Little victories...

Apparently some democrats have spines (yeah, surprised me as well), Lefsetz on a bit of modern reality, and something good to know...

So here's something in the good news/bad news department. The good news is that West Marine is now selling some real boat friendly and affordable bikes rather than toys. They now have three models of the Montague folding bike...

The bad news is they've also introduced a whole slew of electric bikes that don't make a helluva lot of sense for folks on boats.

That said, we do appreciate the little victories...

Listening to the Volunteers

So it goes...

So, about that splice vs knot thang...

A bit of needful perspective, someone's been getting around, and in the awful-greedy-stupid company department...

Well, this pretty much speaks for itself...



Listening to Alan Doyle

So it goes...

A French camera designer and cruising budgets...

A letter of note, musing on a steampunk future, and about one of the lucky ones...

A blog I enjoy and admire has been talking budgets and maintainence of late and just about everything they're saying makes sense so well worth a read...

For me the whole budget thing is colored by something the great motion picture camera designer, Raoul Coutard, said when someone asked him how to design a hand holdable self-blimped camera...

"First, you start with a quiet camera."

Over the years I've found this bit of logic adaptable to most things in my life because it simply tells you to look at the core of the problem first. Sadly, a very unpopular method these days...

But, I suppose, we're talking about budgets so to adapt Coutard's thought process to cruising and boats...

"First, you start with an inexpensive boat with simple systems"

Need I say more?

Listening to the Rascals

So it goes...

Seconds count...

Dorworth on Mountain Gazette, mind-boggling scary, and did someone say bat-shit-crazy...

I keep noticing a trend... Folks on boats in commuter mode.

Recently, a blog I read was talking about the advantages/disadvantages of anchoring close in or at the fringe of the pack and the example they were using was an anchorage I know quite well.

The major point of discussion seemed to be not so much about anchoring but convenience and how long it would take you to get to the beach in your dinghy.

Have I mentioned the anchorage in question is really small?

Now, being that I no longer bother with a motor on our dinghy, the difference in getting to the beach for me from the outskirts of the anchorage or the inside is about a minute or two and, because we tend to savor our privacy, we pretty much always anchor at the back of the pack. The extra minute of rowing being no big deal and is enjoyable especially when there are turtles or rays to see which is most of the time.

Of course, the folks writing the blog weren't talking about people who row (we're not in their reality) but about proper cruisers with RIBs with 15HP or greater motors (I believe the author has a 40HP as it happens). The difference they are actually talking about in added time to get to shore would be a few seconds which could hardly be called all that inconvenient or a hardship from where I sit.

I often hear folks expounding on the need for dinghy speed because, apparently, getting to the dinghy dock a few seconds or minutes earlier makes all the difference.  Now, truth be told, I'm pretty hazy about what the difference actually is, but I gather, it must be pretty dire if seconds count... Maybe there's a guy on the dock going into cardiac arrest or Timmy's locked in the barn and it's on fire?

Me, being a slowpoke, I suppose, whatever it is, I've missed it by the time I get to the dinghy dock. You know what? That suits me just fine...

Listening to Red Molly

So it goes...

Somewhat short of a cunning plan...

Krugman makes an important point, this is worth a listen, what could happen next time you need some engine parts if your name is Jones, and in the memory hole induced irony department...

I've been jumping through some mental hoops trying to sort out a more-than-cunning-plan to deal with all of the STUFF we carry around on the aft of our boats these days... It gets messy if not unsightly.

Dive bottles are the most current bane to my existence. Commercial racks all seem to have a bigger footprint than I have anywhere on "So It Goes" and, surprise, most are silly expensive...

This does seem to have the right idea but it's too big/expensive and, is it just me or do the words "eight-inch PVC schedule 40 pipe" jump to mind?...

While this one is more about the right size and would work out quite well on the coachroof (or maybe not as it might interfere with the dinghy) but a lot of money for not a lot of material and something like it could be built in Starboard or ply for a lot less.

More about this project later...

Listening to Lio

So it goes...

What the cats get up to and its affect on boat design...

Some seriously fucked up shit, a glimpse from the real world, and this really should worry you...

I've often threatened to mount a couple of GoPro cameras set up for time lapse inside the boat to see just what the cats get up to while we're off running errands. The reason I have not is, I suspect, that I'm a little afraid of just what our cats might be getting up to.

Sometimes not knowing is the best strategy...

But, the idea did get me thinking about using cameras of the GoPro persuasion as an aid to boat design... The idea that being able to better see how we utilize the interior space just might give us a clue how to design an interior that is more user friendly and answer some questions about how we actually do things rather than how we think we do.

From my point of view this would be no bad thing because most cruising sailboat interiors, at best, are problematic. Then again I'm taller than average so I put more stress on the systems but it has always been obvious that some designers simply don't have much of a talent for designing interiors that work.

Philippe Harlé being one of the exceptions. I've always found even the smallest of his designs to fit like the proverbial glove. There's always room where you need it and if there is not the much talked about "standing headroom" its absence is non-problematic in the day to day tasks needful when cruising or living on a boat. Which always surprises me because Harlé was not a big or tall guy and I can think of any number of tallish designers who, apparently, don't have a clue how much space is needful for basic tasks like washing dishes or something simple like sleeping.

Harlé's Armagnac is a good example of a boat a guy who's 6'5" would be comfortable in despite it's less than 5'8"ish headroom. Fact is, I remember the first time I saw one in the flesh as I did a double take once inside because it just did not seem to be possible to feel so comfortable in such a small envelope.

The word TARDIS does come to mind...

Having studied various designs over the years, I've come to the conclusion that it's the utility of space that makes the difference and not the space itself. Obviously not a concept that is all that easy to figure out for most people when comparing designs because it's more a feel rather than a measurable thing you can check with a tape measure.

Listening to Southside Johnny & The Asbury Jukes

So it goes...

A cat that doesn't look/perform like a condominium...

Somewhat troubling, something interesting about horseshoe crabs, and in the if-you're-going-to-use-the-word-fascism-you-should-have-half-a-clue-what-it-means department...

Wow, this is really neat...



It's about time someone started designing and building catamarans that actually perform like they should.

More info can be found at the Gunboat site...

Listening to Sublime

So it goes...

A pretty cool pack...

This speaks volumes about fracking, a good take on climate change, and who's carrying their weight...

No two ways about it but this is a very nice pack...



Pretty much a perfect pack for a cruiser.

I've always had a soft spot in my heart for GPIW/Chouinard/Patagonia gear and I can attest to how well it is designed, constructed and holds up... The downside is it's hip and stuff that's hip tends to cost more.

A reasonable facsimile (I've written about before) I've been using for some time (I have two) costs a lot less and fulfills the same function but it does not have the Patagonia ethos style thing going for it... For the record, I'll be keeping an eye out for the Stormfront pack to come on sale/discount.

Listening to Jerry Jeff Walker

So it goes...

So, this morning an alarm went off...

Some advice you can take to the bank, in the things are just nuts these days department, and does anyone reading this remember Emitt Rhodes...

Pre-first cup of coffee, our someone's-anchoring-way-too-frelling-close alarm went off with a growl.

Willow on watch

Willow has a real talent and she never does false alarms. She knows the difference between boats passing close and those about to drop a hook within her designated no-anchor zone. I should add, that while her growling at too near boats is kinda cute, she's deadly serious and we have to keep her away from the trebuchet because she seriously wants to kick some ass...

I wish I could take credit for training her but we all know that if anybody is trained and jumps through hoops on "So It Goes" it's not the cats.

Listening to the Del Lords

So it goes...

another book gone walkabout...

This is interesting, a little logic, and some fun and frolic in the splitting hairs department...

I really have to quit loaning people books...

The other day I wanted to refresh my memory on something Thomas Colvin had said and my copy of "Cruising as a Way of Life" was nowhere to be found. Truth be told, my bookshelf seems incomplete without it.

Bummer.

Listening to Lee Michaels

So it goes...