We are a commune of inquiring, skeptical, politically centrist, capitalist, anglophile, traditionalist New England Yankee humans, humanoids, and animals with many interests beyond and above politics. Each of us has had a high-school education (or GED), but all had ADD so didn't pay attention very well, especially the dogs. Each one of us does "try my best to be just like I am," and none of us enjoys working for others, including for Maggie, from whom we receive neither a nickel nor a dime. Freedom from nags, cranks, government, do-gooders, control-freaks and idiots is all that we ask for.
I like sailboats, I like powerboats, I like the sea, and I like boat people. I used to enjoy fishing too, but got bored with it. We're on the Northeast coast.
Mrs. BD likes overnights on the boat -even 2 or 3 of them while visiting various marinas or yacht clubs. As a restless soul, it gets confining for me after one night onboard. No gym, nowhere to go really.
One of her dreams has been to do the Great Loop, but I would go nuts not to mention that I have a fine day job. The Great Loop is like the Appalachian Trail for boaters - with no exertion.
Our current boat is a 36' single diesel cruising boat with a Maine lobster boat (Downeast) hull, which means it's most efficient at around 16 mph and stable in seas. Will do 20, but the noise becomes unbearable even with our sound insulation. Even with bow and stern thrusters, tricky for us to back into a tight slip but that takes plenty of practice especially with wind and currents which there always are. Moorings - no problem. I am not comfortable with anchoring overnight, but that's my issue. Moorings are great and so are straight docks.
Yeah, our boat has a galley with stove, microwave, fridge, and shower indoor and out, and, of primary importance, a coffee-maker. Distance boating requires coffee and beer, in my view. Plus a wife or girlfriend, whichever.
One limiting factor with cruising-style boats - trawlers and similar - is speed and thus radius of adventure. You can go further at 30 knots with a quicker boat than at 16 mph, or 12 mph for noise reduction.
We used to know navigation, but have become dependent on the nav screen. If that thing went out, back to the charts and sheesh - bad. Fair weather boaters.
Two interesting developments in recent cruising boat design (I mean regarding overnight boats, not speedboats or dayboats) are the application of outboard engines, and moving the galley to the pilothouse. The former gives you speed and space, and the latter more companionship. Autopilot is very nice too, but you still need someone at the helm. Driving for hours with hands on helm can become tedious. We tend to go from waypoint to waypoint, but sometimes right out by compass headings.
Have never used the TV but I never use TV anyway.
My piggybank didn't have enough pennies for this similar Back Cove 37, and Mrs. BD wisely wanted no maintenance for brightwork. 24 Volts would be good, and I'd like to upgrade that, and we do have solar power for battery.
His piece sounds like the late, great Roger Scruton, which is a compliment.
But I do not understand the differences between fine art, illustration, or decoration. In fact, with music, visual arts, or performing arts, I just dunno. Is it interesting?
"If you count the number of seconds between the flash of lightning and the sound of thunder, and then divide by 5, you'll get the distance in miles to the lightning: 5 seconds = 1 mile, 15 seconds = 3 miles, 0 seconds = very close."
Here is the lighthouse-keeper's house today (the Coast Guard moved the light itself to California):
This little brick structure in the back contained the kerosene, delivered by boat as needed, to keep Mayo Light burning to mark Wellfleet Harbor:
Just past Mayo Beach, through the 1920s, was the grand Chequessett Inn, built on pilings (the stumps of which still poke through the mud) and finally destroyed by an attack of sea ice in the 1930s. Rumor is that rum-runner boats would stop by at night, contributing to the Inn's popularity during Prohibition.
It was built by Mr. Lorenzo Dow Baker, the pioneer of the banana trade from the Caribbean and Central America. On a whim, he loaded his schooner's empty hold with tropical fruit for the return trip to Boston, and made millions. Mainly bananas, hitherto unknown in Boston. Ended up owning plantations all over Central America, and a big hotel in Jamaica. His employees were Jamaicans: They worked Wellfleet in the summer and the Jamaica hotel in the winter.
Baker's business became the Boston Fruit Company, the foundation of the United Fruit Company. A clever Yankee.
I've worn out my almost-daily gym sneakers. I use them for weights, cardio, everything, but the bottoms have gotten slippery and the insides are disintegrating. No surprise but I hate to give up on shoes I like.
I do have a pair of "running" shoes but I don't really run much these days. Stair machine is fine cardio if you go fast enough.
First World problems, right? I like Sperry Topsider sneakers on the boat. Good grip on a wet boat.
Only New Balance for me, cuz they make narrow sizes.
What exactly is cross-training? It's not what I do, because I do not have a primary sport any more due to injuries.
What do our gym rat readers like for mixed workouts?
For a boat engines (outboard, gas inboard, or diesel), probably annually or every 100 hrs, whichever comes first. If you put your boat away for winter, change oil when it goes for storage, not in the Spring. Some opine every 200-250 hrs.
I love the sea but I still maintain that any boat under the size of an ocean liner can make you feel trapped, clautrophobic. Of course, if your sailboat is in the Bermuda Race (which started yesterday), you are too busy to feel caged.
- Check marine weather forecast! - Radio check - GPS, radar, etc working - Decide on an initial harbor-clearing course, then a course to destination with waypoints - Generator working - Coffee machine working - Toilet working - Water tank filled - Plenty of diesel - Beer in fridge, water bottles, Coke too - snacks in galley - Bilge free of water - Check engine oil - Waste water holding tank not full (I will not dump at sea, but many do) - Anchor power working - Inform any guests re safety rules - Life jackets ok - If overnights, bedding stuff etc. - a few $10 and 20s for tipping gas docks, dockhands - American marine flag up
Plenty of friends do, but I do not. I have a bit of anxiety in general anyway. I like docks and permanent moorings for overnight. Met a guy this week with an antique wooden ketch (as beautiful as a tern) and he swore by his kedge anchor like the one on the photo. Nobody uses those...do they?
Another random post from Maggie's. Tooth care is a complete drag, whether at home or in the dental hyena's office.
I tend to do my tooth care in the shower, but I have always hated tooth care and anything related to dentistry. Having grown up with a dentist who thought novocaine was newfangled nonsense didn't help, but as a kid I was afraid of needles too.
Anyway, some of us are obsessive tooth-carers and some are less so.
Nowadays, we have lots of choices:
- Water-pic (my dentist wants me to use, but it's a hassle) - Old-fashioned toothbrush - Electric toothbrush (I use, but it tickles my palate to annoyance) - Sonic toothbrush (I want to try one)
Maybe permanent fake implants would be a good plan. (Photo is not me, thank God).
You have to discuss your life in detail, and expose your physical condition. Yes, they like to be Psychiatrists too if they are smart. I will submit to it every two years or so. One problem is that they always find something to look into even if it doesn't matter. But sometimes it really does... You do not want to end up like my brother-in-law who I thought was the fittest guy in the family.
My doctor is a gym rat - more so than I am - and about 50% grey haired. Looks awesome, and I do not. My fasting glucose was a bit high, so he asked me about my food habits. I told him that, normally, I have 2 coffees for breakfast. He said he was the same. I told him that lunch makes me sleepy, so I usually only have a banana except on weekends. He said he was the same. He asked me what I had for supper last night. I said Thai take out. Cashew Beef I think, which I shared with Mrs.
I told him my appreciation for beer and wine. He thought that was fine.
Then we discussed my blessed Ambien for sleep, especially on planes. He thought that was good, and gave me five refills. I told him that low-dose Doxepin works, but produces too many bad dreams for me.
As an old-time fuddy-duddy I guess, I have always thought these were the only things in a man's wardrobe that would provide some color or interest.
JFK helped eliminate mens' hats by never wearing them, but hats were already going out at the time. Now we're at baseball caps instead of fedoras.
What about our male readers? Women love scarves, and a tie is sort-of the same idea. Nice private schools - and charter schools, still require semi-formal dress or uniforms. It works, from the outside in.
I am reposting this qestion because, as in church generally, I wore a tie at my father-in-law's funeral service a few weeks ago with my new dark blue suit. I'd guess half of the guys wore a tie. Very few guys wore a suit.
How often do you guys put on a tie? Church, work, theater, nice restaurant, weddings, funerals, etc?
What has occurred in the last week, for me, has been significantly bad. Nothing measured or caught for medical worseness - just that radiation on your brain for 6 weeks slowly causes growth in skull brain reduction in the region after about 4-5 weeks as language and memory slows due to expansions of brain from this. Over time, this will reduce. It ended all yesterday and I headed down to FL to live with my in-laws who were very grateful to offer themselves to me. They are in their late 87s and in wonderful shape than my own parents - and they have been AMAZINGLY HELPFUL helping me with my word members and working through when I hit memory or language slowdowns. As an FYI, over 32 years of married to their daughter, I have gained a great deal of love and support for these people, even as both my parents and one stepmother remain alive, they are simply not capable of keeping up with me at all the way my in-laws have. I owe them great love and support for their effort and support.
Do readers trust anchors overnight? 
Another random post from Maggie's. Tooth care is a complete drag, whether at home or in the dental hyena's office. 