Elderly friend + elderly boat Take 2

jimi

jimi

Well-Known Member
Joined
19 Dec 2001
Messages
28,660
Location
St Neots
Visit site
I have an elderly friend who's promised to accompany someone with a classic boat on the Cherbourg trip. Some of the sailing will be at night as the sailing will inevitably extend over int the hours of darkness. he's a little bit worried that he might be asked to go up the mast to light the navigation lamps. How do you suggest he copes. My friend whilst elderly is reasonably fit and healthy and would like to stay that way!



<hr width=100% size=1>
 
If he is fit enough to gallop across meadows at night, suggest he collects a quantity of glow worms, put same into jam jar, and hoists to top of mast using his jackyard foretopsail sprit burgee halyard.

<hr width=100% size=1><A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.writeforweb.com/twister1>Let's Twist Again</A>
 
No - don't think it would work unless he had two jam jars and good enough eyesight to sex them. If you mix them up they copulate and blow their little bulbs.:-)

<hr width=100% size=1>
 
I think I know who you are talking about, because he has shared the same comcerns with me. I understood his greatest worry, is not so much the height involved, but the strength of the plaited hemp halyard supporting his weight, and how he would prevent the match from going out before the paraffin soaked wick in the navigation lamp actually catches alight. Any thoughts on how he may be helped would I know be eagerly received

<hr width=100% size=1>
 
could always use one of those gas lighter thingies (I have one for use with the grill, and it has saved innumerable burnt fingers) You can light it one handed, whereas trying to strike a match using one hand would be a good trick stood on deck, let alone swaying around up a rope

<hr width=100% size=1>
 
My glowing beasties manage to blow their bulbs without copulating. Missing a lot of fun, poor things, but I like my crew to act proper.

Anyway, what sort of classic boat has nav lamps up the mast?

<hr width=100% size=1>
 
Well from what I can gather, its a bit of a 'wet' boat which presumably means if the lamps are too low then they'll be extinguished.

<hr width=100% size=1>
 
If she's low and wet she's probably straight-stemmed and narrow, therefore probably a gaffer. I can't picture nav lamps up the mast of a gaffer. On the shrouds, more likely, and then The Elderly Friend has a nice ladder of ratlines at his disposal.

<hr width=100% size=1>
 
As I understand it the skipper is a large commanding gentleman, so I suppose he could be described as a gaffer? However the boat itself does'nt have the benefit of large lumps of wood in the air but I beleive the gaffer in question reslutely refuses to utilise modern equipment prefering a walker log to an impeller. In fact his one concession to medern times is a crystal radio set with which he can get a forecast and acertain a rough position. In this colourful craft there are no showers,heating or hor water. So we are supposing that there is no electricity either. My elserly friend is rather wondering what on earth he is getting himself into!

<hr width=100% size=1>
 
The old bucket and trip line trick never fails to work. Lash the aged crew member to spare halyard and tie other end to bucket handle, secure tripping line to base of bucket and lead back to the superannuated one. Throw bucket over board at 7knts+ and shoot said crew member to top of mast, once the illumination has been performed to satisfaction a quick yank on the tripping line will tumble the bucket and zip him back to deck with minimum effort. Make sure his able bodied maties grab him before the bucket refills and the whole thing begins a new cycle (unless he's had one of those mast top senior moments and forgotten to close the lamp cover, in which case you let him go again) Simple fast and relatively painless, especially when used in conjunction with the wonderful new"OldGitstay" available from SAGASAIL.com.

<hr width=100% size=1>
 
From any good antique shop you could purchase a Regency lamplighter's pole. This is a sort of Bic lighter on the end of a 40-foot wand and was used to light gas lamps in foggy streets. As a piece of nautical equipment the value of this device is often overlooked, especially by yachtie writers who prefer shiny plastic things to tarred inlays, peeling veneers and suitably battered floaty things. A lamplighter will in fact do double duty as a boat-hook, spinnaker pole, bowsprit , jury mast and depth sounder. With an old rag attached to its anterior surface it will also wipe fogged-up lenses of aforesaid masthead lamps.. I firmly recommend it to Ye Old Gent on his venture to Cherbourg.

<hr width=100% size=1>
 
Re: Regency lamplighter\'s pole

Alternatively you could run fuses up the shrouds to the mast lamp so you light the bottom and watch the Son et Lumiére display ...

<hr width=100% size=1>
 
The elderly gent, (a friend of mine) tell me he's had enough of all this banter - it's seriously affecting his confidence. He's also found out from others, that there's no hot water, heater, nor even a generator to power up his electric blanket, all of which he's used to. If he finds out there's no carpets on the floor either, he'll probably call it a day.

<hr width=100% size=1>
 
Re: Elderly friend elderly boat Take 2

I am fascinated to know how do you get a rough position from a crystal set? I suppose you are talking about a navigational fix.
 
Re: Elderly friend elderly boat Take 2

Do'nt really know myself but apparently TK has been seen with a directional aerial and earphones on, perhaps he can tell us?

<hr width=100% size=1>
 
Re: Elderly friend elderly boat Take 2

They weren't a directional aerial and earphones, they were earmuffs to keep out the cold and a large earphone to listen out for new-fangled propeller-driven ships.

<hr width=100% size=1><A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.comoy.com/saillinks.html>http://www.comoy.com/saillinks.html</A>
 
On wearing headphones (cans in the trade)

It is true that I may have been seen using the equipment referred to in the proceeding post. This is part of a research project tracking the migratory movements of the greater spotted tit, which we fit with radio collars. So far, we have detected no migratory movements at all. Personally, I believe this is because the average weight of the greater spotted tit is 13 grams, and the radio collar weighs 1.5 Kg, batteries not included. However, the leader of our project, Herr Docktor Professor Claymore von Sporran insists that our tits can fly, even when under considerable restraint. In an attempt to prove this, he has been seen prowling the back streets of Auchtiemauchtie on Blunkett, late in the evening, equipped with a 20 foot ladder and a night vision camera.

We have not heard from the Professor for a few days, and we believe he may be working undercover, possible disguised at Hans Blix, or Bismark. The deputy project leader, known as Wee Jummie because of a slight prostate malfunction, is becoming increasingly worried about the Prof, and can be observed trying to commune with him through a form of internet chartroom, where he posts pictures of alluring tartan nether garments, in an attempt to tempt the Prof out from under the covers.

In the meantime, should you observe a great spotted tit, please forward details of its size and direction of travel to us at:

Tits Go South Project
Scottish Language Department
Fleetwood University and Home for the Mildly Deranged
Claymore Hills
Bollockshire
WD40


<hr width=100% size=1><A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.writeforweb.com/twister1>Let's Twist Again</A>
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Share this page

Top