Conference unifix::sailing

    Yes, but I am sure he does it slowly without throwing 3 foot swells
    at sailing craft, polluting the tranquility with the roar of unmuffled
    jet engines, fouling the atmosphere with unconsumed hydrocarbons,
    requesting female guests leave most of their clothes below, or
    adding to the national debt by requesting S&R assistance when he
    runs out of gas (which I understand is the Webster's definition
    of s_potter).       :-}
     

    I'm afraid you're forgetting something that a "stink-potter" wouldn't
    really be expected to think about.  If you do a lot of cruising on
    a sailboat (i.e. off-shore, or long trips along the coast) and you live
    aboard, you have to run the engine every day just to keep your
    batteries charged, whether you're sailing or not.  I can conceive of 
    someone who does a lot of cruising having to run their engine 100 hours 
    in a season and never putting the engine in gear.  That's an unfortunate 
    fact of life aboard a sailboat ... sooner or later you HAVE to run the 
    engine or your batteries will die.  It seems like Alan does a lot of 
    cruising.  I'd be willing to bet that that accounts for a significant 
    number of engine-hours over the course of 9 seasons.
    
    Also, when you run the engine on a sailboat, the chances are the only
    people on the water you're going to bother are the ones on YOUR boat. 
    The same cannot be said for "stink-pots".  Most sailboats come equipped 
    with small diesel engines or outboards, neither of which can compete in 
    terms of "stink" with what you find on comparably sized powerboats.
    
    But while we're on the subject, I'd like to suggest that not all
    powerboaters should be referred to as "stink-potters", and not all
    powerboats should be called "stink-pots".
    
    I think "stink-pots" are a subclass of "powerboat". And "stink-potters" 
    are a subclass of "powerboaters" which are a subclass of "boaters".
    
    Stink-pots fall under one of three categories:
    
    1.  "Noise-pots" - These are the ones that pollute the air with noise.  
        They're so noisy they start to bother you as soon as they get
        within five miles.  Best example is the cigarette boat, with four 
        big exhaust pipes sticking out the back and not a hint of a
        muffler.  Of course, the people riding inside one of these beasties
        don't mind the noise.  They're moving faster than the speed of sound 
        and can't hear it anyway.
    
    2.  "Rodney-pots" - These are the 30 to 40 foot, two-story tubs that
        simply HAVE to pass within 20 feet of your bow at 30 MPH.  There
        are usually people up on the flying bridge waving at you with 
        lobotomized looking smiles on their faces.  The owners of boats in 
        this category are known as "Rodneys", because they don't give anybody
        any respect.  They are the ones who slow down to 15 MPH while going
        through a 5 MPH NO WAKE zone, just fast enough to throw a wake that 
        lifts your boat above fender-height and throws it into the dock.
    
    3.  "Lobster-pots" - These are the literal stink-pots.  Working boats
        with evil smelling engines.  This particular species can always be
        spotted by the dual trails of blue-white exhaust and seagulls.
        About all you can do with these is wish the owners extra-good luck
        so they can afford to buy a new boat.  Unfortunately they'll
        probably end up selling this one to their brother-in-law, Louie,
        so he can start up his own business ... in the mooring area.
    
    The majority of power-boats don't fit into any of these categories, and
    so they can't really be called stink-pots.
    
    My opinion, what do you think ??
    
    
    ... Bob

    re: .2
    
    Bob -- I couldn't agree more -- Love your xxx-pots definitions.
    
    Even being a power-type (vs xx-pot) myself it tis frustrating to
    see some of the folks out there that can simply lay out some $$$
    & go.   I teach seamanship for the Power Squadrons & wish more folks
    would not only take the time for a course; but, would also practice
    what they preach/hear.
    
    One of the advantages to sail for all of us is that by the nature
    of the sport it "seems" to demand more knowledgable captains/crew.
    
    I have had many close encounters due to incompetent "sail" types;
    but, would be the first to admit that all damage has been from idiot
    "power" (of the Rodney vintage) types.
    Never did understand why power boats have to pass within 20' of
    all anchored boats they pass. Seems to be the same mentality that
    makes a porche change lanes at 85 within 2' of your front bumber with
    no blinker.
    
    I'll resist the urge to go on for pages --
    & with your permission (already assumed) will use your categories of Noise,
    Rodney & Lobster -pots in my course.
    (While your on a roll can you categorize the "wind-bags"????)
                                                          
  * Well Allan I guess we'll let it ride under the guise of keeping
    your batteries charged.
    
    With_mufflers_no_lobsters_&_no_comment_on_my_wake,
                                                       Lou (Phanta Sea)
     

The first part of reply .2 is the answer. Yes, we use our 25 hp diesel 
mostly to charge the batteries, when anchoring, and in calms when passage 
making. We actually sail a few hundred hours per summer. 

    Engine hours is only part of the answer.  Maybe a guage that measures
    hours and RPM to provide a different indication of use.
    
    I do not have an hour indicator and in late July decided I had better
    top off the fuel tank after starting the season in March and sailing
    three out of four weekends each month, and a three week cruise.
    The bill was $ 2.16.  Maybe that's the guage to use
    
    Second Wind has a Yanmar 44.
    
    

    Gramatical correction in .5
    
    Engine hours *are* only part of the answer.
    
    Proof reading never was a stong suit.

Yes, typically the fuel consumption of the diesels used in sailboats is 
rather low. Our engine uses about 0.5 gallon per hour at cruising speed -- 
5.7 knots or so -- which indicates that it is producing approximately 8 
hp. 

Re hours: All of the literature I've seen recommends service intervals 
for diesel engines based on hours of use. Idling a diesel to charge the 
batteries is worse for the engine than running under full load (or so 
I've been told by various engine makers). Since nothing else is 
available, an hourmeter seems like a good investment.

    RE .3
    
    >>  (while your on a roll can you categorize the "wind-bags")
    
    Sure, I'll give it a shot.
    
    As with "stink-pot", the term "wind-bag" really doesn't apply to most
    sailboats.  Again, I think of "wind-bags" as falling into three different
    categories.
    
    1.  "Trash-bags" - These are the boats whose owners obviously don't
        think there's a style to sailing.  By day they drag their fenders.
        By night they drag their anchors.  By the middle of the season they
        drag 6 to 10 inches of growth along on their bottom.  The owners of 
        these boats are to be pitied more than anything else.  They are 
        usually only a danger to themselves, but be prepared to fend them 
        off if they try to dock next to you.  Most of them haven't figured 
        out the concept of "current" yet.  I refer to them as "trash-bags" 
        because of their tendency to leave a trail of beer cans and other
        assorted "disposables" floating in their wake.
    
    2.  "Money-bags" - There is a reasonably good description (though a
        mite overdone) in Note 1016.  The owners of these "boats" think
        an adventure on the water is watching the Sunday afternoon football
        game from the privacy of their own cabin, whilst sipping Perrier
        and munching microwave popcorn.  They are a danger to no one, as
        they rarely leave the dock.
    
    3.  "Hot Air-bags" - These are the racing boats.  The "hot" refers to
        the fact that it's a fast boat.  The "air" refers to the skipper's
        tendency to yell a lot.  There's always a lot of yelling on one of
        these boats.  That's because the skipper is usually a successful
        professional businessman who only gets to act childish when he's
        on his boat.  Invariably they have egos bigger than the state of
        Iowa and mouths to match.  Avoid these at all costs, especially
        during a race.  Everyone KNOWS that one of these would sooner
        collide with you than bear off course.  They are a danger to
        everyone, particularly their competitors and their crew.
    
    These are the ones I can think of.  Maybe somebody else has others ...
    
    ... Bob