From Your Marina Manager
We are excited to welcome home Rich & Debbie Farmer and their two boys back to the marina after a 9 month sabbatical cruising in Mexico.

Rich & Debbie will take back their slip at F-14 where they resided prior to their cruise for 3 ½ years. Welcome home guys! We're so happy you're back.

To Hawaii and Back ... Sort Of
We'd like to give kudos to Mike Rafferty in slip F-07 who set sail on a "SOLO TRIP" to Hawaii in his Islander 36. On day 3 of his trip and approximately 500 miles out, Mike's halyard broke just after the bend around the sheave, and he was unable to repair it single-handed after his secondary halyard became jammed.

He made the tough decision to turn around and head for home. He saw and photographed some AMAZING whales and dolphin species during his trip, and he actually witnessed "bubble feeding" by a couple of whales. Not many people have the guts to take off "SOLO" like that! (Oh, did we mention he didn't take a satellite phone or SSB radio??) OK, OK ... so he did have a GPS, VHF radio, autopilot, life raft, and EPIRB, but c'mon!! We have to commend him on his brave adventure. Maybe next year he will consider not going "SOLO".



Catalina Cruisin'
Many of you have embarked on a trip to Catalina already this year, however, if you are still in the planning stages of your trip, stop by the magazine rack near the marina office and pick up a free copy of "Two Harbors 2008 Boater's Guide" (compliments of Jack Russ in H-19). It has a wealth of information including mooring & events info as well as contact numbers.

We also have "The Southern California Boater's Guide" available in the marina office which lists information about all Southern California marinas. We ordered a couple of cases from the Santa Monica Bay Restoration Commission to hand out to new tenants when they sign their leases, but we are very happy to give one to any existing tenants too! All you have to do is ask.






New Book Club Started
We have started a book club of sorts in the marina office. We currently have a library of over 50 books!

Anyone is welcome to borrow a book and drop off any that you would like to donate. This has become quite popular as of late, and we appreciate all the book donations. Mike Stamets in G-18 is helping us build a bookshelf for our collection out of an old dinghy. Thanks Mike!

The finished product should be quite nice and it will be located right outside the marina office, but PLEASE do not put anything on the bookshelf other than books. It is not meant to be a "goodwill" shelf for unwanted belongings. "Junk piling" is one of the reasons why we removed the last bookshelf. We want to keep this area neat and clean for everyone's enjoyment.

We have also started a small DVD collection, so if you're in the mood for a movie, or have one you'd like to donate, stop by the marina office. Enjoy!

Baja Ha-Ha
We already have a list of tentative reservations for guest boats during the Baja Ha-Ha which is October 26th through November 8th. If you are planning to participate, please let us know so we can rally and put you in touch with any other tenants that may be participating.

If you plan on staying down in Mexico after the race is over for any period of time, please inform us of your planned return date so that we may try to accommodate any guests needing to stop overnight who are returning from the race.

Cruising or Haul-Out
This time of year we get loads of requests for guest slips. We are unable to confirm a guest slip in advance unless we are informed in advance of a tenant who will be vacating their slip due to a haul-out or cruising.

If at all possible, try to give as much advance notice as you can of your exact haul out or cruising dates. If you plan on being gone for a month or more, we can set up a sublet for your slip provided we're given proper advance notice.

This can also help you out financially while you're gone. (However, we cannot guarantee slip rent discounts unless you are gone for a month or longer).

Please Remember to File Your Float Plan
Even if you're just going for a day cruise to Mission Bay for the day, please file a float plan with the Marina office. It's not only courteous, it may save your life some day. Click Here for the U.S. Coast Guard's handy printable float plan form.

Marina Garden
A great big THANK YOU goes out to Cindy Holm in C-01 for helping keep our "marina garden" beautiful! She has adopted the garden as her own and it definitely shows! You can see the love she has put into it which has certainly made for a beautiful stroll down the gangway!

Thanks for all your hard work Cindy in keeping our garden beautiful - it is genuinely appreciated.

Coming Soon
If you haven't already noticed, the dinghy rack (and terrible eyesore to boot) is finally gone! We'll get started shortly on creating another nice lounge area similar to Peelle's Place where you can gather and socialize. Cindy Holm has also volunteered to help us "dress up" the area with some more beautiful plants and flowers.

Summer's Almost Over
It's hard to believe that summer is almost over, and Labor Day is just a month away! We hope you've had plenty of time to enjoy your boat this summer and if you haven't, it's time to get down here!!! We miss seeing your smiling faces. Until September ...

This months Humphrey's Concerts

• August 1st Dolly Parton
  
• August 3rd Pat Benatar & Neil Giraldo
  
• August 4th Huey Lewis & The News
  
• August 5th Lyle Lovett and his Large Band
  
• August 6th Boz Scaggs with special guest David Jacobs-Strain
  
• August 8th 60's Invasion featuring Peter & Gordon/Gerry & The Peacemakers/Gary Lewis & The Playboys
  
• August 9th Jordin Sparks/Jesse McCartney
  
• August 10th UB40 featuring guest vocalist Maxi Priest
  
• August 11th David Sanborn/Lee Ritenour
  
• August 13th Michael McDonald with special guest LeRoy Bell
  
• August 14th Joe Cocker
  
• August 15th Tower of Power
  
• August 18th Gipsy Kings
  
• August 19th Steve Winwood
  
• August 24th Bill Maher
  
• August 25th Hootie & The Blowfish
  
• August 26th Lucinda Williams with special guests Buick 6
  

That's It For August - See you next month!

Yours Truly,
Marty Cole - Marina Manager
E-mail: marina@bayclubhotel.com

Between the Sheets - Slow Economy; Fuel Costs Buoy Catalina Experience
- By Richard Benscoter
So what are the chances of getting a mooring in Avalon harbor on a Saturday or Sunday in July at 5:30 PM?

Almost as good as winning the lottery - right? Well, things have changed.

We departed our Shelter Island slip early on the July 6th, and after the 72 mile cruise from San Diego Buoy #1, we arrived at Avalon at 5:30 that afternoon, and were told we could pick up mooring #104. Now how cool was that!

As a frequent cruiser to Avalon, I naturally had a plan B in mind for the usual disappointment of being told the harbor was full as we passed the southern tip of Avalon. July is in the heart of Catalina's busy season, from Memorial Day through Labor Day. Everyone knows that the availability of a mooring and the end of a summer weekend day is not likely to happen. Well it did happen; and in fact, there were even more moorings available.

I talked to the harbor master the next day and he said visits this summer are off by 25%, and they have not seen this number of available moorings in quite some years.

On Thursday, we left the mooring in Avalon and headed north for Two Harbors. Once again, there were a lot of available moorings, and even during the Catalina Yachts rendezvous that weekend there were still open moorings available.

The harbor master at Two Harbors said that this year an unusually large number of leased moorings were turned in (65), but not to get too get excited about that, because there are still 4,800 people on the waiting list. It's just that they used to have to make only one phone call to the person on top of the waiting list, but now they may have to make as many a twenty.

So what does this all mean? It's a great time to cruise to Catalina. I know the economy stinks and so does the cost of fuel, but it's still one of the most economical ways to vacation when you compare it to the cost of travel, lodging, food and beverage for four to six people (or as many as you can sleep) at a classy hotel or condo on the beach.

See you on the water or in Catalina!

Editor's Note: Richard Benscoter is a long time avid sailor. He's a member of the Silver Gate Yacht Club and owner of the Mariners Woodshop. If you have a sailing question for Richard, send e-mail to richard@BlueSkyNews.com.

From the Waterline - A Dizzy Cephalopod Story
- By Bob Sherman
While preparing for a sea trial recently, my daughter Laurel and I were in the engine room looking down through one of those modern sea strainers with clear lids that let you see all the way through to the water below.

We were about to start the engines when we noticed that a baby octopus was comfortably nested in the port side thru-hull.

After banging and tapping on the sea strainer for a while, the octopus finally left, but a few minutes later we found that it had simply moved over to the starboard side strainer.

More tapping and banging - no effect. The octopus was not going to move again.

After much scratching of heads, we decided to briefly start the starboard engine to see if that would jar the octopus' nerves. The captain started the engine for a few seconds, and the octopus started spinning around like a kid on a tilt-a-whirl.

We stopped the engine and the octopus apparently had enough and swam away. Laurel figured that the moral of the story was that the octopus was lazy, but he left because he didn't want to "strain" himself.

Editor's Note: Bob Sherman has over 19 years of Yacht sales experience and is the owner of YachtSource. He is also qualified to instruct on all vessel types, and has held 100-ton Captain's license since 1982. He is an avid sailor, and scuba diver. You can send an e-mail to Bob at bobsherman@BlueSkyNews.com

Coast Guard Auxiliary Tip of the Month - Use It or Lose It
- By Bob Simons
One of the safety items you should ask a Coast Guard Auxiliary Vessel Examiner examine to look at on your boat are the through-hull fittings and the way they are controlled, i.e. - with seacocks.

This is considered an important safety item for the obvious reason. If they aren't in good and reliable condition, your boat can sink.

What we look for is to make sure the valve looks like it is in good condition, and not suffering from any electrolysis. Badly rusted or corroded seacocks can suddenly break off or start leaking.

Another excellent idea is to tie a wooden plug of the proper size to the seacock handle so that it is immediately available as a last resort in case you experience a seacock failure.

Seacocks come in a wide variety of sizes depending on the usage. The most common are bronze fittings, but there are also stainless steel and nylon fittings. Each probably have their advantages but bronze is so tried and true, it seems like the best alternative. Make sure you don't connect dissimilar metals because the electrolysis it causes is deadly.

When you are dealing with as important an area as holes in the bottom of your boat, it's a also good idea to use double hose clamps and check the fittings on a regular basis.

Last, but not least, remember that a seacock is worthless unless it works when you need it. To keep seacocks functioning reliably, they need to be operated every once in a while, and lubricated at least once a year. Cone and plug type seacocks need to be disassembled to be properly serviced, but ball-valve seacocks are easily maintained by spreading a dollop of waterproof grease on both sides of the closed ball.

Editor's Note: Bob Simons has been in the Coast Guard Auxiliary for thirty years and owns a small sailboat as well as a small powerboat. He teaches classes in Boating Safety & Seamanship as well as Basic and Advanced Coastal Navigation. Bob is also the co-owner of Seabreeze Books and Charts in Point Loma. You can send an e-mail to Bob at bobsimons@BlueSkyNews.com.

A Really Really Fun Dock Party Theme
One of the best summer marina and yacht club dock party ideas we've come across recently is the "Boston Tea Party" theme.

Here's the setup - Invite your "party animal" dinghy friends from all over the marina or yacht club to participate in teams of "Red Coats" and "Colonials". (No engines allowed - paddles and life jackets for this one - it's more enjoyable if everyone survives the fun.)

Appoint one dinghy to hold George Washington, and one to hold King George III to lead their armadas into battle. Hats, costumes, flags, (thin t-shirts with no bras? - optional), and dinghy decorations of course add to the festivity.

At the appointed time, muster the dinghy teams on opposite ends of the fairway and line both sides of the fairway with British troops and revolutionaries armed with super soakers - Red Coats on one side; colonials on the other side.

Each dinghy should have three people - one to row; one gunner with super-soaker for defense; and one standing up to be the ranking officer.

On signal - The troops on the docks toss three to four dozen "tea bales" into the fairway (you can use inexpensive inflatable beach balls or other inflatables of your choice to serve as the tea bales).

Soldiers on the docks use their super soakers to drench the other side's team, of course, but they also use them to deflect the "tea bales" from the opposing side's grasp!.

The dinghies scramble to pick up the tea bales, and the three dinghy teams that recover the most "tea bales" after all of them have been recovered emerge triumphant.

After the battle - Award the first, second, and third place prizes - then have a great party, dry off, and raise a toast to today's friendship of Great Britain and America!

Editor's Note: If you decide to have a "Boston Tea Party", please send us a photo to pass along. If you have another creative dock party theme, let us know about it and we'll pass that along too!

News Flash - President Bush Signs Clean Boating Act into Law
Thanks in great part to the efforts of the National Marine Manufacturers Association (NMMA), and in a significant victory for the recreational marine industry and the American boating and angling public, President Bush signed the Clean Boating Act of 2008 into law a few days ago on July 30th.

The Act protects the more than 17 million recreational boats throughout the U.S. from unprecedented and unnecessary federal regulations.

"The recreational marine industry and boaters throughout the U.S. can now rest easy and go boating without new federal or state permits, heavy penalties and absurd legal jeopardy," said Scott Guides, NMMA vice president of Government Relations. "We applaud President Bush and Congress for their bipartisan efforts to reverse the unintended and potentially devastating consequences of an overbroad federal court decision."

Introduced by Senators Bill Nelson (D-Fla.) and Barbara Boxer (D-Calif.) and Representatives Steve LaTourette (R-Ohio) and Candice Miller (R-Mich.), the Clean Boating Act permanently and fully restores a common sense regulation that excludes recreational boaters and anglers from the Clean Water Act federal and state permitting system designed for land-based industrial facilities, like sewage treatment plants. Without legislative relief, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) was set to implement new permitting regulations for boaters by October 1, 2008. Read more



From the Eco-Detective - Moving Your Yacht Toward Greener Cruising a Step at a Time
- By Russ Grandinetti
The reversal of any decades-old trend is never achieved overnight. Neither will the transformation to a totally environmentally-friendly cruising world occur quickly.

But there are some products available now that can move you and your vessel toward that goal, and in many cases, even save you money in the process.

In my current position, I am responsible for overseeing the testing and evaluation of various environmentally friendly marine products, and in this new BlueSkyNews.com monthly column, I'll bring you the results of those tests.

This month we looked at a product called Barnacle Buster, made by Trac Ecological Marine Products, a bio-friendly product designed to clean marine growth like mussels from heat exchangers. This worked well, is safe to be discharged into the ocean, and replaces much more toxic and dangerous solutions such as muriatic acid.

Switching to a product like this is just one easy step you can take on your vessel to move to greener cruising. See you next month!

Russ Grandinetti is a noted megayacht captain with a background in marine sciences and oceanography. He also spent many years consulting in the offshore oil industry in the Gulf. He is now the Green Products and Services Manager for Knight & Carver YachtCenter in National City, Ca. - You can e-mail Russ with your environmental questions and suggestions.

S.O.S. From the Galley -
Hot Guacamole!
- By Monica Giobbi
For another hard to beat dock party hit, try this easy to make tasty recipe for guacamole and chips.

Chop the green onions, jalapenos, and tomatoes into small pieces. Scoop out the avocado meat into a mixing bowl; toss in the onions, jalapenos, hot sauce, lime juice and tomatoes, and smoosh with a fork until the mixture reaches a dippable consistency with small lumps.

Make sure to look out for what I call those little brown avocado "belly buttons" that you may have accidentally added to the mix when you scooped out the avocados.

Last, thoroughly mix in the hot salsa to taste. Use the "finger taste test" to check for that great burny lip, yee-haw reaction that makes the head sink into your shoulders at the first taste and make people go wow! Remember, if you're going to let the mixture sit for a while, the effect of the salsa makes the mix get slightly hotter as time goes by.


Serve with sturdy chips and bask in the accolades.
Bon Appetito!