things I do & think that are wrong

[sailorboy1]

- I don't feel having a liferaft on my boat increases my chances of surviving at sea enough to spend the money


had to add because of a recent thread post, but I of course a had a long thread saying this once in the past

[P365Sailor]

A couple of thoughts....

Impeller...I change'em every year. Once let one go for a while, then found engine overheating; a broken impeller blade was partially blocking the raw water line. These things might "look" okay after a year, but they may get brittle. I assume that if someone is getting all that life out of an impeller - they might not be far away from the dock very often. I also keep a spare (and a spare generator belt, some spare hose, a few spare hose clamps, etc.).

General maintenance - I treat things on my boat like someone's life might depend on it. I take care of her - I can be confident she will take care of me.

"Don't fix what ain't broke" - would you want to fly (or put your family) on an airline that had that as it's maintenance motto? Likewise, I would think twice about being offshore on someone else's boat who had that as their mode of operation. If that is the attitude - I strongly suggest not going anywhere a towboat/salvage operator can't can't quickly retrieve you.

[rtbates]

Might want to wander over to give these guys a try..

They invented contrary or at least perfected it Sailing Anarchy Forums

[Bash]

Originally Posted by zeehag

rofl don--yer on it---good stuff....i dont even bash for beer--

That's crazy talk!

Bash bashes for beer.
Bash bashes for beer.
Bash bashes for beer.
Bash bashes for beer.
Bash bashes for beer.
Bash bashes for beer.
Bash bashes for beer.
Bash bashes for beer.
Bash bashes for beer.
Bash bashes for beer.
Bash bashes for beer.
Bash bashes for beer.

[Bash]

Originally Posted by K_V_B

My experience is that a rolling furling main is actually not really a labor saver...

I have to question that sort of "experience." I can set my main and then put it away completely in less time than it takes most folks to remove their mainsail covers.

Start to finish it takes about 20 seconds to put in a reef. And maybe ten seconds to shake one out. Neither operation requires me to leave the cockpit.

A typical daysail never involves touching the halyard. We generally lower and raise the sail once a year. I forget why.

And what's most important: I don't even own sail ties.

[Blue Crab]

Originally Posted by Don Lucas

Maybe if I did a list with what I do right and say everything else is wrong it would have been less trouble.

Captain Don: This old and crusty would love to see the list of stuff you figure you do correctly. You've come up with some kooky ideas and polls in the past but this could be yer seminal work.

[sailorboy1]

Originally Posted by Blue Crab

Captain Don: This old and crusty would love to see the list of stuff you figure you do correctly. You've come up with some kooky ideas and polls in the past but this could be yer seminal work.

I'm not a captain and don't play one on the internet!!!

But other than that this sounds like a challenge and I will give it some drinking thought in a month or so once the winter crazies start up.

[carstenb]

Hell Don,

A list of what we do right (we here is collective we) is gonna be goddamn short(just ask our wives). Matter of fact might be a blank page. Well, my dog would probably give me a half a point for filling the food dish. But only half a point because i don't fill it often or full enough.

Re:sailing? Well I haven't sunk the boat yet. Does that count? Maybe I need to spend an evening with a good bottle of red or two to answer this question.

But I do like and have a pretty snazzy bucket or two.

[sailorboy1]

Originally Posted by Blue Crab

Captain Don: ............ this could be yer seminal work.

I thought I was getting trashed etc., so to be sure i looked it up. I can live with it

sem·i·nal

   /ˈsɛmənl/ Show Spelled[sem-uh-nl] Show IPA
adjective 1. pertaining to, containing, or consisting of semen.

2. Botany . of or pertaining to seed.

3. having possibilities of future development.

4. highly original and influencing the development of future events: a seminal artist; seminal ideas.




sem·i·nal
[ sémmin'l ]


ADJECTIVE

1.
influential: highly original and influential

2.
capable of development: containing an idea or set of ideas that forms a basis for later developments

3.
of semen or seeds: relating to, containing, or carrying semen or seeds

[carstenb]

Hey don

I know you'd like to think he is saying you are original and influencing others and establishing new artistic frontiers, but in reality, he's referring to you coming in your shorts!

[Blue Crab]

Nah. Don read it the way it was intended. I disagreed with like the first five or six on his list and several others. Many were right on of course. But one anchor? Shivers me timbers! Betcha it's got a coated white chain , and came in a box with 100' nylon rode, and ... ahem ... nylon thimbles.

Ten thou says his boat is named Mama's Mink.

[Bash]

Originally Posted by Blue Crab

But one anchor? Shivers me timbers!

Yeah. I think we're going to have to start a BAAD fund for the misguided duffer.

Buy Another Anchor for Don!

[rebel heart]

Comfort is a huge part of safety in my opinion, especially underway. If you can stay rested and uninjured for long periods of time while making progress, you're ahead of the game. Some of that stuff though (like a roller main) is crossing the line from comfort into not-as-seaworthy. I mean I'd like a jacuzzi onboard but it probably isn't going to work out too well for me.

The guy in the slip next to me has electric winches because he has way too much boat for he and his wife (she does nothing but sit there). I think if you're at the point where you're trying to tail every line to the cockpit and press buttons for you winches/windlass it's good to remember that sailing does in fact require a decent level of physical activity.

It shouldn't beat the crap out of you every day, but the trend towards boats being rigged for short handed crews with lower and lower seamanship (not talking about the original poster) really is about selling boats, not what's smartest or safest.

[rebel heart]

While I'm blabbering:

At the same time, 75% of the boats I see never leave their slip, then maybe another 24% leave the bay, the remaining 1% actually going "offshore", and I'm talking about just going past the inland/international colregs demarcation line. Of that 1%, maybe only a quarter of those are doing anything more than coastal cruising.

Just as silly to go into south seas without reef points as it is to have all that offshore gear and stay in the harbor. I think 99% of the boating world would be served just fine with cabin cruisers, wide-cockpit sailboats with crappy rigging, and house boats. Most boats really don't need to change their impellers.

[sailorboy1]

Originally Posted by Don Lucas

I only currently have 1 anchor

Please note the word "currently". For the sailing I'm currently doing 1 is enough and if it gets stuck and I lose it I'll just head home to my mooring.

It is a good anchor. A 60 lb Manson Supreme, which is at least 1 size larger than needed on my boat. It is backed up with 340 feet of chain and I use a 3/4" snubber on it. This probably goes onto the things I do right list.

I will add another anchor with time, probably a danforth type. But I wouldn't turn down an anchor if you guys are so worried about me. As long as it isn't something like a 30# CQR that you are trying to trick me into having faith in.