OK, heres the deal. I know how to use my GPS now (inside joke)
What is now going to be up to a 6 times a year event is oddly enough having the inaugural date on what will normally be the closing date of the Catalina season for me personally, this is due to my busy season coming up and the incoming cooler weather.
"Club Salty #1" will happen 9-17 / 9-19 this is a weekend long event, if you cant do all of it do part of it.
This is open to ALL BOATS, contrary to popular belief you do not need a $300,000 boat to make the short jog to Catalina, it helps but isn't entirely necessary. The smallest boat I know of that has taken the ocean trip out there was 22' though BGCHUBY may know something else as may STEAMINRICE. SALTWATER WILL NOT DESTROY YOUR BOAT, IT WILL NOT MAKE IT SMELL<ETC>>>ETC>>>> These are all old wives tales, as a matter of fact, the only time i don't have the engine soot problem is when I am in the ocean.
The official hotel for "Club Salty #1" is "The Catherine Hotel" it's a nice hotel with an awesome bar and a really great Mgr named Paul Valyo and an Asst Mgr named Tim Watson. currently there are 10 rooms available in this hotel and they are specially price for Hot boat members at $120-$150 a nite, roughly half of what we normally pay for rooms at the Nautical! That alone makes up for the extra gas.
LAUNCHING
The safest and most convenient site I was able to find was at "The Dunes" http://www.newportdunes.com/ they have all the ammenities you need for launching including the wash rack and general store as well as secured, lighted parking. Once you launch it is a 25 min putter out to the Newport Jetties.
THE TRIP OVER
For those able to launch on Friday.
We will meet @ the Newport buoy 100 yards outside of the jetties @ 10:30 for an 11 am departure to Avalon for lunch and moorings along with hotel check-ins. It is also possible to stay on your boat if you have the stomach for the motion of the ocean and there are facilities at Desconda Beach for cleaning up (showers, toilets). When you arrive @ Avalon look for the small Harbormaster craft and ask for a mooring as close to W-13 as possible. this is the outer harbor and I tend to like it a little more then the inner harbor which is primarily yacht type craft anyhow.
Some of us will go to the Marlin Bar and some I'm sure will go to Desconda to the cabana bar there, but at 7:30 we will all meet at the Marlin Bar for our official reception.
Go ahead and make reservations soon by calling Paul Valyo @ "The Catherine Hotel" 310-510-0170 like I said as of this evening there are only 10 rooms available. Some of you already have your fav hotel, you know what to do.
I am arranging special "Hot Boat " rates for beginner SCUBA and horseback riding on Sat the 18th, we may also do a small poker run sat afternoon with an awards style dinner @ Steves Steakhouse later that evening.
in the philanthropic spirit of Havasu Hangin I will be bringing assorted personal items to the event to be give aways. On the list so far is....
For the boat determined to need the most sound system help,
A 'Bazooka" EL604 bass tube
For the smallest boat to make the trip to Catalina,
A Compaq IPAQ 3950 palm computer, (COLOR, 400mhz)
To the person with the biggest hard luck story that persevered and still makes it out to the island,
FREE BARTAB ALL NIGHT FRI OR SAT NIGHT.
Sunday we will have a brunch @ 'The Catherine Hotel' with free Mimosas for all Hot Boaters, this will conclude ' Club Salty #1" and the "Club Salty " season. 'Club Salty #2" Will be sometime in late May 2005.
All persons with input or ideas to help make this FREE event even better feel free to respond in this thread, PM me or call me @ 602 750 0008 or 480 966 2710
All the best,
Kenny
http://www.catalina.com/main.html http://www.catalina.com/main.html
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