Thanks to everyone who showed up to the Hobie regatta this past weekend at Cultus Lake. A special thanks to our volunteers both on the water and on shore for making the racing happen in tough conditions. A special shout out to Chad for loaning us his San Juan 21 for the Race Committee Boat. Saturday was a ‘no racing’ day with some folks still going out and enjoying the light and shifty winds that were there. Meanwhile the folks who stayed on shore fixed and cleaned boat, reconnected with friends and just enjoyed the day. The evening had us enjoying a chicken corn chowder prepared by Debbie and then the competition really began with a game of Cornhole. Teams were made and the fierce competition went well into the evening. Sunday saw us staring at 0930 with racing finally underway about 1030. 7 races were completed under gusty and shifty winds which made for some tough decisions on the water, some paid off, some didn’t. There were a few moments of ‘that was close’ with the gusty winds almost putting boats over, but the only capsize came on the last race, just before the finish, Well done Tim!!
At the end of the day, everyone enjoyed themselves, there was a good mix of placings in each race and some tight finishes.
White Pass Ski Area, Washington So much fun, we’re doing it twice! February 3-4-5 AND March 10-11-12
We are happy to announce that Rich received approval from the Olympia Ski Club board for TWO Hobie ski invasions this season. Here is a link to White Pass to learn more about the resort, lift tickets alpine and cross country runs, rentals services etc. https://skiwhitepass.com/ Like all local areas these days, check in advance for ticket availability.
Joining the group at the Olympia Ski Club is fun and affordable, with ski in/out access. It is dormitory style bunks at $15/night per person. Excellent meals are planned for Saturday dinner and Sunday breakfast with a combined cost of only $10/person. Either current Covid vaccination or negative home test the day prior is required to stay in the Oly. For RV camping info check the White Pass website.
If you wish to attend the upcoming February dates, please contact us quickly. Rich needs at least 4-5 days notice to plan food and accommodations.
If you are interested and haven’t yet seen the details, please contact Rich via the HobieDiv4 Google Group, or send an email to info@hobiediv4.org requesting information.
We’ve all seen the handwringing. We’ve all heard the pontificating. I’m one of those. We’ve all read the varying opinions as to why participation in sailing and racing is struggling.
“Big-boat” fleets are shrinking. Dinghy fleets are often on life support or only come together for Nationals, Worlds or Regionals. The US Sailing Championships do not have the prestige they used to. It’s great to see kids out there, but it seems they’re generally not carrying the love for racing into adulthood. Maybe they are, they just can’t afford the time or money.
What we haven’t heard or seen that much of are fully successful solutions. One might just have arrived with Starting Line Sailing (SLS) venturing into new ground as a builder of ILCA dinghies (yes, Lasers to many of us) and Hobie Cat. Two of the most successful boats at introducing sailing to the masses will now be produced by one of the most dynamic sailing groups around.
Hello everyone, and thank you for registering for the H17/ H18 North American Championships at Lake Quinault, WA. I am sending this email with some information about the event that you need to know before arriving…. And with information about what’s going to happen during the week.
1) It has recently been brought to our attention that there will be major road work going on in the Lake Quinault area. A portion of Highway 101 will be closed 7/9/23 to 7/31/23 and will affect all traffic heading to the venue. There is a detour in place, but it is mostly back roads. This will be a much slower drive for anyone in an RV or for anyone towing a trailer.
When you are programming your GPS, please make sure that it has accounted for the detour. The detour will start in Montesano and take you out to Highway 101 beyond the closure.
Detour directions:
Take the Devanshire exit in Montesano
Continue straight onto Wynoochee Valley Rd
Stay on Wynoochee Valley Rd for approximately 10 miles
Turn left onto Wynoochee-Wishkah Rd
Turn right onto Wishkah Rd
Turn left onto Hoquiam-Wishkah Rd
Turn right onto E Hoquiam Rd which will turn into Youmans Rd
Turn right onto Highway 101
Thanks to Kailey Erickson for putting these directions together! (So blame her if they’re wrong, not me!)
2) A reminder for those arriving with RV’s, that Rain Forest Resort has power and water hookups ONLY. Please remember to dump prior to arrival, and then be judicious with your holding tank use. There is a clean and fairly convenient State of Washington dump station located on Eastbound SR-8 in Elma WA https://wsdot.wa.gov/travel/roads-bridges/rest-areas/elma-sr-8-eastbound (make a U-Turn on the way out Westbound – easy on the way back)–
3) When you arrive at the venue, You will need to check in with the Resort at the store on the main road. They have all your reservations. You will pay them directly. The store is stocked with all the basics that you might need for the week and there is another store just north of the lake with more supplies.
4) Schedule for the week: (subject to change but fairly rock solid)
Monday: Weight in (competitors only) and check in. Boats will be inspected then for invasive species, see Bob Combie. (If you sailed the weekend regatta you may have done that already!) There may be a practice race, supper is provided at the Salmon House Restaurant, (on site)
Tuesday: Competitors meeting at 1030, Racing starts at 1200, Pizza night at a local Restaurant (on your dime, but their putting together a special menu for us)
Wednesday: Racing starts at 1100, Supper – Taco night at the Restaurant, on us! Oldest Hobie Shirt day! Bring and wear your oldest, Prizes to be had..
Thursday: Racing starts at 1100, supper is on your own! A good time to get together and mingle with others.
Friday: Racing starts at 1100, No starts after 1600. Awards banquet at the Restaurant Salmon dinner.
So that’s what we’re about for the week…
5) Entertainment: We have some special entertainment coming in for the Monday night gathering which we hope you’ll enjoy… otherwise, we entertain ourselves… How? There will be a bunch of lawn games provided, create a team, have some fun. Also, some of us play music, so, bring your instrument, acoustic please, and let’s have some fun around the campfires. There will be guitar, fiddle, accordion… what can you bring to join in the fun??
6) Electronics: Just a note that cell service is limited on the site (have to stand by a certain tree and hold your leg in the right position). There is better service in the town about 10 mins away. We are hoping to have some WiFi hotspot setup in the campsite area.
I am sure I’ve let something out along the way, hopefully not the important stuff.
So you know, we have a total of 37 boats competing, 12 H17 and 25 H18. Competitors coming from the US, Canada and Australia! The weather is predicted to be warm and sunny for the whole week (but remember, this is the Rainforest)
Here is the current list:
We are looking forward to hosting you at our favorite venue. We are sure you’ll love it!
***JULY 4TH, 2023***
First off, I hope everyone in the US is enjoying their 4th of July Independence day!
Second, We are less than 4 weeks away from a record setting event! Record setting by the fact that over the past 10 years this will be the largest H18 North Americans since 2013 at Lake Mohave (27 boats!) Current registrations have reached 21 boats with the potential for a few more still to come. Are you registered?! Meanwhile the H17 fleet is holding steady at 11 boats, we’d sure like to see a few more sign up… What about those folks who were at Kansas last year who said they’d love to come?? There is still time.
A few notes, As of July 1st, we no longer hold control of the reservations at the Rain Forest Resort. So, I you want to make, change or Cancel a reservation you must call them directly. They can be reached at 1-800-255-6936. Most of the campsites/ RV spots are spoken for but there may be motel rooms and cabins still available. Check with the Resort.
Second, our registration deadline is coming up July 15th. We’ll still gladly accept your registration, but the price goes up. We are getting ready to order t-shirts etc and some of these numbers have to be provided soon. If you’re coming, let us know so we can be sure to have your size in stock!
Thirdly, I have been working with Start Line Sailing and have arranged for them to produce a run of Hobie 18 sails! This is a limited run and will only be for orders received by West Coast Sailing, the Hobie dealer in Portland. They will have them ready before the event but they must be ordered before July 7th (I know, short notice) to make sure they are ready on time! You can order main and/ or jib. Pricing is: Main $1525, Jib $675. This is for coloured or white. The choices are limited due to current available stock. You can get White, Zephyr and a new one called Quinault Sunset (special for the event!) For the Jibs you can order White, Zephyr, or Solid Red. Pictures below. Give West Coast Sailing a call and order yours today! If you are attending the event we will arrange for pickup and have them brought to Quinault. If you are not attending, they will ship from Portland to the US locations at N/C.
Meanwhile, here is the current registration list for the NAC Event.
And for those attending the Division regatta on the weekend prior, here is the current list for that event…
We will see you soon!!
***JUNE 18TH, 2023***
Well sailors, here’s the latest news… as of today (June 17th) we still have 11 H17’s registered and now have 10 H18’s registered…. What are you waiting for? Two things are going to happen very soon.
1) We hand the control of the accommodation booking back to the Rain Forest Resort June 30th. What does this mean to you? If you haven’t registered yet, and don’t register before then, we can’t guarantee you a prime camping site, cottage or motel room at the resort. The bookings become available to the public. Why is this important? Well, right now all the government/ forestry run campsites are closed and don’t expect to be open this summer… which means the public will be looking for places to stay, so the Rain Forest Resort will book up quickly and you may lose your opportunity… So, we have to have your request for accommodations before JUNE 30TH. Might as well register at the same time!
2) As of July 15th (which is only 1 month away!) the price goes up! Do you want to pay us an extra $50 to attend?? Don’t get me wrong, we’d love to take your extra money, but I know I’d rather not pay it, and neither should you… just saying…
so, get yourself registered, come join the fun and come party with us!
Things are well underway in preparation for the NAC’s this August. As of today, 14 boats are now registered. Here’s the list so far.
***MARCH 21st, 2023***
9 Boats now registered. Want to see who’s signed up already? Check out the event page HERE for the latest information
***MARCH 4TH, 2023***
And their off! The registrations are coming in…. Congratulations to Phil Collins to being the first to register for the H17 fleet and Chris Thorne, the first to register for the H18 fleet. Right now we have 5 h17’s and 3 H18’s registered.
Remember also, when you register we take your request for accommodation if you want to stay at the regatta site, the Rain Forest Resort Village. Despite what the form says, it is not free. We’re just not taking your money. You will get an email back from us with accommodation based on your request and an approximate cost/ night. Once you confirm, we give that to the RFR and you will pay them directly upon arrival.
Remember though, spaces are limited so reserve early!! (and register early too!!)
***UPDATE MAR 1, 2023***
We are now ready to accept your registration. Everything has been sorted (we hope!) and everything is in place. Now all we need is YOU!
Register now for the H17/ H18 North American Championships. During the registration process you will see an ‘Accommodation Request’ section. The Rain Forest Resort Village (the regatta site) has given us priority over all of the accommodations available until June 30th at which point they are released to the public. They would be happy if we booked out all the spaces! DO NOT CONTACT THE RFR to book, use the attached form. We will take that information and match you to an RV spot, motel room or cabin based upon your request. We will send you that information but you will pay the RFR directly when you arrive. Spaces are limited so it is prudent that you register and book early. Other accommodations are nearby and are listed on the NoR. Any questions regarding accommodation can be directed to Bob Combie or Paul Evenden.
We are looking forward to a great event!
***UPDATE FEB 15TH, 2023***
Sorry to say, but another short delay! Everything is getting sorted out with regards to the banking/ tax reporting issue, but as we were about to get everything finalized, our person at the bank went on HOLIDAYS!… so now we are stuck in limbo for a week or so…. Hopefully everything will be sorted out by March 1st!!. Again, we apologize for the delay, we know your are itching to get registered… The response we are having from people wanting to attend gives every indication of this being a phenomenal event. Especially with the H18 fleet… We will keep you posted and I’ll be making a BIG announcement as soon as registration opens!!
**ORIGIONAL POST**
Division 4 will be hosting the Hobie 17/ Hobie 18 North American Championships at Lake Quinault this August. This annual event was at Perry Lake, Kansas in 2022 where Stu Dean/ Jane Velghe, Paul Evenden/ JJ Hoag and John and Della Hoag attended and gave a great showing of the Division 4 sailors. So good in fact that John and Della are now the current Champions! They will have a chance to defend their title at Lake Quinault come August.
The week after our Division Area Championships Regatta (July 29/30) we will be welcoming sailors to the H17/H18 event August 1-4. With all of the current sailors in the H18 fleet that we have been seeing at our division regattas (Harrison- 14 boats, Cultus – 13 boats, Quinault – 11 boats) and with the interest generated in Kansas for others to join us, we could hope to see a 25 boat fleet in the H18 class. Many H17 sailors have also expressed an interest to join us as well, and with our Div sailors we hope to see a 15 boat fleet in the H17 class.
We are planning some great meals and a few other ‘treats’ as well, and as (almost) always, Quinault delivers a beautiful venue with fantastic sailing.
Check here in the New Year for the registration which opens Jan 1. The Rain Forest Resort has given us priority over all of the campsites, cabins and motel rooms so be sure to fill out the form when you register and we’ll reserve a spot for you! Reservations are being taken through us, NOT through the RFR for the Area Championships and the North American Championships.
Due to unforeseen Government tax reporting issues, we are delaying the opening of registration to February 15th, 2023. Watch this space for details and we will post the links here when everything is ready to go!
Thanks for your patience. If you have any questions please don’t hesitate to contact us. That information is available in the NoR.
Well, we are almost halfway through August now, but it seems like the summer has just gotten started! There is one more points regatta on the schedule for the Division, from which we’ve had a hiatus for 3 years! Our last event at Harrison was the H16/ H20 North Americans in 2019, way too long. The town is ready to welcome us back and we are hoping that this fantastic weather continues.
As for our next event, it’s the Harrison Division 4 Championships, Sept 3/4th. The park is open to arrivals Friday Sept 2nd at noon (or there abouts) and we have permission to stay until Monday noon. So, no need to rush out Sunday evening. We will have our usual main dinner on Saturday night (with a few surprises I hear) and then a light BBQ on the Sunday night for those who stick around.
Also, we have several able-bodied sailors ready and willing to crew if you should not have access to your regular crewmate. As always, first-come first-serve, so let us know and we’ll pair you up the best we can! Don’t let that stop you from coming!
We are looking forward to hosting everyone again at beautiful Harrison Hot Springs!
On a final note, the Hobie 17/18 North Americans are coming up next week in Perry Lake, Kansas and there are a few of your fellow sailors going! Stu Dean, John and Della Hoag and myself (with JJ as crew!). You can see the results as they happen starting August 16th on Regatta Network: https://www.regattanetwork.com/event/24574
Enjoy the rest of your summer! Stay safe on the water!
Hobie Division 4 