Home	All Islander Rendezvous September 11-13, 2009

(If you like, you can skip down through the prose and go straight to the pictures, or go to the two great videos of the Fun Race prep and amazing start by Tenacious by Ron Damsen.

It was a great weekend. 37 boats were accounted for with 30 physically represented at the Rendezvous. From Canada to San Diego folks converged. It started on Friday, and ran on to Sunday morning. Enjoy the story and the pictures.

A beautiful, if a bit warm, Friday started off our 3rd All Islander Rendezvous. 15 Islanders rose to the occasion and converged at Encinal YC by boat or joined in by car for dinner at Oakland YC. Whether tying up dockside, or backing in Med-moor style, everyone made it look easy. Lots of hands were ready to help if needed, and 11 were tied to the dock.

Special thanks to our north and south record holders: John & Marion Rodall (Holole'a) who flew in from Ladysmith, Vancouver Island, Canada, and Deb Tucker (Simple Pleasure) who came up from San Diego. It was great to see their smiling faces. Deb has been here before, but if was John and Marion's first trip ever to San Francisco. (Lot's of thing to see!)

Everyone had a good, relaxed time on the docks before dinner. Plenty of time to visit and explore. Then we headed for Oakland Yacht Club for Friday dinner. Elaine Mendes, EYC Food & Beverage Manager did her best magic - as usual - balancing not only the whole Islander crowd, but also the CA Coast Cruisers and another private party all at the same time for dinner. It was a full house of happy people at EYC. The food was good and plentiful. EYC Vice Commodore (and Association member!) Len Cardoza welcomed all.

So with happy thoughts and full stomachs, we headed for our bunks at an early hour.

Rumbles of thunder rent the black night. Rain pattered down on the cabin tops. This is more like October than September. Saturday's dim dawn dripped off and on through the morning. Warm coffee below was the rule, or chatting under cockpit canopies.

Corky picked up our second San Diego visitor, Terry Rugg (Tatenda), at Oakland airport mid-morning. He's ready to see how folks put their boats together and jump aboard for the Fun Race. Charles Hodgkins stopped by to drop off the starting mark and line flag for the afternoon's Fun Race. It was time to check out boats.

Fred Kamp drove in, leaving his I-28 Surprise in discovery Bay, but was happy to join the crew ranks for The Fun Race.

And what a Fun Race it was. Just to show the power of the Islander Karma, after a record-setting rain event overnight and Saturday, the sun broke through just at the start of The Fun Race, and staying out until all were back to the docks -- then it turned grey again. We packed four boats with willing crew - many who had little prior racing experience.

Everyone who wanted to get aboard a boat got a berth. That included fleet spouses Anna Stewart & Mary Gleim, plus Rich & Takae Watters. And basically everyone from out of town and drive-ins, including Fred Kamp, John & Marion Rodall, prospective Islander owner Bill Wood, two of Dan Knox's guests, Oakland YC Food & Beverage Manager Elaine Mendes' husband Tony, and Terry Rugg from San Diego. We had some ringers on the dock - like Kit Wiegmann - but couldn't talk him into getting aboard.

A great 8-10 knot wind made the double windward-leeward course a pleasure to sail. Luna Sea and Freedom Won found themselves pinching to cross the starting line, while Tenacious came roaring in from astern with a full head of steam and blasted right between them for a spectacular start. Ron Damsen caught it all on video. So if you don't look at anything else, go check out the start. Pacific High was being a decided gentleman and letting everyone else go first, but then managed to catch Luna Sea by the first mark, get inside of Freedom Won at the mark, and finished second behind Tenacious.

Just to keep things interesting, the Race Committee requested skippers turn over the helm to willing crew members, and lots of people got to sail a boat in a race for the first time. since Tenacious had blasted out to such a great lead, we shortened the course for the boats behind -- hey, had to get them back to the dock in time for Happy Hour. Everyone came ashore with smiles. Dumb as a "Fun Race" might sound, this was the hit of the weekend for everyone who participated.

A special thanks to Charles Hodgkins for making the Encinal starting mark available, and an even bigger thanks to John Melton who hoisted his rigid-bottom inflatable off his foredeck and rigged up his outboard so we had a boat to set the mark, and to get pictures during the race. Your author owes John a great big apology for not being on hand to help put it away after the race. John - I owe you!

Late arrivals included new members Eric & Liz Mueller (Serenity), and new I-36 owners of Sunrise, Cecillia Potts & Kevin Wuertz from Oxnard, CA. Fleet Captains David and Tom Newton of Captain Hooke fame, and Charles Hodgkins of Mischief joined us for dinner. Then it was time to gather on Encinal's upper deck with an array of good Islander provided hors de oeuvres while we sampled the fine beverages Encinal has to offer. Chief Chef (Iron Chef) Corky Stewart held court over the grill with help from Dennis Bush and Michele's friend Jimme Moller. It all came together with help from Encinal's Food & Beverage Manager Kim Klopping.

The Regatta Room was decorated for the occasion, the food was consumed down to the last morsel, and conversation flowed as well as the wine. The signature All Islander cake topped it off, and, with a welcome from Corky and the awarding of Fun Race prizes, the evening came to a gentle close.

Oakland's great breakfast finished things off Sunday morning. Even Elaine was wearing her All Islander T Shirt. But, with rain in the forcecast (another record setting day ensued), most everyone was off the dock by 1030.

It was another fun weekend. Those who were there can tell you all about it. We hope more of every kind of Islander will join us in the future.

		All Islander Attendance
		By Boat:	15
		By Car:	11
		Info Sharing:	7
		Total:	33
		Arriving by Boat	Type	Owner/Crew/Guest	Friday	Sat
Car	1	(Potential Owner)		Bill Wood		X
Boat	2	Area-Rea	I-33	Kenn Young
Boat	3	Blockbuster	I-36	Jim Higdon & Karen Fierravanti		X
Boat	4	Brigid	I-36	Corky & Anna Stewart	X	X
Car	5	Captain Hooke	I-36	Tom & David Newton		X
Car	6	Cassiopeia	I-36	Kit Wiegman		X
Boat	7	Everyday	I-36	Gail Giacomini
Boat	8	Freedom Won	I-36	John & Nanci Melton	X	X
Car	9	Gypsea Rose	I-27	Ron Kooker
Car	10	Holole'a	I-36	John & Marion Rodall	X	X
Boat	11	Kachina	I-30	Len & Barbara Cardoza	X
Boat	12	Luna Sea	I-36	Dan Knox	X	X
Car	13	Mischief	I-36	Charles Hodgkins		X
Boat	14	Natural High	I-36	Dennis & Judy Bush	X	X
Boat	15	Pacific High	I-36	Harry Farrell & Carol Williams		X
Boat	16	Pegasus	I-36	Robert Aston & Mary Gleim	X	X
Car	17	Serenity	I-36	Eric & Liz Mueller		X
Car	18	Simple Pleasure	I-36	Debra Tucker	X	X
Boat	19	Snowflower	I-36	Skipper & Nancy Wall	X	X
Car	20	Sunrise	I-36	Cecilia Potts & Kevin Wuertz		X
Car	21	Surprise	I-27	Fred Kamp		X
Boat	22	Tacoma Blue	I-36	Rich & Takae Watters	X	X
Car	23	Tatenda	I-36	Terry Rugg		X
Car	24	Tenacious	I-36	Kris & Christine Youngberg		X
Boat	25	Vanishing Animal	I-36	Rick & Sandy Van Mell	X	X
Boat	26	Vitesse	I-36	Tom Furlong & Elizabeth Gard	X	X
Boat	27	White Horses	I-36	Rob Blenerman & Ruby Wallis
Boat	28	Woodbine	I-36	Ron & Karen Damsen	X	X
Boat	29	Zen	I-29	Capt Z & Chie French	X	X
Boat	30	Zenith	I-36	Art & Betsy Fowler	X	X
Info	31	Because	B-45	Tim & Rhonda Shea
Info	32	Califia	I-28	Pandora Nash-Karner
Info	33	Dog Days	I-28	Jim Williams
Info	34	Exit Strategy	I-36	Bill & Terry Ray
Info	35	Matador	F-38	Harvey & Julie Kulka
Info	36	Natasha	I-30	Bert & Carey Vermeer
Info	37	Ohpira	I-36	Gary & Pat Salvo

Pictures by John Rodall, Captain Z, Robert Aston, Ron Damsen & Rick Van Mell. Click on images to enlarge, click "Back" to return.

Waiting For You!	Jack London Square ...	Alameda side ...	goes & ...	goes.
Looking back.	Encinal is waiting ...	Snowflower is first	Freedom Won is 2nd	Me too!
Swiss boat	John's moved.	Welcome Captn Zen!	Tiger watch	Woodbine
What I want ...	is shade ...	lots of shade.	Here comes ...	Tacoma Blue ...
Good job Rich ...	Takae too ...	backing in ...	well done ...	minor adjustments.
Smiling John.	Filling in ...	both sides.	Captn Z & Chie	Lion watch
no hiding!	Short stack	Made in the shade	Pegasus arrives	Tucked in.
Woodbine too.	Zenith ...	looks great.	Full house.	Hanging signs ...
all around ...	great afternoon.	T Shirt time ...	bags ready for ...	dinner at Oakland ...
flying high ...	set and waiting ...	like 1914 or ...	1990.	Jack London ...
said this.	Past Brass ...	Current brass.	VC Len with Art	pretty as a picture ...
up close ...	for all to see.	Here we come ...	Sandy & Deb	Where is it?
Getting together	Our heroine Elaine.	Waiting in line ...	for dinner orders ...	but still happy.
Good eats ...	all around ...	you said it!	Now she's dressed!	Just for us ...
we'll take it ...	music too!	All smiles.	Dan & Myphi too.	Big crowd ...
all around.	Another group ...	and another!	Celebration!	Samurai?
Princess?	Happy!	Twilight finish ...	on a beautiful night.	Once more ...
picture snappers ...	get Rick!	Happy campers ...	and that's enough.	Well done!
Saturday morning ...	very quiet, but ...	rainy.	Fit for them.	Wet is ...
the word.	Zenith sleeps	Some shelter.	Folded wheel	Nav pod.
No sun for solar!	Moring exercise ...	or prayer!	Terry Rugg	Dan riggs.
Marion & John Rodall	Here comes Harry ...	the hard way!	Hi Michele.	Jim Higdon.
The line-up.	Racing jib ...	here too ...	strategy ...	focused crew ...
all smiles.	Trim please ...	hey guys ...	how does this work?	Ready to go ...
foredeck crew.	Me too? Please!!!	Yes, it's me!	I've got crew.	Vitesse departs ...
happy crew.	Pacific HIgh	Tenacious is ready	Ditto Pacific High	Luffing to start ...

Fun Race Preparation



Fun Race Start

Tenacious is through	Gone!	It's getting to be ...	tacking time.	Full and by.
coming fast.	Too much fun?	P.H. is driving.	F.W. happy crew.	Out front ...
concentration ...	sort of.	Sun spot	Mark rounding	The Fleet
Close pass ...	again.	Getting inside.	L.S. rounds ...	by the numbers ...
Anna's driving ...	wing & wing.	Concentration & ...	smiles.	Go get 'em ...
nervous.	Semper Paratus	They went that-a-way	Line flag.	"Change Skippers"
Guest appearance.	Tenacious wins ...	happy crew.	Pacific High 2nd ...	happy crew.
Freedom Won has ...	guest skipper ...	nice finish ...	all smiles.	Charles Hodgkins.
Luna Sea finish.	Rick goes for ...	the mark.	Tables are great ...	thanks to encinal's Kim ...
bar talk ...	Canadian Gothic?!	Hummmm ...	good eats.	Great fleet
Help!	Food line ...	almost gone.	Full of fun ...	eat & talk ...
yep ...	here too ...	ditto.	Cake 1	Cake 2
Cake walk	Party time.	Corky delivers ...	Rick cuts ...	delicious.
John collects.	Thank you Encinal ...	for a great weekend.

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