It drives me nuts to have rope and line ends that are frayed and unraveling. I like to see lines that have been neatly wrapped with string...they look finished and very nautical. This does take a lot of time but I think it is worth it. Lines that have been cut with a hot knife or heat sealed is the easiest and it dose prevent unraveling. Dipping the ends in a plastic that seals them is also easy, but I have not had good luck with line ends done this way. It is better than nothing at least for a while.
A knot at the end of the line will work but it is NOT VERY CLASSY !!! A knot will not let you fee it through a block though.
Any way...Wipping the end of a line is a good way to enjoy a beer and take care of your lines at the same time. I recommend a good German dark beer...two even works better.
Sunday, June 28, 2015
Friday, June 26, 2015
Key Bouy will foat your keys or a tool.
I do not know how many things I have lost over board my boat...tools, glasses, keys. Trying to recover them is often a wast of time and energy. On the river where my boat is, with the soft mud bottom that just sucks anything with a little weight to it, and with water that has a visibility of only a few feet, the river almost always wins.
I found a neat, cheep product that works great. It is a Key Bouy. Check it out by clicking the link. It is a self inflating key ring that can be clipped to most things. If it falls in the water it inflates a 14" tube that brings it back to the surface. If the tube is not big enough to bring it back up, it make it very easy to find if you dive for it. It is a one use bouy. It will float your $100+ glasses if it is clipped to your glasses strap.
One note...you can not go swimming with it or it will activate. When it activates in your swim trunks everyone will take notice! 8-)
I found a neat, cheep product that works great. It is a Key Bouy. Check it out by clicking the link. It is a self inflating key ring that can be clipped to most things. If it falls in the water it inflates a 14" tube that brings it back to the surface. If the tube is not big enough to bring it back up, it make it very easy to find if you dive for it. It is a one use bouy. It will float your $100+ glasses if it is clipped to your glasses strap.
One note...you can not go swimming with it or it will activate. When it activates in your swim trunks everyone will take notice! 8-)
Monday, June 22, 2015
Living on the boat changed my thinking.
Your mind set changes as your environment changes. After moving on to my boat to live I knew I would be giving up a lot of things I always just took for granted. Living out of a cooler size refrigerator was a big change. You can only buy things that will fit in it. A frozen dinner...out, ice cream...out, things that had to stay very cold do not keep and cold beverages. You shop for what you will eat that day. Any frozen things are for the next day, and help keep other things cool over night. If a beverage needs to be kept cool but not with ice in it, they can go in a mesh bag and lowered over the side of the boat down past the thermocline to keep cool (beer). Other things can join the beer to also keep cool. Most things you drink will be cool or warm because you need to conserve your ice.
In my case, I also was limited on what I bought by what I cooked it in. I did get a grill that went on the back boat rail and could cook over the water. I also picked up a cheap and very little microwave. But with it I needed shore power and it took up a chunk of space. It at least could be used to store other stuff in when not in use. The main thing I cooked on was a small propane burner that a pan and a fry pan ws used on. One more thing I used a lot was a small 12 volt powered immersion coil heater I got at a auto parts store. It was great for heating water for coffee or tea or soup.
Dry foods in a box like rice, or noodles stored well without refrigeration. Caned foods are good but storing them is a little harder. Pop top cans are a big plus. I always had a hard time finding my can opener. I found that a concrete block can be used to open a tin can. If you put the top of the tin can down flat on the block and push down on the can and then rub the top of the can hard on the block you will find the seal on the top of the can quickly breaks down ant the top comes off. When you see liquid start to come out you know your there. This really works...try it.
Real fresh foods that do not have much prep is also something you learn to go for. I never grew up with food like this and it was all new to me.
Also taking the trash out was something you do after you wash your dishes. I would cook, eat, do dishes, and take the trash out and walk the dog at the same time. You would not think you would have a ant problem on a boat, but you can...the walk up your mooring lies. Once on board they are a bitch to get rid of!!!!!
I did get a DC converter that would let me run AC things off the boat battery's. These are neat little units and you can get them in a wide range of watt power outputs. The big ones can flatten your battery's quick if under full load. The one I got was good for only things that did not pull much power and I only used it when I was away from the dock and no shore power was available. I used it when there was a power outage after a storm when the marina had no power for a 1/2 day.
How I thought about a lot of things I had just taken for granted really did change when I moved on the boat.
In my case, I also was limited on what I bought by what I cooked it in. I did get a grill that went on the back boat rail and could cook over the water. I also picked up a cheap and very little microwave. But with it I needed shore power and it took up a chunk of space. It at least could be used to store other stuff in when not in use. The main thing I cooked on was a small propane burner that a pan and a fry pan ws used on. One more thing I used a lot was a small 12 volt powered immersion coil heater I got at a auto parts store. It was great for heating water for coffee or tea or soup.
Dry foods in a box like rice, or noodles stored well without refrigeration. Caned foods are good but storing them is a little harder. Pop top cans are a big plus. I always had a hard time finding my can opener. I found that a concrete block can be used to open a tin can. If you put the top of the tin can down flat on the block and push down on the can and then rub the top of the can hard on the block you will find the seal on the top of the can quickly breaks down ant the top comes off. When you see liquid start to come out you know your there. This really works...try it.
Real fresh foods that do not have much prep is also something you learn to go for. I never grew up with food like this and it was all new to me.
Also taking the trash out was something you do after you wash your dishes. I would cook, eat, do dishes, and take the trash out and walk the dog at the same time. You would not think you would have a ant problem on a boat, but you can...the walk up your mooring lies. Once on board they are a bitch to get rid of!!!!!
I did get a DC converter that would let me run AC things off the boat battery's. These are neat little units and you can get them in a wide range of watt power outputs. The big ones can flatten your battery's quick if under full load. The one I got was good for only things that did not pull much power and I only used it when I was away from the dock and no shore power was available. I used it when there was a power outage after a storm when the marina had no power for a 1/2 day.
How I thought about a lot of things I had just taken for granted really did change when I moved on the boat.
Saturday, June 20, 2015
I moved to the boat to live on it.
Money was tight, I was doing OK but I was very unsettled. I had always dreamed of living on a boat and I loved being on the water. When I was told my rent was going to go up about 20% I said OK, Fine, I will move out at the end of the Month. I did not have anything lined up and I figured I would just live on my boat. When I was in the Army I lived out of a foot locker, so I knew I really did not need that much. I checked with the Marina where my boat was at, I knew they had live-abounds there, to see if there would be a problem. The manager said there would be no problem, but he thought a 21' sailboat was a little small to live on. I said that my dog did not mind and I needed very little space. He offered me a spot in the marina that was near the restrooms that had just opened up. He said it was a little more expensive because it was larger and he could put a bigger boat there than mine. I told him that would be great. Being near the bath rooms would be worth it.
I put most of my stuff in storage and the dog and I moved on board. I guess that space wise it was about what a slide in pick up camper is like. I first put everything in storage and then I limited what I was going to take to the boat to what I could put in a army sized footlocker. Only the essentials. After that I was going to see how much room I had on the boat and go from there. I also bought a Dock Box to put on the dock next to the boat to put boat junk in.
The dog and I moved on board. The boat has a small bow bunk and access to it is a bit of a pain. You have to crawl in to it and it is a real bitch to make the bed up. The main cabin has a bunk on each side with storage underneath and small shelf's along side the bunks. A table can be pulled out that goes between the two cabin bunks to eat on or do work on. On one side there is a small nav desk and a small sink and a storage spot for a little propane stove. I decided to use the bow bunk for storage and the dog also claimed it as his. I would sleep on the bunk on the side with out the nav desk and use the storage area under the bunk and the little shelf for my personal stuff and use the other side storage for food and things I would need to use every day. It was a little tight but very workable. The bow bunk was the catch all for most thinks I needed but did not use all the time. I had to get creative on where I stored stuff to make sure the boat did not tilt to one side or the other and stored so that the stuff would not shift when out sailing.
I cooked for the most part out in the cockpit, both to keep the heat and smell out of the inside of the boat. I had one fry pan, one large plate that just fit or nested inside the pan, one smaller plate that nested in the big plate, one large bowl, one smaller bowl and one measuring cup, and one coffee cup and one large glass. These all nested together and took up very little room. One knife, fork and spoon and one sharp knife was all I needed to finish my kitchen stuff. I had 3 dishpans that nested and the other stuff nested in them. I washed dishes in one pan, rinsed them off in the 2nd and the 3rd held them till they dried.
I used a large mouth jug for gray water and when it was full I dumped it in the dock side toilet. I did not want to dump it over the side of the boat. There was fresh water dock side along with electricity so those were no problem. I put a silver tarp over the boom and made a tent over the cockpit. It cut the heat build up in the boat and made it very comfortable. I made a wind scoop that went over the front hatch above the bow cabin and that moved air through the boat nicely. A small fan would move air when there was no breeze. I made a fish net door over the end of the plank that the dog respected. he could easily go over or through it. With it up he stayed on the boat even when I was not there. He also would not let anyone on the boat when I was gone. No locks needed.
When I wanted to go sailing it took about 20 min. to take down the tarps and be under way. 8-)
It really is surprising how much stuff you really do not need. I found I read more and got books on disk. No TV...did not miss it! Internet on my lap top got me my news and weather. I could watch TV at the marina bar if I wanted.
What was really great, was that I went sailing almost every day and I think I used it more than I used my truck.
The one thing I did miss was a refrigerator. I had a cooler that had a small cooling unit in it... it kept things cool not cold. I needed to put Ice in it once a week to help it along.
I put a small sign up that said BYO. You had to byo glass and plate and silverware when you visited. All in all though really did not ruff it very much. And the dog loved it!!!
I put most of my stuff in storage and the dog and I moved on board. I guess that space wise it was about what a slide in pick up camper is like. I first put everything in storage and then I limited what I was going to take to the boat to what I could put in a army sized footlocker. Only the essentials. After that I was going to see how much room I had on the boat and go from there. I also bought a Dock Box to put on the dock next to the boat to put boat junk in.
The dog and I moved on board. The boat has a small bow bunk and access to it is a bit of a pain. You have to crawl in to it and it is a real bitch to make the bed up. The main cabin has a bunk on each side with storage underneath and small shelf's along side the bunks. A table can be pulled out that goes between the two cabin bunks to eat on or do work on. On one side there is a small nav desk and a small sink and a storage spot for a little propane stove. I decided to use the bow bunk for storage and the dog also claimed it as his. I would sleep on the bunk on the side with out the nav desk and use the storage area under the bunk and the little shelf for my personal stuff and use the other side storage for food and things I would need to use every day. It was a little tight but very workable. The bow bunk was the catch all for most thinks I needed but did not use all the time. I had to get creative on where I stored stuff to make sure the boat did not tilt to one side or the other and stored so that the stuff would not shift when out sailing.
I cooked for the most part out in the cockpit, both to keep the heat and smell out of the inside of the boat. I had one fry pan, one large plate that just fit or nested inside the pan, one smaller plate that nested in the big plate, one large bowl, one smaller bowl and one measuring cup, and one coffee cup and one large glass. These all nested together and took up very little room. One knife, fork and spoon and one sharp knife was all I needed to finish my kitchen stuff. I had 3 dishpans that nested and the other stuff nested in them. I washed dishes in one pan, rinsed them off in the 2nd and the 3rd held them till they dried.
I used a large mouth jug for gray water and when it was full I dumped it in the dock side toilet. I did not want to dump it over the side of the boat. There was fresh water dock side along with electricity so those were no problem. I put a silver tarp over the boom and made a tent over the cockpit. It cut the heat build up in the boat and made it very comfortable. I made a wind scoop that went over the front hatch above the bow cabin and that moved air through the boat nicely. A small fan would move air when there was no breeze. I made a fish net door over the end of the plank that the dog respected. he could easily go over or through it. With it up he stayed on the boat even when I was not there. He also would not let anyone on the boat when I was gone. No locks needed.
When I wanted to go sailing it took about 20 min. to take down the tarps and be under way. 8-)
It really is surprising how much stuff you really do not need. I found I read more and got books on disk. No TV...did not miss it! Internet on my lap top got me my news and weather. I could watch TV at the marina bar if I wanted.
What was really great, was that I went sailing almost every day and I think I used it more than I used my truck.
The one thing I did miss was a refrigerator. I had a cooler that had a small cooling unit in it... it kept things cool not cold. I needed to put Ice in it once a week to help it along.
I put a small sign up that said BYO. You had to byo glass and plate and silverware when you visited. All in all though really did not ruff it very much. And the dog loved it!!!
Wednesday, June 17, 2015
A compass rose rug.
With my web site the Digitalcompassshop.com I guess you could say I have a thing about compasses.
We have a few compass rose throw rugs in the house. I really like them but there is a problem with these rugs. I get wearied out if they are not pointed in the right direction. It dose not bother my wife but it drives me crazy. 8-)
When we got new neighbors next door they liked one of the compass rose rugs and I told them where I got it. They bought one. When I saw it my crazy quirk kicked in and I just had to turn it so the Long point pointed North. Their house not built so any side of the house is to the North.
They had put the rug in their entry way and lined it up so the rug was pointed directly away from the door. It pointed about North East. I admit it looked nice that way , BUT IT WAS NOT POINTED NORTH! They thought it was funny that it I had to turn it so it was right.
Now when they come over to our house he has to turn my compass rose rug in the bathroom so it is out of line. It is now standard joke between us about my North fetish.
We have a few compass rose throw rugs in the house. I really like them but there is a problem with these rugs. I get wearied out if they are not pointed in the right direction. It dose not bother my wife but it drives me crazy. 8-)
When we got new neighbors next door they liked one of the compass rose rugs and I told them where I got it. They bought one. When I saw it my crazy quirk kicked in and I just had to turn it so the Long point pointed North. Their house not built so any side of the house is to the North.
They had put the rug in their entry way and lined it up so the rug was pointed directly away from the door. It pointed about North East. I admit it looked nice that way , BUT IT WAS NOT POINTED NORTH! They thought it was funny that it I had to turn it so it was right.
Now when they come over to our house he has to turn my compass rose rug in the bathroom so it is out of line. It is now standard joke between us about my North fetish.
Lazy Jacks have both good and bad points.
Lazy Jacks are lines that are on each side of the main sail that more or less catch and hold the sail over the boom when it is lowered or dropped. One thing that is nice with lazy jacks is that when you drop the sail it dos not fall all over the cockpit and thus you have better visibility to drive the boat in to the dock. If the sail is down just for a short time it is contained on the boom. It makes putting sail ties around the sail to tie the sail to the boom quick when putting the boat away.
With that said, it makes putting a sail cover over the sail more work and it you are not straight in to the wind when raising the sail, the sail may catch on the jacks when you put it up. Everything has advantaged and disadvantages. On my boat I found that they were as much of a pain in the rear as they were a help. When I replaced my standing rigging a few months ago I did not replace them when I stepped the mast. I can say I really do not miss them and there are fewer lines I have to deal with,,
With that said, it makes putting a sail cover over the sail more work and it you are not straight in to the wind when raising the sail, the sail may catch on the jacks when you put it up. Everything has advantaged and disadvantages. On my boat I found that they were as much of a pain in the rear as they were a help. When I replaced my standing rigging a few months ago I did not replace them when I stepped the mast. I can say I really do not miss them and there are fewer lines I have to deal with,,
What is a Rigging Knife
I have had many pocket knives in my life but the two I like best are my Swiss Army Knife and my Rigging Knife. The Swiss Army Knife because of all the gadgets, but the one I use the most is my Rigging Knife.
A Basic Rigging Knife
It is simple, functional, not bulky in my pocket and cheap enough that if I lose it overboard I do not have a heart attack. The Knife can open packages, cut rope or fishing line, cut bate, strip insulation from wire...all the things you use a knife for. It also has a Marlin Spike and it is used for getting tight knots undone, poking holes in thing, chipping up ice, and all sorts of things a sharp pointy object is needed for. The last tool on it is a Shackle Key. Shackles on a boat with screw in pins can be a bitch to unscrew. A shackle key lets you unscrew it with out having to get pliers. It also has other uses ( I can open a beer bottle 8-) with it.). My Swiss army knife will not open a shackle ( but it will open a beer ).
It is simple, functional, not bulky in my pocket and cheap enough that if I lose it overboard I do not have a heart attack. The Knife can open packages, cut rope or fishing line, cut bate, strip insulation from wire...all the things you use a knife for. It also has a Marlin Spike and it is used for getting tight knots undone, poking holes in thing, chipping up ice, and all sorts of things a sharp pointy object is needed for. The last tool on it is a Shackle Key. Shackles on a boat with screw in pins can be a bitch to unscrew. A shackle key lets you unscrew it with out having to get pliers. It also has other uses ( I can open a beer bottle 8-) with it.). My Swiss army knife will not open a shackle ( but it will open a beer ).
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