Vol. 61 No. 04 · the St. Paddy’s Day cruise looked like “a hard days night” and parts looked like a “revolution”-especially when Doug Foster’s socks are burning. A great

April 2011 Vol. 61 No. 04

Winter Racing Aboard RYA Photo by Terry Johnson

2 • April 2011 www.portlandyc.com

Commodore’s

Comments

I f the Winter M e m b e r s h i p meeting is over,

then Spring must be here. Members gathered in early March to hear an up-date on 2011 activities, reports of the committees and the presentation of the financial condition of the club. Annual financial statements, prepared by the club’s CPA Fred Erickson, are available by request in the office. Mark Newsom summarized the information into an easy to understand page. The commit-tee chairs shared their activities to date and plans for the rest of 2011. Watch your email and calendars for upcoming committee events. The Outstation Chair, Gary Erdahl, reported that the Outstation looks great after the cleanup and he thanks all the cruisers for following the cleanup and maintenance rules. Let’s all do our part so that it looks just as good at the end of the season. Eric Gazow updated the members on the over 400 feet of new marginal walks arriving in late spring and on the new shore electrical shut-offs. The Moorage Upgrade project is now poised to move into the open moorage upgrades. The Board has appointed a special committee co-chaired by Board member Frank Bocarde and Finance Chair Mark Newsom. They and their committee are tasked with working with the Moorage Upgrade Project Manager to identify issues, viable solu-tions and assist in bringing a final rec-ommendation on open moorage im-provements to the Board this summer. We reported to the membership the good and bad news concerning the dredging of the outstation and its chan-nel. The Board had accelerated the dredging schedule due to the appear-ance of a shallow area (aka-the hump) at the entrance. The bad news is the dredge company was unable to meet the dredging window deadline which ended February 28. The good news is that all of the depths at the outstation

meet our minimum standards and the “hump” disappeared on its own. We are now scheduling the dredging com-pany for next year (November 1-February 28). The club has purchased six additional channel markers to assist in entering Willow Bar. We will also publish and make available water depth predictions based on the tides and river flows of the Columbia. We also reported to the membership the Board’s approval of a “major event” cancellation policy. Some of our events are designated “major events” due to size limitations or cost. Any event subject to the cancellation policy will be clearly identified in ad-vance. Members failing to properly cancel at least 48 hours prior to the event will be charged the full price of the event. Members will be given a reference number confirming their can-cellation.

Club Activities With Spring temperatures finally arriv-ing, the cookouts are starting to get crowded. Susan Dorn and her commit-tee enjoyed a great March and are look-ing forward to the rest of the year. In case you missed it, the Cruising Chairs have gone Beatle mad. Parts of the St. Paddy’s Day cruise looked like “a hard days night” and parts looked like a “revolution”-especially when Doug Foster’s socks are burning. A great way to kick off the season with a touch of the Irish. New member Larry Brandt stepped up to fill a cancellation on the education dock with an outstanding presentation on the use of radar. Larry is a profes-sional electronics trainer and he volun-teered to fill in when the CPR and AED trainer had to move to the April 9 timeslot. The training wetted the appetite for knowledge by the atten-dees. We will work on scheduling Larry’s detailed eight hour course on radar. Thanks to all of the new mem-bers who are finding ways to get in-volved. April will be a busy month. Following

the PORTLIGHT published monthly by the

P O R T L A N D Y A C H T C L U B 1241 NE Marine Drive

Portland, Oregon 97211

P: 503.285.1922 | Fax: 503.283.4960

Email: [email protected]

www.portlandyc.com

EDITOR—Dale Mack

OFFICERS AND TRUSTEES Commodore Rod Wells (power)

Vice Commodore Nancy MacGregor (sail)

Secretary/Treasurer Larry Cirotski (power)

Rear Commodore Nick Johnson (sail)

Trustee Julie Hinkley (power)

Trustee Michael Hahn (power)

Trustee Frank Bocarde (sail)

Trustee Brian Hedges (sail)

Trustee Chris Dorn (sail)

PHOTOGRAPHERS

Mari Latimer / Stan Borys / Bernie Bills

Bob Knauer / Terry Johnson / Jim Gaffney

Skip Nitchie / Frank Tillman

the April Fool’s cookout is the Spring Ladies Dinner. Chef Dyer and his able crew will help the Ladies enjoy the Spring sun. Our able CPR instructors will be at the club on April 9. Spring sailing kicks off with the Sailors’ Din-ner and the Opening Day Regetta April 15/16 followed by the Children’s Easter Egg Hunt and party on April 23. As a reminder, all members and their guests are welcome to attend the Sail-ors’ Dinner. The presentation on rac-ing in the Columbia Gorge looks espe-cially interesting. This would be a great event to bring a prospective member. To make sure their vessels will run on Opening Day, the boys will all be at the outstation for the Stag Cruise on April 29th. Rumors of manly food and drink are circulating wildly to be followed by games of chance such as “go fish”. The Opening Day agenda is outlined in this Portlight. Check the times and make your reservation. Fleet Captain

(Continued on page 3)

www.portlandyc.com April 2011 • 3

Manager’s

Report

I f you weren’t at the Winter Meet-ing you may not have heard that

the dredging at the outstation did not occur. Our dredging company was doing a large operation in Newport, OR, and could not finish in time to make it to the outstation in time before the dredging window expired. When we realized that they could not make it, it was too late to get another company. We did a pre-dredge survey and were surprised at how much water was still available. The hump outside the en-trance had disappeared, which doesn’t mean that it could not reappear. At this point we will have to do with it as is this year. Oregon smoking regulations require that smokers must be at least ten feet away from the entrances to buildings. We have purchased a receptacle and placed it away from the riverside door as well as the front door. This year was no different than every year in that someone turned on the water to a moorage row sometime dur-ing the winter. This year it was D-Row. We had to replace the entire row after the freezing weather. When we winterize the moorage we use a com-pressor to blow out all of the lines. I think this should be enough said. I don’t know about you but I am ready for some nice weather. Have fun on the water this year.

Fred Carter Club Manager

Portlight Deadline

April 10

Email articles and photos to: Dale Mack

[email protected]

Jerry Miller has told me he has a secret plan that will guarantee PYC will win most of the awards, especially seaman-ship. As I end this column I wanted to focus on one of the committees that make the club so friendly and open to mem-bers and their guests. Over twenty times this year, Susan & Chris Dorn and the cookout committee will plan a theme for a cookout, arrive early and greet all of the members and their guests. They will make sure that special

(Continued from page 2)

events and guests are recognized. They will advertise and hype our coming events. Some evenings there will be special entertainment planned. We sometimes forget about the efforts that make the cookouts special. Thank you Cookout Committee-this year would not be possible “without a little help from my friends”

Rod Wells Commodore M/V Hey Jude

Portland Yacht Club Library

T he PYC Library continues to re-ceive donated books for mem-bers to enjoy. This month's addi-

tions come from Ron and Gayle Timmerman; John Wilson; and Larry Justice. Thank you all. These books are r e a d y f o r c i r c u l a t i o n . The library is located on the upper level of the clubhouse and is a self-serve op-eration. You'll find a card in each book and a card box on the shelf. Please sign out any books that you borrow and please remember to replace the card in the b o o k a n d r e s h e l v e t h e b o o k w h e n y o u r e t u r n i t . The library welcomes new gifts. Please leave books with Julie in the office and put boxes of magazines in the basement along with the paperback circulating books. Enjoy!

Gloria Reich M/V Transition

New Clubhouse Rule — Event Cancellation Policy

M embers will be required to notify the club office of any reservation changes or cancellations 48 hours prior to major events. Members who fail to notify the club in accordance with the Cancellation Policy will be

charged in full.

Per the Board the meeting minutes: "Fred will make sure that all notices and ads carry the notation if it is effect for the event."

The new policy will apply to social events, and not to cookouts. The policy is in effect for the Spring Ladies Dinner 4/ 7, Sailors' Dinner 4/15, Children’s Easter Egg Hunt 4/23, and the Mother's Day Brunch 5/8.


I wanna be your lover baby, I wanna be your man,

I wanna be your lover baby, I wanna be your man.

W ith lyrics like that, sung by Ringo, and the fact that the Boys will have to Act Naturally during the upcoming Stag Cruise, it should be a great time.

It Won’t Be Long until most of the men are singing I’m So Tired after the end of the Eight Days A Week weekend so make sure you get your reservations in now or I’ve Got A Feeling you’ll be singing Something else when the Taxman comes to see you on the 15th. Hopefully, you’ll have money left over so the club isn’t singing You Never Give Me Your Money. The Stag Cruise is April 29th to May 1st and with the recent increase in river levels, it’s no Magical Mystery Tour to get in there anymore so don’t Wait. If you need a Ticket to Ride, just call the club and they’ll put you with someone to Carry That Weight. For those into Beatles trivia, can you name how many songs are in the above paragraph? If you serve me a drink at the cruise, I’ll tell you. Actually, just so that the women know, at the Stag Cruise, the men practice a no alcohol policy. For the first 2 minutes! Jim Butler and Dale Richards are in charge so it’s bound to be a great time. Let’s hope that Dale knows how to make Rod and Judy’s drink, Strawberry Fields Forever. Since the St. Patrick’s Day Cruise is over by the time this arti-

cle was written, I can’t review the event but I’m sure it went great. Given that it’s the one time per year that Doug Foster washes his socks (which is why he burns them), no doubt it was fun times for all (especially Diane). It’s always a great way to start the boating season and drink Guinness. Remem-ber, as they say in Ireland, “Guinness is Food”. Sandra and I were in St. Martin on a cruise a few weeks back and had the opportunity to see the newly crowned 533 ft. largest private yacht in the world, Eclipse. I left the owners (and the 100 person crew) an invitation to come to the Out-station for the Stag Cruise so if they come, we’ll have to do some dredging. Here’s a picture of it from our balcony for

you big yacht fans. Our boat is about the same size as their tender/dinghy which is amidships about halfway up in this picture:

Steve, Sandra & Greta Gordon Your PYC Cruise Directors (as in the Love Boat) M/V Conundrum

PYC Spring Cruises — “I Wanna Be Your Man“

Elegant Mother’s Day Brunch with Champagne

Sunday, May 8 ● 10:30-1:30

$27.50 per person, $10.00 for children under 10 Seating at 10:30, 11:00, 11:30, 12:00, 12:30, 1:00

Make your reservations by May 3 RSVP 503.735.0632 or [email protected]

Cancellation Policy in Effect


Portland Yacht Club presents

2011 Sailors’ Dinner

Learn why one of the world―s best places for sailboat racing is right in our backyard at Cascade Locks! In 2011, the Columbia Gorge Racing Association will be hosting eight National Championships, five training clinics and many other regattas! The biggest events will include the Collegiate Nationals and the US Single-handed Championships, as well as National Championship Regattas for the Moore 24s, Fireballs, 49ers, and International Moths. Kerry Poe will be narrating the program accompanied by photos and video of some of the major events held in The Gorge.

Friday, April 15 Social — 6 pm • Dinner — 7 pm Cost $20 per person

Reservations must be made by 5 pm, Tuesday, April 12

RSVP 503.735.0632 or

[email protected]

Cancellation Policy in Effect


COOKOUTSCOOKOUTS

April 1 ● May 6 ● May 20

You provide the meat, PYC provides the Grill, Salad Bar,

Baked Potato, Garlic Bread, Beans, and Dessert

$7.50 per person

Bar Opens at 3:00 • Dinner at 6:30

Sign up before noon on the Wednesday before the cookout

to be entered into the “Free Cookout” drawing

RSVP 503.735.0632 or [email protected]

EDUCATION DOCK

CPR and AED

April 9, 9 am—Noon Did you know that an Automated External Defibrillator (AED) device is on every PYC cruise? Do you know where to find it? Do you know how to operate one? Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) techniques have changed. Would you be able to administer or assist in CPR? Join us as a professional trainer updates PYC on the techniques and tools. AED prices and availability will also be discussed. This session will not provide you with a formal certificate but it will provide you the knowledge to help in an emergency.


OPENING DAY FRIDAY, May 6

Boat Decorating Cookout. All boats in the PYC Fleet will be decorated with red, white and blue pennants. Pennants are available in the Ship―s Store for $15.00.

Saturday, May 7

9-11 am Brunch: 9:00 am to 10:30 am will be served in the PYC Dining

Room. Cost is $9.00 per person / Children under 12 — $5.00 11:00 am Skippers Meeting: PYC Ceremony: Following the Skippers― Meeting 1:00 am CRYA Parade: Formation on the river at approximately 1:00 pm (If

time varies it will be announced at the Skippers Meeting.) 5 pm Awards Announcements at Willamette Yacht Club.

Attire: Club Uniform or White Pants/Skirt with Club Blazer/Sweater. The parade theme this year is “Carnival of Roses‖. Each yacht club will be judged on Sea-manship, Appearance, Best Decorated Boat, Best Decorated Club, Participation, and the percentage of the club―s fleet with VSC decals. PYC will have a “to theme decorated boat‖ and all PYC boats on the starboard side of the fleet will have additional “to theme decorations‖. Make your reservations early. Call the club or email the PYC office to sign up for the brunch and to participate in the parade. You can also sign up on the club bulletin board. To register for the parade give your name, your boat―s name, whether it―s power or sail, length overall, current VSC status, and the number of club members you will have on-board. If you do not have a boat or will not be taking your boat in the parade then join one of our members who will be participating in the parade.


Cookout Photos by Mari Latimer


Willow Bar Cleanup Photos by Mari Latimer


N ot only did the wind not de-crease as predicted as we closed the coast and Bremer

Bay, on Western Australia's south coast, but it increased as nightfall ap-proached. Spray and foam was blown off wave tops as one can blow excess foam off the top of a beer. The wind stayed at 35 knots for just 30 minutes but it was long enough to make an easy decision to jibe and head another 80 miles down the coast towards Albany and stay out another night. Janet and I were sailing west around Australia's south side on a route that not everyone agreed we should take. A marine electrician in Sydney emphati-cally told me, after I explained our in-tended route last year and after he had time to think, that "not only do I think you're crazy but I have a friend who thinks you're insane." That is what you got to love about the Aussies, rarely do they hide how they feel. I emailed him last night and told him the autopilot works fine and we made it. But not without some trepidation.

IRIS had been on what the Aussies call a hard stand for more than 6 months at a marina in the country about an hours drive SE of Melbourne. Another ma-rina tenant had picked me up at the Melbourne airport in January and in-sisted I stay at their home in Melbourne and rest up before seeing IRIS. The next day I hired a car and drove out. Janet arrived about ten days later and when I picked her up we again stayed at David and Rosalie's home for the night. Janet claims this stop saved our mar-

IRIS Rounding Australia Photos by John Colby

riage as I had anti-fouled and launched but had not quit sorted all the gear which had been stowed below, washed the bedding. We arrived with more daylight time to sort out. But once underway, three weeks from my arrival, everything seemed to fall into place. Not literally but that we had stowed everything properly. At 5 pm we finally cleared Western Port, where

IRIS had been, and sailed west towards Cape Otway and past the en-trance to Port Phillip Bay and Melbourne. There was a light SE breeze as we passed a small town named Flin-ders. It seems that every third town on the coast is named Flinders after Australia's first circum-navigator. He com-

pleted sailing around the continent about the time Lewis and Clark were still in Ohio. We passed the Cape and it's old light-house the next morning. Both were clearly visible. I had driven along this same coast last June. The road is called the Great Ocean Road and I had scouted all the possible places to duck into in case we were hit with a strong southwesterly. The locals claim the Great Ocean Road is one of the most

scenic coast roads in the world, I can't argue with that claim. I had viewed and photographed at least six bays including one of the oldest ports in the state named Portland. The light wind got lighter and we con-tinued under power and sail taking ad-vantage of the benign weather and passing all the bays I had scouted. By evening we were passing Portland and rounded the point and headed NW towards the narrow passage between Kangaroo Isl. and the mainland. This passage, called Backstairs Channel (love that name), leads to the gulf where Adelaide is situated nearly 70 miles north. But the weather was also turn-ing so we anchored in the first cove on Kangaroo Island to wait out the 30 knot southwesterlies that hit that after-noon. Two days later we sailed the 72 miles north to the South Australian city of Adelaide and docked at the Royal South Australian Yacht Squadron whose lofty name belied the friendli-ness of the members: "Terrific to have you here," a complete stranger and member told me while he walked up to the boat, "we only get about one American boat a year coming by," he added. I should add, at this point, the generalization that Australians like Americans. I think they like us more than we like ourselves. While at RSAYS I got on a boat for the Wednesday evening club race, no spin-


nikers but beer during the race and hot competition as we struck a boat jockey-ing for the starting line. Buffet dinner afterwards. We went to another of their buffet dinners on Saturday eve-ning. Janet could take the train to the city center as I had visited in June. On Sunday we drove our hired car an hour south of the city to McLaren Vale which is one of the three major or most well known wine producing valleys close to Adelaide. There we met Roger Jorgensen's friends Mike and Alice Coates who had moved back to her family's winery and lived in the old family home. Her grandfather and great uncle started the winery in 1892. It was a beautifully clear day with the ocean in the distance and vineyards flowing down the hills from three sides of the house. An idyllic setting.

Two days later we got an email from Jason, one of our buddies back in Mel-bourne. He had been studying the weather and told us that now would be good to start across the Great Austra-lian Bight. Jason I trust. He has twice sailed boats across the Atlantic and Pa-cific from Europe to Oz. The Bight is 600 miles of coast line west of Cape Catastrophe where there is no place to hide if the weather changes and the cruising guide says it usually does. This 600 miles of coast line turns north into a giant cove. Going straight across, as we did, we were once 220 miles from the closest land. When one thinks of the Southern Ocean you think of the roaring 40's, the area south of 40 de-grees South, and the constant wester-lies circling the globe. But in the south-ern summer just south of the warm Australian continent a series of high pressure systems can follow one an-other and with their southern hemi-sphere anti-clockwise rotation create winds from the eastern quadrant for days at a time. This is what Jason saw.

He said they'll be one day of light west-erlies but the rest of the time from the east and maybe a little strong towards the end. This is how one goes west around the bottom of Australia as Ade-laide is only about 1/3 of the way to the SW Cape. We were off the next morning taking 24 hours just to get to the jump off area of Cape Catastrophe, named by Flinders as was Investigator Channel we bounced through the previous night. We gave Catastrophe a wide berth. Getting across the Bight isn't necessarily the end of the bad news as there on the west end where the coast becomes somewhat regular again is a group of small islands, rock and reefs collectively named Archipeligo of the Recherche, named by an early French explorer. These dangers extend 40

miles offshore for 123 miles of coast line. Even Flinders called the area an "extensive mass of dangers." So one stays offshore and we did. But that created a problem of making a landfall as it seemed that each time we got close to a prospective town (there is one) or bay it would be nightfall before we'd arrive. We kept going. That is when we approached Bremer Bay but turned and headed further down the coast to-wards the Royal Princess Harbour

(named by George Vancouver) which is the natural harbour in front of Western Australia's first settlement named Al-bany. So we passed Portland but stopped in Albany. There we stayed eleven days tied to the town's public pier and loved it. The customs man who greeted us and checked us out thought we were the first American boat there in three years. Locals gave us a tour of the town. We were invited to a farm out of town. We went to a home for Sunday dinner and out to a dinner with a group of locals on another occasion. On arrival Janet commented that she had broken her own record. What re-cord is that, I asked. Seven days at sea, she said, was the longest for her and a record she cared not to duplicate nor brake anytime soon, such as in her life-time. But she also added sea passages are like the pain of child birth as one quickly forgets and is ready to do it again. We had covered more than 1000 miles since leaving Adelaide. One can-not under estimate the physical size of Australia. And we still had 160 miles to go to the SW Cape. But that is now done as we rounded Cape Leeuwin on my birthday and caught two tuna on the way. We are now anchored in a bay called Koom-bana next to a town called Bunbury and both are about 80 miles south of Fre-mantle and Perth. All is well. Hope this finds you well too.

John Colby S/V IRIS


Ahoy Green Thumb Volunteers!Ahoy Green Thumb Volunteers!Ahoy Green Thumb Volunteers!

Spring Planting is ComingSpring Planting is ComingSpring Planting is Coming

Friday, April 22 at 10 amFriday, April 22 at 10 amFriday, April 22 at 10 am

Bring your small garden tools and gloves to help beautify the club before Opening Day.

To volunteer, RSVP 503.735.0632 or [email protected] Photo by Bob Knauer

Children’s Easter Egg Hunt Saturday, April 23

10:00 – 12:00

Easter Egg Hunt (bring your own basket) Decorate Door Hanging Easter Egg

Visit with the Easter Bunny Entertainment by B.J. the Clown

Coffee, Juice & Snacks for Kids and Adults

Cost: $5.00 per person Reservations by April 19 RSVP 503.735.0632 or

[email protected] Cancellation Policy in Effect


Winter Racing Photos by Terry Johnson


PYC Classifieds

Online

www.portlandyc.com/

portlight.html

Sans Souci Journal

La Paz, Mexico

W hile winds and rain were buffeting Portland during the holidays, the Kunz/

Demaree family flew to La Paz, Mexico to reboard their boat. On a bright, sunny day just before Christmas, we set out to find the juvenile whale-sharks which feed on plankton in LaPaz bay. Following the local tour boats paid off with a sighting of a couple of juveniles about 30 feet long. After counting four complete limbs on all the other swimmers in the water, we, too,

jumped in and swam among these daunting but gentle giants. We also visited Isla San Francisco with beautiful aquamarine water and white

deserted beaches typical of the pro-tected bays in the area.

Gary Kunz S/V Sans Souci

Crab Feed and

Cupcakes

L arry Kunz celebrated his 91st birthday at the Crab Feed with family and cupcakes. Larry has

been a PYC member since 1955.

Gary Kunz S/V Sans Souci

NAVY BLAZER EXCHANGE At Saturday Lunch

April 16 Does your Navy blazer not fit – too small, too big – just not quite right? Join us for a Navy Blue Blazer Exchange and bring your clean, gently used blazer to PYC prior to Saturday Lunch on April 16th. The Blazer exchange will include men―s, women―s and junior sizes. All donated Blazers will be on display at Saturday Lunch on April 16th, just in time for Opening Day. If you have any questions email either Judy Wells at [email protected] or Harry Braunstein at [email protected].

http://www.portlandyc.com/portlight.html

http://www.portlandyc.com/portlight.html


April 1 fr Cookout 6:30 pm 7 th Ladies’ Spring Dinner 9 sa Education Session 9:00 am 15 fr Sailors’ Dinner 16 sa Blazer Exchange Lunch 16-17 sa PYC/SYSCO Opening Day Regatta 23 sa NO LUNCH 23 sa Children’s Easter Egg Hunt 29-1 fr Cruise: Stag, Willow Bar

May 6 fr Boat Decorating Cookout 6:30 pm 7 sa Opening Day 8 su Mother’s Day Brunch 13-15 fr Cruise: Bartlett Landing 20 fr PYC Beer Can Race 6:30 pm 20 fr Cookout 6:30 pm 27-30 fr Cruise: Memorial Day, Willow Bar 28 sa NO LUNCH

Kelly Bar Open Every Friday 3-9 pm Saturday Lunch Every Saturday 11:30-1:30 Wednesday Lunch Every Wednesday (Apr-Oct) 11:30-1:30 Golf Every Wednesday, year round Board Meeting Third Wednesday every month

Bridge Third Thursday every month 10 am Portlight Deadline 10th of every month

Sales - Installation - Service Please consider us for your next boat equipment or electronics project

Visit our website for details on services we provide www.rodgersmarine.com 3445 N.E. Marine Drive Portland, OR 97211

Phone 503-287-1101 FAX 503-288-3745 [email protected]

Coming

Attractions

Portland Yacht Club

Ladies’ Spring DinnerLadies’ Spring DinnerLadies’ Spring Dinner Thursday April 7th

Social Hour - 6:00 pm • Dinner - 7:00 pm

Dick Dyer, Chef

2011 Spring CAbi collection presented by Dionnie Storino

Cost – $20.00

Attendance limited to 160 • Three guests per member

RSVP 503.735.0632 or [email protected]

Deadline April 4th — Cancellation Policy in Effect


Portland Yacht Club 1241 NE Marine Drive Portland, OR 97211

Need to Move a Car? *** Snow Birds ***

Palm Springs-Arizona-Florida

College Students To or From any State

Over 100 terminals nationwide 800.214.5622—Vancouver,WA

www.unitedroad.com

The BOATYARD At

Rocky Pointe 503-543-2785

All Services — Boats 20’ - 60’

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Documents

Vol. 61 No. 04 · the St. Paddy’s Day cruise looked like “a hard days night” and parts looked like a “revolution”-especially when Doug Foster’s socks are burning. A great