Looking for Portland area Ericson owners

[C.J.B]

Greetings, I'm new here, but I did recently aquire an Ericson sailboat. I've noticed most folks on the NW thread are in the Puget Sound region, but was wondering how many members are in Portland and sail the Columbia? Do any gatherings happen around here? Should we plan some?

Thanks! Curtis

 

[Loren Beach]

Glad to see you checking in!
We have not done any local social gatherings, but then for the last couple of years the pandemic has made that a lot more difficult as well.
(sigh)
There are several active Ericson (and Olson) owners at my club, RCYC, and another bunch at PYC. And I see others out sailing but do not always know them.
IF..... all goes well, several of us may buddy boat up the coast to attend this summer's rendezvous in BC. I hope that works out.
I hope you enjoy this site.
What model do you sail?

Cheers,
Loren

 

[Tom Brownson]

I’m in Astoria with my Ericson 38. I’m also a co-owner of an Olson 30. We have a few Ericsons down here.

 

[Saullincer]

Greetings, I'm new here, but I did recently aquire an Ericson sailboat. I've noticed most folks on the NW thread are in the Puget Sound region, but was wondering how many members are in Portland and sail the Columbia? Do any gatherings happen around here? Should we plan some?

Thanks! Curtis

I’m at Oregon Tackle Marina just east of I5 bridge on the Columbia. I have an Ericsson 30+. I’m hoping to make the rendezvous this year, but I do not speak French.

 

[C.J.B]

Thanks Lauren, Tom and Saullincer for responding. I've got the E29. And although I mostly know what I'm doing, I'd welcome someone coming along on sail or two, since it's a size upgrade for me. Any takers, LMK. Especially with this gorgeous weather we're having lately.

 

[bigd14]

Ericson 30+ here and a friend has an Ericson 27 nearby. We mostly do day and evening sails but a local rendezvous would be fun!

 

[Saullincer]

Thanks Lauren, Tom and Saullincer for responding. I've got the E29. And although I mostly know what I'm doing, I'd welcome someone coming along on sail or two, since it's a size upgrade for me. Any takers, LMK. Especially with this gorgeous weather we're having lately.

Curtis, I would love to sail with you sometime. My boat or yours. I'm mostly available Saturdays and I live far from Columbia River so need to plan ahead. That said, I will make time to sail. Give me a shout.

 

[C.J.B]

That would be great! I'd love either, going for a sail on your boat, or helping crew mine for an afternoon. My boat is on the Willamette currently, so we'll need to motor a bit to get to the Columbia. But even a short cruise with the motor would be fun, if you only had a couple hours.
How many days out do you need to plan?

 

[C.J.B]

Would anyone be available this Saturday the 26th to help me move the boat downriver several miles to a new marina? Flexible on the time. It's just that it's the first time out with my new boat, but the engine runs well, and if conditions are nice we could raise the sails. Let me know. Thanks, Curtis

 

[Saullincer]

Hi Curtis, I am available, I can be in Portland by 10 am. Call or text. 510 672-1121.
Saul

 

[C.J.B]

Thanks Saul! I'll text you later today. Curtis

 

[toddster]

Trivial observation for Columbia River sailors: Queen Of The West Dethroned!

QOTW showed up in the marina today with her name painted over in black and a new name painted on top: American West.
The gold crowns on her stacks are gone too.

She must have really screwed up this time!

BTW, we've had a port call from one cruise ship or another almost every day this last week. Tourist season has begun. More obstacles to look out for on the river!

 

[Loren Beach]

Weird and a bit pathetic is that most (all?) of these "river boats" are just flat bottom barges with a hotel perched on top. Driven by a conventional shaft drive. And a imitation paddle wheel on one end spinning due to forward motion.
(sigh)
We watch them pass by us all the time. Ick.

 

[toddster]

Well I think they have hydraulic thrusters. When they're maneuvering in the marina, wakes shoot out in odd directions. The big ones used them to stay pinned against the bank during visits, until the port installed some bollards for them. It made paddleboarding around them "interesting." And there is a big hydraulic motor on the paddlewheel but I'm not sure how much thrust it produces.
On the "Song" -class boats, the "ships' bow" raises up to extrude the boarding ramp. A couple of days ago, one backed all the way out to the channel, with the bow still open. Didn't appear to be a very ship-like motion.

 

[bigd14]

Not very authentic are they! However; I'm fairly certain none of the current paying guests would appreciate an "authentic" Columbia River experience.

 

[toddster]

Coincidentally, I recently rediscovered "Swift Flows The River," by Nard Jones. One of those "new realism" novels from the 1930's where everyone except the protagonists is a real historical person and most of the events are real but fictionalized. About a boy who grows up in The Dalles (and The Cascades) about a hundred years before I did, and goes on to become a riverboat captain. The Hassalo, is among the boats featured in it. I liked it as a boy because I imagined that my great-grandparents families were standing around in the background of most of the scenes. Great Grandad did sell cordwood to the riverboats as a young man. He had a landing set up just below the Lyle Narrows.

 

[bigd14]

Ooh, that looks great. I'll add it to my reading list. So much incredible history on this river.