July 2013 - Traditional Small Craft Association

THIRD ISSUE 2013
JULY 2013!
RICHARD GEIGER, EDITOR
SACRAMENTO-SF BAY TSCA
Pete Evans and Zach Stewart of the Bay Bridge. Photo by Rick Thompson
TSCA Traditional Small Craft Association
Sacramento Chapter
President:
Todd Bloch (415) 971-2844 todd.sb at comcast.net
Treasurer & Membership:
Ian Dunbar Hall 484 Utah St. SF CA 94110 415-987-0252 Ian.dunbarhall at gmail.com
Chapter dues: 3-years $40 ($15 introductory) ([email protected] for paypal)
National dues, join or renew: $20 ( http://www.tsca.net/member_join.html
(Includes subscription to “The Ash Breeze,” a quarterly.)
Editor & Secretary:
Richard Geiger, 3719 September Ct. Castro Valley, CA 94546
(510) 690-7011 rggeiger at comcast.net
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2013 EVENTS CALENDAR
Big River Row
Sat, July 27 -- Lee Caldwell
South End Rowing Club Wooden Boat Classic Regatta
Date: August? TBA
China Camp Heritage Days
Date: August TBA
Redwood City Row
Sat, September 7 -- Gary Acheson
Marshal Beach Row & Campout
Fri, September 27 – Sun, September 29: Tomales Bay -- Don Rich
Bodega Bay Head Row
Sat, October 12: Doran Beach Launch Ramp -- Tom Kremer
Delta Meadows Row
Sat, October 26: Wimpy’s Marina launch ramp -- Lynn & John DeLapp
Wet Turkey Row
Sat, November 23: Sherman Island -- Jim Lawson
Hair of the Dog
Wed, January 1, 2014: Tomales Bay/Miller Park -- Lee Caldwell
TSCA Annual Meeting
Sat, January 11, 2014: Aeolian YC -- Todd Bloch
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San Francisco Waterfront Row, Sunday, April 14
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Pete Evans hosted a beautiful day. A small craft advisory was forecast, but the wind only
came up on the return and was mostly on the beam. Lunch on the beach at South End.
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Photos by Rick Thompson
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Elkhorn Slough Row, May 11
I trailered the dory skiff down to Elkhorn Slough for the annual event, which I've
missed the past few years due to it conflicting with my Big Lagoon Messabout. Most
of the participants were camping in Aptos and anticipating the usual magnificent
BBQ salmon dinner prepared by the host, but I had to miss all that due to family
obligations.
Facebook album - https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?...9763645&type=3
Got there an hour early so I was first, but what with gossiping and the like my boat
wasn't first in the water.
-- David Luckhardt
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Big Lagoon Messabout, Trinidad CA, May 17-19
We had another great messabout, with 12 boats overall and new folks joining us
from Oregon and the Mendocino coast areas.
I've put some photos up on Facebook and will add more later - https://
www.facebook.com/media/set/?...9763645&type=3
I got there Wednesday afternoon and set up, prepared for the rain predicted that
night. Ken brought up Tony's Piccup Pram and a big box of firewood that night,
then hung around to keep me company.
Lots of water at the ramp for the first time in three years meant we could launch
my dory skiff instead of having to carry it down to the shore by hand.
-- David Luckhardt
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Master Mariner's Wooden Boat Show, June 23
The Master Mariner's Benevolent Association wooden boat show took place at the Corinthian
Yacht Club in Tiburon under cloudy skies, skittish winds, and a weird sort of mist,(not quite rain),
that did absolutely nothing to dampen the enthusiasm of the participants and guests, including us,
with the smallest of the boats there; Rick Thompson's Puddles and Mike Huntsinger's Sleaulane,
representing the TSCA.
Our boats had one of the best display locations, right at the beginning of the docks leading to all
the bigger boats and there were many approving compliments and questions about our little craft.
Puddles, in particular, with its many unique features which Rick has devised over the past couple
years, including its passenger canopy, was the subject of much interest. Considering that most of
the people at the show were very knowledgeable wooden boat types, this was satisfying indeed.
Our row to CYC started from Sausalito's Clipper Harbor launch ramp. The rather funky weather
assured that there weren't a lot of boats at the ramp and, in fact, we debated a bit about even
launching, although we came back later that afternoon very glad we decided to go. We rowed
over toward the Belvedere Island side, through the usual varied assortment of Sausalito type
anchored-out boats, ranging from 'interesting' to bizarre. Event organizer Terry Klaus, owner of
the classic schooner Brigadoon, set us up in our berth and the passersby started looking at our
boats right away.
We pretty much left our boats to self-display, including information placards, while we wandered
the docks and thoroughly enjoyed seeing, and going aboard, some of the unbelievably beautiful
classic wooden boats in the show. Most of the owners spare as much as they can afford on
maintaining these boats and it shows in their pristine condition, although some of them are still
undergoing restoration. The CYC itself is also a classic with its old time club building and many
interesting antiques, ship models, and pictures on display. A 'trad-jazz' band kept things lively with
a steady stream of great Dixieland type music. The Spaulding Wooden Boat Center also had a
display and there was a table of boat models. Food and drink were abundant for all and Rick and
I were treated to a feast of deli snacks, (wine optional), aboard the Schock designed sloop Lydia.
The row back to Sausalito was in heavy mist although the visibility was more than enough to do
the job. Just a side note for those who might be thinking about launching at the Clipper ramp, it
will be closing to public use in July, (all due to some smart-aleck who hurt his back there and
threatened legal action), so the options for Sausalito will only be the free public ramp downtown,
which is somewhat rundown and with poor parking options, or the 'ramp' out at Ft. Baker, which
has no side dock and is unusable at low tide. This may change with Clipper but that is where
things stand right now.
Fellow TSCA boaters, if you haven't been to this wonderful event then you owe it to yourselves to
attend next year. Its only a short row from Sausalito to CYC and when you get there you will feel
totally 'at home' as you realize just about everyone there talks your language, i.e., wooden boats.
-- Mike Huntsinger
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A Row from Belden's Landing to the Montezuma Slough Lock
The row started out on a relatively calm day, Friday, June 7, at Belden's Landing launching
ramp on Montezuma Slough, Suisun Bay area. A flooding current made it an easy decision to
head upstream, maybe even going as far as the lock on the east end of the slough. Rowing
along the slough just east of the ramp and beyond is like going back in time to a California of
long past; wheat colored rolling hills, long rows of Eucalyptus trees, distant farms and barns,
lush tules, almost total absence of boats and people, and a few scattered waterside homes
and duck clubs.
A little over 2 miles along the slough, just opposite the entrance to Nurse Slough, there is a
charming side channel which is sufficiently wide and deep for most small boats and is
surrounded by lots of trees and vegetation but very passable, except maybe on the very
lowest tides. After about a mile, along this slough, is a cross-channel, located right by a duck
club and picturesque old boathouse, which goes back out to the main channel. The side
channel actually proceeds along for another half-mile after the duck club and theoretically
comes out again on the main slough again although I haven't attempted to take that route yet.
(Looking at Google Earth maps it appears to eventually be rather clogged up and maybe
impassable; a good goal for future explorations).
Back out on Montezuma Slough again it is just a long, but very pleasant, slog up to the
lock. Most of the channel is very wide compared to some of the areas where we TSCA
boaters usually go and the whole scale of the place is much greater. At Mein's Landing,
roughly halfway to the lock there a few buildings/houses including one which looks like an oldtime schoolhouse or church, but might be a private residence. The remaining long bends of
the slough go past Bird's Landing Road and a long north/south leg to arrive at the lock.
After about 2-1/2 hours rowing I arrived at the lock, feeling quite smug about making such
good time getting there, until I rowed through the open, (west), side of the lock and realized
what a strong current had been aiding my progress and now it would require a hearty row
indeed to get back to Belden's. With no time to lose, a 180-turn was made and, stemming that
current, it was obvious that some real work was in store for the next few hours. Fortunately, as
I proceeded back, the current became considerably less over the hours as the ebbing tide
was starting to have its effect, (about halfway back). By then, however the wind was starting
to do its usual Suisun thing so it was not a fast return trip; maybe 3-1/2+ hours.
Despite the significant chop in the area of the Belden's ramp, it still looked mighty good to
see it and get out of the water. Some guys came in on an aluminum skiff and showed their
'catch-of-the-day', a Stripped Bass that must have been at least 3 ft. long.
This row really whetted my appetite for a future trip, maybe exploring up Nurse Slough, or the
south part of that little side slough.
-- Mike Huntsinger
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Some like ‘em short:
-- Check out the chapter Facebook page and “like” it!
https://www.facebook.com/TscaSacramento?fref=ts
-- Check out: http://www.seaforager.com/ If you have interest in the bounty of the sea, this the
place. He even did a TED talk! Sustainable fishing for small fish (from small boats.)
http://www.minds.com/blog/view/87314/the-gospel-of-small-fishes-kirk-lombard-at-tedxmonterey
-- I have a classic Alden Ocean Shell for sale: light fiberglass hull, stainless steel sliding seat
insert with wood seat and spruce scooped oars. Modern models go for around $4K. This one will
go for a small fraction of that price. rggeiger (at) comcast.net
-- Happy 4th of July!
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