Saturday, May 24, 2025

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

Monday, May 19, 2025

Small Craft advisor article about the Malbec18

 

Forwarded this email? Subscribe here for more

The Malbec 18 Sailboat

Fun To Sail owner Miles Moore Keeps Production Going

MAY 19
 
READ IN APP
 

Many of us have lamented that their are so few small production sailboats on the market these days. Thirty years ago there was a fleet of niche fiberglass trailersailers being built across the country—these days you can probably count the manufacturers on one hand.

One of the more exciting production sailboats to launch in recent years was the Malbec 18—a sleek modern cruiser that seemed to hit the sweet spot in terms of balancing trailerabilty, performance and cruising accommodations. When we reviewed it back in 2019 we wrote:

Although the Malbec is new and plenty modern, in some ways her design is a throwback to the classic trailersailers of the 70s and 80s—a good all-round boat focused on family fun. For whatever reason, maybe the aforementioned used-boat saturation, of the few small-boat manufacturers who remain, most have focused on niche boats with very specific virtues or character. The Malbec 18 aims more for the center, where a good-sailing and stable boat with nice accommodations, shallow-draft beachability, and a fair price tag, ought to be extremely well-received.

The Argentinean-designed Malbec was brought to the United States and refined by Ken Lange, former owner of International Marine (West Wight Potters), but ownership of the design and production has been taken over by longtime sailing instructor and boat dealer, Miles Moore from funtosail.com.

“I knew Ken wanted to retire and I felt because I own and teach on a Malbec and really love the boat that it was a good fit to take over,” Miles told us. “It was a bit scary to take over in this economy, but I’ve seen too many great small sailboats vanish from the market and I didn’tt want that to happen to the Malbec18.”

We asked him what specifically he admire about the design.

“To me the boat is a cross between Potters, Compacs, and Montgomerys. All boats I love, but I found the Malbec employed all the great characteristics of those boats with the added benefit of better sailing performance with a great balance between cockpit and cabin size. Plus, it’s a nice simple boat and easy to maintain and super simple and quick to rig.”

As for price and delivery schedule, Miles wrote:

“The boat’s sailaway price is $45,000. That includes the sails with roller-furling jib (a new standard feature), boarding ladder, motor mount, all hardware, and mast raising system. Options are available. We typically say it takes 12 weeks to get a boat if we don’t have one in stock, even though it can take less. We tend to build a boat when we get the order.

“For me it’s the perfect balanced trailerable sportboat and no way was I willing to see it vanishing from the market.”

To read more on the Malbec click here •SCA


Note from FunToSAIL.com ... Please subscribe to this online publication and support small boat sailing!

Friday, May 16, 2025

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.

Mountain Meadows Lake, Pend Oreille County, Washington

Mountain Meadows Lake
This lake is located about 12 miles from Newport, in Pend Oreille County, WA. Fishing on this lake is done from the bank off of the county owned Deeter Road (see white arrow in map below). We want to make it clear this lake is totally privately owned shoreline other that the one spot indicated in the map below. DO NOT access private land and obey all county/state and private landowner signs. Deeter Road which is a dead-end road that is on the east side of the lake, along the shore is county owned and allows public access unless otherwise posted by the county. This road connects to Baker Rd, which is a private road and does not allow access and is typically gated (if gate is open, do not enter). Making the effort to accessing this lake makes no sense when there are so many beautiful public lakes in the area.

This lake's shoreline is heavily lined with lily pads and other aquatic plant life making fishing from the bank from the one spot along the county road difficult. Waterfowl make this lake their home. No hunting allowed. There are some reports that this lake is 20-30 deep, but there is no verification of this, all info we have found at its deepest in early spring is about 10 ft deep. Due to its shallow depth with warm water in the summer Alge build up is a given, plus its marsh conditions makes this lake home to a lot of mosquitos. Fishing: Limited info, Crappie and Bass. Not stocked by state fisheries. Directions/Maps: Visit google.com/maps type in Mountain Meadows Lake or GPS coordinates 48.196151, -117.225960

Attention... Obey ALL private and county/state signs!

ACCESSIBILITY: PARKING... Gravel, Dirt combo parking along road (park totally off paved road); PATHS/TRAILS... None; RESTROOMS/FACILITIES/SHADE… None. Some shade via trees; SENSORY... No sensory tactile markers for those with visual and other impairments. DOCKS/LAUNCHES/PLATFORMS… None. Launch off very small bank through grass and then lily pads (see white arrow on map below); DIRECT WATER ACCESS… No access for wheeled mobility devices; TRANSFER SYSTEMS... None; CAMPING... No; O.T.H.E.R… Oddities/Barriers: Deep grass, Lily pads; Terrain: Level to about 4% along lake; H2O/Water: Water normally murky. 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 in towns of Newport and Diamond Lake, WA.

Green line indicates private land. Yellow line is public county owned road. White arrow indicates only location where can fish at. One must obey all private, county, and state signs.

Red arrow indicates only location where one can fish at. One must obey all private, county, and state signs.


Please make comments below

Monday, April 28, 2025

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

Sunday, March 16, 2025

Bells Lake, Benewah County, Idaho USA

Bells Lake is between the St. Joe River and road NF-50, about 5 miles north of St. Maries, Idaho. Not really a good lake to go boating as there is no real way to get a boat into the lake. However the Idaho Fish & Game indicates fishing on this little lake that looks more like a pond. For fishing info visit this link... Fishing Bell Lake. Also a good place to bird watch.
ACCESSIBILITY: Difficult access... view lake from road. Could access lake over steep bank and then portage through marine vegetation. Certainly not accessible to wheeled mobility device.


Posted originally on 1/25/2019

Make a comment here...

Thursday, March 13, 2025

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.

 

Monday, February 24, 2025

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…

Monday, February 3, 2025

Clean Distilled Drinking Water

So as some of you know who have taken my sailing classes and others who know me outside of sailing, know how important I feel clean drinking water is. Not just clean drinking water but also using no disposable water bottles to keep our environment cleaner, particularly our oceans.

I am extremely happy to announce that I have found the perfect distiller. Yes, distilled water is king related to clean drinking water and is far better for one's health than any other water. When water is distilled it leaves behind all the impurities that would otherwise enter your body and has to work to get it out and/or may not be able to get it out creating all kinds of health problems, such as gallstones, reduced circulation, etc. I will write another article about this but for now I wanted to let you know about this distiller I discovered.

Pure & Secure LLC based in Lincoln NE builds its distillers all here in the USA, no foreign parts and then assembled in the USA, it's all built and assembled in the USA.

Besides being USA built the model I like the best is its countertop unit (they have many models). There are many countertops system offered on Amazon, etc. with biased reviews (inputted by the company plants). As many discover these systems are poorly made and sadly have poor results. Yes, they are cheap costing between $60 and $150's. The Pure & Secure system is $800 (some discounts offered). So even though you pay much more upfront, in the end it lasts forever (not like the cheap ones), produces a lot of water, and the company has the best customer support.

I have used my countertop system for a month now and will never drink tap water again. Also, I need to remind everyone that bottled water with its so-called spring water is typically nothing more that glorified and expensive tap water. And the water is put in BP toxic bottles that leach that chemical into the water in those bottles.

For me distilled is the only option for clean drinking water. In addition, I only use glass or metal (not aluminum) water bottles that are not plastic disposables bottles that get into our oceans killing marine life, etc.

ATTENTION USE CODE... FUNTOSAIL TO RECIEVE DISCOUNT

CLICK HERE to Purchase