******** June Meeting Notes will be coming in a bit
Our first meeting for Beachin’ Cats/Fleet 238 took place on Saturday, February 3rd – graciously hosted by Sue & Pete Alessio at their house! This was the first meeting since Commodore Kim took the helm and he is going to be a STERN captain by the way the first meeting went. Those in attendance were: Alayna, Karl, Mike, Laura, Marina, Lori, Phil, Kim, Mary, Christine, Bob, Sue, Pete, and Claire.
Only two hardy members braved the runs at Jiminy Peak, that being our captain and Pete. The runs were good up until mid afternoon and the duo retired to Pete’s house for a little rest before the festivities.
Well, we are glad that our previous commodore is not at the helm any longer, as he got lost on the way to the Alessio’s house. If it wasn’t for cell phone service, he would have not made it there AT ALL. Ya just got to wonder about the Bobster – Huh!!! As usual the appetizers were flying and the painkillers were flowing. Well that’s after the Bobster got guided in by cell phone GPS. GEEZ, there were some thirsty members waiting. As per our clubs standards, the dinner was SPECTACULAR and to everyone that supplied a dish – THANK YOU!!!
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Thinking ahead to the summer, July 20-27 is the H-16 Women’s and Youth; H14; H17; H18 2007 North American Championships in Geneva, NY. Last year at the Madcatter there was talk of each fleet volunteering to take over one whole event at the Championships, such as a party, dinner, etc. So far no one has contacted us – and geographically we’re on the edge. The question arises: Should we contact them to see what we can do? Mike brought up at this late date they probably don’t need anything. For more info check out the website at www.HobieNAC.com
Kim stressed the importance of redoubling our efforts to find new members for the club. Mary suggested if we were to find a handful of people we could hold an applicant/meeting party to show them what we’re all about!
As always, this July is the Liberty Race in NYC hosted by Fleet 250. According to Fleet 204’s website, this race has been scheduled for July 1st. or 2nd. Bob talked to a guy from Fleet 250 who said the race is 37 miles long and is like open ocean sailing. Not to worry – safety precautions are taken and there are rules and requirements. Karl is interested in going if anyone would like to go with him. TAKE NOTE, If you are at all sensitive about the size of your legs, then don’t bother contacting him ( Karl)! He hasn’t finished his SENSITIVITY training -- YET!!! Though, Fleet 250’s site has not been updated, you can see what it’s all about and see some pretty wild pictures from past years. www.statueoflibertyrace.com
This year the Ice Breaker is scheduled for May 5th with the 6th ( BURRRRR) and 12th as rain dates. Also in May is the Madcatter, on the 18th-20th.
Last year we held the first ever Birthday Bash/sail, and it went great! This year we wanna do it all over again on July 28th with the 29th as a rain date. Mary had the idea that instead of everyone going out and buying presents, we could do a grab-bag for all birthdays (with a maximum amount to spend on each gift). We will talk more at the next meeting.
As always, a huge part of the Regatta is what the featured drink should be! Decisions, decisions……..vodka, rum, or tequila? What about a Bushwacker – that’s NO MIXERS with Bailey’s, Kahlua, Rum, and Vodka. I feel dizzy already! Mary suggested Fuzzy Navels made with Absolut Ruby Red, Absolut Pear, and cranberry juice. We would like to have a party night to try out some drinks before we decide!!
The website is looking good – there’s some new stuff on it. However, we could use some more submissions in the form of articles and pictures. If you send pictures, make sure you have some sort of caption and explanation as to what it is. No random snapshots please! If you have something please send it to Bob.
Some of you have already been a recipient of a card sent by the “Sunshine Committee” (that would be me). What this is – is whenever a fleet member has had surgery, etc. a card is sent to them “signed” by the fleet. This was one of the first suggestions Kim had upon becoming Commodore. It really is a nice idea. With this in mind, Kim made a motion that Pete send me a $25 check to cover the costs of these cards. Phil seconded the motion.
The hot tub money from the Wayout is still “missing” from last year, or so Bob says. We can’t let him handle money while he has a drink in his hand. OK, that’s settles it, Bob is always has a drink in his hand, so NO MONEY TRANSACTIONS with the Bobster!!! Do we want the hot tub again this year? Bob made a motion that “yes” we do want it, and Mary seconded the motion. Who is collecting the money – NOT Bobster
One thing was brought up about e-mail eliquette, Many times when a group email is sent out, we click “reply ALL” and we “talk” back and forth all day. While this may be fun, it gets to be a lot of emails, and some members are using their work emails. That being said, when replying, please be judicious in who you reply to.
A hearty KUDO’s to Alessio’s for letting us have the meeting at their house and being more than gracious hosts.!!!
******Statue of Liberty Race Report
Adjectives to describe the weekend at Sandy Hook Catamaran Club and the marathon race around the Statue of Liberty goes as follows, Incredible, Fantastic, Outstanding, Unbelievable, Extraordinary, just to name a few.
Sandy Hook Bay Catamaran Club/Hobie Fleet 250, organizes this event every year and this was their thirtieth anniversary for the event. A few of the 238ers made the trek down to the Atlantic Highlands in New Jersey to test their abilities in the indescribable sailing conditions. Those who braved the ocean waters were, Pete A, Karl B, Gary C, Chet C & his friend Dave, Christine R & Bob D. Alayna and Kristin were the shore crew and got some shots(photo’s) of a few of us rounding the Statue.
Sandy Hook Bay Catamaran Club put on a great Saturday Night dinner with calms, corn on the cob and great grilled steak with salads. Beer was flowing and was free with the dinner. They had an AWESOME band playing on the beach after dinner and the beach was rocking till midnight. It was a great time.
The skippers meeting on Sunday morning, had some EYE OPENING information. For instance, sail boats DO NOT have the right of way in New York Harbor. Another interesting note, You may encounter Large amounts of floating debris – Keep an eye out, this could seriously damage your boat. Also, Large container ships and cargo ships are moving in and out of the harbor and you must stay out of their way – Duh!!!
With all those warnings and more, fifty five boat left the beach for a traditional start. The winds started out from 12 to 16 knots and were coming out of the northwest, so pointing to the Verrazzano bridge ( going North) was a tough haul. All the 238er’s made it in the 3 hour time limit set by the race committee. That was only two thirds the way to the statue – HELLO!!! Going up through the harbor was UNREAL, large ships to maneuver around, tricky winds and large fast power boats that had no concern for any little catamarans. Fortunately the winds turned favorable ( from the west) and it was a screaming reach to the statue. Going back down the harbor was MORE THAN ADVENTURE. The Coast Guard had to warn more than one of the sailing fleet to “TURN AWAY”. One of our club was warned, we won’t mention who. After getting back under the Verrazzano bridge it was a two hour sail back to the sailing club. It was mostly a reach and some down wind running. Of the fifth five boats that started twenty two were turned back at the bridge for not making the three hour time limit, also some retired, Only nineteen made the whole trip, up around the statue and back. All of our club members made the whole course – KUTO’s.
There a ton of stories to be heard and some will probably make you pee you pants, so when you see one of the brave souls that made the journey be prepared for some wild tales. We hope to have some pic’s to enhance the tales. Some of the tales are, JUST TOO FUNNY.
Sheet in tight and hang on, IT, was one WILD RIDE.
*****Article - Spring Boat Tune-up ******
Spring - Cat Tune-up.
Well gang it’s time to take the tarp off the boat and get it ready for a season of fun and games. But we have to get the “gelcoat rocket” back in shape.
FIRST. I know it may not be the warmest of weather and it’s a hassle to go through the check list. But lets agree, that a little labor NOW, will be well spent if it can avoid us getting stuck out on the water with a failure of equipment that could have easily been taken care in the back yard.
First thing on the agenda, Scrub your “smile maker” down and get all the grit, grime and algae left from last year and get off the winter slime. You can use a product like. X14 Spray cleaner, Soft Scrub or any good cleaner and use a brush. Scrub the whole boat and get the grime from tramp and non-skid areas of the deck. (Be careful, some of these cleaners have a high concentration of bleach.) We usually use something with bleach as is kills the algae and mildew. Rubber gloves are a good idea.
Hulls:
· Got any nicks or dents? Get a little rough, screaming up on the beach, last season? Use the product “ Marine Tex” to fill chips and nicks, it is white and it’s a thick paste, which fills the depressions well.. If you have any dents in the hull, check how solid they are. If they yield to gentle pressure and/or creak when you push them, then you might want to look a little deeper. Depending on your repair IQ and abilities, you can decide what to do with them.
· Most cracks that look like pencil lines are just in the gelcoat’s surface. Check to be sure, if they are firm to pressure, then not to worry.
Hull Bottoms:
The bottoms are very thick solid fiberglass compared to the sides and decks, the sides and decks are thin layers over a foam sandwich. However after many beach drags, the bottom of the hulls can become too thin. If the gelcoat (color) is rubbed off, that’s not bad, but you should re-gelcoated to replace the worn material. This may be beyond your abilities but it is a pretty simple process. Ask a fleet member who has performed it to get some hints. Always periodically check the bottoms for wear or cracks..
A good wax job -After the boat well cleaned and nicks repaired use a good Fiberglass wax or even Car wax can help the gelcoat from “browning” when exposed to certain algae in some lakes. I usually take a whole afternoon to perform this task, ” A few cocktails and friends always helps”. Crossbar mounts:
· Check them for solidness or flex at hull contact area. Especially Hobie 16, check the pylons connection to the corner casting.
Trampoline Frame:
· Check for loose bolts and/or rivets.
· Check the mainsheet traveler track for damage. (And if the traveler works well too.)
· Check all blocks, cleats, or other hardware attached to the “platform” of your boat.
· Tramp lacing and grommet condition. Keep them tight too!
Rudders and Boards:
· Tighten the rudder gudgeon screws. These have a lot of pressure on them when sailing and need to be checked regularly throughout the season.
· Adjust rudder-casting bolts (with or without shims as needed) so the rudder will fall slowly but not reach the full down position without a gentle push.
· Inspect &Adjust the rudder cam locks in the rudder castings. These take a lot of punishment and wear out easily. Rudders cams are pretty cheap and nothing is worse that having a rudder that won’t stay locked down when the wind is HOOTING. Make sure you lube these up at every outing, WD-40 works fine.
· Fix any chunks missing from your boards or rudders. (If allowed to get wet in side the core, they may need to replaced or repaired heavily. It is easier to fix the small chips when they happen.)
· Adjust rudder “tow-in”. Check with racers for what your boat will work best with. (Make the rudders parallel if nothing else.)
· Tiller extension yoke should be snug, but rotate easily. If you use a telescopic “Hot Stick”, spray silicone helps it, and keep it out of the sand.
Blocks, All Sails:
· Tighten ALL the little screws on them. Lube them with spray silicone or a good spray lube..
· Check lines for fray or if the line’s core becomes separate from the line’s cover. Got good knots? (A good knot will hold forever, but come out when you need it to.) Bowlines and eight knots are best for the sheet systems.
Attached hardware:
· Check for corrosion that could weaken fittings.
· Tighten the shroud and forestay tangs.
· Check your drain plug o-ring and screws.
Mast, Boom, and Rigging:
· Check for loose hardware, block and cam cleat positions and freedom of movement.
· Check for frayed lines, cables, and bungee. (Way harder to deal with a failure on something in the backyard then when you are at on the lake.)
· Check your mast for water inside. (A little water, stuck in there can really make it hard to right your boat if capsized.) It’s not so easy to get out, but I would not sail a boat with it on there. Ask someone who has had to right a boat with water in the mast and I’ll bet they can tell you how they got it out after that!
· Shackles for rigging on the mast tang should have safety wire on them.
· Replace or keep handy any mast-bearing item that your boat may use.
· LUBE THE SAIL TRACK.
Sails:
· Wash all last years dirt off with some gentle soap and rinse well. Drape the sail over something and make sure it dries completely before putting it in the sail bag.
· And while you are cleaning it up, 1)Check if headboard, and tack and clew grommets, 2) Check the batten luff caps. 3) Check the luff rope for excessive wear. 4) Check for wear on the batten pockets where they contact the shrouds when sailing downwind. 5) Check the batten pocket grommets. 6) Check the battens for splintering. (Usually near the luff.) If they are splintered, they can ruin your sail. Watch out when handling the battens, the fiberglass will give you BAD slivers. Best to wear leather gloves when handling battens. 7) Replace any batten ties that need it.
· I HOPE YOU DID NOT LEAVE YOUR BATTENS TIGHT ALL WINTER!!! That’s a good way to stretch your sail out of shape. Always loosen your battens after EVERY sailing day.
Conclusion:
Hey, your probably saying DAM, this is a ton of stuff that will take me a week to cover.
WAIT! Much of this is just a quick look for an obvious problem, that could ruin your sailing day.
So lets not get out on the water and have your rudder fall off because you didn’t have time to take a quick peek, while the boat was in the yard and you were kicking back with a cocktail.
Also, think about the rest of club members, that will have to rescue you from want ever situation, your lack of attention to your ride, has gotten you into.
