The self-bailing boat

[skein]

...and other stories.

We were talking about salt-water clean up on another thread and Thumper mentioned some rust-bucket pangas he'd seen - which reminded me of a story. Who else has a tale under the heading, "You went WHERE in WHAT?" John calls it the "This ain't no &%^*% !"

I'll start with The Self-Bailing Boat:

A couple of friends of mine were about half way down the Baja and decided to go out fishing with a local in his panga. It fit all the usual descriptions, old beat-up looking Johnson, dents in the side of the boat, a couple of rusted up gas cans, etc."

They get out pretty far, maybe 12-15 miles, and stop to fish. Right away they notice there's water in the boat, but since the skipper isn't concerned they continue to fish. Pretty soon the water is covering their tennis shoes, and they mention it to the local as best they can, and he grins and replies, "It's okay, it's self-bailing." Ahh, okay.

It's getting harder and harder to concentrate on fishing, though, since by now the water is working its way up their shins. They mention it again, and the skipper agrees and has them pull in.

He pulls the motor a couple of times and fires it up and off they go - farther out. During this run, however, the water recedes. When they stop he grins and shows them the water is gone. "Self-bailing," he says again. That's when they noticed there is no plug in the back of the boat.

Imagine this whole thing is taking place between people who do not understand each other's language, and our two intrepid fishermen are trying to show him that he has forgotten the plug. Finally the light comes on.

"No, no" he says, "If I put the plug in the boat, it will no longer be self-bailing. It will sink. I will show you." Whereupon he replaces the plug.

Sure enough, every rivet in the boat is leaking, looking for all the world like a myriad of little springs bubbling to the surface, about 120 of them. But hey, they were only about 18 miles out. And the boat was self-bailing. :grin:

Skein

[blubeast]

Good story Skein... so is this a feature you're having built into your new boat?

[crabbait]

blubeast - As a matter of fact, yes! Right, Skein?

[Miss B Haven]

An Aluminum Panga Hencho En Mexico? :shocked: [img]graemlins/1zhelp.gif[/img] Now you know why they are all Fiberglass (except that one).

[skein]

Hell yes. Plugs? We don't need no stinkin' plugs!

He's supposed to turn 'em right side up about now. It's killin' me to listen to these guys planning a tuna hunt and us with no boat. Weld, Ed, weld!

Skein

[fish assassin]

Skein,

I hope you do better than I did in 2001 when I had the "Mistress" built. Andy
ended up almost 3 months late on the build. I was so totally frustrated!! The
good thing, however, was that I was able to actually be Andys' shop the last two
weeks of the build. My boy and I got to spend 8-10 hours a day in the shop
with the guys watching as they did the final assemblies and while we were watching
we got to install all of our electronics and other boat toys. It was pretty cool!
I saved a *bundle* in SS screws/bolts as Andy let me take what I needed from his
stores.

It *is* hard to get sooo close and not have it ready yet, HUH?? :grin:

-assAssin-

[puffins crew]

Hey Skein and crabbait, whats the ETA on your boats??

From much personal experence on the Puffin, I am sure that you each will have many great days on Big Blue.

Do you each have a Salty Dog burgee to fly?

I personally can't wait to see you both on the ocean, with fish blood and smiles everywhere.

Peace, Tom

[skein]

Yes, Tom, I have a burgee. Crabbait, do you have one? I have an extra in case you don't, and can't think of anyone I would rather share it with. I also have a Tuna flag that I will fly when the first one comes to the boat.

ETA is about the middle of the month, but as you know, that's the easy part. Getting it set up and checked out is going to be the part that tests our mettle. Especially if you guys are hauling in tuna all around us.

Skein