Catalina 22 National Sailing Association

In case you missed this in the MainBrace, congratulations goes to our own MainBrace editor Gene Ferguson. Gene was presented the US Sailing One-Design Award for Service on November 12. The following is reprinted from the November issue of MainBrace.

Each year US Sailing presents up to five awards to recognize outstanding individuals, classes, clubs, and fleets in onedesign sailing. These awards highlight role models of creative leadership in one-design sailing. This year one of our own,Gene Ferguson will be presented the One-Design Award for Service. This award recognizes distinguished service and leadership in the promotion of one-design sailing and class recognition. The formal presentation will occur on November 12, 2011, at the Bay Head Yacht Club in Bay Head, New Jersey.

Gene was nominated for this award by Past Commodore Rich Fox. Rich’s nomination accurately and eloquently
presents the work Gene has done for our association and the promotion of one-design sailing covering more than 30 years of sailing and promoting the Catalina 22. I could not do as good a job as Rich has done and so the letter of nomination is presented here. Congratulations Gene. This award is long overdue. The Catalina 22 National Sailing Association has benefitted greatly from your dedicated service and generosity.
-------------------------------------------------------------
One-Design SERVICE Award – nomination

To recognize distinguished service and leadership in the promotion of one-design sailing and class organization.

Nominee: Gene Ferguson, Catalina 22 Class

Nominated by: Rich Fox, former National Commodore (2005-2008), Catalina 22 National Sailing Association
“The More You Give - The More You Receive!”

In 2011, a very special Texas sailor celebrates 33 years of one design involvement and distinguished service in the Catalina 22 National Sailing Association – Gene Ferguson of Lake Worth, Texas. Gene joined the C22NSA in 1978 after purchasing a Catalina 22 named Princess Ann. Gene will tell you that membership in the Association “has helped me to form some long lasting friendships from all over the country that I would not have experienced had I not joined the Association.” For over 30 years, Gene has promoted the Catalina 22 Class, making it one of the largest and most active one-design classes in the United States. Today, Gene remains very active in the Catalina 22 one design racing at the local, regional and national level. In additional to being a great racer and always demonstrating exceptional sportsmanship, Gene has a long history of distinguished service and leadership in the Class. Gene served as National Commodore of the C22NSA for three years – 1994 through 1997. In 1998, Gene became Editor of the Class magazine – MainBrace. The MainBrace is where Gene’s service really shines. In 1998, the C22NSA Board made a decision to begin writing, editing, printing, and distributing a stand-alone magazine for Catalina 22 owners – the MainBrace. The magazine was introduced in 1998 and is prepared and distributed 6 times a year to all members in our Association. Gene has been Editor of the MainBrace magazine for 13 years. The magazine features a minimum of 24 pages of Catalina 22 racing and cruising news, technical tips, fleet news, and officer reports. What is most amazing is that Gene always makes sure that the MainBrace is consistently delivered “on-time” to our membership, like clockwork. In 2006, Gene also helped with the preparation of the Catalina 22 Technical Manual on CD – featuring over 300 pages of Catalina 22 technical information. Gene has a motto that he lives by: “The more you give, the more you receive!”

In 2011, Gene Ferguson and C22NSA Commodore Ted McGee undertook a major effort to completely redesign and update the Catalina 22 website (www.catalina22.org). The new site includes feeds to social media sites including Twitter and Facebook. A Forum and a Blog are available to Catalina 22 owners to promote the exchange of information and to promote class activities. The new website helps to bring this 40 year old class into the 21st century and demonstrates the excitement and enthusiasm that keeps this well established one-design class strong and very active. Gene has given so much to the Catalina 22 Class. It is only fitting for Gene to receive recognition for his service during the past 33 years. It is with great honor that I respectfully nominate Gene Ferguson for the US Sailing One-Design Service Award.

Recently the Catalina 22 National Sailing Association was mentioned on the front page of SailingAnarchy.com. Chip Embry and Jonathan Phelps produced a promotional video for the 2011 Nationals, held in Grapevine, TX this past June. Chip does an excellent job in the video of promoting both the association and the regatta. The video work is all done by Jonathan Phelps. The video is featured on the home page and can be found by clicking on the following link.

Sailing Anarchy

In addition to the video being on Sailing Anarchy, we captured it here as well. You can view the video from this article or visit our media section under videos > racing,  where you can view and download the video.

Dim lights

Here is another video made by Jonathan Phelps promoting the 2011 nationals.

Dim lights

by Steve Mitchell

You may not be able to win the war, but you can win occasional battles. Regardless of the odds, you must fight! Now's the time to meet your opponent.

Call the Woodland Hills headquarters of Catalina Yachts in California, and one thing strikes you right away about the choices the telephone answering system offers you. One option is for Frank Butler. That's rare access in today's hectic business world, but it shows what makes Catalina unique - the constant guiding hand of Frank Butler, who founded the company in 1970.

Catalina 22 hull #1, 1970 Catalina 22, hull #1, sails in the One of a Kind Regatta on Lake Michigan in 1970. The crew, from left: Rod Mortenson, Beattie Purcell, Lee Buffum, and Herbie Mortenson.

The stories are legendary among Catalina owners. Call the factory about a warranty item, and chances are you'll end up speaking with Frank himself. Why such access? "I've always been that accessible," he says. "It's the only way to be in this business." Catalina is the largest sailboat manufacturer in the United States. That means Frank Butler has a lot of customers to keep happy, something he obviously relishes.

Born in California in 1928, Frank joined the Navy and attended college before beginning his working life in the engineering field. "I was hired as an engineer in a government facility, and they found out I had lied about having five years' experience. They called me in several months later when they found out, and I admitted it was true. I then told them either they could fire me or give me a raise. I got the raise."

He continues, "I've always had a love for engineering, and drawing came very easily to me. Working with my hands always came more easily to me than schoolwork." Frank went on to start Wesco Tool, his own machine shop, and became a supplier of component parts for the aircraft industry. "I did a lot of work with that industry," he says. "I'd often go to plants and work with the engineers, help them with designs, or help with engineering problems when they asked me to."