>>Ronnie Holden >>Alaskan 53 "Island Breeze" >>Sunset Beach, NC Said they are planning a trip to Cuba in December. I have obtained about 12 k of info from frequent Cuba travellers (boaters). Alas I have lost Ronnie's e-mail address. Please reply to me so I can forward the info. George of Scaramouche

almiller@n-jcenter.com writes: >I removed the Cetol because of its orange paint like appearance I heard people talking about that, but only if they used more than 3 coats. In any case, Armada is a little lighter in colour. That's what I am using but never more than 3 coats on bare wood and an annual refresh of ONE coat after some cleaning with water and a plastic pot-scrubber (no sanding) -------------------------- >From : John Cook, Miss Muffet >Port Camargue, France > All the teak I can see in this large marina is being left its >natural grey colour, and I suppose >splashed down from time to time with sea water as recommended. >Is this a cultural thing? Are Europeans just lazier than North >Americans? >Sure I think a varnished look could be nice. But does the Cetol >protect the teak and how does it effect the sureness under foot? I have seen yard-neighbours using Armada / Cetol on weathered wood as instructed (on the label) and it looks pretty darn good to me. Armada / Cetol is a wood preservative, not a varnish. It does not produce gloss and leaves you with a comfortable grippiness on grabrails, steps etc. As far as decking is concerned, most people here leave it untreated as well. Must be a cultural thing all over (a la Capn. Ahab, Bligh, Cook - smile). George of Scaramouche (Canada)

There has been considerable discussion on Teak refinishing on this list. I just found another report on another list from someone who used Armada. Since it's rather lengthy, I don't want to reproduce the whole report here but if wished, send it out privately. Here is an overview: >>>First, West Marine has bought a major chunk of Armada's production and is selling it as 'Wood Pro' - both the satin and glossy version are available for roughly $25/quart. After a year with the Armada Satin finish, there is no detectable wear or sunburn on our foredeck, the colors remain consistent, there are no cracks in the coating, and no thin spots. This summer we hired a fellow who lives on the next dock to help us to burn off the old varnish and sand down the side decks - it's embarrassing how much better someone who does finishes for a living is than us amateurs. Working with a heat gun, scraper, 6" orbital, and a Fein detail sander, Sam got the side decks almost perfectly fair - no cupping, no divots, no bulging Polysulphide seam compound.<<< George of Scaramouche

Paul Browne writes: >>If anyone has actually been aboard a boat equiped with a propane or >kerosene >>fired fridge, could he or she please let me know whether it operated >>sucessfully? Before I became a boater I was a trailer person and had meny years of good experience with a propane operated fridge and so did my neighbours in the trailer park. The main difference to an electric fridge I found was that it seemed to take a long time (subjective) to get going, that is to say until you feel the freezer compartment getting real cold. However once running, it was entirely satisfactory. George on Scaramouche

fburrows@csi.com writes: >>For cold weather starting it has a special plug which when unscrewed >allows you to insert a >>"cigarette-plug" directly into the main cylinder. > >George: > >Could you please explain what a "cigarette-plug" is? Got mine from the manufacturer SABB in Norway. Looks like an all white cigarette, about 1" long. However, a Labrador fisherman told me they use real cigarettes, smoke about half and then stick the glowing end into that adapter. Works everytime!

russ@trawlerdogs.com writes: >he removed the head and put in a box with kitty litter. >The boat has no cooking facilities, running water or refrigeration >either, just bunks for sleeping bags. He had a ball. His crew voiced >somewhat mixed opinions. I don't know what they had to complain >about. >According to the captain, they had all the apples, salami and cheese >they wanted every day. > >Before you ask, I have no idea why he removed the head. But it's a >true >story. Someone on the liveaboard list last year talked about this kitty litter idea. First I thought it was tongue-in-cheek but then I tried it last winter when everything around me was frozen - not instead of a head but in addition. Must say it worked fine and sure beat middle of the night trips to the shore facilities or dragging cedar buckets up and down an ice-covered dock. George of Scaramouche getting ready to be frozen-in again on Lake Ontario, Canada.

AlorMaria@aol.com writes: >It's been noted that the "real men" have switched to kitty >litter.....;^) Whatever happened to the venerable Cedar Bucket?

mick@ricochet.net writes: >We've considered buying a pressure cooker and have been following >this >thread with much interest. Could you furnish some "buying guide" >information related to what is currently available? Our initial >interest >was for just food preparation, but, now has expanded to canning >(after >reading recent postings on the list). Besides for canning and cooking, pressure cookers can also be used for baking bread. However, only if the walls go straight up. Some cookers' walls curve inwards near the top to provide the seal with the lid. These are suitable for anything but breadmaking (you can't get the finished loaf out of the pot because of the inward curving wall). So buy a pressure cooker with straight walls only - someday you'll want to make homemade bread. George

Don and Toni: Thanks to both of you for your excellent instructions on how to tie a one-handed bowline. You both described exactly the same method albeit one a tad more humorous that the other. I am practising daily for five minutes until i can do the deed blindfolded, standing on my head and underwater. There is however one small problem: When the first mate tried to do it, she came up with a perfect square knot (reef knot)! Try as I might, I cannot duplicate what she did. George of Scaramouche, icebound in Lake Ontario, with nothing better to do...

russtrit@iamerica.net writes: >Anybody got any good solutions to the >rotten egg smell from the head, on the >first flush after a few days away from >the boat? I believe bad smell is caused by stagnant water wherever you're docked (creek, bay, harbour). I overcame situation by leaving head in "Dry-Bowl" until I'm in open water. While docked, I flush with fresh water only. No more smell and I live on my boat. George of Scaramouche, Lake Ontario, Canada