How to Paint a Fiberglass Boat
January 24, 2012 | 
Author 
A common question that any marine surveyor may ask is whether or not it is logical to paint a fiberglass boat. As long as there is a full understanding of the work to be performed, the price to do so, and the detail in doing so, the answer is definitively yes. There are numerous advantages for doing so.
Many fiberglass boats are still designed with a gelcoating on the exterior finish. Gelcoat also serves as a mold release agent, which helps to protect the fiberglass from being bonded to the boat mold when it is laid. Sadly, the majority of gel coats have a low resistance to damages by the environment or sunlight, which causes the finish to show chalking and fading in a relatively short amount of time.
Although there are durable gelcoats available on the market, most manufacturers do not use them due to their price, as they tend to be very expensive.
When it comes to painting your fiberglass boat, there are three important factors to keep in mind: preparation, preparation, preparation. The large majority of the price to paint your boat comes in the preparation. The final results of any paint job will be as good as the effort and planning involved in the preparation process. The other factor in getting a good paint job lies in the skill of those who perform the task.
Begin by removing your hardware, teak trim, and plastic parts. Doing so will produce perfect lines. Choose to omit painting in difficult areas or utilize a skilled hand painter. Paint around non-skid decks, as they cannot be sanded and will wear away rapidly. Paint when the temperature is somewhere between 70 and 80 degrees Farenheit, and the humidity is less than 65%. Make a good work order or contract with anyone you hire for the job. Take good care of the finished product, as doing so will allow your finish to last for ten years or more. Finally, sit back and admire the polished finish on your favorite fiberglass boat. Take it out on the lake and show off your work!
Bilge Pumps
To understand what function and purpose bilge pumps serve, we should first start out by defining what a bilge is. The term bilge dates back to 1523 and refers to the lowest compartment in a ship where the two sides meet at the bottom. The actual word bilge is often used to refer to the water that collects in this bottommost compartment. Water collects in this compartment when it drains off the sides of the deck of the ship OR if there are rough seas and/or rain. In order to get rid of water that collects in the bilge, it must be pumped out; otherwise too much water in this area may actually cause the ship to sink.
Bilge water is often dirty and dingy since it is not limited to water, but rather, any sort of fluid(s) that happen to collect at the bottom of the ship. According to Wikipedia, a bilge pump is a pump used to remove bilge water. The first forms of bilge pumps were in the form of bucket then went to hand pumps. Nowadays, ships are equipped with electrical bilge pumps, which are specially made so that they turn on automatically when the bilge fills up. They are designed so that there are no negative electrical reactions (i.e. sparking, fire, etc.). However, the pumps are know to frequently fail, and therefore, it is usually advisable to have a backup pump. The main bilge pump should be located at the lowest point of the bilge with the backup pump somewhere above it in a higher position. The point behind this is so that the secondary pump is activated only after the main bilge pump is no longer operable due to the debris that often clogs it up.
Many boat owners today, have a somewhat casual attitude about bilge pumps and don’t have them installed on their boats because they don’t see the need for them. This is a mistake that is often consequential. According to David Pascoe, and avid boater, sail boats are the worst culprits when it comes to not having a bilge pump installed. Many owners simply do not feel that it is an important part of boat safety. Part of being a responsible boater knows what kind of equipment they should have on board. You should always have at least two bilge pumps aboard your sea vessel.
If you have a boat between 16-20 feet long or 21-26 feet long, you should have at least two pumps on board. If your boat is between 27-35 feet long or 36-42 feet long, you should have at least three bilge pumps on board. If it is between 43-49 feet long, you should have between four to five bilge pumps on board. And if your boat is between 50-59 feet long or 60 feet + long, you should have at least four to five bilge pumps. Bilge pumps run on batteries, so make sure you get quality batteries that will last. David recommends using one size 8 D battery, which usually costs around $250.
How to Make a Hemp Bracelet
In this article you will learn.
1. How to make a hemp bracelet.
2. How to make a macrame half knot, square knot and an over hand knot.
3. You will get instructions on braiding so you can braid your hemp bracelet.
4. You will get instructions on how to make the flat hemp bracelet pattern as well as the spiral hemp bracelet pattern.
5. You will learn how to adjust the length of your bracelet so that one size will fit all.
Materials
-hemp twine
-beads (recommended)
-scissors
The first step in making a hemp bracelet is cutting your hemp twine to the correct length. Cut two pieces of twine and make them three feet long. These will be your knotting cords. Next cut one piece of thin hemp twine and make it one and a half feet long. This will be your center cord.
How to tie an over hand knot.
Take one or more cords and holding them together make a loop, pull the ends under and threw.
To start making the hemp bracelet take the two knotting cords and tie them together using an over hand knot. Next measure out two inches and make an over hand knot using both the knotting cords and the center cord.
How to braid a hemp bracelet.
Take the cords on the right and bring it over the middle cord and place it between the other cords. Then take the left cord over the middle cord and place it between the other cords. Repeat until you get to the desired length.
Following the overhand knot that you just made start braiding the three cords together for two inches. Finish of the braid by tying an over hand knot.
Before we start making the macrame portion of the bracelet it’s important that we learn to tie a macrame half knot and a macrame square knot.
How to tie a half knot.
Start by arranging your three cords pointing towards yourself. Take on of the knotting cords and fold it in a ninety degree angle across the center cord. Bring the opposite knotting cord over the first knotting cord under the center string and up threw the loop created by the first knotting cord. You have completed a macrame half knot.
A square knot is made of two half knots that are opposites of each other. Meaning one half knot will be started on the left and the second half knot will be started on the right.
How to make a hemp bracelet spiral pattern and a flat pattern.
The spiral pattern is made when you tie a series of half knots together and the flat pattern is made when you tie a series of square knots together.
Now that you know how to tie half knots and square knots to make a spiral or flat pattern you can start the macrame portion of your hemp bracelet. To add beads to a hemp bracelet tie knots until you get to the place where you want to add a bead. Put a bead on the center cord and slide it up against the last knot that you tied. Next tie a knot behind the bead holding it securely in place. Continue adding beads and tying knots until you reach your desired length. Finish off the macrame portion of the hemp bracelet by tying an over hand knot.
Again start braiding until you have two inches of braid. Tie off the braid with an over hand knot.
Take the two knotting cords and tie them together using an over hand knot two inches from the end of your braid.
Cut off any excess cord and your hemp bracelet is finished.
You can adjust the length of your hemp bracelet by tying it off to the desired length using the braided portion of you hemp bracelet.
Ten Mistakes When Taking A Cruise
It’s a shame to lay out $250 – $2,500 on a dreamy cruise vacation only to encounter unnecessary mishaps and inconveniences. So, in an effort to minimize the likelihood of a bump in the road to your perfect vacation, here are some common potholes that you can avoid.
Mistake #1: Not Making Your Luggage Distinctive. At the end of your cruise, your luggage will be placed in a huge room with THOUSANDS of pieces of luggage, probably in some designated area based on the color of a luggage tag provided by the ship. No matter how familiar you think you are with your own luggage, it’s amazing how well your bags will blend in with the mass of cargo surrounding them. Having a quick, easy way to identify your luggage will be a major relief, especially if it gets misplaced.
BUT, that isn’t the main reason to make your luggage stand out. You will be entering this cavernous room with a couple thousand other people, some of whom stayed up all night partying. They are going to be impatient to get their bag and get out and there is a fairly good chance that their vision isn’t so good. If your bag looks like their bag, it could be a goner. And, if a stranger does take your luggage it could be hours, even days, before you get it back.
Do something durable and noticeable to your luggage so that it not only is recognizable to you, but also let’s bleary-eyed fellow travelers know that your bag is not their bag. Put stickers on it, paint a day-glo streak around it, sew a teddy bear onto the outside… just make sure it stands out.
Mistake #2: Not Researching Shore Excursions Beforehand. It should come as no surprise that cruise line advertising folks have the ability to describe each and every shore excursion as a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. Of course, no cruise is complete without shore excursions and many of them are absolutely wonderful chances to do things you would never do otherwise. But, be smart here. It’s okay to get hoodwinked into thinking that palm trees do sway all day long and that sand feels like silk under your feet. But, it’s a whole ‘nother thing to be looking forward to that perfect, serene afternoon on a remote beach only to find out you have 500 friends, some with young kids, crowding around you and bumping into your beach chair while vendors hawk everything from coconut shells to t-shirts.
Before you commit, read some reviews, talk to the cruise ship shore excursion folks, ask fellow passengers, do some thinking. Most cruise ships have a “No Refund” policy on shore excursions, but don’t be afraid to ask for one if your experience is truly unacceptable. Better still, find out what you’re getting before you go. Many (if not most) shore excursions are just great and you’ll be happy you went. But cover your stump and you’ll be glad you did.
Mistake #3: Runaway Bar Tabs. Unless you specifically choose a package that includes it, your bar tab is NOT included in the “all inclusive” part of your cruise. Adding to the bite is the ubiquitous 15% gratuity that gets added to every purchase you make on board a ship.
I could suggest that you drink less, but that’s just plain dumb! You’re on a cruise! So, pay attention to how much you drink. Those cute little umbrellas drinks that come in a stunning canary-yellow cup will cost you about twice what a basic cocktail costs. Cruise ship booze is already costly enough; you don’t need to help them out by spending more for a cup that you’ll stash in a closet when you get home.
Cruise ships have a policy against bringing alcohol on board, but the policy is very loosely enforced if you don’t flaunt it. In other words, don’t strap a handle onto a case of Budweiser and check it as baggage or load up your carry-on bag with bottles of Wild Turkey. Discreetly packed airline bottles of booze or cans of beer will probably go unnoticed. Don’t try to sponsor a frat party, but you can definitely help yourself out a bit.
You are allowed to bring your own wine on board if you plan to drink it at dinner, though you are charged a “corking fee”. And, you can also bring a small stash of non-alcoholic beverages (soda, water, etc) with no problem. You should definitely bring some water, especially if you’re cruising in warm climates.
Mistake #4: Ignoring the Fury of the Sun Gods. Sun Burn treatments are the fourth most popular reason that people on cruises visit the ship’s infirmary. (The first three are: 1) bumps and bruises, 2) indigestion, 3) seasickness). Once you’re burned, there isn’t much anyone can do for you except try to alleviate the pain. (My favorite treatment for that is something called “Traumeel”. You can’t find it in the drugstore, but most health food places will have it.)
If you’re cruising in the winter months (Nov – Feb), you don’t have as big a problem. Even when you are in the sub-tropics, and even though your skin probably hasn’t seen sun for several months, the sun is hitting you at an angle and that makes all the difference. You still need to be careful, but you have more leeway.
In the spring and summer months, when the sun is overhead, you can get burned in as little as an hour, especially in the afternoon hours. Some silly people forgo the sunscreen because they want to make sure they get a tan. Not a good idea. Start your sunbathing session with at least 15 SPF (30 if you haven’t been in the sun, with extra protection on your lips). As you get closer to your end time, use less SPF. Even with a good sun blocker, your friends and co-workers will still know that you’ve been out in the sun.
Hats are a serious plus if you are in sunburn territory. Most people don’t put sunscreen on their heads, and so the part of your body that is getting the most direct rays for the longest period of time remains unprotected. Visors don’t protect your skull; you need some type of covering.
Mistake #5: No First Aid Kit. As previously noted, there are several reasons that passengers end up wasting time (and sometimes money) visiting the infirmary. You may not be able to avoid all mishaps, but you can prepare for the lesser blunders. By the way, all of this applies double if you’re traveling with kids!
Bumps and Bruises. The biggest reason people visit the ship’s doctor probably has something to do with mixing booze, slippery surfaces, metal railings and the rolling motion of the ship. For most of your injuries, the right size band-aid and a good analgesic crème will do the trick. A simple travel or camping first-aid kit will have what you need.
Indigestion. One of the drawbacks of having such constant access to all that wonderful rich food that cruise ships are famous for is that people eat it. And eat it. And eat some more. Unless you are a strict disciplinarian, you can expect to consume about two or three times your normal food quantity in an average day. Add to that the steady consumption of alcohol that is a hallmark of cruising and voila! Indigestion. Take along some Alka Seltzer, some Pepto Bismol and sum type of antacid tablet, like Tums or Rolaids. All of these are available in tablet form. Some ships stores will have some of this, but not always and if you need it in the middle of the night you’re out of luck.
Seasickness. The best treatment is prevention. After you get it, well… yuck! Check out the various forms of Dramamine that are now available, including pills and patches. The directions will tell you how much lead time before you hit the waves you need to get the maximum effect. You can also get acupressure wrist bands that work really well with some people.
One of the best treatments I’ve ever seen for treating seasickness once it hits you is Coke and soda crackers – lots of both. Some people say that 7-Up works also, but I think there is something in the caffeine in Coke that helps the whole process. If you are feeling sick, your cabin is the worst place to be unless the weather topside is really bad. Being able to get fresh air and see the horizon helps to trigger the brain sensors that calm seasickness.
Headaches. We all know that booze can make your head scream for mercy, but so can sun and lots of new food. If you’re not used to heavy carbs in your diet and you scarf up lots of pastries, ice creams or gourmet desserts, your body can trigger the same symptoms it does when detoxing from too much alcohol. And, if you experience bumps, cuts or sunburn a pain reliever is a good thing. Have a supply of different types of pain reliever. Depending on the reason for your pain, aspirin may not work as well as Tylenol or Ibuprofen in a given circumstance. (Do I need to remind you to read the label and follow the directions?)
Mistake #6: What? No Camera? A Picture Really Is Worth A Thousand Words. It’s hard to imagine, but some people will actually take the trip of their dreams and not take a camera. Or, they’ll take a camera, but they won’t keep it with them. Don’t do that. If you have a digital camera, use it, use it, use it. If you don’t have a digital camera, spring for about three or four disposable ones. And be sure to take you camera to the Life Boat Drill. You’ll know why when you get there.
A side bar to this camera thing is the Photo-ops that you have all over the ship. There will be dozens of them on your cruise – when you’re boarding, when you’re dining, when you’re getting off the ship, at the pool – at times it will seem like some one is taking your picture every time you turn around. You are, of course, free to decline. But I recommend that you give it a shot. Yes, these photos can be goofy, even cheesy, but they can also be a lot of fun. Plus, you just might end up with the best shot of the cruise. Some of the settings are outright elegant, rivaling what you would find at a studio. It’s a great way to get a nice formal picture for your living room or to send to your family, and there’s no sitting fee!
Mistake #7: Buying From Street Vendors. Where ever you go on your cruise, once you step ashore you will be approached (accosted?) by local folks trying to sell you something. I’m not talking about the shops and makeshift kiosks you may find, I’m talking about the guys selling Cuban cigars out of their trunks, or pirated CDs out of a cardboard box.
Your best bet, unless you’ve been there and really know the score, is to just say NO. Regardless of how appealing the offer, just say NO. Most of the products are very low quality and you have no way to check it out before you buy. I know of people who bought CD cases with no CDs inside, watches that didn’t work, Cuban cigars purchased in the local drugstore, “handmade” jewelry that came out of bubble gum machines, the list is endless. And this applies SIXTEEN FOLD if some local guy tries to sell you some pot.
In most ports of call frequented by American-based vessels, this street traffic is actually illegal. You probably won’t get into trouble, but why risk it? Save your money for the honest locals and their little shops that are going to sell you watches that do work, they just fall apart in a few weeks.
Mistake #8: Thinking You’ll Save Money “In Town”. One of the charming aspects of cruising is the ritual of visiting the local markets and shops. This is truly a fun experience and you can find all manner of unique and special items, but you probably won’t find any real bargains. There are bargains to be found, but you really need to know what you’re looking for and what it’s worth in the US. Don’t be cynical about it. It’s all part of the experience. Somehow, buying a wooden giraffe in Grand Turk is better than buying the same wooden giraffe at Pier 1 Imports, even if you pay a little more. Go figure.
You actually can save money when you buy liquor or tobacco products, but it might not be as good a deal as it first seems. Most ports have what are called “duty free” shops which means that there was no “duty” (i.e. import tariffs) paid on the products and so they are cheaper to sell in that country. The same applies to diamonds and other fine jewelry. The challenge is knowing what an item is actually worth. Just because these guys saved on the import fees doesn’t mean they’re passing the saving on to you. Also keep in mind that you are supposed to declare to US customs any purchases you make in a foreign country. Duty Free in Nassau doesn’t mean it’s duty free when you come back to the US. There are certain exemptions for personal items, but if you shell out some big bucks, you might lose the saving when you pay the US import fees.
So, don’t be a miser. Spend freely. Do some Christmas shopping. Spread your money around the local economy and have fun doing it. Just remember, these guys are in the business of selling stuff to foreign tourists. They know where the money is coming from and they know how to keep as much of it as they can.
Mistake #9: Sticking Around The Port. Yes, ships are safe in the harbor, but that’s not what ships are built for. Most ports of call, especially when the call is for a day or less, are set up to provide the ships passengers with a particular experience. They accomplish this by making their ports as visitor-friendly as possible. The experience of Mexico that you get right outside the port in Cozumel is decidedly different than the experience of Mexico on the other side of the island. Around the port, all manner of business are set up to appeal to a particular comfort-zone and a particular economy.
But, often, just a few miles from the port, you can have a completely different experience. If you travel to Grand Turk, for example, you can spend a delightful afternoon at the resort-like environment of Margaritaville. The beach is well-maintained, though a bit crowded. There is a huge beautiful pool with lots of palm trees and man-made waterfalls. A beer will cost you about $6 and a burger will be about $8.
But a short taxi ride to the old downtown area will take you to a much more authentic location. At least for the time being. You can stroll crowded, dusty streets; see skinny dogs shuffling through garbage cans and have a local beer and piece of fried chicken for about $3.75 at one of the local pubs. Sure, the pub would never pass an American food inspection and you may have to do without air conditioning. But the experience can be wonderful. You won’t get that experience staying close to the port.
Of course, you want to be safe and you want to be able to get back to your ship before it sales, so keep all that in mind. But, there is a whole universe of color, sound, smells and people that don’t ever get to the port and it’s worth the trouble to find it.
Mistake #10: Not Preparing For the Journey Home. Sooner or later (it will seem much too soon), your cruise will come to an end and you’ll have to return to the land of making your own bed and cooking your own food. The journey home is often an irritating necessity and something to endure as quickly as possible. But, if you rush back into the reality you left behind, it’s kind of like a diver coming to the surface too quick after a deep dive. Your mind and body will resist.
If possible, do something fun on the way home. Stay an extra night in a hotel or visit a landmark or even a theme park. At the very least, stop at a nice restaurant for a leisurely lunch or dinner. A quiet picnic (even with fast food) at a rest area can be a perfectly delightful way to transition home.
Here’s a couple of things to do to make your return less stressful and hurried.
o If you’re driving, fill up with gas before you go to the port. Make sure that, when you leave, you don’t have to stop until you want to.
o When you have breakfast on your last morning, take some pastries with you, or even make yourself an egg sandwich. If you thought to bring a thermos with you, fill up on coffee or juice for the ride home.
o Leave some bottles of water in your car. Many bus companies will allow you to leave some personal items on the bus when you get to the port, so include some water and a pillow.
o Find out what the weather is back home. I once stood shivering in 40 degree weather outside the airport in a pair of shorts and an aloha shirt. Hey, it was 85 degrees when I left Puerto Rico that morning!
o Take the next day off. If you are returning to port on a weekend, good. If not, schedule the time off before you leave. Or call in sick. You’ll be SOOOOOOOO glad you did.
A Final Suggestion.
Keep up with all of the information documents you got on the cruise – daily ships newsletter, shore excursion price list, etc. When you get home, file all this in a folder and then use if for reference material for yourself or someone else the next time a cruise is planned. And before your forget, write down all the things you wish you’d thought of and that you wish you had known. Make a complete list and stash it with the other cruise information you brought back.
Happy Cruising!
The Largest Private Yacht – The World Cruise Ship
The World Cruise ship is considered to be the world’s largest private yacht. It is a floating residential neighbourhood owned by its residents which are currently from 40 various countries. They live on board and sail circumnavigating the world.
The World Cruise Ship stays in ports from 2 to 5 days. There are people that stay onboard full time, others stop-over at their sea residence at regular intervals throughout the year.
The World is the brainchild of Knut U. Kloster Jr. His family had been in the cruise ship industry for a long time. It was built in Rissa, Norway. On October 2003, people who reside on the World cruise ship are part owners.
ResidenSea manages the operation and administration of the entire ship including hiring numerous employees that offer various services like photography, housekeeping, beauty treatments and other facilitators on board. The ship has various facilities similar to cruise ships. It is a unique vessel as it is people’s homes.
The world cruise ship has a small grocery store, a boutique, delicatessen, complete athletic facilities, casino, golf simulator, putting green, jogging track, full sized tennis court and a gym.
The entertainment is also plentiful, there is a library, theatre and music performances. With addition to land excursions, there are also classes offered on board in language, dance, cooking, navigation, arts and crafts, computers, music and photography. It also has a high speed internet access in all residences.
The ship has a private yacht club atmosphere. It is rated as a five-star luxury ship. It made its maiden voyage in May 2002. With comparison to other cruise lines, they are very focused on a slower, more relaxed lifestyle together with the ultimate luxuries.
In the state of the art suites, they can accommodate up to 12 persons. It is the only ship in its kind, combining the privacy and indulgence of conventional luxury resorts with the perfect experience of travelling by sea.
It has 130 fully furnished residences, with 30 guest studies with 55,000 sq. ft of luxurious public spaces and is the main reason why it was rated with 5 stars. Guests are also very welcome. With the World Cruise Ship, there is no obligatory cocktail parties, no long lines to board launches/buses, no organized shuffleboard tournaments, no rushing from port to port and no regimented dining schedule.
Upon boarding the ship, time will literally be non existent. It sails in the most leisurely fashion. It has lavish fitness centres and spas by The Banyan tree firm. It is the only ship that has a full sized tennis court on the ocean, internet cafes, casinos, chapels, heated swimming pools, aquatic marina pursuits, and seven eateries, tons of books and DVD libraries, deli, four bars. The crew to passenger ratio is 2:1, giving the vessel a very exceptional service that can guarantee to beat the best in the world.
How To Make A Million Dollars Fast And Furious
How to make a Million dollars fast
What if I was to tell you that money was just a figment of your concentration? Ever considered making a concentrated effort that could change your life for good? Ever wondered if you applied yourself to making your first million whether it would be a waste of time or a life changing experience? Either of these posibilities may occur. The question really is, would you try? Have you ever spoken to somebody who has made a million dollars? Do you ever wonder how they would answer your questions?
For example, you may be surprised to discover that making that first million is easy. I would wager that nearly every such person you spoke to would answer, if they were to be completely honest, that the money really was quite simple to get. They would probably go on to tell you that what really stopped them was their environment. Listening to family, the wife/husband, the social compass’s in your life. That working long hours in a good job was the only and honest way to earn money and anything else was simply wrong. These millionaires would probably even admit that the real reason they succeeded was because everybody else was still under that same restraint and so they probably did so well simply due to a lack of competition.
A wealth building program that works
To make a million dollars fast you have to have a system. You see, it doesn’t matter how much you have made or how much money you had to start with, what matters is how you are going to get there. If that system is robust, you will never fear poverty again.
Jack Reynolds was a good salesman. He was honest and hard working and I was his sales manager. I left that workplace several years earlier and caught up with Jack one day to see how he was going. You see, I found a system for myself that made sense. This system served as a structure to apply to my daily actyivities. When I saw that was working, I just simply re-produced my initial results to continue the momentum.
I did make my first million fairly quickly, infact when I saw that it was feasible, I was like a man on a mission. There was nothing that was going to stop me and nothing did. Jack on the other hand was still at the same old Insurance company we had spent many years at. His eyes were like diamonds when I showed up at our meeting at a local restaurant one day on his lunch hour. I pulled up right infront at the pavillion and beeped at my Merc with my hand coded key. It beeped back obediently.
I strolled over and recognised Jack immediatley. We shook hands and started to talk. It didn’t take long before the questions started. I will never forget the first question he asked me. You see we were close friends, apart from being his boss, I always felt the fellow had a good head on his shoulders and a bright outlook on things. We had spent social time together with our wives, but today was different. He had not heard of or seen me for over 12 months and his first words were “Martin! what happened to the ford?” (A broken down clunker I used to call transportation)
I didn’t hold back. I told my old friend everything. Every question he had, I answered with complete and forthright frankness. The more questions I answered, the more the questions came. His lunch hour turned into an afternoon off. The napkins on hour table were transformed into financial footnotes of formulas and milestone achieved.
I guess it boiled down to real estate. No-where else can one get such enourmous leverage. Jack told me he had no spare money to get into real estate because of the high entry costs, but then, when I began, I had no money at all either. Its the system that matters and not the individuals current seed capital account I told him.
Building wealth one house at a time
Real estate was the investment vehicle I chose to build my fortune with. It certainly was a personal choice and not what this system relies on. It is however the most recommended way to go. Jack took what I told him and eventually got into real estate, however, he enjoyed utilizing precious stones and also sea going vessels like yachts and power cruisers.
I found the capital gains that you get in real estate were the most advantageous. The biggest advantage of real estate is that it is possible to make your first million without ever paying a single cent in tax. Of course its legal and the governement allows you to take capital gains on homes that you live in as your own. I found this approach was for me. I enjoyed working on these properties in my own pace and the things I wasn’t qualified to do I simply contracted out.
The biggest step I made was leaving a job. That was hard but when you begin to see things happening there is no real choice. You have to follow your gut. You need the time to work on your first million and thats what I did. I commited to it by planning it thoroughly and then I set sail, as they say.
I compounded my earnings one house at a time. No complicated taxation issues to worry about because there was no tax obligations. This system is the best I ever came across and obviously was something that made sense to me. I made my million fast and furious because I simply had the vision to keep going.
Cruise Ships For Sale
We all know that cruise ships are great getaway on the high seas. But did you know that cruise ships in all shapes and sizes are available for sale? Depending on your budget, you could buy a cruise ship for a steal at $2 million, or the price can rise into the millions. The price depends on the size of the ship, passenger amenities and its condition. The metal used in building the ship is important too, because rust would prove to be a negative selling point.
Most cruise ships have staterooms, public rooms, cabins, scullery (pantries), dining halls, entertainment areas and swimming pools. Space for retail outlets such as bookstores, gift, souvenir shops and hair salons, may or may not be present depending on the cruise ship. A spa, health and fitness club, and sports bar are also built into most of the cruise liners. Sanitary facilities should be examined closely in all cabins and public areas to know what basic amenities are available.
The scullery usually is equipped with all necessary appliances including ovens (conventional, convection and microwave), stoves, toasters, refrigerators, coolers, pots and pans and all the ingredients to provide the guests with the best meals during their journey.
Passenger observation decks are on most cruise ships to allow passengers to enjoy the beauty of the sea while the ship is on the move. Most of the cruise ships also come equipped with a casino housing gaming tables like blackjack, roulette, poker, dice and slot machines. There is usually a satellite connection for televisions provided in all the mega liners to entertain guests.
Some of the most important amenities on a cruise ship are located in the pump room, chiller room and office rooms. Other important cruise ship information would include the security available for guests and their valuables, provisions to store perishables, makes and models of engines; space allocated for engines, generators and the rudder rooms. New cruise ships come with electrical fittings, heavy machinery such as the engines, other machinery such as those used for steering the ship, deck machinery, air compressors, fire, bilge and other necessary pumps in the pump rooms — all the equipment required for securing and mooring the ship.
Last but not least, the cruise ship must be equipped with lifesaving equipment, as well as first aid kits to handle any emergencies. Fire extinguishers with hoses and spanners, lifebuoys, life floats, rescue boats, distress signals such as flares, common bandages, medicine chest etc., form the major part of the emergency paraphernalia.
Before buying a cruise ship, the buyer needs to do some homework to make sure that the condition of the ship is acceptable, as well as all technical matters pertaining to the ship’s ability to function properly.
There are excellent websites on the Internet that provide details about various cruise ships on sale. Browsing through these will give you a good idea of the price range and amenities to look for in a cruise before signing on an agreement.
Used Fishing Boats For Sale In Washington State
Finding used fishing boats for sale in Washington State doesn’t have to be difficult, but it should be something that you do with careful consideration. There are several ways to purchase these boats, all of them good solutions, if you do them correctly. Like buying a car or a home, you want as much detail about the past of that boat as you do about the future that it will have with you. The right used fishing boats for sale in Washington State don’t have to cost you a small fortune, either. Here are some of the best tips for buying high quality, but long lasting and well priced boats.
Tips To Count On
Anyone that is considering buying used fishing boats for sale in Washington State should take the time to consider all options available to them. When you do, consider these tips to help you to learn about the boat you’ll be investing in.
1. Learn about the boat‘s past. The best way to do this is to ask the owner for additional information. You shouldn’t just take their word for it either. The fact is that the way that the boat has been treated is one of the key factors in how well it last you. For this, look at the boat itself. Look at the bottom of the boat, which should provide you with some detail about how well it has been taken care of. For example; Aluminum boats are actually likely to have dings in them that show that they’ve been over rocks, which could potentially wreck the seams on the boat.
2. Learn about the boat‘s manufacturer. When buying a boat, take the time to learn about the lifespan of the boat in general. You can gather information about warranties that may still be in place or at least learn what other consumers of the same style and brand have to say about their purchase. It is what they wanted and needed? Was the quality high enough to last a long time?
3. Learn where you can buy them. Buying used fishing boats for sale in Washington State
means looking at used boat dealers both locally and online, talking to local commercial fishing companies which may be selling their older boats, and talking to individual owners selling their own boat. Give everyone a chance to offer you the best boat in town and why.
Buying used fishing boats for sale in Washington State may take you some time, but it will provide you with the best results in the end.
Learn to Sail Series – The Mainsail Controls
In the previous article on learn to sail, we discussed the basic components of the mainsail. So just when you thought you had it licked, we haven’t finished yet. There are a few more control lines for the mainsail. These are the Cunningham, the boom vang, the reefing lines and the traveler.
The Cunningham is really a down haul. It is made up of two blocks, a hook and a line. It is rigidly attached to the foot of the mast and has several blocks through which the Cunningham line runs. The two blocks have multiple sheaves and thus create a lot of “purchase”, meaning that the leverage effect of multiple blocks allows the user to multiply their strength and pull down on the sail very tight if needed. The top block has a hook which hooks into an eyelet sewn into the luff (leading edge) of the mainsail. You might think that the halyard has the same effect as the Cunningham, but it doesn’t. While the halyard pulls the sail up and tensions the sail, the Cunningham has so much more power because of it’s multiple blocks that it can REALLY tighten the leading edge up when needed under high wind conditions. The Cunningham also serves as a more convenient and fine tune luff tension adjustment mechanism. Loosening and tightening the halyard would be a bit impractical. If you can’t find a Cunningham on your sailboat, don’t worry it might not have one. Cunninghams are most frequently found on racing boats when fine tuning is critical. On a cruising sailboat and especially when you are just starting out with your learn to sail quest, you won’t be needing to use it.
The boom vang also attaches to the base of the mast. The second point is about ΒΌ of the way along the boom. Thus it acts to pull the boom down and has the effect of tightening the leach (trailing edge) of the sail which makes the sail flatter. This is desired in high wind conditions. We’ll talk about that further on in this learn to sail series. Similar to the Cunningham, the boom vang is used for fine tuning. Most sailboats are fitted with a boom vang.
The reefing lines. There are a few different configurations on how to “Reef” the mainsail but they all have the same effect: to reduce the size of the mainsail under high wind conditions. If you have less sail area up, the forces on the boat are less, the boat heels over less and is more comfortable for the crew. As you’ll also learn later in this learn to sail series of articles, making the sail smaller can increase the speed of the boat. This sounds counter intuitive but it’s true. When you are starting out to learn to sail, it is imperative that you learn about reefing the sails. This is because you will most certainly encounter high winds, if not today then very soon. And you’ve got to know what to do.
If you don’t have a roller furling mainsail whereby the mainsail rolls up into the mast then you will be reducing the mainsail size by lowering it down a little.
The usual set up to reef the mainsail then consists of a way to pull down the luff (leading edge) of the mainsail and a way to pull down the leech (trailing edge) of the main sail. For the luff, often the Cunningham is used. It is loosened and the hook is removed from the eyelet on the mainsail luff and placed into a higher eyelet. Then the mainsail halyard is slackened to lower the mainsail a little so that the new eyelet is slightly above the boom. The halyard is then locked off and the Cunningham is tightened to pull the sail down further stretching the luff so that it is tight.
The leech now will be flapping away loose and so this must by pulled down also. You’ll see that eyelets will be sewn into the leech. Reefing lines will be attached to the boom directly below and slightly aft of the eyelet. The other end of the reefing line (if you’re lucky) will come down to the boom through a block and back along the boom close to the mast. Thus all you need to do when you have finished pulling down the Cunningham is to reach out and pull on the leech reefing line.
Most mainsails have 2 reefing positions with recommended wind speeds at which to reef. The reefing lines from the leech will be a different color so you can quickly identify which one is the first reefing position and which is the second.
If you have a roller furling mainsail, the process is much simpler. You’ll just roll the sail up a small amount to reef the sail. This is done by pulling on the inhaul while letting out the outhaul. Once the sail is reefed, lock off the inhaul and retension with the outhaul. If you try to tension with the inhaul you could damage the roller furling mechanism. This is a common mistake when people are just starting out in their learn to sail quest.
The traveler is a side to side track attached to the sailboat cabin top or in the cockpit. The mainsheet block slides into the traveler. This allows the mainsheet block to “travel” horizontally across the boat. The traveler’s function is to control what is called “twist” at the top of the leech of the mainsail.
We’ll discuss why this is necessary in follow on learn to sail a sailboat articles.
Can My Boat Cross an Ocean?
The issue of crossing big oceans in small boats becomes a very intriguing question. I refer to vessels in the 34 to 50 foot range as small.
Time and time again I receive emails with regard to the capability of various vessels built by different manufacturers and the ability of those same products to cross large oceans. The reality is there simply is no single good answer.
Some people’s sailing habits are really more of an issue than the vessel they are sailing on. Are you a conservative sailor or a hell bent for leather go fast racer? Pushing boats hard offshore is fine for racers with bank accounts loaded by corporate sponsors but when it comes to cruising on your own vessel hap-hazard sailing skills and poor seamanship will drastically deflate your budget in a hurry as well as have a negative effect on the safety factor.
It is apparent there are a lot of boats that are built that have no right in attempting long distance offshore voyages. And needless to say that most manufactures do not build these vessels with that intent. Truth being, offshore boats are not mainstream volume in their market and so why should they address that kind of a build? As a result a lot of these vessels are simply just not up to the task at hand. That task of course is long term ocean crossings. That’s not to say they haven’t done it. The problem is influenced by many factors. The integrity of the yacht to start with, from the hull laminate structure, keel bolts, and the mast and rigging, to the weather windows that any particular boat and crew has had available to do a long crossing in.
From experience we can state we have had crossings that with every wave we were kept wondering what might break, not because of the type of boat, but because of how severe the sea state was. We have also had crossings that were so mundane that boredom had become a more stressful factor on our mental health than dangerous sea conditions.
We feel our personal success to date is maintenance related. We don’t leave things open to chance. Before every crossing we do complete inspections of every critical fitting from under the keel to the top of the mast with the intention of finding the weak link in the chain before it breaks, and that’s not to say we haven’t had to deal with issues that developed in spite of our policy. And having said that even in some extreme conditions we never had any doubt in our yachts ability to take the abuse.
It’s been said before, “hope for the best and plan for the worst.” In other words a strongly built boat can withstand a lot, and in most instances the boat can take more than the crew can. Even if the vessel never needs to deal with bad or dangerous conditions at least you have some level of confidence and protection.
One of the biggest lessons in yachting history can be learned from the Fastnet tragedy, many sailors died in storm conditions by abandoning perfectly fine boats and getting into life rafts, only for rescue teams to find many of the distressed vessels to be floating safely, completely crewless for days, after the storm. This speaks of perception and ability to cope.
It used to be that people that were going offshore on long distance cruises selected boats that were extremely heavily built and were generally not very fast, often unresponsive in certain conditions. Tactics on these boats were somewhat different than the engineered boats in today’s market. These older era boats would be forced to heave to or lay a hull in extreme conditions. The crew would close everything up and go below and wait it out. Sometimes this was successful, sometimes it wasn’t.
Fortunately the world of engineering has changed a lot in respect to the heavier built boats of yesteryear. Today’s boats are lighter, faster, and stronger than we have ever seen before. But of course this calls for more active tactics on the crews behalf.
We sailed across the Pacific in 2004 and prior to that crossing I had studied and read everything I could with regard to Ocean passages.
Time and time again I read that you should never go off shore in a multi hull catamaran or trimaran as they are too dangerous. We sailed into Hiva Oa in the Marquises only to see a large number of catamarans that had made the same crossing we had just completed, sitting and waiting comfortably in the anchorage as we arrived. I was dumbfounded! How did they get here? I wondered. They successfully crossed the same ocean we did and they made the trip unscathed and most of them did it much faster than we did.
The only thing I can state with some certainty is that the amount of wear and tear and fatigue on any vessel out here cruising and crossing vast areas of bluewater far exceeds the general average of most boats at home. As an estimate, I would claim that one year cruising and crossing oceans is probably equal to the wear and tear of ten years use of a boat in most home dock coastal cruising areas. This brings us back to maintenance issue again.
And also, keep in mind that the faster boats don’t need to look for as long a weather window to get somewhere as the heavier boats. This lessens the exposure time that they have at sea. Often some of the very large fast boats have the ability to stay well ahead of weather systems that are going to run over top of slower boats. So it begs the question can my boat cross oceans?
Well it would appear that it becomes a matrix of crew skills, the understanding of meteorology and resulting effects, vessel integrity, speed, safety and preventative maintenance and mostly a lot of common sense.
Do your homework and see if you can find owners of similar vessels that have logged some major passages an sea miles, learn from them. They may be able to shed light on weaknesses and strengths of those models. Ask people that you know out there cruising as to what boats they see in remote anchorages! If there are specific models that never seem to be around there may be a good reason. And it might not be that they are rare! Common sense, the ability to research and build knowledge will help you select the boat that suits your personality as well as needs. The internet is an amazing source of information but always seek real advice from experienced cruisers they can tell you what works and what won’t.