Notice:
The advice given on this site is based upon individual or quoted experience, yours may differ.
The Officers, Staff and members of this site only provide information based upon the concept that anyone utilizing this information does so at their own risk and holds harmless all contributors to this site.
Narration: I wanted to write a little about coming to Lake Cheney. It should be an easy trip for who ever can make it. My point in that is that once you are on the Great Plains the driving is easy, the gas is cheap and the roads are very good. Once you get to the Wichita area it only gets better. Many lakes are in mountains, Cheney is not. As a result we park a few feet from our boats, not up on some cliff above the lake. Our roads to and into the park and club are all flat nice roads, no scary switchbacks and gravel roads. As you leave <font color="red">West Wichita from I-235 (exit 10) out 21st st West</font id="red"> you drive through the newest nicest part of Wichita with every kind of shopping you could hope for, what ever you forgot you will find at Wal-Mart, Super Target, Quick Trip, etc. Every food imaginable will be along the roadside as you drive the 4-5 miles through west Wichita. <font color="red">Just a note about exit 10; 10MPH!!!!!</font id="red"> You will already be on the road that takes you past 391st west (KS 251) to the <font color="red">West entrance of Cheney Reservoir</font id="red"> where you will follow the lake road north to the place where it dead ends at the hoist at the Ninnescah Yacht Club (DBA Ninnescah Sailing Association), the park sign refer to the club as “sailboat cove”. The park can easily be reached from US-54, the park is 2 miles or so North of the highway, the exit is marked, be sure to take the Cheney reservoir exit (Ks 251) and not the Cheney town exit. Go north to 21st st. north and turn west. There will be NO stores or restaurants if you come from US-54 up to the lake so do any last minute shopping along 54. As I said, those who come in I-35 from the north or south and come out west 21st St. will be able to buy anything they want. The lake is part of a state park; there are game preserves, trails and lots of fishing. The state park system has fees, the park charges $6.50 a day or $40 a year, there will be a gate to pay at, if you are late you can still get in and you are supposed to leave the money in a box, (I requested that the fees be waved but the condition of the state budget makes that impossible). There are air-conditioned cabins available; they are just inside the park, about a mile from the club. Once in the club area you will have ample room to park your trailer and vehicle, there are camping spots with power if you want to pay the additional camping fee. All boats will have a slip, sleeping on the boat is free and does not require a camping permit. The slips are full slips with a full finger on each side, you will need dock lines but you will not need fenders unless you choose a half slip at the end of one of the docks. All slips have shore power and potable water. There is a nice bath house at the club with hot showers. We also have an extraordinary clubhouse with restrooms and a double kitchen. The camp grounds are ample; we have board boat/day sailor areas, general areas and a catamaran area. The board boats and day sailors and a few of us catamaran people keep our boats on the beach of “small boat cove”. The catamaran area is called Pirates beach, it is south of the small boat cove and the people who camp there are the Cheney Pirates, you will see their flags. They have great bonfires and late parties.
The itinerary for the weekend provides for a grill on Friday night so when people arrive they can have a dog and something to drink after we get their boat in their slip. Saturday morning there will be a continental breakfast. Saturday night there will be a dinner and moonlight sail sponsored by the Catalina 30s. The Catalina 30 fleet is also providing the regatta workers, they are our hosts, and the Catalina 25-250 fleet is our sponsor. The awards presentation will be Sunday; there will be a light snack and drinks. We will help everyone pull whether they are hoisted out or want to use the ramp.
All of the usual Hotel chains are in Wichita. People should specify west Wichita in their reservations. The airport Hilton is west; the river walk Hyatt is nice. There is a west Hampton Inn, etc.
Frank, is there any info available yet on the format for the event?: 1. Beginning and ending date 2. Location of "home base" marina at Lake Cheney, location of launch ramps, etc. 3. Recommended route from the west coast. Do we take I-70 to get there? 3. Logistics: parking for trailers/tow vehicles 4. Will there be a "cruiser class" for those whose boats aren't equipped for dead serious no-holds-barred racing?
I might be interested in making it to your Nationals next summer since I had to miss this last one in Portland.
It is our hope that some people will take some time off between Monday the 4th and Friday the 8th and just come on in. We would love to have people come for the fourth and stay over. Everyone will have a slip with water and shore power, (lake depth providing). A person could race in our annual "Colossus Cup' over the 4th, race the Wed night beer race on the 6th and then race the Nationals on the 9th and 10th.
Great video! I will be doing some work on my trailer to get it ready for the trip to Kansas.
I am bringing my 84 tall rig. But it is safe to say that I have the heaviest slowest 25 in the world. Its nickname is the lead sled. The guy who owned it a few years ago teaked it out. I mean TEAKED IT OUT! Teak everywhere you look. I would post pics if I knew how.
It is a beautiful boat inside, but just too heavy. I raced the other day using somebody else's boat because the Lead Sled stayed in the slip. Instead of finishing last in my boat, we finished 2nd. (would have finished 3rd if Meinert was there to race)
Excellent videos. A long trip to Kansas but it is on the calendar now. Nothing gets in the way this time. Let me get this straight: Pull the boat out of the water in Mission Bay, San Diego, take home to prep the bottom, etc., for racing, then leave Hemet, CA before the 4th maybe and drive to the I10 then head toward Phoenix, north on the 17 to Flagstaff, east on the I40 past Albuquerque to Tucumcari, then the 54 northeast and then east to Lake Cheney. 1376 miles. Better go out and assess the trailer fitness right now. Another tall rig (with wing keel) to go racing.
Gary, sounds like a plan. I checked the length of the trip from The Great Sacandaga Lake yesterday - 1456 (or something like that) miles, but I still planning on being in the middle of the country fo 2005 Nationals and having a great time.
Frank, The video is great. How did you do it? Any special software? Would you be willing to take a bonafide non-techno type thru the process? Todd Frye
<blockquote id="quote"><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"><i>Originally posted by lcharlot</i> <br />Frank, is there any info available yet on the format for the event?: 1. Beginning and ending date
July 8-10
2. Location of "home base" marina at Lake Cheney, location of launch ramps, etc.
"Sail Boat Cove" at the end of the west shore lake road. Enter off 21st St at the west park entrance
3. Recommended route from the west coast. Do we take I-70 to get there?
From Folsom, I would take 40, its a diagonal from Tucumcarie, you could go 70 through the rockies.
3. Logistics: parking for trailers/tow vehicles
Plenty of parking at your boat's slip.
4. Will there be a "cruiser class" for those whose boats aren't equipped for dead serious no-holds-barred racing?
No, if someone doesn't want to skipper a race they should catch a ride as crew. There is always a chance of poor weather but if it is typical people will really be glad they brought their boat whether they race or not. Come be the official Photographer.
I might be interested in making it to your Nationals next summer since I had to miss this last one in Portland. <hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote"></font id="quote">
<blockquote id="quote"><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"><i>Originally posted by Todd Frye</i> <br />Frank, The video is great. How did you do it? Any special software? Would you be willing to take a bonafide non-techno type thru the process? Todd Frye
You are too kind, Do you like the sailing videos or the mostly still invitation? I just shoot with my digital camera on video mode, most of them do it. I have a Mac. That pretty much explains the rest. Macs come with movie software and Apple hosts the website that is connected to the movie software. I just click a couple of times and it is done.
<blockquote id="quote"><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"><i>Originally posted by coach</i> <br /> Great video! I will be doing some work on my trailer to get it ready for the trip to Kansas.
I am bringing my 84 tall rig. But it is safe to say that I have the heaviest slowest 25 in the world. Its nickname is the lead sled. The guy who owned it a few years ago teaked it out. I mean TEAKED IT OUT! Teak everywhere you look. I would post pics if I knew how.
It is a beautiful boat inside, but just too heavy. I raced the other day using somebody else's boat because the Lead Sled stayed in the slip. Instead of finishing last in my boat, we finished 2nd. (would have finished 3rd if Meinert was there to race)
<blockquote id="quote"><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"><i>Originally posted by gnorgan</i> <br />Excellent videos. A long trip to Kansas but it is on the calendar now. Nothing gets in the way this time. Let me get this straight: Pull the boat out of the water in Mission Bay, San Diego, take home to prep the bottom, etc., for racing, then leave Hemet, CA before the 4th maybe and drive to the I10 then head toward Phoenix, north on the 17 to Flagstaff, east on the I40 past Albuquerque to Tucumcari, then the 54 northeast and then east to Lake Cheney. 1376 miles. Better go out and assess the trailer fitness right now. Another tall rig (with wing keel) to go racing. <hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote"></font id="quote">
It is wonderful news that Fleet 7 will be sending a representative. I think the biggie for most people will be the wheel bearings, freshly packed, and a spare or two. Those with electric brakes will really be at an advantage for general towing control. If a person wanted to they could change to electrics for several hundred dollars.
Video Invitation - Frank, it was all looking so terrific I was ready to start the vacation plans until I heard "hospitality, next to none" What? No hospitality? Just a bunch of mean, hardcore racers? And I was looking forward to a good party!
Just joking. If it was "second to none" I'd be packing tomorrow.
I'm passing the Notice of Race on to the South Sound Sailing Society in Olympia, WA.
This is the 5 year data with averaged fields at the bottom. It covers the first 11 days of July. The peaks cover sustained over 2 minutes and gusts over 5 sec.
Frank, If I may point out a few typos... Your post dated 9/16/2004 containing all the race details states in "Condition 3. Entries: Shall be submitted on the official entry form and received no later than 5:00 pm, June 6, 2003", should be "June 6, 2005"? On the registration page in the "Fees" section the Early Registration discount is dated "7/6/2005", should be "6/6/2005" ?
Hope this helps. Also, I am curious as to why only the administrator gets to view who has entered.
Hope to be there (someone has to define the end of the pack!). Thanks.
<blockquote id="quote"><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"><i>Originally posted by sterngucker</i> <br />Frank, If I may point out a few typos... Your post dated 9/16/2004 containing all the race details states in "Condition 3. Entries: Shall be submitted on the official entry form and received no later than 5:00 pm, June 6, 2003", should be "June 6, 2005"? On the registration page in the "Fees" section the Early Registration discount is dated "7/6/2005", should be "6/6/2005" ?
Hope this helps. Also, I am curious as to why only the administrator gets to view who has entered.
Hope to be there (someone has to define the end of the pack!). Thanks.
I hope you are here too. Thanks for the tip on the typos. I do not know why I am the only one to see the registrants. I hope everyone posts here when they sign up. SO far we have no actual registrants. Be the first!
Notice: The advice given on this site is based upon individual or quoted experience, yours may differ. The Officers, Staff and members of this site only provide information based upon the concept that anyone utilizing this information does so at their own risk and holds harmless all contributors to this site.