Even for a law firm/foreclosure mill this sets a new standard for tacky, what the traders say, and, as a designer/builder of wind-vane self steering gears, I'm seriously interested in exactly how this perfectly lubricated wind-vane actually works...
Since we're on the subjects of wind-vanes, maybe we should talk about the whole idea of the concept of working as a "maker" while you cruise...
Actually building a product gets around all sorts of hassles and legal issues, where, for instance, if you were to do rigging work in some locations the homeboy rigging shop might find it in their best interests to mention the fact to the local powers that be that the guy on that boat anchored over there is breaking the law. The truth of the matter is, that the rigger shopping you to the police would be wearing the white hat and you, in fact, would be breaking the law and the villain.
It's made worse of course, by the fact that islands are very small places and the local coconut telegraph is well aware that the guy on the white boat with the blue sail covers is re-rigging the boat with the green sail covers even before said work actually commences... It's just the nature of things.
A quick aside on a related important subject... Morning cruiser nets are handy communication tools and places to share information but, apparently, a lot of cruisers don't seem to twig on the fact that locals (and that includes customs/immigration/local vendors) have VHFs too (and yes, dear reader, they all speak English on the French islands as well) and they DO LISTEN! So mentioning that you've over-stayed your visa, that you'll do someone's rigging for cheap, or how the women in immigration are nasty jerkette's has the distinct possibility of making your life way too interesting in an instant karma kind of way... There are no secrets on the VHF waves.
Which brings us back to making stuff... I can tie all the flies I want to on my boat, build surfboards (anyone interested in a Mini-Simmons?) till the cows come home, and build a plethora of self-steering gears and no one is going to get upset. Of course, if at some point down the line I might sell or trade some flies, the odd surfboard, or a self-steering gear no one's going to mind...
Which is not to say that you might not be fudging the letter of the law of some island nations in the process, but, if kept low key, stealthy, and greed kept out of the equation, it is doable...
So, rule number #1 in the stealth economy is...
"NEVER SCREW WITH LOCAL COMMERCE"!
Listening to Jefferson Airplane
So it goes...
Bruce+
3 days ago
