|
|
|
|
|||||
|
||||||
From: Robert Gainer (no email)
Date: Mon Jun 21 2004 - 10:17:43 EDT
I may have misled the group, I am not anti technology I have a VHF, EPIRB,
computer and on some trips a SSB transceiver. I just feel good about myself
when I do the navigation and maintenance on the boat. I don’t want a machine
to sail the boat I want to sail the boat. On a side note I have my 1977 car
setup with GPS and mapping software but have not yet used GPS on the boat. I
will try it on the boat this summer.
All the best;
Bob
>From: "Margo Dollan" <>
>Reply-To:
>To: <>
>Subject: Re: [world-cruising] Re: Some Observations
>Date: Mon, 21 Jun 2004 07:09:33 -0600
>
>For the sailing purist (which you seem to be, Robert), sailing without
>superfluous equipment is a fine personal choice. Other folks are
>technophiles and love all the fancy gadgets, which is fine too. I myself
>(a
>sailing novice and not afraid to admit it) kind of straddle the fence on
>this issue. I would feel more comfortable with my family on board if I had
>some of the electronic niceties (GPS, EPIRB, laptop for writing and
>schoolwork, and yes, that slow old calculator). This does not mean that we
>would not also have non-electronic navigational gear like a sextant (I just
>like 'em!) and such. Every boat should have backup options, IMO.
>
>I personally appreciate the opinions of both sides on this issue. The
>purist can teach me more about what I can do if my electronics go out and
>the technophile can alert me to new useful 'toys' I might be interested in.
>So thank you both for your insight!
>
>~Margo
>
>----- Original Message -----
>From: "Robert Gainer" <>
>To: <>
>Sent: Monday, June 21, 2004 5:55 AM
>Subject: RE: [world-cruising] Re: Some Observations
>
>
> > Lew;
> > I think it's interesting to see the assumptions that people make about
>one
> > another. You think that because of my age I am not computer minded or
> > technically proficient. I am now 51 years old and spent 25 years in the
>boat
> > building and repair business with my own shop. I was in that business
> > because I enjoyed designing, building and repairing boats. Before that I
> > wrote computer programs for yacht design in Fortran to run on an IBM
>360-50
> > computer. That was well before the PC that you may be familiar with.
> >
> > After I left the boat business my partner and I opened a computer shop
>in
> > Suffern New York and just last year sold that to a friend of mine. I am
>now
> > back in the boating business, its more fun then anything I have done and
>I
> > enjoy it very much. The modern yacht is a very complex and very
>technical
> > piece of equipment. To work on it you must know a lot more then the
>average
> > car mechanic. The fact that I can work on the high tech composites
> > structures or diagnose and do board replacement (tracing a circuit with
>a
> > oscilloscope is not practical or worth the time because you cannot do
>the
> > wave soldering on a multi layer board to replace the chips in the
>average
> > boat shop) on electronics does not mean that I want that stuff on my
>boat.
>I
> > don't carry it to the extreme that I see in some of the foreign yachts
>where
> > the rigging is spliced, sails have hand worked details and the boat is
>built
> > in wood. I was the sailing master on one English 100 ton ketch that had
>a
> > blacksmith on board; we did our own work on all parts of the boat and
>rig.
>I
> > do want to be self-sufficient and be able to maintain and repair my boat
> > myself.
> >
> > You say something about the choice of cars. I drive a 1977 240D Mercedes
> > diesel. The last 3 cars that I had were that year or within 2 years of
>that
> > model. I have the shop tools for that model car and engine; I do my own
>work
> > on it. It's cheaper to own, run and maintain then the modern car with
>all
> > the electronics. Again that is a choice I make. I have a prom burner and
>I
> > have copied proms from some of the newer cars to modify and then burn
>new
> > ones for friends who want to change the performance. I also have the
>adapter
> > for my palm pilot to read the diagnostic code from some of the newer
>cars.
>I
> > just prefer that my stuff is simple and maintainable.
> >
> > I have a small lath that I use to make parts for boats. I travel with
>that
> > and some other tools. The only reason that I had a machine shop make the
> > parts for my sextant was that cutting such fine thread meant that I
>needed
> > to find some tooling that I had stored and didn't know where to locate
>on
> > the spur of the moment. A friend of mine runs the shop and cost was not
>an
> > issue. I maintain his computer system for him and we trade favors all
>the
> > time.
> >
> > But yes you are right about the TV and the Home Entertainment system, I
>read
> > or build something instead of watching TV, I don't feel the loss. I do
>have
> > a cell phone and I can't repair that, but I can't do surgery on myself
>or
> > maintain the airplane that I fly in either. That doesn't mean that I
>don't
> > have a doctor and don't fly. This e-mail is from a computer that I
>built.
> > One of the computers for the boat is in a waterproof 19" rack with
>removable
> > drives for quick replacement on the boat. I sail with spare parts for
>all
> > the computers on board but that's not my primary navigation or safety
> > system.
> >
> > You say "Modern electronics do not replace prudent seamanship; however,
> > trying to implement obsolete equipment rather than utilize modern
>technology
> > is also to put it politely, not swift", I don't think my choices are
> > obsolete I think they are very practical and after 2 hurricanes 4 trans
> > Atlantic crossings, sailing though Norway, Sweden, Germany, England,
>France,
> > Gambia, Senegal, Brazil, Spain, Portugal well you get the idea, I think
>my
> > skill and seamanship should not be in question.
> > All the best;
> > Robert Gainer
> >
> >
> >
> > >From:
> > >Reply-To:
> > >To:
> > >Subject: [world-cruising] Re: Some Observations
> > >Date: Sun, 20 Jun 2004 22:03:03 -0700
> > >
> > >The whole concept of having equipment on board that can be repaired is
> > >interesting, but misguided IMHO.
> > >
> > >Your view point is influenced by of your age, IMHO.
> > >
> > >Those who grew up with computer technology will have a different
> > >perspective than those who came before them.
> > >
> > >If you ONLY use equipment that you as an individual can service and
> > >repair, then in this day of high reliability, finite use, throw away,
>non
> > >repairable products, you will probably not have any of the following:
> > >
> > >1) TV. Today, these are throwaway non repairable items.
> > >2) Home entertainment electronics such as stereo, AM/FM radio. (Same as
> > >TV)
> > >3) Automobile. Nobody can work on a modern automobile without the
> > >necessary test equipment.
> > >4) Handheld calculator.
> > >5) Cell Phone.
> > >6) Personal computer.
> > >
> > >The list goes on but you get the idea.
> > >
> > >Yes, you can repair a mechanical device such as a sextant, if you can
> > >find suitable shore side machine shop services, but at what cost?
> > >
> > >A basic GPS costs less than $100. If it dies, throw it in the trash and
> > >pick up the next one. (Save the batteries)
> > >
> > >Doubt you will get a machine shop to make sextant renewal parts of
>under
> > >$100.
> > >
> > >You can draw a new scale for my slide rule, but why bother when a new
> > >electronic calculator is less than $10.
> > >
> > >Before you get the wrong idea, I'm not a big fan of electronic toys on
>a
> > >boat.
> > >
> > >Being in the industrial electronics business, I recognize that all
> > >electronics are sooner or later going to fail, probably sooner.
> > >
> > >Modern electronics do not replace prudent seamanship; however, trying
>to
> > >implement obsolete equipment rather than utilize modern technology is
> > >also to put it politely, not swift.
> > >
> > >Lew
> > >
> > >________________________________________________________________
> > >The best thing to hit the Internet in years - Juno SpeedBand!
> > >Surf the Web up to FIVE TIMES FASTER!
> > >Only $14.95/ month - visit www.juno.com to sign up today!
> >
> > _________________________________________________________________
> > Make the most of your family vacation with tips from the MSN Family
>Travel
> > Guide! http://dollar.msn.com
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > Yahoo! Groups Links
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
>
_________________________________________________________________
Get fast, reliable Internet access with MSN 9 Dial-up – now 3 months FREE!
http://join.msn.click-url.com/go/onm00200361ave/direct/01/
------------------------ Yahoo! Groups Sponsor --------------------~-->
Make a clean sweep of pop-up ads. Yahoo! Companion Toolbar.
Now with Pop-Up Blocker. Get it for free!
http://us.click.yahoo.com/L5YrjA/eSIIAA/yQLSAA/A1TolB/TM
--------------------------------------------------------------------~->
Yahoo! Groups Links
<*> To visit your group on the web, go to:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/world-cruising/
<*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to:
<*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to:
http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
|