Topic: Who knows anything about boats?

[coldright]

GPS - glorified speedometers. Stick with paper charts. 

[paulages]

That was quite an adventure!   

Folks, don't ever doubt Paulages abilities. From "Hmmm, now it won't start" to a teardown & repair of the carb (all while drifting down the Columbia river) with one rusty, blunt flathead screwdriver that we use to pry open clams!
And without beer, people! Do you understand what I'm saying??!?!?!?!

Big props to Rebekkah for being such a good sport, too. Probably not what she had in mind when you told her we were going to take the boat out for the day....  Although, I don't trust that little gremlin-dog thing she has. It kept glaring at me with it's big, buggy, alien eyes. 

I'd guess you were doing about 30mph. I had to really get on the throttle to keep up with you and out boat tops out @ 45. I don't remember which kind of speed pickup you have. I think it's the paddle wheel type, but I have a new pitot tube pickup if it turns out to be that kind. Neither system is terribly accurate.

Eventually you might want to invest in a GPS system. It'll tell you speed (accurately), distance, heading, time, etc... All very handy to calculate how much range you have. As you found out, it's a BIG river and while there are a couple of gas docks, they are few and far between. Plus they rape you on price.

Give me a holler, when you have the carb sorted out. There are lots of cool places I can show you guys.

-JP

JP- man, thanks again. i can't thank you enough. rebekkah said she had a blast, actually! we went back to the shop and while i tore into the fuel problem she sorted out most of the electrical and cleaned the upholstery...all while the gremlin pug stared at us.  actually, she just slept the whole time... took me a while to get used to that one. a dog's supposed to be a DOG, right? 

on the way to the marina we passed a car that we both thought MUST have been made to tow my boat. i haven't gone back to look and see what it was, but it was something like this fairlane, with the paint job to match the boat:



 

[Grnrngr]

Actually, there are a couple "ropes" found on a sailboat.
Or so I'm told.

Actually, no, there are shrouds and stays that hold up the mast, halyards that raise and lower the sails, sheets that control the sails, bow, stern, and spring lines used to moor the boat, all originally made from fiber rope, the standing rigging (mast support) is more commonly made of wire rope now. A topping lift is a halyard used to support the boom when the mainsail is down and is also used, along with a foreguy, to stabilize and position the spinnaker pole on boats that have them. There are "boltropes" sewn into the leech (leading edge) and usually but not always, the foot (bottom edge) of triangular sails, but they are integral parts of the sail and not something you can hold in your hand by itself. Lumber is processed from wood, but not all wood is lumber, and in a house, rafters and floor joists are not "roof lumber" or "floor wood". Not to be picking on you, Hush, but as a case in point, saying "painter rope" is like saying "feline cat" or "femur bone". A painter IS a "rope", specific to dinghys and small boats, tied or spliced to the eye, and used for warping, towing or mooring. It differs from a bow line in its point of attachment and that it usually remains attached while the mooring lines are stowed away when not in use. Sorry if this sounds like a rant or I sound like a "word nazi prick", but correct terminology and its proper usage is one of the defining characteristics that distinguish professionals, in any field, from those who are not. At least, that's what they tried to beat into my head in a few different schools...

[333]

Okay, G.  It's on.   Just remember two things.  1. We're talking Recreational boaters here, so no professionals are involved.  Some who have weighed in on this thread are licensed to be pro's, but that's all I know about that.  2. I am not even a sailor.  I'm a powerboater.  But I hang with a bunch of hard core sailing people, and have been in attendance during discussions about rope and lines.  Tuesdays are the day I hang with them, so Wednesday I will have the answers.

But I feel I must take on your lumber comment all on my own.  You are correct in saying "Lumber is processed from wood, but not all wood is lumber", but all processed wood is lumber.  Lumber then becomes a joist or a rafter, a sheer or a keel.

And finally, no one here thinks you are a "word nazi prick".  I find discussions like this stimulating.  How else are we to learn without them?  I will certainly learn more about sailing than I care to.

[coldright]

My favorite term for the stuff is string.  

[seaweb11]

Just don' call a chart a map in class

[pdxPope]

Charts??!? Charts???!?!? You LADIES use charts?? HAR HAR HAR

In MY day all we had war a Sextant, sounding line and knot log. By Odin's left pillock, that war some sailin' ya scurvy bilge rats!

Arrrrrr!

    

-JP

[333]

How many underwater obstructions have you hit, JP?

[pdxPope]

Counting this one?

TWO.

But in fairness to me, that jetty came out of nowhere! 

 


-JP

[Grnrngr]

Okay, G.  It's on.   Just remember two things.  1. We're talking Recreational boaters here, so no professionals are involved.  Some who have weighed in on this thread are licensed to be pro's, but that's all I know about that.  2. I am not even a sailor.  I'm a powerboater.  But I hang with a bunch of hard core sailing people, and have been in attendance during discussions about rope and lines.  Tuesdays are the day I hang with them, so Wednesday I will have the answers.

Cool!!   Sailors, powerboaters, or landlubbers, professional or not, makes no difference, the terminology is the same. On the other hand, sailors tend to call powerboats "stinkpots", wooden boat enthusiasts have a disdain for "tupperware" or "tincan" boats, guys on Aircraft carriers call it a "boat" rather than a ship... 

But I feel I must take on your lumber comment all on my own.  You are correct in saying "Lumber is processed from wood, but not all wood is lumber", but all processed wood is lumber.  Lumber then becomes a joist or a rafter, a sheer or a keel.

and once it becomes a joist, rafter, etc..it is no longer "lumber" or "wood" even tho that is its origin

And finally, no one here thinks you are a "word nazi prick".  I find discussions like this stimulating.  How else are we to learn without them?  I will certainly learn more about sailing than I care to.

I realize no one is/was calling me names, but I get self-conscious, and was just heading it off...my main point was that using the correct terminology, in any field, even if you're NOT a professional, earns you at least some of their respect, in much the same way as learning the language of any foreign country you may wish to visit earns you at least a little respect from the locals. In the same vein, how many times do most of us laugh to ourselves when someone wants to fix the "breaks" on their bike? I have been called a spelling nazi before (not here, but..)..Never hurts to be as accurate as possible in communication...

[pdxPope]

JP- man, thanks again. i can't thank you enough. rebekkah said she had a blast, actually! we went back to the shop and while i tore into the fuel problem she sorted out most of the electrical and cleaned the upholstery

She sounds like a keeper, Bubba.

actually, she just slept the whole time... took me a while to get used to that one. a dog's supposed to be a DOG, right?

Ok, now I am convinced it's an alien/gremlin/demon/thing. One of these days it's going to look over at you with those big buggy eyes and croak: "Hey man, pass me the ashtray"

And you are going to Flip The #$%* Out.

Don't say I didn't warn you......

 

-JP

[paulages]

JP, i think the pug talked to me this morning. or maybe it was a dream.... actually, it's anna i expect to start talking any day now.


anyway, i tuned her up last night and the engine is purring now. can you believe this...the PO didn't clean the carb properly. i know, right? have you ever heard of that happening?  if i had a nickle for every bike that came in having "the carbs already gone through," i'd be a rich man.

in any case,  i ran the important stuff through the ultrasonic cleaner and blew it all out with compressed air. one of the gaskets was cut poorly and partially blocking the pilot passageways from the carb base to the horn section, so i trimmed it up a little. i installed a new set of points and condensor, set the point gap, changed the plugs, and changed both fuel filters. i still have to adjust the timing, as it's a few degrees off, and i still have to set the idle speed in gear. i'll do all of this in real water this afternoon.

oh, and i passed the boater's education exam.   

[pdxPope]

i tuned her up last night and the engine is purring now. can you believe this...the PO didn't clean the carb properly. i know, right? have you ever heard of that happening?   if i had a nickle for every bike that came in having "the carbs already gone through," i'd be a rich man.

in any case,  i ran the important stuff through the ultrasonic cleaner and blew it all out with compressed air. one of the gaskets was cut poorly and partially blocking the pilot passageways from the carb base to the horn section, so i trimmed it up a little. i installed a new set of points and condensor, set the point gap, changed the plugs, and changed both fuel filters. i still have to adjust the timing, as it's a few degrees off, and i still have to set the idle speed in gear. i'll do all of this in real water this afternoon

Oh yeah, nothing makes me more suspect than the two words rebuilt carbs. But I know she's in good hands. Sounds like she's getting a proper tune up. How bad were the fuel filters?
At some point you'll want to change the lower unit oil. (Check it for metal shavings. Mysterious rattling noises that just 'go away' always make me nervous. But you are probably correct in your assumption that it was just debris from that hydraulic block.)

oh, and i passed the boater's education exam.

Congratulations, Captain! 

actually, it's anna i expect to start talking any day now.

Ha, I'm not sure she is totally clear on which one of you is the dog, and which one is the person...

-JP

[paulages]

i tuned her up last night and the engine is purring now. can you believe this...the PO didn't clean the carb properly. i know, right? have you ever heard of that happening?   if i had a nickle for every bike that came in having "the carbs already gone through," i'd be a rich man.

in any case,  i ran the important stuff through the ultrasonic cleaner and blew it all out with compressed air. one of the gaskets was cut poorly and partially blocking the pilot passageways from the carb base to the horn section, so i trimmed it up a little. i installed a new set of points and condensor, set the point gap, changed the plugs, and changed both fuel filters. i still have to adjust the timing, as it's a few degrees off, and i still have to set the idle speed in gear. i'll do all of this in real water this afternoon

Oh yeah, nothing makes me more suspect than the two words rebuilt carbs. But I know she's in good hands. Sounds like she's getting a proper tune up. How bad were the fuel filters?
At some point you'll want to change the lower unit oil. (Check it for metal shavings. Mysterious rattling noises that just 'go away' always make me nervous. But you are probably correct in your assumption that it was just debris from that hydraulic block.)

oh, and i passed the boater's education exam.

Congratulations, Captain! 

actually, it's anna i expect to start talking any day now.

Ha, I'm not sure she is totally clear on which one of you is the dog, and which one is the person...

-JP

i'll change that oil before the weekend. the fuel filters were likely suspect, though the large one was contained in a metal canister, so it was hard to inspect. after changing the first one, i got 4.5 PSI fuel pressure at the carb (high end of spec), but i changed the one at the pump also anyway.

[paulages]

One of the most important items for people on the water...Don't forget plenty of SUNSCREEN!!!  and once you get that fitting replaced, the only work you should need to do would be to bolt on a turbocharger..    I have a danforth anchor you can have if you want, I'm gone all day today, but I could get it to you sometime tomorrow..along with the anchor, you need about 3-6 feet of chain and about 50 feet of anchor line (there are no "ropes" on a boat)...

have dave,

i PM'ed you, but in case you don't notice the message... any chance i can pick up that anchor tomorrow? i'm headed out to timothy lake thursday afternoon, and it seems like it will come in handy.



I got the boat registered today, printed my course certificate (temporary permit until my BEC comes in the mail), and finished tuning her up. she purrs at a 600 RPM idle now. i also picked up a fish/depth finder, a couple oars (backup engine  ), a couple more life jackets, some spring lines, and most importantly the vintage drink holders that fit the mounts already on the boat. i need to finish installing the fish finder tomorrow, and she'll be ready to go!

[Retro Rocket]

Hi Paul ,i was just thinking, and i hope it doesn't sound silly but has anyone warned you about smoking in a boat? I have seen a couple of inboards and outboards go up in smoke because gas fumes sit in the boat and can be ignited by a cigarette being lit, there may be no obvious fumes around but they tend to sit in the hulls lower spots. I have actually seen a boat split in half length ways by a guy smoking inside while putting carpet in....

Mick

[paulages]

Hi Paul ,i was just thinking, and i hope it doesn't sound silly but has anyone warned you about smoking in a boat? I have seen a couple of inboards and outboards go up in smoke because gas fumes sit in the boat and can be ignited by a cigarette being lit, there may be no obvious fumes around but they tend to sit in the hulls lower spots. I have actually seen a boat split in half length ways by a guy smoking inside while putting carpet in....

Mick

i haven't been warned, but i don't smoke and hate cigarette smoke. i don't let anyone smoke in my house or shop, and certainly won't on the boat.  i could see someone trying to smoke the wacky tobaccy onboard though, so i'll forward your warning. thanks!

[Retro Rocket]

No worries mate. I am not paranoid but i lean outside the boat to light up.....just in case....     I don't smoke either.....

Mick

[Hush]

Not wishing to be a Water Nazi grnrngr but after 9 friggen weeks of night classes with the New Zealand Coast Guard I was really hoping when I Googled "painter rope" that what they tought me was correct: and ahem...I quote.....

Painter (rope)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaJump to: navigation, search
A painter is a rope that is attached to the bow of a boat and used for tying up or for towing.

Ideally, the length of the painter should be no longer than the length of the boat, especially on small craft, to prevent fouling the propeller of an outboard engine.

Example usage from Alexander McCall Smith's Love Over Scotland, published in 2006 by Polygon in Edinburgh:

Henry held Domenica's hand as she stepped gingerly into the boat. Then he himself boarded, whipped the small outboard engine into life, and untied the boat's painter. In the heavy, mist-laden air, the engine was almost inaudible, like the purring of a cat.

[Grnrngr]

   that's what I said...you called it a "painter rope" way back when (which was the only reason I put your name to it), and I said a painter IS a rope, and saying "painter rope" is, well I used a couple different examples, but like saying "lumber wood".  Adding "rope" to "painter" is redundant and not proper english. OK..I get it..I originally said there are no "ropes"..and I stand by that, just as there are, like Coldright said, no "maps" on a boat. All "ropes" on a boat, ship, or other water-borne vessel are more properly called "lines", each "line" has a specific name like painter, halyard, sheet, shroud....

maybe we should move this to the "terminology" forum? 

[pdxPope]

I got the boat registered today, printed my course certificate (temporary permit until my BEC comes in the mail), and finished tuning her up. she purrs at a 600 RPM idle now. i also picked up a fish/depth finder, a couple oars (backup engine  ), a couple more life jackets, some spring lines, and most importantly the vintage drink holders that fit the mounts already on the boat. i need to finish installing the fish finder tomorrow, and she'll be ready to go!

So let me see if I have this correct..

You went from not knowing #$%* about boats to buying one, rebuilding the fuel delivery system, getting it registered and passing the boater's safety course in, what, two weeks and change?

Ha. Only you! 

What's next, cold fusion by the end of the month?

 

-JP

[paulages]

I got the boat registered today, printed my course certificate (temporary permit until my BEC comes in the mail), and finished tuning her up. she purrs at a 600 RPM idle now. i also picked up a fish/depth finder, a couple oars (backup engine  ), a couple more life jackets, some spring lines, and most importantly the vintage drink holders that fit the mounts already on the boat. i need to finish installing the fish finder tomorrow, and she'll be ready to go!

So let me see if I have this correct..

You went from not knowing #$%* about boats to buying one, rebuilding the fuel delivery system, getting it registered and passing the boater's safety course in, what, two weeks and change?

Ha. Only you! 

What's next, cold fusion by the end of the month?

 

-JP

well, let's not jinx me here... the thing could still break down in the middle of the water! 

[coldright]

Which is why you have a VHF and an anchor, right?

Then it's just a romantic afternoon on the river with your lady friend while waiting for help to arrive.

[paulages]

Which is why you have a VHF and an anchor, right?

Then it's just a romantic afternoon on the river with your lady friend while waiting for help to arrive.

sounds like an old greaser movie...

[set at lookout point, only in this case a beautiful bend on the Willamette channel]

Johnny to Suzie: "Oh my, Suzie, we seem to have run out of gas..."

Suzie: "Oh no! what ever will we do?"

Johnny: "Let's just huddle beneath this blanket until help comes along.."

 

[coldright]

Do you think she'll fall for it?  You could throw the old finger in the belly button trick in while you're at it.