On Sat, 12 Feb 2011 14:55:29 -0500, "Wilbur Hubbard"
wrote:

"Jessica B" wrote in message
.. .
snip


I think it's getting worse. Honestly, some people should not go to the
beach!

It can get really really bad on the beaches around here. It's the Canadian
snowbird problem. Not only are most of them obese but they are totally white
and pasty-skinned while the women are fond of thong bikinis and the men
Speedos. Sometimes it's difficult not to wretch at the sight of them.

Ok, well, I can get pasty. :}

I might have to take a flight in the next couple of months, so thanks
for reminding me!

You're welcome. ;-) Perhaps you'll think of me when you're all crammed in
there . . .

Next to obese people? Nah... I'll be thinking of someone in better
shape than that!

snip


Two (anchors) of(f) the front? I guess you could put them away from each
other somehow. Otherwise they'd get all tangled. How deep do you anchor
typically? I guess in the Keys it must be pretty shallow... like 10 to
20 feet? If less than that don't you worry about waves picking up the
boat and letting it land on the bottom.. or is that impossible?


You've sure got a good head on your shoulders, girl. Yes, two anchors off
the bow as in "Bahamian Style" which is anchors placed about 60 degrees
apart as described by the angle of the anchor rodes. In a tidal current they
are places slightly up current and slight down current so when the tide and
current changes the boat still lies between both with relatively equal
pulls. In a wind only situation one places the anchors more like 90-120
degrees apart and this holds the bow directly into the wind and it doesn't
sheer around.

So, that's what they do in the Bahamas? I've never been, but it's
pretty close to you? How do you get the second anchor in the right
place? You can't put them in at the same time, so you must have to get
the boat to the second spot. It must be tough to judge where it is in
relation to the first one, since it's on the bottom.

I generally prefer to anchor in relatively shallow water - around six feet
at mean low water. Yes, the Keys have very shallow water in many places. As
for waves picking up the boat and slamming it on the bottom that's not
likely to happen in wind-generated wave action, at least. See, it's the
depth of the water that determines the height of the wave and the depth of
the wave trough in shallow water. In six-foot deep water the largest
wind-generated wave possible would be about three feet. So, that would still
give a three-foot cushion for a 3-foot draught boot in one fathom of depth -
one fathom being six feet.

Ok... I get it I think, and if it's really, really bad weather, you
could put the boat somewhere where it's more protected...

Forgive me for getting a bit technical, Jennifer, sweetheart. I know you can
handle it as you are as intelligent as you are beautiful (and that's
intelligent almost beyond belief). But, I imagine being technical might be
quite the mental challenge for the likes of Bruce et al. LOL!

Tech away! I get jargon thrown at me all the time from contractors...
I was riding with a gf of mine and she tells me she hears a noise from
under the car, so I said I know what that is.. Really??? Well, yeah,
it's the band clatter of either the drive shaft or the transmission...
now if it's the drive shaft then it's not too serious, but if it's the
transmission, well you might be able to get someone to adjust it but
it probably needs to get replaced. She was amazed and then angry when
I told her I made it all up.


Wilbur Hubbard