2023 Delta and Bay Extravaganza

J

Jim Gibson

Member
19th Annual Delta and Bay Extravaganza
Wednesday, May 3, 2023 to Sunday, May 7, 2023.

Yes, it is time for the 19th year for this event! I am going to try to make it to 20 years, and then turn the event over to someone younger, if they want it.

We have held this event for every year straight, since 2003, except for years 2020 and 2021, which were cancelled due to Covid. I would guess that this is the longest continuous event ever posted on this site, or its predecessor, C-Dog site.

A big part of this event is the hosting of it on Wednesday and Thursday, by John and Robin Eudy at their Wheeler Island Duck Club. I doubt that I would have kept this event going for so long, if it were not due to all the enthusiasm that John and Robin bring to the event.

This 2023 event is now scheduled at about the same time it was last year. Hopefully we will enjoy the nice weather we had in 2022.

If you are interested in being part of the 2023 Extravaganza, please reserve your place now by indicating on this thread that you will be going, and that you are signing up for the full five-day journey. Please do not sign up unless you can commit to showing up to this Extravaganza, and you can attend the entire event.

You might look at the last 18 years of threads if you want some idea of what this gathering is like. There is also extensive video documentation of this event from Floyd Stewart on the site to help you visualize this journey.

This year our venues will be the same as last year. We will start off at Rio Vista and go to the Honker Bay Duck Club on Wednesday as usual. We will stay another night (Thursday) at the Duck Club. Last year we had some of the best Stripped Bass fishing at the Duck Club that we have ever had. After the Duck Club, we will be spending two nights in San Francisco (Friday and Saturday nights). We have the S.F. reservations now. The two nights in S.F. is the same as last year, as we will have more time to look around the Bay and visit in The City.

There is a strict ten (10) boat maximum for the Extravaganza. This maximum is because of the Duck Club and San Francisco marina space limitations.

Six (6) vessels are already signed up, namely:

1. Pounder – Jim & Kath
2. Dinner Belle II – John & Robin
3. Dora Jean – Steve, et. all
4. Sea Spray – Steve & Karen
5. Far C’R – Floyd & Eiko
6. Slack Time – John & Laurie.

Right now, there are four spaces left. The next four boats signed up on this thread will be able to go. Pease be aware that this event fills up quickly with the maximum 10 boats. Those indicating that they want to attend after the ten-boat limit is reached will be put on a waiting list, and they will be added to the event if someone else drops out before the event takes place.

If you make the commitment to go on this trip you will likely enjoy the journey. There are many repeat folks at this event year-after-year. All C-Brats are welcome, both new timers and old timers.

Some old timers to this event have aged out and sold their boats. They will certainly be missed, especially Joel & Susan on SEA3PO.

This Extravaganza is less than three months away! More will be posted later, but please reserve your place NOW if you intend to go.

Sincerely,
Jim & Kath
_____________
Jim on M/V Pounder
And the C-Tales Continue
 
It'd be so tempting to try and make the Delta cruise before the Friday Harbor gathering, but think that might be cramming too much in coming from this distance. I am still planning to make the Catalina Cruise in August however. Colby
 
I have gone twice, and it is one of the "Highlight" of C Dory cruises--thanks to Jim and Kath/John and Robin. Must do in the "lifetime" of any C Dory owner.
 
Thanks Jim and Kath,
I grew up in the South Bay and would love to do this trip but timing is too close to the annual Friday Harbor C-Brats annual gathering. Have a great time!
 
Call me crazy Jim, but sign C-Traveler up. I’ll be at Rio Vista sometime on the 2nd. Gary, I’ll be at Friday Harbor the first day of that event. I may still try launching at Harvey’s if it looks doable, otherwise Cap Sante works for me. I just might make all the gatherings this year! Colby
 
Fantastic Colby! Welcome aboard. A smart move to take advantage of this event while it still exists. Wow, two California events in one year. We like your enthusiasm.

OK, Folks, only three (3) more spaces left for this year. If you want to go, sign up now.
 
I wanted to bring this to the top so others would get a chance to see it and hopefully sign up. There are three more spaces available and we would welcome any newcomers to this event. Very seldom do we depart without the ten boat maximum.

Jim & Kath
 
Hey Colby, just read you're going try to make the Delta trip. Wonderful. We will be there on Tuesday, the 2nd, also. After launching late afternoon and settling in, we always walk to the Pizza Factory in town, great pizza and salad. Will the Mrs. be going as well?
 
Dora~Jean":12sbfdy7 said:
Hey Colby, just read you're going try to make the Delta trip. Wonderful. We will be there on Tuesday, the 2nd, also. After launching late afternoon and settling in, we always walk to the Pizza Factory in town, great pizza and salad. Will the Mrs. be going as well?
Click to expand...

Yes sir. She was able to get vacation and will drive out with me but then fly back home likely from Sacramento first thing Monday morning while I drive north for Friday Harbor and more cruising. We should be in the area late on the 1st or mid day on the 2nd. We may be able to join you on that walk for pizza. Colby
 
Just to keep this on top, I noticed this is in the electronics forum. Shouldn't it be in the Cruise and Gaterings, or in the Grand Adventures forum? :shock: :mrgreen: Hope some more folks sign up. Colby
 
We are sorry to miss the Cruise this year, but we will be traveling in the 5th wheel April - June and will be at the Balloon Festival in Joley, Alabama at the time of the Cruise.
Ya'll have fun---- if you haven't attended this event, you are missing out!
 
Roger, are Balloon Festivals safe this year? I hear there is a problem with f16/f22's and sidewinder missiles--especially near NAS Pensacola? (Seriously have fun and enjoy our area near Foley, AL.

I wish I was going in the Delta Cruise this year also!
 
thataway":tt58qc3w said:
Roger, are Balloon Festivals safe this year? I hear there is a problem with f16/f22's and sidewinder missiles--especially near NAS Pensacola? (Seriously have fun and enjoy our area near Foley, AL.

I wish I was going in the Delta Cruise this year also!
Click to expand...

Oops - Yes, Foley 🤣
 
Dear All.

Right now, we have seven (7) vessels signed up for this trip. We can take a maximum of 10. Therefore, there is still space for 3 more boats.

You have until March 31st to sign up if you want to go. We have to cut it off at the end of March 2023, because we need to firm up marina reservations in San Francisco.

Newcomers are welcome to go. We have lost a lot of old-timers over the 19 years of this event due to aging out. You still have over a month left to make your reservation here for this event.

Soon I will be proving information on sending in San Francisco marina fees and food assignments for the Duck Club. If no one else signs up, we will be fine with the seven boats in attendance.

Kath and I are looking forward to another fun Extravaganza event.

Jim on M/V Pounder
 
Dear All.

This is one more attempt to recruit three more C-Dory’s to the Extravaganza.

On the exact same weekend, we will be in San Francisco will take place the Sail Grand Prix Final. This is a two-day exhilarating race that we can watch from our C-Dory’s on the Bay. The race course is set between Alcatraz Island and the Golden Gate Bridge.

Eight international racing teams will determine the overall season champion during these two days. The teams represent Australia, GBR, Japan, Denmark, New Zealand, U.S., France, and Spain.

Each team is racing identical, hydro foiling, F50 Catamarans. These boats literally fly at impressive speeds in excess of 60 mph!

Now who would want to miss this? A lot of C-Dory owners are old time sailors.

More information on the Extravaganza will come out shortly, including information on marina fees and voluntary food assignments.

Jim & Kath
 
Jim,
You showed my wife Wini & I Pounder a year or so ago when we were researching C-Dory 22's. Thanks again for doing that for us. Stepping aboard Pounder lit a fire for us and our search led us to Joel & Susan and SEA3PO (now Sláinte) last May. We now have and love her! Wish we could join everyone and make the 2023 Delta/Bay Extravaganza but unfortunately the timing is not good for us as we will be in Ireland. Hopefully make it next year. We've read posts and seen videos. Would love to meet the gang!

Cheers and Bon Voyage!
Paul
 
Herein is the final itinerary for our 19th Annual, Delta/Bay Extravaganza, 2023 C-Dory event. Our schedule will be two days at the Duck Club and two days at San Francisco South Beach Marina. (Petaluma is too silted and Sausalito is too hard to get a spot on the dock reserved.)

The SF Marina reservation was made a year ago to hold these days. Attendance for this event is closed due to the need to now confirm our SF marina reservations. There will be seven vessels attending this event.

There is a request for attendees to send an $80 check to me for SF marina reservations. There is also a request for food volunteers for Thursday night. All this is described below.

1. Wednesday, May 3rd, Delta Marina, Rio Vista

Harbormaster Natalie (707) 374-2315

• Launch fee of $15.00 to be paid individually, on check-in
• Vehicle and trailer parked in the gated lot at the end of the marina
• Parking, $5 per day, Wednesday to Sunday ($25), paid on check-in. Must get back by 3:00 PM Sunday to get truck and trailer out of storage.
• Pay total $40 ($15+$25) in cash to this Marina on check-in.

If you want to come a day early on Tuesday, May 2nd, the guest dockage is $1.25 per night.

Wednesday, May 3rd, leave Rio Vista (Delta Marina) at 12:00 Noon, and arrive at Wheeler Island Duck Club, midafternoon. On Wednesday, Kath and I plan to launch our own vessel about 10:00 AM, at Rio Vista. We then will all leave Rio Vista, as a C-Dory Group, at Noon, and head down river to Wheeler Island.

2. Wednesday May 3rd, and Thursday May 4th, Wheeler Island Private Duck Club

Jim’s cell phone (916) 799-0286

• Boats rafted double, boat-to-boat, at Club dock, 25-foot boats in first
• Bring enough boat fenders to raft up
• No shore power or water hookups
• Restrooms and showers in the clubhouse
• No marina fees!

We are staying two nights at the Duck Club (Wednesday night and Thursday night). Please bring your fishing gear and fishing licenses to go fishing from the banks of the Duck Club on Wednesday and Thursday. Fishing is outstanding for stripers. Last year I caught more striped bass than any time in my lifetime.

John Eudy and Robin are hosting a gourmet BBQ dinner for everyone on Wednesday night. Kath and I are hosting a basic bacon and egg breakfast for everyone on Thursday morning.

For Thursday evening we are having a BBQ hamburger and striped bass pot luck. Kath and I will bring the hamburger for Thursday night. John Marshall will prepare the striped bass for us.

We need some food volunteers for the following items for Thursday night:

1. Hamburger Buns and mustard, ketchup, and mannose
2. Green salad
3. Potato or Macaroni salad
4. Chips and dip
5. Desert of some type.

There are five of you (Dora Jean, Sea Spray, Far C’R, Slack Time, and C-Traveler) whereby each of you can choose one of the above items. Please plan on 16 people for food (includes the two caretakers of the Duck Club).

3. Friday, May 5th and Saturday, May 6th, San Francisco South Beach Harbor

Harbor Master Pallavi Talwar (415) 495-1046

• Cost of $35 per night, regardless of boat size (Prepaid)
• Non-refundable deposit, paid in advance, $10 per vessel (Prepaid)
• Rest rooms and showers
• Shore power and water hookups available (power adapter with a deposit)
• Everyone on “A” dock with assigned slip numbers (given later in trip).

Friday, May 5th, leave Duck Club by 8:00 AM (or earlier) and head to the Bay and on to SF South Beach Harbor. Our reservations are all set for South Beach Harbor for two nights.

On Friday and Saturday nights, we will have dinner at one of the casual nearby San Francisco neighborhood restaurants for those that are interested in attending. John and Laurie, maybe you could please arrange to use your reciprocal yacht club privileges to allow us to have dinner on one of the nights (Friday or Saturday) at the South Beach Yacht Club?

4. Sunday, May 7th

Leave San Francisco at dawn’s early light, and return to Rio Vista to arrive before Noon. On Sunday, we will head non-stop back to Rio Vista. We should pull into the docks at Rio Vista, approximately 11:00 AM, Sunday morning.

Per tradition, anyone willing, is invited to have breakfast at the Strippers Restaurant in Rio Vista, curtesy of Jim and Kath, after we get our boats retrieved and put on their trailers. This is usually by about 1:00 PM, Sunday.

xxxxxx

The above itinerary seems like a rigid schedule. In fact, anything can happen along the way to throw it off. Several years we were not able to meet our plan as scheduled, due to weather conditions.

In the Central/West Delta main channels and in San Pablo Bay, one wants to avoid together the incoming wind, and the outgoing tides, as they can be nasty enough, in combination, to even put a mighty C-Dory out-of- commission. Once you are West of Pittsburgh, the water channels become wider and bigger, and the wind is usually going to be coming at you from the West, and if the tide is going out, hang on for a rough passage!

For some years, we have lucked out with relatively calm weather, and we have been able to safely finish off the entire trip itinerary, as we originally planned it. However, in a few years we have had to modify our schedule substantially.

Last year, it was absolutely hellacious coming back on the main channels. It was so rough that I could not even turn my boat around to go back and help someone. Luckily, Floyd was the hero of the day and got his boat turned around in storm conditions to help out.

For full disclosure, for the new attendees, this Extravaganza covers approximately 200 NM in five (5) days, and there is always unpredictability in weather and water conditions. The more experienced, competent, and relaxed Skippers have generally enjoyed this trip the most.

As always, each boat Captain is solely responsible for his/her own boat’s, and passenger’s, ultimate safety and well-being. Each Skipper is not to rely on the judgment (or lack thereof) of the Pack Commodore. It greatly helps the Group to show up with your vessel and engine(s) in good operating condition and with full tanks of fuel when you leave Rio Vista.

The C-Dory Group will communicate during this trip on VHF Channel 69. We will also monitor Channel 16.


xxxxxx

This is our 19th time for this C-Dory cruise, and we have always enjoyed ourselves, and the other attendees, or we would not keep doing it. We again look forward to the trip this year. We never know when this will be the last year, we can do this, due to inevitable health reasons.

This year, like year’s past, we need to collect some marina reservation fees in advance. The advance marina reservation fees, per vessel, this year, like last year, are $80 for San Francisco ($35 x 2) + $10).

You will pay your own launch fees and parking costs at Rio Vista when you check-in there. The San Francisco marina must be paid in advance. There are no fees for our stay at Wheeler Island!

Please send a check for $80.00 to confirm your trip reservation. This fee is non-refundable, even if you do not show up, for whatever reason, as San Francisco will not refund it. Along with your check, please provide (1) the full first and last names for yourself and crew; (2) your vessel name; and (3) your vessel CF number. This information is used for marina reservations.

Also, for the SF marina you need to show your DMV boat registration and boat insurance papers. Please bring them.

Please send your $80 check, payable to Jim Gibson, along with the above requested information, to Jim Gibson, at 15 Noah Court, Sacramento, California, 95831. Please send your check by April 15, 2023 (about one month from now).

We have 7 boats signed up for this Extravaganza as follows:

1. Jim & Kath (Pounder)
2. John & Robin (Dinner Belle II)
3. Steve & Karen (Sea Spray)
4. John & Laurie (Slack Time)
5. Steve et. al. (Dora-Jean)
6. Floyd & Eiko (Far C’r)
7. Colby & Roseanne (C-Traveler).

Thank you for attending this event. As always, we look forward to seeing everyone Wednesday, May 3rd. Hopefully we will get some reasonable weather this year.

If there are any questions, please call me. Kath and I are looking forward to another fun C-Dory gathering.

Sincerely,
Jim
 
Rosanne says we'll sign up for 1. Hamburger Buns and mustard, ketchup, and mannose . Jim, from your experience in the past, if we bring two dozen buns and a bottle each of Ketchup, Mustard and Mainoase, would that suffice?

I sent you a text regarding the $80. The other information you requested: Colby & Rosanne Smith
C-Traveler
WS1297TS.

Looking forward to seeing you all. We plan to arrive sometime between late Monday, or before noon on Tuesday. I'll contact Rio Vista for reservations. After the cruise, and Sunday group brunch, I'll be dropping Rosanne off at the Sacramento Airport for her redeye back home (she has to work,) then starting my drive north for the Friday Harbor gathering. Colby
 
Dear All.

I know most people prefer to stay on their boats at the Duck Club, but they can use a room at the Duck Club, if they would like, for Wednesday and Thursday nights. John Eudy just needs to know in advance if there are any who would like a room so he can have the linens washed, and a room ready.

Please let me know. Thanks.

Jim on M/V Pounder
 
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