Overheard in the boatyard

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Jezlyn

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Overheard in the boatyard today. Two gents looking at the stern drive on a motor boat. One gent points at the anodes (for it is they) on the stern drive rams and says, "Look at those bits, they are nearly eaten away. You'd think they'd use stainless steel or something!"

Go figure!
 
I liked the letter in PBO several months ago about the sailor who asked a local blacksmith somewhere out in the far east if he could make him a couple of anodes. When he picked them up, they were top quality bronze - the blacksmith explained that they would last a lot longer!
 
I was in a boatyard near Maldon and a Thames Barge was being repaired. Next to it was a neat stack of wooden planks, presumably being used to repair this vessel. There were two kids on BMX zooming around this lot and one said to the other "that's not proper wood, it's just an old tree that's been cut up" Amused me.
 
We can all laugh at the silly things people say and, as I sit here giggling at the replies to this thread, I laugh at myself as well. My husband is the skipper on our boat and has lots of sailing experience. I on the other hand have very little even though I am learning fast. We have a steel boat and the compass has two "balls" on either side - one red and one green. I asked my husband what they were for and he told me, one was for port and one for starboard, hence the red and green colours. I thought this pretty logical and if anyone asked what they were for I would tell them - Port and Starboard. Of course, after telling many people I found out that my husband's explanation was just a joke. I can only imagine what people must think of me! Luckily most of the people I told were not sailing people.
 
Jezlyn said:
Overheard in the boatyard today. Two gents looking at the stern drive on a motor boat. One gent points at the anodes (for it is they) on the stern drive rams and says, "Look at those bits, they are nearly eaten away. You'd think they'd use stainless steel or something!"

Go figure!
Click to expand...

I watched a (to be fair, young,) Broker showing a MoBo to an elderly guy. The guy pointed at the prop anode and said "It is good that the propshaft is in two parts".

The Broker replied "Yes, it is isn't it"
 
Not actually in a boatyard, but in my mispent youth I would go fishing off Princess Pier in Torquay normally close to the 'No fishing beyound this point' line, so hence only a few yards from the harbour mouth. Princess Pier is the breakwater protecting the western side of Torquay Harbour, Haldon Pier is on the eastern side.
During a fishing session it was normal to hear at least once, sometimes twice, from strollers on the pier, the comment 'I thought we could walk all the way around'.
How do they expect the boats to get in and? :confused::confused::confused:
 
Overhead on My Lively Lady when she was at London Boat Show.
Mr Know-all to wife.
"This was the first yacht to sail round the world single handed"
Wife .
" thought that was Francis Chichester"
Mr Know-all.
" No, that was much later, in a boat called Mary Rose"
 
Not in a boatyard, but when seeking entertainment the time-honoured way, listening to the fishing boats on VHF channel 10...

" Did you hear about Old Alf ? "

" Yeah, what happened ? "

" I told 'im that wheelhouse wasn't secure on deck, but 'e wouldn't listen, so when 'e put in a tight turn it went straight over the side with 'im in it ! "
 
We do a bit of business with MG Duff, the anode people. One day at a meeting with them I explained proudly that I use their anodes on my boat, but I then went on to complain that they didnt last very long, a season at best. I continued by telling them that I had cured the problem a couple of years ago, as I now paint them, that makes them last ages, I said.

The room went silent as their guys looked uneasily at each other, until they twigged! Then laughter broke out!
 
galadriel said:
We do a bit of business with MG Duff, the anode people. One day at a meeting with them I explained proudly that I use their anodes on my boat, but I then went on to complain that they didnt last very long, a season at best. I continued by telling them that I had cured the problem a couple of years ago, as I now paint them, that makes them last ages, I said.

The room went silent as their guys looked uneasily at each other, until they twigged! Then laughter broke out!
Click to expand...

You may laugh, but when we bought our previous boat, the anodes were one of the best painted parts...
 
From a letter to the late, great, editor of YM, Des Sleightholme, from a reader (paraphrased)

'Dear Des
'I much enjoy your boat tests and in particular the one on the Clamchaser 20. Indeed I enoyed it so much I bought the boat. In your report you said you had a little weather helm. I have looked all over the boat and I have not been able to find it - can you tell me where it was stowed...'
 
Something to restore your faith in humans.
About fifty years ago we were cooking in the cockpit of a hired sailing-boat near Horsey Mill on the Broads and heard a small boy say;

"Look, they haven't got an engine".

and his small companion replied
"No. But they don't have one in Arthur Ransome either".
 
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