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Last sail of the year

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lcharlot
Master Marine Consultant

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Antigua and Barbuda
1301 Posts

Initially Posted - 10/24/2004 : 02:01:47

October 22-23, Last Folsom Lake Cruise for 2004.
I launched “Quiet Time” Friday afternoon and went sailing for a few hours, and most likely it will be the last time the boat gets used for this year. I stripped the sails and stowed them, and removed the gas tank, when I pulled out to come home Saturday evening, so I guess the boat is now in winter lay-up. I had a notion to try and make some of the San Francisco Bay cruises with my sailing club this winter, but my night school schedule will make that impractical, so the boat will start her winter nap today. I was going to spend the whole weekend, but it rained all day Saturday, and I finally got tired of waiting to see if it might clear up, so I put the boat back on the trailer at 16:00, and headed home.
The sailing on Friday was nice, but the wind was real light, no more than maybe 4 mph. I took her into South Fork to have a look at New York Cove, and there was just enough breeze to sail back out at 1.8 kts average. Took a couple of hours and a lot of tacking to get back out to the lake, as the South Fork channel is now so narrow from the low water that I had to tack about every three or four minutes, even at that low boat speed. But it was fun, and I had the lake completely to myself. I saw only three other boats (bass fishermen) the whole afternoon. What a contrast to the typical summer day, when it seems like every jet ski and powerboat in the world is zooming through South Fork!
New York Cove is shrunk down to maybe 1/3 of it’s maximum length, and there are lots of ancient tree stumps visible at the water’s edge, making it obvious as to why one occasionally loses an anchor in there. The cove where we have the Jazz cruise every year, with all the boats tied up in a big semi-circle, it is completely high and dry now. I had an idea to take a look at the foundations of the old Salmon Falls Bridge, but could not get anywhere near the area. I was only able to move upstream about 1/2 mile from the mouth of New York Cove before the depth under my keel was 3 feet, at which point prudence dictated a retreat to deeper water. The bridge is at least 2 miles further upstream from the point where I had to turn around.
The Marina office and gas dock are now no longer floating - there is less than a half foot of water around the office, and it is sitting hard on the mud. Tom, the marina's assistant manager, told me that a powerboater tried to pull in there a few days ago, either to buy gas or haul out at that ramp, and got stuck only a little way in from the entrance to the marina basin - at least a couple hundred feet from the ramp. Took several hours to get him unstuck and towed back out, too.
Folsom Lake Yacht Club had a race scheduled today, and they actually pulled it off despite the cold rain and low visibility, using their Boston Whaler as the committee boat. A grand total of THREE Banshees participated. I watched them pull away from the Hobie cove dock, and head for the racing circle, from the relative warmth of the cabin in my boat, with a steaming cup of hot chocolate in my hand. I spent the whole day in a slip on “O” dock (which is anchored in Hobie Cove until the lake comes back up next spring and it can be towed back into the main marina basin), right next to a Chrysler 26 belonging to another member of my sailing club. I was waiting to see if it would clear up, or at least quit raining (it didn’t), othewise I would have been out sailing.
The rainy weather put a damper on my hope for one last day of sailing, but it was also nice to spend a day snugged down inside, reading a book, and listening to the patter of the rain on the roof. Let’s all hope for a good load of snow on the mountains this coming winter, to fill the lake back up. It was a terrible disappointment to see the marina close in the middle of July; maybe we will have better luck with the water level next year and the marina will have a full season.

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"

Edited by - on

aeckhart
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1709 Posts

Response Posted - 10/24/2004 : 09:20:28

Larry,

It is a sad time isn't it? Ending the season.

I'm continually amazed at the number of western lakes that are losing water, some nearly to the point of extinction. We are very luckey here on Lake Superior where we have actually regained the depth lost over that past few years, even more so than the lower lakes. Part of the reason, i assume, is the amount of rain we've had. I don't have any numbers but one indicator is the fact that my grass has stayed green all summer - unheard of. Another is that, like you, it (rain) has kept me off the lake much of the summer. When I hauled my boat last week, after not having been aboard for several weeks, I found the interior hull covered with mildew. This has never happened before either. If the relatively warn weather holds and it quits raining I'll have to start scrubbing. Have any ideas for mildew cleanup?

Snow is right around the corner though and other pre-winter chores remain. We're in the snow belt here in the UP of Michigan - 250 to 300 inches per year. I'm now transitioning to my third great love - hockey. At 55 even that's becoming a chore. Wonder what everyone else does for winter recreation?

Al
GALLIVANT #5801

Edited by - on

Mark Loyacano
Navigator

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USA
247 Posts

Response Posted - 10/24/2004 : 10:17:39

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by lcharlot
 October 22-23, Last Folsom Lake Cruise for 2004. It was a terrible disappointment to see the marina close in the middle of July; maybe we will have better luck with the water level next year and the marina will have a full season.<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

Larry, we certainly hope the weather changes for the better. Recently, I flew over Folsom Lake several times ... it is every bit as sad as you've described. In past visits to Folsom it was always teeming with boating activity. Who knew there were so many islands and sandbars just under the surface? Lake Powell is suffering very low water levels too. At one spot the lake appears to be fully divided, cut off from it northwestern areas by sandbars.

A few years ago, our lake was drained to make repairs to the dam. It's a sad, sad feeling to loose a whole sailing season.

Edited by - on

ClamBeach
Master Marine Consultant

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3072 Posts

Response Posted - 10/24/2004 : 10:36:43

Well, fortunately (for Folsom) it does look like we might be gettng an early and wet winter in the Northwest. We've had 3 Pacific storm systems so far and another is on the way for Monday forecast to bring snow down to the foothills.

This weekend we are between systems and it was a gorgeous sailing day yesterday... clear skies, 59 degrees, wind 10-15 from the NW. Unfortunately, I missed it, my darn shoulder went out after splitting firewood. Today looks to be a repeat though and I intend to get out on the water and enjoy.

A sobering fact to remember about Folsom (and other similar bodies of water) is that they are resivoirs, not lakes. With the nearly insatiable demand for water in the Southwest, I think they will regularly be drawn down to become late summer mudflats... 'normal' precipitation or not. :>(

Lucky for me, they can't drain the oceans.

Edited by - on

Jeff McK
Captain

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USA
389 Posts

Response Posted - 10/24/2004 : 20:31:01

Larry,

I hope you have a great off-season with lots of water in Folsom over the winter. Those of us lucky enough to have access to the Chesapeake Bay are counting the days when we have to put ours away 'til spring. Today it was in the mid 40's, drizzly, not much wind.

Maybe next week...

Bruce: Tough injury. Good luck with the shoulder.

Edited by - Jeff McK on 10/24/2004 20:33:47

lcharlot
Master Marine Consultant

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Antigua and Barbuda
1301 Posts

Response Posted - 10/24/2004 : 21:32:59

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by ClamBeach
 
A sobering fact to remember about Folsom (and other similar bodies of water) is that they are resivoirs, not lakes. With the nearly insatiable demand for water in the Southwest, I think they will regularly be drawn down to become late summer mudflats... 'normal' precipitation or not. :>(

Lucky for me, they can't drain the oceans.
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

You are absolutely right. The water in Folsom Lake is "owned" by the Federal Bureau of Reclamation, not the California State Department of Water Resources, so the management of the water is completely controlled by the Feds with little or no State or local say in the matter. We are told that BuRec is required by law to manage the lake in a certain order of priority:
1. Flood Control, to protect life and property along the lower American River and in the downtown neighborhoods of Sacramento that have historically been subject to flooding.
2. Environmental Protection, to provide fresh water in the California Delta when drought causes saltwater from the ocean to start backing upstream too far, threatening wildlife habitats (not to mention human drinking water supplies)
3. Electric power production: Folsom Dam can provide up to 100 megawatts of "peaking" power, at the cost of about 10,000 cubic feet of water per second (translates to 1 foot of water level drop for every 8 hours than the powerplant is running)
4. Contractural water deliveries to various municipal and agricultural water buyers.

That's it. Notice there is NO mention of any priority or obligation to the California State Parks department to keep water in the lake - excuse me, "reservoir" - for recreational use. My spot at the lake is paid for up to next March 31st, so I have until then to decide if I want to move elsewhere.

Edited by - on

OJ
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
4382 Posts

Response Posted - 10/24/2004 : 21:35:08

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by aeckhart
 I found the interior hull covered with mildew . . . I'll have to start scrubbing. Have any ideas for mildew cleanup?
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

No scrubbing required - a bathroom tile cleaner used with a sponge should take it right off.

Edited by - on

Derek Crawford
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
3324 Posts

Response Posted - 10/24/2004 : 23:15:29

White vinegar will also kill it and it doesn't leave any smell after it dries.
Derek

Edited by - on

JimB517
Past Commodore

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USA
3285 Posts

Response Posted - 10/25/2004 : 13:19:13

Larry, for $98 bucks you can come down here on Southwest and spend a great 3 day weekend sailing with us in San Diego. I'll even dontate my boat for your overnight use.

In contrast to your weekend, Saturday I stayed home and did some much needed work on the house, then Karen and Heidi worked a booth selling hamburgers at the local Youth Fair. We also fixed mouse damage to the hot tub. Sunday I hit the seas about 11:30 AM with Indiscipline. Winds were light but good enough to make about 4 knots all day. Seas were very calm. Sky was clear, sunny and warm. It took several hours to sail upwind about 5 miles north to La Jolla cove, where I got a couple of Bonita on board (released unharmed). I metered literally thousands of fish hanging at about 50 feet. Couldn't get them to go. It is a sign of an El Nino year - mild wet winter for CA, lots of warm ocean water, good fishing all through the winter, many exotics in close. There were only a few other boats fishing the La Jolla kelp.

About 3 PM I turned for home. With a nice west wind it was a beam reach back to Mission Bay. I was able to make about 4.5 knots. It was calm so I put all my gear away and straightened up the boat while Otto sailed her back.

Back in Mission Bay the afternoon wind was directly behind and I enjoyed gybing down the channel trying to catch and beat a well-sailed C22 to Quivira basin.

I was in the slip by 4:30, everything put away, and then enjoyed standing around telling sea tales with the L Dock crew until about 5:30. Home by 6:30 for a nice evening with the family - too bad the hot tub was not warm enough yet.

Think about a visit down here.

Edited by - on

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