How to be a Good Skipper

December 30th, 2014

goodskipper How to be a Good Skipper

By Jon and Lori Jones

For those of us who routinely take on crew, either for racing or cruising, it is important to have a reputation as a good skipper. People who crew on other people’s boats talk, and if you get a reputation for not being a good skipper, you will soon find yourself honing your solo sailing skills.

On the other hand, if you obtain a reputation as a good skipper, folks will seek you out. But what makes a good skipper? What are crew looking for when they step on your boat? How are they judging you?

Who better to consult on what makes a good skipper than the crew? We maintain a crew list of 30 to 40 folks. Most of them sail on other boats and some of them even own boats of their own. So, we asked our crew what they thought makes a good skipper. Here is what they had to say.

Not surprisingly, being a good sailor was the most cited desirable trait for a skipper. Most of our crew associated sailing proficiency with other desirable characteristics such as being a good teacher, being confident, and being safe – all traits that have their basis in knowing what you’re doing. For instance, Tammy said, “When I’m on a boat…even when I’m scared due my own inexperience, I am truly reassured when I can 100 percent trust the experience of the skipper that he will not put the crew or the boat at risk.” Anton said, “For sure, a good skipper needs knowledge to teach, tell stories, and sing sea-shanties.” Josh, an experienced crewmember “prefers a skipper that is a better sailor than I am, since I look at each outing as a chance to learn.” Hmmm…this might explain why Josh hasn’t sailed with us much lately.

Right after sailing ability, our crew equally cited both “no yelling” and patience as desirable traits, often linking them to remaining calm. As Nancy put it, “I do not like skippers that scream or yell or demean their crew. Remaining calm is a great trait in a skipper.” Ellen said, “I especially like the non-yelling, non-condescending skipper, which probably stems from their patience and skill.” Several of our lady crew spoke in terms of yelling, screaming, being condescending, etc. This appears to be a sore point and a common one at that. The men of the crew (along with the less traumatized ladies) used the term “patience” as a desirable trait in their skippers, which seems to us about the same thing.

On the third tier of desired traits were be a good teacher, be organized, and clearly communicate. I was surprised at how many of our crew want their skippers to be a good teachers. Apparently telling them what to do is not enough. They also want to understand what is going on. Many cited being organized and being able to clearly communicate as important so that crew can be more sure of their role and what is expected of them. As Lauren puts it, “Every good crew member expects to be flexible- to wind, weather, whims of the group, whatever. A basic sail plan with simple crew instructions and an overview of the boat’s features maximize chances that everyone will show up similar expectations and appropriate gear.”

The next most cited group of traits had to do with enjoying the sail. Cited equally often were allowing the crew to participate, creating a relaxing environment, and fostering fun. The only surprise here is how far down on the list these traits were. Having fun is certainly essential for the crew, but it was not cited by most of the crew and others cited it only after pointing our other desired traits. Perhaps having fun went without saying, so they didn’t say it.

Rounding out the list were being safety conscience, being of responsible character, looking like a sailor, having sufficient beer and rum on the boat, and knowing sea-shanties.

Other noteworthy observations: Ben said the most important quality is leadership, but he was the only one to use that word. Erik says he tends to stay clear of skippers who use terms like “avast” and “ye matey.” Cynthia wants skippers to know she isn’t looking for a date. And finally, Katherine responded to my inquiry as to what she is looking for in a skipper with just two words: cold beer.

Taking into account our crew’s input, here is our assessment of what it takes to be a good skipper.

Be technically proficient

Know navigation, good seamanship, and how to sail your boat. Know your boat’s capabilities and limitations. Know what you need to do if you get into trouble, and better yet, know enough to stay out of trouble in the first place. Your crew doesn’t need you to be an expert, but they will expect you to be competent.

Be a good leader

A good leader looks and acts the part. He or she displays confidence and instills confidence in the crew. A good leader knows what she and her crew are capable of. A good leader is a good teacher/coach, and communicates effectively. A good leader explains how things are done with patience and keeps calm in the face of adversity. A good leader does not need to yell, scream, or demean her crew. Your crew looks to you to be the leader.

Be organized

An organized skipper is likely to have an organized boat, which in turn will likely be well-maintained, safe, and will instill confidence in the crew. The organized skipper will have sufficient stores on board for the crew and will make sure the crew knows what they need to know. Standing orders and standard procedures will be consistent and understood by all. The organized skipper helps alleviate anxiety and confusion in the crew without driving them crazy with his borderline obsessive-compulsive disorder.

Foster a relaxed and fun environment

Your crew is not signing up to hunt whales in the Arctic or to exchange broadsides with privateers in the Caribbean. They sail for pleasure. Good skippers ensure the crew enjoy themselves, feel relaxed on the boat, and allow them to participate in handling the boat. So relax and sing a sea-shanty or two. Cold beer can help, too.

Be safe

The good skipper understands the overriding importance of keeping the crew safe. Your crew is expecting you to watch out for them and keep them from endangering themselves through ignorance or inattention.

If you are crew, look for these characteristics before signing on to someone’s boat. Few skippers will have an abundance of all of these characteristics, but most should have at least some of each. If you are a skipper looking to better your reputation, focus on these five characteristics, especially the first one. Once you have a reputation for being a good skipper, obtaining and keeping a good crew will be a snap.

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Hanse 415 Review

December 30th, 2014

hanse415 reaching9603v2 Hanse 415 Review

German built Hanse 415 features sleek, streamlined styling

By Jon N. Jones

hanse415 salon looking fwd 108v2 Hanse 415 ReviewLast summer I had a chance to sail a new Hanse 415 on Galveston Bay.  I’d heard of Hanse, a German production sailboat company very popular in Europe, but had not sailed one, so, of course, I jumped at the chance.

My first impression was of a sleek, modern-looking sailing machine with uncluttered deck and European styling.  It looked much bigger than her 39’4” would suggest due to the ample freeboard, plumb bow and flat transom.

According to Hanse, most owners opt for the fully battened mainsail instead of the increasingly popular in-mast furling.  This boat was no exception and it was clear most of the horsepower comes from the main.  The mast is noticeably forward of center and the boom comes all the way back to the transom, allowing for a large (565 sf) and powerful mainsail.  The jib is a single-sheet, self-tacker, unique to Hanse.  The jib sheet connects to a traveler-like arrangement forward of the mast replacing the need for a jib-boom on other self-tacking rigs I’ve encountered.

My first impression of uncluttered decks was confirmed.  Other than a tank fill cap, I found not a single fitting on the deck itself.  The cockpit was similarly uncluttered with all lines being led aft underneath molded runners on deck and then into molded cockpit lockers.  The entire boat is noticeably lacking in trip hazards and toe-stubbers.

hanse415_salon looking aft_145v2The transom itself drops down “tailgate” fashion, which is becoming the norm for swim platforms.  Twin helms are also becoming the norm, but unlike most production boats, Hanse’s rack and pinion steering allows each wheel to be independent.  If one steering mechanism fails, the other can compensate.  There is no emergency tiller on board – the other helm is the emergency tiller.

Down below, the Hanse 415 does not disappoint.  Straight lines and 90 degree angles on the interior cabinetry gives the perception of more space and makes the boat feel more home-y, and less boat-y.  Interior woods come in a variety of types and shades.  The model I saw was outfitted in American cherry.  Interior doors were substantial including hardware more like what you find in a home than on the typical boat.

As nice as it was below, I came out to sail the boat.  On our test sail, we had steady 10-12 knot winds from the SSE and calm seas.  We motored easily past the Kemah boardwalk with the boat’s Volvo-saildrive and two-blade folding propeller.  Steering was easy, two fingers being more than enough to steer the boat under engine.

This Hanse 415 was equipped with an electric main halyard winch, so raising sail consisted of turning into the wind, unzipping the lazy bag and pushing the button.  Falling off a bit, we unfurled the jib and the boat quickly achieved 5.5 knots close hauled.  Falling off the wind, we picked up to just under 7.5 knots with only a slight adjustment of the jib sheet.

Tacking the boat was ridiculously easy.  From the helm, I announced “tacking,” and turned the boat through the wind with just one hand.  The self-tacking jib slid across the deck and settled in on the new tack.  Nothing touched, no sheets to let fly, no need to trim the sheet.  And just like that, we were back up to speed.

The Hanse 415 is a cruising boat, no doubt.  It is roomy and well appointed.  She was quite impressive under sail with a powerful sail plan and performance-minded rudder and keel.  Not only will this boat be very comfortable at the anchorage, she can get there quickly, too.    

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Galveston Bay Winter Fishing

December 30th, 2014

mikedepol Galveston Bay Winter Fishing

Mike DePol with the last redfish before the storm!

Fishing the tides key to successful Galveston Bay winter fishing

By Capt. David C. Dillman

Stepping outside with my cup of coffee, I was greeted by a deep chill in the air with the passage of a cold front. I hurried back inside the house to finish dressing, layering my clothing. I grabbed my wind and water resistant jacket, before I left on my way to the boat ramp.

As I launched my boat, my customers emerged from their truck, dressed more like Eskimos than fisherman. We chuckled at each other saying “It’s kind of cold.” I told them, “You think it’s cold now, wait for the ride across the bay!”

The five-mile boat ride was quite brutal. Once we got there, we spent the next few minutes rigging our rods and reels with some soft plastic lures.

saltwaterassasin Galveston Bay Winter Fishing

Bass Assassin 5″ morning glory/limetreuse tail Saltwater Shad

“The Norton Sand Eel or Bass Assassin are my go to lures during the winter rigged on a 1/8 ounce lead head jig.”

The next hour and a half provided little for our effort. With only a couple of speckled trout in the box, my customers gave me that, you got us out here for this? look. I looked at them and promised, “It’s fixing to get right,” as the tide began to move. I suggested that we move about a half mile away to a flat that has produced for me in the past during the winter. As I slowly idled into the area, I gave them a grin as a tint of off colored water appeared, along with a couple of Loons swimming and diving. The next four hours we caught fish. When it was all done our cooler was full of speckled trout and a few redfish. We also caught and released just as many!

Ros Polumbo with a nice drum taken from Greens Lake.

Ros Polumbo with a nice drum taken from Greens Lake.

This scenario can be played out during January/February in West Bay. First, you need to dress for the weather. Layers of clothing provide the best warmth, in my opinion. The best part of layering is if you get too hot, you can always remove some. Furthermore, a good wind and water resistant jacket is a necessity. Stocking hats or even a full face mask are always useful to help keep you warm. Once your body gets cold, it’s hard to get warm again without heading to the dock and calling it a day.

The winter area of West Bay that I mentioned earlier is what I call the triangle. Meacom’s Cut to Green’s Cut, then between North and South Deer Islands. During this time of year fish congregate in this area. It has a mixture of sand and shell, with depths ranging from three to six feet. The key to fishing this area is tidal movement. I usually do the best with an incoming tide. This area becomes crystal clear with cooler water temperatures. As the tide begins to move, streaks of off colored water will appear. This provides cover for the fish to ambush whatever unsuspecting bait that is there. You might only see one or two mullet flicker on the water surface. If you see a bird known as a “Loon” in the area, it’s a good bet baitfish are there. Drift fishing is the best way to cover the area and located the fish.

Artificial lures this time of year work the best. Soft plastics or even swim type imitation mullet baits are best. I mostly use soft plastic type baits. The Norton Sand Eel or Bass Assassin are my go to lures during the winter rigged on a 1/8 ounce lead head jig. I find that a reel with a retrieve of 5:1 helps when trying to slow your presentation of the bait. Keeping your lure in the “strike zone” just a little longer is the key to having a successful day. My favorite color is black with a chartreuse tail.

Just because it is cold, does not mean you can’t have a great day on the water. Dressing properly and fishing the tides is the key to a great day on the water. Fishing a couple days after the passage of a cold front can yield you a box full of fish! Don’t forget to like Coastal Charter Club on Facebook.                                    

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Fishing Oyster Reefs

December 30th, 2014

rowanredfishart1 Fishing Oyster Reefs

Fishing oyster reefs in Galveston Bay

By Capt. Joe Kent

Anglers fishing the Galveston Bay Complex often take for granted the positive effects of oyster reefs, both live and dead, on their fishing.  That is until the reefs start diminishing and the fishing is affected.

Let’s take a look at what we are discussing and how oyster reefs benefit fishing.

Oyster reefs in Galveston Bay form in the open bay along the periphery of marshes and near passes and cuts and can be either subtidal or intertidal. The reef itself is three dimensional because oyster larvae settle on the top of old shells growing upwards through the water column above the established oysters. The shells create an irregular surface that support a myriad of small marine life.

The oyster reef community is very diverse with a wide variety of shell fish, crustaceans and fin fish forming a balanced aquarium. Predators in this habitat include fish capable of crushing mollusks such as black drum, red fish, sheepshead, and blue crabs and stone crabs, which prey on small oysters with thin shells. At low tide, birds forage on the exposed oyster reef habitat.

When Houston was first settled, an ancient oyster reef (Redfish Bar) separated Upper and Lower Galveston Bay. This reef stretched from Smith Point on the east to Eagle Point on the west and had only one small gap through which shallow draft boats could pass. There were extensive oyster reefs throughout Trinity, East and West Bays as well.

Just about every species of fish caught in Galveston Bay can be found on or around oyster reefs.

redfishspots Fishing Oyster ReefsIn the latter half of the 19th century, oyster shell became a construction material and was commercially harvested. In the first half of the 20th century, oyster shell became an industrial commodity and shell dredging intensified. Millions of cubic yards of oyster shell were removed from the bay, some of it from living reefs. This practice, which greatly reduced the area covered by oyster reef habitat, was prohibited in 1969.

Hurricane Ike had a tremendous impact on oyster reef habitat in Galveston Bay. The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department estimates that approximately 60 percent of the oyster reef habitat in Galveston Bay was covered by sediments as the storm surge moved through the bay in September 2008. Scientists do not know how long it will take for the reefs to recover.

With this background on the makeup of oyster reefs and how they are formed, let’s visit about fishing the reefs.

In my childhood years when first learning to fish Galveston Bay, oyster reefs were the prime target.  We did not have electronic equipment to locate the reefs, just a long pole that we bounced off of the bottom. If the pole had a soft landing we kept moving until the pole struck something solid and we had found oyster shells.

Just about every species of fish caught in Galveston Bay can be found on or around oyster reefs.  Fish with scales and tough mouths, such as sheepshead and both black and red drum, feed along the shell while consuming crabs and other crustaceans.

Speckled trout also are common around the shell; however, they do not have the physical traits to actually feed along the shell itself.  Trout do not have scales and their mouths are softer than the main predators feeding in and around the shell.

Trout like to feed just off of the reef during tidal movement which flushes the small marine life from their shelters.

Seasoned shell reef anglers know how to fish the reefs and plan their strategy based on tidal movement.  During slack or weak tides, they will focus on the reef itself as drum sheepshead and reds and other tough skinned, strong mouthed fish will be working the bottom.  When the tide starts moving, then trout on the periphery will be the target.

Trout will be found on the reef  itself; however, they tend to be cautious as the edges of the shell can be razor sharp.

Anglers have been reporting reduced catches in Galveston Bay over the past few years and one of the culprits likely is the reduction in acres of oyster reefs.  Hopefully our restoration program will prove successful and the sooner the better.

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Setting the Bar – The Booby Trap Dominates Swordfishing on a Global Scale

December 30th, 2014

by Rod Evans

DSC 6766 Setting the Bar The Booby Trap Dominates Swordfishing on a Global Scale

The Booby Trap Fishing Team with the new Texas state record swordfish

The moment is as fresh in his mind as if it happened last week. Four-year old Brett Holden stands on the dock holding a gleaming kingfish that’s nearly as big as he is. Published in a local newspaper, the photo, submitted by his dad, Don, documented the beginning of a record setting angling career.

While much has changed for Holden, now 45, one thing remains unchanged: his enthusiasm for sport fishing runs as deep as the blue waters where the billfish he chases roam.

“I’ve always been fascinated by big fish,” Holden says. “My dad had a boat, so I’ve been fishing since I was born. He (Don) primarily targeted snapper, grouper, kingfish and ling, but he also targeted sharks, so I grew up shark fishing with him. We caught numerous sharks that were 800 to 1,200 pounds. He still makes a couple of trips per year with us.”

Where the Big Fish Live

As owner and captain of the sport fishing juggernaut Booby Trap, a 52-foot, twin-engine 2008 Viking Express based at Surfside Marina that’s capable of hitting 40 knots,  Holden (aka “Captain Ahab”) and his crew of talented and intrepid anglers have emerged as the premier private sport fishing boat in the Gulf of Mexico. The team has been named the top private boat in the Houston Big Game Fishing Club for five straight years mainly on the strength of its ability to reel in an astounding number of elusive, majestic swordfish.  And while catching a swordfish is major accomplishment for any angler, bringing one of the bottom-dwelling monsters to the surface during the daytime, a feat the Booby Trap crew has perfected, is even more impressive.

boobytrap Setting the Bar The Booby Trap Dominates Swordfishing on a Global Scale

From left to right: Capt. Ahab/Brett Holden, Capt. Jeff Wilson, Capt. Travis Joyce, and Capt. Matt Reed

In June, the Booby Trap crew, comprised of Jeff Wilson, Matt Reed and Travis Joyce, along with guest anglers Brian Barclay and Danny Lenderman, made sport fishing headlines when on its third trip of the season, Barclay hooked a mammoth swordfish that weighed in excess of 500 pounds, crushing the old Gulf of Mexico swordfish record of 341 pounds. The fish was placed in 1,000 pounds of ice and was weighed the next day. By that time, Holden says the fish weighed about 493 pounds, was 108 inches long and had a girth of 60 inches.

“This fish came to the surface and we could see it was hooked pretty deep. It then went back under for three hours. At first, I thought it was a 300 pounder, but the closer it got to the boat I said, ‘It’s a nickel!’ It probably would have been around 550 pounds, but we didn’t weigh it for 27 hours, and by then it had lost an inch in length and four inches in girth,” Holden said.

After snagging the massive swordfish, the Booby Trap tracked west in search of blue marlin and caught six wahoo and  two blue marlin before calling it a day.

Setting World Records

Catching large numbers of huge fish is nothing new for Holden and the Booby Trap. In 2012, the Booby Trap caught 172 swordfish in 41 days of fishing and Holden says the crew has caught over 800 swordfish and 1,000 billfish in the Gulf of Mexico to date. Over its last 45 trips, the crew has caught 218 swordfish and released approximately 20 state record class swords. In 2009, the boat recorded the first “Super Grand Slam”—catching all four of the billfish species, which includes swordfish, blue marlin, white marlin and sailfish, in one day—in the Gulf of Mexico and repeated the feat in 2012.

Capt. Ahab and Capt. Jeff Wilson prepares to release a big sword.

Capt. Ahab and Capt. Jeff Wilson prepares to release a big sword.

In late June, the prolific boat, owned by Holden since 2008, set a world record when the crew caught 30 swordfish in a single trip, breaking the old record of 21. Of the 30 fish caught, Holden says 23 were estimated to weigh in excess of 200 pounds and five were estimated to weigh at least 300 pounds. As is the custom for the Booby Trap, which releases 95 percent of the fish caught, 26 swordfish were released. The catch and release practice is in keeping with Holden’s overriding belief in preserving the natural resources of the ocean. He says fish badly damaged from the battle to bring them to the boat are usually kept.

“We try to release every fish we can,” Holden says. “We don’t keep fish because of size, we keep them because of the condition that they come to the boat in. Swordfish are good eating fish and we don’t feel bad about putting them in the boat. We just have respect for one of the most incredible fish in the ocean.”

For Holden, the owner of Holden Roofing and a Houston native who lives in Richmond, his rise to the top of the sport fishing game was not an overnight journey. In the 1980s, he began getting hired by boats to assist those crews in finding big fish before he bought his first boat and began entering tournaments.

“Between 1984 and 2000, I won or placed in 50 tournaments and bought bigger boats from the tournament money. In 1986, I was able to afford a boat that could travel out that far (at least 100 miles offshore) and from ’86 through 2008 I mainly targeted blue marlin,” he said.

While focusing on catching blue marlin by day, Holden dabbled in catching swordfish at night, as catching the elusive fish that lives in over 1,700 feet of water during the daytime was extremely rare. For over a century, swordfish were caught primarily at night when they ventured up to about 300 feet from the surface to feed. While fishing at night, Holden says a good trip might yield two to four swordfish.

“There was no daytime fishery (for swordfish) here (in the gulf). A group in Florida started catching them during the day, so I knew it could happen here.

“For years we were told that the gulf had been fished out and the swordfish were not there, but I didn’t believe that. We went out numerous times and never caught one, but on the first trip that we did catch swordfish, we caught five.”

Photography: www.boobytrapfishingteam.com

Photography: www.boobytrapfishingteam.com

Using squid bait provided by sponsor Bait Masters, along with their recommended rod, the “Get Tight Sucka” series, 80 class reels and up to 6,000 feet of 80-pound, high visibility orange line with strobe lights affixed to the leader, and utilizing sophisticated radar and sonar equipment to see where the fish are living, the Booby Trap has re-written the rules for swordfishing in the gulf.

“The techniques we’re using are different from anybody I’ve ever seen and we’re able to produce double digit swordfish on just about every trip,” Holden says.

For the past three years, Holden and company have hosted the Texas Swordfish Seminar at Surfiside Marina, where they reveal their techniques to eager anglers. The seminar benefits the non-profit Everyday Heroes organization, which provides transportation to veterans to and from their doctor’s appointments. Holden says they expected 50 people the first year of the seminar and more than 500 showed up. Over 2,500 people attended the 2013 seminar held in March. To date, the event has raised over $500,000 for the charity.

Holden says he’s considering starting a fishing charter company in the future, but for the time being, he’s content to keep setting the bar for daytime swordfishing and billfishing in general in the gulf and doing his part to help Everyday Heroes.

Posted in Articles, Fishing, Offshore | 1 Comment

A Little Trouble at Sea

November 1st, 2014

brokerudderboat1 300x285 A Little Trouble at SeaA Harvest Moon Regatta Story

By David Popkin

The smoke from the 3:15 p.m. starting gun in the 2014 Harvest Moon Regatta was still visible, drifting to leeward of the line as Ground Effect, Martin Hamilton’s Condor 40 trimaran crossed the line and  began reeling in the fleet.  The multihull class is traditionally the last class to start and this year was no exception.  Our start was one hour and fifteen minutes after the first of five consecutive monohull class starts, the first at 2 p.m.  There is no challenge in sending the fastest boats out first, since a big part of the race is managing the inherent risks of passing or being passed by other boats.  Being one of the dozen or so fastest boats in the regatta meant we would overtake more than 150 boats in the course of the race, and if all worked as planned, Ground Effect would be one of the first three or four boats to finish the 150 nautical mile race in Port Aransas early Friday morning.

Onboard were six very experienced sailors.  Four were veteran multihull sailors; the owner Martin Hamilton, Joe Peine, Roy Shaw, and Jeff Linn.  Terry Hudson and I both had extensive offshore experience on various monohulls, but limited experience on multihulls.

Tactically, our plan was to work to windward of the rhumb line, that line being the most direct course to the sea buoy in Port Aransas.  The winds were predicted to be relatively light at the start, then building to 18-20 knots true, around 1 a.m. Friday morning.  There was also a predicted shift from SE to S or possibly even SSW by early morning Friday.  Hence our desire to “put some in the bank,” meaning we would keep to windward of the rhumb line and if the wind did indeed shift, we would not then need to be close hauled, or possibly struggling to make our mark without tacking.

Based upon our assumed speed, we set up a furthest offshore waypoint on our chartplotters, which by coincidence, was directly offshore from the Matagorda Ship Channel, approximately 50 nautical miles from Port Aransas. We were hoping to reach it as the winds freshened and possibly shifted.  From that waypoint, we would crack off and have a comfortable and speedy reach straight to the sea buoy and then on to the finish line inside the Port Aransas channel.

harvestmoonrudder 300x224 A Little Trouble at SeaRight on schedule, we reached our tactical waypoint around 2:45 a.m.  The boat was really in a groove, handling the jumbled 4-6 ft seas with ease and making near 10 knots in building pressure.  We eased our sheets, cracking off and immediately picked up 2 knots of boat speed.  It was an amazing ride!  At around 3:30 a.m. there was a loud noise at the transom.  Suddenly, the boat lost all momentum and rounded up into the wind and seas, sails flogging.  Terry Hudson was at the helm and yelled that there was no response.  We were all dumbstruck.  Roy made his way back to the rudder cage and felt below the waterline.  “It’s gone! Sheared completely off!  Let’s get the sails down, we’re done.”

With the sails put away, we began slowly drifting northward at just over one knot.  The disappointment was palpable.  We were in no immediate danger, but clearly would need assistance. We tried hailing the HMR fleet and got no response. That was due, I can only assume, to our distance offshore and being in front of most of the fleet.  Finally, the US Coast Guard responded.  We gave them our position and the condition of boat and crew and asked them to try and reach BoatUS to arrange a tow to the nearest port.  Our communication with the Coast Guard was ongoing for nearly two hours before they decided it would be in everyone’s best interests to send a vessel out to tow us into Port O’Connor.  They had made contact with the BoatUS main office on the East Coast, but efforts to reach an associate on the Texas coast were unsuccessful.

Around 6:30 a.m. Friday morning, the Coast Guard vessel arrived and came close enough alongside so we could discuss towing procedures.  Once their main line was passed to our boat, it was made fast with a bridle and the last wild ride began.  Despite cleats ripped from the deck, bowsprits broken, and toe rails splintered, all from the tow line, we were delivered safely to the bulkhead in front of the US Coast Guard Station, in Port O’Connor by 9:30. Subdued but in good spirits, in the end, no one got hurt, and with time and money, the boat could be made whole again.  Despite his declaration minutes after the rudder failure that this was his last offshore race, Martin was already talking about next year’s race and what it would take to build a new improved rudder.  To paraphrase Lance Armstrong, it’s not about the boat.  Those of us who do this do it because we welcome the challenges, the possibility of facing unknown events or improbable outcomes, be it failures or triumphs.  To be sure, we all take risks in our everyday lives, but that world is ultimately predictable and pretty tame.  The ocean is our last, greatest and most beguiling wilderness.  We have no more control over its whims today than Columbus did in 1492.  And that’s exactly why we choose to go.

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Ask the Rigger

November 1st, 2014

camera downloads pictures 885 300x189 Ask the RiggerI own an older boat and I’m thinking of replacing some of the running rigging. What are your thoughts on the best type of line to use?

It all depends on what kind of sailing you are doing. You need to ask yourself, “Am I cruising around the bay, club racing and long-range cruising, or just racing full time?”

If you are cruising around the bay, you can get away with the lesser performance lines and go for price and durability. If you are club racing or long range cruising, you should go to a blended core to a full performance line for things like the main and genoa halyards. With control lines, you can get away with the lesser performance lines. If you are pushing the boat around the race course, the less stretch, the faster.

You should be using full performance lines with a low stretch core; the less stretch in lines transfer to the mast and boat turning energy into speed.

What’s the difference between mast rake and mast bend?

Mast rake is the angle of the mast fore and aft on the boat. It controls the center of effort of the boat, helping it point higher. Too much forward rake, the boat will turn down causing a negative steering moment. With too much aft rake, you will have to fight the rudder causing drag, which slows the boat down.

In a perfect world, you should have a couple of pounds of weather helm and rudder angle should not exceed three to seven degrees, unless steering wind shifts. You should tell your rigger during a mast tuning how the boat is performing. Mast bend is set to help your mainsail.

As a sail gets older you can increase the bend to get more performance out of the sail. When you order a new sail, the sail maker may ask to have you decrease the bend since the sail is new. The other thing bend does for you, is it flattens the mainsail in windy conditions helping you keep control and not getting over powered. Tell your rigger what you feel are the wind conditions you find yourself in the most. They will set the bend to fit the way you sail.

I’m looking for some new spinnaker sheets for my J-105, what brand do you recommend and why?

The J-105, just like most asymmetrical boats, uses a high heat covered line with a performance core. We taper the sheets, which reduces weight and leaves the core exposed. All line companies have equivalent line types. Color and feel is the only difference between most lines.

My anchor is always slipping, how much chain do I need and who makes the best anchor on the market today?

The anchor is probably the most argued boating topic ever. I feel that every type anchor has its purpose. We used to cruise with a CQR and a Danforth. The CQR was our workhorse. After getting a lot of education we switched to Mantis anchors. They use technology and NASA engineers to design their product. They added a roll bar that I know I could have used it in the past for more reasons than it was designed for.

When it comes to chain, we always carried 100’ on one anchor and 25 to 40’ on the secondary. That is all the boat could fit. Both anchors had 150’ of three-strand line; the more chain, in my opinion, the better. For storms we carried a bridal and another 300’ of three-strand that we could add in line to the scope. That worked for us.  You will have to find what works for your boat.
 
How can I keep my roller furling from overriding, it works for a while and then it gets hard to pull in.

You should control your furling line when you unfurl your sail. If you just untie it and unfurl, more than likely, it will get some loose rolls and possibly override. The other thing to look out for is the lead block into the drum needs to be at 90 degrees in the center of the drum guide. The last thing, is to make sure when the unit is furled, it has two wraps on the jib sheets and you should have at least five wraps on the drum.

Do you recommend buying a used roller furler?

We are against buying old furling units. Technology is so much better today than 10 to 20 years ago. Always remember there is a reason the furling unit was replaced in the first place. The foil connectors and bearings wear down over time. We end up having more time fixing the used unit than what a new one would have cost with installation.

Also, when fixing old units you don’t get a warranty, so even if you patch it, you will have to pay to repair it every time you have a problem. Most new units have a two to seven year warranty and rigging companies should back their work.

Alex Crowell is the owner of Bahama Rigging in Kemah, a full service shop for all sailboat rigging needs.

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Wade Fishing the Bays

November 1st, 2014

daniel popovich trout 300x225 Wade Fishing the Bays

Wading and big trout go hand-in-hand. Daniel Popovich with an impressive speck.

By Capt. Joe Kent

When the water is comfortable to wade fish in a bathing suit or shorts it’s not the best time for fishing action while wading.

The late fall and early winter are prime times for wade fishing.  When the water temperature drops below 70 degrees, it is a bit uncomfortable for wading in typical summertime attire; however, the fish love the cooler waters and tend to roam the shallows more.

While wade fishing, especially in the surf, will produce fish year round, it is not until the water cools that the action pops open in the bays.  The annual flounder run will attract hordes of waders as it is usually late October or early November when the flat fish start stacking up along the pathways to their winter home, the Gulf of Mexico.

Colder water is one of the signs flounder look for before deciding to exit the bays and readings in the 60’s will do the trick.
Trout and reds will spend more of the day in shallower waters during that time and wade fishing is the best way to sneak up on them.

Now, if you are new to this style of fishing I hope to cover some of the basics to help you get started and for you to have more productive fishing trips.

We need to begin with the basic wading gear.  A pair of insulated waders is a must and the prices run the gamut depending on what quality you desire and your budget.  A full service sporting goods store can show you the wide range of options.

Wading shoes, whether part of the waders or separate pieces are important.  You will need shoes that can handle the sharp, cutting edges of shell while withstanding soft mud.  Wade fishermen tend to cover a lot of territory and different underwater terrains are encountered.

One of the worst things to experience is to lose a shoe in deep mud.

Stingrays are one of the big enemies of waders and protective covers are vital to prevent a barb from piercing your foot or leg.  Again, your sporting goods store can show you options for this.

Additionally, a long stringer, one that places your catch a number of feet behind you is a must or one of the more popular donut style container nets can be used.  In either case your catch should be far enough behind you to allow a shark to attack it without mistaking your leg for a fish.

wadefishery 300x186 Wade Fishing the BaysA good wading belt with pliers and a bait compartment is needed.

Now, for the fishing equipment itself, most wade fishermen use artificial baits as they eliminate the need to drag along a live bait bucket.  This allows the angler to cover more territory and faster.

The rod and reel is a personal choice; however, the length of the rod is normally longer than those used by boaters.  Long, accurate casts are a must for success while roaming the shorelines.

Your choice of artificial bait depends on the species of fish you are targeting.  Personally, I prefer soft plastics as they are easy to use and I have had success with them.

For flounder my favorite three soft plastics are Flounder Pounders, Chicken Boys and Gulps.

For trout and reds, Bass Assassin Sea Shads in various colors, Norton Sand Eels, Saltwater Assassins in Chicken on a Chain and Down South soft plastics are good choices.  One color that seems to add to the odds is chartreuse in combination with other colors.

Now, let’s talk about where to wade.  The biggest limitation is whether you have a boat to access wading areas or depend on entering from land.  Boaters have many more options as the Galveston Bay Complex is limited in areas where the public can cross land to enter the water.

Briefly, for those without boats, the Seawolf Park area offers access to water along with Eight-Mile Road on the west end of Galveston Island.  All along the road from the Texas City Dike to the Moses Lake Flood Gate offers good wade fishing at times as does the April Fool Point Area in San Leon.

The Seabrook Flats are well-known for winter wade fishing and have easy access at several points along the shore.

Now for the most important aspect of wade fishing!  Do not go it alone.  Have a fishing buddy join you as there are too many incidences of a wader falling into a deep hole, and with the heavy equipment on, could not swim and drowned.  A companion fishing close by could have saved the day. To be on the safe side, two or more anglers should wade fish together.




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History Of The ‘Corky’

November 1st, 2014

corky 300x300 History Of The ‘Corky’

Paul Brown’s Original Suspending
Twitchbait in Copper Top

This Texas legend-of-a-lure is a favorite for fishermen targeting large speckled trout. The “Corky” as it is most popularly known, was first built in the Houston area garage of Paul Brown in 1974 and sold at nearby tackle shops.

It didn’t take long for Texans to figure out that this was a serious big trout lure. The slow sink rate and soft body elicited strikes from sow winter trout when other lures were ignored. An easily bent internal wire allowed anglers to adapt the Corky to their fishing style.

By the 1980s, what started out as a small mom and pop operation had quickly developed a cult following, and for good reason.
In 1996, Houstonian Jim Wallace caught a Texas state record 13.11-pound speckled trout while fishing a corky in Baffin Bay.
In January of 2010, Brown turned over production of the Corky to MirrOlure®. Today, these lures are sold as the “Paul Brown Original Series” and are fished by anglers from Texas to North Carolina and beyond.

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Christmas Gifts for your Seafaring Family & Friends!

November 1st, 2014

vickersbags 300x179 Christmas Gifts for your Seafaring Family & Friends!

Ella Vickers Recycled Sailcloth Bags from Glass Mermaids in League City.

mermaidbaby 300x179 Christmas Gifts for your Seafaring Family & Friends!

Mermaid babies by Lladro, exclusively at Glass Mermaids in League City.

Nautical tree decorations from Island Furniture in Seabrook.

Nautical tree decorations from Island Furniture in Seabrook.

Vintage brass diver’s helmet from I Spy in Kemah.

Vintage brass diver’s helmet from I Spy in Kemah.

Ships bell from Home by Eagles’ Nest in League City.

Ships bell from Home by Eagles’ Nest in League City.

Judy’s Jewels available from Encore Resale in Kemah.

Judy’s Jewels available from Encore Resale in Kemah.

Boat models available at Home by Eagles Nest in League City.

Boat models available at Home by Eagles Nest in League City.

Crab throw pillow available at Island Furniture in Seabrook.

Crab throw pillow available at Island Furniture in Seabrook.

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2014 Seabrook Saltwater Derby Results

November 1st, 2014

HeaviestTeamStringRedfish 2014 Seabrook Saltwater Derby Results

Heaviest Stringer Redfish
Team: Saldana Bros
with Gerardo Saldana and Ovidio Saldana

HeaviestTeamStringTrout1 2014 Seabrook Saltwater Derby Results

Heaviest Stringer Trout
Team: Scandy Candy with
Chris Gonzales, Jason Nolan, James Plaag and David Schmidt

Heaviest Stringer Trout Team: Scandy Candy with Chris Gonzales, Jason Nolan, James Plaag and David Schmidt

Heaviest Stringer Trout
Team: Scandy Candy with
Chris Gonzales, Jason Nolan, James Plaag and David Schmidt

Heaviest Individual Trout Team: Remax Galveston with John Sincox and Ryan Moody

Heaviest Individual Trout
Team:
Remax Galveston
with John Sincox and Ryan Moody

Flounder Pot Team: CCS Fishing with Jason Otto, Jeff Koester, Austin Owens and Tyson Schindler

Flounder Pot
Team:
CCS Fishing with Jason Otto, Jeff Koester, Austin Owens and Tyson Schindler

 

 

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Luxury Outdoorsman

November 1st, 2014

2015 Cadillac Escalade ESV 003 300x200 Luxury OutdoorsmanBy Don Armstrong

Put a lid on it! That’s pretty much what General Motors did when they created the Suburban – dubbed “Carryall” in 1935.

General Motors simply replaced the bed with a lengthened cab and put in on the same half-ton truck chassis. A GMC version quickly followed, and in 1999 Cadillac badged its own iteration called Escalade. Now comes the 12th version of the iconic “Carryall” for 2015.

The Cadillac Escalade is at the top of the food chain when it comes to full-size heavy weights; and we do mean heavy, as in poundage. Rolling out of its birthing ship in Arlington, Texas, the Escalade, branded four wheel drive Suburban, tips the scales at three tons.

Moving all that weight is a 6.2-liter V-8 delivering 420 horsepower and 460 lb.-ft. of grunt; more than enough juice to also tow another 8,000 pounds. That’s why we thought this would be the ultimate luxury hauler, not only for people and their stuff but a nice sized bass boat or camper.

The new sheet metal is fitting for a modern do-all with plenty of edgy Cadillac styling cues including LED lighting all around. This big beauty makes heads turn no matter what neighborhood you’re cruising.

Ride quality has always been part of the Cadillac success equation, and the Escalade is no different. To achieve its comfortable level, without sacrificing control, the Caddy engineers installed GM’s Magnetic Ride Control system; first developed for the Corvette.

2015 Cadillac Escalade 075 300x200 Luxury OutdoorsmanWind and road noise used to be a given in most vehicles. Not in the Escalade. Triple door seals and lightweight, yet very effective sound deadening materials, bring a new meaning to a quiet interior.

Speaking of interiors, this is where the Escalade really shines. When we used to speak of fit and finish, our minds went to most financially unreachable rides. Say hello to a new era. Cadillac suits said, “We can do that too, but in volume,” and they did. With layered materials, cut-and-sewn craftsmanship and real wood accents, you are officially dared to compare.

Remember that heavy, old third row seat that most owners removed and stored on their dirty garage floors? No more, ‘cause there’s no need to remove it. Both the third and second row seats fold flat with the touch of a power button. Finally.
Pricing starts at $71,695, but with 72-month notes available…well, you know you want it.

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Port of Houston: Impossible dream turned into a reality

November 1st, 2014

039 1914 masterpieceofcongestion1 300x185 Port of Houston: Impossible dream turned into a reality

Houston Ship Channel at the foot of Main Street in 1914.

By Mary Alys Cherry

The Port of Houston will celebrate its 100th birthday Monday, Nov. 10 – an anniversary that seemed an impossible dream and almost laughable a century ago. Build a port 52 miles inland?

At first, almost no one thought it would happen, but through a combination of Mother Nature’s fury, the discovery of oil and a young congressman’s dedication, the Houston Ship Channel paved the way for Houston to become the nation’s fourth largest city and the Port of Houston to become the nation’s leading port in foreign tonnage and second in overall tonnage.

According to the Port’s history, in the 1890s Congressman Tom Ball – for whom the town of Tomball is named – worked hard to get support for a deep water port for Houston. In September 1900, a devastating hurricane nearly wiped Galveston off the map, killing some 8,000 people in one of the nation’s worst disasters in history.

Ball’s colleagues began to listen to his argument for a protected inland port. Then, with the discovery of oil at Spindletop and the growth of crops such as cotton and rice, it became clear that Houston’s ship channel needed the capacity to handle larger vessels. Through Tom Ball’s persistence, Houston and the federal government shared the cost of dredging the ship channel that would link Houston to the world.

040 1914 portofhoustonopening 300x180 Port of Houston: Impossible dream turned into a reality

Port of Houston opening celebration in 1914.

Work began in 1912 and the Houston Ship Channel opened on a Tuesday morning, Nov. 10, 1914, with a 21-gun salute and thousands of people on hand to celebrate as President Woodrow Wilson fired a cannon via remote control to officially open the channel.

Today, the Port of Houston, a 25-mile-long complex of diversified public and private facilities along the ship channel, is home to the largest petrochemical complex in the nation.

It has giant container terminals at Barbours Cut, Texas’ first cargo container terminal which opened in 1977 at Morgan’s Point, and its $1.4 billion Bayport complex, which opened Feb. 7, 2007 just north of Seabrook. A computerized inventory control system tracks the status and location of individual containers at each terminal.

With the widening of the Panama Canal, which is also celebrating its 100th anniversary, the Port Authority is preparing for the larger generation of vessels (9,000-plus TEU in capacity) that soon will need to call at Bayport and Barbours Cut with an $80 million dredging project to deepen the channels from 40 feet to 45 feet to match the depth of the Houston Ship Channel.

“This has been a tremendous effort by all parties involved to make sure we are ready to handle the larger ships needing to call our facilities,” Port Executive Director Roger Guenther said, adding that dredging already is under way at Barbours Cut, and when completed later this year, work will begin at Bayport.

Quite a change from those days long ago when the Port was located near the confluence of Buffalo Bayou and White Oak Bayou at Allen’s Landing, now a park known as the birthplace of Houston.

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Seared Mahi Mahi Recipe With Zesty Basil Butter

November 1st, 2014

mahi1 226x300 Seared Mahi Mahi Recipe With Zesty Basil ButterServe on a bed of rice with your favorite side of vegetables

• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 ½ teaspoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 1 large garlic clove, finely chopped
• 1/4 teaspoon salt, plus additional for seasoning
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus additional for seasoning
• 1 ½ tablespoons chopped fresh basil leaves
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 4 (6 to 8-ounce) mahi mahi fillets

Zesty Basil Butter:
Combine the butter, lemon juice, garlic, salt, pepper, and basil in a medium saucepan and cook over low heat, stirring until the butter melts. Cover and keep warm over low heat.

Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Season the fish with salt and pepper, to taste. Cook the fish for 3 minutes; then turn and cook until just opaque, about 3 to 4 minutes more. Transfer the fillets to individual plates.
Spoon the warm basil butter over the fish and serve.

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All About Big Blue

September 1st, 2014

bluemarlin larva Rooker1 300x225 All About Big Blue

This tiny blue marlin larva won’t reach maturity until it is around four years of age. Photo: Dr. Jay Rooker

The blue marlin is one of the most iconic catches in sports fishing and with a length of 16 feet, and record weight of nearly one ton, it’s for good reason.

By Jarred Roberts

Blue marlin territory in the Atlantic reaches as far north as Maine and as far south as the tip of Africa. There are also Pacific blue marlin, debated to be a separate species, that will sometimes migrate and breed with their Atlantic relatives.

Spawning occurs in late summer during the warmest months, but nearer the equator with constant high temperatures, spawning can last much longer.

During this period the female lays millions of eggs for males to fertilize. Those eggs that don’t get eaten will float with the current until they hatch.

Upon hatching, marlin larvae eat anything they can fit in their mouths, including each other. A few weeks later when they’ve grown a few inches the marlins become more active hunters. Unfortunately, little is known about the period of time when marlins mature about four years later. These younger marlins slip through nets and quickly dart away from boats and researchers.

BLUEMARLINBIG 169x300 All About Big Blue

A big blue tries to shake loose a Makaira Pulling Lure.

Once they have matured, the females can be up to four times larger than the males with lengths up to 16 feet and a record weight of almost one ton. To sustain this size, marlins have been known to eat nearly anything with local reports of fisherman catching them eating plastic sandals, though a favorite food of theirs is squid. Marlin will dive down to 2,000 feet and skewer the squid on their bill, sometimes slicing them in half. Their size and natural body heat allow them to dive farther and longer than many other species, with the females going even deeper due to their larger size. Marlin also commonly eat mackerel, tuna and can take down white marlin as well.

Marlins have been around a long time with fossils found in Baja California dated to just over three million years ago showing little change since then. These records also support that blue marlin are more closely related to sailfish, as opposed to the similarly named black marlin, who are closer relatives to swordfish.

Despite this long legacy blue marlin are currently a threatened species. Though many nations and sport fishing competitions and organizations have adapted to these numbers and work to make sure marlin populations stay healthy and off the endangered species list.

Any females that aren’t caught almost always outlive the males. Males live until about 18 while females live until 27 with reports of a few females reaching 40.

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Hooray For Labor Day!

September 1st, 2014

doradofeeesh 300x200 Hooray For Labor Day!By Capt. Joe Kent

Each year large numbers of anglers look forward to the Labor Day Holiday.  While you might think it is because it is a holiday and a day to go fishing that is not the case.  It signals the end of the busy tourist season and takes hordes of visitors off of the water and sends them back to work, school and other activities.

Following the first Monday in September, there begins a lot of competition for sportsmen’s time.  Dove season starts right away, football games and school activities begin taking the attention of anglers and, as the year progresses, more hunting seasons crop up.

All of this is music to the ears of serious anglers who love to see the early September exodus.

For many seasonal visitors to the Texas Coast, there is a mentality that fishing starts to slow after Labor Day with offshore fishing nearing the end of its prime time and trout beginning to depart the jetties and surf.

Let’s take a look at some of the reasons so many are enthused about the last big holiday of the summer.

While September is known as a transition month for fishing, meaning trout, reds and flounder begin to start changing their patterns, there is a lot of excellent fishing that month and the action just continues to get better as we get into fall.

The days are not so hot and most of the migratory pelagic fish continue to roam the near Gulf waters.  September is one of the best months for tarpon fishing and the jetties and surf begin to come alive with redfish of all sizes.

Some of the best offshore fishing takes place during September.  Until the first cool spell sets in, just about all of the popular pelagic fish are within easy reach for the sports fishing fleet including one of its components, the Mosquito Fleet of smaller seaworthy boats.

Several of my best catches of ling and dorado have occurred during September and October.

While trout begin their transition back into the bays from deeper waters, reds start stacking up at the jetties, with the larger reds preparing to make their annual spawn.

All of this has the added attraction of taking place during mild to warm weather and not the stifling heat of July and August.
Baring an event in the Gulf of Mexico or a cold front, September through early October the weather tends to be quite stable.  Light winds and calm conditions tend to be the norm.

One change that I have noticed over the past 10 years is that our summer has tended to be extended with the beach water temperature remaining in the 80-degree range throughout much of October.  Several decades ago, summer ended earlier and the fall fishing patterns began in early October, usually by Columbus Day.

Recently, it has been late October before any significant cooling has taken place.

For now, let’s plan on taking advantage of the extended summer without the huge crowds.

By the time the next edition of Gulf Coast Mariner Magazine is off the press, our fall fishing patterns should be in full swing and we will take a look where the action is taking place.

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California Jetty Fishing Texas Style

September 1st, 2014

rowanrockfish 225x300 California Jetty Fishing Texas StyleBy Brandon Rowan

Is it weird that I had to travel over 2,000 miles, to California of all places, to reacquaint myself with Texas rigged plastics? Yeah, I think so too.

I’m no stranger to fishing weedless plastics. As a kid, I pitched many a Texas rigged lizard or worm into the weedy lairs of hidden pond bass. But the bullet weights, plastic beads and worm hooks fell by the wayside when I discovered flounder, trout and redfish.

I was able to do some jetty fishing on the northern California coast this summer. In anticipation of my trip, I searched the internet high and low and learned as much as I could about how the locals pull rockfish, cabezon and lingcod from their rocky homes. Interestingly enough, Texas rigged flukes seemed to be the preferred method of catching fish without snagging the jetty. Tungsten bullet weights, half the size of lead and much more expensive, keep a lure’s profile small and less likely to get hung up.

blkrockfish 300x198 California Jetty Fishing Texas Style

Black Rockfish

I brought a whole bag of Gulp!® Jerk Shads to the Humboldt Bay south jetty but only needed one. I caught ten black rockfish in an hour, without a single snag, in what turned out to be a beautiful day on the water.

Short shank lead head jigs are often the norm for saltwater soft plastics here in Texas but I’m going to get back to my roots and toss something Texas rigged the next time I’m confronted with a jetty. This set up allows you to fish closer to structure, like rocks or shell, without fear of losing your lure. Give the Texas rig a try next time you’re on the water and remember to really set the hook!

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Janiece M. Longoria

September 1st, 2014

Janiece Longoria Single photo 300x295 Janiece M. Longoria

Janiece with a great Alaskan trout.

By Charles Milby

Janiece Longoria was appointed chairman of the Port Commission of the Port of Houston Authority on January 8, 2013, at a joint session of the Harris County Commissioners Court and the Houston City Council. She has served on the Port Commission since first appointed by the City of Houston in September 2002.

Longoria is an honors graduate of the University of Texas and received her law degree from the University Of Texas School Of Law in 1979. She is a partner with the firm of Ogden, Gibson, Brooks, Longoria & Hall LLP.

She likes to fish and we like to fish. We were wondering what was on her mind regarding the Houston Ship Channel and she was kind enough to give us this interview, we hope you like it.

The Houston Ship Channel will celebrate 100 years of service this fall. Do you plan to recognize this event with a special party?

There will be a series of commemorative projects and events promoting the historic significance of the ship channel’s contribution to the city of Houston. This will include a documentary produced by the Texas Foundation for the Arts and created for broadcast on Houston’s PBS affiliate, and a Centennial Curriculum Guide for Houston area students and educators. The major exhibition “Stories of Workforce: Celebrating the Centennial of the Houston Ship Channel,” will be on display at the Houston Public Library.  Another special event will be a private rededication ceremony on November 10, 2014 to commemorate the historic date when President Woodrow Wilson fired a cannon via remote control from his office in Washington D.C. to officially open the deep-water Houston Ship Channel for operation on November 10, 1914.

The Panama Canal expansion is almost completed. What will this mean for the Port of Houston?
Opportunities for all-water service into the Port of Houston will certainly expand. More distribution facilities here locally will attract major retailers to the area because the expansion will allow larger vessels with greater capacity to now dock at the Port of Houston.

What are two things the Port of Houston can do to cut down on the water and air pollution?
The Houston Port Authority retrofitted and replaced diesel engines and is working with truckers and tenants to do the same. With the supply of natural gas from shale, we can switch to a cleaner burning fuel to power the trucks that move freight to and from the PHA facilities. The Port Authority pioneered the environmentally beneficial use of dredge materials to create marsh and wildlife habitat in the Galveston Bay system. New technology and infrastructure investments have improved efficiency for customers, reduced truck idling time, and lowered emissions for our region. The Port Authority will continue to stay at the forefront of technology advancements and innovation to assure that we remain competitive, while continuing our focus on the environment.

Are you planning any fishing trips in the near future?
My husband and I will be going on our annual fishing trip to Alaska.

What’s the biggest fish you ever caught?
A 30-inch Rainbow Trout. Caught and released, and not yet repeated.

Do you have any advice for anyone who is thinking of getting into fishing for the first time?
Take a fly fishing lesson from someone other than your spouse.

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2014 Miss Kemah Pageant

September 1st, 2014

kemahwinners 266x300 2014 Miss Kemah PageantKenda Carroll, a beautiful blonde University of Houston-Downtown student, was named the 2014 Miss Kemah. She will represent our area in the Miss Texas USA Pageant.

Livia Lavender, a lovely young brunette who attends the High School for the Performing Arts, was selected as the 2014 Miss Kemah Teen and will go on to compete in the Miss Texas Teen USA Pageant. Congratulations Kenda and Livia!

 

 

 

 

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Trophy Catch

September 1st, 2014

2015 Chevrolet ColoradoZ71 014 300x166 Trophy Catch

2015 Chevrolet Colorado

All-new Chevrolet Colorado returns to Gulf Coast

By Don Armstrong

American-made is set to battle the Toyota Tacoma and Nissan Frontier in the mid-size truck segment, with the return of the 2015 Chevrolet Colorado, but this time with swagger and stats that will bring outdoorsmen back to the showroom.

Starting with a clean sheet of paper, GM engineers and designers were tasked with delivering a mid-size truck with guts, capability and visual appeal. Something that wasn’t part of the old Colorado DNA, it’s now at a price that starts below its full-size stable mate, Silverado.

This all-new Colorado is available in 3-trim levels, WT, LT or Z71.  It comes in extended and crew cab models, with 5 or 6-foot beds – depending on cab style – and 2 or 4-wheel drive. You’ll also select from 2 power plants; a 2.5-liter I-4 that delivers 200-HP and 191-lb.-ft. of torque or a 3.6-liter V-6 that generates 305-HP and 269-lb.-ft. of torque. A 6-speed automatic transmission is standard on most Colorado’s. A manual is available on the 4-cylinder work truck.

2015 Chevrolet Colorado 026 300x157 Trophy CatchAvailable towing capacity is 7,000-lbs when properly equipped with automatic grade braking and tow/haul mode.
Like the full-size Silverado, the Colorado comes with triple-seal doors. Now this may not mean much to you, but it makes a noticeable difference in interior quietness. Coupled with active grille shutters, both help improve fuel economy.

Not only is the interior considerably quieter than past models, it has all the modern features we’ve come to love in passenger cars, including an optional eight-inch diagonal color touch screen and multiple USB drives and a 3.4-inch diagonal driver information screen in the instrument cluster. Also available are the next-generation OnStar and MyLink enhancements with gesture recognition, natural language voice recognition and navigation.

Other options include 4G LTE with a built-in WiFi hotspot; Forward Collision Alert and Lane Departure Warning; and the GearOn™ accessory system for organizing and carrying bikes, paddle boards and other equipment.

Granted, as with anything these days, start piling on the options and there goes that bargain price. In fact, it’s pretty easy to get the Colorado up into the Silverado price range when option-adding overcomes you.

For those that have a smaller rig to tow, or perhaps an older garage that just doesn’t accommodate a full-size truck, the 2015 Chevrolet Colorado may be just ticket. It arrives at dealers in the fourth quarter of 2014 with a base price of $20,995.

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