HDTenEightyP/NetNews huggingface dataset:
From: ss@tamarack16.cray.com (Sandra Swanson)
Subject: Novice boaters
Originator: ss@tamarack16
Keywords: Stupid Ignorant Beginners Novice
Organization: Cray Research, Inc.
Date: 14 Sep 92 13:23:36 CDT


I have watched the tread on stupid/beginning/ignorant/dumb or
whatever else there is to call people that do zany things on the
water.  The postings have ranged from very logical to impatient
and condemning.

Now my 2 cents.

Many, many years ago I learned how to sail.  A dear family friend
had a 27' Catalina that was based in Dana Point, CA.  He taught me
"the ropes" and before long I was single-handing the beast under
sail (even in the channel).  It was a load of fun and I missed it
when he sold his boat and moved to Florida.  During the years I
sailed with him I never heard him say anything good about the
"stinkpots".  To him, the internal combustion engine has no place
afloat.

Now the shoe is on a different foot.  Fortune has taken me many
years (and miles) from Dana Point.  Last fall my hubby and I bought
a used 16' runabout with a 65hp outboard.  We took it out three times
before the water got hard (as it does in the upper Midwest in the
winter).  We realized that we were very dangerous and had a lot to
learn.  Our initial attempts to launch & retrieve probably provided
lots of fodder for the ramp-rats tales.

This spring we took the USCGA course.  We learned a great deal,
especially just how much we *DON'T* know.  We took what we learned
in the classroom and combined it with lots of on-the-water practice
at docking, manouvering, and even launching/retrieval.  We also
invested the money to make certain our boat was well equipped and safe.

Well, our first full year is almost over (alas!)  During the summer
we survived the loss of our engine, learned how *NOT* to cross a big
wake, mastered the VHF radio (yes, we have one of those), learned how
to miss the wing dams on the upper Mississippi, used the locks, and
helped stranded boaters.  We also got bitten by the bug and graduated
to a larger (19' I/O) boat.

Are we still dangerous?  YOU BET!  But I think we know our limits and
take precautions (such as the radio).  We wear our PFDs when in the
locks and on the foredeck, wear the safety lanyard when it's rough, and
give other boats (especially those huge tows) plenty of room.  And,
most important, we're always ready to pull back on the throttle when
in doubt.  Plus, we give the "blowboats" lots of space --- I know you
need room to come about.

Boating is in our blood and we look forward to many, many years of fun
and safe boating.  We still have much to learn, but we're not afraid to
admit we don't know.  Sure we'll make lots of clutzy goofs, but with
each one we'll learn.  We *NEVER DRINK* while on the boat, and we follow
the rules (both real and common sense).  Finally, we're even beginning
to look good at the launch ramp.

Please, no flames, I'm being truthful here.  We're novices and know it.


<><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><>
Sandra Swanson   -   Software Publications
Cray Research, Inc. - ss@tamarack.cray.com
655F Lone Oak Drive
Eagan, MN     55121     -     612/683-5815
From: paulh@tekcae.cax.tek.com (Paul Hammer)
Newsgroups: rec.boats
Subject: Re: 8D ?  (wuz 2 batteries -- how?)
Date: 14 Sep 92 16:12:09 GMT
Organization: Tektronix, Inc., Beaverton,  OR.

>The 8Ds are stock truck batteries - I use Interstate because they are

Of course, I could make a simple local call to a battery shop to
find this out, but what fun is that?

Please tell me how an 8D compares to the typical sized deep cycle
batteries, "group 24" and "group 27".  I'd like to know physical
size, weight, amps.

-rcf
From: gra@cunyvms1.gc.cuny.edu
Newsgroups: rec.boats
Subject: Boat Show Question
Date: 14 Sep 92 16:11:52 GMT
Reply-To: gra@cunyvms1.gc.cuny.edu
Organization: Computer Center, CUNY Graduate School, New York NY 10036

Can anybody offer advice on which of the fall in water boat shows are the
best to attend.  I'm shopping for a day sailer, something that would be
appropriate forthe Long Island Sound area.  I've heard that Annapolis was
the biggest show but Stamford and or Norwalk, CT are much closer and don't
require an overnight stay.  Is Annapolis that much better or am I likely to
see some good boats at these other two shows/

Thanks.

Eric Graig
CUNY Graduate Center
Newsgroups: rec.boats
Subject: Re: Inexperienced boaters
From: hal@kaos.declab.usu.edu (000200 Lynch)
Date: 15 Sep 92 09:56:50 MDT
Reply-To: hal@kaos.declab.usu.edu (000200 Lynch)
Distribution: na
Organization: Utah State University

In article <3669@unisql.UUCP>, torsten@unisql.UUCP (Torsten Weirich) writes:
|>
|>Speaking of mistakes...after launching my boat hundreds of times, I think
|>I made what I consider to be one of the most embarassing mistakes...I
|>partially submerged my trailer without first putting the plug in my boat.
|>
Is there a boater with a brain that doesn't dread this one.  In a desperate
attempt to forestall rinsing my boats bilge with lake water I attach the
the plug to the boats key-ring when it's not on duty.  To do this I
soldered a loop of electrical house wire to the plug.

upside: It is very difficult to start the boat without realizing that
        something terribly wrong.

downside: The key-bouy won't float with the plug on.  Sigh.

P.S. I carry a spare plug.

Hasn't happened to me _yet_.
--
Hal Lynch
	Internet: Hal@cache.declab.usu.edu
	DECnet:   USU::HAL
From: ecf_stbo@jhuvms.hcf.jhu.edu (Quentin Robert DeNameland)
Newsgroups: rec.boats
Subject: Re: blow_____ (boats)
Date: 11 Sep 92 20:30:00 GMT
Distribution: na
Organization: The Johns Hopkins University - HCF
News-Software: VAX/VMS VNEWS 1.41

In article <18qonfINN3vd@gilligan.East.Sun.COM>, mike@gilligan.East.Sun.COM (Mike Roncadori) writes...
>Again, refer to the above regarding making moise to attract
>attention. 

Somehow I don't think the person who posts here and sails j-24's is gonna like
this.
HAHAHAHAHAHA....

Tom O'Toole - ecf_stbo@jhuvms.hcf.jhu.edu - JHUVMS system programmer 
Homewood Computing Facilities, Johns Hopkins University, Balto. Md. 21218 
> * OLX 2.1 * ease!Trim!eeeaaaassse!trimtrimTRIMeeeeeeeaaaaaasse!trimea
Newsgroups: rec.boats
From: davidm@meaddata.com (David Miller)
Subject: Re: Bayliner myths: a challenge
Organization: Mead Data Central, Dayton OH
Date: Fri, 11 Sep 1992 18:23:22 GMT
Distribution: usa

In article <18q34kINN3ro@gilligan.East.Sun.COM>, mike@gilligan.East.Sun.COM (Mike Roncadori) writes:
|> 
     [lots deleted]

|> One way I use to see how much experience a person has in a boat
|> is to watch them launch and trailer it. A good boater in a well
|> rigged boat can be in or out of the water in under 3 minutes with
|> ease, and never has to leave the helm. An inexperienced boater
|> seems to take all day, and they always have ONE person do all
|> the driving (of the tow vehicle, and the boat). This means that
|> they have to pull up, dock (usually blocking the ramp in the pro-
|> cess), go get the tow car, and finally get the boat on the trailer
|> (usually with alot of wading, and harsh words towards one another). 

I don't think it's fair to say that a single person handling car and boat is
stereotypically bad....  I often boat with my kids, neither of whom is old
enough to drive (4 and 6 actually) and neither of whom is capable of safely
trailering the boat.  I dock on the outside of the dock so I don't block
lanes, and then retrieve the car.  Once the trailer is in the water, the boat
is usually on it within 2 minutes or less.

Now, when I have another experienced car operator, I'm at the ramp less than
60 seconds (my roller trailer is wonderful!).

I would rather see one qualified person do both the trailer and car, as opposed
to allow an incompetent person do one.

I do cuss the morons who block the ramp while retrieving their cars - 
especially when dock space is available that doesn't block the ramp.

|> 
|> IMHO, there are alot of people out there who don't know what they
|> are doing, from the moment they drop the hitch over the ball. I'm
|> not saying this to sound elitist, it's just that I see more people
|> do stupid things in one day at the lake than I see the rest of the
|> week.

I agree with this.

-- 
David James Miller                        Architecture&Systems Evolution
Mead Data Central, B6F3                   (513) 865-7441
PO Box 933                                davidm@meaddata.com
Dayton Ohio 45401                         I speak for me, not MDC
From: pavlov@niktow.canisius.edu (Greg Pavlov)
Newsgroups: rec.boats
Subject: Re: Bayliner myths: a challenge
Date: 9 Sep 92 13:42:47 GMT
Distribution: na
Organization: Canisius College, Buffalo NY. 14208

In article <1992Sep8.130206.24082@porthos.cc.bellcore.com>, jadams@vixen.uucp (26070-adams) writes:
> 
> This weekend on the aforementioned Barnegat Bay, one of these "Straw
> Hatters" (A local term for jewelry festooned morons) managed to park his
> 32' go fast machine high and dry on double creek shoals.  Friends of mine
> who make a living doing salvage and towing told me he was going "hell bent
> for election" when he failed to notice that the poor excuse for a channel
> made a 90 degree dog leg to port...Oops!

  It was obviously the Corp of Engineer's fault for  not straightening out 
  the channel for this responsible and mature/adult boater.  I'm sure that
  his lawyer will be in contact with them shortly.   :-)

  greg pavlov
  pavlov@fstrf.org


  (and imagine if there was a family or a group having a picninc there.  Woulda
   been their fault if someone got hurt.  It's a posted no swimming area, after
   all.  So they'd get sued as well.  Those fast-boat people know their constit-
   utional rights.....)






  
Newsgroups: rec.boats
From: jfh@cs.brown.edu (John F. Hughes)
Subject: Re: Splices vs Bends
Organization: Brown University Department of Computer Science
Date: Thu, 10 Sep 1992 18:04:28 GMT

In article <25689@castle.ed.ac.uk> ercn72@festival.ed.ac.uk (R.J.Hare) writes:
:A buntline hitch is simply a clove hitch tied around the standing part of a
:rope with that ropes own fall. The clove hitch is tied with the bitter end on
:the inside of the loop so formed so that it is trapped when the loop is drawn
:tight. 


For those interested, this perfectly-described "buntline hitch" is the same 
as the "stu'ns'l tack bend" mentioned in anohter couple of postings.

-John
Newsgroups: rec.boats
From: dyh2631@ritvax.isc.rit.edu
Subject: Donzi Seven meter
Reply-To: dyh2631@ritvax.isc.rit.edu
Organization: Rochester Institute of Technology
Date: Tue, 8 Sep 1992 02:33:17 GMT

For sale
Donzi Seven meter
Twin 350 Volvo Penta power
very good condition
best offer ($8500 area)
call david (716) 292 6073
From: thatchh@hplsla.hp.com (Thatch Harvey)
Newsgroups: rec.boats
Subject: Re: Plastic Gas Tank.
Date: 10 Sep 92 15:53:34 GMT
Article-I.D.: hplsla.6140070
Organization: HP Lake Stevens, WA




        If you can, keep it full. That will reduce the bloating problem.
By the way, I had this happen with a metal 6 gallon tank, and the bottom
puffed out permanently to a degree that the tank now rocks when sitting.



                  Thatch Harvey 
Newsgroups: rec.boats
From: ss@tamarack16.cray.com (Sandra Swanson)
Subject: Re: 2 batteries -- how?
Originator: ss@tamarack16
Organization: Cray Research, Inc.
Distribution: na
Date: 9 Sep 92 13:55:27 CDT


In article <1992Sep9.171212.11392@infonode.ingr.com>, scott@bell.b17a.ingr.com (Scott Bell) writes:

> 
>      I recall having seen an ad/article about a battery isolator/switch that
>      senses the LOWEST-POWERED( amperage ) battery from a group of batteries
>      connected to it. The switch/isolator then redirects the alternator to
>      charge said battery. Pretty nice, eh?!
> 
>      Does anyone have info or a homemade schematic for such a device? 
>      Has anybody( besides me ) heard of this wonder-switch?
>      

The current (Fall & Winter) E&B Discount Marine catalog (event
#1AJ183) lists a Guest Automatic Battery Isolator, E&B stock 
#1000-5072 at a price of $34.99.  The text claims that it 
automatically directs the charge to the battery needing it most.  
E&B's phone # is 800/533-5007.  BTW, we've found E&B to be a very
reliable mail order outlet.

The reason I noted it is that my hubby & I are considering adding a
second battery to our boat.  So, we've been watching the "2 batteries"
thread pretty closely.


<><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><>
Sandra Swanson   -   Software Publications
Cray Research, Inc. - ss@tamarack.cray.com
655F Lone Oak Drive
Eagan, MN     55121     -     612/683-5815
From: bobp@cherise.UUCP (Robert Parkinson)
Newsgroups: rec.boats
Subject: Re: Wake
Date: 4 Sep 92 13:24:21 GMT
Reply-To: bobp@sandr.com (Robert Parkinson)
Distribution: na
Organization: S&R Software, Incorporated

>>Gary---
>>At least you go out to the ocean to do this! I sail on Barnegat Bay and when  
>>I'm out there I get 40' cigarette boats going flat out (80mph+) buzzing me 
>>by 20 - 30 
>
>Same thing in middle river, by bowleys light, everybody is entering or leaving
>the river and it's amazing the chop that builds up: enough to swamp a dinghy,
>strictly from wakes.  My understanding was that there was a 6 kt. speed limit
>inside bowleys (maybe it's just inside frog mortar creek) on weekends,

I've been up Middle River a few times, and you're right; lots of wake,
and also lot's of private piers with boats tied up getting beat by
that wake. 

What amazes me is when I'm coming out of Middle River at night, 
there are always powerboats barreling up the river at high speed.
I get nervous going *6* knots in the dark, at least in confined
waters; these fast-moving people must be enormously brave, or 
something.

More on wake: I took a couple of friends out on the boat for
lunch a few weekends ago, and the powerboat wake in the Patapsco
was bad enough that one of my guests became quite seasick.
We had lots of conflicting wake, resulting in a quite 
irregular and nasty motion. 

How come many powerboats seem always to stay in the channel? I've 
been beating out of Baltimore, and many times have had close
encounters with powerboats as I cross the channel. Even had one
stop dead in the water while I crossed, he just sat there for a few
minutes, and then carried on. He could easily have gone astern
of me.    

Also, in the Patapsco, there's virtually no place to go aground, at
least north of Rock creek. So, if I were in a powerboat, I would want 
to be OUT of the channel, so that when my engine quit I wouldn't be 
run down by a freighter.

I'm not bashing powerboaters; making big wake where it's legal
doesn't bother me or my boat. I'm not sure that it should
be legal to go like hell everyplace it is currently legal.

>Tom O'Toole - ecf_stbo@jhuvms.hcf.jhu.edu - JHUVMS system programmer 

Bob Parkinson
bobp@sandr.com
-- 
[ Bob Parkinson                                 S&R Software, Incorporated ]
[ bobp@sandr.com                                              410.628.9241 ]
Newsgroups: rec.boats
From: francis@oas.stanford.edu (Francis Muir)
Subject: Re: Changing a name
Organization: Stanford Exploration Project
Distribution: usa
Date: Wed, 9 Sep 1992 16:10:51 GMT

David Spencer writes:

	Stefan Michalowski writes:

		During both World Wars, a large number of German ships 
		were seized. Some of them had names like Grossherzogin 
		Grimmhilde and had to be renamed for obvious reasons 
		(I may be wrong, but the USCG "Eagle" is one of these).

	On the other hand, a US submarines sank the Japanese freighters 
	_America Maru_ and _California Maru_. They were US-flagged ships 
	siezed in far eastern harbors at the start of the war -- and not 
	renamed.

What! You mean they were named * Maru in America! I am incredulous. I
suggest that if the Japs had not tacked on the "Marus" they might be
sailing today, shipping powdered Chevrolets from Redwood City to
Yokohama. I renamed *The Green Machine* *FELIX* because it seemed to
me that I could not have worse luck than cruising around with a name
like TGM.

						Francis Muir
						FELIX
						Redwood City
From: gt@hpfcbig.SDE.HP.COM (George Tatge)
Date: Fri, 4 Sep 1992 18:18:33 GMT
Subject: Re: Electronics (too much is never enough)
Organization: HP SESD, Fort Collins, CO
Newsgroups: rec.boats

In rec.boats, spikes@hpscit.sc.hp.com (Bill Spikes) writes:

>He forgot the shortwave and the most important thing...every boat has to
>have one to rui#, uh......complete the set up...a STEREO! Yeah, that helps,
>about a 100 watt STEREO. Great boating acces.'s. Then everyone around you
>can "enjoy" your music, too.

>Bill
 
Oops, I forgot that also.  He has a big wattage stereo with 6 speakers!

Again, this is a 22ft. open bow boat!

gt

Newsgroups: rec.boats
From: gc@bnl.gov (Graham Campbell)
Subject: Re: Bayliner myths: a challenge
Reply-To: gc@bnl.gov
Organization: Brookhaven National Laboratory
Date: Thu, 10 Sep 1992 14:51:58 GMT

In article 14192@cbfsb.cb.att.com, heon@cbnewsg.cb.att.com (garry.j.heon) writes:
>In article <1357@niktow.canisius.edu>, pavlov@niktow.canisius.edu (Greg Pavlov) writes:
>> In article <1992Sep8.130206.24082@porthos.cc.bellcore.com>, jadams@vixen.uucp (26070-adams) writes:
>>  It was obviously the Corp of Engineer's fault for  not straightening out 
>
>I am truely offended by these remarks.  Just because a few go fast boaters
>have no respect for the law or common sense for that matter doesn't mean
>we are all dangerous to the boating public.  A few weeks ago I had a run-in
>with a BLOW BOATER that was "tacking" ( sailing up wind, correct term?)
>in a very narrow channel (200' wide)in the Shrewsbury river.  No problem, right?
>WRONG, the asshole decided that he would troll while he was tacking back and
>forth across the channel.  Traffic was light and everone in sight was going
>slow ie. no wake.   Anyway this blowie had his fishing pole mounted somewhere
>high on the boat with a least a 150' of line trailing him.  It's a good thing
>I was respecting the law and no wake zones because the line did manage to
>catch two of my pasangers across the neck slicing them minorly.  Thank god!
>
>Before you go judging all go fasts as a problem you better realize that
>BLOWIES have a few people that are problems as well.  As far as getting sued,
>I sooner shoot the bas*&$d lawyer than seek his advice.
>

Obviously there are *!#$%s on both sides of the sail/power division.
But it might help the power boaters to understand the attitude of the
sail side of the house (I admit it, I am a sailor) if you consider the
percentages.  I dock my boat up a small creek with a 5 mph speed
limit.  This creek has a shoaling problem that is made much worse by
boat wake causing collapse of the banks.  The real  *!#$% is the guy
who came water skiing up and down the creek the other day, but he is
the exception.  The problem is that more than 50% of the motor boats
slow down to 5 mph only in the neighborhood of the docks.  Yes there
are courteous and knowledgable power boaters, but there are not enough
of you.  You get lumped in with the other 50% of the power boaters that
are not agressively discourteous or unsafe, but just don't understand
or care about the consequences of their actions.

(P.S. at least half of those who do slow down near the docks, do so too
late to keep the wake from rocking the docked boats.  They don't seem
to understand where their wake goes.)
---
Graham
gc@bnl.gov
From: pd@x.co.uk (Paul Davey)
Newsgroups: rec.boats
Subject: Re: Narrow Boat and Computer.
Date: 8 Sep 92 19:00:19 GMT
Organization: IXI Ltd.

>>>>> On 5 Sep 92 03:13:56 GMT, francis@oas.stanford.edu (Francis Muir) said:

Francis> Wallace Venable writes:

Francis> 	Andrew F Stratton writes:

Francis> 		I am considering buying a narrow boat as a home (while 
Francis> 		I do a PhD), but I am concerned that my PC clone wouldn't 
Francis> 		be up to it.  Any comments (good or bad)?

Francis> 	For Americans:  This is about living on an English CANAL BOAT.

Francis> Ah, now we understand. A fair question. The computer will prefer to be kept
Francis> dry, which will mean some sort of heat on every night. 

In winter. My heating has been off for about the last six months, it's
just getting cold enough to turn it on on colder nights now.
--
 Regards,			  pd@x.co.uk           IXI Ltd.
	Paul Davey		  pd@ixi.uucp          62-74 Burleigh St.
				  ...!uunet!ixi!pd     Cambridge,  U.K.
 "These _are_ interesting times"  +44 223 462 131      CB1  1OJ
From: goodwin@huey.udel.edu (Thomas Goodwin)
Newsgroups: rec.boats
Subject: Re: MerCruiser Trim
Keywords: MerCruiser Trim Power
Date: 10 Sep 92 20:07:25 GMT
Organization: University of Delaware, Newark

In article <1291@niktow.canisius.edu> pavlov@niktow.canisius.edu (Greg Pavlov) writes:
>In article <1992Aug24.145647.3122@hemlock.cray.com>, ss@tamarack16.cray.com (Sandra Swanson) writes:
>> 
>> All of our prior boating experience has been without the benefit
>> of power trim and we are somewhat confused about how one knows when
>> best trim has been achieved.  
>>
>  This is totally unscientific (I'm sure someone else will try to provide 
>  that aspect...), but when I first encountered power trim/tilt, I was told to
>  adjust it up or down, a little at a time, until the minimum amount of
>  hull/enging vibration was felt.  This seems to work fine overall....
>
>
>  pavlov@fstrf.org

I should have answered this the first time I read it but the best trim can
be achieved by setting your throttle and adjusting the trim to give you
the fastest speed according to your speedometer.  This is real easy if you
have a digital speedometer like on a fishfinder.  Should the boat start
to porpouse (sp?) adjust the drim down until it stops.

Tom
Newsgroups: rec.boats
From: larry@pdn.paradyne.com (Larry Swift)
Subject: Re: Changing a name
Organization: AT&T Paradyne, Largo, Florida
Distribution: usa
Date: Fri, 4 Sep 1992 13:35:47 GMT

In article <1992Sep03.214158.17174@ans.net> hagens@news.ans.net (Robert Hagens) writes:
>A simple question for all of you: If you buy a used boat, and want to change 
>the name, is this bad luck?

Most definitely.  I changed the name on mine (it was
"My Mistress"  -- bleah!), and two years later ran
into a big storm.

I wouldn't change it -- unless, of course, I had one
I liked better.

Larry Swift                     larry@pdn.paradyne.com
AT&T Paradyne, LG-132           Phone: (813) 530-8605
8545 - 126th Avenue, North      Gulfstar 37, aft cockpit
Largo, FL, 34649-2826           She's old and she's creaky, but she holds!


Newsgroups: rec.boats
From: larry@pdn.paradyne.com (Larry Swift)
Subject: Re: Splices vs Bends
Organization: AT&T Paradyne, Largo, Florida
Date: Tue, 8 Sep 1992 14:34:37 GMT

In article <1992Sep7.154645.2047@morrow.stanford.edu> francis@oas.stanford.edu (Francis Muir) writes:
>another block when I was hauled right in. I then rtealized how much I
>really disliked splices in braided line. So, I turned the line around,
>rerplaced the eye-splice with a carrick bend, and got margaret to execute
>...
>replacing eye-splices with Carricks. The carrick bend, by the way, is
>my favorit (and only!) bend, and I'm surprised it is not more used.

I agree with you -- eye-splices are a pain, except maybe 
for dock lines.  I prefer a bowline most places where a
load demands reliability, but I admit I'm not so familiar
with the carrick bend.  Aren't the two similar?

Larry Swift                     larry@pdn.paradyne.com
AT&T Paradyne, LG-132           Phone: (813) 530-8605
8545 - 126th Avenue, North      Gulfstar 37, aft cockpit
Largo, FL, 34649-2826           She's old and she's creaky, but she holds!

Newsgroups: rec.boats