SSSSM - Part Deux

[dacust]

Originally Posted by fifty360

Hey Thomas, good question.

Why Wood?

I have always felt an affinity with wood. In the case of an old wooden boat, I feel it has a soul somehow, as though it is a living thing and deserves my respect, even though I know it is not.
...

I have always had the same feeling. I've never had a sailboat, but I had a wood 1966 36' Pacemaker. Compared to my glass 36' now, it had a much different ride. I would describe it as being smoother, more elegant. It was quieter at anchor. And of course, all that mahogany inside was just beautiful. And like you say, it had a soul. It also felt right putzing along at 6 kts. This has nothing to do with wood, but another thing is, there is just nothing like the sound of two big block V8s quietly rumbling. I could go on and on, but I think you already know...

Only problem is, I live 350 miles from my boat and didn't have the time to do the wood repairs. And REALLY couldn't afford to pay someone else to do them. I eventually gave it to a retired guy that had the time.

As much as I like the cat diesels and low maintenance hull of my Sea Ray, I really miss that wood boat. It will always be the boat "love of my life".

For photos, go to my home page and look for "1966 Pacemaker" in the boat section on the left.

-dan

[sic5y360]

Originally Posted by hummingway

It's called sonar. If you aimed a depth sounder forward it would probably work, if you were paying attention.

http://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/...ard-16706.html

http://sea-hawk.com/products/shn-x9/

[sic5y360]

Originally Posted by dacust

As much as I like the cat diesels and low maintenance hull of my Sea Ray, I really miss that wood boat. It will always be the boat "love of my life".

For photos, go to my home page and look for "1966 Pacemaker" in the boat section on the left.

-dan

Thanks for sharing, I checked out your photo's, sweet indeed.

[hummingway]

Originally Posted by fifty360

http://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/...ard-16706.html

http://sea-hawk.com/products/shn-x9/

Note that with the radar it's still surface detection. Many of the containers actually are submerged, hard to see and undetectable by radar, although a radar that will pick up an oil spill is pretty good surface detection.

Sonar on the other hand is made for detecting submersed items, of course I aim mine at the bottom being far more concerned with not hitting that then a shipping container.

[Yachts66]

Why isn't someone doing something about debris in the water? Bottom line, who will pay? Also, once the container is washed overboard who is responsible? Little liability so companies paying attention to bottom line just write off the container and collect the insurance, no one cares what happens to it. In the middle of the night, you hit one, you sink in your pretty glass boat, are you really going to take the time to determine who owned the container? Write down all the numbers on it, etc.? Or are you going to save your skin the best you can? Bottom line, no one gets sued when you hit objects in water, so no one does much of anything about it because there is no financial incentive to do so. I've heard the navy sometimes uses them for gunnery practice, but I don't know that for a fact. Even if they do, a container filled with plastic toys and/or electronic components packed in foam is a very buoyant object and difficult if not impossible to sink!

As for Sonar (really a forward looking depth sounder). Ever priced one? If you have to ask, you can't afford it. You and your wife are on your dream cruise. There is a one in a thousand chance of hitting something large enough to hurt you. Who is going to sit and watch that very expensive sonar screen all day and all night? The reality is for most cruisers is the auto pilot does the steering, while the person on watch reads a book, admires the beauty of the stars or huddles in the cabin on cold nights poking their head out occasionally to be sure there is no ship about to run them over (a far greater risk than hitting a container). I can not count the number of times I've passed or been passed by boats on autopilot with no one on deck even within 30 miles from shore! That's just the reality of cruising. Not to mention the ships which go by and don't seem to give a hoot if they run you over or not. On one particularlly memorable occassion I was passed by a ship running with one loan (and dim) light burning over a door on the fantail. The rest of the ship was blacked out! That he went by me only a few hundred yards off my starboard side certainly got my attention! So be vigilant. Keep a watch if you can, and have a great time, it really is worth it!

Regards,

Thomas

[zeehag]

addressing the split rig question--i have sailed sloops in weather and i have sailed ketch rig in weather. i PREFER ketch, as is easier to handle, and the split rig makes downwind travel sweet. mine doesnt point-- but then, i dont sail into weather. i prefer a comfy ride. handles easily in 60 kts wind, i found out, and i like that. stuff happens and winds rise, sometimes without warning. i like my ketch.

[Yachts66]

And I like you Zee, but I'm no fan of Ketches! LOL To each his own I guess.

Regards,

Thomas

[downunder]

Originally Posted by hummingway

This is disingenuous. A lot more people in this forum cross oceans in plastic boats then steel boats. Nothing wrong with steel boats but as a reason for it this doesn't keep the water out.

Hum, I hardly think Thomas is being disingenuous in any way to anyone but simple explaning is personal choice of vessel as requested.

His posts suggest he is not that type of person.

cheers

[Yachts66]

The only reason so many people cross oceans in glass boats is because glass boats are the most common boats made. Not because they are better, or stronger or less prone to damage, or even sink less often. No, only because it is the one material that lends itself best to mass production. Mass produced boats cost less to build and thus are usually sold for less, so people can buy these mass produced plastic boats for a lot less money! Metal boats are all one off kinda boats. However, with the advent of CAD/CAM systems and less expensive computer driven plasma cutters that may be changing. We'll see.

As for being disingenuous, I'm not, I know what I'm talking about, but if you feel I am, that's your right and I wish you well.

Thomas

[hummingway]

Gees you guys. Thomas said the reason he had a steel boat was that he wasn't an armchair sailor. My point was that having a steel boat has nothing to do with whether you're an armchair sailor or not.

[Yachts66]

Hummingway said:

Thomas said the reason he had a steel boat was that he wasn't an armchair sailor.

Hummingway, maybe you better read my post again, that's not what I said at all, you've taken what I did say out of context. If you took that as my meaning, then perhaps it's my fault for not being explicit enough. By arm chair sailors, I meant the folks who hang here that don't have a boat and maybe never will. They talk endlessly about their dream boat, but there is always an excuse of why they have no boat at all. That is what a arm chair sailor is to me. It has nothing to do with the hull material they fantasize about. It could be paper mache for all I care.

So we're clear, here's what I said about why I'm a steel boat guy:

I'm one of those guys who sails to far away places. I like going where other folks don't. I cross oceans when some of the folks here only sit in arm chairs and dream about it. When crossing those oceans, or exploring those out of the way places, that's what makes me a steel boat guy. It's on those dark nights at sea when you can't see your hand in front of your face, much less what's right in front of your bow that makes me a steel boat guy.

Ok, hope that clears it all up and we can go on to more important things.

Regards,

Thomas

[SaucySailoress]

Originally Posted by Yachts66

It has nothing to do with the hull material they fantasize about. It could be paper mache for all I care.

I can't wait to see which newb is the first to build a papier mache boat to sail off in...

[Yachts66]

LOL coated with epoxy it would be more waterproof than a glass boat!! LOL

[zeehag]

papier mache with penetrating epoxy----wow--could catch on.....

steel boats are good.

i sailed a lot of rigs--only thing i havent sailed as yet is a schooner, and i WANT to sail a gaff rigged schooner before i die. i lik e ketch for the split rig and easy sailing in weather. seems weather always finds me, so i may as well live with it and handle it with as much ease as gods will me.

[flysci]

Just to get back to the question of finding a sailing companion ... The type of hull he prefers will have nothing at all to do with my desire for a particular guy. If he wants to join my boat, he'll have to put up with my fiberglass hull. If we go on his, I'll go on whatever. It's his brain and heart and body, not his hull.
By the way, fifty360, this conversation originally was secondry to a forum here where us singles would post our profiles, i.e. the kind of info you're looking for. I don't have the link any more, but maybe our moderator (Zee) does. Also it was in the original version of this thread, SSSSM part un.
I'm a bit old for you, but maybe I could be your cougar!
Margo