All Catalina Fleet 69  Lake Travis, Austin, Texas  NEWS

Upcoming events are on our fleet home page, http://www.catfleet69.org

August Wok 'n Roll Land Cruise: The air was 102 degrees and the lake was 91 degrees, so we opted to have the popular Wok 'n Roll Land Cruise in an air-conditioned location. Sue F graciously volunteered to host the cruise. Chef Norma outdid herself again by cooking up a storm, with assistance from her dependable sous-chefs, Clay, Phyllis, and Patrick. The menu included egg rolls with homemade sweet and sour sauce, colorful shrimp chips, BBQ pork with pineapple, Broccoli and beef with cashew nuts, King Crab with assorted vegetables, Longevity noodles and Brown rice. We also had roast duck, and Diane made her Delicious Disappearing Dumplings. For dessert, we had everything from healthful fruit and angel food cake, to decadent chocolates and green ice cream cake. Thirty-two members (including an honorary member) were in attendance. John and Joyce gave away 2 boxes of sailing books (no problem doing that). We had some excitement with a visit by EMS and a firetruck, but that eventually turned out OK, fortunately. It was yet another good time to share the warm camaraderie fostered by our sailing club. Lake Level was 668.8', for the record. Photos.

August Meeting: "Racing Schooners in Maine." This was a very informative and entertaining presentation by Todd and Patti about their 4th of July week aboard the schooner "Stephen Taber" off the coast of Maine. This schooner is a member of the "Maine Windjammer Association," which includes 12 traditional tall ships, ranging in size from 46 to 132 feet on deck. All of the vessels are privately owned and operated. The "Stephen Taber" was built in 1871, is 115' length overall, 22.5' beam (think Catalina 22 length,) carries 22 passengers, and has 5 crew (1 skipper, 1 cook, 3 deckhands.) They sailed out of Rockland, Maine, on Penobscot Bay. (Other ports for the fleet include Camden and Rockport.) The schooner has no engines and is purely wind-powered. Only the dinghy, "the pusher," had a motor. Light was by kerosene lamps or natural light. The food was amazing, especially considering it was all done on a wood stove. One meal was lobster and corn, all cooked New England style with seaweed on a sandy beach.  Passengers were allowed to participate in the boat handling, especially during in the Schooner Race. We all learned about the Ballantine coil (google or youtube it if you don't know). Other fleet members sailed years ago on the "Angelique," which is also an assocation member. 
Meeting Stats: 21 members (or soon to be). Lake is 670.41'. Photos.

July Cruise: "Jimmy Buffet". While experiencing "Changes In Latitudes, Changes In Attitudes", creating our own "Margaritaville," and enjoying "Cheeseburgers in Paradise", ten boats and 23 sailors tied up in "One Particular Harbour" called Barry's Cove. Michael hosted his first and best cruise on Joy and Joe's boat. The sheriff shooed the noisy party boat away, and we were able to enjoy a non-stop stream of Jimmy Buffet tunes, thanks to Michael, Sebastian, and others, who found five different ways to play music (or not) on a boat. Barry's Cove had plenty of room at level 674'. For the official count, we had 11 boats and 25 sailors since Gary and Paulette enjoyed the cruise a week early!
We all went swimming and since it was too hot to get out of the water, we created a floating buffet with several cushions and a preserver. We had shrimp, guacamole, mini-cheeseburgers and bbq-sandwiches, mini-kabobs, fruit, rice, cookies, and more. We also had tubs of teeth-chilling margaritas. Attendees included Michael, Sebastian, Clay, Joe and Joy, Bob and Karen, Phyllis, Steve and Cheryl, Salvador and Nina, John and Kathi, Charles and Pat, Lane and Jane and a guest, and Todd and Patti. Boats ranged from a C22 to C27 (and one unnamed other.)
Afterwards, it was more than just "Another Saturday Night" as the winds were good and the sunset was beautiful, as we all sailed or motored back to our marinas. "Come Monday," we all had fond memories of a fun-filled cruise. After all, "It's Five O'Clock Somewhere!" Photos. 

July Meeting: "Planning to Sail the Intercoastal Waterway." Bob and Karen gave us an informative and entertaining presentation on their plans to sail and motor along the Intercoastal Waterway, from Corpus Christi to the Northeastern US coast. Starting on March 2011, they plan to leave on their Catalina 30, and head towards Pensacola, FL, 727 statute miles away. April: Pensacola to St Augustine via the Okeechobee Canal, 854 miles (1107 miles via the Keys.) There's an offshore leg from Tampa to Mississippi or Alabama. May: St Augustine to Norfolk, 777 miles.  They might go throught the "Dismal Swamp" in NC and VA, which is apparently an attractive locale in spite of its name. Because of hurricane season, sailors need to be at or above Chesapeake Bay by June. June: Norfolk to NYC, 435 miles. NJ doesn't have much of an intercoastal waterway, so much of this will be offshore. Summer: Cruise New England. Turnaround, stop in DC, the Keys, (and anywhere else interesting within the time allowed,) and be back in Texas in Spring 2012. That's 5,839 miles by my calculations. This trip requires extensive electronic, mechanical, navigation, safety, and comfort equipment, and Bob provided details on all that. Karen has also been working on details and recommended reading for all who are interested: "It's Your Boat Too: A Woman's Guide to Greater Enjoyment on the Water," "The Perfect First Mate," and "Dragged Aboard: A Cruising Guide for the Reluctant Mate." This all sounds like a wonderful trip, a fantastic experience, and we're looking foward to vicariously enjoying the voyage!   Attendees: 27 members, Lake Travis is 674.5'. Photos.

June: Third Annual Flor de Caña Rum Cruise. Muchas Gracias to Salvador and Nina for a very enjoyable, delicious, entertaining, and spirited cruise with a Nicaraguan theme. The weather cooperated very nicely, as even though the temperatures were in the 90's, it was pleasant with winds blowing 10-15 knots most of the day. Lake level was 675.4', so Barry's Cove had plenty of water. (Note: Sometimes Island was starting to appear.) In attendance were 18 members, 16 guests, and 10 boats (Catalina 30, 270, 27, 250, 25 and 22, and a Hunter 23.) We feasted on grilled pork tenderloin marinated in lime, achiote and other tropical spices, ensalada de repollo (Nicaraguan-style coleslaw), green and ripe plantains, yucca, tortillas, many types of fruits, and Paulette's upside-down pineapple cake. From his private collection brought directly from Nicaragua, Salvador served Flor de Caña rum with cola or juice. We had Calypso music from Nicaragua's Caribbean Coast/Corn Islands and marimba music from Nicaragua's Pacific coast region. And to top it all off, thanks to Lane, there were ladies dancing on the foredeck. If we weren't eating or sailing, we were swimming, and it was a wonderful day to do it all ! Photos.

June Meeting was entertaining in many ways. Joy sang her brand-new "Ranguana" song for us. We loved it! Robert and Sheila shared pictures and stories about their recent cruise in Belize. We also heard about the "Group of 8's" recent cruise in Belize, too, along with the "Good Mawnin' Belize" photo show. Photos.

Turnback Canyon Regatta was held May 29-30, in conjunction with Lago Vista's Pirates of Lake Travis Festival. The usual format is to start sailing/racing near AYC on Saturday, go 20 miles upstream to Bar-K Park in Lago Vista, spend the night, and race/sail back on Sunday. However, there was virtually no wind around AYC, so all boats either motored or were towed up to Therman Bend, where the new starting line was located. Apparently, it was chaotic. For the Saturday race, the distance was 4.08 nm. On Sunday, the start was moved to the Lakeway area and the distance was 8.5 nm. At least 6 fleet boats raced. Three C30's (in their own class of 5): Corona, Somewhere in Time, and Watercolors. In PHRF non-spinnaker: C250 Flying Cloud, C22 Be Bop a Lula (trophy winner), and C27 Sweet Sue. Many fleet members served as crew. At the fleet meeting, we heard three tales about Sweet Sue (motor, keep your course, and the finish)....we'll wait until the skipper and crew tell their sides of the stories.

May Dragon Boat Cruise: It was a beautiful day for dragons, tigers, and Catalina sailors, as we all gathered in Barry's Cove for the fleet's first-ever Dragon Boat Cruise. Hosts Dave and Dianne led the festivities with authentic dumplings, music, and decorations. Phyllis won first prize for the best-decorated boat, with a giant red dragon clinging to her mainsail and mast, along with lanterns, a tiger, streamers, and another dragon. Six boats and 15 sailors attended, including with Dave, Dianne, & their nephew, John & Kathi, Sheila & Robert, Todd & Patti, Phyllis & Patrick, Steve & Cheryl, and Joe & Joy. At lake level 680', Barry's Cove had enough water for us, 2 huge party boats (one with 30-some middle-school kids) and the Austin Sailing Society fleet (on their annual hunt cruise.) The south-easterly winds were brisk at 15-20 knots, which made the 90 degrees seem cooler. We had 2 types of Chinese egg rolls, wontons, salad, shrimp crisps, rice, cookies, and more. It was great day to sail and have a fleet cruise on the water. Photos

May Meeting: Lake Travis level – 679.96 and slightly falling.  Temp near surface at Mansfield Dam was 69° and warming.
Dave and Diane lived in Tian Jin in Northern China, then in Shanghai, for a couple of years. Fortunately, they were able to attend the 2008 China Summer Olympics, specifically the Sailing Olympics in Qing Dao. They presented their unique experiences while attending the sailing events.  Interestingly, the Chinese are not really familiar with the sport of sailboat racing and they were fascinated with the events. The weather at Qing Dao was either dead calm or producing squalls. It seemed as if most spectators were there to support a specific boat or team, while Diane and Dave were there because they love the sport.  Each team had support boats that were on the water with them holding things like coaches and spare parts.  Diane was able to acquire tickets for the spectator boat that went out once each hour, and they were able to see one of the fleets leaving the port for their race to be held as far away as ten miles from the central location. Photos.

April Cruise: The plan was to host a Marine Swap Meet at Dodd Street Docks, followed by a Cruise to Barry's Cove (map), but once again, the weather did not cooperate. Forecasts indicated lots of rain and chances of lightning. We can handle rain (sort of) but don't like lightning. So, Joe and Joy regretfully canceled this event. We hope to try again sometime in the future. For the record, here is the flyer: flyer. which has been posted in local marinas.
 

April Meeting: This month's speaker was Greg White, who has earned his US Coast Guard Master Mariner License and sailed the treacherous waters of Lake Travis, Lake Michigan, the Gulf of Mexico, Atlantic, Pacific and the  Caribbean. He's also Rear Commodore of the Austin Sailing Society. Greg talked to us about his experiences with skippering four-masted, square-rigged tallships, and helped us learn more about barks vs brigs and the names for the multiple masts and sails. Great program. To learn more, read the essential book "Royce's Sailing Illustrated."

Following our speaker, Steve L had a very interesting proposal and survey for the Fleet and area sailors, involving tall ships coming to the new addition to the Port of Corpus Christi in Ingleside, Texas, this 4th of July weekend. Details. Search. The festival will feature the U.S. Coast Guard ship Eagle, the Cuauhtémoc from Mexico, the Esmeralda from Chile and Capitan Miranda from Uruguay. On July 3 and 4, if enough sailors sign up, there will be day-trip buses to the festival. Sounds like a fun and easy way to see the Tall Ships! Meeting Photos.

March St Patrick's Cruise: Weather forecasters predicted winds 20-30 and temperatures near 50, so we opted for an indoor cruise this month. Fourteen sailors gathered at the home of Bob and Karen, where Gary and Paulette provided the main dish of Corned Beef Sandwiches, and others brought "green food." It was a good time to socialize and listen to Irish music (including the Bricklayer's Song. (words and tune)) Some of us played the nautical game "Shut the Box." Others played pool. It was a top-of-the-afternoon time for everyone! Lake Level is 679.5'. Photos.

March Meeting: Thirty-one members, representing at least twenty Catalina attended. The meeting program was presented by the one and only Fred Schroth, of Schroth Fiberglass. Fred showed and discussed pictures of boats and boat parts that needed attention or repair, along with why and how to fix them. Some of his recommendations follow. Protect your dock lines against shafing by placing around round objects (such as bow pulpit or stanchion) or protected with tubes or wraps. Use outdoor-quality dock lines that will stretch (like 3 strand nylon.) Protect your fiberglass with Gel Gloss and 3M paste wax: photo. It's like hand cream for boats. Don't buy those expensive short tubes for your shrouds, but buy 4-6' PVC pipes at the depot. They protect your sails and are easier on the hands for holding. Taylor-made bumpers are guaranteed for life, so if they are deflated, take them to West Marine. Any type of Teak Oil is fine (i.e. don't buy the expensive stuff). Apply with fine sandpaper. Don't varnish your teak. It doesn't last long and is difficult to remove. We learned about Purple Heart wood from Brazil, which has many of the same qualities as teak. Check your motor mount and make sure it is strong and well-sealed. Fred recommends new roller chocks for your trailer bow, to avoid scratching up your boat. If you have a roller-furling jib and you take the mast down, keep the roller furler straight to avoid permanent bends. 
Number one rule: Use Your Boat and Don't Neglect it! Number two rule: It takes just a little time and money to maintain your boat, while it takes lots of time and money to fix it!  Photos.
Lake Level 679'. 

February Cruise: Canceled due to unsuitable weather. Spring is coming soon!

February Meeting: Twenty-one members and our guest speaker were on deck at Mangia's on a cold and drizzly night. VC Salvador reported that Lake Travis is currently at 672.5’, or 86% capacity.  This level is approximately 4.5’ above the average level for January as measured for the month from 1943 – 2009.
Chuck Wheeler from The Sailboat Shop presented information to us about the 2010 Austin Boat Show, trends in sailboat sales and manufacturing, and plans to involve fleet members in next year’s Austin Boat Show. The show was overall about 1/3 smaller than last year.  Consequently, the SBS had more space and showed 15 boats ranging from Hobie-Cats to 25 ft. Catalinas. Chuck also reported the good news that he is now the local dealer for all Catalinas up to 38 feet! He also said that Lake Travis rated in the top 10 places so sail in the US. (Don't tell that to any powerboaters!) Thanks, Chuck! Photos.

January 2010 Cruise: On the best-weather day so far this decade, six boats and sixteen sailors sailed to Barry's Cove for "Crazy Clay's Chili Catalina Cruise". The sun was shining, the high temperature was around 65, and the winds varied from 0 to 12. Barry's Cove was narrow at 657', we had to watch out for the shallows off of the north point (did anyone run aground?), but John's anchor held us all well in the cove. In attendance were John O; Patrick, with Clay, Michael, and Becky; Gary and Paulette with Steve and Cheryl; Charles and Pat; Martin and Jane; Lane with 2 guests; and a Catalina 30 sail-by. We had all types of chili, including Southwestern Chili (with chicken, corn, black beans), Texas Chili Parlor Chili, Venison Chili, Small-neck Thermos Chili, and 2 pots of "Traditional Northern Chili." I believe the beans out-numbered the no-beans, for the record. Flocks of ducks and seagulls came by to check us out. A good time was had by all. To top it all off, the sail back to the marina was very enjoyable as we watched the setting sun. Photos and video.

January 2010 Meeting: Commodore Joe led the fleet off to an excellent start in the new year. With help from Joy, members suggested program ideas, cruise themes, and cruise dates. Best of all, we had volunteers to host almost every month of the year! It looks like we'll have a fun and educational new year. Thanks to all! Calendar and Photos. 
2010 Officers: Commodore Joe L, Vice Commodore Salvador, Secretaries Sheila and Phyllis, Treasurer Robert A.
2010 Appointees: Social: John G, Historian: Cheryl (with help from Clay), Web person: Cheryl