What did you do today? - 2022 version

[RobbieB]

Nope. The great maritime exemption, they call it "credit card captain"

You buy a boat on a credit card and you're a captain! Unless commercial.

You operate a boat as a business, you need a license. You boat for fun, not required.

I did take the CA boater course, CA is phasing this in, younger people first as there are an increasing amount of "incidents" on the water. Mostly because of alcohol and stupidity.

Hey dude hold my beer and watch this!

So I have my CA "Boater Card" which gives me a discount on insurance and keeps me legal. In advance, because my age has not come up yet to be required.

But, I want to be able to pilot my 20 ton vessel safely and responsibly. It doesn't go very fast, but at 40,000 pounds it doesn't take much speed to do a lot of damage.

[street]

^ interesting! I agree the CA course and the more educated even on the small things doesn't hurt. A lot of things are just a renewal of information.

[Gumby]

Quote:

Originally Posted by RobbieB ...I want to be able to pilot my 20 ton vessel safely and responsibly. It doesn't go very fast, but at 40,000 pounds it doesn't take much speed to do a lot of damage.

The ocean is the strongest force on Earth and entirely unforgiving of mistakes. I'm glad you are taking it seriously, Robbie.

[street]

Yesterday helped a rancher with replacement calves to have mom cows take to orphan calves. What a job not sure we made much headway to make cow and calf a pair.

Today I will spend the better part of day turkey hunting. Still have to pack in because of mud and snow.

[Walt34]

Robbie, I am also following your posts about acquiring and outfitting a boat. That has to be a fun project!

Yesterday during watering in the lawn fertilizer I noticed that the water was leaking into the backyard shed underneath the joint between the concrete pad and the siding. It's not a big deal, a little water won't do major damage to anything, but over time it will speed deterioration of equipment and material in there. So I cleaned up the joint and removed all the old caulking with an oscillating tool and blade, and vacuumed up all the debris from that. It went a lot faster than I thought it would. The old way of removing caulk involved use of a "church key" aka beer can opener and lots of patient scraping. No way could I do that now in one sitting with my back issues. The new butyl rubber caulk is ordered from Amazon and should be here tomorrow. Strangely, neither Lowes nor Home Depot seemed to have it in stock according to their web sites. I wanted the butyl rubber caulk because according to what I've read on the stuff it'll last the longest on the joint between concrete and vinyl siding and exposure to lots of direct sunlight.

[NW-Bound]

Back home recuperating after the first fly-and-drive trip since late 2019. I found a decent airfare for Phoenix-Houston, so made a short 7-night trip to get out of town for a change in scenery.

Traffic in Houston was horrible. So was the downtown Austin. San Antonio was a bit better.

The last time I was in SA was in the late 90s. They have expanded the riverwalk and the surrounding quite a bit since then.

Now, back at home tending to the garden and the solar power system.

[Gumby]

I helped spread nine yards of compost on the community garden plots for the homeless, which involved shoveling the compost into a wheelbarrow from the huge pile where was dumped, wheeling it to the plot, dumping it there and spreading it with a rake. My arms and back are tired.

[skyking1]

I removed the bumper and hood from the dump truck. I was able to rig it up and do it by myself with the forklift. Many bolts were totally rusted seized up, so after breaking off a few I gave that up and took the rest off with the hot wrench. I had ordered a used hinge from a wrecking yard and got that put on. I am ready to start fitting the new hood tomorrow, right after picking up a bunch of bolts and nuts and washers.
Once I took the grille off it lost a lot of integrity

[MC Rider]

Went bowling with the grandsons and their parents. The 9-year-old, the youngest bowler won, but he was using the bumpers and nobody else was. No more bumpers for him

[RobbieB]

Set the alarm for 6 and wifey and I headed for Alameda for our first training cruise at 7 with a stop for McMuffins on the way. Captain met us and started the show. Which begins with all the stuff you need to do before leaving the dock.

Got to do all the safety stuff before the next training session next week.

Got all that plus some good rudder center and steer with clutches and throttles maneuvering training.

Had lunch at a fish restaurant on the way home and looking forward to next week!

[skyking1]

did you get a handle on the prop walking?

[RobbieB]

The wind was the big challenge. Not much tide/current, but a good 15-20 blow. I know the walking effect when only 1 motor in gear forward vs reverse, but the wind caused throttle to be added more than anything else.

[skyking1]

The breeze can be a challenge for sure. Dad's little custom trawler had a ton of cabin up for length, and a single screw and rudder. It schooled me often. You learn to leave a line on and drive into it, then back down and cut it loose really fast.

[RobbieB]

This is a whole new world for me and even more for the wife who has never piloted a boat except to drive on down the river. I've done a lot of small (15-20) foot outboards and managed to not destroy any docks, boats or people, but this 44 foot 20 ton double diesel is a whole new world for sure.

Our captain is a real pro. Seven years with the coast guard and a professional captain ever since. He makes it look so easy, backed my boat into the tight slip it was moored in like anyone could do it. Guy beside us said "you make it look easy", he says "it is easy"

I aspire to be half as good as he is -

My delta slip is not going to be anywhere near as hard, more room and double access. Wifey asked about the tough entry and the captain will dock it somewhere easier when we move it.

[pacergal]

RobbieB--sounds like you and DW are going to have so much fun with you boat!

[street]

Well, was a busier day than I wanted or needed. Lol I went to ranch early to get my alfalfa/grass mix planted took most of morning. It was a 200 x 200-foot area where we had hay stacked and grass all died off. I spread seed and harrowed and raked it in.

I just got home and got a call my aspen trees came in so went back to ranch and planted 25 aspens.

I plan to go turkey hunting this evening since it was a great day from two snow storms the last two weeks.

[RobbieB]

Drove up to Stockton and got the needed safety stuff for the boat before the next training session. Pollution placards, rules of navigation booklet, first aid kit and distress signal kit.

All the stuff the Coast Guard looks for if they inspect that wasn't on the boat before. Which is really important being right next to Coast Guard Island -

[skyking1]

I got it all back together today, good enough for a job tomorrow. It all has to come back apart for paint the next break I get in the schedule. The bumper was apparently made out of unobtainium, so I will make my own.

[caninelover]

Taking the car in for service this morning. Will get a workout in and then SO and I will head out somewhere for happy hour.

Tomorrow we're taking our new inflatable kayak out in the harbor.

[pacergal]

Not how I wanted to spend the day yesterday-- poor old pup got into something in the yard (thinking compost, as we are moving ours from old to new container), much stomach distress/bloating/stinky gas and diarrhea. Ugh. DH cleaning up the yard, me cleaning up the floors.
Gave him some Gas X, considering Pepto if not better today. This morning he refused his food, but did eat some toast of mine! He seems to look better and his gut is no longer distended and gurgling. Poor old guy, he has been having loss of stool already occasionally, he didn't need this too. The decision we don't want, but lovingly need to do has been moving closer.