We’ve been at our home in Cabo since Friday, which is only relevant because it indirectly explains why I don’t have an update for today. We had a remodel done this summer, which was to be done a couple of months ago. Unfortunately, it not only didn’t finish, it seems to be well underway around us. Our normally quiet sanctuary is now home to Roberta, I and dozens of contractors.
I’ve been taking refuge at the local golf course, where my friend and golf-buddy, John, who races sail boats, spends most of the day trying to convince me to give up power boating and buy a sail boat. I retaliate by spending the day explaining to him why he needs a trawler.
I think I finally have him backed into a corner. I’ve been trying to “gently” persuade him that he should tag along with us on our Japan run. He’s constantly reminding me that his humonguous sail boat goes 20+ knots, and that under power it runs 10+ knots, with a 3,000 mile range, while getting something like 2 miles a gallon (these stats may be wrong. I’ve heard them enough times you’d think I’d have them memorized, but I’m not sure margaritas are an effective aid to memory). When really pushed, he has had to admit:
– He has no air conditioning (weight on a racing sailboat is a big deal)
– The interior is pretty “spartan” .. no satellite tv, no internet
– You have to drive from outside (but there is a “dodger”)
And, my favorite: Although it can run at 10+ knots on power, that’s only if the sea conditions are “just right.” Punching into a head wind for thousands of miles would yield a substantially slower speed.
Generally speaking John wins our little competition, and on more than one occasion I’ve been willing to admit that there’s a lot to be said for a sailboat. This was the first time I can remember where John “kind of” acknowledged that there might actually be some decent reasons for owning a power boat…
And, on to something a little more serious…
I’ve been working with our weather router “Weather Bob” to help him re-do his website. It has been bugging me that his website looked so bad. As part of the project, he wanted me to teach him about “blogging.” I’m encouraging him to do something that teaches boaters about weather. He’s just getting his blog started, and I expect it will get a lot better with time. His website is: http://www.oceanmarinenav.com/
And, lastly… I’ve been focusing on Japan the last few days. My effort to find a marina in Japan for our fleet has failed miserably. I don’t quite get it, but after dozens of emails into Japan, and dozens of faxes, and dozens of phone calls, I have gotten nowhere on finding moorage. I mentioned my frustration to the Director of Operations of a cruise ship company, with whom I was doing a reference check on our “Siberian Connection”, and he said he would refer me to his agent, who could work miracles in Japan. I just jotted off an email to the Japanese agent, and am now feeling like that piece of our trip is coming together.
And… one last bit of news….
I’m getting a lot of emails from people saying “Where is your boat?”. I have a big mailing list (>5,000 people), which I mail to when Roberta and I are on the boat, and a little mailing list (<1,000 people), which I randomly mail to. If you have been getting email from me the last few days, then you are on my “little mailing list.” Most of the people on the big mailing list still don’t know that Sans Souci is in Seattle. Later today, or tomorrow, I will be sending an email to my big list letting everyone know the boat has arrived, and catching people up. I will also encourage people, who are on the “big list” and who want to get my blog updates as I write them, without having to go to my blog website (www.kensblog.com) to register on the “little list.” I’m only mentioning this, because most of you who are reading this are on both lists, and there is a good chance that my email will confuse you.
There is actually a bit of a difference between the two lists. Because the big list is more “casual boaters” than the little list, I tend to be less technical when emailing that list. Discussions of AGM vs Lead-acid batteries would quickly cause my big list to get much smaller. Whereas when I’m not on the boat, and only sending out to the little list, I tend to talk about whatever I’m thinking, and hope the readers can keep up, figuring if you are going to my site everyday, you are probably as boat-addicted as I am.
None of this is worth you worrying about. When we start our big cruise in May I will be merging the two lists together, to create a “really big list.” In the mean time, when you receive an email in the next day or two announcing that Sans Souci has arrived in Seattle, just act surprised, and don’t mention that you’ve known it for several weeks….
How about that for a day when I don’t have time to write a blog entry!…
-Ken W
I’ve been taking refuge at the local golf course, where my friend and golf-buddy, John, who races sail boats, spends most of the day trying to convince me to give up power boating and buy a sail boat. I retaliate by spending the day explaining to him why he needs a trawler.
I think I finally have him backed into a corner. I’ve been trying to “gently” persuade him that he should tag along with us on our Japan run. He’s constantly reminding me that his humonguous sail boat goes 20+ knots, and that under power it runs 10+ knots, with a 3,000 mile range, while getting something like 2 miles a gallon (these stats may be wrong. I’ve heard them enough times you’d think I’d have them memorized, but I’m not sure margaritas are an effective aid to memory). When really pushed, he has had to admit:
– He has no air conditioning (weight on a racing sailboat is a big deal)
– The interior is pretty “spartan” .. no satellite tv, no internet
– You have to drive from outside (but there is a “dodger”)
And, my favorite: Although it can run at 10+ knots on power, that’s only if the sea conditions are “just right.” Punching into a head wind for thousands of miles would yield a substantially slower speed.
Generally speaking John wins our little competition, and on more than one occasion I’ve been willing to admit that there’s a lot to be said for a sailboat. This was the first time I can remember where John “kind of” acknowledged that there might actually be some decent reasons for owning a power boat…
And, on to something a little more serious…
I’ve been working with our weather router “Weather Bob” to help him re-do his website. It has been bugging me that his website looked so bad. As part of the project, he wanted me to teach him about “blogging.” I’m encouraging him to do something that teaches boaters about weather. He’s just getting his blog started, and I expect it will get a lot better with time. His website is: http://www.oceanmarinenav.com/
And, lastly… I’ve been focusing on Japan the last few days. My effort to find a marina in Japan for our fleet has failed miserably. I don’t quite get it, but after dozens of emails into Japan, and dozens of faxes, and dozens of phone calls, I have gotten nowhere on finding moorage. I mentioned my frustration to the Director of Operations of a cruise ship company, with whom I was doing a reference check on our “Siberian Connection”, and he said he would refer me to his agent, who could work miracles in Japan. I just jotted off an email to the Japanese agent, and am now feeling like that piece of our trip is coming together.
And… one last bit of news….
I’m getting a lot of emails from people saying “Where is your boat?”. I have a big mailing list (>5,000 people), which I mail to when Roberta and I are on the boat, and a little mailing list (<1,000 people), which I randomly mail to. If you have been getting email from me the last few days, then you are on my “little mailing list.” Most of the people on the big mailing list still don’t know that Sans Souci is in Seattle. Later today, or tomorrow, I will be sending an email to my big list letting everyone know the boat has arrived, and catching people up. I will also encourage people, who are on the “big list” and who want to get my blog updates as I write them, without having to go to my blog website (www.kensblog.com) to register on the “little list.” I’m only mentioning this, because most of you who are reading this are on both lists, and there is a good chance that my email will confuse you.
There is actually a bit of a difference between the two lists. Because the big list is more “casual boaters” than the little list, I tend to be less technical when emailing that list. Discussions of AGM vs Lead-acid batteries would quickly cause my big list to get much smaller. Whereas when I’m not on the boat, and only sending out to the little list, I tend to talk about whatever I’m thinking, and hope the readers can keep up, figuring if you are going to my site everyday, you are probably as boat-addicted as I am.
None of this is worth you worrying about. When we start our big cruise in May I will be merging the two lists together, to create a “really big list.” In the mean time, when you receive an email in the next day or two announcing that Sans Souci has arrived in Seattle, just act surprised, and don’t mention that you’ve known it for several weeks….
How about that for a day when I don’t have time to write a blog entry!…
-Ken W
One Response
Ken – your comment re: lead vs agm, reminded me I wanted to let you know of a ‘battery oil’ that I have used in all my lead acid batteries. The link is:http://www.batteryde-mister… (http://www.batteryde-mister.com/)
I have no relationship with the company other than a satisfied customer of many years.
I have 4 grp 31’s that are over 5 years old and all are doing well.