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Rudderham's Captain's Comments
Using ‘green
energy’ aboard your boat
Many boaters with cuddy cabins or weekend boats that
have the facilities to sleep aboard and have a small galley would
like to have electrical power to run a micro-wave, coffee-maker, TV
or stereo. Many of these boats don’t have the space to install a
Gen-Set, plus the weight might affect the boat’s balance. Cost also
can influence an owner’s decision, as a good Gen-Set installed can
cost as much as $5,000.
Lately smart boaters are turning to inverters and
solar power. What does an inverter do? They convert 12 or 24 volt DC
energy stored in your batteries into household 115V AC electricity
to run standard household appliances. To work properly you will need
a heavy duty alternator, deep-cycle dedicated battery, battery box
and the inverter which will cost about half as much as a small
Gen-Set and is easier to install. With a permanently installed
inverter, a dedicated wiring system is required with circuit
breakers, system ground, etc. Still it will be simpler, smaller,
lighter, and a cheaper alternative to a Gen-Set. It’s the least
expensive way to offer your family and guests the convenience of
home.
How big should the inverter be? They range from tiny
100 W models, good for laptops, to 4000 W models that can run
electric galleys and refrigeration systems. The size you select is
governed by the maximum power needed at one time, remember more is
better.
For more information contact: West Marine at
www.westmarine.com as they have all the components and can help
you with your selection. Another advantage is that you don’t have to
make any holes in the boat, and there are no fumes. I think
inverters are the way to go, they are almost maintenance free, quiet
and allow boaters to enjoy the comforts of home on the water.
Solar energy is collected by panels or photovoltaic
panels, and produce electricity when exposed to the sun. This
electricity is used to charge batteries, which can power DC loads,
or panels can be connected to inverters to produce AC power. The
most common use is the solar battery charger which has been on the
market for several years. They come in solar blankets which can be
mounted on a bimini top or foredeck, or solar panels that can be
installed on cabin tops or hard tops.
Again West Marine will help you make your selection
for the inexpensive electrical power. Whether you choose solar or
inverter-battery power, you and your guests will appreciate this
quiet and clean electrical power to run your household conveniences.
First aid all should know
Being a boating enthusiast takes in a lot of skills
to be mastered, kind of like the Boy Scout’s motto “Be Prepared.”
This is especially true when it comes to first aid for a heart
problem. The new technique for CPR is hands only, not mouth to
mouth. For cases in which an adult collapses, stops breathing, and
becomes unresponsive, the new recommendation calls for the immediate
application of “Hands Only CPR” – rapid, uninterrupted chest presses
at a rate 100 per minute – until help arrives. This eliminates
rescue breathing (mouth to mouth resuscitation), which many people
are reluctant to perform even if they know the technique. Check out
the website:
www.americanheart.org/handsonlycpr for more information.
The change was prompted by two studies published by
The American Heart Association and one by The Lancet last year. The
hope is that the simplified response will encourage bystanders to
take their hands out of their pockets and put them where they might
do some good. They also found that a pericardial thump will help get
the heart beating again. Striking someone on the ticker may not
seem very friendly, but if the thump is given within a minute of
cardiac arrest, it can shock the heart out of arrhythmia to restore
a normal heart beat. To execute this punch, make a fist and hold it
eight inches above the chest, then strike with the heel of your
hand, as if you’re banging a table top, aiming for a point
two-thirds of the way down the breast bone. A second blow can be
given if the first one doesn’t work.
We most likely have seen this performed on one of
TV’s hospital or doctor shows. This doesn’t always work, but it may
be the victim’s only chance. So as I said before, be prepared, and
get proper first aid training, you never know when you might be
called on to use your first-aid knowledge. Please check out the
website to make sure you learn the proper techniques.
100 mph skiers
Back in the ’50s I was a water-ski nut. I was
constantly trying to improve my slalom runs, jumping distance and
form, and learning more tricks. I also participated in Mercury
Marine’s record attempts at pulling the most skiers, 21, and an ABC
Wide World of Sports barefoot demonstration. This was using Mercury
outboards that pulled six barefooters at night with colored search
lights illuminating the stunt. Of all the skiing I’ve done, I never
imagined ever wanting to go over 100 mph barefoot.
In 2006 Scott Pellaton and Teresa Wallace started
training to set a women’s barefoot speed record. Pellaton had
previously set a record of 135.74 mph in 1989. Miss Wallace wanted
to make an assault on the existing women’s record of 73.67 mph; her
goal was to break 100 mph. In June of 2007 she came close at 99.8
mph. Being close to 100, but not over the magic number, she decided
on a second attempt. So in August of 2007 on the Coosa River in
Gadsden, Ala. she set the existing women’s record of 107.54 mph.
These record holders use a special shoe to protect
their feet. They also use a wet suit. As they say records are made
to be broken, but I’ll bet these will stand for a long time.
Barefooting at over 100 mph even with special shoes … just thinking
about it makes my feet hurt.
Engine survey
When an engine survey is performed, one of the best
ways to tell the condition of the engine is to have the engine’s oil
spectrographically analyzed. That requires you to extract an oil
sample, send it to a laboratory, and then interpret an imposing page
of results, which a lot of boaters would not understand. Now there’s
a kit called “Engine Check Up.” The kit includes six test patches.
Simply pull your engine’s dipstick, let a single – and only a single
– drop of warm, not hot, oil onto the treated fabric, and wait for
15 minutes. The cleaner the oil the faster the absorption process.
Next, compare the resulting spot with the supplied reference sheets.
There are five categories: dirt/grime, carbon/oxide,
water, glycol, and fuel. Each has three ratings: good, moderate, and
poor. Match the color photo on the reference card with what’s on
your test patch, and you have your results. The system works for
either gasoline or diesel engines. This is not an exact science, but
it is a valuable, affordable and convenient diagnostic tool. Cost is
only $29.95 per kit. Call 610-515-9778 or visit
www.enginecheckup.com.
Water level
July 4, 2008 was the lowest level Lake Lanier has
been since the 1950s when the lake was starting to be filled.
Walking in what you might think is shallow water is dangerous as you
can fall into a deep drop off. Anyone who can’t swim or doesn’t have
confidence in their water skills needs to stay out of the water or
wear a PFD (personal floatation device). Four drownings have already
occurred that could have been prevented if they had been wearing
PFDs.
Also, I’ve heard of many groundings, some at speeds
that caused considerable damage. If you have this happen to you,
make sure you get a good marine survey because the damage could be
to the extent that the boat might not be worth repairing. You
certainly don’t want to end up with an unsafe boat.
As far as the water level increasing this year there
is little chance unless we get the remnants of a tropical storm.
Hopefully things will be better in 2009.
Courtesy
Nothing can spoil a day on the water than that goon
of a boat pilot who has no business at the helm. You know the guy,
the one who speeds into the marina full bore, and then shuts down
and his following wake rocks every boat in the harbor. Then he ties
up in the middle of the gas or restaurant dock, making it hard for
other boaters to moor for their business. This guy is usually
accompanied with a bunch of loud mouths holding beer cans.
Now we have a new situation on the water that is kin
to one we have on the road ... the cell phone. When maneuvering
amongst a bunch of boats at the launch ramp, gas dock, or marina
your full attention is needed. Designate someone for the cell phone,
or use it after you are tied up. Remember when under way monitor
channel 16 on your V.H.F. Also, remember you are liable for the
safety of your passengers. So be courteous and give your helm time
your full attention and have a safe and enjoyable time on the water.
Boating industry
First, a story I read in one of the boating magazines
I subscribe to: The writer stated his father had been reading this
particular magazine since before he was born and wondered what boat
did the magazine test first. The editor replied, “Noah’s Ark.”
To date the boating industry with the exception of
mega-yachts is going the way of our economy. In general, that means
down. Some manufacturers were wise in opening dealerships overseas
and exports are up. In this country repossessions are up
considerably, especially in Florida.
For those looking to get a good buy on their favorite
boat this might be where to look. Just make sure you get a good
survey. Preventative maintenance usually suffers prior to a boat
being repossessed. So if you’re looking for a larger boat, get an
engine and Gen-Set survey as well as a hull survey. Your lender and
insurance provider will probably insist on it.
The mega-yacht industry is booming. Trinity Yachts,
the largest builder in the U.S.A. has two ship building yards, one
in Gulfport, Miss. and the Old Higgins Yard (think P.T. boats) in
New Orleans. They have a three-year backlog of 24 yachts. They range
in size from 100’ to 330’ and $40 to $100 million in cost. Some of
these customers will buy an existing yacht because they don’t want
to wait three years, and then sell their position in line.
Trinity also states that they are hiring qualified
workers in order to speed up their back log. Throughout the
mega-yacht builders of the world things are much the same. Many
mega-yachts are re-selling at more than their build cost so it seems
that they are a good investment. Hopefully our economy will improve
and the boating industry will again be healthy.
Survey
Progressive Insurance Company recently commissioned a
survey to learn more about boaters. After interviewing more than
1,000 participants it was revealed that those who spend time on the
water in the family boat are much happier than the rest of the
population. Fully one-third of respondents strongly disagreed with
the maxim, “The two happiest days in a boater’s life are the day
they buy the boat and the day they sell it.” An overwhelming
majority said, “They love boating and wish they had more time to
spend aboard.” Interestingly more than half of the boaters said
they bought a boat before buying a new car or home. A solid 20
percent said they would never sell their boat. I guess we’re all a
bunch of happy campers even with the problems that come with owning
a boat.
Be courteous, practice safe boating and I’ll see you
on the water.
Mike Rudderham is a veteran marine
surveyor with more than 40 years experience in the marine industry.
mike@lakesidenews.com
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