A DIY article to check out...

Imagine 40% of Americans think this clown should be in office, some needful reading, and in the "Just another scam for witless boat owners" department...

 

48° North has an excellent article on DIYing a dodger using plexiglass that costs out somewhere short of $500. Considering that a Sailrite dodger kit and their dodger frame kit will cost you over $1600 or so, that amounts to a significant savings.

Of course, my go to method for dodgers is stitch and glue plywood construction which costs a whole lot less and is strong enough to stand on when the need arises. 

Still, the plexi dodger sure looks sweet and 48° North is free as always so well worth checking out.

Listening to Preoccupations

So it goes...

Catching up with the drudge...

France has some interesting solar legislation, somewhat scary news from Oregon/Idaho, and in the "Read it and weep" department...

I've got a few crappy jobs to do on the boat this weekend. Nothing exciting but just the sort of stuff that needs doing and requires no thinking whatsoever.

Just the sort of work that you can put on a good podcast and have at it.

By the way do any of you have experience with a beetle infestation?

Listening to some Vonnegut inspired music on his 100th birthday

So it goes...

a new dodger/dogger project...

Why a windfall tax makes sense, something about kittens on campus, and about that ocean on Mars...

Quite a while back I built a hard dodger for So It Goes which worked quite well and held up through several hurricanes (including three Cat five storms) but somehow never quite scratched the itch of the dodger I wanted to build.

The problem seemed to be that I was caught between two different dodgers the first being a snug weatherproof dodger that would protect in all but the worst weather and conditions. The other was a minimal structure protecting the companionway and give whoever was on watch a place to get out of the elements but still allow good visibility.

The dodger I built was somewhere between the the two and, as such, was a compromise that never quite filled my want list.

That said, the hard dodger was much better than any fabric dodger in my experience as well as being a whole lot cheaper and bombproof.

So, since I'm just about to build a new nesting dinghy that uses about two and a half sheets of plywood, the idea comes to mind to build a new dodger of the minimal sort with the extra half sheet surplus the the new dinghy's requirements.

Some time ago Practical Boat Owner had a neat minimal dodger that looked like a contender and a friend sent me a couple of pictures of a reasonable facsimile dodger on a R2AK boat. So, since I'll have a half sheet of plywood to play with...

 

 

I'll let you know how it goes.

Listening to Cowboy Mouth

So it goes...

Not what I wanted to be doing today...

About that mini ice age, today's word for the day is d-r-o-u-g-h-t, and in the "Maybe the best podcast I listen to" department...

The pull-cord on my generator broke and it needs to be replaced. Not a job that should be overly problematic. 

Well in a world where wishes were fishes...

The reality, of course; is that to replace a couple feet of cord I'll have to completely disassemble the entire generator which will take most of the day and is crazy-making.

Oh well, at least I get to play the "How many screws/bits will I have leftover when it's all put back together?" game.

Listening to some Paul McCartney coverage

So it goes...

a not unsurprising turn of events...

Some hellish thinking,  wood skyscrapers, and Webb Chiles with some thought on the current round-the-world race norm...

It's really that time of year again.

Yesterday, I was considering getting started on another dinghy and a new hard dodger but not so trustful on what the weather will be like come the weekend.

As I've said before, the best place to be during "H" season is at sidewalk cafe drinking Pastis in the south of France.

I'm really looking forward to that new dinghy and dodger as I've never been fully satisfied with the looks of the current dodger and since I just bought a new to me Cruise n' Carry outboard, a dinghy with an outboard-friendly transom would be no bad thing.

Not that I plan to quit rowing but it will be nice to have the option of the motor from time to time.

I suspect that today's tasks will be sorting out the mooring and checking out the ground tackle, as it's that time of year again.

Listening to Killer Whale

So it goes...

Not dead yet...

A Leatherman for plagues, a point well made, and in the "Just seriously demented" department...

I had my yearly check-up a couple of days ago and other than learning that I'm not dead yet there's not a whole lot to report. The upside is that I now have a clear schedule to get "So It Goes" ready to runaway from whatever I need to run away from.

The downside (and yes dear Reader, there's always a downside) is that I have a lot of work to do.

One of those jobs is a new hard dodger. I've never been overly satisfied with the current one so it's a job I'm actually looking forward to. Thinking lower profile and simpler.

Listening to some Doobie Brothers coverage

So it goes...

a boatworthy guitar...

Tank go boom, something interesting on the lithium front, and some nefarious hijinks in Catalan...

One of my favorite singer-songwriters has been playing a Yamaha Silent guitar for quite a while and it's a guitar I'd love to own. If for no other reason, that it just might be one of the best guitars for boatfolk around.

Of course, Yamaha does not build this sort of guitar as a 12-string which I find highly problematic. Then again, a little thought and some sweat equity might go a long way towards a DIY version or two to play with.

Listening to Buffy Sainte-Marie

So it goes...

another film I won't get to make...

A significant voyage, regarding "Moral injury", and in the "Maybe it's time to sail to Alaska while I still can" department...

Speaking of Alaska, there's a George Buehler project boat on offer that is all kinds of interesting and you might want to check it out.

In all honesty, I have to admit that I found the boat interesting on a lot of levels. For starters, Buehler's Juno is the epitome of a Buehler design and a lot of folks consider it, myself included, his best work. The boat comes with an interesting history that would go a long way to being the fodder of any number of sun-downer discussions and talking points. Plus it's just a great cruising boat.

The other thing that appealed to me was simply that it would be an awesome project to take on and make a film about. It has all the elements a classic boat of sorts, an interesting history behind it, and a somewhat larger than life designer. The built in dramatic edge of a project with a ticking clock deadline would drive the narrative along full tilt boogie.

What a great film it would make...

Listening to Hurray For The Riff Raff

So it goes...

about doing the Covid two-step...

Robotic fish, someone you should be reading/supporting, and on the subject of immunocompromised people where Covid is concerned...

I need to paint my bottom. 

Fact of the matter is I've needed to paint my bottom for quite a while now.

The plan was to buy some anti-fouling and skedaddle over to the Dominican Republic to haul out for a couple of weeks do a bit of bottom work, slap on some anti-fouling, head out towards somewhere different.

In general, a pretty good plan and we even got a great deal on the anti-fouling we bought but we did not factor in a worldwide pandemic getting in the way.

This morning, one of the first things I read was how the President of the DR has cancelled all Covid restrictions so a quick trip to the DR for a haul out is back in the possibility zone.

That said, it appears to me that while Covid is currently waning it's not the first time and sadly might not be the last. It is still killing around 2000 people a day in the USA and if the current relaxation of mandates continues recent history tells us we should expect yet another spike in new cases and deaths. Albert Einstein pretty much nailed it when he said...

"Insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results."

You'd think we'd have learned enough to get off the Covid two-step by this time.

For the time being I think I'll just continue to scrape the bottom and spend some quality time with the crabs and shrimp. Plus it's good exercise.

Listening to a cornucopia of summer music

So it goes...

What's currently on my mind...

What's in your tuna fish sandwich, some needful drought news, and in the "common sense or radical environmentalism" department...

Since I'm thinking about a new dinghy I've also been thinking long and hard about a one HP electric outboard to go with it.

More about that soonish.

Listening to a harp-centric cover

So it goes...

on getting stuff done...

Some way too interesting times, a bit of interesting news regarding those Orcas attacking boats, and in the "Who casts the longer shadow?" department...

Some times I sit at the keyboard trying to think of something to write. The funny thing is that yesterday while I was doing some reading, I said to myself…

"Ah, that will make a great post for tomorrow!"

Of course, today, for the life of me, the only thing I can remember was that it was brilliant and would make a great post but not a clue what it was. 

I’d blame it on being an old fart, but this sort of occurrence has been a factor from as far back as high school. You’d think by now that I’d have sorted out a way to save those elusive ideas.

Sure, I know I should always have a pencil and notebook ready at all times and in the past; it worked a treat. These days, I reach for a tablet or a computer instead, but I seldom actually input anything as the latest news story or daily silliness distracts me.

Sadly, it’s not just about the writing. The real culprit is that I should note ideas regarding boat tasks and needful fixes and projects. Last night, getting up to grab a bottle of water, I had an inspiration that I really needed to get with the program and work on the bilge pump. This morning, what with making pancakes, reading the news to see if we were at war with Russia, or being reminded that I really should check the water levels of the batteries. That I needed to sort something with the bilge pump drew a complete blank.

Yeah, I really have to get a few notebooks.

H/T to Six dollar shirts

Listening to Patty Griffin

So it goes...

Books I've used in the last couple of weeks...

My kind of cat, regarding someone I admire, and in the "The importance of a reality based world" department...

It would appear that most folks these days, when confronted with a problem or issue with their boat, tend to go to their favorite forum or YouTube. Now, I've gone on record about my feelings for most forums and while advice freely given is, more often than not, worth exactly what you're paying for it. 

That said I do, every so often, visit a particular forum from time to time simply because the advice is so entertaining in its silliness and general lack knowledge purveyed.

YouTube is actually a lot better and there are a lot of excellent bits of video telling you how to do or fix stuff on sailboats. On the other hand, it's best to realize that for every one good bit of video there are a dozen or so that are just clueless.

For me I tend to find my best avenue of problem solving or good ideas is to be in books. 

Books work and happen to be an excellent investment. I've lost track of the number of times I've used Brion Toss's "The Riggers Apprentice", Fred Bingham's "Practical Yacht Joinery", Bruce Binghams "The Sailors Sketchbook", Dynamite Payson's "Build the New Instant Boats", and Dan Spurr's "Spurr's Guide to Upgrading Your Cruising Sailboat". I've never  kept track of how much money those various books have saved me but it would be a substantial amount far exceeding the cost paid for them.

There are a bunch more books I could list but those are the ones that I still use on a regular basis and have had the most impact where fixing up an old boat are concerned.

Listening to Drinking Boys And Girls Choir

So it goes...

New Years aftermath...

Regarding the unspecified value of together, about that dead whale, and in the "Well this blew my mind" department...

So, here I am on the first working day of the new year and it’s already depressing. It’s not that the world is rapidly going to hell in a turbo-charged wicker basket, or that apparently 30-40% of the population seems to believe a world picture that bears no discernible relationship to reality. Nope, it’s all about the fact that 2021 was a horrible year to get anything done. Which translates to how the frelling fuck did my to do list for 2022 become the list from hell when we’re only three days into the new year?

Take the new self-steering gear that is not, as planned, attached to my transom but currently a bunch of parts taking up room in the salon. Then there’s the rewiring project that is a bag of varied wire and electrical bits which have taken up residence in the starboard quarter berth. Let’s not forget the new bilge pumps which need to be installed....

The list appears to be endless.

I’ve never been one for the entire New Year’s resolution thing. Simply because I’ve never been up close and personal to anyone who’s been successful.

Just as I never sail to a distinct destination but towards and the idea I should make lists that include a schedule is simply asking for trouble in the world that I inhabit.

Still, I’d like to reclaim the table in the dinette, which has become just another horizontal surface that stuff waiting to be built is sitting on.

On the positive side, with the current state of the plague, a large part of the population having an IQ somewhere akin to the temperature of Cut Bank Montana, and having way too much stuff to do to get back into cruising mode, I still have a glimmer of hope, if only seen through tears, to sort things out doing the ad hoc two-step.

I’ll let you know how it goes.

Listening to the Iron Leg Radio show

So it goes...

stress...

A dinosaur making sense, an article on evolving chemistry, and in the "Fuzzy math and headlines" department...

While it appears that the hurricane season is waning there is still a certain stress factor for the next month or so and I still remember hurricane Lenny in 1999 which surprised us all coming from the wrong direction and wrecking havoc in mid-November.

Plus, as it happens, I have a variety of projects I'd like to get to that are weather sensitive and that doubles down on the stress factors and pisses me off because I really wanted to do a new mast. It just does not seem like I'm going to be able to get to it within the current time frame.

On the positive side, I can now get my Covid booster shot within the next week and that will help keep the stress levels down to manageable proportions.

Listening to some Carole King coverage

So it goes...

an example of how "cheaper" and "better" go together...

On the current state of assholery, an apt Twilight Zone, and on the subject of budgets...

For a variety of reasons I've been thinking a lot about building affordable masts and sensible rigging to put them up with.

Which is somewhat out-of-step with what most people are doing as it seems that most folk seem to be more in the "Let's just see how expensive we can make it" school of boat building. Rather than the few asking 

"How do we make this better while cutting the cost at the same time?"

who seem to be in short supply. 

As I mentioned before I'm pretty impressed with Reuel Parker's current riff on a plywood mast and reading his follow-up article in the May/June 2021 issue of Wooden Boat Magazine that combined with a judicious use of textile rigging it's possible to put up a better rig for a whole lot less money than most think possible.

Better yet, the mast in question is super easy to build, lighter than any mast you're going to be able to buy, and, after perusing used masts on CraigsList, quite a bit cheaper than an old beat up mast on the used market. What's not to like?

So, why am I the only guy doing the happy dance?

One of my projects this week is installing a new tabernacle on "So It Goes" around the current mast and sorting out that it will work for the new mast I'm planning to build soonish of the Parker variety.

Listening to Ghalia Volt

So it goes...

things I'd like to see from designers....

Modern slavery on the high seas, a somewhat unsettling state of affairs, and in the "Hope vs despair" department...

I'll be honest and get out front on the fact that I really love looking at sailboat designs.Then again, I also really hate to look at sailboat designs because far too often I realize that the inherent beauty of a given design is going to be seriously fucked up when the boat gets outfitted  for cruising.

I mean, seriously, it's not like designers are unaware of things like solar panels, wind generators, davits, and other bolt-on paraphernalia deemed de rigueur in these modern consumerist times.

Now, in the case of my current boat "So It Goes" designed by Bill Lapworth I currently find myself banging my head against a bulkhead trying to come up with a less-than-butt-ugly means of adding a more orientable means of mounting a couple of 100 watt solar panels.

I'll point out that Bill Lapworth designed the CAL 34 years before anyone even knew that solar panels were going to be a thing on cruising boats so I'm not blaming Mr Lapworth.

On the other hand, designers currently designing sailboats actually know about solar panels and the various other systems that are considered must haves for cruising and, just maybe, I'm naive but shouldn't a good design address all the needful systems that folks are inclined to stick on their boats?

So, yeah, it would really be nice to see solar panels, wind generation,dinghy stowage, dodger/Bimini, and other miscellaneous systems that are more than likely part of most folks wants/needs in a cruising boat.

Just sayin'

Listening to Rod Stewart

So it goes...

Dealing with hindsight...

A climate change news story involving bareboats, some depressing Covid information, and an interesting video on how some folks learn a language...

Yesterday I finished seizing various chafe areas on the new lifelines which should extend their life considerably. It was not lost on me as I was doing it that seizing Dyneema with waxed twine was mixing old and new tech but, in my experience, the use of old/new tech often results in an appropriate solution to a problem. 

Truth be told, it occurred to me that since seizing is such an easy and inexpensive way to protect Dyneema that I was an idiot not to seize the standing rigging aboard "So It Goes".

The late great Brion Toss pointed out that seizing Dyneema which protects the stays from UV and chafe pretty much made for rigging that would last forever.

Of course, hindsight is a bitch. Especially for boat builders as we're always able to see better ways to do things after the fact. When building my Wharram cat, finishing the first hull was tempered by the fact that I knew that the second hull would be better than the first because my skill set had improved. Every mast I build is going to be better than previous masts simply because I'm better at it, have absorbed new techniques, and studied how other folks have built their masts.

Which, of course, is one of the reasons that I really want to build a new mast for "So It Goes" as I learned a lot and can build a better one based on a Reuel Parker mast section that will be easier to build, lighter and less expensive than the one I have currently. Better yet, It would have a better mast tabernacle system which will free me from the clutches of greed-head boatyards, make maintenance simpler, allow for low bridge situations and allow me to seize the standing rigging as a bonus.

Listening to Bo Diddley

So it goes...

Just that time of the year...

A graduation speech of note, just another thing to worry about, and a cartoon which pretty much nails it...

Well this got my attention.

Something to think about while I work on the lifelines.

Listening to Watkins Family Hour

So it goes...

Just another day in paradise...

Just another reason to avoid marinas, how to improve the world economy, and a real potential immigration crisis...

Yesterday I spent the bulk of the day not doing projects because it was supposed to be a serious rain event. Of course, the day before that we'd planned to do a lot of work but were unable to because it was raining in spite of a forecast that said it would be dry. 

So, I'm a little behind in my getting the boat ready to get the hell out of here project list. Which is pretty much the norm for doing any projects aboard a boat.

I might be light on postings in the next couple of weeks so bear with me...

Listening to Jack Ingram, Miranda Lambert, and Jon Randall

So it goes...

What I'll be doing this weekend...

Some good advice for a Plastic Free July, twenty facts/figures of note, and an interesting computer simulation of galactic expansion...

Since it's a brand spankin' new holiday weekend I'm looking forward to a bit of quality time with some needful boat work and the ever elusive goal of reclaiming the dinette table top as something other than just a horizontal surface for stuff to accumulate on.

Time to get to doing...

Listening to Reel Big Fish

So it goes...