Date: Fri, 4 Dec 2009 15:13:17 -0600
Reply-To: John Rodgers <inua@CHARTER.NET>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: John Rodgers <inua@CHARTER.NET>
Subject: Re: Winter Trips, was Westy sighting San Carlos Mexico,
now Fri OT Sail rap
In-Reply-To: <6bc66ccf0912040814i4b008d28s33fce1f7c5800941@mail.gmail.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1; format=flowed
Don said:
>>Nope, having your WBX blow a gasket or your 3rd/4th shaft fail, getting a
'No Start' with your Subie-Vanagon or breaking down in Death Valley or in
Tijuana...that all is 'small stuff' when considered against Sailing's
possibilities. <<
Boy! Have you ever got that right. I spent a bit of small craft time at
sea myself in a friends boat - 36 foot marconi rigged sloop. I got
educated real quick! 'Bout the only thing worse is a problem with an
airplane in flight. You cannot pull over to a cloud then get out and
kick the tires. I have had three unplanned landings in my day - and
believe me, when that happens, the pucker factor goes off the scale and
mechanics are not your friend. They bitch like crazy over trying to get
the cone out of the pilots seat!
Yep, these days I'll settle to trundle along in my 'Lil Red 'Wagen -
(well, big red vanagon!) I can camp in it until the rescue squad
arrives. Can't do that in the air or at sea when theres trouble.
John Rodgers
Clayartist and Moldmaker
88'GL VW Bus Driver
Chelsea, AL
Http://www.moldhaus.com
Don Hanson wrote:
> Boy, you all lament the Vanagon as a difficult device. Boats are
> seriously, intensely intolerant of neglect and very vulnerable to 'stupid
> owner' syndrome. At least those boats that are actually used for offshore.
> Even a trip through Puget Sound, along the Inter-coastal Waterway, or
> across the Chesapeake Bay can be life threatening in a poorly maintained or
> ill designed boat.
> I spent a period of time being totally enthralled with and immersed (pun)
> in the Sailing Life..Working in a high dollar full service yacht yard,
> sailing as a Pro racing crew (rock jock) on wealthy guy's boats. Guys who
> wanted to beat their friends so they brought in us "ringers" aboard to help
> them go fast. We built the 'scratch boat' or one of the first to finish, a
> 46' Doug Peterson designed very high dollar fractional rig, which we
> campaigned full time in the Pac NW for the owner of the yard where I
> worked. I learned a lot, but I also lost some of my "romantic" notions
> about how cool it would be to "Sail around the world" sometime..
> When something goes wrong with an offshore yacht or even a daysailing
> boat, you just can't pull over in a wide spot and fix it. Or call AAA for a
> flatbed..When you lose motive power..or worse, if you have a problem
> involving hull integrity (a hole in the boat) you are in serious trouble.
> If you happen to be along a rough coast...and all coasts are 'rough' if your
> boat gets sent ashore ("On the Bricks" was the phrase) you can even die...If
> you get exhausted while sailing, you don't just find a Wal-Mart and spend
> the night...
> Using a cheap part for a fix.....not a good idea. Duct tape, tie wire, or
> Home Depot spare parts? You have to consider the possible consequences of a
> half-a**ed repair failing again at just the wrong time... say...off Cedros
> Island along the coast of Baja, or half way to Maui..or somewhere equally
> 'inconvenient'..
> Nope, having your WBX blow a gasket or your 3rd/4th shaft fail, getting a
> 'No Start' with your Subie-Vanagon or breaking down in Death Valley or in
> Tijuana...that all is 'small stuff' when considered against Sailing's
> possibilities.
> Don Hanson
>
>
> On Thu, Dec 3, 2009 at 11:16 PM, BenT Syncro <syncro@gmail.com> wrote:
>
>
>> Friday is sooooo close. :-)
>>
>>
>> BenT
>> Sent from my mobile device
>>
>>
>> On Dec 3, 2009, at 9:49 PM, Jim Cochran <mxsailor@GMAIL.COM> wrote:
>>
>> Craig-
>>
>>> You should do that!
>>> It's a 1973 Morgan 33 Out Island.
>>> Also have a Morgan 44, 1987.
>>> (project- ugh!)
>>> But soon the Police will kick this thread off to Sailnet...
>>>
>>> Jim
>>> On Dec 3, 2009, at 10:07 PM, craig cowan wrote:
>>>
>>> Nice looking boat Jim!
>>>
>>>> Is that an Ericson 30?
>>>> It reminds me very much of an Ericson 30 i've sailed on.
>>>>
>>>> I'll have to post some of my boat(s) sometime.
>>>>
>>>> -Craig
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> On Thu, Dec 3, 2009 at 11:55 PM, Jim Cochran <mxsailor@gmail.com>
>>>> wrote:
>>>> Nice boat, nice movie Ben.
>>>> Here's mine:
>>>> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z9csMI5Ya0I
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> On Dec 3, 2009, at 9:31 AM, Benny boy wrote:
>>>>
>>>> Need a sailor?
>>>> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dg37jqwpOsw
>>>>
>>>> I'm in
>>>>
>>>> Ben
>>>> http://www.benplace.com/
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>
>
>
| 
