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[Umi_Ryuzuki]

The Spokane Model Boat Club may be shrinking in size and membership, but they still
host an amazing event in a local corporate display pond. The pond used to circulate
the cooling water for the building, but it is now limited to decorative status.
The large boulders have remained, and the Spokane club makes good use of these to set a course.

It is a 350 mile drive East from Portland, Oregon.
Heading up the Columbia River there are four dams

• Bonneville Dam
• The Dalles Dam
• Captain Bob tow boat heading up hill at John Day
• Captain Bob about to enter the Locks at John Day(the lift gate is half way open)
• The John Day Dam
• The McNary Dam
• Friday practice
• The passages seem deceptively wide on the pond.
• Running light boat at speed is no problem.
• Saturday Event Hosts
• Tidewater Cup
• Start finish of the Springer course.

[Umi_Ryuzuki]

The Spokane club numbers the boulders, and the skipper must navigate a set course.
These rocks are as unmoving as the basalt cliffs of the Columbia Gorge.
The generous space between the rocks is made difficult by the angles and turns that
need to be made to stay on course. It is quickly evident that the stern of a tow can
swing wide and hit an obstacle. It is equally evident that turning too late will push the
bow of a barge into the rocks.

The Start finish of the Tidewater cup is on the back side of the foot bridge.

Some of the local and visiting boats.

Joe has some heavily weathered tugs.

[Umi_Ryuzuki]

I had to take some close up of the weathered tugs.
From the tin roof down to the dead grass grown up between the deck planks.

Some boats on the Springer and Tidwater maneuvering courses.

[Umi_Ryuzuki]

The course was small enough to make the simplest turn difficult.
RonH, and his Tidewater REBEL make all the passages look even smaller.

Great thanks to the Spokane, Washington, Model Boat Club.
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Traveling home Sunday, the Columbia River, at Tri-Cities was covered in cranes and boats.

[Umi_Ryuzuki]

On the way home, the hydroplane races were in full swing for Sunday finals.

[Umi_Ryuzuki]

Further down the hill there are the usual sites along the Columbia Gorge

Shaver Transportation pushing a load up the river.
The back of the Dalles Dam and Mount hood.
Tidewater's HURRICANE transiting the locks at Bonneville Dam.

A long trip, but a wonderful event and a scenic route along the way.

 

[Perkasaman2]

Great photos and some excellent competitions.