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 Lake, Pend Oreille County, Washington

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

Chain Lakes
The name Chain Lake may sound 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 name of the lake is Chain Lake, last word, lake without an S. 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 last there, 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. The river that enters and exists this lake is the Little Spokane River. This river starts a few miles upstream of this lake. There is a West Branch of this river that starts at Sacheen Lake. 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!

Lake Pend Oreille water level

Lake Pend Oreille elevation at Hope: 2,052.21 feet
Albeni Falls Dam outflow: 10,000 cubic feet per second (cfs)

Good Morning,

Current changes and highlights:
- Albeni Falls outflow is planned to remain at 10,000 cfs this week.
- Lake Pend Oreille elevation is expected to increase gradually within the 2052-2053 ft range this week.

The spring refill of Lake Pend Oreille began at the start of April. The planned operation for April is to target a lake elevation of approximately 2055 ft by the end of the month. The day-to-day rate of refill will vary based on changing inflows to Lake Pend Oreille. This week, the elevation of Lake Pend Oreille is expected to increase gradually within the 2052-2053 ft range.

Albeni Falls operations during May and June will be set according to observed and forecast conditions in order to manage flood risk. The Corps monitors snowpack and weather forecasts to determine timing to reach the summer operating range of 2062.0 to 2062.5 ft. In a typical non-flood year this summer range is reached in mid to late June. The current seasonal water supply forecast for April-July inflow volume is 96% of average.

Short term modeling forecasts are provided by the Northwest River Forecast Center.  Their projections for Albeni Falls Dam inflow, outflow, and the elevation of Lake Pend Oreille at the Hope gage can be found here:
http://www.nwrfc.noaa.gov/river/station/flowplot/flowplot.cgi?lid=ALFW1

Projections for future operations at Albeni Falls Dam can be found here:
http://www.nwd-wc.usace.army.mil/nws/hh/www/pend_esp.html

Jon Moen
Senior Water Manager, Upper Columbia
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Seattle District