Safety Considerations for Geriatric Boaters

[Frosty]

Originally Posted by Willallison

The only people who knock thrusters are those who don't have them.

Not necessarily they are also knocked by people who can drive.

Anyway I didnt knock it did I? Didnt I say they were a good thing?--- But.

[charmc]

Originally Posted by Willallison

The only people who knock thrusters are those who don't have them.

"Not necessarily they are also knocked by people who can drive." (Frosty)

I don't know about people who can drive knocking bow thrusters, but they are knocked by people who really can't drive. I watched the operator of a 60 footer make about 15 attempts to back into a slip on a day there was a steady and moderate cross breeze. There was enough yelling and contradictory orders to the line handler to make one think it was a tourist trying to dock a rental skiff. Once ashore, the hired "captain" informed everyone that the thruster "never works right....".

The finest tool in the world is useless in the hands of an incompetent.

That being said, I would think the design of the boat and the boathandling skills of the operator define the value of thrusters more than age. Frosty's right in that there are drawbacks to be weighed. Some displacement cruisers (I agree "trawler" is a weird word for a small displacement cruiser) have larger rudders and keelsons which offset the larger topsides surface, but with the trend to make "trawler style" boats that will plane there is little below the surface to aid in manuevering.

They can be helpful, especially if the line handler is no longer interested in heaving coils of line or leaping to piers.

[Willallison]

Sorry Frosty - that wasn't directed at you... But just because you can drive doesn't mean you can't see the value in having thrusters. As I said our 36 footer doesn't have them and we managed for 30 years. But, in spite of it's heavy displacement (12 tons dry btw), a full length keel, large ridders and twin screws, there have been plenty of occaisions when thrusters would have simplified matters. Yes, they are a systems complication, but one that I certainly consider to be worthwhile.
At the end of the day, however, you are quite right, they are simply another tool and in incompetent hands will probably only confuse matters more!

[alan white]

Originally Posted by timgoz

Another thing I make it a point to do when out on bigger water is to keep, along with my hand-held VHF, my GPS on my person. This way in a man-overboard situation, I not only can probably make radio contact with potential rescuers, but also give them precise coordinates.

Tim

I agree, Tim. When I used to sail the coast of Maine alone, I often found myself out on the bowsprit, hauling the jib down, boat close-hauled and heeling on Auto helm, but always with the self-imflating vest, GPS, and VHF, all waterproof. I might not know exacly where I was, since my GPS is too simple, but someone else would. I might even tell them there's, ahem, a boat out there still headed for...

[timgoz]

Yes Alan.

Total weight & cost of the above compared to my life, no comprimise. If with others, it would be even more paramount.

Of course I slack off in calmer conditions. Maybe not a good idea in the cold wters I tend to inhabit.

Have a good one.

Tim

[Frosty]

Hot soup dispensor? capable of copious quantities of hot soup day and night. I think old people like soup. I seem to be getting more fond of it than I was when I was young, which is concerning me. I mean how much soup do you need to be old. If its more than say 1 liter of soup per day then I am on my way.

If you do adopt the very convenient soup dispensor I would definately have rusks handy as well.

Kept in an air tight container to keep them nice and crisp and then dunk them in soup to make them soft and soggy is what my grandad does.

Im not sure if this is normal procedure but grandad likes it like that , then goes to bed.

No disrespect to 'gerries' --I am not far behind you.

[timgoz]

You cannot be to close Frosty, with a grandad still kicking. Wish him my best.

Tim

[SAQuestor]

Originally Posted by timgoz

You cannot be to close Frosty, with a grandad still kicking. Wish him my best.

Tim

In general terms I agree...

But it is possible (for instance) that Grandpa and Grandma had kids while they were really young, and in turn Frosty's folks had him while they were real young and that would make Frosty almost real old if Grandpa is on the far side of 90.

Just sayin'...



Leo

[charmc]

By the way, Leo, your signature quote rocks!

[Frosty]

Yeah,- your not kidding. It very good is that,-- I like it.