 |
|
19-11-2024, 16:07
|
#16
|
Moderator
Join Date: Nov 2011
Location: aboard, in Tasmania, Australia
Boat: Sayer 46' Solent rig sloop
Posts: 29,962
|
Re: Old Wives Tales
Pete's right, a whole stock of bananas ripens all at once.
However, that's why people exchange recipes for banana marmalade, and various forms of banana bread, and banana chips.
Bananas are not bad luck, necessarily, the old wive's tale that Iron E referred to. Their ripening is a gradual process, and you may find yourself giving a number of hands of bananas away before leaving on a long passage. Bananas purchased in stores in many nations are ethylened before market, and their faster ripening is one of the results. Bananas given or bought in the tropics have lots of air circulation, and their process is slower, and only the banana's own ehtylene has an effect. If you have too many for your own consumption, it is a time to make some new friends via a gift of a few ripe bananas. To my taste the island banana finger ones are absolutely delicious, better than the usual Cavendishes you find in chain markets, though we have a friend who likes the Cavendishes better.
Ann
__________________
Who scorns the calm has forgotten the storm.
|
|
|
19-11-2024, 16:20
|
#17
|
Registered User
Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: between the devil and the deep blue sea
Boat: a sailing boat
Posts: 21,188
|
Re: Old Wives Tales
Quote:
Originally Posted by Chotu
"polyester and vinylester won't stick to epoxy"
well, after many, many cosmetic and not so heavily structural projects I have done this way, I can safely say this is a wives tale. It seems to stick as good as epoxy, although I have not done any destructive testing. I’m sure the bond is a little bit weaker, but it’s certainly pretty good.
(...)
|
Are you fixing ? Or are you building ?
For fixing, epoxy sticks to epoxy much better than polyester does - it is just a mechanical grip and, somehow, epoxy does it better.
For building, we are not mixing things.
So, in my mileage, this is nota tale. And yours may vary.
PS For what sticks to what I can recommend Louis Burton's video from yesterday. (boat Bureau Vallee, VG)
Whoever thinks he used polyester, please raise your hand.
barnakiel
|
|
|
19-11-2024, 16:39
|
#18
|
Registered User
Join Date: May 2020
Location: SoCal
Boat: 35' Alden Design Cutter
Posts: 682
|
Re: Old Wives Tales
Quote:
Originally Posted by JPA Cate
Pete's right, a whole stock of bananas ripens all at once.
However, that's why people exchange recipes for banana marmalade, and various forms of banana bread, and banana chips.
Bananas are not bad luck, necessarily, the old wive's tale that Iron E referred to. Their ripening is a gradual process, and you may find yourself giving a number of hands of bananas away before leaving on a long passage. Bananas purchased in stores in many nations are ethylened before market, and their faster ripening is one of the results. Bananas given or bought in the tropics have lots of air circulation, and their process is slower, and only the banana's own ehtylene has an effect. If you have too many for your own consumption, it is a time to make some new friends via a gift of a few ripe bananas. To my taste the island banana finger ones are absolutely delicious, better than the usual Cavendishes you find in chain markets, though we have a friend who likes the Cavendishes better.
Ann
|
Yep, I was referring to the "Bad Luck" banana myth.
But since we're on the ripening subject. Cavendish is among the most durable and slowest to ripen. So, if we can't find a cure for the pathogen, we will have an even shorter ripening time with whoever our new banana overlord is.
Banana marmalade sounds great
|
|
|
19-11-2024, 17:00
|
#19
|
Registered User
Join Date: Jan 2018
Boat: 50ft Custom Fast Catamaran
Posts: 12,231
|
Re: Old Wives Tales
Quote:
Originally Posted by barnakiel
Are you fixing ? Or are you building ?
For fixing, epoxy sticks to epoxy much better than polyester does - it is just a mechanical grip and, somehow, epoxy does it better.
For building, we are not mixing things.
So, in my mileage, this is nota tale. And yours may vary.
PS For what sticks to what I can recommend Louis Burton's video from yesterday. (boat Bureau Vallee, VG)
Whoever thinks he used polyester, please raise your hand.
barnakiel
|
define "much better." that’s where the old wive's tale falls apart, but the bond doesn't.
I'm repairing, building and installing
One thing is for sure, at this stage in my Boat building life, I certainly don’t need to watch a YouTube about how to bond and laminate anything. So you could fill me in on the main point
|
|
|
19-11-2024, 17:49
|
#20
|
Moderator
Join Date: Feb 2010
Location: Australia
Posts: 3,938
|
Re: Old Wives Tales
I thought the “Bad luck and bananas” connection was from loadingthem on ships, allegedly tarantulas and venomous snakes resided in the bunches and were a problem to both the labourers …and the ship crew once at sea.
|
|
|
19-11-2024, 19:15
|
#21
|
Moderator
Join Date: Nov 2011
Location: aboard, in Tasmania, Australia
Boat: Sayer 46' Solent rig sloop
Posts: 29,962
|
Re: Old Wives Tales
I don't know about the snakes, but my dad worked on the docks for a while, in San Pedro, CA. He did report the tarantulas, but the way he did made it sound like the guys unloading the ships were not very concerned about them. They're big and fuzzy, but not known for having bad venom, like say, a black widow (red spot on abdomen) or a red-back (looks like a black widow, but with the red on the other side.
Ann
__________________
Who scorns the calm has forgotten the storm.
|
|
|
19-11-2024, 19:33
|
#22
|
Registered User
Join Date: Jan 2018
Boat: 50ft Custom Fast Catamaran
Posts: 12,231
|
Re: Old Wives Tales
Quote:
Originally Posted by JPA Cate
I don't know about the snakes, but my dad worked on the docks for a while, in San Pedro, CA. He did report the tarantulas, but the way he did made it sound like the guys unloading the ships were not very concerned about them. They're big and fuzzy, but not known for having bad venom, like say, a black widow (red spot on abdomen) or a red-back (looks like a black widow, but with the red on the other side.
Ann
|
I had several black widows on the boat when I first launched.
They were mostly concentrated up in the anchor locker area.
Thankfully, I went out to anchor immediately and they stayed on deck where there was a nice breeze hunting for insects at night, which never came because I was out at anchor. They died off within a week or two.
|
|
|
19-11-2024, 19:36
|
#23
|
Registered User
Join Date: May 2020
Location: SoCal
Boat: 35' Alden Design Cutter
Posts: 682
|
Re: Old Wives Tales
Quote:
Originally Posted by skipperpete
I thought the “Bad luck and bananas” connection was from loadingthem on ships, allegedly tarantulas and venomous snakes resided in the bunches and were a problem to both the labourers …and the ship crew once at sea.
|
You mentioned the ripening earlier. There's a theory that the ships carrying bananas were hurrying to get them to port before they ripened.
In the rush, many accidents happened, and this may have led to the "Bananas are Bad Luck."
I know that every fisherman considers bananas bad luck to have on their boat... I have no idea where that comes from.
|
|
|
19-11-2024, 21:14
|
#24
|
Moderator
Join Date: Feb 2010
Location: Australia
Posts: 3,938
|
Re: Old Wives Tales
Fishermen here in Australia have a few suspect stories like “ prawns left in baskets on deck in bright moonlight will go bad” they call it Moonstruck and actually do cover the iced prawns with tarps.
Another yarn is “ Netfire”, some never trawl when the phosphorescence lights up the net when they shoot away and I’m on the fence about this one too. I’ve seen the netfire often enough, that’s real BUT they trawl out to the 100 fathom line…. Would phosphorescence be active at those depths…. I have a doubt.
|
|
|
20-11-2024, 01:31
|
#25
|
Registered User
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: Panschwitz, Germany
Boat: Woods Mira 35 Catamaran
Posts: 4,688
|
Re: Old Wives Tales
Chotu,
let an, not soo old, wife chime in here :-)
regarding Silicone as sealing compound on board.
Did you ever get a spec of it under an orbital sander when preparing some surfaces for painting?
Even when you try to clean well with silicone remover before painting, it can turn out to be a nightmare.
Be prepared for lots of pinholes on the surface to be painted.
That is the reason why boat builders hate it. It's not that it's an inferior sealing compound.
Other compounds based on polyurethane don't have this issue.
|
|
|
21-11-2024, 16:15
|
#26
|
Registered User
Join Date: Jan 2018
Boat: 50ft Custom Fast Catamaran
Posts: 12,231
|
Re: Old Wives Tales
Quote:
Originally Posted by Franziska
Chotu,
let an, not soo old, wife chime in here :-)
regarding Silicone as sealing compound on board.
Did you ever get a spec of it under an orbital sander when preparing some surfaces for painting?
Even when you try to clean well with silicone remover before painting, it can turn out to be a nightmare.
Be prepared for lots of pinholes on the surface to be painted.
That is the reason why boat builders hate it. It's not that it's an inferior sealing compound.
Other compounds based on polyurethane don't have this issue.
|
Can't say I have experienced that. I'm a butyl tape guy myself, but there sure is a lot of misinformation about it out there
|
|
|
21-11-2024, 16:34
|
#27
|
Senior Cruiser

Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: PORTUGAL
Posts: 31,285
|
Re: Old Wives Tales
Quote:
Originally Posted by skipperpete
Bananas “ talk to each other”, as soon as one in a shipment ripens, the whole shipment follows suit.
Bananas will make other fruit ripen ie a hard avocado will quickly ripen if placed in a paper bag with a ripe banana.
|
That is because of the gas given off by the banana stalk.. if you want your bananas to last longer wrap the stalks off in plastic to seal the cut ends.
__________________

You can't oppress a people for so many decades and have them say.. "I Love You.. ".
"It is better to die standing proud, than to live a lifetime on ones knees.."
Self Defence is no excuse for Genocide...
|
|
|
21-11-2024, 16:47
|
#28
|
Moderator
Join Date: Feb 2010
Location: Australia
Posts: 3,938
|
Re: Old Wives Tales
Quote:
Originally Posted by boatman61
That is because of the gas given off by the banana stalk.. if you want your bananas to last longer wrap the stalks off in plastic to seal the cut ends.
|
Thanks for that info Boatman61, that explains why some supermarkets stock bananas with the ends coated/dipped in red wax or wrapped in adhesive tape… I thought it was just a marketing ploy. TIL!
|
|
|
21-11-2024, 17:02
|
#29
|
Writing Full-Time Since 2014
Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: Deale, MD
Boat: PDQ Altair, 32/34
Posts: 10,278
|
Re: Old Wives Tales
Quote:
Originally Posted by skipperpete
Thanks for that info Boatman61, that explains why some supermarkets stock bananas with the ends coated/dipped in red wax or wrapped in adhesive tape… I thought it was just a marketing ploy. TIL!
|
There is now a whole science surrounding transporting and ripening bananas. I recall a vigorous discussion among some industry folks, arguing over tenths of a degree. Basically, they will keep for 28 days at 13 C. To ripen, the temperature is increased to 18.3 C and ethylene gas is admitted. To stop the ripening at the desired point, the gas is flushed and the temperature is dropped back to 13 C. Bagging in PE helps by reducing oxygen. The correct temperatures are critical, and a one degree error can ruin a cargo.
https://www.cargohandbook.com/Bananas
|
|
|
21-11-2024, 17:20
|
#30
|
Marine Service Provider
Join Date: Jan 2019
Boat: Beneteau 432, C&C Landfall 42, Roberts Offshore 38
Posts: 7,162
|
Re: Old Wives Tales
I've gone fishing with some guest fishing people on my fishing boat, who discovered bananas in a lunch bucket fixed by my wife. They damn near threw me overboard with the bananas.
So whatever the curse behind it, for some people that is a serious no-no.
Fact or fiction, I don't know, but I don't have bananas on my boat anymore.
|
|
|
 |
|
Thread Tools |
Search this Thread |
|
|
Display Modes |
Rate This Thread |
Linear Mode
|
|
Posting Rules
|
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts
HTML code is Off
|
|
|
|
Advertise Here
Recent Discussions |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Vendor Spotlight |
|
|