Free Stuff (and bargains) you HAVE acquired or snaffled!

[David_Old_Jersey]

The next best thing to getting free stuff or an absolute bargain (not just a good deal) is sharing news of your good fortune ...........this thread to enable that , time will tell if it has any legs.........

Prompted by a recent run of luck (right place, right time ):-

1) 5 folding plastic crates (and some plastic stacking trays) ............all I had to do was help clear out a charity shop for a relocation to a smaller place (would have done it anyway).

2) A sheet of plywood that I "recycled" from a doublebed headboard, not marine quality of course (closer to shuttering ply ) - but it's big and looks handy for something .....same source as above.

3) A stethoscope! - no idea what I will use it for (engine?)........but same source as above, acquired simply to curtail the discussion on what to do with it!

4) A beer bottle opener .....I simply asked .


Anyone else want to share news of their good fortune?

[atoll]

a beautifully laminated hardwood tiller,complete with stainless bracket-----£15,from pants charity shop!

[carstenb]

Helped a friend scrub his boat - got a beautiful bucket! little scruffed, but watertight and damn handy size

[CoolHand]

I got a free anchor with the purchase of a pilfered 22ft Catalina.

[Pyrate]

Got a $0.50 fender at a garage sale. It had an inch of dust on it and was partly deflated, but when reinflated and cleaned up it looked unused.

[Capt Phil]

I live in the US where you can get welfare, free medical care, free schooling, food stamps and a free cell phone for just being here. No papers, visas, documents required. What a deal! Why would I choose to live anywhere else?? Phil

[Kettlewell]

We met a cruising couple who were swearing off coffee so they brought us over their stainless steel moka pot and it has been our onboard coffee maker for maybe the last ten years. Makes delicious brew and no throwaway filters.

[Crimea Cruiser]

Received a quality pressure cooker just for asking. Was pleasantly surprised. Now can preserve my veggies for long journeys. Found a site called freecycle.org. They work like the free section of craigslist and have communities everywhere. Good place for liveaboards to swap out unneeded things for needed things.

[Kettlewell]

Found a site called freecycle.org. They work like the free section of craigslist and have communities everywhere. Good place for liveaboards to swap out unneeded things for needed things.

Does it work just like craigslist so that when you show up the other party robs you and beats you up?

[Bash]

During the tsunami a large powerboat on my dock burst two large 12" fenders. Taylor Made. I fished them out of the dumpster, took them to West Marine, and was given two brand-new replacements due to Taylor Made's lifetime guarantee against burst seams.

[Crimea Cruiser]

no. I have nothing to take anyway! Seems to be good hearted people!
I also received a fully functional darkroom enlarger and a laptop and a Ryobi chop saw. Passed the enlarger on to a friend that does photo work. Laptop will use as backup. The other day I saw somebody asked for and received a GPS in one day. System works for me. Site has saved me $$$ so far!

[zeehag]

folks have been most generous with me.
cannot begin to list the items donated.

[S/V Alchemy]

Being the child of Depression/WWII-era parents, now deceased, I honour their memory by scavenging. The coffee table and couch in front of our TV were both "finds", as were several bookshelves and other easily cleaned and inspected items. I've found all sorts of hand tools in the garbage as well, and loads of books, newish DVDs/CDs and scads of computer gear, which I've been able to "harvest" for my own use.

I am amazed and sometimes appalled at what others chuck. I have lengths of lumber, pieces of teak that are pristine after one run through a planer (the club workshop HAS a planer), half-filled boxes of SS bolts, washers and nuts, power tools in working order (perhaps scuffed), and newish charts in waterproof chart bags, older VHFs, lengths of tinned wire, galvanized shackles, SS wire, large fenders that come clean after three minutes with a Scotchbrite pad, and enough rope and line in good order (after a run in a net bag in the washer) to moor a small navy.

I have also salvaged a Bruce...a real Bruce...a yachtsman's and plenty of good chain (not big enough for my anchor, but big enough for dock bollards).

Just last week, I got a Davis Mark 25 in its box with documents intact in perfect order...and with the artificial horizon I lack for my better sextants. Speaking of which, the Tayama NC-77 in its nice teak box I now own also came from the garbage bin.

I won't even get into the various racks, bins and containers the club itself has chucked that I've salvaged and now hold boat gear in my garage, nor enough steel bar and plate for me to practise-weld on until I become acceptably decent at it.

I try to give back (the club has a "donation" bin), but realistically, I simply don't generate as much waste as others.

[Crimea Cruiser]

Originally Posted by S/V Alchemy

I have also salvaged a Bruce...a real Bruce...a yachtsman's and plenty of good chain (not big enough for my anchor, but big enough for dock bollards).

Just last week, I got a Davis Mark 25 in its box with documents intact in perfect order...and with the artificial horizon I lack for my better sextants. Speaking of which, the Tayama NC-77 in its nice teak box I now own also came from the garbage bin.

Gosh! I want to move in next to your neighborhood dumpster!

[S/V Alchemy]

It's amazing. I don't even snap up half the gear I could, because I don't want to queer my karma by taking things I can't legitimately use. Launch and haulout (i.e. "now") are the best times. More than once I've found one-third cans of the same bottom paints as I use chucked (with the lid nicely tightened) and finished my hull for free with three or four of 'em.