Messing around in Boats...

...I've quoted it dozens of times, but I can't remember who said that bit about "messing around in boats"...but good on him!

It's time (according to the calendar), that the boating season start, and in fact, the Columbia River Yachting Association Opening Day boat parade is a scarce week away. I sit at the marina, and eyeball the snowpack at a bare thousand feet in the Coast Range, and was in this snow last week. It doesn't LOOK like boating season, but looks can be deceiving...

Last night, my old war buddy David S blew in from Phoenix, and I had his yacht ready for him, WITH TWO ELECTRIC HEATERS RUNNING TO WARM IT UP TO SURVIVAL TEMPERATURE! Yep, that's what we are facing here, and it is a microcosm of what the rest of the Northern Hemisphere faces this year...no summer (and you DIDN'T hear it here first if you have been following the TRUTH in climate change).

Nope, next weekend, I will dress in my formal yachting uniform, but I will have long johns and gore-tex under the Blue Blazer and White Duck pants as I sit on the flying bridge to anchor the fleet of Multnomah Channel Yacht Club past the review vessels. On the stern of "Lofoten Girl" will be the orange safety sign that indicates I am the rescue vessel for my yacht club, and not 45 minutes ago, I finished preparing my 50-meter floating tow-line, to be capable of taking a yacht up to 48 feet (our club's largest) in tow and returning it the twenty miles of windy Columbia, Willamette and little Multnomah Channel rivers to the yacht club if there is a propulsion failure. I'm better prepared for this duty than most, having a powerful twin-engine yacht and 8 years of experience in the Marine Patrol doing this work for a Marine Deputy's wages.

I just finished commissioning my new VHF-Marine  walkie-talkie, a Uniden  MHS350, and it checks out, along with the two fixed-installation VHFs aboard. I also just finished renewing ALL the ships' batteries ($$$$$!!!), and checked out the engines while moored in my berth, and they and their transmissions are ready for duty. I've de-winterized, so there better not be any more damn Arctic Outbreaks (the last one was last weekend!). The shore boat is on a temporary berth, the better to work the aft deck for any necessary rescue and towing work. As I write, the river rolls by my yacht at a bare 51 degrees, barely out of the winter-instant-death immersion temperature regime. Anyone falling overboard during the parade will have to be out of the river within 5 minutes, or rescue swimmers will be required to save lives. I have checked out my rescue throw bag/line and the three throwable livesaving devices I carry (only one is required, but I'll be damned to Hell if I'll be forced to choose who I throw my life ring to, so I have several).

I refuse to think about what this little 40-mile parade will cost me an my 1.7 mpg yacht at $4.00/gallon for fuel...but DAMN, I wish she was powered by steam and all I had to worry about was having enough cordwood aboard and the strong backs to muscle it down from the decks to the fire room...

Comments

[Will]

Does she handle ok with just one screw turning? Better mileage?
Talking of steam power, consider this variation:

http://www.damninteresting.com/?p=669

I think the article with Jay Leno has a lot of info.

[Justthisguy]

Well, you know, you could wear a wet suit under the blazer and yachting cap. You'd look funny, but have a longer survival time if you fell overboard.

I'm all for having fun with ceremonial dress, but not if it impairs my chances of living past a mishap.

[Justthisguy]

P.s. I write from Southern Florida, where we all dress like slobs at all times, except when being vulgarly ostentatious. You dress right, Sir, and just be careful to stay dry.

[Rivrdog]

Yep, one engine at 1200 to 1500 rpm is the cheapest way to operate the boat. I alternate engines every hour or so, and monitor the transmission heat.

[og]

I'd loe to have a little steam launch. I'm trying to get some of the people I work with to build a little stem engine.