After 20 yrs of sailing, this is the first time I have had my boat in a
large marina so last night when I went to tie her up for Arlene, I
walked the docks just lookin at how other boat owners do things.
The biggest surprise was how little prep there was for Arlene although
all the models have it hitting 200 miles away. I s'pose I am just
paranoid.
Second surprise is how many "trashed out" boats there are in the
marina. These boats have rotted sails hanging in tatters, mold and
fungus all over the decks, varnish peeling in sheets, frayed lines.
The owners do not appear to have visited their boats in several years
but the slips cost $225/month. Weird.
Another observation that is no surprise, smaller boats get used more.
It is obvious from the fouling at the waterlines that boats less than
30' get used far more than the big boats.
I was also surprised to see so many smaller boats kept in slips. There
are many 21-23' sailboats that are obviously trailerable but are kept
in slips. Many look as if they are used regularly.
I never paid any attention to roller furling systems intil I installed
my oversized CDI system on my 28' S2 last year. Roller furling totally
changed my sailing life. So, I took a good look at them (most boats
were bow in so I got a close look). Older RF systems look really
gawdawful. My newer CDI system seems far more robust than older
systems on bigger boats. Probably just a case of technology getting
better with time.
Most boats were hooked to shore power and I am not sure why. In 20 yrs
I have never had shore power and never needed it so am not sure why so
many people take the chance with potentially bad hookups. Somebody
enlighten me here, why so much shore power?

wrote in
ps.com:

The owners do not appear to have visited their boats in several years
but the slips cost $225/month. Weird.


Every marina in Charleston has these ghost ships in them, too. Someone is
paying $486/month for one of them I know about. His neighbors, afraid it
would break loose into their boats, donated new dock lines to her as the
other ones were just rotted away. You'd think they'd be smarter having all
that money and just turn them over to a broker for disposal. Depreciation
and dockage fees are more than they are worth!

--
Larry

You know you've had a rough night when you wake up and your outlined in
chalk.

In article om,
wrote:

The biggest surprise was how little prep there was for Arlene
although all the models have it hitting 200 miles away. I s'pose I
am just paranoid.

No, Momma really IS out to get you (and me). I'm with you.

Second surprise is how many "trashed out" boats there are in the
marina. These boats have rotted sails hanging in tatters, mold and
fungus all over the decks, varnish peeling in sheets, frayed lines.
The owners do not appear to have visited their boats in several years
but the slips cost $225/month. Weird.

Haven't observed that around here, but that's probably because there's a
slip shortage. The trash boats are in the far corners of the yard.

Another observation that is no surprise, smaller boats get used more.
It is obvious from the fouling at the waterlines that boats less than
30' get used far more than the big boats.

No, it's not a surprise. A small boat is less status symbol more
something to enjoy -- regularly.

I was also surprised to see so many smaller boats kept in slips.
There are many 21-23' sailboats that are obviously trailerable but
are kept in slips. Many look as if they are used regularly.

We used to trail the previous boat. Once I got the wife hooked, we
started using the boat more and trailing got old. Once we got a mooring,
we used the boat even more.

Most boats were hooked to shore power and I am not sure why. In 20
yrs I have never had shore power and never needed it so am not sure
why so many people take the chance with potentially bad hookups.
Somebody enlighten me here, why so much shore power?

Too many are clueless. Most are on shore power to keep the batteries up.
A few keep the fridge running.

--
Jere Lull
Xan-a-Deux ('73 Tanzer 28 #4 out of Tolchester, MD)
Xan's Pages: http://members.dca.net/jerelull/X-Main.html
Our BVI FAQs (290+ pics) http://homepage.mac.com/jerelull/BVI/

Jere Lull wrote:

In article om,
wrote:

The biggest surprise was how little prep there was for Arlene
although all the models have it hitting 200 miles away. I s'pose I
am just paranoid.

No, Momma really IS out to get you (and me). I'm with you.

In some cases, the same reasons that account for the 'trashed out'
boats also account for the lack of prep. Things like that the owner
is disabled and unable to sail anymore but refuses to get rid of the
boat. Maybe has Alzheimer's, or is in a nursing home.

Or maybe even that the person is deployed, or otherwise at present a
long way from the marina and can't get back there to prepare for the
storm. Maybe even has paid someone else to do it and that some just
isn't doing it for whatever reason.

Or that they can't afford to fix the boat up or use it and it would
not be possible to sell it because of environmental issues or lack of
a clear title.

Or that the marina failed to get some kind of legal paper that would
allow them to sell the boat at auction to recover slip fees or
possibly ditto above - boat isn't possible to sell.

These are the same kinds of things that result in abandoned houses on
land (substituting bank for marina), but we don't think about them as
much.

Second surprise is how many "trashed out" boats there are in the
marina. These boats have rotted sails hanging in tatters, mold and
fungus all over the decks, varnish peeling in sheets, frayed lines.
The owners do not appear to have visited their boats in several years
but the slips cost $225/month. Weird.

Haven't observed that around here, but that's probably because there's a
slip shortage. The trash boats are in the far corners of the yard.

Another observation that is no surprise, smaller boats get used more.
It is obvious from the fouling at the waterlines that boats less than
30' get used far more than the big boats.

No, it's not a surprise. A small boat is less status symbol more
something to enjoy -- regularly.

And it is easier to get out and sail in a small boat without so many
systems to manage. Also it is more possible to live aboard a larger
boat, and when you are living on a boat, it becomes somewhat of an
effort to rig for sailing.

I was also surprised to see so many smaller boats kept in slips.
There are many 21-23' sailboats that are obviously trailerable but
are kept in slips. Many look as if they are used regularly.

We used to trail the previous boat. Once I got the wife hooked, we
started using the boat more and trailing got old. Once we got a mooring,
we used the boat even more.

Most boats were hooked to shore power and I am not sure why. In 20
yrs I have never had shore power and never needed it so am not sure
why so many people take the chance with potentially bad hookups.
Somebody enlighten me here, why so much shore power?

Too many are clueless. Most are on shore power to keep the batteries up.
A few keep the fridge running.

Down in the south it is probably A/C rather than the fridge or
batteries.

grandma Rosalie

Another observation that is no surprise, smaller boats get used more.
It is obvious from the fouling at the waterlines that boats less than
30' get used far more than the big boats.

No, it's not a surprise. A small boat is less status symbol more
something to enjoy -- regularly.



:-) reminds me of an old saying

-------------
someone going 2 mph slower than you is an idiot....
someone going 2 mph faster is a manic
-------------

I guess your boats less than 30ft... am I right ?

I wanted to get some idea of boat use as a function of length but it
really isnt clear as there are some extreme outlying data points so the
best I can do is less than 30' and more than. There is no cut-off but
maybe a graay area. Yes, my boat is only 28' and I think it may have
so many systems that time-killers that I need to eliminate some. I
suspect that it isnt the size of the boat as much as the complexity and
size allows more complexity.

wrote in message
ups.com...
I wanted to get some idea of boat use as a function of length but it
really isnt clear as there are some extreme outlying data points so the
best I can do is less than 30' and more than. There is no cut-off but
maybe a graay area. Yes, my boat is only 28' and I think it may have
so many systems that time-killers that I need to eliminate some. I
suspect that it isnt the size of the boat as much as the complexity and
size allows more complexity.

I'm only teasing....don't take in personally :-)

wrote:

After 20 yrs of sailing, this is the first time I have had my boat in
a large marina so last night when I went to tie her up for Arlene, I
walked the docks just lookin at how other boat owners do things.
The biggest surprise was how little prep there was for Arlene although
all the models have it hitting 200 miles away. I s'pose I am just
paranoid.

Nope. Other folks aren't paranoid enough, or maybe they're hoping for an
insurance coup -- for example:

Second surprise is how many "trashed out" boats there are in the
marina. These boats have rotted sails hanging in tatters, mold and
fungus all over the decks, varnish peeling in sheets, frayed lines.
The owners do not appear to have visited their boats in several years
but the slips cost $225/month. Weird.

Every marina has 'em! I don't understand it either. I guess some people have
enough money it doesn't matter, and they never get around to taking care of the
issue.

Sometimes where waiting lists are long, these derelict boats are just
placeholders for the dream boat that will be parked there someday. Buy the boat
and the slip comes with it, but it's a 7 year wait otherwise. A rowboat on a
mooring in the right neighborhood can sell for $50k!

Another observation that is no surprise, smaller boats get used more.
It is obvious from the fouling at the waterlines that boats less than
30' get used far more than the big boats.
I was also surprised to see so many smaller boats kept in slips.
There are many 21-23' sailboats that are obviously trailerable but
are kept in slips. Many look as if they are used regularly.

Well, if they are used regularly it saves hauling and launching all the time.
Not that the task is so difficult or time consuming, but many people find it
nerve-racking. I bet more divorces start on launch ramps than anywhere else.
Just go down there on a Sunday afternoon and watch!

I never paid any attention to roller furling systems intil I installed
my oversized CDI system on my 28' S2 last year. Roller furling
totally changed my sailing life. So, I took a good look at them
(most boats were bow in so I got a close look). Older RF systems
look really gawdawful. My newer CDI system seems far more robust
than older systems on bigger boats. Probably just a case of
technology getting better with time.

I've noticed this too. Older systems were designed with tradtion and appearance
in mind -- nobody wanted a big furler on their bow, so the drums were way
undersized compared to now.

Most boats were hooked to shore power and I am not sure why. In 20
yrs I have never had shore power and never needed it so am not sure
why so many people take the chance with potentially bad hookups.
Somebody enlighten me here, why so much shore power?

To keep the batteries up, and the bilge pump running! Gotta keep those science
experiments going in the fridge too.

Matt O.

And the smaller fish taste better.
G

"Nigel" wrote in message
...
Another observation that is no surprise, smaller boats get used more.
It is obvious from the fouling at the waterlines that boats less than
30' get used far more than the big boats.

No, it's not a surprise. A small boat is less status symbol more
something to enjoy -- regularly.



:-) reminds me of an old saying

-------------
someone going 2 mph slower than you is an idiot....
someone going 2 mph faster is a manic
-------------

I guess your boats less than 30ft... am I right ?

On Mon, 13 Jun 2005 19:34:13 +0100, "Nigel"
wrote:


wrote in message
oups.com...
I wanted to get some idea of boat use as a function of length but it
really isnt clear as there are some extreme outlying data points so the
best I can do is less than 30' and more than. There is no cut-off but
maybe a graay area. Yes, my boat is only 28' and I think it may have
so many systems that time-killers that I need to eliminate some. I
suspect that it isnt the size of the boat as much as the complexity and
size allows more complexity.

Having lived aboard and worked on boats for years this is what I see:
Those who can afford the big boats tend to be so busy making the money
needed that they don't have the time to use the big boats.
I don't know how many times I have been called on a weekend by a big
boat owner angry that his engines wouldn't start after being neglected
for 6 months.
" I paid $200K for this boat, the d** thing should at least start.".
I've heard simular words so many times.
Typicaly the smal boat owner is sacrificeing for his boat. The boat,
The slip, The insurance, etc. If he's not useing the boat, he tends to
sell it or at least put it in the driveway.
Yes I know these are generalizations. But it's just been my
observations over the years.