Encinal Cruise, Svendsen's Discount Night & Sail Trim Clinic April 25 - 27, 2008

(If you like, you can skip down through the prose and go straight to the pictures below!)

Warm weather welcomed 14 Islanders to Encinal on Friday and kept going right through Sunday morning. In total, 23 Boats were represented by 56 people. 19 boats qualified as "dockside", since we gave credit to three that were right next door at Oakland YC and Marina Village. Check out the whole list below.

With 14 boats arriving on Friday, there was more than a quorum for cocktails and dinner, with the usual friendly spirit. With everyone "Med Moored" with their sterns toward the dock, it took a little team work to slide everyone into place. Some just backed in, while others came in and got their bows to part of the raft and we pulled their sterns around. But it all went easily - except perhpas for Luna Sea who arrived about 2300 after racing a Friday night race off South Beach.

Nibbles & spirits were declared at 1700 , complete with a long, checkered-cloth table for hors de oeuvres. Not surprisingly, the table was filled to overflowing and simply morphed into a buffet dinner table by 1830. Led by Karen Damsen with fresh, crisp veggie rolls, the goodies kept coming. Several good salads, hot dogs, sausage and Little Smokies climbed on. Then add rich Watters' spicy gumbo and even Mike & Mauri's sushi before Woodbine & Pegasus brownies topped it all off. No one went to be hungry!

On a sunny Saturday morning some folks had breakfast aboard, while others went out to local eateries. Projects started and the sun shade went up as it got warmer by the hour. The kids headed for the pool early, with water cannons in hand. Only those already in the water were declared targets, and the rest were all safe. Kids hailed from Snowflower, Evanescence, Ophira, 4 Our Sanity, and Lean Times.

All was in ready by 1300 for the afternoon's BBQ on Encinal's deck around the pool. Crews staked out tables in the shade, then paid their money to Cruise Chair Anna Stewart acting as gatekeeper. Encinal laid out a fine spread, thanks to Kim Klopping, their Food & Beverage Manager. That still left our Vice Commodore Corky Stewart to cook and flip burgers, chicken and dogs. You can tell from the smiles below that all had a good time. Commodore Damsen called the assembled group together to recognize Encinal's generous hospitality over the years, and presented them with a $250 contribution to their Sailing School.

Before we knew it, it was 5:15 and time to buddy up for rides to Svendsen's great Islander Discount Night. This being about the 6th such annual event, Commodore Damsen went out of his way to thank the Svendsen's team, present a plaque, and express our great appreciation for hosting these shopping spree evenings. Discounts ranged up to 40% on some items, and with a few bottles of wine and platters of hors de oeuvres, it was hard to tell which were going faster - food or items flying off the shelves.

Encinal Commodore Charles Hodgkins and wife Kathryn treated the fleet to great ice cream when we finally got back to the club around 1900. After such a fun and full day, you could understand why many folks headed for their bunks on the early side. Rick continued work on pictures for this web page, and, using Encinal's wireless connection, was able to post more pictures before hitting the rack on Saturday night. My, what the marvels of technology will let us do!

Sunday morning Encinal had a large crowd for a complete breakfast buffet before our Sail Trim Clinic. It was also Opening Day On The Bay, and Enicnal is a big supporter of the event, with one of the offical boats, with perhaps 100 people aboard, leaving from their docks. We Islanders enjoyed the breakfast too, and it was great.

Race Captain Michele Williams organized a great Sail Trim Clinic with Kame Richards of Pineapple Sails. About 30 lucky folks were present for an excellent discussion of how to keep an Islander moving fast. This was as informational for cruisers as for racers - and cruisers learned a lot. Kame started with reminding us that sailboats perform in two fluid media - air and water - and that we need to pay attention to to the "shapes" of both the sails and our underwater foils, especially the rudder. He pointed out that lots of heel is slow, both because you're trying to push more water out of the way, and because you've probably got lots of weather helm and the rudder is acting like a parking brake! The answer is simple: balance the boat. Lower your traveler to let the back end of the main (the leech) to leeward and flatten your sails by tightening halyards, outhauls and trim. If you're cruising, take the main down - it's easier than reefing and usually just as fast. Kame is a big fan of using a smaller jib going to windward - a 95% for summer on the bay is fine. But he allows that off the wind it's harder to make a 95% jib half way efficient - moving the lead forward and out to the rail will help if you can do it. When class time was over just before noon, there was hardly any wind off of Encinal, so boats that wanted to practice had to wait until they were on their way home out of the Estuary.

One by one Islanders left for home, with the docks pretty much clear by 1300. Capt'n Zen (aka G.D. French) took a great series of photos as boats headed out, they're tucked at the bottom of the page. Fleet Captain Michele Williams just had to get on top of it all, so waved good-by to all from the top of Pacific High's mast (well, OK, she was working on some stuff too.) It was a great weekend, and we thank Encinal Yacht Club for their hospitality. Hope to see lots of boats for the Memorial Day cruise to Drake Bay.

Boat	Crew
4 R Sanity	Roger & Linda McClellan & Zack
Andiamo	Gerald & Jan Schippers, + Lori
Brigid	Corky & Anna Stewart
Diana	Lou Zevanov
Evanescence	Smokey & Laurie Stover &  Amanda + Sarah & Evan
Freedom Won	John & Nanci Melton
Geja	Andrew Vic
Lean Times	Tim, Rhonda & Ian Shea
Luna Sea	Dan Knox & Cindy Surdez
Maggio	Mike & Mauri Anderson & Lori Lombardo
Mischief	Charles & Kathryn Hodgkins
Natural High	Dennis & Judy Bush
Ophira	Gary & Pat Salvo + Mark, Shawana, & Schyler
Pacific High	Harry Farrell & Carol & Michele Williams
Paradesia	Rick Vulliet
Pegasus	Robert Aston & Mary Gleim
Snowflower	Skipper & Nancy Wall + Scot, Tracy & Kimberly Wall
Tacoma Blue	Rich Watters & Takae
Vanishing Animal	Rick & Sandy Van Mell
Woden	Bob Knickerbocker
Woodbine	Ron & Karen Damsen
Zen	Captain Zen & Chie
Zenith	Art & Betsy Fowler

Pictures by Carol Williams, Capt'n Zen, Ron Damsen, Dan Knox and Rick Van Mell. Click on images to enlarge, click "Back" to return.

Vanishing Animal's animal ...	gets new nest ...	and home ...	in the dock box ...	cozy, but ...
mom ...	isn't sure!	Glassy on the bay	Woodbine tucked in.	Snowflower too.
Colors fly	Freedom Won too...	In style	The raft builds	Laurie coaches ...
Sarah	Art & Skipper canoodle	Now let's see...	Zenith goes FAST!	Zenith instruments
Evanescence instruments	instruments	Brigid instruments	Snowflower instruments	Vanishing Animal instruments ...
and helm.	Freedom Won instruments	All lined up	Filling in	Nice and neat.
Melton's Vallejo flag	Skipper's message	Scott & Tracy agree	Time for blowing ...	bubbles!
Sarah's turn.	Hi Teak.	"Nice job," says Pat	Lean Times arrives	Rich Watters & Robert Aston settle in
Cockpit gathering begins	Me too?	Rich Watters & Takae	Lots of goodies.	Mary & Robert, Tim & John
Art's got grub	Karen's sun shade	Lucky Teak!	Mauri & Mike Anderson, Lori Lombardo	Dockside fun
Tim's colors fly	Gentle evening	Shadows creap out	Friday night series ...	slips past ...
toward the ...	leeward mark.	Dock talk.	"It's like this..."	Mauri, Mike & Lori enjoy
Relaxed?!	Frisbee fun ...	I'll get it!	Pat gets off ...	a good throw.
Schyler's return is good.	Ready?	All smiles	Winkin, Blinkin & Nod	What do you think?
Bye for now.	Evening colors ...	Sunset.	Saturday morning ...	reflections.
Fowler & Farrell Gang	Cindy's on Dock Watch	I-36ers Welcomed	All lined up	Limp flags
Tracy & Kimberly	Nancy & Skipper	Zac wants lunch ...	Grandpa Roger & ...	Grandma Linda.
Loading cannons	Water police	Nanci's cool	Pacific High arrives	Kathryn & Kim Klopping, EYC's Food & Bev Mgr
Lots of toppings ...	go with good eats	Scott & Tracy agree	Corky flips	Rhonda enjoys
EYC Past Comm. Tony Shaffer, Anna Stewart	Dan, Cindy & John relax	Lunch bunch	"It's good Evan."	"Nah"
Lucky Evan!	A beer between friends	Takae & Rich in the shade	Maggio crew at ease	All smiles
Paradisia's Rick Vulliet	Captn Zen & Chie	Gerald & Jan Schippers Andiamo	Commodore Damsen, in appreciation ...	of Encinal's many years of great hospitality ...
presents $250 to EYC'sSailing School	Water fun continues	Raft extenders	Sunny afternoon.	This says it all.
With our appreciation ...	to the great ...	Svendsen's team!	Goodies galore ...	enough for all ...
Fruit ...	Cheese ...	& stuffed mushrooms!	Have we got it?	I like this one...
More, More, MORE!	Quit? Never!	Should I?	How mcuh?	Fire erupts on ...
Oakland side, but only ...	burns about 15 minutes.	Kids play ...	It's time for ...	Ice Cream!
Happy crowd ...	and relaxing.	all smiles.	Another great day ...	to enjoy ...
Islanders.	Das Webmaster	Treat time ...	thanks.	Gary
Tim	Ready yet?	Hi there!	Rich	Mary
Dan	Pat	Mike	New Crew	Which way?
How many skippers ...?	I'll take one.	Heading home	Bye	Next out
Us too.	Skipper-less?	Made in the shade	Fenders in	Makin' tracks
Getting shipshapre	Do not hit the ...	ducks!	Nice job.	Art departs
Michele's going up in ...	the world.	New crew	ManyThanks EYC.

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