Small Boat Sailing Classes late summer and fall 2020

ATTENTION... Join our most popular sailing class while he have openings. We have classes this Saturday and Monday. Plus more classes in September with classes ending in Oct. Also have Big Boat/Keelboat/Multihull classes and classes for those with disAbilities, and for those seeking more high performance instruction. Classes start at 7:am. To learn more or sign up for a class visit this link... 100 Small Boat Sailing Class/Sign Up

 

ADA Celebration

As many of you know Miles Moore founder of FunToSAIL and Access To Outdoors (ATO) has been a large influencer in facilitating access to sailing, other water sports, and marine/outdoor facilities to persons with disAbilities.

If you notice in the Lessons section of this site we offer accessible/disAbled sailing specific classes/programs and also run the disAbled Hobie 16 sailing world championships annually, officially called the Hobie 16 Trapseat Invitationals. In addition we have worked with the Forest Service, BLM, and others to improve or create accessible marine and camping facilities.

Join the U.S. Access Board for a Virtual Celebration of the ADA

July 29, 1:30 – 3:00 (ET)
Meeting link: www.zoomgov.com/j/1609886567
Dial in option: (669) 254-5252 or (646) 828-7666, Session ID: 160 988 6567
Registration not required
Add to Calendar

Welcome
Access Board Chair Lance Robertson

The World Before the ADA
"The ADA: Breaking Discriminatory and Societal Barriers for People with Disabilities" (Documentary)

Achievements of the ADA
A discussion with Judy Heumann

How the ADA Has Advanced Accessible Design
A Presentation by Karen Braitmayer, FAIA

Contact:
Dave Yanchulis, (202) 272-0026 or yanchulis@access-board.gov

Sold Out and Coming Videos

Hello fellow sailors!

We are almost totally sold out on all Hobie Catamarans, Snark, Corsair sailboats until September. We only have one Hobie Getaway available.

We currently have amazing sailboat deals if you can wait until September. If you do not want to store your boat through the winter buy now and receive your sailboat in spring 2021 or early summer. These deals will not be available after September 1st 2020.

We still have room in some of our sailing classes. Click here to learn about our classes . Visit our calendar to see the dates of our classes.

 In addition we will have some new videos out shortly... so stay tuned.

Have an amazing 4th of July! Hope you enjoy these two song as they should reminds us all why this nation is so great (scroll down)! 

 

For you Rockers! Here is an amazing song!

Soft Spots?

If your Hobie 16 has a soft spot on the top of the deck in front of the forward pylon its time to fix it big time. Soft spots on any part of a hull means typically the fiberglass matting is delaminating. If one does not fix it the soft spot will likely expand, get bigger and bigger until like in this picture the hull will break off or crack, etc.

Loved this picture and had to post it. Stay tuned as I will add to this post on how to fix soft spots before a hull breaks.

First Group Sailing Lesson for 2020

First sailing lessons took place May 2nd aboard our Hobie Wave catamaran sailboats. Join us our next classes in June. Learn more about our classes by Clicking Here!

Click on Pics to Enlarge

If you want a new Hobie Catamaran or Hobie Mirage Island, or Super Sea Snark, or Corsair now is the time to buy as our manufactures are getting ready to start shipments again with the reduction over time of lock down orders. There are still a few boats available. Boat availability is limited due to reduced production.

Cancellation and Lock Down

Some good news and some not so good news...

1. The FunToSAIL Store will be open again with just social distancing rules applied on May 1st. Still its best to text or email us for any of your sailboat and/or parts needs. Our online store will be up and running shortly.

2. FunToSAIL sailing classes are all good to go. No changes other than class room sessions will take place outdoors. Click here to view the calendar.

3. The Hobie Cat factory is still closed. There are signs they will be up and running soon, as CA governor is loosens some of their covid rules.

4. Our sailing activities in Idaho as noted on the calendar have not been cancelled with the only exception the International Hobie 16 Trapseat Cup in August. If we cancel anything it will be noted on the calendar. The Desert Regatta near the Tri-Cities WA. on the Snake River has been officially cancelled by the sailing club that runs this regatta. WA covid rules are much sticker than Idaho. Many regional and national regattas are cancelled or are on hold. Click here to view the calendar.

5. SailGP and Americas Cup have cancelled most of their events, likely all of their events will be cancelled in 2020. Olympic racing is cancelled for 2020.

We are all in this together. Lets work together to mitigate the affects of this pandemic by doing whatever we can to following the CDC rules (please maintain physically distancing as much as possible) and help the economy by supporting our local businesses.

The good news is we can all still go sailing :) In Idaho that is. Please check with your state covid guidelines.

Chain Lakes, Pend Oreille County, Washington

First posted Oct 29, 2016. Updates April 25, 2020

Chain Lakes
The name Chain Lakes sounds like there are a series of lakes chained together but in reality it is one lake with a narrow section that gives it the appearance of two lakes. The two wide lake like sections do not have separate names but the whole body of water is called the Chain Lakes. The lake is located in a deep canyon this is very remote in a sense but is home to a small community of homes. The State of WA. owns a small narrow piece of land that acts as the access point to this lake with small parking area and trail. The short trail is just wide enough to walk on and at times can be difficult to take your lightweight watercraft through due to all the high grass, bushes, etc. along the trail, plus you have to lift your boat over a fence that has a narrow opening to walk through. Trail also includes a short small narrow wooden bridge. The put-in site is a narrow muddy cut through the marsh. One enters from the landing into the eastern portion of the lake. This portion of the lake is 60 ft at its deepest and void of any milfoil, etc. due to its rocky bottom and depth. I found it a nice place to paddle or sail, and the scenery is awesome with the high canyon walls. When turning south and west from the access point you will enter a short milfoil infested channel to the western portion of the lake. There is a channel through the aquatic plant life that is quite beautiful. Once you enter this portion of lake it drops to a depth of 125 feet and it too has a rocky bottom and thus no aquatic plant life to deal with. Going west you will come to the outlet that you can paddle a short distance in, the water is clear and when I was there last I saw a lot of large trout swimming in the channel leading into the marsh. During high water times of the year this marsh area can appear to be a small lake but is very shallow and during the summer when the water is low it is not navigable. Fishing: Brook and Rainbow Trout, Kokanee. Directions: From the town of Camden on Camden/Diamond Rd., North .25 miles, right on Wilms Rd. 1.5 miles to bottom hill access on left. Maps: To view a map see printable map below or click on google.com/maps and type Chain Lakes, Pend Oreille County, WA. or type in GPS coordinates 48.059268, -117.209502

Chain Lakes Landing
Landing site is just narrow enough for a kayak or canoe to launch from. During the rainy season the trail and launch is real muddy.

ACCESSIBILITY: PARKING... Gravel, Dirt combo parking lot at access gate; PATHS/TRAILS... Access to trail is through a narrow gate not accessible to wheeled mobility devices/wheelchairs. Narrow muddy trail to lakes, not accessible to wheeled mobility devices; RESTROOMS/FACILITIES/SHADE… None. Shade via trees; SENSORY... No sensory tactile markers for those with visual and other impairments. DOCKS/LAUNCHES/PLATFORMS… None. Launch off at end of very muddy/grassy trail. End of trail immediately drops off into deep water; DIRECT WATER ACCESS… No access for wheeled mobility devices; TRANSFER SYSTEMS... None; CAMPING... No; O.T.H.E.R… Oddities/Barriers: Mud; H2O/Water: Water normally murky, but clear in spring and early summer. Water temperature in the summer can be around 60 to 70 degree. No drinking water available; Environmental Conditions: Varies; Resources: Food, drinks, and gas in town of Diamond Lake.

 Click on map to copy or copy to print

2020 Sailing Season Cancelled?

It is highly likely that in the US at least most if not all sailboat racing is cancelled. SailGP has cancelled both their US events and its likely their races in Europe will be cancelled as well. Also this years Americas Cup world series racing looks to be cancelled as well, as right now the racing is on hold. And most small local races are cancelled (check with the clubs who are sponsoring the regattas).

So what to do?

2020 will be the year of recreational sailing. Some US states have closed parks and boat launches leaving waters open to only those with boats at private homes and in marinas that are still open. Check with your state agencies, businesses, etc. for launch and marina closures.

So again what to do? If you have a small light weight sailboat like a Super Sea Snark or Hobie Cat or Island, or other, one can launch from public land that does not have a launch as long of course its not closed off. The reality is no state can block every piece of shoreline to the public. As long as there is no stay-at-home order that restricts out door activity one can go sailing with appropriate social distancing (see boating rules below in pic). If you go to a location and there are a lot of people there just go somewhere else. Social distancing must be maintained during this time until lifted.

The words "beach cat" take on a whole new meaning when needing to launch from a beach, etc.

If you have never launch from a shoreline without a paved launch it takes planning and doing so from a place that is not deep with mud, etc. Sandy beaches are perfect or areas with gravel type surfaces. One will want to use a beach dolly or lay down a piece of carpet to keep the bottom of ones hull(s) perfect. If the surfs up one will need to learn to launch and land through the surf. If you have questions please leave a response at the end of this article. We also have a new book coming out that covers this topic and many more.

Visit Boating the Inland NW section of funtosail.com to find fun places to launch from in Eastern WA. and North Idaho. Sorry I have not finished the NW Montana section. Click Here!