A very sweet ride...

The pains associated with age and hazardous living have caused me to put a 'for sale' sign on the faithful Specialized Enduro and replace it with a "bent" Rans Stratus XP. Took the new ride for a round the block spin in Highland Utah and it was as comfortable as sitting in a lazy boy recliner in terms of body geometry. The dealer had this information posted on his web site:

"The Stratus XP borrows from the classic Stratus frame the passive suspension and adds the performance increasing aspect of dual big wheels. Only 2.875" longer over the classic Stratus, this is perhaps as compact as big wheel long wheel base recumbents get. The bike does it all well, climb, cruise, and handling. A potent racer, with and without fairings, and excellent touring or commuting machine, the Stratus XP is the amazing combination of a performance machine that will serve the novice well into the expert phase. Refined features include: Rad-Loc seat clamp, Mesh seat, Sculpted foam cushion, Reynolds tubing frame, beautifully TIG welded and powered coated to a sparkling Corvette blue. The frame features such design advances as “Y” chain stay, and single shaft idlers, disc brakes front and rear."

A very sweet ride.

Have you seen them?

If you have then leave a comment, two thumbs up, four stars or whatever. Intend to see Nacho Libre next week before I see Al Gore's "Inconvenient Truth", priorities you know...

There is a connection between the two movies. See them both and tell us what you think it is?

The plans are here.

A nice envelope arrived today from the Devlin Boat Company. I will be looking at them tonight.

From the stern it turns counter clockwise...

The prop that is.

I have been in contact with Devlin Boatworks about the Surf Scoter and they recommend a new Yanmar Diesel called a Sail Drive. The design eliminates most of the problems of an inboard since there is no shaft and associated alignment problems including a leaking stuffing box. The Yanmar Sail Drive is manufactured in Amagasaki Japan, Kansai Prefecture. Several of us have been there including our missionary.

The Sail Drive is a three cylinder diesel and depending upon the recommendation of the Devlin folks we would either select the 50 or 75 hp. Likely the 75hp will be the engine of choice as sometimes it is useful when on the high seas to return to port quickly for whatever reasons and yes Eddie the 75hp is availble in a turbo version.

"Master and Commander"

The plans are ordered. It will be a modified Devlin design--the 22' Surf Scoter. It will fit in the garage during construction. The truck will be parked outisde for awhile.

This image has been Photoshopped a bit. The top of the pilot house has been extended three feet over the cockpit area, which will provide some coverage from the mists and rain of the North Coast. Attached to it is a canvas cover for additional protection from the rain or sun. We can add more overhang once we are under contrustion and see how much we would like. The boat has also been lengthened a foot. This can be additional space inside the cabin. It would be nice to have an enclosed head in the pilot house. There is an anchor well in the foredeck of the factory design and that has been removed. I think it only takes up space in the V-berth.

No stainless steel stanchions and rails are shown. I think those will be mandatory for the smaller pirates. There is a dive platform attached to the stern. We will want to drive it where big abalones grow in areas not reachable from land. Howard will need to sit on the pilot house with his AK to pop any great whites that come looking around while we are diving.

We have learned some things about the ocean off the North Coast in the Lady Irma II and that will benefit our modifictions to the Devlin design. In heavy seas we will be able to seal the boat off with a self draining cockpit and several bilge pumps including a manual back up. A fish finder, a marine radio and a good GPS will help us coming and going fishing, whale watching and diving.

The NK will be powered by a 90 hp Yamaha outboard that is set into a well and covered in the cockpit. This simplifies and reduces the cost of an onboard diesel. RA does not like the smell of diesel. Top speed will be 20 knots and cruising with better fuel economy at 14-16.

I suggest all applicants for positions on the Noyo King begin reading any of Patrick O' Brian's series of Captain Jack Aubrey or rent the movie, "Master and Commander" to brush up on nautical jargon.

Ahoy ye land lubbers!

Step by almost step...

This is a description of one happy Surf Scoter builder and his photos of work in progress: "Construction on the Surf Scoter began in October 1997. At this point of construction the main bulkheads and transom have been aligned and leveled on the "strongback". The 1/2' plywood skin is then laid on the bulkheads.

After the bottom and side panels are applied, a layer of 1/4" plywood is added to the bottom for extra structure. At this point the entire hull is fared, and the keel is fit and glassed in place. The hull is then glassed with one layer of tooling cloth (two layers on all joints), sanded and coated several times with epoxy. In the photo below, Ed (Sorry about taking your head off) installs the iron bark chafe strip onto the keel. She's ready to be rolled over.

Now that she's rolled over it's time to start laying out the v-berth followed by the cabin and cockpit. Bulkheads get trimmed to shape, v-berth water tank and p+s settees are built, and Ed is fitting cockpit soles.

Structural glassing is completed in the v-berth and cockpit below sole level. Now that the aft bulkhead, galley and helm are fitted and tabbed in place, it's time for a structural glassing in this area. 2 1/2' PVC pipe is epoxied in place under the cockpit sole elevation to connect the ships systems from the pilot house to the engine compartment. It makes running battery wires, steering cables, heat exchange hose and all other wiring much easier come time to install ships systems.

After all the interior bulkheads, longitudinals and flats are fitted and epoxied in place, all final shaping and glassing can be completed. Once all wood gets epoxy sealed (usually takes two coats with sanding between coats). This particular boat gets interior paint below the sheer, so we'll use an epoxy primer. Once primed it's easy to see surface blemishes, and an automotive "bondo" is used to fill and Smooth out rough areas. A final sanding and we are ready for paint.

After the cabin is completed it's the same drill as above, final shaping, glassing, sealing and then on to primer and "bondo" on the entire exterior of the boat.

Now that she's painted, it's time to start hanging trim and hardware. Windows and a few finishing touches, and she's ready to splash.

A couple views...

These are a couple fine photos of one of the Devlin wood epoxy homebuilts. Something as elegant as this deserves serious attention and certainly would put to shame most any of the new boats coming out of the fiberglass mills across the country. Who would not be happy to have a turn at the wheel under power going out of Noyo Harbor?

Another BYU part time instructor speaks out

This post is from Mormon Stories.org and is worth reading:

Margaret Young Jun 15th, 2006 at 12:59 pm
I am old enough to remember Hugh B. Brown, a courageous apostle who periodically came to BYU to calm the waters, after Ezra Taft Benson had left heavy turbulence in his outspoken support for ultra-conservatism. Brown said, “We are grateful in the Church and in this great university that the freedom, dignity and integrity of the individual is basic in Church doctrine as well as in democracy. Here we are free to think and express our opinions. Fear will not stifle thought, as is the case in some areas which have not yet emerged from the dark ages. God himself refuses to trammel man’s free agency even though its exercise sometimes teaches painful lessons. Both creative science and revealed religion find their fullest and truest expression in the climate of freedom. I hope that you will develop the questing spirit. Be unafraid of new ideas for they are the stepping stones of progress. You will of course respect the opinions of others but be unafraid to dissent - if you are informed…Seek truth in all fields, and in that search you will need at least three virtues: courage, zest, and modesty. The ancients put that thought in the form of a prayer. They said, ‘From the cowardice that shrinks from new truth, from the laziness that is content with half truth, from the arrogance that thinks it has all truth - O God of truth deliver us’.”
(Speech at BYU, March 29, 1958)

And Joseph Smith had a bold opinion on curtailing freedom of expression:
“It looks too much like the Methodists, and not like the Latter-day Saints. Methodists have a creed which a man must believe or be asked out of their church. I want the liberty of thinking and believing as I please. It feels so good not to be trammeled. It does not prove that a man is not a good man because he errs in doctrine.”

As a part-time teacher at BYU, I feel pretty nervous about Lindsay’s dismissal. From what I can tell, the dismissal was SOLELY because of a letter to the editor. I know I have some unorthodox views. Would I lose my job if I were to express them–like on this blog, for example? (I would be considered liberal in Utah on most issues.) I am very aware that some (NOT the majority) of my students are over-ready to get offended by a writer’s use of a swearword, or an author’s depiction of a sex scene. I genuinely worry about these students as they leave BYU’s borders. Have they learned to incorporate the love of God into their academic pursuits? Have they developed empathy? Are they prepared to read the BEST books (like Dostoevsky, Tolstoy, James Baldwin, Toni Morrison and the many others in fields I don’t know), or will they spend most of their time reading _Ensign_ articles–always correlated and written on a sixth grade reading level? Will they consistently seek answers to the hardest questions from the many quotes of General Authorities included in the Sunday School manuals, or will they learn to turn inward to a mature and generous heart? Will they continually seek to frame their experience within the idealized Mormon portrait, or will they be free to really grow when life pulls an inevitable surprise? Homosexuality is a surprise for thousands of people, and thousands families. How do we react to it? My reaction, as I’ve had family members, friends, and students come out to me, has changed over the years. The first time it happened, some 30 years ago, I was appalled and begged the person to repent. Now, my instant reaction is to open my arms to anyone who might feel crucified between desire and faith. I can’t remove that heavy cross, but I will certainly not participate in torment or condemnation, nor will I indicate to them that they need to feel more guilt so that my testimony can stay intact. I will never know what it’s like to be gay. And I will never pretend to know. Since I’m a woman, I will never be a Judge in Israel (thank God!). I don’t want to be a judge in Provo or even in my own home if I can help it. My children have a gay uncle. It has mattered greatly to me that they understand that we love him–and please note that I’m not including any disclaimer like “hate the sin, love the sinner.” I’m not going to label my brother-in-law as a sinner. From many indications, he’s a better person than I am. I know God loves him, and from all I can tell, he loves God. So can I keep my job at BYU?

Troubling questions with few answers...

A web edition of ABC News Nightline report asks some difficult questions. Once you get past the silly ad for Florida orange juice, the price I guess for the use of this news piece, it merits very serious thought.

Click Here

The crew quarters painting project

On our last trip to the coast after admiring our new shingles we decided the quarters for the Noyo King crew should be repainted. We accomplished about half thanks to the many hands and helpers. Part of a salor's life on the high seas is scraping, repainting and repairing the timbers. The next trip we may finish painting the crew quarters. Taja, the NK dog and mascot, approves of the work.

Que bueno and no rally for the R's in November!

US: Amendment banning gay marriage fails in Senate
By ASSOCIATED PRESS
WASHINGTON

"The US Senate rejected a proposed constitutional amendment to ban gay marriage by a wide margin and delivered an unexpectedly strong defeat to President George W. Bush and other Republicans who still hope the issue will rally Republican voters for November's elections.

The senators' vote was 49-48 to stop debate and bring the amendment to a yes-or-no decision. It fell 11 votes short of the 60 needed to kill the measure in the Senate for this year.

The 49 votes to keep the amendment alive were one more than the measure received in 2004 the last time the Senate voted. Proponents had predicted publicly that the amendment would get at least a 51-vote majority in the 100-member Senate considering the gain of four Republican seats since then."

The gay marriage ammendment

Harry Reid, US Senator (D), from Nevada gave a speech today outlining the critical topics our current administration must address. I excerpt some of that speech here:

"I believe marriage should be between a man and a woman. I believe in our federal system of government, described to me in college as a central whole divided among self governing parts. Those self governing parts—the 50 states—have already decided this on their own in state after state. For example, in Nevada the constitution was amended to prevent same sex marriage. Congress and President Clinton passed a law that gave the states the guarantee that their individual laws regarding marriage would be respected. The Defense of Marriage Act creates an exception to the Full Faith and Credit Clause of the Constitution so that no state can force its laws of marriage on another.

So why are we being directed by the President and this Republican majority to debate an Amendment to the Constitution, a document inspired more than two centuries ago? Why would we be asked to change this American masterpiece?

Will it next be to constitutionally dictate the cause of divorce, or military service, or even what America’s religion must be?

So for me it is clear the reason for this debate is to divide our society, to pit one against another. This is another one of the President’s efforts to frighten, to distort, to distract, and to confuse America. It is this Administration’s way of avoiding the tough, real problems that American citizens are confronted with each and every day:

High Gas Prices.

The War in Iraq.

The National Debt.

Health Care.

Senior Citizens.

Education.

Crime.

Trade Policy.

Stem Cell Research.

Each issue begging the President’s attention, each issue being ignored—valuable time in the Senate spent on an issue that today is without hope of passing.

These issues are not Democratic issues. These issues are not Republican issues. There must be bipartisan efforts to address America’s ills."

Rat Saliva and George Bush

On a recent trip to the Redwoods, where we have breathtaking views of the ocean, hug our kids, grandkids, and the Redwood trees surrounding the house, we often pick up a daily edition of the San Francisco Chronicle. There was a fine editorial about my favorite place never to shop by Mark Morford. One of the summary paragraphs from his piece poetically demands to be published on this blog.

“I do not shop at Wal-Mart. I may never shop at Wal-Mart, given its notoriously horrible labor practices, brutal business tactics and effortless murder of all love and hope and joy from the retail experience. The stores are the George Bushes of the retail world -- drunk with power and cheaply made. Not to mention that vaguely nauseating feeling, when you walk through its (or almost any) big-box store, that your soul is being slowly coated in rat saliva.” Mark Morford San Francisco Chronicle 24 May 2006. For the complete article:
Click Here
(The oceanscape photo courtesy of Eddie, taken from Highway 1 near Westport.)

A wood fired baking oven...

The builders and future crew of the Noyo King will be needing a wood fired oven to sustain labor during boat construction. The following was excerpted from the online encyclopedia:

"The dome-shaped wood burning oven in one form or another has been in use for thousands of years. Scores of ancient civilizations dating back to Mesopotamia, ancient Egypt and later Rome, used some variation of this time-proven design to bake breads, meats, seafood and more. These small wonders are considered extremely efficient miniature bakeries. Additionally, in cold climates the presence of these cooking devices provided the occupants of small dwellings with an efficient source of heat. Most ancient civilizations used the clay and straw method of construction. This was time consuming and did not always result in a usable oven. As with pottery, many of their castings cracked during the initial firing. In modern times, refractory castings have been developed to reproduce the great heating qualities of ovens from long ago. Employing modern methods of casting, and through the use of better materials, these assemblies create ovens that are that have all the desired attributes of wood fired ovens without many of the pitfalls which burdened their predecessors. There is no cooking appliance that will give more pleasure to someone who appreciates cooking than a wood fired oven. Pizza is not the only thing you can do in a wood fired oven. Nothing is better for baking bread, and there’s nothing like meats grilled or roasted by a wood fire. A wood-fired oven will dramatically alter the way you cook, while providing you genuine enjoyment. A wood fired oven quickly becomes the center all gatherings for friends and family in your home. The sight of flames dancing in an oven provides a sense of well-being and warmth in any kitchen even when not in use for cooking. Incidentally, there’s no way that a regular oven will replicate what can be done in a wood fired oven. A pizza cooks in less than three minutes right on the oven floor. The crust will be crisp on the bottom, and the toppings always come out beautifully melted, and perfectly cooked. Regular ovens are simply not hot enough to do this."

We will keep you apprised of the progress of construction of the oven. This must be accomplished before work on the boat can begin.

"Any jackass can kick down a barn..."

I have wondered about the very low satisfaction and job approval rating our president is receiving. One source said it was the lowest of any president in the post war years. The only exception being Richard Nixon at the height of the Watergate scandal.

To me, America got what it voted for or was mislead into thinking it wanted. The low poll ratings suggest the thinness of “spin” and the lack of substantive even adequate ability and leadership from the White House. The failure of the Bush Presidency is the consequence of presidential advisors such as the likes of Karl Rove. Spin does not substitute for leadership and ability and we still have two more years. The tires are flat and the tank is empty. I think the truth of the statement of Abraham Lincoln has never been more apparent than now: “You can fool all the people some of the time, and some of the people all the time, but you cannot fool all the people all the time.”

Bush and his handlers are living proof of that dictum from one whom sadly we will not likely see again. The spin has carried the Bush administration into its second term. The failing policy of Iraq, high energy prices and even higher profits of American oil companies, a deficit that our grand children will have to pay and Osama still sipping his Sprites and Perrier Water somewhere in Pakistan leave me empty.

For an interesting comparison in the thoughts and statements of several of our presidents I have collected a few memorable and less so quotations. Beginning with Bush 41:

"See, in my line of work you got to keep repeating things over and over and over again for the truth to sink in, to kind of catapult the propaganda." —George W. Bush, Greece, N.Y. May 24, 2005

"As you can possibly see, I have an injury myself — not here at the hospital, but in combat with a cedar. I eventually won. The cedar gave me a little scratch. As a matter of fact, the Colonel asked if I needed first aid when she first saw me. I was able to avoid any major surgical operations here, but thanks for your compassion, Colonel." —George W. Bush, after visiting with wounded veterans from the Amputee Care Center of Brooke Army Medical Center, San Antonio, Texas, Jan. 1, 2006

“The ultimate determinant in the struggle now going on for the world will not be bombs and rockets but a test of wills and ideas - a trial of spiritual resolve: the values we hold, the beliefs we cherish and the ideals to which we are dedicated.” Ronald Reagan

“Did you ever think that making a speech on economics is a lot like pissing down your leg? It seems hot to you, but it never does to anyone else.” Lyndon Johnson

“Any jackass can kick down a barn but it takes a good carpenter to build one.” Lyndon Johnson

“A nation which has forgotten the quality of courage which in the past has been brought to public life is not as likely to insist upon or regard that quality in its chosen leaders today - and in fact we have forgotten.” John F. Kennedy

Institutionalizing discrimination I am afraid...

On my way home from work this afternoon and listening to one of my two NPR stations I learned the Senate Judiciary Committee had approved what is called the “Federal Marriage Amendment”. First of all, I would like to say my marriage does not need constitutional protection and I strongly disagree with the notion that the Federal Government can do anything constructive to perpetuate marriage or insure the survivability of the family, particularly through a constitutional amendment. I found the following while ‘googling’ on the web. I agree with this statement. It is from “People For the American Way” and written by their Legal Director Elliot Mincberg.

“Today’s vote was a shameful act of election-year vandalism against our Constitution and the basic American principle of equal protection under the law. Discrimination is wrong, and the U.S. Constitution, our most sacred legal document, is especially the wrong place for it.

“It’s not surprising that some Republican leaders want to distract Americans from crises that really threaten our families and values – unfair tax policies and a runaway deficit, a culture of corruption and lack of accountability for lawbreaking at the highest levels of our government, the neglect of children and families displaced by Hurricane Katrina, and more. But writing discrimination into our sacred charter of freedom for short-term political gain shows a basic lack of decency." (Close quote)

Please write your senators and encourage them to keep this poorly thought and ill-conceived election year headline grabbing effort from becoming a part of our constitution. I wholeheartedly agree with director Mincberg, if it passed, it would only be writing discrimination into our legal system.

Shall we recall the success of the social experiment of the 18th Amendment to the Constitution? During Prohibition, temperance activists hired scholars to rewrite the Bible by removing all references to alcoholic beverages. What license would the extremists in this country take if such a discriminatory amendment were passed? The Ku Klux Klan strongly supported Prohibition and its strict enforcement. Likely, their message of hate would be strengthened by such a law.

Bodily fluids, generals and politicians...

General Jack D. Ripper: "Mandrake, do you recall what Clemenceau once said about war?"
Group Capt. Lionel Mandrake: "No, I don't think I do, sir, no."
General Jack D. Ripper: "He said war was too important to be left to the generals. When he said that, 50 years ago, he might have been right. But today, war is too important to be left to politicians. They have neither the time, the training, nor the inclination for strategic thought...

I can no longer sit back and allow Communist infiltration, Communist indoctrination, Communist subversion and the international Communist conspiracy to sap and impurify all of our precious bodily fluids."

The Maltese Falcon

Joel Cairo: "You always have a very smooth explanation..."
Sam Spade: "What do you want me to do, learn to stutter?"

Mean spirited and contrary to everything I believe...

This was the proposed ammendment to the platform of the Utah State Republican Convention, 20 Mayo 2006

Illegal Immigration, Submitted by Robert Wren

"We believe that security of our borders is an urgent national interest and our national sovereignty depends on those secure borders. We oppose illegal immigration and all forms of amnesty, or legal status for illegal immigrants irrespective of program name or race. We oppose automatic citizenship for those children born in the United States to illegal alien parents. We believe government benefits should NOT be provided to those illegally present in the US. We do not believe that any temporary “guest” worker should be automatically on a path to citizenship. We believe that current laws against employing illegal aliens should be vigorously enforced."

Still trying to determine if it passed or not and by what margin. It also appears Robert Wren is not from Utah but is part of an organization in Phoenix who publish the "American Daily". A tour of their web site and a link to an article about immigration referred to undocumented Mexicans in the US as "vermin". Why did the “R” party allow this outsider to propose this amendment to their Utah convention?

A crew member of the Noyo King

Here is one of the future crew members of the Noyo King, a very scary pirate!