Flotsam & Jetsam
Your letters and such...
About our interview with Randy Smyth (Speed Made Good), reader Jim “Goose” Gossman writes:
Good story. I knew Randy back in the early windsurfing days. He’s so right about rotating masts (a clue if anyone wonders how ReGale sails so well). Also, his comment about looking at the water (instead of instruments) just confirms my disdain for windexes. ReGale is up for a major refit….including winglets on her chine foils and rudders, a chopped down Hobie 16 mast, and a comfortable helm chair. Possibly will make it to the PNW in fall, but probably Catalina will be only big trailer trip with Potters.
About the same interview, designer Dudley Dix writes:
That’s an interesting interview with Randy Smyth. I particularly like what he said about letting kids have freedom to sail their boats as they want, without the soccer mom syndrome. I have often said this when discussions have arisen about keeping kids interested in sailing. As a young teen, I had my own Dabchick, an 11-foot plywood board-boat that most of my friends also sailed. We sailed on a lake rather than the ocean, but we had total freedom to sail where and when we wanted, as long as we did our school work and were home by dinner time. No coaches chasing us around a buoyed coarse with megaphones. We sailed sometimes in groups and sometimes by ourselves. We learned our sailing by pushing ourselves and each other, like finding out how far we could heel our boats without capsize. And if we did capsize we learned how to right out boats very quickly.
We spent most of our spare time on the water because it was fun. I would sometimes ride my bicycle the 8-10 miles from home to my boat, sail for a few hours, then ride home again in time for dinner. Now society tries to control everything that we do and the adventure races, like R2AK and Everglades Challenge give people the opportunities to break out from those restrictions.
Regarding our What You’re Building article, boatbuilder Rick Pratt writes:
Great projects! Glad to know the art thrives.
Reader Cameron Bielstein had the following question for readers:
I'm considering purchasing a San Francisco Bay Pelican. I believe there is or was a fleet of Pelicans active in the Pacific Northwest and I'm curious to make contact.
I've heard tales of their adventures from some of the “old timers” in the area. I know the story of Pelican Beach in the San Juan Islands. YouTube has a handful of videos of them racing around various lakes and bays (including with Chip Hanauer!) But I can't seem to find anyone who knows if they’re still operational or how to contact them. I believe they are (were?) called the ‘San Francisco Pelican Viking Fleet III” and that there was at one point a Yahoo Group (RIP) for them.
I figured someone here might have a lead that could help me get in contact and potentially make some new boating friends. Thanks in advance!
POLL
•SCA•
Regarding active Pelican clubs in the Pacific Northwest, my daughter and I purchased a Pelican last year and have just joined the Pelican Viking Fleet 3, a group that has a series of get-together races throughout the year. Contact Terry Gosse, PO Box 65024, Shoreline, WA 98155.
The Randy Smyth interview was interesting. Catalina Island race as a young kid and current Everglades Challenge with innovative sailboat plus a huge professional career. Impressive.
I hope a Jim "Goose" Gossman story is in the works. A guy willing and able to void the warranty of a production sailboat in the pursuit of speed and fun has to be celebrated! Thanks for picture of ReGale.