Howard Rice canoe camping in “SYLPH”
Howard Rice will discuss “The Micro Cruising Advantage” at the March meeting of the Point Wilson Sail and Power Squadron meeting, 7:00 pm, March 19th at the Port Townsend Yacht Club, Rice’s presentation is free and open to the public.
Rice has made numerous open-ocean, open-water voyages in small boats including sailing canoes, cruising dinghies and small sailboats including rounding Cape Horn in a folding sailing canoe. He is an instructor in small boat handling techniques and has taught at numerous symposia in North America (including Port Townsend) and Europe. Since the rounding of Cape Horn he has continued ocean sailing in small boats with the focus on sailing canoes. He has conducted US Army small boat operations training with Eric Stiller at both Fort Campbell, Kentucky and Key West.
Point Wilson Sail and Power Squadron is an informal group of sailors, rowers, fishermen, and cruisers dedicated to providing public boating education, improving boating skills, and enjoying social activities. Members of the public are invited to come for potluck, 6:00 pm on Tuesday, March 19th, at the Port Townsend Yacht Club, across from West Marine. Those only interested in the program may come at 7:00. For more information, please call Bob Miller, 360-385-8595.
More about Howard Rice:
Howard is by his own description a small wooden boat man through and through. He enjoys refinishing and building boats, makes his own sails, and to travel in small boats. He has sailed in some rather interesting places including “The Sailors Mount Everest”, Cape Horn. Howard doubled the Horn solo in a 55-pound wood canvas sailing canoe. His two years of preparation and three and a half month solo rounding of Cape Horn is a story of what preparation and determination can yield for a self described “pedestrian sailor” or a man who simply loves small wood boats.
Howard has a lifetime of small boat voyages, sailboat racing and explorations under his belt in places ranging from the Pacific, Caribbean, Europe, South America, Central America and North Africa. You may have heard about him or read about him in Small Craft Advisor magazine, Yachting, Woodenboat, Sports Illustrated, Outside, Sea Kayaker, Sail magazine, Cruising World or in a number of small boat books and newspaper stories.
Howard tells us, “I like my boats made of wood and I like them small because both wood construction and small offer so many advantages.” Howard sails a 20-foot wood cutter “Blueberry”, a wood Newick Tremolino MKIV, a British Mirror Dinghy and a variety of open cruising dinghies and sailing canoes. He has been co-instructing the SCAMP Camp program and is currently constructing his own SCAMPs (hull number 2 and number 3).
In recent years Howard’s remote location in Micronesia has found him focusing on sailing his home built fifteen-foot cruising sailing canoe as his primary boat. He sails the lagoon islands of Pohnpei and makes open ocean crossings to remote atolls and outlying villages where he is often greeted by his traditional Pohnpeian title of “Kiroun Dolon U”. His small voyaging canoe is complete with running lights, cook kit, collapsible boat cart and sleep aboard tent, an intriguing version of the micro cruiser.
Rice has recently retired as a professor and department chair from the College of Micronesia-FSM. As a long held dream he has developed and is now offering the Small Craft Skills Academy including the just announced online programs. The Academy is a series of experiential learning programs focused on basic seamanship skills for the open boat, dinghy sailor, canoe sailor and pocket yachter. “Safety first, second, third and always.” is the unofficial core motto of the Academy. Along side founding the Academy Howard has a full time job as the Special Assistant to the Governor of Pohnpei, Micronesia. His work focuses on sustainable development and the vision of creating the largest park or conservation area in history, the World Park.