On Sep 24, 12:20 pm, Frank Boettcher wrote:
On Mon, 24 Sep 2007 08:37:23 -0700, Frogwatch
wrote:



At some point, you exceed the optimum number of "toys" so that your
ability to maintain them begins to exceed your time to use them. I
believe this has happed to me. With two small homebuilt sailboats and
a 28' S2 sailboat, a homebuilt dinghy, a 20' Tolman Skiff (homeebuilt)
and a canoe, a 100 yr old log cabin in Wyoming that needs rebuilding,
an old Nissan truck with 309,000 miles on it that I love and a need to
maintain camping and caving equipment (did I mention a 20 yr old Dodge
Ram I inherited), I have no time to use any of it.
Yesterday, we wanted to go sailing but after I had de-fouled the prop
by going overboard in the canal, the engine overheated. Dang, I knew
I shoulda had the bottom painted thsi year (its been 4 years, a long
time in N. FL.). Engine intake was clogged with fouling and I couldnt
find a piece of stiff wire long enough to run through the intake from
inside (I wasnt going back in that nasty water again). So, sometime
this week, I gotta take time offa work and go to the coast and do
this, oughta replace the impeller at same time, scrape barnacles too.
My prop is just about shot from corrosion and dings so I'll haveta
sail her about 40 miles sometime in early Oct to have her hauled, prop
replaced, I will paint the bottom, and replace cutless bearing.
Somehow this week, I gotta set up caving gear for 5 people cuz my 20
yr old daughter has decided she wants to take her new BF on a caving
trip (gotta take the younger kids too).
Somehow, I think that I can do all of this if I optimally use each
evening and weekend to do stuff but something has to give. Money has
not been an issue because I do all the work myself cuz I dont like the
work anybody esle does and I have built 4 of my boats and my truck was
paid off 16 yrs ago. What should I give up to make room for doing
stuff?

Dump the vehicles. I finally had to do that. Was maintaining four
vehicles that average 200,000 miles. Sold off the 76 Datsun truck
(yeah I still had one with that name badge), Declared the "kids"
officially off the dependent status so they could maintain the cars
themselves or pay to have it done. Then sold off my wifes minivan.
Now have two vehicles that average 5K miles with warranties. No car
stuff for five years of so.

Of course what helped the most was retiring. I may be able to catch
up if I can stay off this computer.

Hey, I scallop in St. Joes bay, but I'm curious, are there any scallop
beds off of St Marks or east of St. George Sound. Do you ever hear
anyone talk of scalloping over there.

Frank

OH, I have this notion of building a kayak for my 11 yr old daughter
cuz she likes kayaks............


Katy and Frank:

For the past 10 yrs or so, scalloping has been better off St. Marks
than in St. Joe bay. I only managed to go once this year but they
were so plentiful that most people got their limit. Basically, you go
about 2-3 miles east of the lighthouse to near the rocky areas shown
on the charts and you find em in 2-9' of water.
Sometimes people find scallops in shallow water near St Theresa.

The WY cabin is a recent addition and will be our place in Summer to
escape the FL heat. We lived out there
when first married 27 yrs ago so it has strong emotional ties for us.
Right now, you cannot find any labor in WY the employment there is so
good so I (and my son I hope) will have to work on it next summer but
themn I hope to find someone to do it. My Nissan will be moved to WY
(4wd). My son drives the old Dodge Ram cuz it is all he is insured
on. My wife drives the family car ( a newer Toyota) that I wouldnt
bother looking under the hood cuz I think it was made with alien
technology from Area 51.
I forgot to mention the sailboard. It belongs to my 20 yr old
daughter and she keeps trying to take it back to UNF in Jacksonville
with her but it won't go on her car but I did manage to fabricate a
hanging system to hang it from the rafter of the carport so it doesnt
get lost in the grass.

I agree with Katy, we really need to get somebody to dive and scrape
the boat but growing up sorta "financially challenged" spending money
on something so frivolous is alien to both me and my wife. We really
have to get somebody else to do it, I agree.

On Mon, 24 Sep 2007 09:58:49 -0700, Frogwatch
wrote:



Katy and Frank:

For the past 10 yrs or so, scalloping has been better off St. Marks
than in St. Joe bay. I only managed to go once this year but they
were so plentiful that most people got their limit. Basically, you go
about 2-3 miles east of the lighthouse to near the rocky areas shown
on the charts and you find em in 2-9' of water.
Sometimes people find scallops in shallow water near St Theresa.


Good to know. I think I may come over there next season if for no
other reason to get a change of scenery. I did well in St. Joe's this
year though, the couple of times I got to go.

Frank

Frogwatch wrote:
At some point, you exceed the optimum number of "toys" so that your
ability to maintain them begins to exceed your time to use them.

Yep. It is the curse of prosperity.
You simply cannot have everything; and even if you could, you wouldn't
have a place to put it.



believe this has happed to me. With two small homebuilt sailboats and
a 28' S2 sailboat, a homebuilt dinghy, a 20' Tolman Skiff (homeebuilt)
and a canoe, a 100 yr old log cabin in Wyoming that needs rebuilding,
an old Nissan truck with 309,000 miles on it that I love and a need to
maintain camping and caving equipment (did I mention a 20 yr old Dodge
Ram I inherited), I have no time to use any of it.

Part of your problem is partly that you built your homebuilt boats out
of wood.
It's great stuff, but it is biodegradable.




Somehow, I think that I can do all of this if I optimally use each
evening and weekend to do stuff but something has to give.

Yep.
My predicition is that it will be either your spine or your kidneys.


.... Money has
not been an issue because I do all the work myself cuz I dont like the
work anybody esle does and I have built 4 of my boats and my truck was
paid off 16 yrs ago. What should I give up to make room for doing
stuff?

Obvious- Give up the "stuff" you like the least. The stuff that has
gotten in the worst shape already is a prime candidate for culling
out, after all it got that way because you have cared for it less.


Frank Boettcher wrote:
Dump the vehicles. I finally had to do that. Was maintaining four
vehicles that average 200,000 miles.

Might not be too bad, depending on what they are and how they've been
cared for.


Now have two vehicles that average 5K miles with warranties. No car
stuff for five years of so.


You hope.

I lost my enthusiasm for maintaining old cars when I realized that
1- I would have to buy an increasing number of specialized expensive
tools useless for any other jobs
2- cars are easily replaceable and cheap; the newer they are, the
cheaper and more reliable they are....
3- in addition to #2 newer cars are considerably safer
4- I make more money working than an auto mechanic, so unless I enjoy
auto maintenance (which I did back my sports-car days but not for
years since) there is an actual cash loss for every minute I expend on
it.



OH, I have this notion of building a kayak for my 11 yr old daughter
cuz she likes kayaks............

Go and hit yourself over the head.
Unless she is interested in BUILDING a boat, go buy her one. You can
buy a better kayak than you can build anyway (assuming you know the
basic characteristics you want in such craft), and your time is more
valuable than that of a kayak-builder (see #4 above).


Frogwatch wrote:

The WY cabin is a recent addition and will be our place in Summer to
escape the FL heat. We lived out there
when first married 27 yrs ago so it has strong emotional ties for us.

Sounds good.

I recommend a long retreat up there. You will return envigorated and
will be able to assess the toys you haven't seen months with fresh
eyes.




I agree with Katy, we really need to get somebody to dive and scrape
the boat but growing up sorta "financially challenged" spending money
on something so frivolous is alien to both me and my wife. We really
have to get somebody else to do it, I agree.

But if it is necessary to the function of the vessel (and it is), then
it isn't frivolous.

And while I agree whole-heartedly with you that the only way to ensure
any job is done right is to do it yourself, you have to learn to
either delegate or retreat to a log cabin by a pond and limit yourself
to sailing small simple craft.

Fresh Breezes- Doug King

On Mon, 24 Sep 2007 15:05:27 -0700, wrote this
crap:

Yep. It is the curse of prosperity.
You simply cannot have everything; and even if you could, you wouldn't
have a place to put it.


That's why you need a safety deposit box.

I've got more there than everything he owns.




I'm Horvath and I approve of this post.

On Sep 24, 6:05 pm, wrote:
Frogwatch wrote:
At some point, you exceed the optimum number of "toys" so that your
ability to maintain them begins to exceed your time to use them.

Yep. It is the curse of prosperity.
You simply cannot have everything; and even if you could, you wouldn't
have a place to put it.

believe this has happed to me. With two small homebuilt sailboats and
a 28' S2 sailboat, a homebuilt dinghy, a 20' Tolman Skiff (homeebuilt)
and a canoe, a 100 yr old log cabin in Wyoming that needs rebuilding,
an old Nissan truck with 309,000 miles on it that I love and a need to
maintain camping and caving equipment (did I mention a 20 yr old Dodge
Ram I inherited), I have no time to use any of it.

Part of your problem is partly that you built your homebuilt boats out
of wood.
It's great stuff, but it is biodegradable.

Somehow, I think that I can do all of this if I optimally use each
evening and weekend to do stuff but something has to give.

Yep.
My predicition is that it will be either your spine or your kidneys.

.... Money has
not been an issue because I do all the work myself cuz I dont like the
work anybody esle does and I have built 4 of my boats and my truck was
paid off 16 yrs ago. What should I give up to make room for doing
stuff?

Obvious- Give up the "stuff" you like the least. The stuff that has
gotten in the worst shape already is a prime candidate for culling
out, after all it got that way because you have cared for it less.

Frank Boettcher wrote:
Dump the vehicles. I finally had to do that. Was maintaining four
vehicles that average 200,000 miles.

Might not be too bad, depending on what they are and how they've been
cared for.

Now have two vehicles that average 5K miles with warranties. No car
stuff for five years of so.

You hope.

I lost my enthusiasm for maintaining old cars when I realized that
1- I would have to buy an increasing number of specialized expensive
tools useless for any other jobs
2- cars are easily replaceable and cheap; the newer they are, the
cheaper and more reliable they are....
3- in addition to #2 newer cars are considerably safer
4- I make more money working than an auto mechanic, so unless I enjoy
auto maintenance (which I did back my sports-car days but not for
years since) there is an actual cash loss for every minute I expend on
it.



OH, I have this notion of building a kayak for my 11 yr old daughter
cuz she likes kayaks............

Go and hit yourself over the head.
Unless she is interested in BUILDING a boat, go buy her one. You can
buy a better kayak than you can build anyway (assuming you know the
basic characteristics you want in such craft), and your time is more
valuable than that of a kayak-builder (see #4 above).

Frogwatch wrote:

The WY cabin is a recent addition and will be our place in Summer to
escape the FL heat. We lived out there
when first married 27 yrs ago so it has strong emotional ties for us.

Sounds good.

I recommend a long retreat up there. You will return envigorated and
will be able to assess the toys you haven't seen months with fresh
eyes.



I agree with Katy, we really need to get somebody to dive and scrape
the boat but growing up sorta "financially challenged" spending money
on something so frivolous is alien to both me and my wife. We really
have to get somebody else to do it, I agree.

But if it is necessary to the function of the vessel (and it is), then
it isn't frivolous.

And while I agree whole-heartedly with you that the only way to ensure
any job is done right is to do it yourself, you have to learn to
either delegate or retreat to a log cabin by a pond and limit yourself
to sailing small simple craft.

Fresh Breezes- Doug King

The wooden boats have not given too much trouble since I learned to
saturate the wood with epoxy.
Basically, building the boats is sorta therapy. I suffer (or more
like I benefit from) from an amazingly short attention span so I am
unable to deal with ANY passive entertainment (except reading) meaning
I have not been to a movie, concert or even watched TV for about 3
years. This means LOTS of free time that would be spent doing that
stuff that I spend building the boat and working on my old truck,
etc. Of course, you can imagine I am ready to jump overboard after a
few hours of a long sailing passage (yup, same horizon, 10 minutes
later, no change, 10 minutes later... ad infinitum).
When I read about people who go off on long sailing trips, I wonder if
there is something wrong with me or something wrong with them cuz I'd
go nuts after a few days.

For Frank:

I am amazed at how clear the water is off of St. Marks, as clear at
St. Joe in spite of the salt marshes and weird sea life like I
remember St. Joe had many years ago. Unfortunately, I can no longer
snorkel cuz I cannot see under water. I keep thinking I will buy a
pair of prescription goggles but havent done it yet.

"Frogwatch" wrote in message
oups.com...


Basically, building the boats is sorta therapy. I suffer (or more
like I benefit from) from an amazingly short attention span so I am
unable to deal with ANY passive entertainment (except reading) meaning
I have not been to a movie, concert or even watched TV for about 3
years.

Is this an attention span problem or is it because passive entertainment
basically sucks? Perhaps you are the type of person that doesn't need to be
entertained.




This means LOTS of free time that would be spent doing that
stuff that I spend building the boat and working on my old truck,
etc.


Actually exercising the mind and hands.




Of course, you can imagine I am ready to jump overboard after a
few hours of a long sailing passage (yup, same horizon, 10 minutes
later, no change, 10 minutes later... ad infinitum).

I bet you loved being an employee.


When I read about people who go off on long sailing trips, I wonder if
there is something wrong with me or something wrong with them cuz I'd
go nuts after a few days.


Nothing wrong with you. For most people sailing is an escape. For you it is
imprisonment.

There's nothing wrong with you. You fit the profile of a good
engineer/scientist. Expand your horizons!

Frogwatch wrote:
The wooden boats have not given too much trouble since I learned to
saturate the wood with epoxy.

Extends the life of the wood, but not forever. "Saturation" even with
thinned epoxy is only about 1 mm so it's really just a bonded coating.

It also depends on the wood. I built a small dinghy out of cheap-o
luaun plywood, saturated it with epoxy (a silly thing to do, since the
cost of the epoxy would have justified using more expensive wood; but
I was in a hurry and already had the epoxy anyway). It lasted two
years, at the end of which it was sprouting quarter-sized punk spots.


Basically, building the boats is sorta therapy.

It certainly can be. I've enjoyed the boatbuilding projects I've done;
likewise with the boat-improvement projects.

The question is, what is more rewarding way to invest your time:
building a boat vs going kayaking with your daughter. Working on your
old truck vs. going caving.
Etc etc etc.

Time is the most valuable thing you have.


... Of course, you can imagine I am ready to jump overboard after a
few hours of a long sailing passage (yup, same horizon, 10 minutes
later, no change, 10 minutes later... ad infinitum).
When I read about people who go off on long sailing trips, I wonder if
there is something wrong with me or something wrong with them cuz I'd
go nuts after a few days.


A long ocean-crossing passage *is* boring. The only reason to do it is
because you want to get yourself & your boat to the other side. If
such a trip becomes exciting, it's a sign of poor planning.

OTOH shorter trips along interesting shores, into various ports,
exploring waterways, etc etc, can be lots of fun. Not really crash-
bang-boom exciting (or at least, shouldn't be IMHO), and the horizon
doesn't change much during that 10 minute span. And it's an excellent
justification for owning a good boat.

DSK

On Mon, 24 Sep 2007 09:58:49 -0700, Frogwatch
wrote:



The WY cabin is a recent addition and will be our place in Summer to
escape the FL heat.

Last time I was in Wyoming in the summer it was about 105F, and there
was no ocean to cool off in, and hardly any shade either.
I asked the cowboy running the KOA if there was shade on the sites.
He said, "Sure pardner." , looked at his watch, "but you'll have to
wait a few hours." Sundown.

--Vic