5 posts tagged “boat”
When we visited San Diego a few years ago, the Gaslamp district ended on an empty street, and you could see the bay across the road. We went to Jack Murphy stadium to see the Padres. And the "Star of India" was the only significant vessel along the Embarcadero.
Today, it's very different. The Gaslamp district goes on forever, and dead-ends at the San Diego Convention Center, an enormous repository of man-made hoopla which blocks any view of the bay. The Murph is gone, replaced by Petco Field, around the corner.
And boats?
Here's the U.S.S. Midway, an aircraft carrier you can tour during the day for $17. At night, it's the world's biggest night-light for the homeless people sleeping in the park near where I made this photo.
Next, we have Dennis Connor's 12-meter America's Cup racing yacht, Stars & Stripes. $99 a ride. Notice how it's still in port. Also, notice how you hardly ever hear about America's Cup yacht racing anymore. Perhaps it's because the cup hasn't been in the
Some days, there are immense cruise ships in the harbor. Out of sheer respect for your retinas, I've chosen not to give them free advertising here.
And the Star of India, which we toured years ago, is still in place. But now it's accompanied by a B-39 Russian submarine, which gives the seaport an international flavor. (Look to the left of the sailboat's first mast.) I've toured U.S. Navy subs, but passed on the tour this time.
Personal floatation device? Check.
Inflatable raft? All set.
Flares and waterproof strobe? In the storage bin.
These are the typical contingencies we sailors use. And we've never once had to use them, but it's nice to know they're there.
So imagine how impressed I was with this emergency preparedness of this vessel, moored in St. Petersburg's harbor.
Yes, that is a helicopter on the fantail. Yes, that's a cruiser, aft of the sun deck. And yes, that appears to be a still-larger auxiliary speedboat, on the starboard main deck.
Most big boats have a Zodiac or two to shuttle guests from the main ship to land. The only thing I don't see on this ship is one of those zippy inflatable boats.
Boy, this captain's really prepared for a disaster at sea. You might even say he's gone, well, a little overboard...
But then, have a closer look at his main vessel:
Eventually, someone in the Swiss Navy is going to discover one of their aircraft carriers is missing.
The last time I felt really comfortable in a canoe, I was paddling
Fast forward: we found ourselves exploring West Hollow Boat Builders, where the proprietor Patrick Smith lovingly builds lake canoes. Without a shred of aluminum. I don't know much about canoes -- aside from how guys my size feel a certain lack of stability in them. But you've got to admire someone who's got the patience and skill to hand-craft these boats using steam-molded cedar, ash, cotton duck canvas, and brass.
What's even more remarkable: Mr. Smith chooses some of his lumber from his 70-acre forest in the hills above Naples, NY. He also teaches adults and students to build their own cedar-and-canvas canoes. It's a week-long program.
I'm not sure I have the discipline to do it. Caning the seats alone would drive me a little crazy.
The Skipper's family owns a 70-year-old Old Town Canoe that's remarkably similar to Mr. Smith's beauties. So, she inquired about the cost of refurbishing the canvas-and-cedar canoe that spends most of its retirement years in our garage. The cost? About $3,000.
Hmm. Those aluminum canoes are looking better every day.
This is our boat. Newly purchased at a marina on Honeoye Lake, NY. A 19-foot Forester runabout with a 165-hp engine.
And, as comfortable as I am with V-8 powered automobiles, my recent experience with unexpected immersion gives me some seagoing trepidation, even when cruising an oversized shallow pond such as Honeoye Lake. That's me, crushing the boat's wheel with my grip. I was cautious. Very cautious.
OK, so it wasn't an alligator. It was a log. A dead tree trunk. But it sure as hell felt like a 'gator when it took not one, but two bites out of the boat's prop. While we were taking a test cruise, for cryin' out loud. That's like running over a fence while test-driving a new car.
Anyway, the marina credited us for some of the incidental repairs, seeing as we were taking the Forester off their inventory. And I think I'm going to steer toward deeper waters.
The kids didn't seem to mind our nautical misadventures. And when you get down to facts, this is really our skipper's boat. Me, I'm just the first mate. She's plenty satisfied with tying knots and dropping anchors at the dock of her family camp.
Who am I to disagree?
We get a fair share of teak and mahogany watercraft at this event. I'm talking about everything from old, old Old Town canoes to lap-strake Penn Yan replica runabouts. But the carhop is frequently the big attraction. I mean, people pose with this gal. Or try to take a big bite of her bun (hamburger bun).
I miss carhops. Drive-through windows just aren't the same. You know you'll have to repeat yourself several times -- and they'll still slather your burger with mayo. Yuck.
Seriously, if you're in our corner of the galaxy, you might want to come out to the boat show on June 2. I can't promise Daryl/Anna will be there. But everything except the food is free, although it isn't delivered carside.
For entertainment, you can build and race a little sailboat in a modified rain-gutter regatta. And we've talked a local folk trio called "Thicker than Water" into performing on the yacht club's patio. Not bad for a Saturday afternoon in Sodus Point, NY.
And, oh by the way, we have a few nice runabouts and sailboats to admire:
