tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-168823782012-02-02T11:45:35.601-04:00Random thoughts and rants on boat design, boat building, and other boat bits for those in the 99%...RLWhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03722124194083306429noreply@blogger.comBlogger12201100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16882378.post-29940763709191259232012-02-02T08:00:00.000-04:002012-02-02T10:11:04.352-04:00

Just one link this morning as it's quite a chunk of very worthwhile reading... Here in St Croix we have one of the worst chandlers and marinas I've had the displeasure of coming across in more than four decades of dealing with some pretty awful marine business concerns... Which, when you come to think of it, is actually pretty impressive. It's not just the overly surly verging on openly hostile

RLWhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03722124194083306429noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16882378.post-17329346297752625322012-02-01T10:51:00.000-04:002012-02-01T10:58:18.463-04:00

In the "it's OK for them but not for us department" apparently drug testing and politicians is not a good mix, the victims of the Fukushima nuclear disaster you may not be aware of, and some pink classic plastic with a good cause... While it makes all kinds of sense to find a used boat and rehab it, for some of us it also makes a lot of sense to build a boat from the keel up... In my case, the

RLWhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03722124194083306429noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16882378.post-88041259556336836872012-01-31T13:41:00.000-04:002012-01-31T13:50:13.881-04:00

Seems fair to me, Brilliant at Breakfast makes 10 good points, and solar panels just might be getting more expensive... For those of us who need a little cheap boat-friendly amp that will fit in a guitar case, might I suggest the Danelectro Bacon & Eggs... Listening to The Volunteers So it goes...

RLWhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03722124194083306429noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16882378.post-16303882942094925392012-01-30T16:04:00.001-04:002012-01-30T16:09:12.425-04:00

A river of blood, a teacher makes a point, and about that war on people... The last few days it seems that either my wifi provider, Blogger, or both don't seem to be on the same schedule I'm on... Kinda frustrating! The thing is, I actually had something in mind to write this morning but damn if I can remember what it was after going shopping, doing errands, and suchlike, though I have a

RLWhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03722124194083306429noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16882378.post-28286209418369792852012-01-29T14:15:00.001-04:002012-01-29T14:23:04.127-04:00

Bread and circuses, a quick fact check, and a few definitions... Back on the subject of a VolksCruiser... Of course, a cheap boat is going to have some issues but considering that for a lot of people it's a choice between being able to go cruising or only dreaming of going, which are you going to do? It's a simple choice... Listening to Seasick Steve So it goes...

RLWhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03722124194083306429noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16882378.post-62586073719429302292012-01-27T10:22:00.000-04:002012-01-27T18:50:27.225-04:00

I'll believe it when I see a bunch of rich dudes doing perp walks, Lat 38 weighs in on the Italian tax, and in a world with real problems what new laws are in the works? Several readers apparently want to know what I'd consider a VolksCruiser and the best I can seem to come up with is it all depends... Obviously, it has to be affordable and by affordable we do not mean affordable by someone

RLWhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03722124194083306429noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16882378.post-88986528901066457432012-01-26T09:46:00.000-04:002012-01-26T09:51:53.583-04:00

Isolated incidents, a good case against corporate friendly tweaks, and did someone say "Zombie"? Over at Attainable Adventure Cruising there is a pretty good post and discussion on the idea that there is a need for a "Model T" bluewater cruiser... Not that I actually agree with most of it but it is a good starting point for a discussion. Personally, my take is that the idea of a "VolksCruiser"

RLWhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03722124194083306429noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16882378.post-53883511870046166912012-01-25T10:58:00.000-04:002012-01-25T11:18:41.616-04:00

Rewriting history, the libertarian climate change conundrum, and just what do you buy with that $5 million... I'm currently reading the new Robert Crais book which is something of a novelty, as being in the Caribbean you just don't get a book on its publication day. The usual way of things is seeing that Crais has a new hardcover out and waiting till it comes out in paperback then ordering it

RLWhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03722124194083306429noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16882378.post-11665173496104886012012-01-24T08:00:00.000-04:002012-01-24T09:52:49.562-04:00

Just a bit of right wing political behavior, Moldy Chum points out something of interest, and about those thirty job bills... The redesign/evolution of the galley continues and other than working out a better gimbal for the single burner stove and some more storage tweaks, it's now just a matter of putting all of the bits together and simply get to building. Of course, that's after I finish the

RLWhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03722124194083306429noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16882378.post-38643133915985557402012-01-23T08:00:00.000-04:002012-01-23T09:36:10.924-04:00

An interesting read, a note on a passing, and “If you want to walk fast, walk alone. If you want to walk far, walk together.” Throwing together a stitch and glue dinghy is pretty easy and working a couple hours a day for a few days you wind up with a dinghy that performs just fine at a fraction of the cost of an inflatable... In my mind, the real advantage is that it's easy to tweak whatever

RLWhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03722124194083306429noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16882378.post-3167988253596991812012-01-22T09:19:00.000-04:002012-01-22T09:56:37.072-04:00

A freedom of the press workaround, Cartel enforcers, and, there's always more to the story... I'm curious about something and I wonder if any Boat Bits readers have a clue as to the answer... Last night I noticed an anchor light in an odd place but figured I was just a little turned around as we had an evil swell so none of the boats were in the usual places. This morning I see that the anchor

RLWhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03722124194083306429noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16882378.post-71860258110592968202012-01-20T11:41:00.002-04:002012-01-20T12:36:16.790-04:00

An interesting talk, some thoughts on "hard work", and something to think about... "There's a sucker born every minute" - most likely not said by P.T. BarnumWay back when, in Las Palmas a few days before the ARC was due to depart, a guy was humping a Simson Lawrence 555 manual windlass up the dock and as we passed each other I asked if he was getting it repaired... "Nope, I'm going to go put it

RLWhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03722124194083306429noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16882378.post-71287290871281645312012-01-19T08:00:00.000-04:002012-01-19T10:15:15.865-04:00

A cool mini-Simmons, Gin & Tacos has a must read, and a moment of reflection on Iraq now a healthy democratic state... So, since we have the weather from hell going on at the moment I'm trying to sort out various needful stuff for the new galley project... I'm pretty sure I've sorted out the new stove situation and the only thing that remains to figure out is a sink and plumbing, and, it's

RLWhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03722124194083306429noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16882378.post-61246777045718425112012-01-18T10:14:00.000-04:002012-01-18T10:40:24.159-04:00

About those drums in the background, Robert Reich makes a point, and all is good now that we have TSA compliant cupcakes! What is so bad about SOPA and PROTECT IP? Threat to online freedom of speechAccording to the EFF, proxy servers, such as those used during the Arab Spring, can also be used to thwart copyright enforcement and therefore may be made illegal by the act. On TIME's Techland

RLWhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03722124194083306429noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16882378.post-36621910899719654812012-01-17T08:00:00.000-04:002012-01-23T16:08:32.324-04:00

Krugman made some sense yesterday, Liz Clark says it all, and a handy DIY device that could be really needful... It's raining... Now, there is a better than even chance that the reason it's raining has to do with the simple fact that I have two sheets of plywood cut up on the deck waiting to be stitch and glued so dinghy building is the first order of business I need to get to. Something to do

RLWhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03722124194083306429noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16882378.post-6142516462436681812012-01-16T09:18:00.000-04:002012-01-16T09:25:40.362-04:00

Some scary but worthwhile reading, about that news from the front, and something to shake things up... There's been a lot of talk in political circles of late that feature the word "envy" and it's been on my mind... Now, most of the folks I hear using the word envy could have taken the time to actually look up what it means but in today's world of news and politics facts and using words

RLWhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03722124194083306429noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16882378.post-24877305649254423562012-01-15T08:30:00.000-04:002012-01-15T11:13:52.079-04:00

Space crap falls down, a film you should watch and why, plus Attainable Adventure Cruising points out something important... Living on a boat someplace warm is not exactly the sort of man-against-nature struggle that some folks will lead you to believe... For instance, my big issues of the day amount to working on the new dinghy for an hour or so, figuring out whether breakfast is plain or

RLWhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03722124194083306429noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16882378.post-52390998784706824352012-01-14T10:14:00.000-04:002012-01-14T10:33:35.279-04:00

That guy wanting to be liar-in-chief seems to be off to a good start, the future is right there waiting for us, and how the real working world and profits collide... "Money does not represent such a value as men have placed upon it."                                                                                                              Nikola Tesla You might say that old

RLWhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03722124194083306429noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16882378.post-41540092279486271802012-01-13T09:12:00.000-04:002012-01-16T17:25:56.211-04:00

Why cops will love SOPA with an instant speak of the devil, will Republicans walk their talk, and Krugman shares a good point... Not that I'm superstitious, but I am a sailor and it is Friday the 13th so it is a good day to kick back at anchor and, just maybe, build a new dinghy. I was going to build another Bolger Tortoise from Payson's "Build the New Instant Boats" but have been thinking that

RLWhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03722124194083306429noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16882378.post-28133552771328767672012-01-12T10:31:00.000-04:002012-01-12T10:54:11.968-04:00

Krugman making a comment on a story you should read, how bankers make out in the "new" bank fraud deal, and yet more on the cupcake too far story... "There is not much mental distance between a feeling of having been screwed and the ethic of total retaliation, or at least the kind of random revenge that comes with outraging the public decency." Hunter S. Thomson I'm really pissed off

RLWhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03722124194083306429noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16882378.post-52715165150449146012012-01-11T08:00:00.000-04:002012-01-11T12:11:16.654-04:00

What 1.2 billion dollars gets you in the world of security theater, the reality of NAFTA, and austerity for dummies... Like all boatfolk I have a list and some of those things on the "list" are things I don't really want to do... You know how that goes! Well, one of those things on the "list" is bringing my electronics into the current century and get all the bits to talk to each other. Which,

RLWhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03722124194083306429noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16882378.post-28231682959583645982012-01-10T08:00:00.000-04:002012-01-10T10:27:38.041-04:00

Scary homework in Georgia, TechDirt makes a point or two, and a book I've been looking forward to for a long time. Kerry over on Promenade (an Irens designed tri) recently took a picture of a Benford Badger currently sailing in the BVIs... I'd hazard a guess that the junk rigged plywood dory is Jay Benford's most popular design as we have several Boat Bits readers sailing, building, and

RLWhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03722124194083306429noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16882378.post-83295891327822543292012-01-09T09:54:00.000-04:002012-01-09T10:00:39.060-04:00

Wild old women, about those loans, and a music blog I follow makes a very good point... "Annual income twenty pounds, annual expenditure nineteen pounds nineteen and six, result happiness. Annual income twenty pounds, annual expenditure twenty pounds ought and six, result misery."  Charles Dickens Charles Dickens could have taught a lot of cruisers about the rather simple facts relating to

RLWhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03722124194083306429noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16882378.post-8868937336398596882012-01-08T10:31:00.000-04:002012-01-08T10:49:53.098-04:00

Every picture tells a story, some thoughts on wolves, and so much for electric propulsion on my next boat... It's a nice day today... The Christmas winds have abated and the swell from hell seems to be departing, so you might say life is good and I can get back to my projects come Monday (now, there's a song title that takes me back). Today is slated for doing the weekly grocery shop and I'm

RLWhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03722124194083306429noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16882378.post-36040148988023516202012-01-07T10:15:00.000-04:002012-01-07T10:35:14.685-04:00

Patagoniadoes something cool, someone making sense, and not the sailors' candidate of choice... We've been watching "Breaking Bad" aboard "So It Goes" and are now deep into the second season... If you have not seen it, all I can say is it is an awesome show. So far, it seems to be right up there with "Deadwood" and "The Wire" (not exactly the sort of praise I throw around lightly) and that is

RLWhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03722124194083306429noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16882378.post-37275932784899063532012-01-05T17:06:00.000-04:002012-01-06T11:04:22.397-04:00

Insanity in New Hampshire, a song about cupcakes, and a new religion pops up... So here's a thought... Sure, I know the economy sucks and the folks running the show are fools, incompetents, and people of limited vision, who at this dark moment of history are doing the "let's change the deck chairs on the Titanic" tango...  But, when you think about it, providing you have a brain and don't think

RLWhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03722124194083306429noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16882378.post-71648871982010728522012-01-05T09:57:00.002-04:002012-01-05T10:55:07.864-04:00

Some interesting facts about the song "America the Beautiful", maybe we should give Carlos Santana a hand, and Buddy Holly fans will be happy campers if they visit one of my favorite music blogs... In this ever ongoing recession/depression most of us find ourselves in, money is never far from our thoughts on one level or another. Of course, for those with the "I must have a boat" disease it gets

RLWhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03722124194083306429noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16882378.post-75360408007446409282012-01-03T17:22:00.000-04:002012-01-04T09:23:08.814-04:00

Banks just can't help themselves, something about ALEC, and this morning zombies walk the green fields of Iowa... I'll be the first to admit that keeping the boat zombie free is something of a chore and every once and awhile it is needful to rethink your various zombie defense tools and procedures... The first line of defense is, of course, the required zombie anti-boarding placard... ...

RLWhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03722124194083306429noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16882378.post-51379900759183884612012-01-03T10:18:00.000-04:002012-01-03T10:25:09.984-04:00

Very much worth a listen, who should the economy be for, and the four stages of collapse are... As the local news this morning pointed out that gas/diesel prices would be going up another nine cents, I realized there was no better time like the present to install our new solar panels ASAP. The solar panels are easy. Moving the old panels to the top of the hard dodger which requires the addition

RLWhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03722124194083306429noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16882378.post-20278112743304681222012-01-02T10:22:00.000-04:002012-01-02T10:34:53.149-04:00

An ex-partner at Lehman Brothers says something of import, signs of creative capitalism, and James Howard Kunstler reflects on what awaits in the coming year... Do you know what Freediver Blackout, otherwise known as shallow water blackout, is? Last week Zac Van De Merwe, a new charter captain, died in the BVI. More than likely, the cause of his death involves Freediver Blackout  a syndrome

RLWhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03722124194083306429noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16882378.post-46531587009138561932012-01-01T11:29:00.000-04:002012-01-01T11:54:09.615-04:00

My kind of New Years resolution, how economic growth is not the cure, and the word for today is sociopathic ... A couple of readers have written and pointed out that my Bozo the punching clown is akin to an apples/oranges situation and comparing Bozo to a boat simply does not work because a clown is not a boat... Well, I certainly have been known to make mistakes from time to time, and while I

RLWhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03722124194083306429noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16882378.post-67140209507088759652011-12-31T10:54:00.001-04:002011-12-31T14:54:22.223-04:00

A bit of holiday cheer from the 99% choir, where's the climate leadership, and a cool way to get to the store... So, we were talking about sharpies and sharpie questions, were we not? As it happens, the second most asked question about the sharpie experience is "why would anyone want such an inefficient hull form?" Well... Is it really? Rodger Martin mentioned recently in an email to me about

RLWhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03722124194083306429noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16882378.post-13593143497957032192011-12-29T12:23:00.002-04:002011-12-30T09:40:28.845-04:00

A notable death, Lefsetz asks a question, and, apparently they do mud wrestling at Easter... Looking at my mailbag this morning I notice that not everyone agrees that a sharpie makes sense as a cruising boat. Now, I actually get that as sharpies (or scows/whatever) are just that little bit different and folks don't generally like things that either makes them think about how things work or

RLWhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03722124194083306429noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16882378.post-73181318196074880442011-12-29T10:22:00.000-04:002011-12-30T18:00:41.624-04:00

A simple solution, Dave makes a strong point for flat bottom boats, and something worth watching about free speech and Firefly... Speaking of flat bottom boats, I've been spending a lot of time recently rethinking the advantages of sharpies and the fact that my next boat will, more than likely, be a sharpie based on our old Loose Moose 2... If I go this route the new design would have a lot

RLWhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03722124194083306429noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16882378.post-34420489866823148842011-12-27T14:54:00.000-04:002011-12-28T10:28:02.570-04:00

The return on some investment, government Enron style, and rebuilding East Baltimore... "Without deviation from the norm, progress is not possible."                                                                                           Frank Zappa Sven Yrvind is a man with a plan. Admittedly, most folk would take half a look at Sven's agenda and the words bugfuck and crazy very

RLWhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03722124194083306429noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16882378.post-27652404906049922852011-12-27T10:10:00.000-04:002011-12-27T10:10:29.166-04:00

Tenth amendment rights sure, just the facts ma'am, and if you were thinking of reading the latest Tom Clancy novel... Speaking of reading... My Holidaze are now complete! Listening to The Band Perry So it goes...

RLWhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03722124194083306429noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16882378.post-49821049514146121312011-12-25T14:05:00.001-04:002011-12-26T11:27:38.976-04:00

So the question is... Did you get what you wanted for Christmas? We've been waiting on a new dinghy which, I suppose, is this year's Holidaze present to ourselves but it would seem to be taking the slow boat... Maybe we'll get it by New Year's Eve? Growing up in a fairly outdoor oriented family, there were many years that the idea of firearms under the tree was a much looked forward to

RLWhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03722124194083306429noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16882378.post-27128031315838664692011-12-24T10:05:00.000-04:002011-12-24T10:05:22.308-04:00

A preface to a book worth reading, not your run of the mill holiday special, and if cupcakes are the tools of terror, could it be the cure for terrorism can be found in... Snow cones? Christmas is upon us and here is hoping that all of those who read Boat Bits have a happy, safe, and (hopefully) zombie free Holiday... Listening to John Stewart So it goes...

RLWhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03722124194083306429noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16882378.post-82294847011213071022011-12-23T10:20:00.001-04:002011-12-23T10:31:44.425-04:00

Government and big business the graphs say it all, something of a connected nature, and who would have thought cupcakes were a threat? I really should be installing our new solar panels but getting anything done right before the Holidaze weekend is some kind of problematic... Plus, I really wanted to re-route the other panel wiring so it is a fairly involved affair and should wait for Boxing day

RLWhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03722124194083306429noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16882378.post-48088896622892788062011-12-22T10:59:00.000-04:002011-12-22T11:19:25.229-04:00

Crooks and Liars says something important, L,G,& M points out the benefits of child labor, and in the rarity department, some good news from Mr Krugman. I've been wanting a bit more solar power for "So It Goes" and have been keeping an eye on solar panel pricing in the 40-75 watt zone as I don't have room for anything bigger. Sadly, the niche I'm looking for seems to be way too price stable as

RLWhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03722124194083306429noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16882378.post-8720127063596884672011-12-21T08:00:00.000-04:002011-12-21T08:00:12.531-04:00

Something fishy about that pipeline, politics as usual, and Krugman hits the nail on the head... The other day I was watching the local USCG boat hovering about and the thoughts going through my head were going down the checklist of required bits the Coasties are going to be looking for if the hovering turns into a "safety inspection". Flares... Check! PFDs... Check! Fire extinguisher...

RLWhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03722124194083306429noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16882378.post-23831344097044702222011-12-20T08:00:00.000-04:002011-12-20T11:17:40.617-04:00

The Girls' Guide to Surviving the Apocalypse makes a pretty good point, something worth watching, and nothing like this could ever happen at home... could it? I'm currently re-reading "The Riddle of the Sands" again and it still happens to be my favorite sailing book... Of course, reading it on a Kindle (it's a $1 download at Amazon) adds just a bit of an odd "time marches on" vibe to the

RLWhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03722124194083306429noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16882378.post-19947451336714547832011-12-19T11:08:00.001-04:002011-12-19T11:21:14.676-04:00

Why you might want to think twice before eating that shrimp cocktail, Bob Perry talks rudder, and, apparently, Hart over at "his vorpal sword" wants the same thing I do for Christmas... Truth be told, I'm not very good at anchoring in tight places because 99.9% of the time there is simply no need to. On those rare occasions when I do, the operative word is C-A-R-E-F-U-L-L-Y. As I have mentioned

RLWhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03722124194083306429noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16882378.post-34018773917710355912011-12-18T10:31:00.001-04:002011-12-18T10:31:18.791-04:00

Just when victory is all but assured an idiot steps up to bat, lemmings go with climate change, and some seriously scary shit... Speaking of brain eating bacteria and suchlike, what better time to dust off our favorite Holiday video? Do I smell pie cooking? Listening to David Bowie So it goes...

RLWhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03722124194083306429noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16882378.post-478756594693977032011-12-17T10:42:00.000-04:002011-12-17T11:14:09.599-04:00

Tell me again why idiots are driving the bus, some interesting notes on weather, and a rising tide is no bad thing... I noticed the other day that "Claw" anchors seem to be out there for seriously cheap money these days... The "Claw" anchor, as you all know, is a much maligned anchor and happens to be a dead on copy of the "Bruce"... The Bruce is also a much maligned anchor but used to be the

RLWhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03722124194083306429noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16882378.post-60626549222107556802011-12-15T11:12:00.000-04:002011-12-16T17:45:53.254-04:00

LAPD vies with NYPD in the hearts and minds sweepstakes, confessions of a child janitor, and since we were speaking of hearts and minds, a little something to leaven the holiday season... I've always felt that the Mini-Simmons surfboard was, just maybe, the perfect board for a cruising sailor... A board way ahead of it's time in the 50's and currently having something of a well deserved

RLWhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03722124194083306429noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16882378.post-29776245329937293472011-12-15T10:04:00.000-04:002011-12-15T10:31:20.392-04:00

Some timely advice for rich white guys, if this is a significant achievement we just may be doomed, and, on a cheerier note, the Girls Guide to Surviving the Apocalypse (always a good read) is doing a daily "Christmas Music for the Apocalypse"! Several readers have asked why I no longer seem to write about electric propulsion... Well, to be truthful, the subject has become somewhat boring and

RLWhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03722124194083306429noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16882378.post-69379249987576993742011-12-14T10:51:00.000-04:002011-12-14T11:06:48.118-04:00

On the fact that Krugman just used the "D" word (warning some seriously scary shit), the sort of film that deserves support, and I wonder if this is available with a rail mount? On "So It Goes" we tend to go into consumer mode around the holidaze... Part of this is that as it is the end of the year, we have a pretty good idea of what is affordable in the grand scheme of things and partly

RLWhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03722124194083306429noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16882378.post-8491707220806631812011-12-13T08:00:00.000-04:002011-12-13T11:12:31.411-04:00

How to win young hearts and minds the NYPD way, TechDirt makes a comment of import, and Kunstler makes an excellent point on what Obama's job should be (the money quote is "His job was to lead an epochal re-set of the economy to a very different disposition of things, smaller, finer, more local.")... My mention yesterday that I thought that electric windlasses were a bad idea apparently shocked

RLWhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03722124194083306429noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16882378.post-66381791889445960842011-12-12T08:00:00.000-04:002011-12-12T15:21:29.034-04:00

Lab rats with empathy (I wonder how Wall Street brokers/bankers would fare in this experiment?), this is interesting, and L,G,&M pretty much sum it all up... So, you've come into an anchorage, found a place as far as humanly possible from others, and you are saying to yourself "How would "So It Goes" drop their anchor? Well, to that question the operative word would be slow! For a start,

RLWhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03722124194083306429noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16882378.post-21982873597589249852011-12-11T08:31:00.001-04:002011-12-11T09:59:57.032-04:00

Krugman makes a very good point, this kid gets taught a lesson (though not the one his mom intended) and a surf film project that deserves a hand... I just heard that Italy seems to have a new tax on things that float that will have something of a negative impact on cruising boats visiting the area... Now, an extra $9 to $16 a day is not as bad as some places but it does add up. For instance

RLWhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03722124194083306429noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16882378.post-46360146999067043872011-12-10T10:35:00.001-04:002011-12-10T11:27:05.005-04:00

A little irony with your morning coffee, some lessons that will come in handy for the future, and Abigail Borah just made my favorite people list... A film I'm really looking forward to... FISHING WITHOUT NETS - TEASER from mynameisCutter.com on Vimeo. Listening to The Band So it goes...

RLWhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03722124194083306429noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16882378.post-77786445005407084722011-12-09T08:51:00.001-04:002011-12-14T11:39:00.846-04:00

How electric propulsion creates a new dynamic, a page from the war on common sense, and a sorta/kinda boat friendly garden system... A while back I heard on the Sharpies anonymous (Hi, I'm Bob and I have a serious sharpie problem) coconut telegraph that there was a new hot sharpie design coming out as a production boat... A lot of sharpie fanatics were excited but being older, somewhat jaded,

RLWhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03722124194083306429noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16882378.post-32843518947205102142011-12-07T21:43:00.001-04:002011-12-08T10:21:38.525-04:00

A dollar here, a dollar there, and just where the hell was the boatfolk contingent in this years Zombie Safe House competition? Some time ago, Chris Morejohn on "Hogfish" anchored next to us in St Martin and I spent a lot of time stealing ideas for the next boat... Is this a great hatch or what? Listening to Rod Stewart So it goes...

RLWhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03722124194083306429noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16882378.post-67336563925518253792011-12-07T09:01:00.001-04:002011-12-07T09:50:43.626-04:00

Some cheery music for those who will be flying this holiday season, how justice works in the real world, and Reich gives a play by play... Can't think of a thing to write about today, so... Listening to the Alabama State Troupers So it goes...

RLWhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03722124194083306429noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16882378.post-15665392949892443472011-12-06T09:15:00.001-04:002011-12-06T12:54:04.075-04:00

The why of OWS, something about those numbers, and I'll admit that this story brought a smile... I've been on something of a scow schooner binge recently in my reading and various discussions with friends of a similar mindset and one thing comes to mind as a result... Change is no easy thing! I've always had trouble with folks of the "Old Gaffers" ilk who love the gaff rig but who also hate

RLWhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03722124194083306429noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16882378.post-36414909554059037752011-12-05T08:00:00.000-04:002011-12-05T10:53:16.056-04:00

Where words matter, an apocalypse of a different sort, and someone making some sense... I actually put a lot of effort into avoiding talking about anchors and anchoring... Face it, it's not really a sexy subject, folks have seriously crazy deep seated opinions on anchor stuff, and discussions can get heated enough to inspire mild mannered owners of Bendytoys to go all Berserker on your ass (

RLWhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03722124194083306429noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16882378.post-90553539928874433662011-12-04T09:25:00.001-04:002011-12-14T10:51:50.561-04:00

A podcast worth listening to, at least one state seems to be doing the right thing, and the word for today in intervention... I've mentioned that a friend of mine is in the process of building a new catamaran and, as it happens, he has been dropping me various notes regarding stuff he wants for the boat and boatbuilding process... It's not easy giving advice on that level and I take it quite

RLWhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03722124194083306429noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16882378.post-59040394206763888012011-12-03T08:26:00.001-04:002011-12-03T10:29:46.653-04:00

I'm glad to see I'm not the only one who's noticed this, Dmitry has t-shirts with Hogfish goodness (xmas being just around the corner and all!), and Crooks & Liars pretty much sums it all up... Since the subject of xmas has raised its pointy little head, maybe it's time to talk stocking stuffers... Face it, everyone on a boat needs a knife and the Fury clone of the Myerchin sailors tool (I

RLWhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03722124194083306429noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16882378.post-49976236035902260412011-12-02T11:35:00.001-04:002011-12-02T11:40:55.931-04:00

Actually, the question is... what would Zombie Attack Barbie do to the sports fisherman that just blasted through the anchorage TWICE in ten minutes pulling a six foot wave?

RLWhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03722124194083306429noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16882378.post-32750020820724323732011-12-02T08:11:00.001-04:002011-12-02T10:43:05.457-04:00

Brilliant at Breakfast makes some good points, so do these folks, and a resource we should all be reading... As someone who has something of a history of ranting and roaring about the cost of boat and cruising stuff, maybe I should rant a little more... Of course, as a fairly conservative person (let's just say midway between an Ike Republican and a Johnson Democrat) I both understand the need

RLWhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03722124194083306429noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16882378.post-88657833954753000132011-12-01T08:16:00.001-04:002011-12-01T10:14:37.257-04:00

Some scary numbers, today's phrase is "scenario fulfillment" and then there's always this to worry about... A while back I think I mentioned I was looking for a solid fuel heater and for the last year or so I've been doing the research and asking friends in places like Alaska, Iceland, and Finland (where they understand the reality of COLD) about various cunning plans to keep "So It Goes" toasty

RLWhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03722124194083306429noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16882378.post-30646734277978633522011-11-30T08:00:00.000-04:002011-11-30T11:03:22.788-04:00

I am the 99%, Robert Reich continues to make sense, the Senate on the other hand is FUBAR (or as my Mom used to say, Batshit crazy), and the word for today is dehumanization... lifeboat stations anyone? Over at the ever running forum thread of "Cruising on $500" the current point of discussion seems to be building your own boat and mostly why you should not... Now I'll admit that boatbuilding

RLWhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03722124194083306429noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16882378.post-64109580906060584382011-11-29T08:00:00.000-04:002011-11-29T12:31:20.416-04:00

A really good interview, Elvis Costello just achieved Hero status (as far as I'm concerned), and no wonder the bankers were screaming... I'm about to rip out a goodly section of the interior of "So It Goes" and make some changes to the galley and move the 48V battery bank for easier access and better weight distribution... Pretty much undoing all the changes I made to Mr Lapworth's interior in

RLWhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03722124194083306429noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16882378.post-42552422686845545592011-11-28T09:46:00.001-04:002011-11-29T11:52:23.661-04:00

This makes my head hurt, this guy really is an idiot, and something of interest for Warren Zevon fans... Just for the record, I had every intention to do another "Simple Monday" post today on anchoring but last night was some kind of squally with the swell from hell and a nervous making big cat on a too small mooring upwind of us. As a result, I am not quite fully operational and certainly not

RLWhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03722124194083306429noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16882378.post-37337199141362825812011-11-27T09:22:00.001-04:002011-11-27T10:05:07.568-04:00

A politician who deserves some respect, a trillion here (a trillion there) it all adds up, and,  just maybe, think twice about the canned goods while provisioning... Speaking of canned goods... Listening to Girlyman So it goes...

RLWhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03722124194083306429noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16882378.post-64006865807345394242011-11-25T16:20:00.001-04:002011-11-26T09:56:49.667-04:00

A different type of working sail, the one and the ninety-nine percent, and something everyone should read... So T-Day has now come and gone and all that remains is that Tupperware bowl half filled with some stuffing... The good news is that the stuffing will go finest-kind with lunch today, the bad news is the onslaught of "Best Of" posts and articles are winging their way to my desktop as we

RLWhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03722124194083306429noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16882378.post-71381785313200826552011-11-25T08:00:00.000-04:002011-11-25T10:45:03.640-04:00

Music you want to listen to (a band you'll want to support), some method to Scalzi's madness, and let's tell Newt NO WAY on bringing back child labor... Well, the sales of a nautical nature for Black Friday are somewhat less than inspiring... Truth is, that since we just bought a new inflatable dinghy (more about that in the not too distant future) just about the only thing I've come across is a

RLWhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03722124194083306429noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16882378.post-13976976793484195482011-11-24T08:00:00.000-04:002011-11-24T09:09:42.969-04:00

Not exactly surprising news, a note on fiscal sanity, and Krugman makes a point about the holiday... When you sit down and think about it, there has never been a better time to go out and buy a boat as there are a lot of really good deals floating about... For instance, I recently saw a great deal on a CAL 28 (a favorite boat design) going for $1500 and you'll have to admit that for a very

RLWhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03722124194083306429noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16882378.post-50449214416267950312011-11-23T08:47:00.001-04:002011-11-23T11:59:01.623-04:00

Robert Reich continues to make sense, something you should read, and yep, tickets are still available on the jet propelled wicker basket... Sometimes I feel sorry for folks who just buy stuff as they miss out on so much... For instance, over at Tiburon36 someone is making a seriously cool stove/heater for his boat, doing it well and, no doubt, winding up with a much better product at a lower

RLWhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03722124194083306429noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16882378.post-39185674043577680442011-11-22T08:00:00.000-04:002011-11-22T08:21:30.787-04:00

Some important words about pepper spray, an interesting factoid about pepper spray, Krugman gets it right (no pepper spray content whatsoever) and a John Lennon song comes to mind... One of the great things about doing a blog is I can pretty much do what I want as I don't have a boss telling me they need five-hundred "positive" words to pimp a new boat because the company that makes it is going

RLWhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03722124194083306429noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16882378.post-70869617257547598002011-11-21T09:00:00.000-04:002011-11-21T12:41:30.856-04:00

Interesting stuff over at Weather Underground, a book on my must read list, and how Groucho would be a big help right about now... I'm starting out the first of the very basic Monday posts with something a lot of people get wrong... I know this because every time I go to a dinghy dock I notice that 50% or more of the folks tied up don't know how to use a cleat... Here you go...

RLWhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03722124194083306429noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16882378.post-82398610780297836942011-11-19T09:19:00.001-04:002011-11-19T12:36:31.150-04:00

NYC as mercenary territory, yet another "compliance" device because this guy needs more firepower (can you spell growth industry?), and who blew up the economy? Just reflecting on the wonderfulness that is the Antal Low Friction Ring  Used to make just about anything you can imagine in the realm of rigging and what's better they are bombproof and cheap (as boat things go). On "So It Goes

RLWhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03722124194083306429noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16882378.post-27941727077255388562011-11-17T15:03:00.001-04:002011-11-18T10:23:39.965-04:00

The word for the day is contagion, the offer still stands, and a great site for those who want to live on the water... So, I've been doing the Kindle thing and you might say I'm a happy camper... E-Books really do rock. The new Joe Pike novel was just as good in e-book form as ink on paper... The downside is there is not exactly a cornucopia of marine design and boat building books but, I'm

RLWhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03722124194083306429noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16882378.post-85153042246673937432011-11-17T08:27:00.001-04:002011-11-17T10:31:30.867-04:00

On cooks and bankers, an 84-year old woman says something important, and, just maybe, it is time to use the "R" word... I've been talking to a few of Boat Bit's regular readers (and yes, the irony of using the term "regular" in conjunction with the crazed, depraved, and rather motley crew that actually reads this rag is not lost on me) and the input has been good and a little bit of change would

RLWhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03722124194083306429noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16882378.post-50322870349836771712011-11-16T11:00:00.000-04:002011-11-16T11:34:12.143-04:00

A guy quits his job (this is actually important as a political windvane), an apt historical note, it does not have to be the same old same, and a needful read/watch... For those who are curious about what Boat Bits might look like under the proposed SOPA or Internet Protection Act... Here's a preview. Not so great is it? Maybe a good time to let your folks in Congress

RLWhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03722124194083306429noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16882378.post-54232883995867932912011-11-15T08:00:00.000-04:002011-11-15T09:49:37.642-04:00

This guy just made my day, Lefsetz on the best protest song of the twenty first century, and Krugman makes a very good point... I mentioned a while back that a friend of mine had to make a decision whether to help bring a boat down to the Caribbean when his "Spidey' sense kicked in and he chose not to... So, reading the current account of the N.A.R.C. carnage over at Lectronic Latitude got me

RLWhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03722124194083306429noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16882378.post-40019101619552935252011-11-14T08:00:00.000-04:002011-11-14T09:47:57.892-04:00

Common sense on Iran, legal insider trading, and since the mere mention of the word "waterboarding" made them cheer, I wonder what the combination of the words visegrips + testicles might accomplish... "Toto?, I have a feeling we're not in Kansas anymore."                                                                                          Dorothy I'm not sure about you but I don't

RLWhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03722124194083306429noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16882378.post-71220705086906554032011-11-12T17:32:00.001-04:002011-11-13T11:13:48.777-04:00

Scalzi pretty much nails it, why don't we have anything like this for boat stuff, and this ruined my day... I like the point where you have something approaching a plan and you reach that head-space where it's time to actually start collecting charts and cruising guides... It's kinda like Christmas! We're really pretty lucky these days as we have so much better access to information than we did

RLWhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03722124194083306429noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16882378.post-82181567712092468872011-11-11T21:41:00.001-04:002011-11-12T09:58:20.180-04:00

A glimpse of the future, B of A getting richer, and in the wake of Veterans Day, what the troops find when they come home... One designer I keep an eye on is Tad Roberts... He first caught my attention in the 80's with his scow "Harry" and every time I visit his site I find something cool. For instance, last night I found myself looking at the current incarnation of his Harry design and a

RLWhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03722124194083306429noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16882378.post-85704702989570442712011-11-10T11:28:00.000-04:002011-11-11T09:38:37.983-04:00

Welfare for the 1%, a needful skill when listening to politicians, and this is just neat... Simply too good not to pass on for those who want/need to make some grommets or loops... From the excellent blog Greement Courant Listening to Les Rita Mitsouko So it goes...

RLWhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03722124194083306429noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16882378.post-70431239877937569862011-11-10T10:48:00.001-04:002011-11-10T11:00:29.551-04:00

I'm not finding this 5-year plan all warm and fuzzy, cyclists take note, and, for answers about bankers, you just follow the money... A friend called me the other day wanting to discuss some issues he had concerning helping someone else bring his boat down to the Caribbean and his "spidey" sense was kicking in and telling him that, ,just maybe, this particular passage with this boat/captain was

RLWhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03722124194083306429noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16882378.post-72892679719184636882011-11-09T08:52:00.000-04:002011-11-09T10:55:36.673-04:00

Yet another "Big Lie", The White House on "government interactions with extraterrestrial beings", and ZTC asks a question and makes a point... So, the big rock did not go bump... Color me a happy camper! On the other hand, an astute reader sent me something else to worry about. John Vigor recently had a great post relating to mainsails and roach and, as usual, he made a lot of sense and got me

RLWhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03722124194083306429noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16882378.post-48155453446295843392011-11-08T09:05:00.000-04:002011-11-08T09:15:23.869-04:00

Regarding the current "Big Lie",  some surfboard porn, and this is going to cause me some sleepless nights... I woke up this morning thinking about a chunk of rock the size of an aircraft carrier and I would not be telling the truth if I did not mention the fact that I find it just a little nervous making. I'm pretty sure I'd feel a lot better about it if we still had a real space program as

RLWhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03722124194083306429noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16882378.post-24178758219186561772011-11-07T10:55:00.001-04:002011-11-07T11:11:08.052-04:00

A marine review with teeth, the war heats up in Somalia, and you wonder why things are so screwed up... So the results are in on the "How often do you fish" poll and, for a bunch of cheap-seats cruisers, the results were seriously disappointing... For those folks who never fish, might I point out that if you never fish you'll never catch anything? Just for the record (and talking about

RLWhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03722124194083306429noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16882378.post-32759044917526602172011-11-06T11:05:00.000-04:002011-11-06T11:26:54.627-04:00

A good breakdown on what "Occupy" is all about, license to bully, and, it's official, irony is now dead... I was checking out used boats the other day and saw a particularly good deal on a Bill Tripp design... A Coronado 35. The Coronado has always been a bit of an odd duck design wise... A center cockpit ketch with an exterior styling sure to put off folks at the time (it had a windshield,

RLWhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03722124194083306429noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16882378.post-31277600567514520352011-11-05T08:34:00.000-04:002011-11-07T09:23:02.315-04:00

On Florida not exactly being a cruisers paradise, record profits while pleading poverty, and proof positive that there are idiots in office up there in Wisconsin. As a skier, climber, and slinger of flies, the whole neck gaiter/bandana thing for sun protection is somewhat old hat because they've been part of those scenes forever, but it has come to my attention that what we now call "Buffs"

RLWhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03722124194083306429noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16882378.post-37306848202593906432011-11-04T09:02:00.000-04:002011-11-04T09:06:43.367-04:00

Old news does not mean no news, life makes so much more sense when drawn, and something that makes sense... It's raining... The sort of can't-get-anything-done-maybe-I-should-find-my-ark-plans kind of deluge. Bummer! What I really hate about this sort of rain is it lets you know where all those new leaks are, and that, of course, adds to my project list and since I can't actually fix anything

RLWhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03722124194083306429noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16882378.post-5459180592453853042011-11-03T08:46:00.000-04:002011-11-03T09:24:52.263-04:00

Arab spring hijinks, a really bad deal, and there's a new forum over at ProaFile (the new hip place for folks of a bilaterally asymmetrical sailing bent to hang out)... "As far as we can discern, the universe is a very silly place,"                                                                                      Albert Einstein You know, there is a whole lot of established

RLWhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03722124194083306429noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16882378.post-67072732204517797352011-11-02T09:19:00.000-04:002011-11-02T09:30:29.059-04:00

Greece makes a choice, a pivotal sailing design by Harle, and while the world is going to hell in a turbocharged wicker basket there is a silver lining amidst the gloom... To steal a quote from one of my favorite Southside Johnny songs, where scows are concerned, "I got the fever"... Not made any easier by the fact that a scow (designed and helmed by David Raison) just kicked ass in the Mini

RLWhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03722124194083306429noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16882378.post-30656768005805078952011-11-01T09:41:00.000-04:002011-11-01T10:10:04.125-04:00

An interesting solar water still, the key word here is "adapt", and DoryMan points us to a cool scow project and makes a point... Yeah, I keep having all sorts of warm and fuzzy thoughts about a scow cruising boat. So much so, that it's hard for me to concentrate on the various jobs and projects I need to be doing. You know how it goes... That said, the weather is good (spelled

RLWhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03722124194083306429noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16882378.post-25314332850846642282011-10-31T08:49:00.000-04:002011-10-31T08:54:28.555-04:00

Annie Hill has a new rig, Liz Clark makes a connection, and big ocean mammal with man in a little boat... As it happens, Halloween is just about my favorite holiday though, being on a boat there is not a lot of trick or treating anywhere near "So It Goes". Of course, with my luck, if there were they'd most likely be Jesusweenie folks on the hunt for bibles rather than copious bags of candy corn

RLWhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03722124194083306429noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16882378.post-2337164687575398212011-10-30T09:51:00.000-04:002011-10-30T10:03:28.715-04:00

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...

RLWhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03722124194083306429noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16882378.post-59810692688494505982011-10-29T08:40:00.000-04:002011-10-29T08:48:43.550-04:00

Just what we need... another bullshit war, some interesting numbers which explain a lot, and intriguing news from Libya/North Korea... So, the votes are in on the current poll and, big surprise, not a lot of 1% folks reading Boat Bits... Ya think? What I find interesting is that more folks are working while cruising or cruising with work stops than those doing it on savings/investments...

RLWhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03722124194083306429noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16882378.post-10180823749411205752011-10-28T09:31:00.000-04:002011-10-28T10:03:24.308-04:00

A really good point over at the Benshi (which could apply to the marine industry as well), how open source makes sense for builders of electric vehicles, and, for those still in the dark ages of internal combustion mindset, a handy hint about your oil... I might as well call this blog "The Second Cup of Coffee" as 99% of the time the blog is written while I have my second cup of coffee... Which

RLWhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03722124194083306429noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16882378.post-9524980801497477702011-10-27T09:14:00.000-04:002011-10-29T08:58:45.143-04:00

Jay Fitzgerald's speech at TEDx strikes a chord, John Vigor makes a good point, and what the President said (which might come as cold comfort to our OWS friends in Oakland)... Yesterday, a friend of ours got a call from the US Coast Guard asking about a certain charter boat we know and work with, as, apparently, their EPIRB has gone off... Now our friend is not listed as the boat's contact in

RLWhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03722124194083306429noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16882378.post-8195906331915806222011-10-26T07:00:00.000-04:002011-10-26T08:08:44.605-04:00

Around boat builders and boatyards you come across a lot of tool snobs.We are all allowed to have our opinions on such things as tools (it being a free country and all) but we often do ourselves a disservice by taking it too far... For instance, just about everybody I know is of the opinion that Bosch makes the best jig saws around and I would not be fair if I did not admit that this is most

RLWhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03722124194083306429noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16882378.post-44120029616128333962011-10-25T09:26:00.000-04:002011-10-25T09:32:04.296-04:00

Time Warner certainly knows how to treat employees (CPR not allowed), with all this talk about cruiser safety in the South Seas one wonders how safe Polynesian folks are in the US of A, and a Zombie in a Penguin Suit... The current series of polls on boat choices and now on the economics of cruising have made for some very interesting stuff in the mailbag (sure to be fodder for future posts) and

RLWhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03722124194083306429noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16882378.post-52965541698709042802011-10-24T09:55:00.000-04:002011-10-24T10:08:40.159-04:00

Last time I checked the various forums were abuzz, online sailing rags were getting serious and not actually pimping something for a change... What, pray tell could be the cause? Well, apparently, the south seas are rife with cannibals! Now, as someone who grew up with "Tales of the South Pacific" and various pulp fueled dreams of the South Seas, I'll admit the idea of a scantily clad buxom

RLWhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03722124194083306429noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16882378.post-61928604621540993672011-10-23T10:10:00.000-04:002011-10-23T10:48:07.858-04:00

Different perspective in news is no bad thing, a must read/watch, and real numbers don't lie... Deep in any sailor or boatbuilders heart there is an image/dream of "the boat". For some that might be a peapod skiff, a CAL 40, or any number of designs that tug the heart strings. I ran across mine, some years back, while reading Reuel Parker's book "The New Cold-Molded Boatbuilding" and ever since

RLWhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03722124194083306429noreply@blogger.com