Your Best Technique or Invention

[MurrayM]

Not a technique or invention; just a suggestion.

We decided not to buy anything for Badger (our first boat) in the first year of ownership, except for a new/larger anchor and rode. This kept us from buying lots of gear we thought we needed, and allowed us time to learn the idiosyncrasies of the older, but entirely adequate, equipment already aboard.

 

[dhays]

Yuk! Menzies, were you a former sailboater? All my sailboat friends do this with their manual heads, but none of the powerboaters I know do this.

My electric head chews everything up with its macerator, so this is not necessary.

Or just buy the right TP and avoid problems. We do (on our sailboat with manual heads) remind the guests to use the TP sparingly and to flush frequently and long.

 

[hmason]

Tell your guests that the first person to use the head cleans it at the end of the day.

 

[Forkliftt]

God Please don't turn this in to a toilet paper thread. I'm enjoying all of the great ideas!!


1983 Present 42 Sundeck
Twin Lehman 135's

 

[GFC]

I hold a "pre flight briefing" before we take guests out. The info includes where life jackets are, safety rules including nobody going up to the bow without my permission and unless the boat is stopped, and use of a marine head. That includes the use of TP ("3 sheets") and the caution that if they use to much they WILL plug the head and I WILL know who did it because they'll have to come tell me.

I also caution them that when we return to the dock nobody is expected to do anything unless I specifically ask them to do it.

 

[Art]

God Please don't turn this in to a toilet paper thread. I'm enjoying all of the great ideas!!


1983 Present 42 Sundeck
Twin Lehman 135's

Please Please Please - I agree!!! This thread is about great boating use ideas... not TP.

There's already been a shitty TP thread about a year ago. It never got fully to the bottom of things (pun intended). If you need to squawk about toilet tissue and where to stuff it... please go to the search feature to find that crappy ol thread and post there.

Happy Boat Daze! - Art

 

[goboatnow]

Not a technique or invention; just a suggestion.

We decided not to buy anything for Badger (our first boat) in the first year of ownership, except for a new/larger anchor and rode. This kept us from buying lots of gear we thought we needed, and allowed us time to learn the idiosyncrasies of the older, but entirely adequate, equipment already aboard.

I think that's great plan and one we plan to use as we try to close a deal on a N46. There are many bells and whistles that I think we can be without. Just need to spend some time on the boat to find out what's really important to us. We'll see, survey and mechanics reports come in next week!

 

[menzies]

Please Please Please - I agree!!! This thread is about great boating use ideas... not TP.

There's already been a shitty TP thread about a year ago. It never got fully to the bottom of things (pun intended). If you need to squawk about toilet tissue and where to stuff it... please go to the search feature to find that crappy ol thread and post there.

Happy Boat Daze! - Art

Censorship!!!!!!

Or is that Censortp!!!!

 

[cardude01]

Not a technique or invention; just a suggestion.

We decided not to buy anything for Badger (our first boat) in the first year of ownership, except for a new/larger anchor and rode. This kept us from buying lots of gear we thought we needed, and allowed us time to learn the idiosyncrasies of the older, but entirely adequate, equipment already aboard.

This is great advice. Wish I had known this before I bought all my unneeded stuff.

 

[menzies]

I bought a drift parachute - never needed it.

EPIRB, never needed it.

Personal beacons, never needed it.

Liferaft, never needed it.

Full set of spare items for one engine (belts, filters, impellers, etc.) never needed to dip into it yet.

So, it does depend on where you are going. If staying inland and local that strategy may be fine. But there is a ton of stuff on any "small ship" that will hopefully never be needed. But you should have it.

 

[Heron]

The first thing that comes to mind because I'm fooling with lines today is applying battery terminal heat shrink tubing to the ends of line in lieu of whipping.

Also apply a shrink wrap "indicator" where your line hits the chock or hawse hole, You could also do a whipped wrap with waxed line if you want something more shippy. This is assuming you leave your lines permanently in place at your slip..Once you mark your Ideal line set-up within the slip, it's perfect every time you tie up....
Helpful when guests are assisting (or with an Admiral that doesn't quite get the hang of where the lines should be cleated)

 

[menzies]

Also apply a shrink wrap "indicator" where your line hits the chock or hawse hole, You could also do a whipped wrap with waxed line if you want something more shippy. This is assuming you leave your lines permanently in place at your slip..Once you mark your Ideal line set-up within the slip, it's perfect every time you tie up....
Helpful when guests are assisting (or with an Admiral that doesn't quite get the hang of where the lines should be cleated)

You don't use a piece of old water hose?

Hmmmm...

 

[ancora]

When pickin' up a moorin' in Catalina, the Sicilian secures the eye from the buoy to the bow Sampson post and walks the sand line down to the port quarter while I put the starboard engine in reverse at idle speed. This allows us to reach the eye of the sand line and secure it to a stern cleat.

 

[Hawgwash]

I hold a "pre flight briefing" before we take guests out. The info includes where life jackets are..

On the rare occasion there are youngsters along, I try to engage them in the process; actually putting on a PFD, teaching them some basic terms etc. At some point they will throw their new found knowledge at a parent; "ma-om, it's a head not a toilet." They like that.

And...nothing left out on cabin counters etc.

 

[menzies]

I once thought it would be a good idea to go over the man overboard procedure with a group I had on board. When I came to the part of a designated person doing nothing but watching the person in the water and pointing continuously, they all broke into singing YMCA and doing the pointing part of that routine.

Sigh.

 

[markpierce]

... All my sailboat friends do this with their manual heads, but none of the powerboaters I know do this.

...

Yours truly does. That's primarily what the head's metal trash can (with plastic liner) with a lid is for on the Coot. So Al, now you can say there is one exception. Where's that photo you recently took of the Coot's head?

 

[BandB]

I don't know about using an agent. We use them routinely in our business for foreign clearances. That is one of the few businesses that gets paid in excess of what they think it might cost UPFRONT. In other words, wire us $100,000 and if there is any left we'll send it to you.....after a while...maybe.
My first wife was a customs broker who dealt with shipping agents on a daily basis. Some of the stories would defy your imagination.
I hear the Mafia is looking to get into that business.

Well, I can assure you the Mafia isn't after the business of the port agents I'm talking about. They more than earn what they charge and are very affordable and reasonable. They do not require payment in advance either. They're just people who know how to quickly clear you into a country plus can provide you information and/or assistance on anything you want to do there. They just make your trip go better. They can't be compared to shipping agents. I've dealt with shipping agents and customs in many countries. Quite different. This is spending $100 or $200 for support in a location you don't know.

 

[cardude01]

Yours truly does. That's primarily what the head's metal trash can (with plastic liner) with a lid is for on the Coot. So Al, now you can say there is one exception. Where's that photo you recently took of the Coot's head?

We also have the trash can in the head. Manual toilet. Wife doesn't like it.

 

[menzies]

We also have the trash can in the head. Manual toilet. Wife doesn't like it.

Doesn't like the disposal instructions, or the manual head, or both?

It is actually my wife who demands the disposal method and deals with the resultant trash.

I should have never introduced her to Peggie Hall and her book (Get rid of boat odors)!!

 

[High Wire]

Before leaving on a trip that will be rough, we just go ahead and put things like lamps, fans, and plants safely on the deck. They are going to end up there anyway, one way or the other.

 

[menzies]

Running aground and forgetting to switch the fridge over from AC to DC before you leave the dock!

Both these consist of the same two groups of people.

Those who have done it, and those will will do it.

 

[Marin]

I have always left our rudders neutral when docking but would like to know, backing in with strong current or wind, how you remember which way to turn the wheel?

I'm pretty sure you want the aft edge of the rudder to "point the way", right?

You turn the rudders in the direction needed to move the stern in the direction you want it to go. We have a twin and we use our rudders during every maneuver we do. This vastly improves the control we have over the boat and allows us to perform maneuvers we would not be able to perform without using the rudders.

We also use differential thrust, opposing thrust, and differential power. We use whatever tools in the toolbox are needed to put the boat where we want it.

 

[janice142]

1) Here is a pretty simple way to keep us reminded of where the ATONs belong. See the red and green "snack bag" clips on the windshield? When there's a lot going on we find these can be very helpful reminders.

Similar to Lady Di, I have a pair of turk's head knots. The red one is on the side the red markers will be on. It's a visual reminder. And yes I'm careful to swap them as indicated near inlets.

The most important thing though is Neutral and Reverse. If the weather is worse than I had anticipated, I'll turn around and go back. This is as BandB says, supposed to be fun. If it's not I'm doing something wrong.

I always always always secure everything. And I almost always find one more thing that I didn't secure properly...

Before I raise the anchor I've got numerous stopping spots picked out and marked on the charts. I know when I'm tired I tend to make mistakes. With bunches of safe havens already identified, when the first inkling of "hmm, it would be nice to rest" occurs, I can stop -- usually within a half hour.

It's important to drink plenty of fluids.

That's it for tonight. I'll write more tomorrow. I just bought more bandwidth -- I'd used my allotment and the 7th is a long way away!

 

[Bay Pelican]

We anchor for weeks in the same spot. For an anchor alarm I have set up an old netbook running on 12 v with an attached usb powered amplified speaker. Location data is fed from a usb powered hockey puck gps. When the screen on the netbook turns off after one minute the power draw is negligible compared to my normal navigation equipment. The amplified speaker is loud enough to wake us if it goes off.

 

[FF]

"backing in with strong current or wind, how you remember which way to turn the wheel?"

Imagine your self standing behind the wheel as you go aft and steer normally.

 

[O C Diver]

Always use the head before you pull the anchor or cast off the dock lines.

Always assume the weekend boaters you encounter are returning from happy hour.

Make check lists for departure and leaving the boat for home.

Use your spares and replace the spares with new.

Ted

 

[High Wire]

WHEN you run aground, the first thing to do is look around to see if anyone saw you!

 

[cardude01]

WHEN you run aground, the first thing to do is look around to see if anyone saw you!

Lmao. That what I always do right after I screw up and do something dumb.

 

[siestakey]

Doesn't like the disposal instructions, or the manual head, or both?

It is actually my wife who demands the disposal method and deals with the resultant trash.

I should have never introduced her to Peggie Hall and her book (Get rid of boat odors)!!

My wife introduced me to it our boat is at the same mariina we bought it at people come in our boat now and are amazed at the difference it smells great

 

[bayview]

When using twins centralize the rudders and never touch the wheel when docking - use the gears and a little goose if needs be.

I guess you never walk your boat sideways. A smart boater uses all available tools at the correct time.