Gofirstclass
Well-Known Member
This past weekend was one of many firsts, and a great time was had by all right up until the end.
We were headed to Fishhook Park on the Snake River, a park we've been to many time before, but this was the first time we've gone along with the Clover Island Yacht Club on one of their cruises. GW and I were going to go but we couldn't find a house sitter to take care of her Pugs, so we decided she'd stay home and I'd go up with a friend of mine from our yacht club. He was going to go alone on his boat so we made arrangements for me to go on his boat.
Thursday was the day we were supposed to leave but he called me Wednesday afternoon and said he was having some electrical issues on his boat and it wouldn't start. It only took me about 2 seconds to suggest we both go on my boat, which is what we did.
So he met me at our boat at noon on Thursday, we loaded his gear and our food on board and shoved off. We had zero wait to get through the railroad bridge just downstream from our marina and we were off, heading down the Columbia to the Snake River.
As we turned up the Snake we realized we were behind a tug with two barges. If he was headed to the lock at Ice Harbor Dam he would have priority and we'd be delayed an hour or so. I called him on VHF13 and asked if he minded if we locked through with him. He didn't have a problem with that, so there was the first "First" of the weekend.
Here's a shot as we entered the lock at Ice Harbor Dam.
and here he is coming in behind us. This is the first time I've gone through a lock with a tug and barges behind us. (You don't want to be behind them because their prop wash will really push you around)
We got up to the park in good shape and were the only boat there on Thursday night, except for a small sailboat that one of the other members of our club came in on.
Friday afternoon the boats from CIYC started showing up and by the end of the day we had about 7 boats join us.
While waiting for them to show up, we had this paddle wheeler tour boat cruise past the park. (Another first)
and we had this Navy sea plane doing touch and go's on this stretch of the Snake River. (Another First)
People from CIYC started showing up around lunch time. Some came by their boats, some came by car, and one couple showed up on a motorcycle.
I have to hand it to the good people from CIYC. They REALLY are well organized for these cruises. They started showing up and before we knew it they had rigged a series of blue tarps around the covered picnic area to block the wind, they had the tables all moved to where they needed to be, they had boxes of firewood unloaded and a nice bonfire going. What a crew!
Another first happened that afternoon. A larger paddle wheel tour boat came upriver, and this was huge. Another first--the first time I've seen this boat on the Snake River.
That's some huge wheel....
Before long dinner was fixed and was enjoyed by all
We sat around the campfire and swapped jokes, told stories and laughed all night. Pretty soon it was time to hit the hay so people staggered down the docks to their boats and turned in.
Saturday morning was beautiful. Sunny skies, a slight breeze, a warm campfire and more food.
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The day was spent wandering the docks, chatting with friends, making new friends and just enjoying the company of fellow boaters. As night approached we again gathered around the fire and toasted a good life.
Yours truly (in blue) and Rich, the guy who joined me on my boat.
Sunday morning the winds picked up. I had some commitments in town on Monday so I made the decision to head back around lunch time. Following us as the guy on the sailboat who wanted to stay in our wake. That worked well until a few miles from the lock when his rudder broke. We ended up towing him to just upstream from the lock and left him and his boat at a dock at the launch ramp.
As we approached the lock the winds were really howling. The lockmaster said there were sustained winds of 30-35kts with higher gusts.
I didn't have GW with us and I missed her. She's an excellent deck hand and does a good job in the locks, even when the wind is blowing. The friend I had with me was used to driving his boat, not used to tying up to the bollard. It took us five approaches to the bollards before he could get us secured.
We rode the lock down OK but we knew when they raised the downstream gate the wind coming beneath it would be fierce due to the venture effect the lock gate has. In a change from normal procedure, I asked the lockmaster if we could untie and move back in the lock a bit before he raised the gate. He said that would be fine, so we did that.
When he started to raise the gate, the wind was howling. I was about dead center in the lock and when the wind caught us it pushed us backward and against the port wall of the lock. I couldn't stop the boat and heard this sickening crunch of fiberglass vs concrete. I was able to get control of the boat and proceeded out of the lock under power, almost to the point of getting in plane. When we cleared the lock we managed to bring in the fenders and lines then headed down the Snake, smack into about a 40-45mph wind.
We went back to the slip and after I'd backed it in I was able to take a look at the damage. It wasn't as bad as it easily could have been, but any damage is too much for my liking. (Another First--the first ding on Beachcomber)
Here's a photo of where the aft port corner hit the wall of the lock.
All things considered it was a great weekend. When boaters get together to swap lies and jokes and have fun, you know it's going to be a good time. Even with the damage to Beachcomber, it was still a fun weekend.
We were headed to Fishhook Park on the Snake River, a park we've been to many time before, but this was the first time we've gone along with the Clover Island Yacht Club on one of their cruises. GW and I were going to go but we couldn't find a house sitter to take care of her Pugs, so we decided she'd stay home and I'd go up with a friend of mine from our yacht club. He was going to go alone on his boat so we made arrangements for me to go on his boat.
Thursday was the day we were supposed to leave but he called me Wednesday afternoon and said he was having some electrical issues on his boat and it wouldn't start. It only took me about 2 seconds to suggest we both go on my boat, which is what we did.
So he met me at our boat at noon on Thursday, we loaded his gear and our food on board and shoved off. We had zero wait to get through the railroad bridge just downstream from our marina and we were off, heading down the Columbia to the Snake River.
As we turned up the Snake we realized we were behind a tug with two barges. If he was headed to the lock at Ice Harbor Dam he would have priority and we'd be delayed an hour or so. I called him on VHF13 and asked if he minded if we locked through with him. He didn't have a problem with that, so there was the first "First" of the weekend.
Here's a shot as we entered the lock at Ice Harbor Dam.
and here he is coming in behind us. This is the first time I've gone through a lock with a tug and barges behind us. (You don't want to be behind them because their prop wash will really push you around)
We got up to the park in good shape and were the only boat there on Thursday night, except for a small sailboat that one of the other members of our club came in on.
Friday afternoon the boats from CIYC started showing up and by the end of the day we had about 7 boats join us.
While waiting for them to show up, we had this paddle wheeler tour boat cruise past the park. (Another first)
and we had this Navy sea plane doing touch and go's on this stretch of the Snake River. (Another First)
People from CIYC started showing up around lunch time. Some came by their boats, some came by car, and one couple showed up on a motorcycle.
I have to hand it to the good people from CIYC. They REALLY are well organized for these cruises. They started showing up and before we knew it they had rigged a series of blue tarps around the covered picnic area to block the wind, they had the tables all moved to where they needed to be, they had boxes of firewood unloaded and a nice bonfire going. What a crew!
Another first happened that afternoon. A larger paddle wheel tour boat came upriver, and this was huge. Another first--the first time I've seen this boat on the Snake River.
That's some huge wheel....
Before long dinner was fixed and was enjoyed by all
We sat around the campfire and swapped jokes, told stories and laughed all night. Pretty soon it was time to hit the hay so people staggered down the docks to their boats and turned in.
Saturday morning was beautiful. Sunny skies, a slight breeze, a warm campfire and more food.
```````````````````````````````````````````````````````
The day was spent wandering the docks, chatting with friends, making new friends and just enjoying the company of fellow boaters. As night approached we again gathered around the fire and toasted a good life.
Yours truly (in blue) and Rich, the guy who joined me on my boat.
Sunday morning the winds picked up. I had some commitments in town on Monday so I made the decision to head back around lunch time. Following us as the guy on the sailboat who wanted to stay in our wake. That worked well until a few miles from the lock when his rudder broke. We ended up towing him to just upstream from the lock and left him and his boat at a dock at the launch ramp.
As we approached the lock the winds were really howling. The lockmaster said there were sustained winds of 30-35kts with higher gusts.
I didn't have GW with us and I missed her. She's an excellent deck hand and does a good job in the locks, even when the wind is blowing. The friend I had with me was used to driving his boat, not used to tying up to the bollard. It took us five approaches to the bollards before he could get us secured.
We rode the lock down OK but we knew when they raised the downstream gate the wind coming beneath it would be fierce due to the venture effect the lock gate has. In a change from normal procedure, I asked the lockmaster if we could untie and move back in the lock a bit before he raised the gate. He said that would be fine, so we did that.
When he started to raise the gate, the wind was howling. I was about dead center in the lock and when the wind caught us it pushed us backward and against the port wall of the lock. I couldn't stop the boat and heard this sickening crunch of fiberglass vs concrete. I was able to get control of the boat and proceeded out of the lock under power, almost to the point of getting in plane. When we cleared the lock we managed to bring in the fenders and lines then headed down the Snake, smack into about a 40-45mph wind.
We went back to the slip and after I'd backed it in I was able to take a look at the damage. It wasn't as bad as it easily could have been, but any damage is too much for my liking. (Another First--the first ding on Beachcomber)
Here's a photo of where the aft port corner hit the wall of the lock.
All things considered it was a great weekend. When boaters get together to swap lies and jokes and have fun, you know it's going to be a good time. Even with the damage to Beachcomber, it was still a fun weekend.
