Chrysler Crewsers Cluster - Eastern Rally

Windward · Post by **Windward** » Tue Feb 15, 2011 6:26 am

Sorry to hear that Leatherneck won't make it. I'm at the eye doc now, waiting for my pupils to dilate, but will post a little info later. How about a quick show of hands from those who think they may attend this VERY loosely coordinated event?

skyking · Post by **skyking** » Tue Feb 15, 2011 7:03 am

I have every intention of being there..barring some unforseen circumstances...

I will not be bringing my boat, so my wife and I would be willing to crew for some one ?? Otherwise we will bring our kayaks...

hp18carr · Post by **hp18carr** » Tue Feb 15, 2011 7:16 am

Jeff

First mate and I will be there hopefully all week, but like Tim only as crew this year. Tim put me down for a t-shirt if you make them. looking forward to my truly first time on the water in a sailboat.

Terrence
Wilmington N.C.
Chrysler 26' 1980
Pandora (for now)

John Stahl · Post by **John Stahl** » Tue Feb 15, 2011 8:35 am

what are the dates again?

hp18carr · Post by **hp18carr** » Tue Feb 15, 2011 8:57 am

The dates as I recall were starting the weekend of May 28-29 and ending the weekend of June 4-5.

Terrence
Wilmington N.C.
Chrysler 26' 1980
Pandora (for now)

skyking · Post by **skyking** » Tue Feb 15, 2011 9:00 am

Here is a short cut to the Original post...

viewtopic.php?t=1908&start=0&postdays=0 ... highlight=

Jmckamey · Post by **Jmckamey** » Tue Feb 15, 2011 9:06 am

I plan to be there, at least for the weekend, Just to confirm, Watauga lake? I was under the impression we were going to do Cherokee. Either way is fine by me.

skyking · Post by **skyking** » Tue Feb 15, 2011 9:10 am

Watuga lake was the last location mentioned..

Jmckamey · Post by **Jmckamey** » Tue Feb 15, 2011 10:05 am

That's cool. Guess I had'nt been keeping up with the flow of this thing to well. I hope to have my boat in a slip on the lake by then, so I'll be there for sure.

LeatherneckPA · Post by **LeatherneckPA** » Tue Feb 15, 2011 10:07 am

I made the decision to switch to Watauga Lake for two reasons.

[1]The Cherokee Lake Sailing Club was "less than helpful" and the marina there was even less so.
[2]I figured that Jeff's local knowledge might make it a more easily managed event for all.

However, since I will most likely not make it please feel free to consider other venues if you wish.

Jmckamey · Post by **Jmckamey** » Tue Feb 15, 2011 10:17 am

The cherokee sailing club can keep it!! Watauga is a much nicer setting anyway.

Windward · Post by **Windward** » Tue Feb 15, 2011 10:21 am

Leatherneck wasn't having much luck getting info on Cherokee Lake and mentioned the possibility of Watauga. Obviously that works well for me.

I will be there one, and perhaps both, weekends, and maybe a day during the week. Based on everything else I have going on, probably wouldn't make it if I had to trailer.

Did I mention LOOSELY coordinated? Let me share some basic info I do have:

Refer to http://www.sv-windward.com/tech/happy_hooker.pdf for a map of the lake. Watauga Lake is about 13 miles from the west end to northeast end, with another couple of branches to the southeast that will take you back several more miles. Most of the land is National Forest, so there are lots of little coves to anchor or tie off in. The water will be cool that time of year, but very clean. The Appalachian Trail runs along the shore on the west end of the Lake, and along the ridgeline to the north, so there's an opportunity for some decent hiking if you don't want to spend all your time on the boat.

Never any guarantees about breeze, but there usually is some that time of year, and it can range from not much to way much / 2nd reef time. Best sailing is usually the western half of the lake, but I often sail from west end all the way northeast and then back. Lots of little coves to explore and mess about in, particularly if you have a dinghy.

You can launch at Watauga Lakeshore Marina for $5. Parking on Memorial Day weekend may be dicey due to all the houseboaters, but a friend with a store in Hampton (a couple of miles away) can accommodate vehicles/trailers for a nominal per-day charge and work out shuttle back to the lake.

Rat Branch (National Forest Service (NFS) launch area) charges $2 per day. This includes parking, and it's apparently OK to leave your rig there for several days as long as you prepay. Note that this ramp is well lit but unattended, so caveat parker.

Carden's Bluff campground is also NFS. There are 43 first-come-first-served sites at $12 / night. Sites are limited to 5 people / 2 vehicles per site. Facilities include flush toilets and showers but no hookups. No alcohol permitted. Gates are locked 10pm-7am. No docking facilities, but you can walk 100' down to the lake from many of the sites.

Lakeshore usually has some overnight slips available for $10 for the night... that's more than $0 for the night, but they have power, water, flush toilets and showers, so a night or two dockside might go well with at least some of the group.

Lakeshore's web site is http://www.lakeshore-resort.com/. I know nothing about their cabins and motel except that they exist. Motel prices range from $75-$95 / night Sun-Thu (add $10/night on weekends), weekly rates $490 - $610. I'm sure that does not include tax. They also have cabins, with kitchens, from $125 (sleeps 4) - $300 (sleeps 8 ) per night, $787 - $1890 / wk.

Much of the Watauga shoreline is National Forest and open to camping; lots of it's steep but there are still some choice spots. Carden's Bluff doesn't take reservations, it's show up and grab a site. They're likely to be busy MemDay weekend, but should calm down rest of the week. For people whose boats are too small to sleep aboard and don't mind primitive camping, another alternative would be for them to set up at a basecamp site somewhere on the lake. If they're in really small boats, those of us with larger boats could ferry gear for them.

I almost always anchor rather than sleep at the dock. There are numerous places to raft up at anchor or tie off to shore, some of which have a beachy shore suitable for campfires

Getting people at the our dock together can be like herding carp, but there are three other C26s (two are pretty bare and seldom used, one belongs to a buddy who's out a lot), two C22s (both pretty basic, and one of them is almost never used) and a C20 there. Might be able to get some of those folks to come for a day.

Watauga Lake Sailing Club will have a race that weekend, plus a dock feed/potluck. WLSC is a super-friendly group of people, although their standards are low enough that I was Commodore for a couple of years. I think they've invited the local Power Squadron to participate in the dock feast as well, but we can usually accommodate some transient sailors if we know what to plan for.

It ain't a Chrysler (although Halsey was the designer), but IF I have the Bristol in working order then it might be available as a loaner for well-behaved sailors. Notice that "IF" is capitalized, as in a BIG if; there's lots to do there. There used to be someone at Fish Springs Marina who'd rent out a 22' and 27' sailboat, and that may also be an option. Lakeshore does rent pontoons and a couple of deck/ski boats, although not overnight, which may be a sweetener for people whose kids need to go fast and smell gas sometimes.

Hope some of this is useful.

Windward · Post by **Windward** » Tue Feb 15, 2011 10:42 am

UPDATE: Rat Branch Boat Ramp, adjacent to Carden's Bluff campground and quite close to Lakeshore Marina, has a $2 per day fee that includes parking for your car and trailer. They typically have loads of room, so that is an option for parking. You cannot camp there, but the FS person I just spoke with said no problem with leaving a tow rig there for a bit, just pay your days and display the tag in your window. Never heard any horror stories about leaving a vehicle there, although there are some local trailheads where you definitely DON'T leave your car for more than a couple of hours, and then only during the day.

Windward · Post by **Windward** » Tue Feb 15, 2011 11:11 am

Hey, this puppy needs a catchy name. I tend to like alliteration, but am kinda stuck. Thoughts?

Chrysler Convergence?
Chrysler Coincidence?
Chrysler Cruise?
Chrysler Crewse?
Chrysler Convocation?
Chrysler Congregation?
Chrysler Concentration?
Chrysler Collective?
Chrysler Convention?
Chrysler Cluster.... um, scratch that one.
Chrysler Convoy?

LeatherneckPA · Post by **LeatherneckPA** » Tue Feb 15, 2011 3:34 pm

I am so glad to see some of you still planning for this.

As far as a name goes ,,, I liked Chrysler Cluster. Seemed somehow appropriate.

Second choice would be the Chrysler Crewse.

And third would be Chrysler Collective. (We are the Borg. Resistance is futile.)

lecker68 · Post by **lecker68** » Tue Feb 15, 2011 5:42 pm

I won't be able to be there as I will be in Canada during that time.

hp18carr · Post by **hp18carr** » Tue Feb 15, 2011 6:17 pm

To those of you who can make the rally, feel free to stop by our cabin if the activities around the lake get too hectic and you need to cool your heels some where quiet. We are not to far from the lake; I may even have room for a boat trailer or two. The kids if there are any may like to search for Crayfish in the creek right off our porch.

http://i857.photobucket.com/albums/ab13 ... AG0020.jpg

http://i857.photobucket.com/albums/ab13 ... AG0030.jpg

http://i857.photobucket.com/albums/ab13 ... 0023-1.jpg

Terrence
Wilmington N.C.
Chrysler 26' 1980
Pandora (for now)

ronc98 · Post by **ronc98** » Tue Feb 15, 2011 6:17 pm

I have been away to long. I will try and make this. It is not that far away and I could certainly use a vacation!

Windward · Post by **Windward** » Tue Feb 15, 2011 6:25 pm

Thought I'd float a trial balloon for the name and see how it flew. If the "Chrysler Crewsers Cluster" mashup is too cute, I'm fine with any of Leatherneck's top three, or something else if there's a strong preference expressed.

lecker68 · Post by **lecker68** » Tue Feb 15, 2011 9:04 pm

I think it is great

Windward · Post by **Windward** » Wed Feb 16, 2011 9:37 am

Just to give you a feel for conditions on Watauga Lake, there's an independent weather station set up at another marina http://booneweather.com/Forecast/Watauga+Lake. Click on the "Wx Graphics" tab to see current conditions, including wind. Cove Ridge is a somewhat sheltered location on a separate lobe on the lake's north shore, and thus the wind speeds are almost always lower than what's on the lake
itself, but you can get an idea, anyway.

Lakeshore has a less impressive Wx site at http://www.lakeshore-resort.com/weather.php, but the exposure is worse and the wind values are only marginally useful so far.

You can also check out Lakeshore Marina's webcam at http://highcountrywebcams.com/webcameras_lakeshore.htm . The restaurant's webcam has a much better view http://highcountrywebcams.com/webcamera ... sTable.htm , but it's seasonal and typically runs March or April through October/November

LeatherneckPA · Post by **LeatherneckPA** » Wed Feb 16, 2011 1:52 pm

Talking to the Admiral last night and she told me that Mem Day is not completely ruled out, just yet. But if I manage to pull this off it will be an absolute 23rd hour wonder. (Cross your fingers!!)

At the very least count me in on t-shirts if you do them. One 3X Tall and one XL.

Jeff, I love the name! It fits just fine. Chrysler Crewsers Cluster! And it carries the proper note of solemnity for this auspicious occasion.

ronc98 · Post by **ronc98** » Wed Feb 16, 2011 4:31 pm

Looking at my schedule I won't make it down until mid week and then stay until that Sunday. Anyone have an idea what the plans are as far as meeting? Will it last the whole week?

skyking · Post by **skyking** » Wed Feb 16, 2011 4:37 pm

My son has a rough draft for the T-shirts that will be done shortly...I will post it pretty soon, he needs to get the color schems and then I will scan a copy for all of you to coment on

hp18carr · Post by **hp18carr** » Wed Feb 16, 2011 5:31 pm

Ronc98

I don't think anyone has the numbers just yet to make any hard plans. how many coming with boats and how many coming just as hopeful crew members, is still up in the air. We will be there all week, but sadly without a sailboat.

Terrence
Wilmington N.C.
Chrysler 26' 1980
Pandora (for now)

Windward · Post by **Windward** » Tue Feb 22, 2011 6:04 pm

Just a quick bump to keep everyone's attention.

Memorial Day weekend is usually the first big one at Watauga, so don't wait until the last minute to make your arrangements.

Watauga Lake Sailing Club typically has a dock feast / potluck on the Saturday or Sunday. Everyone brings something to share, members are usually free, visitors are $5. This year the Power Squadron is going to have their rendezvous there, and transient slips will be harder to come by that weekend. As always, there are alternatives.

Lots of sailing to be done, and plenty of places to overnight. I have a prior on the Saturday, but will be there after that and for most of the Memorial Day 3-Day. If Ron and others are there later in the week, I'll try to snag day then to sail, too. I will try to be out the next weekend (June 4-5) but since it's my wife's birthday she gets an active role in planning that one.

hp18carr · Post by **hp18carr** » Wed Feb 23, 2011 4:52 am

We'll bring a bucket of KFC on Memorial Day weekend so not to feel like freeloaders. If by chance Watauga Lake is packed out as far as boat trailer spaces, there is room for a couple at our cabin if needed. Cheers on your wife's birthday Jeff, by happenstance my wife's is on the same time frame. Looking forward to placing names to faces... so the more that can make it the better.

Terrence
Wilmington N.C.
Chrysler 26' 1980
Pandora (for now)