Opening day 2011

[Skagitguy]

This had to have been the best weather we have had ( more blue sky) than any othertime in the 5 years since we have been doing the parades. It seems like everybody had a great time. Highlight of the day was a gal ( she must have been cold ) going topless ( just like Bainbridge was ) along the log boom..no pictures. Sorry if i did not get everyone's boats. It was nice seeing everyone. On to PDX. Chuck

[Tim_Mattson]

Opening Day images --part 2

What a Day.Great weather for exactly the time my boat was wet.Even the wind died down as we entered the Cut,though it came back off and on.
The Skagit 31 was stunning in person,made for a great shot with the needle behind.No more photo shop on the water scenes as it has become a reality.

More pics to come.......still cropping and chopping.:email1:
TimM

Skagit crew on opening day 2011

Time machine

[Tim McCrain]

Great Time!

This was the first opening day I've attended, and I'm sure glad I made it. Brendan and I had a great time and were amazed at the weather we had. When I left home it was raining so hard I wondered what in the heck I was doing, (just like the Lake Union cruise a couple of weeks ago) but by the time we arrived at the launch it was dry. I drove into rain again when I got close to home and it rained there the rest of the day. Cindy said it rained at home all day long!

Many thanks to Brian Flaherty for organizing this one, this was the first time he's done this and he did a great job! I don't know how it could have gone any better than it did. I know we especially appreciated Brian making sure that there were octopus costumes available for anyone who wanted one, so that those of us who are a little "costume challenged" had something appropriate to wear and the group had a cohesive look.

We had a really good turnout, no one needed a tow, no one got rained on, no one was boarded by the Coast Guard ... .. what more do ya want?

Tim

P.S. I've posted a bunch of photos in the Opening Day 2011 gallery.

[skagit 25]

What a great looking day! I think you sent all of your rain down here to Portland.:Raining:

[Helmar]

This was the first opening day I've attended, and I'm sure glad I made it. Brendan and I had a great time and were amazed at the weather we had. When I left home it was raining so hard I wondered what in the heck I was doing, (just like the Lake Union cruise a couple of weeks ago) but by the time we arrived at the launch it was dry. I drove into rain again when I got close to home and it rained there the rest of the day. Cindy said it rained at home all day long!

Many thanks to Brian Flaherty for organizing this one, this was the first time he's done this and he did a great job! I don't know how it could have gone any better than it did. I know we especially appreciated Brian making sure that there were octopus costumes available for anyone who wanted one, so that those of us who are a little "costume challenged" had something appropriate to wear and the group had a cohesive look.

We had a really good turnout, no one needed a tow, no one got rained on, no one was boarded by the Coast Guard ... .. what more do ya want?

Tim

P.S. I've posted a bunch of photos in the Opening Day 2011 gallery.

Which answers my question, you Can upload batches to Photopost.
Cool....Fixed it :email1:

[Karl]

Thanks to everyone involved in organizing this event. Everything went great except for the ride home. Traffic was more congested (1.5 hrs to get back onto I-5) on 45th Street than in the cut!

Karl

[Bflaherty]

2011 in the record books

WOW!!!

I don't know how else to describe this day... The boat turn out in our club was impressive to say the least. So many new people and some truly gorgeous boats finally seen in person on the water. Thank you to everyone of you who came out to support this event!!

Our day was a little chaoic... At the launch ramp our Chris Craft decided to act up with a seized water raw water pump. So my crew and I spent 20 minutes tearing the pump apart and freeing it up manually, then we set off with no other issues all day. The same cannot be said for the Lake Union recreational crew team that we rescued from the water in front of the Seattle Harbour Patrol offices. We pulled 4 very wet and extremely cold crewmen from the fridgid Lake Union waters and spent over an hour towing their capsized skull back to their dock. This is the first time I have ever been the first responder to marine emergancy and it was a little more excitment then I was looking for that day. Turns out that in the process of saving 4 lives we waked our prop (I believe on one of their oars that were sticking out from the boat below the surface) and wound up with a nice chip and paint scuff on the transom from the crew shell bouncing off our boat while pulling them aboard. Of the 7 people in the crew 4 came on our boat and 3 others who were showing signs of stage 2 hypothermia were loaded on a second boat and rushed to their crew house where they were promptly greeted by fellow crew members who helped them into warm showers and dry clothes...

Once we arrived at the meeting dock and got all our captains squared away we all had to rush accross Lake Union to get to the staging area for the parade. Our group did a great job of staying close together and paying close attention to the parade director. Don't know how it could have gone any smoother. All our captains did a great job!!!

The results of the Spirit Class were:

1: Pacific NW chapter, ACBS
2: Lake Washington Lyman Boat Owners
3: Shilshole Bay YC 50th Annivsery

Thanks again to everyone who made this event possible and as great as ever!!!

[roger.morse]

Great Opening Day!

Many thanks to Brian for coordinating, and to his crew for getting us outfitted with the octopus arms and crab hats. I think I owe someone some money for the crab hat that was handed to me, so let me know.

Turned out to be a relatively nice day for early May, and lots of fun had by all!!

[Andy E.]

Thanks for the great day. Good start on this years boating season. Andy E.

[GregJ]

Great time as usual. Thank you Brian for organizing a great event. Hope to have some pics soon as soon as I can get my computer to cooperate.

[GregS]

I was working the University Bridge when I looked down and saw the 31' Skagit going under. What a beautiful craft. Very nice restoration. Good to see a few others sneaking under my bridge!

Greg S.

[Helmar]

I was working the University Bridge when I looked down and saw the 31' Skagit going under. What a beautiful craft. Very nice restoration. Good to see a few others sneaking under my bridge!

Greg S.

Wow Greg.....Good to see you drop in. You need to come hang out. :GoodJob:

[McSkagit Tim Jones]

Opening Day!

WoW first opening day that I've attended. Weather was looking iffy, but cleared up just as the parade started. Great to see everyone and was wishing we all had our name tags.

The trip down Friday was great.....took the Juan De Fuca route as I got a late start. The strait was flat calm. Nearing Point Wilson, I noted some strange looking twin boats headed my way. Was raining, so my glasses were fogged.
Closer I got realized that was a nuke sub between two escorts. Coast Guard safe boats headed my way to chase me off. Made a course change for Point Wilson and put the throttles ahead.

Started getting into some tide rips and chop in Puget Sound. Some two footers. Maintained 18 knots all the way to Shilshole. 3 hours and 20 minuted from Friday Harbor.

Picked up my daughter Zoanna and we headed for the locks. Only boat in the small lock. Stayed at Fisherman's terminal.

Parade was great! Had my sister, daughter and my cousin and his wife aboard. After entering Lake Washington, headed for Kirkland and got a bit of a tour of Lake Washington.

No more that I off loaded my crew and headed for the locks than it started to rain hard. Got soaked and chilled, so stopped for 30 minuted or so at "W" dock at Shilshole while I warmed up. Wind was out of the NW at 18 and a 3 foot chop was washing into the north entrance.

Once warm, I blasted out of the north entrance and headed for Edmonds. Three foot chop on the bow with the occasional 4 footer. Maintained 16 knots and no pounding into that sea. Occasionally I'd look off to port and make note of the seas rolling past. Thinking...WOW, it's really rough out here! Took a little spray over the bow on the 4 footers, otherwise smooth ride!

Stopped into LaConner on the way home and bought fuel. Look for the Dunlaps, but nobody in. Calmest water of the three day event was in San Juan Channel. Boat ran great and no mechanicl issues.

Can't wait for other club events. Great to see everyone.

Tim