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An amusing day on the Erie Canal
Today was pleasant - some sun, light breeze, mid 60s - so I took my new
homebuilt flatiron skiff out for a row along the Erie Canal near Utica, NY. I also took my fishing rod, of course; trolling while rowing is sort of like killing two birds with one stone - one exercises and goes fishing at the same time. Anyhow, it was a quiet day on the canal - I saw four boats in total - two larger sailboats transiting the canal, and two smaller powerboats out for a Sunday cruise. In particular, there was a 16 foot open bow trihull that launched just as I was getting back within a quarter mile of the launch ramp. There were four guys in it, and it zoomed up the canal and back again in joyful abandon (at least, they looked like they were having fun). I get close enough to the ramp to reel in my line and sort of get ready to land (there are no docks at this launch - just a concrete ramp cut into a bank that is heavily riprapped with big honking boulders, making solo launches and landings interesting). I look downwind, and notice the trihull sort of adrift in the middle of the canal, with the cover off the outboard and very ominous noises coming from the vicinity of the motor. Well, if you are running a boat you're a mariner, even if it's only a rowboat on a freshwater canal, and a vessel in distress imposes certain obligations. I row down and ask if they need help. The boat was just purchased, used, for $6,000. The motor does not start. There is no paddle aboard (no PFDs either). They can't swim. There is no line aboard. This is a canal, so the water is 10 feet deep four feet from the shore. They are beginning to realize they stand a good chance of being *very* late for supper. Fortunately, I have a long painter that snaps into my bow eye, a sculling notch in the center of the transom, and a couple of cleats on the gunwale. Pass the snap end of the line to the trihull and tell them to snap it to their bow eye. Lead the line through the sculling notch and make fast to a cleat. Shorten up the oars a bit and begin to row. Fortunately, it's only a couple of hundred yards, and the wind is light. Get to the launch ramp, find one of their buddies standing there, pass him the line, and beach both boats on the ramp. It would have been a lot easier except these four guys in that boat were BIG - easily half a ton of manflesh involved there, indeed, when dead in the water that poor trihull had between 4 and 8 inches freeboard. Of such boaters are statistics made, I guess. The *really* amusing part was watching four guys with a cumulative IQ of about 25 and lacking the sense God gave geese faced with the problem of getting a beached boat onto a trailer with neither power, paddles, nor line. They finally managed it and nobody drowned, though the Keystone Kops could have learned a few things about silliness from the spectacle. Then, boat on trailer, drain plug pulled, they drove off, blissfully ignorant of little things like tie-downs for gunwale and transom (that boat was bouncing several inches off the bunks as they drove across the rough parking lot). I was laughing all the way home, and feeling very smug and almost righteous. Proud of my little boat, too - she was more than up to the rescue. |
An amusing day on the Erie Canal
"Jim Willemin" wrote in message 7.131... Today was pleasant - some sun, light breeze, mid 60s - so I took my new homebuilt flatiron skiff out for a row along the Erie Canal near Utica, NY. I also took my fishing rod, of course; trolling while rowing is sort of like killing two birds with one stone - one exercises and goes fishing at the same time. Anyhow, it was a quiet day on the canal - I saw four boats in total - two larger sailboats transiting the canal, and two smaller powerboats out for a Sunday cruise. In particular, there was a 16 foot open bow trihull that launched just as I was getting back within a quarter mile of the launch ramp. There were four guys in it, and it zoomed up the canal and back again in joyful abandon (at least, they looked like they were having fun). I get close enough to the ramp to reel in my line and sort of get ready to land (there are no docks at this launch - just a concrete ramp cut into a bank that is heavily riprapped with big honking boulders, making solo launches and landings interesting). I look downwind, and notice the trihull sort of adrift in the middle of the canal, with the cover off the outboard and very ominous noises coming from the vicinity of the motor. Well, if you are running a boat you're a mariner, even if it's only a rowboat on a freshwater canal, and a vessel in distress imposes certain obligations. I row down and ask if they need help. The boat was just purchased, used, for $6,000. The motor does not start. There is no paddle aboard (no PFDs either). They can't swim. There is no line aboard. This is a canal, so the water is 10 feet deep four feet from the shore. They are beginning to realize they stand a good chance of being *very* late for supper. Fortunately, I have a long painter that snaps into my bow eye, a sculling notch in the center of the transom, and a couple of cleats on the gunwale. Pass the snap end of the line to the trihull and tell them to snap it to their bow eye. Lead the line through the sculling notch and make fast to a cleat. Shorten up the oars a bit and begin to row. Fortunately, it's only a couple of hundred yards, and the wind is light. Get to the launch ramp, find one of their buddies standing there, pass him the line, and beach both boats on the ramp. It would have been a lot easier except these four guys in that boat were BIG - easily half a ton of manflesh involved there, indeed, when dead in the water that poor trihull had between 4 and 8 inches freeboard. Of such boaters are statistics made, I guess. The *really* amusing part was watching four guys with a cumulative IQ of about 25 and lacking the sense God gave geese faced with the problem of getting a beached boat onto a trailer with neither power, paddles, nor line. They finally managed it and nobody drowned, though the Keystone Kops could have learned a few things about silliness from the spectacle. Then, boat on trailer, drain plug pulled, they drove off, blissfully ignorant of little things like tie-downs for gunwale and transom (that boat was bouncing several inches off the bunks as they drove across the rough parking lot). I was laughing all the way home, and feeling very smug and almost righteous. Proud of my little boat, too - she was more than up to the rescue. Good for you. That row might have intimidated more than one pseudo boater in this group. |
An amusing day on the Erie Canal
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An amusing day on the Erie Canal
"Don White" wrote in
: "Jim Willemin" wrote in message 7.131... snip I was laughing all the way home, and feeling very smug and almost righteous. Proud of my little boat, too - she was more than up to the rescue. Good for you. That row might have intimidated more than one pseudo boater in this group. It was sort of a Luddite victory - I'm a firm believer in the efficacy of simple machines, and am delighted to score one for the Neanderthals who like to take things slow and quiet. But I dunno about the intimidation part, Don - maybe so, but given a choice I like to think most folks will do the right thing (as long as their reputation is not at risk). Besides, it gives one such a warm fuzzy feeling to be the Hero to the Rescue. It was not as dramatic as hearing 'Mayday, mayday' over the radio, but the rush was there. |
An amusing day on the Erie Canal
On Mon, 04 May 2009 05:45:24 -0500, Jim Willemin
wrote: "Don White" wrote in : "Jim Willemin" wrote in message 7.131... snip I was laughing all the way home, and feeling very smug and almost righteous. Proud of my little boat, too - she was more than up to the rescue. Good for you. That row might have intimidated more than one pseudo boater in this group. It was sort of a Luddite victory - I'm a firm believer in the efficacy of simple machines, and am delighted to score one for the Neanderthals who like to take things slow and quiet. But I dunno about the intimidation part, Don - maybe so, but given a choice I like to think most folks will do the right thing (as long as their reputation is not at risk). Besides, it gives one such a warm fuzzy feeling to be the Hero to the Rescue. It was not as dramatic as hearing 'Mayday, mayday' over the radio, but the rush was there. You must have felt like a one-man mini-Coast Guard. (-: I agree about the "simple machines." I rented a lot of small boats that I'd throw my little 5 hp motor on. Always checked that the oars and oarlocks were in shape, and refused and switched a few boats. I began fishing as a kid rowing, many, many miles, and that's stuck with me. Never towed anybody though. Don't think I'd be comfortable with a bigger beamier power boat without a kicker along. Just how I am. I've seen some talk about kicker mounts on the Carolina Skiffs. Don't know much about it, but if I get one I'll look into it. Always been fascinated by how the gondolas are propelled by one long oar at the stern, but that's probably not practical for a beamy boat. --Vic |
An amusing day on the Erie Canal
Vic Smith wrote in
: On Mon, 04 May 2009 05:45:24 -0500, Jim Willemin wrote: "Don White" wrote in : "Jim Willemin" wrote in message 7.131... snip I was laughing all the way home, and feeling very smug and almost righteous. Proud of my little boat, too - she was more than up to the rescue. Good for you. That row might have intimidated more than one pseudo boater in this group. It was sort of a Luddite victory - I'm a firm believer in the efficacy of simple machines, and am delighted to score one for the Neanderthals who like to take things slow and quiet. But I dunno about the intimidation part, Don - maybe so, but given a choice I like to think most folks will do the right thing (as long as their reputation is not at risk). Besides, it gives one such a warm fuzzy feeling to be the Hero to the Rescue. It was not as dramatic as hearing 'Mayday, mayday' over the radio, but the rush was there. You must have felt like a one-man mini-Coast Guard. (-: I agree about the "simple machines." I rented a lot of small boats that I'd throw my little 5 hp motor on. Always checked that the oars and oarlocks were in shape, and refused and switched a few boats. I began fishing as a kid rowing, many, many miles, and that's stuck with me. Never towed anybody though. Don't think I'd be comfortable with a bigger beamier power boat without a kicker along. Just how I am. I've seen some talk about kicker mounts on the Carolina Skiffs. Don't know much about it, but if I get one I'll look into it. Always been fascinated by how the gondolas are propelled by one long oar at the stern, but that's probably not practical for a beamy boat. --Vic Look into how the Chinese propel mondo big sampans with a single sculling oar over the stern - the oars are called yuli. Granted, those yuli are on the biggish side for larger boats, but there are quite a few anecdotes of sculling good-sized sailboats - sailboats it would be impractical to row. |
An amusing day on the Erie Canal
On May 3, 10:26*pm, "Don White" wrote:
"Jim Willemin" wrote in message 7.131... Today was pleasant - some sun, light breeze, mid 60s - so I took my new homebuilt flatiron skiff out for a row along the Erie Canal near Utica, NY. *I also took my fishing rod, of course; trolling while rowing is sort of like killing two birds with one stone - one exercises and goes fishing at the same time. *Anyhow, it was a quiet day on the canal - I saw four boats in total - two larger sailboats transiting the canal, and two smaller powerboats out for a Sunday cruise. *In particular, there was a 16 foot open bow trihull that launched just as I was getting back within a quarter mile of the launch ramp. *There were four guys in it, and it zoomed up the canal and back again in joyful abandon (at least, they looked like they were having fun). * I get close enough to the ramp to reel in my line and sort of get ready to land (there are no docks at this launch - just a concrete ramp cut into a bank that is heavily riprapped with big honking boulders, making solo launches and landings interesting). *I look downwind, and notice the trihull sort of adrift in the middle of the canal, with the cover off the outboard and very ominous noises coming from the vicinity of the motor. Well, if you are running a boat you're a mariner, even if it's only a rowboat on a freshwater canal, and a vessel in distress imposes certain obligations. *I row down and ask if they need help. *The boat was just purchased, used, for $6,000. *The motor does not start. *There is no paddle aboard (no PFDs either). *They can't swim. *There is no line aboard. *This is a canal, so the water is 10 feet deep four feet from the shore. *They are beginning to realize they stand a good chance of being *very* late for supper. *Fortunately, I have a long painter that snaps into my bow eye, a sculling notch in the center of the transom, and a couple of cleats on the gunwale. *Pass the snap end of the line to the trihull and tell them to snap it to their bow eye. *Lead the line through the sculling notch and make fast to a cleat. *Shorten up the oars a bit and begin to row. *Fortunately, it's only a couple of hundred yards, and the wind is light. *Get to the launch ramp, find one of their buddies standing there, pass him the line, and beach both boats on the ramp. It would have been a lot easier except these four guys in that boat were BIG - easily half a ton of manflesh involved there, indeed, when dead in the water that poor trihull had between 4 and 8 inches freeboard. *Of such boaters are statistics made, I guess. The *really* amusing part was watching four guys with a cumulative IQ of about 25 and lacking the sense God gave geese faced with the problem of getting a beached boat onto a trailer with neither power, paddles, nor line. *They finally managed it and nobody drowned, though the Keystone Kops could have learned a few things about silliness from the spectacle.. Then, boat on trailer, drain plug pulled, they *drove off, blissfully ignorant of little things like tie-downs for gunwale and transom (that boat was bouncing several inches off the bunks as they drove across the rough parking lot). I was laughing all the way home, and feeling very smug and almost righteous. *Proud of my little boat, too - she was more than up to the rescue. Good for you. *That row might have intimidated more than one pseudo boater in this group.- Hide quoted text - - Show quoted text - Just like your lover Harry, always the asshole, huh, dummy? |
An amusing day on the Erie Canal
On May 4, 8:49*am, Jim Willemin wrote:
Vic Smith wrote : On Mon, 04 May 2009 05:45:24 -0500, Jim Willemin wrote: "Don White" wrote in : "Jim Willemin" wrote in message 6.97.131... snip I was laughing all the way home, and feeling very smug and almost righteous. *Proud of my little boat, too - she was more than up to the rescue. Good for you. *That row might have intimidated more than one pseudo boater in this group. It was sort of a Luddite victory - I'm a firm believer in the efficacy of simple machines, and am delighted to score one for the Neanderthals who like to take things slow and quiet. *But I dunno about the intimidation part, Don - maybe so, but given a choice I like to think most folks will do the right thing (as long as their reputation is not at risk). Besides, it gives one such a warm fuzzy feeling to be the Hero to the Rescue. *It was not as dramatic as hearing 'Mayday, mayday' over the radio, but the rush was there. You must have felt like a one-man mini-Coast Guard. (-: I agree about the "simple machines." I rented a lot of small boats that I'd throw my little 5 hp motor on. Always checked that the oars and oarlocks were in shape, and refused and switched a few boats. I began fishing as a kid rowing, many, many miles, and that's stuck with me. *Never towed anybody though. Don't think I'd be comfortable with a bigger beamier power boat without a kicker along. *Just how I am. I've seen some talk about kicker mounts on the Carolina Skiffs. Don't know much about it, but if I get one I'll look into it. Always been fascinated by how the gondolas are propelled by one long oar at the stern, but that's probably not practical for a beamy boat. --Vic Look into how the Chinese propel mondo big sampans with a single sculling oar over the stern - the oars are called yuli. *Granted, those yuli are on the biggish side for larger boats, but there are quite a few anecdotes of sculling good-sized sailboats - sailboats it would be impractical to row.- Hide quoted text - - Show quoted text - Yeah but those boats have a design that makes them easier to skull. Long and narrow with a trailing end transom, vee bottom etc. I would think the motor transom of those skiffs might make them harder to skull, especially in any current or wind.. |
An amusing day on the Erie Canal
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An amusing day on the Erie Canal
On May 4, 9:54*am, HK wrote:
wrote in Yeah but those boats have a design that makes them easier to skull. Long and narrow with a trailing end transom, vee bottom etc. I would think the motor transom of those skiffs might make them harder to skull, especially in any current or wind.. *skull* * Hehehehe. What a frippin' idiot. If you had something in your skull besides gas, you'd know the difference between scull and skull. *SKULL* * Sheeesh. Most of the more educated folks here knew what I meant.. Of course if you had anything but gas in your head you would have noticed your pink army regular spelled dilemma wrong in the title of his troll thread... But we know you are more interested in trolling than talking boats anyway. |
An amusing day on the Erie Canal
On May 4, 9:54*am, HK wrote:
wrote in Yeah but those boats have a design that makes them easier to skull. Long and narrow with a trailing end transom, vee bottom etc. I would think the motor transom of those skiffs might make them harder to skull, especially in any current or wind.. *skull* * Hehehehe. What a frippin' idiot. If you had something in your skull besides gas, you'd know the difference between scull and skull. *SKULL* * Sheeesh. Harry, you missed one. Your lover Don's title of his troll has "delemma" in it. |
An amusing day on the Erie Canal
On May 4, 10:32*am, wrote:
On May 4, 9:54*am, HK wrote: wrote in Yeah but those boats have a design that makes them easier to skull. Long and narrow with a trailing end transom, vee bottom etc. I would think the motor transom of those skiffs might make them harder to skull, especially in any current or wind.. *skull* * Hehehehe. What a frippin' idiot. If you had something in your skull besides gas, you'd know the difference between scull and skull. *SKULL* * Sheeesh. Harry, you missed one. Your lover Don's title of his troll has "delemma" in it. He didn't miss it, he is a hypocrite and won't go after his Pink Army regulars.... |
An amusing day on the Erie Canal
On May 4, 6:44*am, HK wrote:
wrote: On May 4, 9:54 am, HK wrote: wrote in Yeah but those boats have a design that makes them easier to skull. Long and narrow with a trailing end transom, vee bottom etc. I would think the motor transom of those skiffs might make them harder to skull, especially in any current or wind.. *skull* * Hehehehe. What a frippin' idiot. If you had something in your skull besides gas, you'd know the difference between scull and skull. *SKULL* * Sheeesh. Most of the more educated folks here knew what I meant.. Of course if you had anything but gas in your head you would have noticed your pink army regular spelled dilemma wrong in the title of his troll thread... But we know you are more interested in trolling than talking boats anyway. You claim to have been a builder of rowboats, ****-for-brains. Any real builder of rowboats would be familiar with the word "scull." Anyone familiar with rowboats knows the word "scull" and knows that "skull" and "scull" are not the same word.- Hide quoted text - - Show quoted text - You claim to have been the writer of technical papers dealing with structural building issues. Care to have a discussion right here on those seismic and wind forces that you wrote about? |
An amusing day on the Erie Canal
On May 4, 10:23*am, wrote:
On May 4, 9:54*am, HK wrote: wrote in Yeah but those boats have a design that makes them easier to skull. Long and narrow with a trailing end transom, vee bottom etc. I would think the motor transom of those skiffs might make them harder to skull, especially in any current or wind.. *skull* * Hehehehe. What a frippin' idiot. If you had something in your skull besides gas, you'd know the difference between scull and skull. *SKULL* * Sheeesh. Most of the more educated folks here knew what I meant.. Of course if you had anything but gas in your head you would have noticed your pink army regular spelled dilemma wrong in the title of his troll thread... But we know you are more interested in trolling than talking boats anyway. Harry claimed to have wrote some tech papers on structural seismic and wind forces on buildings. I'm really trying to get him to discuss this. I may learn something from someone as knowledgable on the subject as he is snerk |
An amusing day on the Erie Canal
On May 4, 11:16*am, wrote:
On May 4, 10:23*am, wrote: On May 4, 9:54*am, HK wrote: wrote in Yeah but those boats have a design that makes them easier to skull.. Long and narrow with a trailing end transom, vee bottom etc. I would think the motor transom of those skiffs might make them harder to skull, especially in any current or wind.. *skull* * Hehehehe. What a frippin' idiot. If you had something in your skull besides gas, you'd know the difference between scull and skull. *SKULL* * Sheeesh. Most of the more educated folks here knew what I meant.. Of course if you had anything but gas in your head you would have noticed your pink army regular spelled dilemma wrong in the title of his troll thread... But we know you are more interested in trolling than talking boats anyway. Harry claimed to have wrote some tech papers on structural seismic and wind forces on buildings. I'm really trying to get him to discuss this. I may learn something from someone as knowledgable on the subject as he is snerk- Hide quoted text - - Show quoted text - I saw the pics of the last design project you did, it was pretty cool, and huge.. Harry has never designed of built anything, he made his living off of the backs of hard working blue collar workers, like the rest of the pink army, no talent so they make stuff up... |
An amusing day on the Erie Canal
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An amusing day on the Erie Canal
On May 4, 11:36*am, wrote:
On May 4, 11:16*am, wrote: On May 4, 10:23*am, wrote: On May 4, 9:54*am, HK wrote: wrote in Yeah but those boats have a design that makes them easier to skull. Long and narrow with a trailing end transom, vee bottom etc. I would think the motor transom of those skiffs might make them harder to skull, especially in any current or wind.. *skull* * Hehehehe. What a frippin' idiot. If you had something in your skull besides gas, you'd know the difference between scull and skull. *SKULL* * Sheeesh. Most of the more educated folks here knew what I meant.. Of course if you had anything but gas in your head you would have noticed your pink army regular spelled dilemma wrong in the title of his troll thread.... But we know you are more interested in trolling than talking boats anyway. Harry claimed to have wrote some tech papers on structural seismic and wind forces on buildings. I'm really trying to get him to discuss this. I may learn something from someone as knowledgable on the subject as he is snerk- Hide quoted text - - Show quoted text - I saw the pics of the last design project you did, it was pretty cool, and huge.. Harry has never designed of built anything, he made his living off of the backs of hard working blue collar workers, like the rest of the pink army, no talent so they make stuff up...- Hide quoted text - - Show quoted text - Thanks! Notice, if you will, that Harry has read where I've asked to have a discussion about his technical papers dealing with structures that he's alleged to have written. He's deflecting like usual when he's lied. Also, being in that area of expertise, I've had to read a lot of things, and I just don't recall ever seeing anything dealing with structural engineering that Harry has written. Odd huh? Not really, just another lobster boating! |
An amusing day on the Erie Canal
On Mon, 04 May 2009 09:54:05 -0400, HK wrote:
wrote in Yeah but those boats have a design that makes them easier to skull. Long and narrow with a trailing end transom, vee bottom etc. I would think the motor transom of those skiffs might make them harder to skull, especially in any current or wind.. *skull* Hehehehe. What a frippin' idiot. If you had something in your skull besides gas, you'd know the difference between scull and skull. *SKULL* Sheeesh. By their lame spelling flames you shall know them. Casady |
An amusing day on the Erie Canal
Richard Casady wrote:
On Mon, 04 May 2009 09:54:05 -0400, HK wrote: wrote in Yeah but those boats have a design that makes them easier to skull. Long and narrow with a trailing end transom, vee bottom etc. I would think the motor transom of those skiffs might make them harder to skull, especially in any current or wind.. *skull* Hehehehe. What a frippin' idiot. If you had something in your skull besides gas, you'd know the difference between scull and skull. *SKULL* Sheeesh. By their lame spelling flames you shall know them. Casady Nothing lame about it. As a self-proclaimed builder of rowboats, even an intellectual cipher like JustHate should have known the word he wanted was "scull," not "scull." I'm not expecting a high level of language "dexterity" on usenet, but someone in "the boatbuilding biz" should be familiar with its common terms. *SKULL for SCULL* Idiot. |
An amusing day on the Erie Canal
HK wrote:
Richard Casady wrote: On Mon, 04 May 2009 09:54:05 -0400, HK wrote: wrote in Yeah but those boats have a design that makes them easier to skull. Long and narrow with a trailing end transom, vee bottom etc. I would think the motor transom of those skiffs might make them harder to skull, especially in any current or wind.. *skull* Hehehehe. What a frippin' idiot. If you had something in your skull besides gas, you'd know the difference between scull and skull. *SKULL* Sheeesh. By their lame spelling flames you shall know them. Casady Nothing lame about it. As a self-proclaimed builder of rowboats, even an intellectual cipher like JustHate should have known the word he wanted was "scull," not "skull." I'm not expecting a high level of language "dexterity" on usenet, but someone in "the boatbuilding biz" should be familiar with its common terms. *SKULL for SCULL* Idiot. scull, not skull. I can't even force myself to use the wrong word in this instance. :) |
An amusing day on the Erie Canal
On May 4, 1:13*pm, HK wrote:
HK wrote: Richard Casady wrote: On Mon, 04 May 2009 09:54:05 -0400, HK wrote: wrote in Yeah but those boats have a design that makes them easier to skull. Long and narrow with a trailing end transom, vee bottom etc. I would think the motor transom of those skiffs might make them harder to skull, especially in any current or wind.. *skull* * Hehehehe. What a frippin' idiot. If you had something in your skull besides gas, you'd know the difference between scull and skull. *SKULL* * Sheeesh. By their lame spelling flames you shall know them. Casady Nothing lame about it. As a self-proclaimed builder of rowboats, even an intellectual cipher like JustHate should have known the word he wanted was "scull," not "skull." I'm not expecting a high level of language "dexterity" on usenet, but someone in "the boatbuilding biz" should be familiar with its common terms. *SKULL for SCULL* Idiot. scull, not skull. I can't even force myself to use the wrong word in this instance. * :)- Hide quoted text - - Show quoted text - Wow! You are a real internet hero.. But you still have not posted anything that would suggest you even graduated high school or built or designed anything, ever... You are a phony, period... |
An amusing day on the Erie Canal
On May 4, 1:13*pm, HK wrote:
HK wrote: Richard Casady wrote: On Mon, 04 May 2009 09:54:05 -0400, HK wrote: wrote in Yeah but those boats have a design that makes them easier to skull. Long and narrow with a trailing end transom, vee bottom etc. I would think the motor transom of those skiffs might make them harder to skull, especially in any current or wind.. *skull* * Hehehehe. What a frippin' idiot. If you had something in your skull besides gas, you'd know the difference between scull and skull. *SKULL* * Sheeesh. By their lame spelling flames you shall know them. Casady Nothing lame about it. As a self-proclaimed builder of rowboats, even an intellectual cipher like JustHate should have known the word he wanted was "scull," not "skull." I'm not expecting a high level of language "dexterity" on usenet, but someone in "the boatbuilding biz" should be familiar with its common terms. *SKULL for SCULL* Idiot. scull, not skull. I can't even force myself to use the wrong word in this instance. * :)- Hide quoted text - - Show quoted text - Pffftttt. Excuses and deflections.. WAFM. It's funny to see the Pink Army throwing spelling flames around all the time, while making mistakes of their own at the same time... That's some "delemma" you and Dumb Donnie got yourselves into... |
An amusing day on the Erie Canal
On May 4, 1:40*pm, jim78565 wrote:
HK wrote: Richard Casady wrote: On Mon, 04 May 2009 09:54:05 -0400, HK wrote: wrote in Yeah but those boats have a design that makes them easier to skull. Long and narrow with a trailing end transom, vee bottom etc. I would think the motor transom of those skiffs might make them harder to skull, especially in any current or wind.. *skull* * Hehehehe. What a frippin' idiot. If you had something in your skull besides gas, you'd know the difference between scull and skull. *SKULL* * Sheeesh. By their lame spelling flames you shall know them. Casady Nothing lame about it. As a self-proclaimed builder of rowboats, even an intellectual cipher like JustHate should have known the word he wanted was "scull," not "scull." I'm not expecting a high level of language "dexterity" on usenet, but someone in "the boatbuilding biz" should be familiar with its common terms. *SKULL for SCULL* Idiot. Harry, I'm having a hard time seeing the difference between the "scull" not "scull". Surely someone as critical of others spelling, would be a little more careful with his own. Eh! You are a riot. How many years, in college, did you say it took them to groom you to be a writer.- Hide quoted text - - Show quoted text - The Pink Army gets so caught up and full of drool when they think they are being clever, they simply can't even wait to post... I can see Hatin' Harrys little nubby fingers pounding away while eating a bucket of KFC and getting grease all over the keyboard... You really don't believe this story of him being a writer do you? He was more likely a porter (janitor in union speak) in some shop, pushing a broom and cleaning up the puke of the hungover warehouse workers he seems to despise so openly... |
An amusing day on the Erie Canal
Don White wrote:
"Jim Willemin" wrote in message 7.131... Today was pleasant - some sun, light breeze, mid 60s - so I took my new homebuilt flatiron skiff out for a row along the Erie Canal near Utica, NY. I also took my fishing rod, of course; trolling while rowing is sort of like killing two birds with one stone - one exercises and goes fishing at the same time. Anyhow, it was a quiet day on the canal - I saw four boats in total - two larger sailboats transiting the canal, and two smaller powerboats out for a Sunday cruise. In particular, there was a 16 foot open bow trihull that launched just as I was getting back within a quarter mile of the launch ramp. There were four guys in it, and it zoomed up the canal and back again in joyful abandon (at least, they looked like they were having fun). I get close enough to the ramp to reel in my line and sort of get ready to land (there are no docks at this launch - just a concrete ramp cut into a bank that is heavily riprapped with big honking boulders, making solo launches and landings interesting). I look downwind, and notice the trihull sort of adrift in the middle of the canal, with the cover off the outboard and very ominous noises coming from the vicinity of the motor. Well, if you are running a boat you're a mariner, even if it's only a rowboat on a freshwater canal, and a vessel in distress imposes certain obligations. I row down and ask if they need help. The boat was just purchased, used, for $6,000. The motor does not start. There is no paddle aboard (no PFDs either). They can't swim. There is no line aboard. This is a canal, so the water is 10 feet deep four feet from the shore. They are beginning to realize they stand a good chance of being *very* late for supper. Fortunately, I have a long painter that snaps into my bow eye, a sculling notch in the center of the transom, and a couple of cleats on the gunwale. Pass the snap end of the line to the trihull and tell them to snap it to their bow eye. Lead the line through the sculling notch and make fast to a cleat. Shorten up the oars a bit and begin to row. Fortunately, it's only a couple of hundred yards, and the wind is light. Get to the launch ramp, find one of their buddies standing there, pass him the line, and beach both boats on the ramp. It would have been a lot easier except these four guys in that boat were BIG - easily half a ton of manflesh involved there, indeed, when dead in the water that poor trihull had between 4 and 8 inches freeboard. Of such boaters are statistics made, I guess. The *really* amusing part was watching four guys with a cumulative IQ of about 25 and lacking the sense God gave geese faced with the problem of getting a beached boat onto a trailer with neither power, paddles, nor line. They finally managed it and nobody drowned, though the Keystone Kops could have learned a few things about silliness from the spectacle. Then, boat on trailer, drain plug pulled, they drove off, blissfully ignorant of little things like tie-downs for gunwale and transom (that boat was bouncing several inches off the bunks as they drove across the rough parking lot). I was laughing all the way home, and feeling very smug and almost righteous. Proud of my little boat, too - she was more than up to the rescue. Good for you. That row might have intimidated more than one pseudo boater in this group. Always a negative post from the dummy who failed in life. |
An amusing day on the Erie Canal
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An amusing day on the Erie Canal
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An amusing day on the Erie Canal
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