Mandeville, 4th of July

Liz, let me know if you're out there and where you are. I'd love to finally meet you!
 
What is your boat's name? I can try giving you a hollar if I'm around. My boat's name is "Flutterby", duh.......
 
My boat is 'Misty Flow'. We were going to change the name, but the boat's been called 'Misty Flow' for 28 years, and seemed a shame to change it now!
 
Manticore999,

We were out there Sunday, too. Out for a father's Day on the water with dinner on the hook. Spent the afternoon on the east side of Venice Reach just south of Singapore Cut and just east of the tules. We were in a 34 Californian trawler with burbundy canvas, named FlyWright. We hope to return for the celebrations on the 4th. Hoping it's still accessible when we arrive. My alternate plan is to stay at the bedrooms on Potato Slough, just the other side of Venice Island.

email flywright34 at gmail dot com if you want to raft up. Would love to meet more BoaterEdders.

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Kaylan2000,

What a beautifull boat! I love the burgundy canvas - I am thinking of doing that color too. I'm planning on being there as well, but not sure where. We were at Three River Reach last year with the Delta Bayliner Club and had a great time, but it looks like the majority of them are not showing this year. We have 4 or 5 boats from Oxbow that I hang out with that are going, but as everyone says, getting a good spot is the hard part. It might be fun to stay close in just to see the craziness, but it is a bit much and you can't turn it off when it is TOO much! Three River was nice and there was room for more boats in the "bay" last year.

By the way, there is a large area in the center of Three River Reach that is very shallow - about 2-3 feet as I recall - so watch other boats and pay attention. We saw a 40 foot Crissy get stuck and had to wait for high tide to get out.

I think that despite high gas prices, it will be really busy. People can stay for a week and not use all that much gas, and since the 4th is on a friday this year more people will probably show. Last year it was on Wed and that made it tough for a lot of people.

Be interesting to see what happens and I hope to meet some of you folks as well!

Jim
 
we will be there too, look for a 3488

with a dingy behind it
ill be there wednesday on ch 69 and 68"no explanation"
armed with some water guns
 
Comfortably Numb, Thanks. I wish I could take the credit for coming up with the color scheme, but it was this way when I bought it. The part I like is it's all guy colors on the interior. No frills, no pastels, no colors with names that I don't recognize! Just beige, tan, brown, white and burgundy.

We keep FlyWright in Riverboat Marina, but will be visiting Oxbow in early August when my Bay area blow-boater friends move their boats into Oxbow for the month of August for our annual delta fun. If you see us in the area, please stop by to say hi!

...This just in.....Looks like we're going to have to bail on the Delta July 4th party. Our group of 2 powerboats and 4 blowboats will be converging on our friends who live on the Napa River. They have arranged for us to tie up on their and their neighbors' docks and enjoy the weekend away from the madness (aside from our own!) Should be a good time.

Looking forward to the stories and pics from Mandeville Pt! Y'all have fun out there!!

"Damn the waterguns....Full speed ahead!!!"
 
It's starting to fill up out there! When we left yesterday there were probably 75 or so boats anchored at Madeville tip alone, with more coming in every minute. I understand attendance is down this year, but since this is my first time it sure seems like a lot of boats to me. We'll be heading out for the madness on Wednesday evening and I'll bet just getting to our group of boats will be a challenge. Honestly, though we're glad we're doing this it'll probably be a one-time thing. I kind of grew out of this type of party scene when I was in my 20's - just tooo many people for me!
 
I've gone four times since 2002 and never had an issue with being near to many boats. There is plenty of room for everyone and it does get a bit tight anchoring the closer you get to the start of the show but by the start of the fireworks everyone has settled in and has prepared for the show. Just because some of these boats and raft ups are there doesn't mean they own the area right next to them. Anchor where you feel safe and be courteous to everyone around you and everyone will have a great time! The area isn't that mad or crazy! It just happens to be where the majority of boaters are and the best viewing is so you get to see and take in all the decorations and constant flow of boaters wanting to see who is there. The area is constantly patrolled by the sheriff and the Coasties and most people don't get away with much including nudity for beads. Those that are blatant about showing off usually get hauled off or ticketed and that is also part of the show.

Really it's no big deal and just a lot of fun to watch the goings on all day.

Gnarley
 
I've anchored there a couple of times. Watch out if the winds kick up! That is when anchors slip and things can quickly go haywire! I've seen entire raftups break loose. That gets really interesting; especially if everyone on the loose raftup is drunk. Yikes! I've read of boats having their anchor slip and end up in the rocks. An older woody sank one year. That is a real shame.

Like Monticore, I've gotten too old for all the partying and foolishness. But I'll probably drive through on Friday just to see the shenanigans. Everyone have a safe enjoyable holiday weekend!
 
Liz

My wife & I will cruise by on Friday afternoon to check out all the other boats & action. Where will you be....? would like to greet & wave. We might stay for the fireworks. Last year we had to anchor about 1 mile away. Some boats will leave after the fireworks and drive too fast at night, or we might return to Whiskey Slough Marina and anchor to the dock.
We'll be looking for a boat named "Flutterby"

"Another Toy" (Hugo & Danica)

27 ft express cruiser
 
I'm heading to the boat today. I hope to do my annual drive by the Mandeville area. I'll put out a holler on VHF for Another Toy and Comfortably Numb when I'm out there. My boat's name is not on the boat. I travel incognito! Anybody who hears Flutterby on the water, give me a holler back!

Everyone have a safe holiday!
 
Well, I made a safe drive through the madness late Friday afternoon. It was very crowded; I didn't see any sign of less activity due to high gas prices! I tried to raise folks on my VHF, but I think everyone had their radios turned off or were not paying attention. I saw that the CG had a cutter anchored out there. That way they could rotate crews without having to run back to Rio Vista. They saved a lot of fuel that way!

How were things when the wind picked up? I haven't heard any war stories yet.

Saturday afternoon I was relaxing in my slip watching the parade of boats going by. The sheriff was there telling folks to sit in designed seats only. No standing in the cockpit; no sitting on the gun'l; no sitting at the transom. He didn't issue any tickets; everyone seemed to have a respectful attitude and obviously did not appear to be intoxicated. Wakes did not seem to be a priority for the sheriff [who was putting one out himself!]. All in all, a very restful weekend for me. And I even accomplished most of the chores list for the boat or dock!
 
rubyray, I'm sure you've found out by now (after the 4th) exactly what to expect next year. This was only my 2nd year out there and we drifted bc the anchor wouldn't hold and we kept drifting towards the barge at the dismay of the authorities. But really there is no bad seats for the firework display. It didn't seem like they lasted as long as they did 2 years ago though. Hope you all had a great time, we did and what a beautiful night it was...I think it's worth it.
 
Hey, waterbaby, welcome to Boatered and the B&D forum! Glad to see you have arrived here.
 
We're back from Mandeville. Got back yesterday morning. What a great cruise back, but I sure could do without the heat! Mandeville was a lot of fun. I still can't believe how many boats were out there! I talked to one of the guys from the Septic Brothers and he said he'd guess there were probably 500 or so fewer boats than last year, but he was surprised how many people showed up. I must admit that after hearing about all the madness I was a little surprised that it wasn't crazier out there. Yes, boats were everywhere and, yes, there were tons of water 'fights' but I didn't see anything I'd call over the top. We were just across from the lodge, about a hundred yards from the big sail boat that I heard has been there for a few years. I do think we were in the tamer section, because one of the kids on the boat next to us said that there was much more partying going on down at the tip. There were a few boats down there with huge speakers really blasting all day long. I would not have wanted to be near them - not my kind of music and waaay too loud, but they sure seemed to be having a good time.

All in all it was a lot of fun, but definitely a once in a lifetime thing. I'm just getting too old for this.
 
Rude Boaters at Mandeville; These are the people who claim to represent clubs and rope off large sections of moorage, ( prime Land tie area) and never fill it up.
Talked to the Sherrif and he said as long as they are not mooring lines, any and all areas are open for mooring and cannot be "saved". I have been going to Madeville for over 15 years and the number of people saving these areas has grown, to the point where its rediculouse. I go a week to a month early and have been getting told that these areas are saved for the "so-and-so" yacht club, only to have one or two boats end up there with room for many more.
Has anyone else run into this?
 
Hi all - we made it back safe, although we did have a rather exciting (not fun) anchor drag, right when the fireworks started. Really scarry. I was in the center of the place in about 40 feet and had a 22 lb claw on my 3270, tied to Grarley and about the time the fireworks started, we were drifting into another group. I spent the fireworks in my inflatable acting like a tug to keep the boats apart, then when the show was over, we got to work. Gnarley pulled up with his windless while I kept my boat off the others, then it was my turn. In the wind, I got back on, my wife and 12 year old went to the forward to pull the anchor, and it was a major disaster! The wind kept pushing us into the other boats and the wife and son were having a hell of a time. 2 or 3 tries and we gave up and cut it loose. Maybe the most stressfull 3 minutes of my 25 years of boating! We got free and headed to back of the island into the reeds where all was safe and secure, but it was not a good experience

I beleive what happened is that I had a really nice anchor bouy with a retractable line in it, a radar reflector, and night reflector tape, but it only had 50 feet of line. I think it was pulling the anchor and caused it to not dig in because of the current in that area. I swear it moved about 100 feet "down current" in the 3-4 hours just before the show - never had that happen and never want it again!!!!

Anway, we had a great rest of the weekend and stayed there and Georgiana Slough until tuesday, met Rubyray, and had a great time. Next time I will either stay in the little cut through the middle or at the back, away from deep water!

By the way, I cruised around lots in my little Seadoo Explorer - a 14 foor inflatable with a jet skin in the center - did anyone here water-baloon me?

Jim
 
How deep was the water in which you were anchored? I wouldn't think 50 ft is enough rode in 10 ft of water if your boat is not protected from the winds and currents! Yes, next time pick an area where you have better wind protection and use a 7:1 scope or more! Do you have chain on your anchor rode too? That will help keep your anchor from slipping.

Also, you can anchor your boat just about anywhere within a 5 mile radius and still see the fireworks just as well as right in Mandeville! I prefer to anchor by tying off the bow to an island and having a stern anchor out to keep the boat from swinging, especially when the waters are crowded!

Glad the rest of your time was fun!
 
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