Happy New Year, boys and girls!
Is anyone up for thinking about another rendezvous? I have in mind the (possibly) first ever Head Of The Chesapeake Rendezvous (hence, HOTCR). What would this consist of, you blithely ask? This would be a gathering at the very head of Chesapeake Bay. You don't need charts to get an idea of what may be involved, an atlas will suffice for the moment. The community I live in is on the Elk River (Oh Wow!! Look at that! It's the same as my moniker...). Sorry, I'm easily distracted. Anyway, what I can offer to start is a free place to park a trailer and tow vehicle, free launching ramp, and free slips (there is a nominal charge if you need to plug in overnight). You would need your own mooring lines. Depending on the moon and wind, the tides run about 3-ish feet. The slips are located 2 n.m. upriver of the C & D Canal (where we can duke it out with tugs & barges and ocean-going ships). From the slips, the mouth of the Bohemia River (on the Eastern Shore) is about 6 n.m. There is a bridge about 2 n.m. up that would stop our progress, well, maybe not, as it is listed as fixed 30' vertical clearance. The next river down is the Sassafras River, the mouth of which is about 14 n.m. from the slips. That river is about 8.5 n.m. before a bridge is encountered (bascule bridge, 5' vertical clearance). In between the two rivers is a little indention called Cabin John Creek. There is plenty of good anchoring in either river and we have been swimming in both. Turkey Point, at the bottom of the peninsula we live on, is about 9-ish n.m. from the slips. Clearing the point and heading NW leads to the Susquehanna Flats where there is a sizable area of very shallow water (1 - 3'). The eel grass would tend to knock down the wave action. On one side of the flats is the North East River, the Susquehanna River is on the other.
This rendezvous would probably need to be in the Spring or Fall (or both??) to have a good chance of decent wind. The Bay doesn't have much to offer in the way of wind in the summer, also, it is very hot and humid. April or May could work well and it would give folks a time-frame to aim for. Perhaps there could be elaborate prizes for those that trailered the farthest or sailed on the boat's own bottom the farthest??? Who knows?
There you have it, the seed for the (possibly) first-ever Head Of The Chesapeake Rendezvous.
Yours for good sailing,
Elk River
Count me in, Capt. Elk. I'll be looking for more details as this event unfolds. Now I finally know what HOTCR means...never could figure it out!
Bob23
Interesting.
I was thinking about trying to launch something the last week of May and maybe trying to use Point Lookout State Park as a launch site. We could sail over to Tangier and maybe Smith Island.
I am probably going to slip my boat for this season so I probably won't trailer sail much.
Ideally, I'd like to put in at Salem NJ, motor through the C&D and up to your place. Ideally, that is. It'd take a bit of planning but is doable. I guess I should start planning the BBB 2015 in order to keep up with the Elks! :)
B23
Geez Bob:
Keep up with the Elks?? How many times did your 23 pass my 19? And let's not mention again the fact that you skunked me in the dinghy race!! You might want to think about slowing down to keep pace with the Elks, not trying to keep up with them...
Anyone else interested in the HOTCR? Let's not leave me alone with His Majesty, Mr. 23. I'd hate to have to resort to N.J. tactics in order to come out ahead.
Elk River
I feel so bad about beating you in the race. Haven't been able to sleep. I ordered a drogue to drag next time we race so I don't come in so far ahead. :)
And to keep the record straight, I didn't actually skunk you in the race- I kicked yer stinkin' butt!!! In truth, a fun time was had and Capt Elk gave me a good run for my money. Of course, let me be honest and disclose that I'd been training all summer for the Blackburn Challenge- I had a slight advantage.
Bob23
Ahh, Cabin John Creek! Many a wonderful night spent there! Was the first nice anchorage from Harbor North marina where I kept my Seidelmann for a number of years. Would love to join in but will have to settle for a vicarious experience via you all.
Hi all!
Mike, Cathay and Sophie the dog here. Remember us from BBB 2014?
We'd love to meet you all again in the Upper Cheaspeake (HOTCR) as the Bohemia River is our home base.
We still own our tiny Com-Pac Legacy, but it now permanently resides near Charlotte Harbor FL. Would it be acceptable if we showed up in a Precision 21 sailboat instead? I can paste on fake Com-Pac Logos for the day if that would be better. And since the P21 can hold more than the six-pack the Legacy could fit, we can supply a real cooler full of cold beer, and a few bottles of wine.
Hi Mike:
You folks will be more than welcome to be included in the HOTCR. April might be a good month, wind and temperature-wise, and it won't interfere with the southern Chesapeake gathering that seems to be in the planning stages for May. We can keep the destination plans loose for now and nail them down with at the time depending on weather forecasts. I will be in FL in Feb and will play around with some ideas then. Anyone else? Free parking, launching and slips...
Elk River
I'm interested!
I'll plan to trailer my CP 16 to your area from Central Jersey.
The only time I was in the Chesapeake was in 2007, when I brought my then "new" 1974 Sabre 28 to New Jersey from Deale, Md.
That trip was an "adventure", and I'm looking forward to going back.
That's excellent, perhaps four so far. Even if Bob shows up with only his Walker Bay, I'm sure one of us can tow him in it... Perhaps, as host, I'll take that responsibility so I am sure he gets a good look at Blue Heaven's stern. He certainly knows what her bow looks like at this point.
Any other brave takers? Just like voting, sign up early and often...
Elk River
I'd like to say "count me in" as well, but at this writing I can't be sure of Pegasus being ready for an extended "sail" requiring much iron wind power. The Johnson 2 is in the shop and will hopefully come out "good as new". That is critical. No, as much as I'd like a nice shiny Honda, it ain't gonna happen. There is another possibility - Alex. You remember Alex, Bob. He does have a nice shiny Honda 2.2. I'll give him a call and see how foolish he is to spend a weekend on Pegasus with me. Alternatively, he does own three sailboats... a 15, a 24 (in the water on Barnegat Bay) and something else. They ain't ComPacs, but they are sailboats. Of course, as a last resort, Bob can tow me in his Walker Bay. As everyone knows, I'm intimately familiar with that vessel!
Marty K.
Marty:
That would be great if you joined in. I have a Nissan 2.5 that you could use if need be. Your registration might not show that engine, but hopefully, that wouldn't become an issue. Good to see you are keeping your Johnson. Check out youtube and John Reno's 'Big Ole Johnson' song; he makes a good argument for keeping your Johnson engine.
Hope you can make it.
Elk River
Elk-
Have a blast at HOTCR gents! Sure sounds tempting but I'll just come out and say it..Can't make it out there to meet you fine gents.
Got a laugh out of the John Reno song. Truth be told, I didn't have to go to Youtube to listen...I know John and have seen him play many times and have all of his CD's!
P.S. Listen to his song "Beaver Island". Hilliarious. I think Jim Hoehn actually wrote that song for him. Jim played a house party at my home last year (Parrothead Club thing) so of course I insisted that he play it. Got some serious laughs from folks who haven't heard it. Those from Wisconsin may know Jim Hoehn as the sports writer--same guy.
I think both of these songs belong on the HOTCR DVD if there will be such a thing!
Elk,
Thank you for your generous offer. If it does come to that, Pennsy registration only requires powered/unpowered, that's it. Regarding the "Johnson", now I'm really excited. Hope to see you both on Saturday.
Marty K.
Capt Elk: Any new developments on the soon-to-be famous HOTCR?
bob23
Hello All:
Not a lot of development has occurred pertaining to the HOTCR. Like your situation last month, Bob, I am presently in Davenport, FL wondering what to do with all this sunshine and warm-ish temperatures.
However, back to the HOTCR; so as not to interfere with Heavetoo's plans for a get-together at the bottom of the Bay at the end of May, perhaps the HOTCR could happen at the very beginning of May to give people a chance to prepare their vessels. Thus, it could morph into the MDMDHOTCR or the Maryland May Day Head Of The Chesapeake Rendezvous. This means it would be held on the first weekend of May, which is technically after May Day, but I doubt anyone will actually argue the point. Anyone that wanted to arrive on Friday (or earlier) could do so as slips will be available as per the original post.
How does that time-frame sound to interested parties? I trust it will be something worthwhile getting your boats ready for.
Yours for warm sailing at some point,
Elk River
Sorry to hear that your sunned in down there. You are in our prayers and thoughts.
Well, 1st. weekend in May sounds great to me! It'll certainly give me something to shoot for. I probably won't launch Koinonia until after the event.
I'll pencil it in and check back here for confirmation.
For the cause,
Bob23
Brad,
The Susquehanna River introduces itself into the head of the Chesapeake Bay very close to Elk River. And the headwaters of the main branch of the Susquehanna River originates at Otsego Lake in Cooperstown, NY, which is about a 90 minute drive from my home. So if I plunked in at Cooperstown how long would it take me to float the 464 miles down the Susquehanna to to HOTCR?
Maybe I should plan to start as soon as the ice is gone? :)
-Allen
(OK it's still snowing and the temps are in single digits here in Upstate NY and I'm bored.)
Hi Allen:
Something to end your boredom would be to figure out how to portage over or around the Conowingo Dam in Port Deposit, MD. Whether or not you have other issues between that and Cooperstown, I do not know. The way this winter is going, your ice out could be after the MDMDHOTCR, so you might just have to trailer down here. But remember, free launching & slips...
Bob, if you are not bringing Koinonia, don't let that keep you away. We can rig up a boom tent for sleeping in the cockpit or someone with a larger boat might show up that could take you. I noticed a posting on another thread of someone that has a 27 on the North East River, which is on the other side of our peninsula. I sent him an e-mail to make sure he looks at this thread, so hopefully, he can be convinced to participate. If push comes to shove, rig up a sleeping arrangement in your Walker Bay and bring that, or perhaps, your guideboat.
So, note to all: end boredom and commit to the MDMDHOTCR!
Elk River
Brad:
One way or another, I fully intend to bring Koinonia to HOTCR. You may remember that at the MWG, Tim informally challenged me to a race to I have my honor to defend. Lord willing, I will be there.
Bob23
Absolutely!
Quote from: Elk River on February 08, 2015, 11:17:44 AM
Hi Allen:
Something to end your boredom would be to figure out how to portage over or around the Conowingo Dam in Port Deposit, MD.
Those Darn Dams!!!
-Allen
Already this is shaping up to be one heckofa event. Time for the racing bottom paint treatment.
Well, Eagleye. It seems that you'll have to abandon your beloved Com-Pac and either row, paddle or use a jet-ski (GF!). The river really isn't navigable for its length except to the former vessels. Pray for much rain (then sun!). And then, of course, there is the damn dam. When I visited it some years ago, at least the fish were able to climb the fish ladder. I don't think that'll work in your case. Better use plan "B".
Marty K.
P.S. Sorry, couldn't help myself!
Hi guys,
Quick update here in Delaware.... Cathay can't make a sailing trip anytime in May, and also has a business trip planned the last week of June. However, I may be able to sail solo from the Bohemia River and join you in May or whenever you go. This year, I'm going to try to keep the boat at a slip instead of on a trailer this, so that should make a solo sail "do-able".
One thing you may want to keep in mind is that the first couple weeks in May can still get fairly cold, especially at night. That's air temperatures. My guess is that water temps are still pretty cold then too? And I am a wimp about the cold in my old age. It's not that I won't go in early May, but I can't guarantee I won't let a few whines out past my chattering teeth!
Oh, and Alan, forget about coming down the Susquehanna! The damn dam is not the only obstacle.... Rocks the size of the Titanic are all up and down the river, and then you have Three Mile Island.... a Kayak would have a hard time getting more than a hundred miles down that river! But it is a pretty river.
Marty & Mike:
Don't scare Allen away, just convince him to trailer down after he uses his snowblower to clear a path out to his boat (even in May, up his way).
Bob, what's this thing about defending your honor? You're from N.J., remember?
Mike, again: if you have a stove in your boat, just get yourself a clay flower pot and put it upside down over a burner. It makes a great heater when you are at anchor. The Bohemia may be as far as we can get for a weekend rendezvous, so you won't have to sail far.
Elk River
I haven't heard from anyone about doing a middle bay meet-up. Don't worry about me, I am guessing that this won't happen.
Either way, I took off the last week of May and I am heading down the Potomac River and out to the Chesapeake Bay. There are so many places to go from there.
Plans may change though...I will have to see how this year develops.
As it presently stands, the last 2 weeks in May are cast in concrete. I'll be in Newport, RI for the Volvo Ocean Race (no, Pegasus is not competing). It's also costing a pretty penny...soo, I really don't know how things will come together. Too much ice around here for me to think clearly. I know my youngest son is teasing me with a trip to Key West and renting a sloop or cat in April... but, again money rears its ugly head. I do want to attend, but must iron out some pesky details.
Marty K.
Part of me is half tempted to keep Saga on her trailer this season so I can complete the big modifications. I would splash her for the long trips that I take. It is a pain in the butt and it would limit my sailing a lot. Raising and lowering the mast and planning stuff around the tide really stinks.
September trips are so pretty on the bay. The last week of September was awesome sailing last year and I really enjoyed it.
I may switch jobs so that could change things a lot for me because of leave.
I think we'll stick with the first weekend in May, partly to keep the ridiculous abbreviation of MDMDHOTCR. While swimming may not exactly be on the docket, we could have our own MDMDHOTCRPBP (Maryland May Day Head Of The Chesapeake Polar Bear Plunge). Then we could all retire to Mike's cabin and his flower pot heater... Bob is already planning to cheat by putting some wicked go-fast bottom paint on, Tim plans to be there with his twin mains (let's hope for windward work all the way!), it sounds as though Marty is thinking about bringing a Volvo Ocean 70 to our river, Allen may show up with a snowblower; this is developing into quite an experience. I guess I'll bring up the rear with my 19/2.
O.K. folks, let the sign ups begin.
Elk River
Wow...if you guys are making comments on bottom paint you would hate my asymmetrical spinnaker!
Elk:
You found me out. I do hope to conceal the turbo diesel that I've installed in my Walker Bay 8. And I'd be up for a polar plunge. Hey- I'm from NJ- what can go wrong?
Bob23
Rainy weather! I will forgo the twin mains and instead bring my asymmetrical spinnaker. Teflon bottom paint may be in order though.
TG
Bob....what you need to do is add hydrofoils onto that thing! Hrm...Foils on a Compac 23. Kind of like a cross between a moth and a Compac. We might have something there!
Quote from: Elk River on February 09, 2015, 01:40:12 PM
Marty & Mike:
Don't scare Allen away, just convince him to trailer down after he uses his snowblower to clear a path out to his boat (even in May, up his way).
Elk River
Ok ER,
The snow blower is working overtime......
(http://i1058.photobucket.com/albums/t403/eagleye54/SnowBlower009LoRes_zps0e42940e.jpg)
And I always keep a path to the Madame in case we need to make a speedy getaway!!
(http://i1058.photobucket.com/albums/t403/eagleye54/Snow14Feb02_zps5ec0a841.jpg)
Bbbbrrrrrrrrr!
Geez, all you guys with the big, fancy sails and slick bottoms; whadiya tryn' to do, rub your host's nose in the Chesapeake mud?
Bob, if you come just for the plunge, make sure you bring that babe with the wedding dress...
Allen, I was expecting an 18" Toro or something. Look for a break in the weather and hook your boat trailer up to that big, bad Ford tractor of yours and head south, you can bring the snow shovel if you want.
Looks as though some pretty weird prizes will be needed.
Elk River
I think that I am painting the bottom this year....If I put her in a slip that is.
The HOTCR is a no go for me as the first few weeks of May are blackout dates for my work. It is a shame to miss it because I would like to meet other Cpmpac 23 owners.
Brad: Here she is, without her wedding dress. I'd forgotten she'd removed it for the 2nd. dip. I'm not sure my wife would approve if I brought her to HOTCR. Might be curtains for me.
(http://i617.photobucket.com/albums/tt260/Bob23_photo/PolarplungeDana_zps3389709e.jpg)
Here she is before the dress removal. That's my daughter in the middle.
(http://i617.photobucket.com/albums/tt260/Bob23_photo/Personal%20photos/Polarbearplunge2009.jpg)
I'm looking forward to this event...and yes- some appropriately weird prizes might be in order.
Bob23
Well Guys & Gals, the best laid plans of mice and men oft go awry. It is with much regret that I must inform all Y'all that my Son-in-Law graduates from Engineering School at the University of Florida the 1st of May. So I will not be making the trip to the MDMDHOTCR the first week of may, instead I will be basking in the sunny warmth of St. Augustine FL.
He has spent all of his off work time for the past 5 years getting to this point in his educational career, a job well done.
TG
Oh c'mon Tim. You can't come up with a better excuse for not racing me? Congrats to your son in law. Hopefully we'll get to sail together sometime. We enjoyed a brief visit to St. Augustine when visiting our daughter in New Smyrna Beach a month ago. Seems there's a bit of rivalry between the 2: Some NSB folks think that their town is the oldest. A moot point, says I.
Bob23
bob, i sure hope to meet the boss in july
What boss? TG? I hope he'll be there.
July? I thought the CLR was the first week of August!
Just joking! I'm there! Somebody Stop Me!
TG
Please...somebody stop him...please!!!!!! Well, in a minor thread theft: This years CLR is looking to be epic. Back to our regularly scheduled program: HOTCR. Lord willing, and I hope He is, I'll be there sailing the mighty racing yacht, Koinonia. Whether I sail through the C&D or put in at the Maryland end, I'll be there.
Bob23
Among the pesky details that I alluded to previously, is shanghaiing a crew (of one). The Admiral isn't comfortable with my soloing the 100 miles, 2 1/2 hours to the HWOTC. I did remind her that I brought Pegasus home from Groton, CT. with my 13 year old niece. Plus, I do prefer company (misery?) to add to the fun. I am not a loner by any stretch. Now, admittedly, Pegasus is a bit cramped. But, hopefully, that would not be an issue as long as the weather is good.
I took the liberty of doing a little weather research from www.weatherspark.com. The info is for Baltimore, but should be representative.
"The month of May is characterized by rising daily high temperatures, with daily highs increasing from 71°F to 80°F over the course of the month, exceeding 90°F or dropping below 62°F only one day in ten. Daily low temperatures range from 55°F to 64°F, falling below 48°F or exceeding 73°F only one day in ten. The air is driest around May 3, at which time the relative humidity drops below 53% (mildly humid) three days out of four."
The report didn't say much about precip. Hopefully, there won't be any.
Mr. Elk:
Is HOTCR actually going to be a reality? I'm planning as if it is.
Bob23
Bob, I am thinking that he may be waiting to see if the glaciers recede before committing. LOL
Yeah, that white stuff is falling with a vengeance. And to think we thought it would all go to Boston (poor folks). Have to admit, though, it sure is purty (although my back isn't too happy with it).
Hey, I'm still looking for crew. Ain't going it alone. So, who has the guts? Jason? I know you like tiny quarters! I have a couple of US Army mountain bags. Cosey!
Marty K.
2 days ago, I was at a marina on the Bohemia river (really a part of the Chesapeake Bay), near the site of the proposed HOTCR. Judging from the amount of solid ice across the whole river , I think I could have walked on the ice all the way to the HOTCR. That's what all the birds were doing!
The May HOTCR is coming quick. After the snow stops tonight, I think I'm going to buy 2 flower pots to put over my alcohol heater in my boat! I hope the ice is melted by then....
Marty,
I'm not sure why you need to shanghai someone? Was it for the long drive down to the HOTCR or for the solo launching/sailing, but you're welcome to sail with me on my Precision 21. (My little CP Legacy is now in Florida). Comparatively speaking, the P-21 has lots more room than a CP 16 for sleeping! It has a V-berth as well as quarterberths. I was going to sail solo anyway, as my wife Cathay can't go that weekend.
My boat should already be in the water (still looking for a slip or mooring), but the only complication is it will be in the Bohemia River, a few miles south of the Elk River, so the starting point will be different than the other guys. Saturday afternoon I was hoping to rendezvous with the Elk River gang wherever the HOTCR anchoring point would be (maybe it's near the mouth of the Bohemia anyway?) To sail anywhere from the Elk River, you have to go by the Bohemia river anyway.
You're welcome to crew, if you don't mind sailing a non Com-Pac! Just let me know.
Mike
Hello All:
Yes, the MDMDHOTCR will be a reality. HA! What a reality show it would make. Sorry I didn't answer yesterday but I was trying to keep alive all the barnacles and other boat-slowing critters I came back with from FL that I plan to attach to the bottom of a certain 23 ft. boat...
Marty, perhaps you can contact Mr. Becker and convoy down with him as back on page one of this thread he indicated he planned to trailer down from central Jersey. You will have help in launching and stepping the mast as I live here and will be around. If you arrive on Friday, you can stay at the house instead of sleeping on the boat.
It sounds as though there are three committed so far: myself, Bob and Mike. Marty and Bob Becker are still possibles, perhaps? Surely, there are other brave people out there that are willing to ruin their good name and join in the fun. After all, it is not that often that you can get free launching, parking and slips! And who knows, we may be able to ice skate, also!
Warm weather wishes to everyone,
Elk River
My tentative plan is to launch at the Summit North marina, travel west through the C & D and invade the Elk compound, catching the management unawares and stealing all the food and rum. In the name of good fun, of course.
Bob
Hey- Just what 23 foot boat?
23 footer? I dunno, how many do you think will show for the HOTCR that I can choose from? Don't worry, the Elk River has been successfully defended in the past; the historical sign down the street doesn't indicate Ft. Defiance for nothing. The docks will be manned, armed and ready.
Elk:
Assuming my boat is still under all the snow, I'm looking forward to attending HOTCR.
I'll reach out to Marty about a "convoy."
Bob
That's excellent, Bob, your boat will make four so far.
Marty, don't worry about crew, they'll just get in the way. Convoy down with Bob and there will be plenty of people here to get you set up and launched. If you do need crew, leave a message on Bob23's home phone asking about whether or not the lady in the wedding dress is riding with him... His wife will understand...
Elk River
Bob, Summit North is a nice spot. Less than a mile from where I used to live. I used to hike there when it was just the dead end stub of the old canal. Always thought it would be a neat place for a marina! The downside for sailors is that it is a real slog if the current is against you(can be 4-5 kts). Not a problem for powerboaters.I kept my boat at the basin in Chesapeake City for a few years but moved to Harbor North Marina at the mouth of the canal on the Elk river because of that issue.
Thanks Craig for the info. It was suggested to me by the legend PeterG. I'll take a dry run down some weekend to check it out.
Bob23
Thank you for your generous offer, Mike. Although it may be sacrilege, I would have no problem crewing with you on the Precision. I'm sure I would learn some valuable sailing techniques from you. Although I have no trouble sailing my CP16, I really am a novice sailor - just gutsy (or dumb).
As you've seen from the posts, Bob B. has suggested a mini "convoy". That may be a viable solution if I feel Pegasus is ready for the haul*, however, if you really would like company, I like that idea. Of course I wouldn't be as "friendly" as Cathay. BTW, Elk, "the lady in the wedding dress" could be appealing, but could be a certain death sentence from the Admiral!
* I need to resolve the issue of leaking scuppers. One is a flood, the other a small leak (at the moment). I was thinking of trying to use that rubberized stuff advertised on the tube. Don't think it could hurt and would be way easier (and cheaper) than a Fiberglas repair. Soon as the danger of major snow has passed (and evaporated!) I'll attend to that. Got about 5 weeks to get my act together.
Marty
My wife will understand if Dana (wedding dress lady) comes with me. Yeah. She'll understand all right...and the jury in her murder trial will probably also understand.
Elk: I suppose those of us that are sailing to this much talked about event will need to find out exactly where you are on the Elk river.
Bob23
I know where he is, but I can't go to the hotcr, dammit!
Great site for a rendezvous!
Color me green.
TG
Hello All:
All this talk of murder and mayhem; live dangerously, fast (well, sailboat fast, anyway) and take no prisoners!! Besides, we'll have a legal professional in our midst..., so, no worries, mon!
Where we will only have the weekend, the Bohemia River may be all that we can count on for a destination, the mouth of which is roughly 6 n.m. from the meeting place/slips. With some good wind, we can sail up the river a ways, then backtrack to Veazey Cove to anchor for the night. Look for "myChart" #31504 by Hempenius Publishing (www.myChart.us). It is a little waterproof chartlet that is perhaps 15" by 20" opened up. One side covers our area of interest, plus the C & D Canal up to Chesapeake City. Upon looking at the chartlet, one can see that after exiting the west end of the Canal, a hard turn to starboard headed up the Elk River would be in order. Elkmore, the community I live in, is listed on the chartlet on the port side just before cans "8" & "9". The channel swings in very close (as in, very close), to the Elkmore slips. Blue Heaven is the token sailboat there, everyone else has the other kind of boat. It would behoove any boater, even with shallow draft to MIND THE CHANNEL, PARTICULARLY AFTER CANS "6" & "7", as there is an island forming to starboard of the channel. It is often visible at low tide. After leaving the slips, motoring or short-tacking down river for a little bit, things will open up to be able to use the whole width of the river, assuming we are beating to the Bohemia. The river is oriented Northeast to Southwest.
Remember that you will need four dock lines and springlines if you want them.
Think warm,
Elk River
Wow. not much water up there, Capt Elk. Are you trying to lure me into the shallows? I wasn't able to open that chart link but I have Maptech charts which show the area. I'll check it out. Thanks.
Bob23
Elk,
Not to change the destination from Veasey cove in the Bohemia, but have you ever checked out Cabin John Creek? It's only 1 mile south past the mouth of the Bohemia on the east side also. (Same side as the Bohemia). It's much more protected and cosy than Veasey cove, not to mention much more scenic. Veasey Cove is where I often try to drop hook for lunches, and it can get very rolly from all the traffic with all the marinas up the Bohemia River. I've never overnighted in Veasey, but it is wide open to the shipping lanes going into the C+D canal, and is unprotected from wind from 3 directions. I know some big sailboats overnight there, but that's only because they wait for favorable tides and current before entering the C+D canal, and are forced by their deeper drafts to use Veasey.
I know you guys are already coming a long way, but if you can spare the extra time for the extra mile, I'd recommend Cabin John Creek. I stayed there overnight last year on my CP Legacy. The water is really skinny in there especially where I like to anchor (about 1/2 to 3/4 of the way into the creek on the south side) but it's not a problem for Com-Pacs. It also "dead-ends", with no marinas at the end, so all the big powerboats pass it by to hang out in the Bohemia.
The downside to Cabin John Creek is that it can be so protected and free of wakes, that during the weekend days, kids like to hang out in there on Jet-skis and some ski boats. Annoying, but they tend to be lightweight planing boats (small wakes) and not the huge displacement cruisers (big wakes) on the Bohemia. But in the evening, the kids go home, and it quiets down nicely. The sleeping is nice and protected from most winds and wakes from the bay.
Just a suggestion, but I'm OK going anywhere.
Totally concur w/keougmi! Cabin John is a great spot for an overnight. Veasey is not really very protected. Nice sandy bottom for swimming/lunch though.
Cabin John Creek could very well be used for the Saturday night anchorage. We have been there and as mentioned, the only annoyance was high speed water skiers, etc. The water may be too cold for them during our May Day rendezvous, unless, of course, they are using icebergs for ski jumps! If the weather is right, though, it might still be good to go up and down the Bohemia, then swing around to Cabin John Creek.
I am also thinking that we will host supper Friday evening for those that are able to arrive on Friday. It will be a lot quieter than at the restaruant at Triton Marina, which is up river a little bit. Breakfast on Saturday morning can also be handled here, so boat meals would be perhaps lunches on Saturday and Sunday, supper Saturday night and breakfast Sunday morning. Perhaps, Mike, you could sail up here Friday and take a slip (and help pull Bob out of the mud...). That would make for quite a few boats headed out together on Saturday.
I will let everyone know of any more schemes that I may dream up.
Elk River
Elk,
Although I'd like to meet up with you guys in the skinny waters of the Upper Chesapeake on Friday night for the inagural HOTCR, I already bought tickets to see a play with Cathay. So, it looks like I will have to start from the Bohemia on Saturday morning and meet up with you guys sometime during the day.
Marty, it sounds like you have all kinds of viable alternatives for crew. I should be OK sailing by myself from my home port, because this year I think I will be renting a seasonal mooring ball, rather than having the hassle of launching off the trailer every time I want to sail. However, if nothing else works out, you're still welcome to sail on the P-21. Just drop me a private e-mail and we can arrange it.
Mike
PS- Not to make you all jealous, but I'm heading to Florida in a few days and next weekend, I will be solo sailing my Com-Pac Legacy on Charlotte Harbor to Cayo Costa state park. There I hope to meet up with the West Coast (Florida) Trailer Sailing Squadron guys for a weekend outing. I think there will be a lot of little sailboats attending, and it should be a blast! I'm looking forward to the warm temperatures as Elk experienced not too long ago!
Mike:
That certainly can be a workable plan. You could sail down the Bohemia and up the Elk until you came across us headed south. We can all communicate by VHF, smoke signals or some other method.
Enjoy Florida, it will be a lot warmer for you than when I was there.
Elk River
Elk,
Thank you for sending the chartlet. It appears that I will be joining Mike as crew for this adventure. We'll be getting together early (hopefully) Saturday morning as Mike has an important commitment Friday.
Pray for fair weather with zephyrs... cool is okay, precip, nah.
Marty K.
Has anyone had experience with Harbor North Marina? I'm looking at alternate launch sites and this caught my eye...not too far from Capt Elk.
Bob23
Senor Elk:
What kinds of temps can we expect down there in the beginning of May? Any other info may be helpful too. Looking forward to this adventure.
Bob23
(ps: I'm bringing the dink-might be fun to re enact the BBB rowing race)
Bob:
If you are thinking of launching at Harbor North and not coming through the canal, why not drive the extra to Elkmore? Harbor North probably can't offer free parking, launching and the verbal abuse that I can (also free). Tides here are 3 hr. 20 min. after Baltimore, which ends up looking something like this: High Tides at Town Pt. Wharf, Elk River:1 May, 0905 & 2120; 2 May, 0945 & 2200; 3 May, 1020 & 2240. Weather? Geez, ya big sissy, bring a jacket and hat. Forget the bathing suit, that's a little too scary. From the Old Farmer's Almanac: the general weather report is that Spring will bring above average temperatures to the eastern half of the U.S. from late March through early May, precipitation will be below normal in most states near the Atlantic. The Atlantic Corridor regional forecast indicates the following: April & May will be warmer and generally drier than normal. For May: avg. temp 65, May 1st - 4th scattered showers, turning hot.
Ah, the race. Perhaps this year there will be a handicap system in place to make things, um, "equal". Bring your Walker Bay and perhaps two oars, the rest of us will use my 6 Hour Canoe (15'3" by 12'7"LWL, beam 31.5" by 25" at the water, built from one 16' sheet of plywood). The canoe paddles like a canoe or one sits low facing forward with a kayak paddle. This sounds like a pretty fair deal to me and I am not even from New Jersey! I trust you can see that your host is doing his best to make this a comfortable experience.
I'll see what other "fun" I can dream up.
Elk River
Bob, I kept my Seidelmann there for a number of years. Great place to launch! Short sail across the channel up to Elkmore and Elks place.
Hi Bob23,
I've never actually been to Harbor North Marina, but on ActiveCaptain.com, they are NOT listed as having a boat ramp. Again, maybe they do, but I find that Active Captain is pretty accurate in most cases.
I know definitely that further south on the Bohemia River, a marina called Bohemia Vista Marina (not Bohemia Bay Yacht Basin) has a ramp that I think increased to $20 per launch, which is steep for what you get, an old single ramp that gets rather busy on the weekend. I know because I launched there regularly for the last 3 years. Also, if the tide is low, sometimes there can be an issue with getting even a 2' shoal draft sailboat off the trailer. But 95% of the time, I didn't have a problem with my 16" draft CP Legacy or the 2' draft Precision 21. However, below the waterline of the ramp, there is about a 4" drop-off due to washing away of dirt at the end of the concrete. It's not usually a problem, but don't be surprised if it feels like your boat is heeling before you even get it off the trailer!
Then again, I guess you could always take Elk up on his offer of the Elkmore community boat ramp?
Take care,
Mike
I plan to launch via Harbor North travel lift. It'll be easier to launch there and not deal with C&D tides. If the tides were wrong, I might need a slip at Summit Harbor to wait for a favorable tide thus possibly increasing the costs.
Mr. Elk: I've read your race challenge and you leave me no alternative but to bring my Guideboat aka Porsche 917.
Bob23
You wouldn't know what to do with a 917!
TG:
You're right. Even the sound of that flat 12 would scare me! maybe I could start slow- 914? 356? and gradually move up to a 911. On second thought, you're right- I should stick with a VW!
Bob23
That would be the 914. Not really a Porche is it? Nor is a 944.
IMHO
TG
Again, you are right. I believe they were sold though VW dealers. Still the 914-6 was an interesting car...sort of a predecessor to the Boxer. Sort of.
944 and 928- didn't like either of them.
Bob 911S
Regretfully, I will not be able to attend the HOTCR, at least not the whole weekend. The boat will not be ready, work is stealing my time, and we've had some sickness in my family. Actually, all the above is an outright lie to cover up my fear of loosing any races! :)
If I can get down there, it'll be with Guideboat in tow and then only to spend a short amount of time seeing all you Compac-o-nauts. I'll probably call you, Brad, to coordinate where we can meet. I was looking forward to this being the proper kick off to this years sailing season but it's just not gonna happen.
Bob23
Bob:
Sorry to hear that you may not be coming. I was so looking forward to roasting; oh, wait, that must be a typo; I believe I meant to say hosting you down here on the Chesapeake. I suppose early May is a tad early for a lot of folks after the winter we just had. I haven't heard from Bob Becker in a while, so don't know his plans. Mike and Marty were supposed to team up on Mike's boat. I expect to launch Blue Heaven later this week as most of what I need to do can be done in the water (well, with the boat in the water...). Let me know what day you may be able to make it and we will adjust plans. We can always just go for a day sail, but that is your call for a two-ish hour drive. There is also room at the house for an overnight, too. I guess I should start planning another rendezvous for later in the year, maybe you'll have your super fast Suncat by then.
Regards,
Elk River
Bob,
Sorry to hear that you may not attend... with unexpected things coming up and with the HOTCR date fast approaching. I know the feeling, as I've been feverishly trying to get my boat ready for a launch that weekend. To complicate things, my wife Cathay broke her collarbone on the last ice of the winter, so I'm on my own in the prep work.
I still need to bottom paint my boat, then raise the mast and launch it into the Bohemia River, hopefully this weekend?? I also have to figure out how to rig up pendants to the mooring ball. However, last weekend when I went to drop off my brand new rowing dinghy (to shuttle us from the beach to the mooring) at the marina that they did not yet put the mooring balls in the water. They seemed to be backed up, and seem to be more concerned with getting the mega yachts in the water than us poor (cheap) slobs who keep our boats out in the river on moorings. Hopefully they do that by this weekend....
Anyway, assuming I can get the boat painted, mast raised, launched, moored in time, you are welcome to join Marty and I for a sail to wherever the HOTCR anchoring will be. I have a previous event on Friday night, so I can't sail from the Bohemia River towards the Elk River until Saturday morning. Even if you arrive by some other means, (Brad's boat, rowboat, Jet-ski, scuba dive, parachute jump, etc), you are welcome to sleep out on my Precision 21 with Marty and I on Saturday night. It's not as spacious as your CP23, but it's got a lot more room than a CP16! I've got dibs on the V-Berth, and you and Marty can each take a quarterberth.
Mike
Elk River:
I'm making progress on the boat/motor/trailer. I'm a little behind schedule, but haven't run into any BIG problems yet. The outboards will probably be a challenge-I have two, but they're both older than my 1982 C 16. One usually cooperates.
Subject to the weather, I'm planning to be there very early Saturday morning.
Bob Becker
Mike,
Knowing Bob23, the cockpit would be just fine with him, rain or shine (sun doesn't shine at night anyway). I'd prefer the entire v-bunk for myself, thank you! ;)
I sent you an email...
Marty
P.S.
Bob B,
Per my phone call, we can probably convoy down to MD. Call me.
Bob Becker:
If you are coming to my neighborhood to make use of the free services, you can send me a private message and I will send you my address. Marty will be bearing off down a different route to meet with Mike.
As to Your Honor, Mr. 23, let me know how you want to work this whole deal.
Brad
I will try to make it down for part of the HOTCR. I will not have a sailboat and a lot depends on work and other unpleasantries. Let's see how this developes.
Bob23
Bob -
Priority number one: Get boat in water!
Priority number two: Continuing to breathe.
Priority number tre: Stock up on PBR (you, not me!).
Priority number last: Work, ugh.
Marty
P.S. Hope to see you at the HOTCR. If you don't show, with or without boat, we will spend the weekend bad-mouthing you. No pressure.
Gents,
I have not fallen of off the face of the earth. The day job thingy pretty much monopolizes my time and energy but I still give a quick look in when I have a few minutes.
Unfortunately I'm dealing with some (fixable) medical issues that will keep me from attending this years HOTCR. Nothing life threatening but it will be putting me out of commission for a few months.
So I wish you all well and I look forward to reading about the adventure.
And Marty... don't forget the butane for your cook stove.
-Allen
Allen -
Hope you heal quickly. Looking forward to seeing you (and Madame Z) at BBB-2015.
Got plenty of Butane... I'll probably forget the stove! Mike has a single burner alcohol burner on board. Can always live on crackers and beer/wine. What's that about Dinty Moore?
Seriously, take care of yourself and I'm sure we're all looking forward to your company in the future.
Marty
Blue Heaven was launched yesterday and is in her slip awaiting some minor items to be done. In the next day or so the sails will be on and we will take a trial sail. It would appear that all will be well and ready for the Rendezvous this weekend. High tide Saturday is 0938, Sunday is 1014 and Sunday's low is 1703. Tidal heights run about 3-ish feet.
Elk River
Elk River
After much scrambling, my Precision 21 finally hit the water yesterday on the Bohemia River. With the cold temperatures, I doubt the new bottom paint had fully dried after I finished painting on Saturday. At least I didn't see the water turn paint color when I did launch the boat off the trailer! However, the paint was wet enough when I lowered it onto the trailer bunks that some of it stuck, and tore off the carpeting when I launched! Oh well, at least I have all summer to replace the carpeting on the bunks now.
Marty, I did manage to get the mast up before launching yesterday, but ran out of time before putting the boom and the mainsail on, so we have a little work to do before leaving on Saturday. I was surprised to find that the moorings were still not placed on the river by the marina, however, they gave me a temporary slip for the sailboat, so we should be good to go.
However when we come back, we have to make sure it's not low tide, as the docks are not floating, and the finger docks are really high at low tide (the marina caters to some really big boats with very high freeboard). We could have a tough time getting off the boat! Maybe we should bring some extra beer and wine in case we need to wait for high tide at the slip!
Let's hope for some warmer temperatures next weekend!
See you all soon,
Mike
NOAA indicates partly sunny this Sat & Sun, temps 69 & 74 respectfully.
Elk River
BASTURDS!
Tim with me not being there, you are free to show up- no chance of being beaten in a race!
Bob23
Bob, I'll be inSt. Augustine, FL by Thursday night. You really don't need to butter me up about the erstwhile race.
(I choose to think of your sarcasm as butter). Booger!
Brad,
Thanks for the update on the tides. Ought to prove helpful. Weather outlook looks great! Can't wait!
Mike - Let me know what time will be best, considering the tides. Would it be better if I drove directly to the marina?
BobB - 6:30 at XVM should be good.
Mike - XVM is about 70 miles from your home via I-95. So, should take about 1-1/2 hours on a Saturday morning (at an average of 50 mph).
Has everybody decided where to launch? And most importantly, where will we be having breakfast! :)
Tim - EYHO! ;)
Marty
Hi All:
My guess is that Bob (you know, the one that didn't chicken out) will launch at my neighborhood ramp. We can then tuck his boat into a slip and have breakfast at our house. As Mike's boat is already wet, Marty and Mike have the option of eating at our house and then driving back to Mike's boat on the Bohemia (25 - 30 minutes, perhaps). Bob, Lily and I could slip our lines and head downriver to meet you on the Bohemia, ending up at Cabin John Creek at some point. That would then mean lunch & supper on the boats Saturday, breakfast and possibly lunch on the boats Sunday. We will head back with Bob to unlock the ramp gate.
Tim, is that something of a local name for fish that you have down there in Virginia? I know that tournaments are held on the North East River on the other side of our peninsula, but I don't think that's the type of bass they fish for.
See you folks soon,
Elk River
Just one big happy family of off-center Compac-o-nauts! TG: Looking forward to sailing with you (and others) at CLR 2015.
Have a great time everyone: I'll hoist a Ballantine IPA in your honor while I'm working in Koinoina or rowing or working or....
Bob23
Weather Update:
Chesapeake Bay north of Pooles Island:
Saturday: 20% chance of showers in the afternoon, mostly sunny, high 72; wind NW around 5 kn
Saturday night: low around 50, wind SW 5 kn
Sunday; sunny, 77; wind NW 5 - 10 kn
Looking forward to seeing everyone,
Elk River
What a pleasant weekend! The weather great and the company even better. Really enjoyed my sail with Mike and our rendezvous with Bob and Brad/Lilly. A little more wind would have been nice, but I'm not complaining!
Funniest thing: When Mike and I lost the wind and were becalmed, we dropped the sails and prepared to motor in. Within nanoseconds after starting the Honda, the wind picked up smartly. Mike looked at me with that "really" look and I just said, "set the jib again!". He shut down the Honda and released the jib (I have to admit, rolling furlers are terrific. Off we went on jib alone... at almost 4 knots!
We talked about all kinds of stuff and really enjoyed each others company. Ate well. Slept like logs.
Mike had bought a new dinghy for his Precision 21 (sacrilege!) and it followed us everywhere. I took up the responsibility to be the designated rower (since Bob23 was absent... and missed) and had fun providing taxi service generally rowing all over the place. No Bob, I didn't capsize it!
Yeah, it was a very pleasant weekend. Looking forward to meeting up Mike, Bob, Lilly and Brad in the future (BBB-2015 perhaps?).
Marty
I heartily agree with Marty. A wonderful weekend of sailing and rafting with some great people. Brad and Lily, great job on getting this all off the ground and into the water, and you (and the Farmers Almanac), picked a fantastic weather weekend. It was a real pleasure to meet Bob and see the rest of you again, and to share food, Marty's Landsharks and Little Debbie's and Entenmann's Cookies. I still need to do a sugar detox after yesterday, but I couldn't help having an ice cream cone on the drive home! To feel less guilty, I forced Marty to have one too.
Marty and I had a great time sailing up the Elk River on Saturday to meet you guys. I had never been that far north. I hope you had a good sail back up the Elk River.
On Sunday, we left Cabin John Creek, turned south, and went all the way down past the Turkey Point lighthouse. That reminded me of the wild turkeys that we heard Saturday during our beautiful sunset dinner. On the way back north to the Bohemia River, we were on a long downwind run, and I got to use my whisker pole for the first time to sail "wing on wing". Wow, what a difference it made to have the big genoa do some of the work instead of flapping in the breeze! It almost doubled our downwind speed. At one point we were doing 4 knots downwind towing the high drag dinghy. Not bad for a 5-10 knot wind day. After both days, I was surprised to see a total distance covered of 26 nautical miles, much of it sailing. Surprising, as some of the time the winds were very light. Time and miles fly when you're having fun.
Marty, it was very nice having you along, and you're invited along for day sails on the Chesapeake anytime. Thanks for the help sailing, rowing, and taking all those wonderful pictures to record the event. After skimming the boat book you gave me last night, it looks fantastic! Thanks.
Many thanks to all. Hey, let's do this again real soon!
Mike
It's unanimous. HOTCR was a total success. Capt John Creek was amazing, and the company was fantastic.
Thanks, again to Lily and Brad for putting everything together, and special thanks for keeping the "junior"member in the fleet in sight.
It just doesn't get any better than this.
bb
Hello All:
I'm glad that everyone enjoyed the weekend. As has already been mentioned, the weather and company were terrific. Steadier wind throughout would have been nice, but as a wise person once said: "The pessimist complains about the wind; the optimist expects it to change; the realist adjusts the sails". So be it, we sailed and motored as necessary. It would seem that another attempt at a HOTCR is in order this year. I will work with the calendar to see what I can do. Hopefully, a few photos will appear below.
Bob headed downriver: (http://i44.photobucket.com/albums/f6/bradley2441/HOTCR/P5020030_zpsuyc7ldms.jpg)
close-up of Bob: (http://i44.photobucket.com/albums/f6/bradley2441/HOTCR/P5020044_zpslwoxfg2f.jpg)
commercial traffic on our return: (http://i44.photobucket.com/albums/f6/bradley2441/HOTCR/P5030063_zpsl3amxxt6.jpg)
Mike and Marty meet us: (http://i44.photobucket.com/albums/f6/bradley2441/HOTCR/P5020048_zpsujbplqez.jpg)
Com-Pac 16 and Precision 21: (http://i44.photobucket.com/albums/f6/bradley2441/HOTCR/P5020052_zpsrjvb6rws.jpg)
Bob in Cabin John Creek: [imghttp://i44.photobucket.com/albums/f6/bradley2441/HOTCR/P5020055_zpscoauruqx.jpg]http://[/img]
Another view of Mike's Precision 21:(http://i44.photobucket.com/albums/f6/bradley2441/HOTCR/P5020053_zpswszp8btc.jpg)
Party Boat (notice Mike's soul food): (http://i44.photobucket.com/albums/f6/bradley2441/HOTCR/P5020059_zpsneeqv6dq.jpg)
Marty emulating Bob23: [imghttp://i44.photobucket.com/albums/f6/bradley2441/HOTCR/P5030060_zpsbfy5wjin.jpg][/img]
Happy sailing to all,
Elk River
Hmmm, some of the photo stuff didn't go as planned; I'll try the three that didn't make it.
Bob headed downriver:
(http://i44.photobucket.com/albums/f6/bradley2441/HOTCR/P5020030_zpsuyc7ldms.jpg)
Close-up of Bob:
(http://i44.photobucket.com/albums/f6/bradley2441/HOTCR/P5020044_zpslwoxfg2f.jpg)
Bob in Cabin John Creek:
(http://i44.photobucket.com/albums/f6/bradley2441/HOTCR/P5020055_zpscoauruqx.jpg)
Elk River
Certainly, let us not forget Marty emulating the infamous Bob23:
(http://i44.photobucket.com/albums/f6/bradley2441/HOTCR/P5030060_zpsbfy5wjin.jpg)
Elk River
Great photos of a great time! Wish I could've been there but, alas, it was not to happen. Great rowing form, Marty!!
Bob23
Quote from: Elk River on January 12, 2015, 08:32:36 AM
Bob...How many times did your 23 pass my 19?
Elk River
Hmm...I don't recall that.
Just stopping in to say hello to all. It was a pleasure to meet you last year and Emily and I enjoyed it thoroughly. Glad to hear that the HOTCR went so well. Up here in VT we went from snow in later April to weather in the high 80s overnight it seemed.
I'm in the midst of restoring the O'Day 23, when I have time, and will probably put the Mirage in later this month so we can sail while I keep dabbling with the 23. Doesn't need anything major. I'm just modifying the interior a bit, moving the outboard mount, adding a ladder and then rebedding everything that goes through the deck. Taking my time because the work itself is fun.
Hello and best to all.
Sean
Hi Sean!
As you've surmised, we had a very pleasant weekend on the Chesapeake. Looking forward to doing it again sometime. Glad you've got at least one sailboat to actually sail! Some of us actually enjoy sailing more than working (of course a lot depends on one's skill level!.. and ambition).
Unfortunately, due to the HOTCR, the photo of the rafted CP's plus Emily, has been replaced by the HOTCR raft-up. See photos here:
http://i1378.photobucket.com/albums/ah86/mrtnkern/HOTRC2015/100_0540_zps4mvvrrci.jpg
Thanks for keeping in touch,
Marty K.
Quote from: MKBLK on May 13, 2015, 02:46:20 PM
Hi Sean!
As you've surmised, we had a very pleasant weekend on the Chesapeake. Looking forward to doing it again sometime. Glad you've got at least one sailboat to actually sail! Some of us actually enjoy sailing more than working (of course a lot depends on one's skill level!.. and ambition).
Unfortunately, due to the HOTCR, the photo of the rafted CP's plus Emily, has been replaced by the HOTCR raft-up. See photos here:
http://i1378.photobucket.com/albums/ah86/mrtnkern/HOTRC2015/100_0540_zps4mvvrrci.jpg
Thanks for keeping in touch,
Marty K.
Hi Marty,
Everyone is looking good. Thanks for the picture link. The nice thing about working on the boat is that I can grab an hour here and there and not be working in front of a computer. It's nice to just work with tools sometimes. Whenever the 23 is done I'll swap boats on the mooring. Right now, we're still waiting for the lake to warm up a bit. The ice hasn't been gone for long.
I'm glad you and Mike got to sail together.
Cheers,
Sean