Sailing/Sculling Dismal Swamp ICW

[thomm225]

I think my favorite posts above are those folks saying ...."we didn't have any trouble with that lock master."

Ever wonder why?

Being from this area, I know the lock master (and many like him)

Here is what happened. The young lady simply did not fit into the mold he had in his mind of where she should fit

From there, it doesn't take much to spin this situation out of control especially with someone that is young, smart, strong, and not really used to following all the rules yet.

This place is very conservative. I had been gone for about 40 years and when I got back I couldn't believe how little it had changed. It being the mindset.

I have seen so many situations here like the one in question. Even at church.

I was a part of one of those small town families where we went to church and Sunday School most every Sunday. I was taught early that I would go straight to Hell otherwise by our fire and Brimstone preachers. We were isolated until the bridge was built. (CBBT)

There was also MYF (Methodist Youth Fellowship, Cub Scouts, and Boy Scouts) I did all that and was still a hoodlum because both my parents worked and I was free all Summer from 10 years old on. I enjoyed shooting out the red or green Christmas Lights they strung up along main street at Christmas time with a bb gun. Then there were cars to "borrow" and so on as I got older

Later I noticed that some souls in our community were actually more important to the preacher than others. It usually depended on position in the community

Now 40 plus years later and all grown up (most of the time anyway). Military trained soldier/electronics/computer tech, BA History (division one school) and I'm back

Recently I was over checking out a sailboat at a dock at our marina that I'm usually not on. The boat was near 35' and closely parked to some quite expensive boats.

When I'm not working I go for the total relaxed mode meaning I may not have shaved for a few days, would have on very old clothes, old boots, and on this day, I believe I had a quart of beer in a bag that I was nursing on........

So I'm checking out the boat. Looking it over really well. Doing everything except touching and boarding. I noticed this "gentleman" watching me. He was nicely dressed, sort of barrel chested, and had been speaking with his dockmates but he just couldn't deal with me looking at this boat so he comes over and asks "can I help you?"

So I know the deal before it starts. I mumbled no, i'm just checking out the boat. So he must not have heard and repeats the question. So I'm like NO!.....thank you. Then we have a little staring contest and he goes back to his boat but continues his surveillance

Yeah, I was trying to have a little fun which is why I delayed the thank you.

I saw him in the rest room a few weeks later and said HI! He didn't answer

"Sometimes is hard to have fun in a place like this, but I do my best" Augustus Mccrae / Lonesome Dove.

[thomm225]

Originally Posted by carlosproa

That is a messy boat!

Yep, that's just the natural engineer coming out in him. You and I see junk, he sees items that have a vital function

He may not be real good at cleaning up his boat, but he can sail a $1,000 boat across a couple oceans and in the process create his own autopilot.

I have always wondered what I would do if I ever had all that time that it takes to sail a slow monohull long distances when not actually racing. (regardless of how some on CF say it takes all your time just to navigate, maintain the boat, etc)

Sean D' has given me some ideas

Here are some of the things he did on a very minimal budget

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7TdXImMFTZk

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SbezaHPm_MU

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KQuBwLSMSxI

[Woodland Hills]

It’s not the clutter, it’s the dirt...... how much does it cost to dip a rag in seawater and wipe things down? All the engineers I worked with in the C-17 flight test program were very organized and neat in their habits and thought processes sometimes to a fault! They all seemed to have strange and even wacky hobbies and interests, but even those had a well organized system.

[thomm225]

Originally Posted by Woodland Hills

It’s not the clutter, it’s the dirt...... how much does it cost to dip a rag in seawater and wipe things down? All the engineers I worked with in the C-17 flight test program were very organized and neat in their habits and thought processes sometimes to a fault! They all seemed to have strange and even wacky hobbies and interests, but even those had a well organized system.

It's the dirt! Ha, that's great! Maybe the engineers you spoke of should get jobs as janitors.

Real engineers don't see dirt because the good ones are so laser focused on the job

Sometimes I have to ask a couple of my guys.....when are you going to change the oil in that Tee shirt you're wearing? At first they were embarrassed a little but then they knew I was sort of kidding so later they would respond with …...I change it every 3000 miles whether it needs it or not!

This guy is a straight up natural engineer! (he also heated and bent the stern bronze chain plates for Emily's boat. See on her site)

As my son says, college can only make you better at what you are already good at! Sounds like your engineer guys were trained not naturals

When I was a kid I was left alone a lot and didn't talk too much until I was maybe 4 years old. So my communication skills were terrible.

When I decided to take algebra in HS, I was pretty much guaranteed to fail by my friends because I was being judged by my communication skills.

I got A's in Algebra...….and a C in geometry because I skipped school like 60 days that year

Then I basically minored in math before switching to History from Computer Science in college. (GI Bill not parent paid) I'm a logic guy not a repair man but I can do the repairs

My favorite class in college was logic in the philosophy department. I had been trained with Boolean logic, then the gates in electronics like and gate, or gate, nor gate and whatever etc. It was so refreshing to try to do the same thing with the English language

The class was loaded with wannabe lawyers. It was easy for me whereas trying to write a decent paper on the Russian Revolution was extremely difficult. As was explaining how the Russians moved most all their factories East behind the Ural's just before Hitler and the Germans invaded

Then there was Stalingrad...….which would have made a nice paper if I could write

I still think the guy doesn't get enough credit for his sailing or his developments/products that he's made so I'll post this again. (but Emily recognized it. I think now if she can adjust to life with another onboard …..a male at that, things might turn out well)

Try building the things he has on that boat with almost no money, little heat, little food, no motor and crossing oceans, etc

At the same time, I doubt he can do what my son can. See video of him practicing to play later on Bourbon Street New Orleans. He changed things around a bit on the Boss' I'm on Fire song (Pensacola Bay Chart in the background) That apt has a 14' ceiling.....floor to ceiling windows

https://towndock.net/shippingnews/se...-and-alexandra

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3ByrI6lJERY

[jmh2002]

Sean is clearly one of these extreme genius types, and that assumption is actually reinforced by the mess... it's simply not relevant to him, he has much greater priorities (in his mind).

So all due respect for his talents, and his achievements on the positive side.
And maybe just try to close eyes on the less positive points.

The line between genius and madness is often quite fine.

And that should be considered when trying to understand such people.

They don't fit into the normal 'box'. And we shouldn't try to put them in one.

[thomm225]

More on Sean D'

https://svcrystalblues.blogspot.com/...ne-around.html

http://www.bristol27.com/bristol-spe...hull-alexandra

http://seandepagnier.users.sourceforge.net/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZaLBRRelT-M

[MattsmithVa]

Came across these characters in their two boats this past Summer at the Piankatank River on the Chesapeake Bay. Was not impressed. Got stuck behind one of them sculling in the middle of a 50 foot wide, 6 foot deep channel, with 2 foot depth on either side, in a strong breeze. I damn near ran them down motoring at 3 knots and if I had to stop would have been blown onto the sand. Luckily he saw me and sculled out of the way very slowly and just in time.

[thomm225]

Originally Posted by MattsmithVa

Came across these characters in their two boats this past Summer at the Piankatank River on the Chesapeake Bay. Was not impressed. Got stuck behind one of them sculling in the middle of a 50 foot wide, 6 foot deep channel, with 2 foot depth on either side, in a strong breeze. I damn near ran them down motoring at 3 knots and if I had to stop would have been blown onto the sand. Luckily he saw me and sculled out of the way very slowly and just in time.

I wonder why you could have been blown into the sand with an engine yet they were fine with a sculling oar only?

I saw that they had been hanging out there getting her boat partially refit this past Summer. I plan to check out that river this Summer.

I have a 5hp 4 stroke as the main auxiliary on my Bristol 27 so it's a bit better than just a sculling oar, and I have crossed the lower Chesapeake Bay from Kiptopeke to Norfolk multiple times with it when necessary.

I'd at least want a small outboard if I was them, but they are trying to go 100% green, and I think the plan was to sell the diesel engine from the "new" boat to help finance the refit

It always freaks me out just a bit though when I'm on that side of the bay because everything is backwards.

[MattsmithVa]

I would have been blown on to the sand if I had to go to neutral to avoid hitting the boat the was blocking, in effect, the entire channel. I was more than capable of making way.

The blog says she was selling her Yanmar to go powerless. Doesn't sound very green. Should have recycled it.

[thomm225]

Originally Posted by MattsmithVa

I would have been blown on to the sand if I had to go to neutral to avoid hitting the boat the was blocking, in effect, the entire channel. I was more than capable of making way.

The blog says she was selling her Yanmar to go powerless. Doesn't sound very green. Should have recycled it.

You probably could have slowly S curved a while until you got their attention but whatever works

I doubt she had enough extra cash to not sell it. It looked to be a very good engine also with probably few hours

[redhead]

Originally Posted by thomm225

It's a great Blog!

I'm sorry that you never got to date a redhead.

You missed a great experience both good and bad.

Thank you -

I was about to get on my high horse and then you diffused the situation -

Disaster averted

[Giro]

It’s not so interesting to be reminded that profound immaturity is still alive and active. Frankly, I am surprised to see the “writer” speak well of her grandfather. If we only knew, for certain, what his thoughts were of his granddaughter.

[thomm225]

Originally Posted by redhead

Thank you -

I was about to get on my high horse and then you diffused the situation -

Disaster averted

[thomm225]

Originally Posted by Giro

It’s not so interesting to be reminded that profound immaturity is still alive and active. Frankly, I am surprised to see the “writer” speak well of her grandfather. If we only knew, for certain, what his thoughts were of his granddaughter.

I'm quite sure he's very proud of her.

As far as maturity, it takes a while for some of us. (I think I was early 50's when I really started to grow up! Okay, maybe mid 50's)

I think the important thing is to know yourself before you commit in life.

Many of us make commitments way too early even before we have a sense of who we are.

[tomfl]

Originally Posted by Woodland Hills

I am sure that any anchorage would be thrilled to have them come and stay for a few months. I hear Madeira Beach is lovely this time of year......

Regarding slow sailboats passing through bridges, I need a minimum speed to be able to counter adverse currents, even using differential thrust. Sometimes that is more that some small outboard powered sailboats can go. I line up well behind them to follow, but end up on their ass before we exit since their speed is much lower than expected. Also every opening bridge I’ve been through is a no wake zone so nobody should be throwing a wake anyway. On addition the really slow ones never seem to have VHF so it is impossible to coordinate with them, the ones that do often have the boat name obscured as well. They don’t make it easy.......

Maybe my experience has just been very different than yours. I normally motor my Seawind catamaran at 5knots on the ICW; in great part due to better fuel consumption. In some places I have sailed, but as a rule I don't. One of my pet gripes is motor boats who ignore any speed limits. I have seen some places where it is suppose to be 20mph (not knots, it is posted as MPH) but often times it is less. Still boats are often going faster than that. I have seen plenty of four foot wakes. Also seen many big motor boats passing under a bridge. Problem is that often boats are going through the bridge in both directions which makes for close calls; especially if both boats are going fast.

A common complaint from guys with sailboats is the speeders are not monitoring CH16, something I have found to be true for many boaters. I do agree that many boats in "ill repair" lack what I consider basic safety stuff. Classic example is what happened just after this vid. There was chatter on CH16 about the FWC just around the next bend stopping boats for speeding in a manatee zone. For what ever reason when I rounded the bend guess which boat had been pulled over by the FWC.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uqPVJqs8ibU