Photo: Beth Meines, 2023 Splash-In at Tanglefoot SPB
Please join us for our 2024 Washington Seaplane Pilots Association (WSPA) annual splash-in at Tanglefoot Seaplane Base on Priest Lake! Members or not, all are welcome to join in on the weekend of fun in Aviation!
Situated in lovely Cavanaugh Bay, our annual gathering is held at Tanglefoot Seaplane Base (D28), home to Dr. Loel and Olson Fenwick. The seaplane base features docks, beach, and ramp space for straight floats and amphibious aircraft. The addition of Kevin Franklin’s “pick up” float truck makes ramping easy for pilots on straight floats. For aviators on wheels, the Cavanaugh Bay Airstrip (66S) is located next door.
Accommodations at the airstrip and seaplane base include camping with restroom facilities. This year, thanks to the support of our sponsor, we are pleased to announce an upgrade in accommodations at Tanglefoot from the port-a-john toilets to The Royal Flush Portable Luxury Bathrooms! This year, we are also pleased to offer outdoor forest showers for guests - a truly unique North Idaho experience! For those who are camping, we encourage you to bring warm clothes for the evening hours and a headlamp for traveling between venues and on site after dark.
Cost
The cost to attend is $135 per person for members and their guests, and $150 for non-members and their guests. The fee includes camping, an event t-shirt, and all meals freshly prepared throughout the weekend (Friday Dinner, Saturday Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner, and Sunday breakfast).
Cancellations
If you are unable to attend after registering, cancellations received before 8:00 pm on Thursday, June 13 will be refunded, minus a $25 cancellation fee. If you find you are unable to attend after this date has passed, you are welcome to send a substitute in your place; however, we will be committed to the caterer and unable to offer refunds. If you have any questions regarding this policy or to identify a substitute, please contact us.
We have historically had a great response to the event with last year our biggest turnout to date. We have already had a huge response to this year’s event and anticipate this year to surpass previous numbers. As such, we may impose a cap on total attendees to ensure a safe and successful weekend. More information will be communicated as registrations start coming in.
Event Sponsor
We are pleased to announce that Aerocet is our presenting event sponsor once again, and we couldn’t be more appreciative for their support! Aerocet helps keep attendee costs low by helping to cover the cost of event t-shirts, ice, the event banner, and importantly, our event support staff. Many of Aerocet’s team have helped out in previous years and should be familiar faces by now! As you come across their team during the weekend, please extend your thank you for their ongoing commitment to our organization and this event. We truly couldn’t do this without them.
Event Details
This event brings seaplane pilots from all over the United States! Arrivals begin at noon on Friday and departures wrap up around noon on Sunday. Throughout the weekend, we have a dedicated air boss and volunteer wing walkers available to coordinate arrivals and ensure a safe and incident-free ramping experience.
Waivers
As an attendee, you will be required to execute two agreements pertaining to the event: The first is the “Agreement to Assume Risk of Injury and Release of Claims.” The second includes the WSPA “Waiver of Liability.” Both waivers are on one form, so only one signature is needed for both. Registrants will be provided a link to access these online the week before the event. We ask that you complete them before arriving at Tanglefoot. All pilots and their guests must have signed them in order to attend. If you incur any challenges accessing the documents, we will have iPads available on site to help you through the process.
Food
The Washington Seaplane Pilots Association (WSPA) will be providing meals throughout the weekend. Dinner on Friday and Saturday nights will be catered by the Chimney Rock Cafe on Priest Lake. Friday evening will include pulled pork and chicken sandwiches with salads, sides and desserts. Saturday we will have burgers and brats with all of the fixings, sides, and dessert. Breakfast Saturday and Sunday will consist of a number of usual breakfast foods, including freshly cooked eggs, pancakes, and sausage!
Special Guests and VIPs
Saturday morning will feature a safety seminar, and a safety briefing regarding our splash-out to Mosquito Bay for lunch. Historically, we have had speakers with a wide breadth of experience, including representatives from the FAA Safety Team and Spokane FSDO, the Bonner County Water Sheriff's Department, and leaders in Aviation training, search, and rescue. This year’s speakers will be announced soon, so look out for that in your inboxes as the event nears!
Keynote Presentation
We are excited to announce our keynote presentation Saturday evening will be delivered by WSPA Lifetime Member, Addison Pemberton of Pemberton and Sons Aviation! Addison will be presenting on his immaculately restored 1940 N3N-3. This project has been the feature of numerous aviation magazines over the past few months and for good reason! It is one of the most unique seaplanes you will ever encounter. Addison informs us that he plans to bring the Pemberton Fleet to Tanglefoot this year, so look out for the Goose, Super Cub, and the N3N - all of which you can find on the ramp this year!!
Thank You to our Hosts
We wish to thank Olson and Loel Fenwick for the gracious opportunity to once again utilize their private residence and grounds for this fly-in. This is truly a unique spot on earth and to show our appreciation, we would encourage you to practice “Leave No Trace” camping and respect for their personal property.
Arriving and Departing
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Arrival and departure frequency: Cavanaugh Bay Area Traffic Unicom 122.9.
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Once on the water, 122.9 for mooring and ramping instructions.
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Please practice safe piloting.
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Please land outside the water buoys around Clipper Marina, which is just north of D28.
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Upon departure, please reduce RPM’s for noise abatement.
Volunteers Needed
No doubt some of you will be drafted or may just be inclined to help with meals and cleanup, which will be sincerely appreciated. For information on how you can help out, please contact Don Goodman, (360) 303-7076 or donaldjg56@gmail.com.
See you Soon!
This is sure to be a fun event and we look forward to seeing you. Please check back to our website for photos and updates, and look out for emails from our event organizers as the time nears! For any questions, please reach out to us at admin@washingtonseaplanepilots.org.
Agenda
Friday, June 21st
12:00 PM-7:00 PM: Noon-to-sunset arrival (sunset is set for approximately 8:26 PM)
6:00 PM: Tiki Party on the Fenwick lawn!! Pulled chicken and pork with sides and desserts catered by Chimney Rock Cafe on Priest Lake. Wear your favorite tiki attire - this event is new and is sure to be a blast!
Saturday, June 22nd
8:00 AM: Breakfast at the hangar (provided)
8:30 AM: Safety Seminar - Presenters to be announced soon!
9:15 AM: Mandatory Pilot Safety Briefing - Splash-out to Mosquito Bay, review of ground operations and procedures for marshaling aircraft to launch
11:00 AM: Build your own sandwich and snacks (we supply the fixings)
11:30 AM: Fly-out lunch at Mosquito Bay on NE Priest Lake - Please review safety handouts. Attendance at Saturday morning Safety Briefing mandatory for all PICs.
1:30 PM (est): Explore North Idaho. We’ve adjusted the agenda this year to allow pilots the time to explore the local lakes and rivers on Saturday afternoon!
6:00 PM: Loel & Olson Fenwick - Welcome to Tanglefoot at the Hangar
6:30 PM: Dinner at the hangar
7:00 PM: Keynote: Addison Pemberton, Pemberton and Sons Aviation.
Sunday, June 23rd
8:00 AM - 12:00 PM: Continental breakfast will be provided at the hangar with sandwich fixings for your trip home. Departure at your convenience.
