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Catalina/Capri 25/250 Sailor's Forums

General Sailing Forum

Low lake level again, and Trailer brake issues

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lcharlot
Master Marine Consultant

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Antigua and Barbuda
1301 Posts

Initially Posted - 03/23/2008 : 14:36:59

I was out at the lake yesterday to pay my dry storage fee and start getting "Quiet Time" ready for boating season. I was talking to the marina office staff about what we might see this year in terms of water level, and I'm afraid the news isn't good. As of yesterday, March 23, Folsom Lake is a whopping 35 feet below what it's water level was last year on this date. Although peak water content of the snow pack in the American River watershed (Folsom Lake's primary water source) was 107% of normal when the State Dept. of Water Resources measured it last month, the fact is that Folsom Lake is already so low that there may not be enough snow up there to bring the lake any higher than it's 2007 peak of 445' - if it even gets that high (full pond is 466').

Compounding the situation is that most of the other big reservoirs in Northern California are just as low as Folsom, if not worse; in particular Lakes Oroville and Shasta are at only a fraction of the capacity they should have. This will likely force the Feds (Bureau of Reclamation) to again draw Folsom down quickly in mid-summer to supply agri-business customers, and prevent salt water intrusion into that part of the Delta where the California Aqueduct intake is located.

The bottom line is that there's a pretty good chance that we will once again see Folsom Lake Marina being forced to close prematurely right at the peak of boating season in July. This happened in 2001, 2004, and 2007. In fact, the recent apparent inability of BuRec to keep Folsom Lake's water level up through the summer months is having a noticeable effect on slip rentals: the turnover rate for 24' slips at Folsom Lake Marina is normally 50 per year, which means that the waiting list was about 15 years at one point. This year and last, the turnover was more like 150, which has reduced the waiting list to something like only 9 years.

The high price of gas is having an effect too; all types of motorized recreation are seeing a slump. Anyway, I am now at #128 on the list and the marina manager told me yesterday that there's a good chance that I could finally get a slip next year. I've been wait listed since '99. I've been anxious to get away from dry storage and back to an in-water slip because of the skyrocketing price of fuel. With the boat in dry storage, it has to be launched from the ramp, so I have to drive my 13 mpg truck every time I want to use the boat. With diesel at $4.50/gallon, that adds about $32 to the price tag for every trip to the lake. If the boat was in a slip, I could drive my 45 mpg Toyota at about 1/4 the cost per mile for fuel (not only is the fuel economy better, regular gas is 50 cents cheaper than diesel!).

My primary task yesterday was supposed to be fixing the brakes on the trailer - they quit working a couple of years ago and I'll need them for the San Juans trip this coming July. After running through the usual diagnostics, it looks like the master cylinder has failed. Now I am in a serious fix: the trailer manufacturer used a weld-on coupler assembly instead of a bolt-on, then welded on the tongue jack only 4" behind the rear of the coupler; there is no way to remove the master cylinder without grinding off the welds for the coupler or the tongue jack. What were they thinking of to build the trailer that way?!?!
So, I had to abandon fixing the brakes and went on to other minor tasks like replenishing electrolyte in the house batteries. I will probably put the boat in the water next weekend - first splashdown of the year - and take that opportunity to do some modifications to the keel support pad on the trailer. The good news from yesterday is that my efforts last October to reseal the four pieces of wood trim on the cabin roof appear to have paid off: I had zero rainwater in the bilge sump, whereas last March there was 2~3 gallons that had leaked in over the preceding winter months.

Larry Charlot
Catalina 25WK/TR Mk. IV #5857 "Quiet Time"
Folsom Lake, CA

"You might get there faster in a powerboat, but in a sailboat, you're already there"

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sweetcraft
Admiral

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USA
816 Posts

Response Posted - 03/23/2008 : 15:54:25

Our lake is down also even with the high snow pack so the fixed keel boats will have a short season. Lake Almanor is out of range of more boats this season with the fuel costs to get here so I hope the local marinas will have openings for the locals. Near the end of last season I saw a lot more stumps showing than I have seen for many years. I did the brakes for last season and made it to the SJ and Gulf Islands so we shall see. My season will depend also on my ability to get back upon the boat. Hope to be out there.

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Fantasy II
1st Mate

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USA
80 Posts

Response Posted - 03/23/2008 : 18:30:59

Larry.

You might think about bringing your boat down to the Stockton Sailing Club on the San Joaquin! Lots of Catalinas here, 25's, 27's 270's and up! You are in easy reaching distance to Stockton and the slip fees are not TOO high! The Club is a great bunch of folks, very friendly, and the facilities are fantastic.

I would like to invite you to our Friday night dinners (social get-togethers), where the meal is FREE and the company is great!

My wife and I are planning to be there this coming Friday, so if you can make it (bring a friend, wife, etc.) let me know and I'll fill in the details for you. Hope to see you there!
Bill

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sweetcraft
Admiral

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USA
816 Posts

Response Posted - 03/23/2008 : 21:22:16

Larry, this last cruise I used a rope reel from a marine store to hold a long line to shore and back with great success. I just bought a 600' line and replaced a shorter line for the next time from HF. Am trying add a handcrank to shorten the reel in time. The reel was free and the new line cost $7.20. A lot of the NW marine parks allow and have rings to run the line through on shore which allows more boats to anchor in small areas.

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Russ.Johnson
Commodore

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USA
855 Posts

Response Posted - 03/24/2008 : 14:06:52

Larry,

Would you consider keeping your boat in Clear Lake?
It's a natural lake and today it is 7 feet above the low water mark.
That's 2 feet below flood stage.
If you are interested, send me an e-mail and I'll give you more details.

Russ (C250WB #793)

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Nautiduck
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
3704 Posts

Response Posted - 03/24/2008 : 16:47:29

Bummer about the brakes. Do not attempt to come over the Siskyous into Oregon without trailer brakes!

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sweetcraft
Admiral

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USA
816 Posts

Response Posted - 03/24/2008 : 19:38:54

Like Randy says "brakes". I put the new disc brakes on for last cruise over the Siskyous and also the master cylinder. Made the road trip much more safe. Stockton and Clear Lake sound very good too.

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aeckhart
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1709 Posts

Response Posted - 03/25/2008 : 13:12:39

Current predictions by the Corps of Eng is that Lake Superior will have recovered to its 2006 level this year. It was down as much as 18" last year. We had lots of system snow this past winter and a wet fall.

We live on a lake connected to Lake Superior by canal. I had to move my wife's shore station out 280 feet from shore last year to get enough depth to launch and retrieve her power boat. My boat mooring went from 18 feet to 15 feet. The depth increase will be welcome.

I also had to replace a welded master cylinder two years ago. Fortunately I have a tongue extension so I was able to remove the extension and have a machine shop replace the assembly. Cost me $50 but was worth it. Last year was my first year with trailer brakes in about 15 years.

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Nautiduck
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
3704 Posts

Response Posted - 03/25/2008 : 19:43:30

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Last year was my first year with trailer brakes in about 15 years.<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

I truly hope you didn't have 6,000lbs of C25 behind you those 15 years. That would be very dangerous, not to mention illegal.

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aeckhart
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1709 Posts

Response Posted - 03/26/2008 : 12:43:04

I did, but only had to travel two miles to the local ramp. At 30 mph on a straight two lane little-used highway I felt fairly safe.

The only reason I had the brakes repaired was that I had planned on sailing the Nationals in Cleaveland last year. Bought a new 3/4 ton GMC to tow with too. Unfortunately the cost of gas sky-rocketed and made the trip cost prohibitive. I'm now contemplating trading the truck in on a 1/2 ton.

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lcharlot
Master Marine Consultant

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Antigua and Barbuda
1301 Posts

Response Posted - 03/31/2008 : 01:52:20

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by Russ.Johnson
 Larry,

Would you consider keeping your boat in Clear Lake?

Russ (C250WB #793)
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

Clear Lake is too far from my house to be practical. Stockton or Antioch would be better if I decide to abandon Folsom Lake.

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lcharlot
Master Marine Consultant

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Antigua and Barbuda
1301 Posts

Response Posted - 03/31/2008 : 02:06:35

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by aeckhart
 ... Nationals in Cleaveland last year. Bought a new 3/4 ton GMC to tow with too. Unfortunately the cost of gas sky-rocketed and made the trip cost prohibitive...
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

Diesel fuel is hovering around $4.20/gallon in California (it was $0.96/gallon when I bought my Dodge Cummins diesel pickup in June '98 - that is a 438% increase!). At the current prices for fuel, it will cost at least $700 for the road trip for our San Juans cruise this summer. That price is for the Catalina 22's. The people with bigger, heavier boats like Catalina 25's and Chrysler 26's are probably looking at $1100+ for fuel. We have 7 boats signed up from our sailing club, but I have a feeling that this may be the last time we go to the San Juans unless the price of motor fuel comes down to what it was before this latest run-up.

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