On Sun, 15 Apr 2007 23:41:21 +0000, Larry wrote:

Larry,
You are a real social butterfly.

No, I have never called on channel 13 - what is it internationally
used for? We/I usually call on Channel 16 at sea.

I also have used the spotlight on the mainsail. I just hope that
someone is looking my way at the time. Some of them do come a bit
close at times though which is somewjhat disconcerting. WSe have found
that if the "owner" gets on the radio, we get good responses but that
is not a hard and fast rule.

You're right about them being bored to tears. It must be hell going
faster than 5 knots and making more than 120 miles per day. They never
have to worry much about wind direction or sea state not that we worry
overly about it. Ther's not much you can do when you are there. They
do however take advantage and note of currents which can save/cost
them extra time and fuel. But this is compensated for by having a
regular cook and all the comforts of home.

Peter

If is saves one life, to hell with the rules. If they get curious...they
can TURN ON THEIR RADIOS AND ASK!....which is what I wanted them to do in
the first place.

Speaking of radios, do you chat with ships you can see out beyond land on
Channel 13? Most sailors treat that radio as some kind of plague they're
required to carry. I'm an old ham operator, so like to chat. Coming
home from Florida, off the GA coast a hundred miles or so, we had 14
active "checkins" to "The Channel 13 Ship Net" at 1AM on the midwatch.
One of the 1st Mates wanted to trade me Lionheart for a containership,
but I had to turn him down...(c; They're really BORED TO TEARS up on
those tall bridges in the dark, I found. Having a chat on 13 perked
everyone, including me all red-eyed and a little seasick in the slop.
Oddly, though we could see lots of other yachts, both motor and sail, we
couldn't raise them on 13 or 16 or get them to respond to our calls for a
chat. Maybe it was that old "hermit syndrome" so may yachties have,
trying to leave the whole world on another planet. You know them, I'm
sure.

The big 12V quartz-iodine 55W searchlight with the big reflector can also
make anyone stand up and take notice.....especially if they are headed
right for you. After a quick sweep across to make a big flash pointed at
them, shine the beast up on their side of the mainsail, lighting up the
whole sail rigging like day so they can't miss that you are a SAILBOAT
and expect to be treated like same. Deck lights on the spreaders can't
hold a candle to the beast lighting up the sail for visibility to some
idiot banker on his Hatteras 58. Lionheart looks like the tail of a
Delta 757 taxiing its tail billboard around....(c;

Larry