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A time machine interview with Skip Grundlach . . .
Associated Press Pioneer interview with Capt. Skip Grundlach.
March 22, 2017 Yacht, "Flying Pig" Riverside Marina, Florida APP: Good morning, Capt., nice of you to afford me some of your valuable time for this interview. Capt. Skip (CS): And, a good morning to your sir, nice of you to show interest in the Flying Pig Project. APP: Let's get right down to brass tacks so to speak. It is rumored that you arrived here at Riverside way back in February 2011. It is now March of 2017 so that means you now have the Guinness Book of Records record of longest working stay on the hard in history of six some odd years. Are you proud of yourself? CS: Yes sir, damned proud! You see, it's always something and I never let all those something's get to me. I persevere until completion. One thing leads to another and another and another and the years roll past. I am now 72 years old and, quite honestly, I've sorta forgotten how to sail but I sure haven't forgotten how to do projects. APP: Some would say that you are no sailor as sailors spend more time sailing than they spend maintaining. CS: Bah! They'd just be jealous. They envy my boat and they envy my 67 systems. They envy my ongoing blister elimination procedures and my hull fairing process. APP: Yes, some of us have heard about that. Spray your boat with water and it will magically flush out all the blister causing agents. But, why does it take six long years? CS: Well, one thing leads to another. You spray and you watch. You patch and you spray, you re-patch and your spray some more. It starts becoming a lifestyle. It's work but it's familiar work. I enjoy it immensely. The system WORKS. No more blisters because the boat stays out of the water indefinitely. APP: Some would say you are a perfectionist and can't abide sloppy workmanship. That's why you sand and patch, sand and scrub, sand and shine - even the stainless steel. And, just when you think you have everything ship shape and Bristol Fashion you get an unwelcome surprise like the stainless steel tubing crumbling and bending because the walls end up only 1/100" thick. CS: Oh Pshaw! That only happened a couple of places and it was easy enough to replace. Have you been listening to my detractors on rec.boats.cruising perchance? APP: What's that? No, Capt., you've become a legend. Your exploits are a topic of discussion in almost every port in the world. Why, they even made the Bruce in Bangkok farce seem seamanlike. No offense . . . CS: I never pay any attention to the naysayers. They don't have a clue. How would they know the challenges and fulfillment of advanced boat maintenance anyway? You, see, I've developed a system based upon systems. It goes like this. I've installed so many systems that as a new or repaired system goes on line another one breaks down and needs repair. When I get that one repaired another breaks down and needs repair, etc. I've carefully calculated that 76 systems will break down with sufficient regularity that I can spend the rest of my life on the hard working on systems. That's what I like doing anyway. I'd rather work on systems than sail. APP: So the highly admired and respected Capt. Neal was telling the truth when he said sailors sail and wannabe sailors work on systems? CS: Well, there was a time when I would have resented such a statement but now, after six years on the hard working on my boat, what he said has turned out be be Gospel. The man would have made a fine psychologist. But he would have missed his true calling as he is one of the finest sailors the world has ever known. APP: Nice of you to be magnanimous, Capt. But, are you ever planning to wrap up your maintenance and repairs and eventually get underway again? CS: Nah! I've just gotten too old and I'm too comfortable here at Riverside. Pigs will fly before Flying Pig sails again. APP: Thank you Capt. Skip for being so candid. CS: You're welcome. Come back ten years from now for another interview. I'm not planning on going anywhere. APP: Perhaps I shall, perhaps I shall. |
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