Chef Memorial Charter aka the "Unfinished Business Tour" SOLD OUT!!!

Me and PAL having been lamenting over the loss of our good buddy Chef, and in particular one item of unfinished business.  Many folks on NCKA had recently chipped-in to buy Chef a rod for YT to lift his spirits so he could live his dream, a YT on the yak.

Me and PAL feel we need to take care of this unfinished business, while remembering our good friend amongst other NCKA compadres. 

So we charted the Islander for an overnight mothership to the YT grounds at SCI.  This isn't a fund raiser and is a non-profit event.  It IS group therapy and a fun, positive way to honor the most positive dude I have ever met. The Islander is a state of the art yak mothership...PAL can fill you in with the details of this operation.  Have a look...



We will be leaving Sunday June 3rd at 6 pm...partying til bedtime, and then when you wake up your on the grounds.  Fish the WHOLE day, and then steam back while your all snuggled in your bunk, arrive back early Tuesday am. 

We need at least 15 or so ther guys.  NCKA will have the whole boat.  The cost is $255 (new updated cost) and includes all meals.  Hope we can make this a go!  Please post-up if you are interested.    So far for sure:

1) Me
2) Leah
3) PAL
4) Shimizu
5) Mahi
6) Kickinbass
7) ChuckE
8 ) Pat
9) Randy
10) Dave
11) Zilla
12) Mooch
13) Michael Mannning (Chefs brother)
14) Christopher Blackwell (Chefs brother)
15) Bill
16) Dustin
17) Kunz
18) BrianG
19) Freddie
20) Angel

Standby:
1) bumped up!
2) Franksfishing
3) crazyindian
4) SteveS
5) Elric
6) Kayote
7) Marmot

Sounds like a fun trip and a great way to remember a friend.  I looked at their trip last year and hope to do one this year.  I would love to join you but have another trip planned during the same time...

I am in!!!!!!!

 Yeah baby!A fitting tribute.

Save me a spot... I'm in.  Just let me know when and where to send the funds.

Hey Sean, very cool of you to set this up as a memorial to someone who was obviously such a good person.

I'd like to join in but realize that some of you who knew him personally should get first dibs at the trip since it will provide a bit of closure.  If you see that you aren't meeting your quota of 15 shoot me a message and I'll almost certainly claim a spot.

Sean,  sounds like a great trip and very fitting way to remember Chef.  Someone needs to make sure that Chef's new Kunz rod goes along with you and that it gets broken in on a YT.

Brian

DIG IT!!!!  I am soooo down for that!   this is worth an entire WAF drainage....

I wish Chef had gotten his shot at a kayak 'tail. It meant a lot to him, even toward the end he was planning a La Jolla yellowtail patrol. Let's take him fishing in spirit, and celebrate his triumphant life. That bastard cancer took his life, but Steve never let it defeat him. There's unfinished business - please join us if you can, there's room for 20 'yaks on the boat.

The Islander is California's premeir kayak mothership operation. Co-owners Shane Slaughter and John Coniff, both consumate watermen and all-around good guys, launched the operation two years ago. They understand the mission and are ready to help. They've already knocked a chunk off the charter price to make this trip a reality.

Destination is San Clemente Island aka SCI, about 60 miles offshore. This place is a yellowtail and white seabass magnet. The pristine waters shelter halibut coves and calico bass kelp hideouts. It's a gorgeous place that Chef would have loved.

The boat boasts a cool custom kayak rack and a swim step that spans the stern. Easy on, easy off, and it's a crack team of deckhands. These guys are good, and all about providing excellent service. 

Live bait will be available in abundance. If you run out, no need to go back to the big boat. A shout out on VHF and the Zodiac will come running. The skiff makes beer and snack runs too.

All meals are included, and they'll be good ones, whipped up by chef "Big" Paul Grebetz. Stateroom acommodations, so you'll sleep good and wake up ready to fish. Comfortable salon for late night BS sessions, or perch up on the sundeck and soak up the SoCal rays.

The boat leaves out of San Diego's Fisherman's Landing. Check in at 6 pm on Sunday June 3, fish ALL DAY, SUN UP TO SUNDOWN on Monday, then back at the dock at 6:30 or so Tues morning.

Ok, some more backup info. The boat's website: http://www.islandersportfishing.com/divisions/kayaking/kayaking_home.htm

A story from the boat's first season: http://www.thelog.com/news/newsview.asp?c=164295

Everyone is welcome. Please join us and help lay our brave friend Chef to rest. Any questions, post up, or zap me a PM, and I'll get right back to you. 

Sean and PAL... That's a fantastic idea.  I might be in... it's either that or a work-related conference in Philedelphia.  I'm thinking a mother ship would be just a little better.  I'll figure it out this week.

As for the rod... Recently, about 20 NCKA'ers chipped in to pay for the parts to build Chef a kickin new rod and reel combo.  It was supposed to be used in an upcoming trip that Sean and PAL were working on with the goal of getting Chef into some Yellowtail. 

The rod was completed, but Chef will never get to use it to go after his elusive Yellowtail... hence the unfinished business... 

We are working on plans to auction the rod and at the same time collect donations in Chef's memory to go to the family and/or an organization of their choosing.  With an auction format, I am sure that the winner will be someone that the rod means a lot to, and possibly eveon someone who would go on this trip...

Until those details are hashed out, here is a little teaser on the "Jade Pirate"... which now is a one-of-a kind functional memorial to Chef.

Blank:  Calstar Graphiter GFX800ML cut back to 7'6"... rated 15-40#.
Guides:  Fuji Titnanium framed SiC guides and tip top.
Handle:  X-Flocked shrink tubing over EVA foam with Aftco aluminum butt.
Reel:  Progear 501C with Alan Tani special oversized crank and Tani'ized guts spooled with 400 yards of 40# powerpro.

The following people were very generous to chip in on this gift turned memorial.
Bill, Mooch, bsteves, Stuart, Danglin, Scwafish, Seabreeze & Randy, Mickfish, ChuckE, Kevin Asano, Jselli, Skyboy, Scott Thornley, PolePole, Allen Bushnell, Freddie, cpkayak, PAL, JDyak, and Alan Tani.

More on this in coming days.

EK

Erik: As always...

Wow!!! That rod has Spirit!!!!     Beautiful Job KZ........

Trip sounds great, I want to be sure that all close to Chef go before myself though...

Would also need to Mangle my job...    Mangling In progress... ........Danglin

Erik, 

Thanks for your generosity in donating your time and talent in organizing the project - not to mention building that beautiful piece.  Pictures don't do your work justice.  I'm looking forward to seeing it.

Sean - Please put Pat and me down for the charter.


Randy

Wow.  Gotta be a hell of a lot of mojo in that rod...

Count me in.  Can't think of a better way to honor Chef, or, selfishly, a better group to fish with.

-- Dave

Awesome...this is gonna be a great trip!