SailGP Racing so far this summer

With FunToSAIL.com recent purchase of the Malbec18 production I have not had a lot of time to follow SAILGP racing and with Team USA poor results I have not had much interest in watching. To be honest the whole Team USA poor results thing I think it's time to fire all of them. I know that sounds harsh, but they have consistently finished in last place or near last place in every race. Team USA needs to be revitalized. Heck even team Brazil that is totally new team is beating them. There comes a time when one has to say, enough is enough. In any other sport they would have been fired a long time ago. I would not be surprised if SailGP management forces their hand on the team and eliminates them. Sorry, to go on about this, but it's frustrating to watch, actually I am now not watching.

I hope one day they change from countries as teams and goes the way of Nascar, where teams have their star driver and team members with various sponsors, that would be a better format where one can get into the racing without the country affiliation drama.

Racing just finished in the UK with Team New Zealand winning this series, with the Bristish taking second and team Switzerland in 3rd place in the series final. Great racing with Team USA as always in the back of the pack.

2026 Season venues have been announced. They have dropped racing in San Fransico (who wants to go to crap and drug city) with the only racing in the USA at New York City. I have no interest in going to this city due to all its crime. It is my hope someday that racing in the USA will take place in Florida, then I will go and watch. Nice warm weather and great wind.

Here is the final thoughts videos... Watch the full racing videos at SailGP.com or youtube/sailgp

4th of July

 Have an amazing

4th of July!

Hope you enjoy story of the Star Spangled Banner as most have never heard it, 

and two musical renditions of the Star Spangled Banner, 

which will reminds us all why this nation is so amazing.

(scroll down)!

Rock out to this amazing rock n roll version of the Star Spangle Banner.

>

Lake Tahoe Capsize

Sole survivors in Lake Tahoe boating disaster had one thing in common,,,

Coast Guard warns of unpredictable weather after weekend tragedy claims lives of birthday celebrant and seven others

A joyous family celebration turned into a harrowing tragedy over the weekend when a boat capsized during a sudden storm on Lake Tahoe, leaving eight people dead and two others hospitalized. 

The El Dorado County Sheriff’s Office confirmed that the group had gathered for a 71st birthday celebration for Paula Bozinovich.

The department identified the deceased as Bozinovich, 71, and her husband, Terry Pickles, 73, both of Redwood City, California; their son, Joshua Antony Pickles, 37, a San Francisco resident and DoorDash executive; and Peter Bayes, 72, of Lincoln, California, a close family relative. 

Also killed were four family friends: Timothy O’Leary, 71, of Auburn, California; Theresa Giullari, 66, and James Guck, 69, both of Honeoye, New York; and Stephen Lindsay, 63, of Springwater, New York.

"These individuals were part of a closely connected family group enjoying a birthday gathering on the lake," the El Dorado County Sheriff’s Office said in a June 24 statement. "We extend our deepest heartfelt condolences to the families of those who were lost and all those who have been affected by this tragic event."

The party had set out in a 27-foot gold Chris-Craft powerboat near D.L. Bliss State Park on Saturday, June 21, the department said. Initially greeted by clear skies and calm waters, the group’s outing took a deadly turn when a powerful storm swept across the lake. 

According to the U.S. Coast Guard, winds reached 30 knots with swells as high as eight feet. The boat capsized just before 3 p.m., tossing all ten occupants into the frigid waters of Lake Tahoe.

Two unidentified individuals survived the accident. Both were wearing life jackets when they were rescued and transported to a local hospital, the department said. 

"The most common mistake boaters make is not being aware of the forecasted weather," BM1 Justin Smith, executive petty officer of Coast Guard Station Lake Tahoe, said in a statement to Fox News Digital. "Life jackets being worn continue to be the primary survivability factor." 

Emergency response teams from multiple jurisdictions, including North Tahoe Fire, California State Parks, Washoe County Sheriff’s Office, and the United States Coast Guard, mounted a massive search-and-rescue operation. 

In the wake of the tragedy, officials reiterated the importance of weather awareness, life jacket use and float plans. 

"Weather in the Tahoe Basin can be unpredictable and change quickly," warned Smith. "Mariners should be hesitant to operate in conditions where wind advisories or small craft advisories have been issued."

Six bodies were recovered on the day of the incident. The remaining two were found in the days that followed, with the final recovery made on Monday afternoon.

"The success of the search and recovery operations would not have been nearly as efficient without the assistance of our partner agencies," the sheriff’s office said. 

The recovery operations also required advanced divers and specialized teams such as the Wilderness Finder Search Dog Teams, the department said.

In a statement to Fox News Digital, DoorDash mourned the loss of Joshua Pickles, calling him "a cherished colleague and beloved friend whose energy and compassion will be deeply missed."

"No words can express the pain and anguish we feel knowing their lives were lost during what was meant to be a joyful time on the lake," Josh Pickles’ wife, Jordan Sugar-Carlsgaard, said in the statement Tuesday to the Associated Press. "Our hearts go out to those who tragically lost their lives and the two survivors of this unexpected and deadly storm on Lake Tahoe."

Josh Pickles’ wife had stayed at home taking care of their seven-month-old daughter, Sam Singer, a family spokesperson, told the outlet. The couple, who married in 2023, both worked at tech companies in San Francisco. Josh worked at DoorDash, and Jordan at Airbnb, Singer said.

By Sarah Rumpf-Whitten Fox News

Lake Coeur d'Alene Boat Fire

Marine deputies and fire crews responded to a boat fire near Higgins Point on Lake Coeur d'Alene on Saturday morning, with all people evacuated safely and no injuries reported.

According to the Kootenai County Sheriff's Office (KCSO), the incident occurred around 11 a.m. Saturday, prompting a response from KCSO Marine Deputies and local fire crews. All people aboard the vessel were able to get off the boat before emergency responders arrived.

The cause of the fire remains under investigation, sheriff's officials said.

The sheriff's office used the incident as an opportunity to remind boaters about the importance of water safety and preparedness.

"It is a good reminder that you need a fire extinguisher on your boat," KCSO stated.

No additional details about the number of occupants, the type of vessel involved, or the extent of damage were immediately available.

NOTE: Fire likely cause from fumes in the bilge and the blower was not turned on or not turned on long enough, and no fire extinguisher on board.

Memorial Day

SEE MEMORIAL SERVICES Times below for the Coeur d'Alene and Hayden Idaho area. Contact your local military group(s) for events in your area.

 

I thought it was only fitting I supply you with this article about honoring those that have fallen in war to keep us free. See Article Below!

And I personally would like to thank those who USA military family members have paid the ultimate sacrifice to keep us free, not just in this country but also for the world. There is no greater love than to give your life for another!

May we all remember their sacrifices today and forever. Let us visit their graves, support gold star families, and help lift where we stand, in our communities. Let us always stand, put our hands over our hearts, and take off our hats for the national anthem. And let us remember to defend the US Constitution at all costs via voting for those who know and uphold it, and by getting involved in our local communities. To truly honor the fallen is to uphold that which they fought and died for.

And to add to this, today is to specifically remember our fallen US military members and no one else! Memorial Day Monday is more than just another holiday. See Memorial events at the end of this page to enhance our remembrance. Also watch a USA military movie to remember the fallen, such as the Band of Brothers, Pearl Harbor, Midway, etc. Make a comment below related to your favorite war movies and memories of the fallen.

Have a wonderful Memorial Day!

Skipper Miles Moore

MEMORIAL ARTICLE by the Navy SEAL who killed Usama bin Laden

Don't wish me a happy Memorial Day

Don’t wish me a happy Memorial Day. There is nothing happy about the loss of the brave men and women of our armed forces who died in combat defending America. Memorial Day is not a celebration.

Memorial Day is a time for reflection, pause, remembrance and thanksgiving for patriots who gave up their own lives to protect the lives and freedom of us all – including the freedom of generations long gone and generations yet unborn. We owe the fallen a debt so enormous that it can never be repaid.

Memorial Day is a time to honor the lives of those who would rather die than take a knee when our national anthem is played. But they will fight and die for the rights of those who kneel.

This holiday is a time to think of young lives cut short, of wives and husbands turned into widows and widowers, of children growing up without a father or mother, of parents burying their children.

Memorial Day is a time to think of might have beens that never were. Of brave Americans who put their country before themselves. Without these heroes, America would not be America.

Unfortunately, for many Americans this solemn holiday might as well be called Summer Day – marking the unofficial start of the season of barbecues, days at the beach, time spent on baseball fields and golf courses, hiking and enjoying the great the outdoors. All those things are great – we all appreciate them and they are some of the best things in life.

But Memorial Day is not Summer Day. Nor was the holiday created as a way to promote sales of cars, furniture or clothes.

Another Memorial Day brings with it a whole lot more than the start of summer. Since last Memorial Day, grass is now growing above the final resting places of many young men and women whose lives were taken too soon while defending our country in Afghanistan, Iraq, Syria and other far-off places many Americans have rarely heard of.

When Army Sgt. La David Johnson, Staff Sgt. Bryan Black, Sgt. 1st Class Jeremiah Johnson and Staff Sgt. Dustin Wright were killed last October in an ISIS ambush in Niger, many Americans asked: We have troops in Niger? These unknown soldiers lost their lives protecting you – every one of you reading these words.   

Think about this: Millions of high-school seniors are walking across auditorium stages this season, receiving their diplomas. Most will go on to college or jobs, but some will choose a career of military service, joining the second generation of American warriors fighting in the Global War on Terror – a war that began with the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks that took the lives of almost 3,000 people in our homeland.

Most of these new recruits – who were not even born or who were just infants when the 9/11 attacks took place – will make it home just fine. But some will not. I pray that I am wrong, but the sad truth is that the number of American war dead on Memorial Day in 2019 will be higher than it is on this Memorial Day.  

On Memorial Day, I salute my brothers and sisters-in-arms who have served beside me in War on Terror. My heart especially goes out to the families of those who did not return home. In fact, I think about all those who served and those who have given their lives fighting for America from our county’s earliest days in the Revolutionary War. They all have my gratitude.

We think we are strong, but in war any of us can be turned into just a memory in an instant. And war seems to have been the universal experience of just about every society on the planet at one time or another, for as long as there have been human societies.

How do we stop the wars resulting in such tragic waste of lives? How do we stop the number of American war dead and war dead in other nations from growing? I wish I knew the answer. But battle lines are being drawn and redrawn, and wars and terrorist attacks just keep going on and on. Weapons are getting bigger. Bombs are becoming smarter and more lives are being lost every day all over the world, leading to more death, more anger and more war.

Some are so loyal to their cause that they strap bombs on their bodies or fly passenger jets into buildings. They conduct beheadings. They set prisoners on fire. How do we find common ground with them? Do we even try to find common ground, or do we finally take the gloves off and start landing punches intended to take our enemy out for good?

I’ve been on over 400 Army combat missions and have seen more war than most Americans. More than I care to remember, but cannot forget. There is never a shortage of war. War spreads faster than fire and like fire it leaves destruction in its wake.

It hurts my heart as an American every time I see another service member’s body being brought home draped in an American flag. But it hurts my heart as a human being with every act of war we are all unleashing against each other around the world.

This Memorial Day, I urge all Americans to remember all the fallen sailors, soldiers, airmen, Marines and Coast Guard members who have so bravely served our country, as well as their families.

And I urge all Americans to join me in the hope and prayer that somehow, someday people around the world will focus more on our similarities than our differences and that we will move closer to a time when war is just a memory – part of our past but not our future.

Robert O'Neill is a Fox News contributor and ex-Navy SEAL best known as “the man who killed Usama bin Laden.” O'Neill joined the Navy in 1996 and deployed as a SEAL more than a dozen times, participating in more than 400 combat missions across four different theaters of war.

Hello everyone! I hope you all will find a Memorial Day ceremony in your area and go to it to honor our fallen Heroes. I know I will as I have family that have served and one son who is serving now in the Navy. We need to make this day more than a day to buy things and barbecue, etc. It should be a day of reverence.

Here below are two events in my area that honor our fallen Heroes.

Plus after noted events is an amazing article by the Navy Seal who killed Usama bin Laden. A very inspiring article by an American hero who teaches how to truly observe Memorial Day.

MONDAY/MEMORIAL DAY

Kootenai County Memorial Day events:

• 9 a.m. Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 889 Memorial Day ceremony — McEuen Park, 420 E. Front St., Coeur d'Alene

• 9:30 a.m. Hayden Veterans Commission and U.S. Submarine Veterans Inc. wreath laying on Hayden Lake — Honeysuckle Beach, 2369 E. Honeysuckle Ave., Hayden

• 11 a.m. Marine Corps League Detachment 966 Memorial Day ceremony — Coeur d'Alene Memorial Gardens, 7315 N. Government Way, Coeur d'Alene

• 11 a.m. American Legion Post 143 Memorial Day ceremony — Evergreen Cemetery, 2834 N. Spokane St., Post Falls

• 11 a.m. Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 889 Memorial Day ceremony — Forest Cemetery, 1001 N. Government Way, Coeur d'Alene

• 11 a.m. Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 3603 Memorial Day ceremony — Pleasant View Cemetery, 1298 S. Goldfinch Road, Post Falls

• 11 a.m. Hayden Veterans Commission Memorial Day ceremony — McIntire Family Park, 8930 N. Government Way, Hayden

• Noon, American Legion Post 154 and the city of Rathdrum Memorial Day ceremony — Pinegrove Cemetery, 6693 W. Highway 53, Rathdrum

• Noon, Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 1473 Memorial Day ceremony — Greenwood Cemetery, 400 10th Ave., Spirit Lake

May 2025 Priest Lake Update

May 13, 2025

As of this announcement date, peak runoff has not occurred, though it is approaching.  The lake will peak soon after.  The goal will be to have the lake to at least 3.0 feet by Friday, May 23rd.  Weather and precipitation will influence the level the lake peaks at as well as the time it reaches peak.  Once peak lake level has occurred, the lake level will be stabilized through gate operations.

As you’re likely aware, the type-of-year designation determines whether the lake level will be stabilized at 3.0 feet (for wet years) or between 3.0 to 3.5 feet (for dry years), in accordance with Idaho Code 70-507.  We’ve reviewed information from several agencies to make the type-of-year determination.

The National Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) forecast issued in early May shows below average values of streamflow volume are expected for the Priest River basin.

In accordance, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) released a Seasonal Outlook for temperature and precipitation that predicts hotter and drier-than-normal conditions for North Idaho in the May through July timeframe.

The US Drought Monitor reports current conditions are abnormally dry for the Idaho panhandle.

Furthermore, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) reports soil moistures of 10% or less in the Idaho Panhandle, suggesting drought conditions.

These predictions all point to a “dry” type of year, and therefore, operations are planned to hold the lake level between 3.0 and 3.5 feet during the recreation season.  Specifically, IDWR plans to hold the lake at 3.38 feet early in the recreation season.  Once flow in the Priest River drops to 200 cfs (likely in July or August), the lake level will be allowed to drop gradually from its current level to 3.0 feet through September 30th to augment the river flow.

Additional updates will be released in the May-June time frame, and any revisions to the plan will be announced then.

For questions contact Michelle Richman, IDWR Northern Regional Manager, northerninfo@idwr.idaho.gov or (208) 762-2800.

WA360 team FunToSAIL.com

Skipper Miles Moore of FunToSAIL.com will be racing in the 2027 WA360 that take place June 26th. A race around the Puget Sound from Port Townsend WA, past Seattle, to the Canadian border, through or by the San Juan Islands, across the Strait of Juan De Fuca and back to Port Townsend. Approximately a 360-mile round trip adventure that does not allow gas or electric motors, only sail and/or muscle power.

We are posting about this race well in advance in the hopes of securing sponsors/donors, to help with the race and to acquire funding for our accessibility work and suicide prevention.

With this race will be the start of the FunToSAIL.com video and article series about small boat adventure sailing, types of safety and general gear used, Float Plans, etc.

Miles is dedicating this race to suicide prevention. As one who has delt with depression all his life, this effort to expand awareness of resources to help prevent suicide is particularly important to him. Click here for resources.

It's also his goal to stream some parts of this event so those with disAbilities and others following the race can ask him questions live and some of the racing directly from his boat. Miles has a special part of his heart reserved for those with disAbilities due to his own challenges and seeing others struggle but prevail in life. He has been doing accessible and therapeutic sailing for 30+ years. In addition, has been developing an Inland NW marine access guide so those with disAbilities can find access to the water. Click here!

Miles has taught sailing for 40+ years via his sailing school here at FunToSAIL. He is a Recreational Therapist and previously worked for the state of Idaho as a Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor. Before going to college, he worked in the fishing industry in Westport WA.

Click the donation button above if you would like to support FunToSAIL's efforts.

Make comments below

SailGP Racing Results

SailGP Racing Series Tomorrow at LA California March 15-16, 2024

Watch SailGP racing live or via replay on Youtube.com/sailgp

RESULTS... Feb 18-19, 2025, Sydney Harbor Australia

With 2 days of racing team Australia was set to win it all with 2 wins on the first day of racing, and with a series of top finishes on day 2, however due to penalty at the start of the final, they did not recover, coming in 3rd out of 3 teams. Team Britian had great finishes on both days of racing, they won it all in the end, with Canada coming in second.

It appears to me that the new forward T-Foils that replaced the L-Foils used for the first time in this race series seemed to perform well in all conditions, particularly in the strong winds over previous racing all the teams seemed to have better control. The T-Foils also produced better tops speeds.

The bad news is team USA continues to underperform. They outdid their previous horrible performances by not even being able to race due to capsizing on a practice day while not sailing, that is right, they were not even racing or practice sailing in any capacity. They were being towed and one of their idiot crew members allowed the wing to power up and not only capsize but to significantly damage the wing. So, they are the first team to get the Darwin award. On top of that SailGP penalized them 8 points for their stupidity because the capsize was avoidable (read the full story here). If I sound annoyed, that is an understatement. My official position is to cancel this whole team and start new. There is no reason team USA cannot be a top team, but they need to get the right team, like get some sailors who know how to sail a high-performance multihull, not employ a bunch of so slow mo monohull sailors. So, stay tuned, who knows maybe they can get their act together, but at this point I do not have much hope. I should note they did place 3rd in the first racing series of the year, so maybe there is hope.

102 kph, watch the video

In San Fransico Bay on November 15, 2024 SailGP engineers and support crew tested the new T-Foils with the help of team Canada on their F50, they hit for the first time 100+ kph (101.98 or basically 102 kph / 55 knots / 63 mph). Previously Team New Zealand hit 97.2 / 52 knots / 60 mph on Jan 13 in Waitematā Harbour in Auckland. It will be curious to see which SailGP team hits 100 kph / 54 knots / 62 mph during actual racing. We will report it here when it happens.

 

Official Malbec18 manufacturer

 

It is with great excitement we announce that FunToSAIL.com is now the official producer of the Malbec18 sportboat. Learn more about the Malbec18 specifically by visiting its official page Click Here

We have made some changes to the boat to improve its user experience, such as…

1. New wireless navigation lights system.

2. New standard furling jib with no extrusion common with CDI furlers that make trailering and luff shape difficult. Has leach UV protection when furled.

3. New Mainsheet system.

4. New cabin seat hatches.

5. New Bimini option specifically designed for the Malabec18

6. And some improvements to the building process to improve build time and features.

7. No more blue or other colored hull boats. We have one blue hulled boat left to sell, going forward all boats will be white.

Centerboard work

Stay tuned on this site for updates about this boat and other topics.

Watch us race our Malbec18 in the upcoming distance race/regatta, the WA360, a race about the Puget Sound to the Canadian Border and back. Learn more by Clicking Here.

 

Makes some comments if you like below…

Stranded on a Deserted Island

I do not know about you but I like stories of adventure, etc. True stories about people being stranded on deserted islands fascinates me. This particular store was the inspiration for the book Robinson Crusoe. Here is one such story...

 

LPO Lakes Commission meeting change

Greetings All,

Below is a forwarded message from the USACE that Flexible Winter Pool Operations (FWPO) have been requested by BPA this year and the USACE will accommodate that request by adjusting the operations at Albeni Falls Dam temporarily.  The notice shows they will likely raise Lake Pend Oreille (LPO) by 3 feet over the next couple days.  They will likely release that water in the near future to generate power.  As a reminder, FWPO is an agreement with Bonneville Power Administration (BPA) that allows them to request LPO be filled up to 5 feet in the winter and then released again to generate power when power is in demand.  FWPO, and power generation overall, is the reason we have had a maximum lake drawdown for the past 10 years.  2013 was the last year LPO was held at a high winter pool of 2055.5'.   

Lakes Commission Meeting Adjustment:  January 9th is postponed. Since our agenda has numerous USACE speakers, we are attempting to reschedule our meeting.  Stay tuned!  We will let you know ASAP of the new date.  Zoom link for attending virtually, will remain the same.

Best,

Molly McCahon: Lakes Commission Executive Director; Phone 208-265-4568, Cell 208-255-9675; Email lakescommission@gmail.com; Website lakescommission.org

Viking Ship R2AK?

Here is a video about a replica Viking Ship that was sailed across the Atlantic Ocean. Great video. What intrigues me is their comment about possibly being in the Race 2 Alaska, like the same year my wife and I will be doing it. Would be amazing to see this boat and possibly sail the same year in the race. Hope you enjoy this video.

 

Race 2 Alaska 2024

Hello fellow sailors, its time again for the Race 2 Alaska (R2AK) 2024, actually I am posting a bit late as some teams have already arrived in Ketichan Alaska, the big fast boats. I actually don't really follow the big boats but the small boats, boats 20' and under, kayaks, paddleboards, small day sailor dinghies, and Hobie cats.

This year I went to watch the start of the race, actually I arrived the day before to attend the pre race party and check out many of the boats and their gear (pics and more info coming soon). I was able to talk to many of the racers. They all seemed to be down to earth, regular people who have a desire for adventure and to test their abilities, yet none of them took lightly the challenge ahead.

I will be posting pics and boat and gear details via more post shortly.

The race started at 5:am on Sunday June 6. Many of the participants were up and getting their boats ready to go at 3:am, or earlier. I got up at 3:am and about half the racers were already at their boats.

The racers I was most interested in is Team Spirit of Nevetz skipper by Ohad Shafrir from Israel aboard his 16' catamaran (X Cat); Team Tips Up skippered by John Ped & Kaila Pfrang from Colorado USA aboard their 16' Hobie catamaran; Team X skippers by Xia Huang from USA/Singapore/China aboard his Hobie Mirage Tandem Island; Team Willy Wild Cat skippered by Adam Cove from Maine USA aboard his cat boat monohull; I was going to mention a few other teams but by this writing, sadly they have all ended their attempts, Did Not Finish.

More news coming. Visit R2AK.comVisit R2AK.com

Worrell 1000

The Worrell 1000 is back and is currently happening right now from May 12-25, along the east Coast of the United States. This was the race that all long distance high performance catamaran small boat sailors wanted to do, but it ended in the late1990's, but now its back in 2024.

Check it out at this link... https://worrell1000race.com/

Facebook... https://www.facebook.com/Worrell1000/about

Race live tracking... http://kws.kattack.com/WPlayer/WPosDisplay.aspx?FeedID=1983

Race live video... https://www.facebook.com/100063474465855/videos/1124729012137083

Lake CdA Carboard Boat Race

We are proud to announce the 1st annual Historical Lake Coeur d'Alene (CdA) Cardboard Boat Race.

The theme of this event is to commemorate our rich Historical Lake CdA Steamboats history.

Our goal for this event is simple, to bring the community together to laugh and cheer on the participants. This event is for both the racers and spectators.

Many of the participants are taking great care to build their boats, others not so much :)

There is a $10 non refundable fee to insure participants are serious about competing and to cover a bit of our expenses. By paying the fee you are then signed up to participate. Click here to sign up and please read the rules.

Racing starts at 10:AM, July 19th, 2025 at Independence Point in Coeur d'Alene, Idaho USA.

To learn more about about our steamboat history please visit the Museum of North Idaho and Historical Lake Coeur d'Alene (coming soon).

REGISTER

 

REGISTER

Choose Fun To Sail

 

Unmanned boat crashes into sailboat

   

A news report from 3 years ago reported that an unmanned inflatable boat crashes into a sailboat In Mission Bay, CA. USA, injuring 1 on the sailboat. "Officials from the San Diego Lifeguard Service said they heard reports just after 6 p.m. of an unmanned vessel crashing. The boat's operators somehow lost control of it and ended up in the water, lifeguards say."

So what really happened, if you watch the video it is obvious the person operating the boat fell overboard while under way (as reported). The operator did not have the ignition safety lanyard connect to their life jacket/clothing. This means this when the operator fell overboard the lanyard was hanging from the motor safety ignition switch allowing the motor to continue running. If the operator had it connected to their clothing the motor would have shut off immediately and prevented the accident.

Sadly this is an all to common boating mishap. The safety shut off switch and lanyard are their for a reason but many boaters ignore it much to the determent of their and others safety.

Falling over and having the boat continue far beyond you is only one of many issues. The boat leaving you of course can be a problem, particularly if one does not have a life jacket on. Many times the boat motor will kick to one side of the boat make the boat go in a circle, call the spiral of death because the boat can come back and run you over. The other issue is the boat continuing on without you can result in the boat running into others.

So freaking put your darn lanyard on, weather you driving a small fishing boat, or a ski or wake boat, or outboard motor on a sailboat, etc. connect the lanyard clip to you!

 

Entitled Boater

Those of us who boat a lot know entitled boaters all to well, add on top of it when a person feels they are better than others because they are financially rich it just adds another layer of annoyance. We all have seen it way to many times. Such a person is Ace Rogers, a rich businessmen (digital marketing firm in University City CA called Doctor Multimedia). He tried to dock (his hired skipper under his orders) his ridiculously priced 4.5m Lamborghini yacht at a private dock and when the dock hand said you can not dock here because its a private dock this entitled man started yelling at him, to the point that he said he would kill him. Hate speech is bad but not a crime, but threats of violence is a whole other level. He did apologize after being called out online. The dock worker should get a raise for being so composed.

Post Falls Dam Construction

The Post Falls Dam is going through some renovations in Spring 2024. None of the work is going to affect boating on the river or the lake. Dam was finished in 1906 and now needs some updates. It is amazing how this dam was built so well and has lasted so long.

To learn more about the dams construction schedule and details visit these links...

https://www.myavista.com/about-us/about-our-energy-mix/post-falls-ncd

https://investor.avistacorp.com/news-releases/news-release-details/avistas-post-falls-hydroelectric-dam-selected-us-department

See the past construction work done on the dam

 

Winter Lakes Closures

Just a reminder that all lakes open to winter fishing in Inland NW (E WA., N ID, NW MT) will officially close this March 31 to fishing and boat launches (fishing and gates opens again the day after Black Friday on Sat.). Winter lakes for example in E WA. like Fourth of July Lake, Hog Lake, etc. It means again the lakes are closed to fishing and the gates to the access roads to the launches are locked.

However one can go over or through the gate or fence (cannot cause damage to the gate or fence of course) when fishing is closed and gates locked. The lands are public and access is allowed unless posted otherwise on the gate or fence. Always follow all rules as posted.

My wife and I like to access these lakes via hiking into them with our inflatable SUP's. Its nice for paddleboarding because there are no powerboats to deal with. Its quite and beautiful.