Something about blogs, way past time, and in the "a significant break from reality" department... "Just roll with the flow wherever it goes even if it rolls out of here"                                            -Michael Nesmith The best part of writing Boat Bits has been readers who've reached out and said hi. Many of which have become friends and that's all the reward anyone could hop ..read more

Scalzi has a New Year's wish I'll second, something that brought a smile, and EBM with a bit of inspired logic... I've been on a sorta/kinda vacance of sorts so have not had a lot of time to put in to Boat Bits during this Holidaze season. On the other hand, I've had quite a bit of time to think about a bunch of stuff including what I'll be doing in the near future with various projects I really should be doing and some changes soon come. In the meantime here's hoping al of you have a most excellent and safe new year. Listening to Coverville and maybe you should be too. So it goes ..read more

  Right up there with a burning bag of dog shit left on someone's porch, just in case you haven't been paying attention, and in the "About that guy thing" department...  I recently had a conversation with someone wanting to get into cruising and it seemed that his main goal had a lot to do with achieving a certain level of independence.  Sound familiar? For me, the best way to achieve a reasonable amount of independence is to simplify and live within one's means. Which, I'll admit, becomes somewhat problematic in a society fueled by consumerism. For instance, a great way to simp ..read more

An interesting VW Bug you might want to check out,  Petulant Oligarchs, and EBM makes a needful point... So, it seems that the island is hosting Biden for a bit of R&R. I suspect he could use a break down here in America's paradise and I hope he has a great time. That said, I'll remind you that citizens of the USA/USVI are not allowed to vote in presidential elections. On the plus side we can say that we didn't have anything to do with that last guy in office. Just sayin'... Listening to the Camaleon Bassoons So it goes ..read more

Lakes in Alaska, regarding those white mortality stats, and in the "Incompetent buffoons incapable of running anything properly" department... All of a sudden it's the Holidaze and no matter what you celebrate we're all pretty much in the middle of it. Mostly I'm a New Years person as all the other holiday frolic is outside of my belief comfort zone so I tend to focus on the "Wouldn't it be wonderful if things worked out for the better in the New Year" approach. That said, here's hoping anyone reading this has a great whatever holiday is your drug of choice. Listening to Tom Lehrer So it goes ..read more

Some battery tech of interest, Badtux on twitter, and in the "Just how stupid are we? department... A while back, I needed to get a new water pump for the galley of the manual sort. My first choice where manual galley pumps has always been Fynspray and I really love this pump... Which I'm sure you'll agree is a seriously cool bit of plumbing. The problem is that the current price of $369.99 is way more than I'm inclined to spend. That's just silly expensive. So I looked at a less expensive Fynspray which I've had before that worked just fine...   Obviously not as sexy as the handsome b ..read more

Imagine 40% of Americans think this clown should be in office, some needful reading, and in the "Just another scam for witless boat owners" department...   48° North has an excellent article on DIYing a dodger using plexiglass that costs out somewhere short of $500. Considering that a Sailrite dodger kit and their dodger frame kit will cost you over $1600 or so, that amounts to a significant savings. Of course, my go to method for dodgers is stitch and glue plywood construction which costs a whole lot less and is strong enough to stand on when the need arises.  Still, the plexi dod ..read more

A new land speed record, some interesting details, and in the "Believe them when they say they're going to do shit" department... Well at least it doesn't have that condomaran look.  Listening to Moonalice So it goes ..read more

Some scary numbers, the current state of things in the water under your boat, and in the "Urbanized Knowledge Syndrome" department... Some pretty plywood for sure. Now it's about time for someone to start designing some shoal draft scows. Listening to the Mavericks So it goes ..read more

The current daily death count, a film you may want to keep an eye out for, and in the "A cartoon pretty much says it all" department... I just came across an electronic anti-fouling kit for a boat up to eight meters that is surplus to requirements. So if anyone has fond memories of those Heathkit days drop me a line. Listening to a great cover of Mad World So it goes ..read more