GBCA Discussion Forum

Below are the coordinates for the San Leon Mitigation site area:

29.540124N
94.987045W

29.518253N
94.987117W

29.539992N
94.938287W

29.518122N
94.938369W

Chris and I attended an outreach meeting from the Port last night.

The website to get more information is www.expandthehoustonshipchannel.com

I am reaching out to get perimeter points for the new oyster reef area. The location of the San Leon Oyster Mitigation Site was determined by TPWD. There is no changing it. They are about 80% done with the base layers and will add rock on top for the oyster spat to attach to.

There are temporary PVC poles marking the general dump area. Per design, each "bar" is to be at least 18" tall from the bottom. I will give GPS cords once I get them.

Quote from: shawn on January 04, 2023, 02:29:39 PM
we are using E and H and should be clear for this series? Later on in the year the san leon yellow mark could be an issue. Didn't we have a map with the known obstacles on it?

Shouldn't be an issue for Icicle, except for the crossing barges. We are attending an update meeting and will give details afterwards.  My personal concern is that the shoal area hasn't been marked. It may have by now. But, it goes from the normal bay depth to 5-ish feet deep - without any notice. I have not found any details on the shape or orientation of the shoal area. From one of their sketches in the referenced NTM, it extends pretty far NE into the Bay.

Registration: https://www.regattanetwork.com/event/25615

I placed a link on the GBCA home page.

Spoil material from the Houston Ship Channel Expansion Project is being dumped a few hundred yards off Clifton's Beach (Noah's Ark and boat ramp) and east of TCYC.

Recent reports are showing depths to be 5.5' - 7'. I was out on 12/28/22 and saw no markers noting the area. In digging through the USCG Notice to Mariners, the San Leon Oyster Mitigation Site location is given as 29d 31.602000'N, 094d 57.52920'W.  All manned equipment will monitor VHF-FM Channels 13, 11, and 05A.

There is more detailed info at https://www.navcen.uscg.gov/local-notices-to-mariners?district=8+0&subdistrict=g and Week 52/22.

Icicle Series Sailing Instructions are posted: https://www.regattanetwork.com/event/25615

We have been made aware of some new spoil obstructions in Galveston Bay in result of HSC Project 11. We are working on getting coordinates, but I'm told from an experienced captain that "it is two long lines of dredge mud they are dumping. Each one is about a hundred yards wide and half a mile long. They run almost 90 degrees out from the shore." The depth is found to be 5.5' to 7' at these spoils at this time. The current spoil is located approximately out from Noah's Ark.

The 4th Quarter GBCA Cannon is posted on the home page at gbca.org

Look forward to seeing everyone at Icicle Series..... https://www.regattanetwork.com/event/25615

US Sailing is hosting an online Basic Race Management course. This is a great course to take for running races, but also to understand what really happens behind the scenes and helps one understand why race committees make some of the decisions they make.

https://www.ussailing.org/competition/rules-officiating/resources/find-a-seminar/race-officer-seminar-calendar/

Look for the 1/29/2023 seminar.

Quote from: Danelaw on October 28, 2022, 04:17:13 PM

For those of you who remember the Bridge Harbor venue for TRW, I'd like to propose looking at 2023.
Xavier reported that he could get Wild Rover all the way to the Pool. (evidence that they've done some dredging)

Could we bring up at the next board meeting?

Regards,

Roy Olsen
"Danelaw"

I will add it to the agenda, but we need a Regatta Chair.

GBCA members Tom & Diana Sutton, Christopher Dees, Robert Brann, Alex Crowell, and Tom Johnson are racing "Leading Edge" in the Nassau Cup Ocean Race.

GBCA members Forbes Durdin & Chris Lewis are racing "Bear"


Follow them along: http://kws.kattack.com/WPlayer/WPosDisplay.aspx?FeedID=1203&CourseID=54&KMLType=Pos&FleetID=5e9b329a-dd43-477f-a659-49f4f1aca0f4&YachtClubID=2676968d-f44e-4d5b-b816-47c1ac94bf79&TimezoneOffsetMin=300.

Regatta Page: https://yachtscoring.com/emenu.cfm?eID=15376

Quote from: Tye Dyed Gary on September 09, 2022, 12:54:22 PM
  One more time. I know ambulance chasers run the yacht clubs and they think waivers are a way to protect their assets. But they may be causing another problem!
  I have been approached by others about how can we get more boats out to race. I know cost of sail boat ownership plays a part of it. But we are seeing fewer boats out that use to race, and are still in the area. (It is interesting at the number of boats that turn out for the Rum Races) Maybe it's the fight to get the waivers filled out and filed. I have had to have my crew fill out as many as four(4) Regatta Network waivers before they were excepted. And the Yacht Scoring waiver is even more convoluted.   
  This may not be the biggest reason owners aren't coming out, but it's one of the reasons I am not doing some races. I have heard other owners complain about getting waivers in, and the pain in the ass it is.
  It may be time to ask are these waivers helping or hurting, sail boat racing? 

There are multiple reasons for it; liability and assets seem to be top of the list. If there is an issue, the waiver will not stop someone from filing a lawsuit. I have had attorney friends in the past review and comment about the waivers and the theoretical liability it adds because you are admitting a dangerous situation. If you do not like it, don't participate. The bonus of having each crew member sign a waiver; if a boat has a major issue, it gives the USCG (or other search parties) the number and who they are looking for. When you run enough races, you do appreciate knowing who is on the water and who isn't. Similar to knowing what boats show up to the race course and trying to count boats at the finish. It is beyond frustrating when you look for a particular boat and they have been at the dock the whole time. That is why I record races the way I do. I don't think signing a crew waiver is the reason for the decline in participation. When you want to sit down and discuss real issues sailboat racing is facing and provide ideas on how to change it, let me know... I'll meet you.

Details for Rum Race #7 - Defeat Lafitte have been posted at https://www.regattanetwork.com/event/24683#_home

From the chart, it is noted Subm platform (ruins) at that spot. I have not heard of any previous issues of this area. I can see if we can get a sonar scan in this area.

John, if you can put together coordinates, you can file a report with the Galveston Bay Action Network (GBAN). It does send out notifications to responsible parties. There is a phone app as well where you can upload pictures.

Quote from: Rmiller1 on January 24, 2022, 03:07:54 PM
Is GBCA membership required to attend any of these?

No, but membership does help the club and the cause.. https://gbca.org/MembershipApplication