, which were
in that area 2 weeks before, but
none were found. We headed back to
the marina and docked around 3:30.
Sassy returned around 4 pm.
Alamanda's
Sunday
report, thanks to John G: We sailed
straight out of the Kemah channel
almost to the shipping channel. We
didn't see any of the other boats,
and had to decide at that point to
go towards Redfish or head northwest
towards Morgans Point. Since we had
sailed to Redfish on Saturday, and
wanted a comfortable sail for lunch,
we headed northeast on a nice broad
reach. We broke out the food and had
great lunch. We made it past the
Bayport ship channel, and east of
the Houston Yacht Club. HYC had
dropped a yellow tetrahedron in
preparation for their Sunday
afternoon race, so we rounded that
to port and headed back to Kemah
close hauled. On the way, a fishing
boat was dragging nets in the
Bayport ship channel, and of course
that attracted many birds, but also
dolphins that swam near our boat. In
one tack we made it all the way to
the Kemah channel entrance day mark,
where we took down sails and started
the engine, and motored back to the
dock, arriving close to 2:30pm.
Everyone who wanted steer got a turn
at the helm during this trip.
Many
many thanks are due to the
captains, Gary, Robert, Dave, and
Phyllis for hosting a wonderful
weekend and taking the "risk" of
hosting a boat and crew. We all
had a great time.
Photos
FYI,
Galveston
Links
Oktoberfest
2012
Cruise: Oktoberfest 2012
was wunderbar! We had some of
everything, with winds that were
both calm and ideal, skies that
were rainy and sunny, and temps in
the 80's. Mark and Diane hosted
their first cruise, and it was a
spectacular one! With 5 boats (one
C270, one C22 sport, two C25's,
one C27), 1 car, and 13 people at
Arkansas Bend, a good time was had
by all. Lake level 634.5' allowed
us to tie up to shore, tho getting
on/off boats was tricky. The rocky
hillside was 25' high. We had a
mini keg of beer, bratwurst,
sauerkraut, potato salad and more,
PLUS a delicious array of German
desserts. Vielen danke to our
hosts!. Photos
October
2012
Meeting: We met at our old
place that has been remodeled and
renamed to Pizza Bistro.
27 attendees. Program: John
G. Tall Ships.
*
Tall
Ships America Challenge Festival
in May in Savannah Georgia
*
Show
photos and video
*
Handouts
and quiz. What is a bunt line?
What is the protocol to fire a
canon?
*
At
the end of the festival all boats
go down river to Atlantic – John
filmed them passing Fort Jackson
*
Helped
explain the lines that move the
yard arm and adjust sail trim
*
To
raise and lower the sail, people
have to be up on the foot ropes
*
You
could ride on some of the boats
for $100
*
Some
have guest cabins you can sign up
for
*
"Belle
Poule" means more than beautiful
chicken....
September
2012
Breakfast Cruise: The annual
popular breakfast cruise was
held Sept 22-23 at Longhorn
Landing (map
1, map2).
(Travis
cruising map).
At
lake level 635.1, there was a nice
cove that could be reached by boat
or by car. On Saturday night,
there were 2 boats, one tent, and
a truck, for a total of six
people, more or less. The
overnight air temperature was a
pleasant 69. Air was still. In the
morning, one more boat (total 3)
and many cars arrived, for a total
of 22 people (to be verified.) Our
cruise hosts Joe, Joy, and Clay,
along with co-hosts Dave and
Diane, set up a very comfortable
camp site with a shade, tables,
and plenty of chairs. Joe brought
his new portable smoker and
cooker. As he said, this was an
"8-burner event" as all 8 burners
were in use. On Saturday they had
smoked brisket. On Sunday we had
scrambled eggs, pancakes, sausage,
bacon, brisket, coffee...you name
it. Attendees brought all types of
berries, REAL maple syrup, nuts,
pineapple, etc to top the
pancakes. It was an amazing feast.
As the temperatures became
creeping up near 90, some of us
went swimming in the 81 degree
water. It was a wonderful cruise.
Many thanks to all our hosts for
surpassing themselves, once again,
with a fantastic Breakfast Cruise.
Photos.
September
2012
Meeting: Since our usual
location, Mangia's was being
renovated and renamed to Pizza
Bistro (with a peace symbol) this
month, we met at La Morada, one
mile north. In spite of the change
in location and rainy weather, 26
people attended the meeting! Todd
started the program section of the
meeting with photos and stories
about their recent trip to
Newport, RI and Nantucket Island.
It sounded like a sailor's
paradise. They also successfully
took an ASA sailing certification
course.
Next,
Steve
and Cheryl showed pictures and
videos and told stories of a
recent trip to see the America's
Cup World Series race in San
Francisco. It was so exciting to
see the AC45 catamarans, 11 of
them, racing back and forth along
the bay front, very close to
shore. With and without a zoom
lens, the photo ops were
fantastic, with backdrops of the
Golden Gate Bridge, Alcatraz
Island, and the city. Races will
be there again starting Oct 2.
Next year, the Louis Vuitton Cup
and the America's Cup regatta will
be held there on AC72s. The
youth will race on AC45's.
Lake
Travis level was 634.07' in the
morning. After 4 days of rain, the
lake was 635'.
August
2012 Flip Flop Regatta Pool
Party: Some boats flipped, some
flopped, and some even "sailed!"
The Flip Flop Regatta Pool party
was a huge success, thanks to
hosts Todd and Party. 22 sailors
attended. Lake level was 638.1',
but the conditions in the pool
were just right. Photos.
August
2012
Program: John Bartlett,
Sailmaker and owner of Bartlett
Sailsin Austin, gave
us a very interesting presentation
on several sailmaking-related
topics. First he gave us an update
on the latest fabrics used for
boat and sail covers. There's a
new one that looks like
bubble-wrap covered with
sun-protective fabric. This
protects the fiberglass from being
crazed (cooked) in the Texas heat.
Sail materials haven't changed a
whole lot in recent years, for
cruisers. Dacron is still a good,
common, and long-lasting cloth. If
you want a storm jib, there's a
70% sail called a mule. For
cleaning sails, use Oxiclean or
throw it in someone's swimming
pool. Bleach tends to stain. 303
hi-tech fabric guard is excellent.
Sunbrella lasts "forever" but UC
protection is only about 8 years.
Then John told us about his Moth
Sailboat. Look at the photos!
Here's a wow
photo. Thanks, John for a
great presentation!
Attendees:
23
members and one guest. Lake Level
638.3'.
July
2012
Chinese Fire Drill Cruise,
formerly called the "Year of the
Water Dragon" cruise: As
the ancient Chinese said (or
someone), all's well that ends
well. We experienced calm and
wind, dry and wet, water and land.
Many stories need to be told from
about 12 different perspectives.
We started out on the shores of Longhorn
Landing. Hosts Dave and
Diane had set up a tent with
tables, chairs, Chinese
decorations, food, drinks, kayak,
mooring lines, dinghy, and more.
We were ready to party. Mark and
Diane brought a kite and it flew
easily. The area had had showers
on and off for the last week, but
they usually only lasted an hour
or so, and were hit and miss. We
thought they would miss. However,
there were 3 blobs on the radar
(great use for a smart phone!)
that were converging on Lake
Travis. Todd & crew arrived by
boat, followed by Afternoon
Delight. Just as the storm started
to come, Irish Ayes arrived, then
looked to the sky and turned
around and rode out the first
phase of the storm at an AYC
t-head. Todd took his boat back to
Keller's. Afternoon Delight stayed
for a while, but after a shore
line broke, cushions blew
off, and the keel neared the
ground, she left for Marshall
Ford. Meanwhile, we spied Yellow
Moon in the distance, with
apparent problems with a motor
that decided to stop at the wrong
moment and sails that didn't quite
want to go up all the way. She
rode out part of the storm and
then returned to the marina. For
those on the point of land, they
watched the rain and the boats,
and saw Dave's dingy soar into the
air and out of sight.
We
then retreated to Dave and Diane's
house as the rain continue to
come. We had all types of
delicious and carefully prepared
Chinese food. Thanks to all our
cooks! Many thanks to Dave and
Diane for their great efforts,
flexibility, creativity, and a
fantastic cruise! In all, we
had 23 attendees on Longhorn
Landing Point, 12 via 4 boats (3
anchored). After we went inside,
we had 20.
Lake
level didn't budge much, even
though in NW Austin, we had 6" on
Sunday and 11" during the last
week. Lake Level is 640.2'. Photos
July
2012
Meeting: We had a
double-header program tonight.
First we had "Bachelors on
Board - Living on Sailboats."
Michael started it off with a nice
picture of box of dirt on the dock
next to his boat, which was to be
his vegetable garden. One day he
noticed the dirt was disturbed.
Strange. Next day, there was an
egg in the dirt! Next day, more
eggs! Each day brought more eggs
until he had 8 duck eggs. He was
an octo-dad! One by one they
hatched, and the happy duck family
lived near his home, a 38'
Catalina. He then described how he
adapted his life to a boat, by
cutting back to the essentials
because of space, setting up his
office in the boat, getting a/c,
and using an airbed in the dinette
area. V-berths don't have enough
space and air flow. A few months
ago, there was a sudden storm out
at the lake. Parts from a nearby
houseboat flew off and bent his
mast and caused other damage to
his home, the boat. Long sad story
followed and his home was no more.
Meanwhile, he recommended working
on yacht deliveries via www.sailopo.com.
Carl
lived on a 1972 Coronado 23 while
going to law school. It was
actually less expensive than a
traditional apartment or house,
plus, it had the wonderful
advantage of being waterfront
property with beautiful sunrises
and sunsets each day, with
utilities included. Here's some
Catalina history: Frank Butler was
the original designer of the
Coronado 23, but he sold the
company before founding Catalina
Yachts around 1970. Designs are
quite similar. The boat was named
"No no" (another story) but soon
became "Pro Bono." He took
advantage of every nook and
cranny. If he cooked, it was on a
Coleman
stove in the cockpit. Otherwise,
there were local dining
establishments. He did a lot of
fishing for fun and food. His
advice: "To stay a bachelor, live
on a boat." He also recommended
the lifestyle, at least for a
while. Enjoy it and go with
it!
Part
II was "Sailing for 2 in the San
Juan
Islands on a 38' Beneteau
sailboat", by Diane and
Mark. They gave an entertaining,
and informative presentation with
lots of photos and maps about
their June 5-day charter from
Anacortes Yacht Charters, www.ayc.com,
in Washington State. This was
their third time sailing in that
area. They went to Stewart Island
and Port of Friday Harbor. The
first day was picture perfect,
literally. The sun was shining,
water was a deep blue, and snow
capped mountains were visible in
the distance. The area is well set
up now with moorings, thanks to a
well organized state marine park
system. The next day had totally
different weather, cold and windy.
They sailed on and it was well
worth it, for they finally got to
see a very active pod of 7 to 8
orca whales. The whales swam
nearby and jumped out of the
water. The main challenges of the
area are the tides (12-15') and
tidal currents (5-6 knots.)
Fortunately, there is a book with
well-documented detailed
information with maps and arrows
to indicate the net speed and
direction of the water flow.
Many
thanks to all the speakers. If I
got anything terribly wrong, let
me know and I'll fix it.
Lake
level was 639.3'. Attendees: 28.
June
2012 Taste of Texas Cruise: Deep
in the Heart of Texas, the
Catalina Fleet gathered in Barry's
Cove on Lake Travis for a
"Taste of Texas Cruise."Thanks
to our hosts Robert and Sheila,
and attendees, we had an abundance
of Texas food and drinks to enjoy.
Lake level 641.6'. Winds 5-10 in
the afternoon, 10-15 in the
evening. Temps in the low 90's.
Four sailboats, 1 powerboat, and
16 people. One boat-person spent
the night. Photos.
June
2012
Meeting: Anchoring and Person
Overboard Recovery, Gary
presented an excellent program,
with explanations and handouts
about how to recover a person who
falls overboard, how to set and
retrieve an anchor, and how to
recover from running aground. To
practice person overboard, throw
an unwrapped roll of paper towels
overboard and try to retrieve it
before it sinks. Point to the
person and say "man overboard,"
throw them a floatation
device, do not lose eye contact,
get back to the person in the best
way. ASA teaches 2 methods. Beam
or close reach or heave-to.
Don't use the motor near people in
the water. For anchoring, there
are 3 things to keep in mind:
wind, length of line, and
depth.
Before
the
program, Todd explained what
happened to his bandaged-up hand.
Lesson learned: always wear your
sailing gloves on the boat.
29 attendees. Lake level
642'.
May
2012 Cruise: Flor
de
Caña "Flower of the Sugar
Cane" Cruise
This
was a fantastic cruise with all
that we could have wanted: great
food, drinks, turnout, friends,
music, boats, location, and most
of all WIND and an opportunity for
some real sailing. At lake level
643.3', Arkansas Bend Park's north
cove worked well for both
anchoring to shore and arriving by
car. (cruise
map) (fleet
lake
map) (photo)
There were 32 sailors, 18 fleet
family units, 8 boats, and 2 cars.
Winds were SSE 10 to 15 with gusts
to 22. Many thanks to Salvador and
Nina for a wonderful cruise day!
We had a taste of the Nicaraguan
Caribbean, with authentic
food, drinks, music, weather,
pictures, and Calypso music from Nicaragua's
Caribbean
Coast and Corn Islands. Food
included Grilled pork tenderloin
marinated in lime, achiote and
other tropical spices, tortillas,
Ensalada de repollo
(Nicaraguan-style coleslaw),
Confetti Rice, Beans, Green or
Ripe plantains, Yucca ("cassava"
as it known in other parts of the
Caribbean), Plantain chips, and
Rum cake. Beverages included Flor
de Caña rum 7-years, Cola, Fruit
juice, Rum & Cola, Rum &
fruit juice. Photos.
May
2012
Meeting:
Salvaging
and
Trailering Boats was the
meeting program, thanks to local
salvager and fleet member, Joe.
While we all plan to take good
care of our boats forever, there
are some boats on area lakes and
lots that have been abandoned,
sunken, or neglected beyond
repair. That's where Joe comes
in to help. If the boat is
beyond repair, he takes "all the
good parts" off the boat and
sells them. The key to
boat and trailer maintenance is
"If you take care of it, it will
take care of you." We learned
the definition of hydroplaning,
which happens when the water is
deeper than the tire treads. So
treads and tire inflation are
important. The speed at which a
boat trailer tire will
hydroplane is 6 (a constant for
boat trailers) times the square
root of the inflation pressure.
So if a trailer wheel is only
inflated to 25 psi, then it
could hydroplane at 6*5=30 mph.
Here are 4 important things to
remember: Securely tie the boat
to the trailer, Check the
lug nuts (tight), Know the
proper tire inflation pressure
and use it, Grease wheel
bearings (and check for heat a
short distance after starting to
drive.)
In
addition, Todd gave a brief
presentation about Hooligan's
Navy. This was a
fleet of sailboats that silently
participated in the WWII defense
of the US coastline against
German U-boats. It a facinating
piece of naval history, so Google it to
learn more. Or read Voyages
in
Desperate Times by Jule
Miller.
Also,
fleet member Joy has released
her first CD. Go to youtube
link to hear her "Ranguana"
song along with photos of
Ranguana, Belize, taken and
arranged by Cheryl.
The
numbers: 24 attendees, lake
level 638.38' before the meeting
and 640' 24 hours later. (on on
5/18, it is 643.14'.)
April
2012
Cruise: The 4/14 Rain Dance
aka Picnic Cruise was canceled due
to high winds.
April
2012
Meeting: Jo Karr Tedder,
the president of the Central
Texas
Water Coalitiontalked
to us about efforts to save Lake
Travis, and how we can help.Read
these links for details: Overview,
Information,
LCRA
Water
Pie Chart,
April
26
meeting.
Other
news:
Congratulations to Joy on the
release of her new CD! Watch
the calendars for June and
August...the cruises might be
switched. The Ladies' Cruise will
be moved to July (most likely).
Lake level is 640.3'. Some fleet
members are cleaning house and
free sailing books were available.
Turnback Canyon Regatta, held
annually by AYC, will have a
different format this year: the
races will be held in the main
basin and/or to Lakeway and back.
Plus, there will be a "beach
party." There will be a cruising
fleet, so everyone can join the
fun!
25
members, a guest, and our speaker
were present.
March
2012
St Patrick's Cruise: It
rained again on cruise day, so we
met at the "Lion
and Rose" restaurant and Pub
in Westlake Hills. It was an
excellent location. We had
our own private room for our group
of 20. Some had Guiness
pints to get into the mood and
everyone had a good time. Joy sang
several Irish folk songs, since we
were celebrating St Patrick's Day
(early). Some of the songs
were taught to Joy by her mother
when she was a little girl.
Joy also said that her dad had a
beautiful tenor voice. What a
musical family and we're so
fortunate to have Joy (and Joe) in
our fleet. Lake level 631.4'. Photos
by Todd.
March
2012
Meeting: "The Good, Bad,
and the Ugly of Coastal
Cruising." 35 members
attended. Lake level 631.4'. Bob
and Karen presented an excellent
slide show of photos taken during
their ongoing trip along the ICW,
Intracoastal Waterway, from Texas
to the Chesapeake on their
Catalina 30, Watercolors. They shared
their experiences with various
aspects of their trip. Read more
in their blog.
They’ve traveled 4000 miles,
logged 760 engine hours, burned
380 gallons of fuel, performed 10
oil changes and lots of repairs.
Lesson learned: Be Prepared!
The Good
The Bad
The Ugly
Sailing the
Chesapeake
Log Canoe Races
Wildlife
Sanctuaries
Visits with
friends
Seafood
Sea Turtle
Centers
Dolphins and
Manatees
So many birds!
Floating docks
(rise with the tide)
Sunrises/Sunsets
Lighthouses
Washington DC
Some soft shell
crabs
Mexican Food
Shallow Water
Beating into the
waves
Stationary and
short docks
Bugs
Jellyfish in the
raw water strainer
Bridges,
especially waiting for
drawbridges
Rocks
Currents can be
bad ~6kts
Exhaust leaks
Trucking the
boat across Florida
ICW water –
their boat had a
moustache and
they did not swim
once in the
dirty water
February
2012
Chocolate Valentine's Cruise: With
lake air temperatures ranging from
30 to 42 degrees, and forecasts of
snow and sleet (which did happen,
briefly), we voted to move the
Valentine's Cruise indoors to the
Iguana Grill. Twenty-three of us
met in a nice private room
overlooking Arkansas Bend (lake
level 627.07',) where we indulged
in many varieties of chocolate
concoctions and excellent Tex-Mex
meals. Many thanks to Jane and
Lane for hosting a fun land
cruise! Photos.
February
2012
Meeting: Kent Little, owner
of Little
Yacht
Sales (Kemah, TX), is
the Catalina dealer for the Texas
coast. He recently visited the
Catalina factory in Largo, Florida
and showed us pictures and
diagrams of the production of the
new “5Series” of Catalina Yachts.
His associate, John, talked about
the rigging. Catalina has been
focusing on building more
luxurious and high-quality boats
using "mass production" techniques
and close attention to detail. “The
closer you look the better
Catalina gets” is a quote
from the company. We took a closer
look at the production facilities
and the components of the Catalina
yachts. Thanks!
In
addition, we voted on the winning
Occupy Sandy Creek posters and
prizes were awarded to Jane,
Keith, Michael, and Cheryl.
Lake
level is 627.0. Attendees: 25
members and 2 guest speakers.
January
2012
Cruise: "Occupy Sandy Creek" On
1/15/2012, Sixteen members and
guests of the fleet occupied Sandy
Creek (north of Starnes
Island) to protest the near record
low level of Lake Travis, 626.3'.
The low level is impacting
recreational opportunities, which
in turn impact local businesses
and the economy. Four sailboats
and four cars were there. We
patronized the Sandy Creek Marina
store with purchases of snacks and
beverages. We made protest signs
to express our objections to the
low water level. It was a great
day to sail and 4 Catalinas
enjoyed the strong (10 to
20+) southerly winds on our
backs as we entered Sandy Creek.
Starnes Island looks like a
submarine. Barry's Cove is
inaccessible. There are underwater
power lines across the creek,
where the depth is only 19'. Many
thanks to hosts Todd and Patti for
thinking up this great idea. For
information on how you can help,
go to the Central Texas Water
Coalition, www.ourwater-ourfuture.com.
Photos.
January
2012
Meeting: Commodore Todd
launched the new year with an
excellent meeting. 30 members
attended. First we planned the
cruises for 2012. Lake level is
626.4' and continues to fall in
spite of some rain in December, so
we had to taken all that into
consideration. Commodore reported
that our Past Commodore is
attending the meeting of the
Central Texas Water Coalition (ourwater-ourfuture.com.)
Welcome to new members, Mark and
Diane. Then the program, "Eyewitnesses
to
America's
Cup Racing in San
Diego." Four fleet
couples traveled to San Diego to
view the races. Sailing Teams race
42 ft. catamarans with fixed wings
for main sails. Close course
racing makes a great spectator
sport. Each couple was asked to
show their top 10 photos. Todd
showed a 2 minute video of clips
from the races, including the
audio and video telecast. Steve S
explained what the races are about
and showed his best photos.
Robert showed a selection of his
favorite 10 photos. Keith and Sue
told us about their experience on
a 29 ft Catalina charter
boat. They lived aboard for
5 days. Sue loved the
Starbucks nearby. Todd showed his
top ten photos. We all enjoyed the
stories and photos! Meeting photos.
2012
Officers: Commodore Todd,
Vice Commodore Steve P, Past
Commodore Dave Z, Secretary
Sheila, Treasurer Robert.
2012
Appointees: Social: Carl,
Historian and Web-person:
Cheryl