On Sunday 05 May, at 1100 hrs at the Waller Creek Boathouse, Austin OCC, Inc., a 501(c)(3) non-profit corporation, will hold its annual business meeting.
At that time, election of the leadership for the next year will take place. Members in good standing (i.e, dues paid-up) are eligible to vote.
Members who cannot attend the meeting can appoint a proxy in writing or can e-mail your vote to our secretary, Joy Emshoff.
Work on the outrigger canoes never stops around here. There is always another bubble in the gel-coat protecting the gunwales, another scratch in the gel-coat protecting the hull, etc. The Texas sun plays Hell with all exposed surfaces but, probably, takes its heaviest toll on the ‘iakos.
We always hope that the most critical work can wait until the months with more amenable weather arrive. [Austin, TX is sometimes referred to as the Land of Eternal Air-Conditioning. Many of us run the air-conditioning system for 9-10 months of the year.]
Traditionally, Hawaiian boat-makers used Hau (Hibiscus tiliaceus), one of the woody members of the cotton family (Malvaceae) for the ‘iakos. It should be no surprise that Hau is not available in Texas.
Sea hibiscus aka Hau (Hibiscus tiliaceus)
In the past, we have used relatively-inexpensive plywood to build-up laminated ‘iakos, a technique demonstrated for us by Carleton Kruse of Texas OCC. Those ‘iakos functioned well for a couple of years before decay and delamination set in.
I began exploring alternative construction materials / techniques and came across a reference to the materials and construction of the ‘iakos for the Polynesian Voyaging Society’s Hōkūleʻa.
I like what I see about the ‘iakos built by The John Williams Boat Co. (JWC), Mt. Desert Island, Maine.
I will report back about our progress and our satisfaction with the results of this journey.
Wow! The 2017 Austin OCC Sprints at Lake Bastrop Noth Shore Park was a huge[1] event!! It was a lot of fun even though not without its problems :
the official NWS high temperature was recorded at 100 F,
the event got underway a couple of hours late, and
the water temperature in Lake Bastrop was hotter than anything in which I have bathed in decades!
Times can be found here. (No, actually, they cannot. The Wayback Machine at archive.org missed that one.)
Austin OCC thanks all of the teams represented at the event :
Texas OCC
Hoewa’a Dallas OCC
Team Hokulele
San Antonio OCC
Rio Grande Valley OCC
Austin OCC!
More thanks to offer :
Justin McGuire, Austin OCC president, for spearheading this effort.
Tracy Quon, Joy Emshoff, Ginsie Stauss,[2] and Denise Scioli for the hours of planning and printing the new shirt design, and the awards.
Tracy, Joy, Bob Spain, and everyone else involved in getting four lanes of buoys deployed.[3]
Denise and everyone else who helped at the registration table.[3]
Alma Forti, Becky Naddef, Jenny Tam, and everyone else involved in timing the race.[4]
Austin OCC members who provided the coffee, cold water, energy drinks, iced tea, breakfast items, fruit, salads, and side-dishes that complimented the chicken and brisket so lovingly grilled by J.D. Martinez.[5]
Phil Schafer and Jenny Tam for photographing the event for posteriety (that is a misspelling but the combination of posterity and notoriety is too good to correct).
Austin OCC members who were there until the bitter end, helping with the tear-down of the site, hauling equipment across the grounds, de-rigging the canoes, pulling buoys, loading everything on trailers and into vehicles.
All who paddled their hearts out in the heat.
All who were patient with late-afternoon lineup changes.
All who were patient as we provided opportunities for our newest members to paddle even if that made us less competitive.[6]
Notes :
[1] There have never been as many teams represented in a Texas outrigger event before. Nor have as many paddlers participated in a Texas outrigger event before. The sport is growing!
[2] Ginsie, we are so sorry that we did not get to distribute them at the event. The crowd began to thin as soon as the racing was done … long before we could tally the results.
[3] We learned a few things that we hope will make this faster at the next event.
[4] T.O.R.A. (Texas Outrigger Racing Association) rules need to be followed better next time. In particular, we need timing help from all clubs. Shade, cold drinks, and comfort need to be a forethought next time.
[5] We will have some significant improvements in place for your comfort before the next event. I am already in the process of re-creating a hand-and-utensil washing system to make your task easier and the whole process safer.
[6] After all, what is the role of senior and more-experienced paddlers if not to prepare our newest members and to provide them with such opportunity?
Wahine
Sandra Cormier Joy Emshoff Alma Forti (ground support) Hong Hua Backy Naddef Tracy Quon Angie Schafer Denise Scioli Ginsie Stauss Jenny Tam Kila Vare-Nixon
Kane
Aaron Braud Wolf Dilworth (ground support) Rob Forti Binh Hua Jim Jones J.D. Martinez (ground support) Justin McGuire Phil Schafer Mike Scioli Justin Stevenson
[Updated 2019-08-12 : Lake Travis, Lake Austin, Lady Bird Lake, Lake Georgetown, and Canton Lake are now classified as ‘infested.’ Decker Lake (aka Lake Walter E. Long) and Grapevine Lake are classified as ‘positive.’ Lake Ray Hubbard is still classified as ‘suspect.’]
I heard this sad news on our local NPR affiliate, KUT 90.5 FM, yesterday. Texas paddlers should be aware that an invasive pest species, the Zebra mussel (Dreissena polymorpha) has become established in Lake Travis (now classified as ‘infested’).
Invasive species, the zebra mussel, Dreissena polymorpha, has reached Lake Travis. Photo credit to Amy Benson, USGS 1992-03-14.
Our sister club, Hoewa’a Dallas OCC, should be aware that Lake Ray Hubbard is classified as ‘suspect’ since Zebra mussel adults and larvae have been observed in recent years. All boaters – including canoeists and kayakers – are required to drain all water from their boat and onboard receptacles before leaving or approaching a body of fresh water in order to prevent the transfer of zebra mussels.
Further recommendations for reducing the likelihood that these pests reach Lake Austin, Lake Travis, etc. can be found at Texas Invasives.
The zebra mussel was accidentally introduced into the Great Lakes from the Caspian Sea via transport shipping in 1986. Click to see how rapidly the zebra mussel has spread from the Great Lakes since then through freshwater waterways.
Members of Austin Outrigger Canoe Club were thrilled to take on the mighty-women-in-training from the Girl Scouts of Central Texas this morning! A baker’s dozen of young women turned-out for this opportunity along with about one-half that number of adult supervisors.
This is part of our outreach, and part of our mission (both as an outrigger club and as a 501(c)(3) non-profit corporation). It was an unqualified success!
Denise Scioli oversees some on-land paddling drills.
Austin OCC members demonstrated some basic water safety, some basic paddling technique, and away they went in Mimi (our OC-4) and Makalani (one of our OC-6s).
We even ran them through a couple of huli drills (the canoe huli’d … intentionally overturned) and they performed spectacularly.
I saw a lot of smiles and I heard a lot of “I want to do that, again!” … from the Girl Scouts and from Austin OCC members.
Thank you, so much, ladies, for your visit! We look forward to doing this, again!!
Texas Outrigger Canoe Club (TOCC) hosted their annual Paniolo Ironman Event. The 2014 version was a 10-mile run from Mud Lake through the Kemah Channel out into the bay.
The participating crews were from the host club (TOCC), Team Hokulele, Hoewa’a Dallas OCC (HDOCC), and Austin OCC (AOCC).
The weather was surprisingly pleasant. The event was well-organized and executed. The company and the food were excellent, as always!
AOCC Women’s crew : (1) Sandra Cormier / Carleton Kruse *, (2) Momi Kane ***, (3) Kila Nixon, (4) Tina Ho, (5) Christy Rodriguez ** (6) Denise Scioli
AOCC Men’s crew : (1) Chris Almaguer, (2) Tri Bach, (3) Mike Brooks, (4) Ben Castro **, (5) Mike Scioli, (6) Justin Mcguire
* injury substitution, TOCC ** on loan from TOCC *** on loan from HDOCC
