CARVER
OWNERS CLUB
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CARVER
OWNERS CLUB
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February 2006
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Stories |
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| What Is It?? Update
I received more than 50 emails telling me that these devices are indeed pot holders for the stove top. Many of the responses accurately described how to use them and many responses accurately identified them, along with the note that they had never used them. I asked one member who is working on his boat in this mild east coast winter to send me photos of them in use. One response suggested something that, if anatomically possible, could be very interesting and one response suggested that these were window openers.
This was a very popular feature. If you have other mysteries, please send them along.
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| Boating Safely
One member explained how he received a couple of Class A bruises on the inside of his legs. He was returning from a waterfront bar in his inflatable dingy when he hit a wake a bit too fast. The inflated tubes bounced him some distance into the air and returned him to the dingy such that he straddled the tubes, briefly. Then the real fun started. He fell out of the dingy. He failed to put on a life jacket or to attach the kill cord to himself. Of course he was riding alone. The result was that he was in the water, found it difficult to breathe, and watched the dingy zoom away from him at a significant rate of speed. It could have been worse. Other boats saw him propelled into the air, along with the subsequent re-acquaintance with the dingy and the fall overboard. Some of the other boats went to his aid and others chased and eventually trapped the runaway dingy. They returned the dingy to the member and helped him get back on board. No injuries other than some embarrassing bruises to explain. The member suggested that in the future, when operating alone, he might make these changes: attach the kill cord, take wakes a bit slower, and wear a life jacket.
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| Boat Hunting
“'EXCELLENT (BRISTOL) CONDITION' is a vessel that is maintained in a mint or ‘Bristol’ fashion – usually better than factory new – loaded with extras – a rarity," according to BUC Research. Almost every boat Patsy and I have looked at has been in "Bristol" condition. Making this claim falsely is unfortunate because it damages the credibility of the broker with us and makes us wonder what else is really wrong with the boat. |
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| Fuel Costs
Several members have emailed complaining about the cost of fuel and the unfairness of it all. Has anyone worked out what percentage of total cost of ownership fuel is. In other words, if you took all of the costs associated with a boat and divided that into your fuel costs, what would you get? It seems like some people never cruise and other people constantly do. Annual fuel costs ($3000 for about 60 hours of cruising) don't seem too high when I look at the cost of a slip ($5000), the cost of minimal maintenance like winterization and recommissioning ($2000), insurance ($1600), and the purchase cost or depreciation ($12,000). I'd appreciate your thoughts on this.
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| Ozone Generators
One member sent this update about ozone generators for use in his boat. "I had significant head odor problems so I purchased two ozone generators. One was the bilge buster and the other was a CabinAire, both made by the same company. They were 100% satisfactory. I actually bought and installed the bilge buster first and it was perfect until I turned on the A/C units. It turns out that they draw air out of the bilge in addition to the salon so the solution was to put the cabinaire generator right in the "box" where the a/c unit is installed. Presto, no more odors. People visiting me on the boat were amazed at the freshness and several dock mates added them to their boats. To my knowledge, I never had problems with deterioration of rubber hoses but I only had the boat two more years with the units in them. My dock neighbor bought the boat from me so I will let you know if he has any issues. In short, I would buy one again if I had similar problems." Further research shows that the low levels of ozone produced do not pose a threat to people who come into contact with the ozone, especially when used periodically (once or twice a season for up to two days per session). If you are interested in renting an ozone generator through the club, contact webdude@carverownersclub.com and lets see what we can work out.
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| Cleon's
Cleaning Tips
Most boats end up with mildew on the boat, especially in the heads, on the vinyl. We've found that Tilex does a nice job of removing the mildew and stains from most non-fabric surfaces. Again, do not use on fabrics or other products that are not colorfast since Tilex contains Clorox.
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| Dave's
Silly Tip of the Month
Tired of the rust streaks that run down the side of the boat from different through-hull drains? Here's an interesting idea that appears to work by moving the stream away from the fiberglass.
I don't know how you keep the tubing from shooting out - the tubes don't appear to be glued in place. The tubes work better when they are tapered and the longer end is at the bottom, as shown in the diagram above right.
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| Upcoming
Events
Let me explain my terminology. A Saturday Night Out (SNO) is a gathering of Club Members and others (you do not have to be a club member to attend). We typically have drinks, followed by dinner. Each couple or group is responsible for their charges. You may cancel your reservation at any time without penalty. A Rendezvous is a sponsored event with a flat fee charged to cover the extended weekend. You must be a Club Member or approved guest to attend the Rendezvous. Fees are paid when the reservation is made and there is a restrictive cancellation policy. A cruise is a disorganized lurching from one destination to another, based on weather, mood, and supplies. It is either a lot of fun or a nightmare, depending on your level of discomfort with chaos. While we do not pay people to participate in our cruises, we probably should.
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| Featured Boat
This month's featured boat is The Other Woman, a 2002, 466 Motor Yacht. Here is the link to the featured sale boat: http://www.carverownersclub.com/boatSales/detail.php?boatAd=174 |
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