As the Columbia150 is an unsupported event, we probably should figure out ways to help each other along the way. We are going to have some boats that travel fast, some that travel slow, some that start their day early, and others that start late.

My big plan is to emulate my experience in the Texas200
http://andrewlinn.com/080609texas200/index.htm
Especially the last 2 days - that was I and the other Puddle Duck Racers solidified into a team, rather than a group of individuals.

My suggestion is to form 'pods': groups of boats of similar capability who pledge to support each other. At the very least, they exchange cell numbers and perhaps monitor the same VHF channel. A middle path would be to try to keep each other in sight during the day. At the very best, they sail in formation.

Once we get the registration page working correctly and get the Who's Coming page up, I encourage you to find other boats of similar speed and windward capability and form into pods. You'll be glad you did.
Andrew

First off, thanks for putting this together. This really fulfills a dream I have had for some time, boating down the Columbia.

It will be interesting to see how many people show up to do this. I've never done anything like this, so take my input with a grain of salt. I like the idea of waterproof VHF radios on at all times for safety's sake. No worries about ruined cell phones. However, I don't know how well that would work with limited battery life of 10 to 20 hours. For them to be effective they will need to be on for hours every day. The same is true with cell phones. If they aren't on (in an effort to save batteries), they are worthless. And how do we recharge them? Hmm. Come to think of it, one of the West Marine radios comes with an AA battery tray. People would have to carry packs of AA batteries. The radio is about $160.

I like the idea of pairs. Also require flares. When a flare is sighted, all turn on radios and go to channel 16, say. Also require air horns, the canned kind.

Is there a way to create a contest of sorts out of this, purely in a way to incentivise safety? Points are multiplied by 4 if the boats work in pairs. Points are awarded based upon something like how close people are each day to their guesstimated arrival time. A handfull of extra points are awarded to the person first in, but not so many as to make it a real race. Points would be subtracted for anyone going slower than a certain time in order to keep people from saying the trip will take 8 hours, and just sitting offshore for two hours to wait for the perfectly timed landfall. You could also award bonus points for people who turn on their radios at the top of each hour for roll call. Saves batteries. The winner wins a prize from West Marine or something.... perhaps a special plaque.. the Columbia 150 Team Spirit and Safety Award. Just thinking aloud. Again, the purpose is to keep people safe. A carrot, if you will.

Bryan
Seattle

The biggest problem with hand held VHF is the limited range. Three or four miles seems to be about it. Cell phones reach much farther if there is coverage and there are waterproof pouches for them. You can get cell phone chargers that take AAA batteries for a few bucks.

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Chuck

Andrew, I can not speak for cell coverage above Rainier, but below Rainer, out on the open sections of the River, coverage is good. There are a few dead spots here and there caused by local bluffs and such, but I've been able to reach out most places. If you are tight against one of the very steep-to shorelines, you might not have service.

As to HH VHF: reaching and communicating with the USCG in an emergency is pretty easy with a small power VHF because the USCG has antennas high on translators,, serving boh Group Astoria and Group Portland. However, as you state, 3-4 miles range is about it, small vessel to small vessel. If travel is in pods, each pod has an emergency-use-only HH VHF in its ranks, and all use cell phones, likely you will have enough battery life for a week for both lolcal communiction and any needed emergency callouts. This assumes everyone turns their cell phones off except during call times (5 before the hour or 5 after the hour, and for launch/pull out discussions).