Speaking of attitude......

[bamamick]

in my job as National Secretary I get several e-mails per day asking for information about used Dragons, information about the history of certain boats, that sort of thing. Yesterday I received some photos of a boat that's for sale and this guy wanted my opinion on whether she would be or could be brought back as a racing boat.

I told my friend as politely as I could that in my own humble opinion there is next to no such thing as a boat that's not worth saving. My own boat was pretty much a wreck when I got her even though she had participated in a Worlds as recently as the early '90's. The boat had dried out to the point that you could see daylight through the seams, several frames were missing and several more needed replacement, about 25% of the planking was bad, the deck was a mess, etc. The same old litany of the wooden boat that sets up over a period of years. Well, I race my boat in one design regattas now and even though she is due in for some maintenance this winter, she'll come out of the shop looking spry and ready for another five years or so of knocking heads.

So he sends me some photos and I fall in love with this boat. She's A&R built and a lovely example of the design. I told my friend that if he doesn't buy her to let me know immediately and I will get her sold in short order. That's just the way I have always been. My wife calls it a disease. Where other people see a wreck I see potential. I can look at any boat and see what it could be with enough love and money. How about you? Are you a 'potential' person or are you a person who sees yard bills, muscle aches, countless hours spent in uncomfortable positions, and the like? Are you a dreamer or a realist?

I am a Dragon sailor. You can probably guess which one I am :)?

Mickey Lake

[SamSam]

Are you a dreamer or a realist?

How about a realistic dreamer? "yard bills, muscle aches, countless hours spent in uncomfortable positions" aren't a dream. Possibly age has a lot to with a persons answer.;)

[Gary E]

Long ago I did more re doing to a boat than most people would of wanted to do... It came out fine and I fished it for a long time... But today I am 65+ and no longer have the kids around for conscripted slave wages help so... not any more... It's a young mans venture.

-Old Fart

[paladin]

yup...us old pharts get smaller sailboats or power boats....but smaller...no one to take sailing anymore....

[Dale H]

I like to think I'm a realist but then how do you explain the fact than my boat (Eun Mara) is still in the shed for correcting a few minor mechanical and some minor appearance flaws. A realist would be out sailing her. Just two more weeks 'till she's perfect ....;)

[bob goeckel]

i'm 59, had the heart thing. every few months i swear to give it up, get rid of a few boats and canoes. then another "old thing" catches my eye and i can't say no. or the canoe form whispers "i'm waiting". sheesh what a disease. and no cure.

[Henning 4148]

Build by A&R? Well, then she was built from very good material and with very good craftsmanship. If there is substance, it is worth saving.

[bamamick]

One way or the other.

Mickey Lake

[donald branscom]

National Secretary of what?

[Wild Wassa]

Not a dreamer and not a realist ... I'm a worker. There wouldn't be boats if it wasn't for workers.

Actually there are boats but not as many as there are in the minds of dreamers ... dreamers like wooden boats.

The realists aren't here. The realists are out sailing. The workers sometimes go sailing. I have friends who are dreamers ... until they meet a worker.

If you are a dreamer befriend a worker.

Warren.

[bamamick]

am the Secretary of the American International Dragon Association. A fancy name for a small group of people who still love, sail and race these Scandinavian beauties.

Warren; been working with solvents a lot lately? :)

Mickey Lake

[The Bigfella]

Warren; been working with solvents a lot lately? :)


Geez, you're game aren't you Mickey? Looking to be the umpteenth person to cop a spray from the wood hater?

Back on topic - I've had my eye on this one for a few years .... I could use a day sailer in the Harbour. New deck, new ....... ? I went as far as asking who owned her he other day. She never gets any use - other than as a "mooring minder"

http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid225/p938464eb8949c69a19ec974207458424/e8aa5bcd.jpg

[bamamick]

We're mates from way back.

I don't know what that is under that cover but I WANT to know. She looks rather Dragon-ish. She's got runners and the transom, but she looks a little beamy in the ends. What is she?

edited to add: IS that a Dragon? The more I look at her the more I am thinking she is a Dragon, but I can't tell from the looking at the bow.

Mickey Lake

[The Bigfella]

Mickey

I didn't set out to photograph her - just picked up the camera as I motored past in the small boat. This is the only other shot I have of her, but I will see what i can come up with on another trip:

http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid225/p2a018386f9c846962bdd9c74972b2438/e8a254ed.jpg

[The Bigfella]

duplicate post

[Wild Wassa]

Thank you Mickey. It doesn't need to be said. I think you know where I'm coming from ... those who aren't hung up or totally frustrated and those who have a sense of humour and know what it is like to work on boats continually, probably understand me as well ... (maybe).

Gatenby you just don't get it so I'll explain it to you again. I like all traditional boat building materials. I work on wood almost continually but I can finish the restorations of the boats that I start.

I'm sorry that your boat is taking so long for you to restore. It must be very frustrating for you Gatenby not to have finished your boat after so many years. I'm very sorry that your boat caught on fire and I'm also disappointed in anyone who can't get varnishing right. It isn't like varnishing is hard Skipper. Keep trying Gatenby. One day you will get it ... but then maybe you wont.

Let it go Gatenby, your nastyness is only shortening your life. You have a boat to try to finish ... and it will need all of the compitancy that you have got.

Warren.

ps, I'm very fond of wooden boats, I like wood. I spend a lot of time seaking out wooden boats and talking to their owners and quizzing them about what worked for them ... all from a person who supposedly hates wood.

[Woxbox]

I always see potential in old wrecks. I bought a boat that was in pieces once, some of them rotten; I bought a skin covered kayak that was a bag of sticks and a half-rotted canvas hull; and I bought a trimaran that was full of holes in the deck and the bilges were packed with rotting leaves and smelled like dead mice.

But all three boats were turned into solid and perfectly usable craft that saw lots of time on the water.

And all three gave me lots of use at very minimal cost. That's the real reason to restore a wreck. If you pick the right one, it's the cheapest way to get out on the water in the boat you want.

[The Bigfella]

Gatenby you just don't get it so I'll explain it to you again. I like all traditional boat building materials. I work on wood almost continually but I can finish the restorations of the boats that I start.

I'm sorry that your boat is taking so long for you to restore. It must be very frustrating for you Gatenby not to have finished your boat after so many years. I'm very sorry that your boat caught on fire and I'm also disappointed in anyone who can't get varnishing right. It isn't like varnishing is hard Skipper. Keep trying Gatenby. One day you will get it ... but then maybe you wont.

Let it go Gatenby, your nastyness is only shortening your life. You have a boat to try to finish ... and it will need all of the compitancy that you have got.

Warren.

Change hands mate - you might gain a stroke

[The Bigfella]

As usual - you can't abide by forum rules - and have launched into a personal attack. If ever I've got a chuckle from someone's incompetence - it'd be from someone who can't spell competency. ahhh - that'd be you Warren.



compitancy


Missing out on your normal doses of bile are you?

Since this thread is about attitude - and you seem to want to drag it into the bilge, lets just recap what the rest of the folks on forum have had to say about your attitude:



MarkC:
“I shouldn't grumble - I used to sound like Wild Wassa when I was in Uni - but then I guess I sauered with age.”

Larry P.:
“Warren you are a liar.”

Donn:
“Warren likes him. That's more than enough evidence for me.”

Larry P.:
“Sorry Warren you are not a liar, just a damn fool……. and a pathetic one at that.”

Hwl:
“A bit over the top Warren.”

Paul Fitzgerald:
“Warren, the essence of wisdom is learning when to say "no".”

WX:
“Jeezus Warren, fair suck of the sav Mate. Ease up or you'll go blind.”

Ian Marchuk:
“Warren surely you can make your point without dragging this forum
into the sewer , languagewise . Michigangeorge was punted outahere for this very reason among others.
I hope others will chime in at this point in supporting me in asking Warren to edit his post, eliminating the sewer mouthed trash.
Over to you ladies and gentlemen....”

Skuthorp:
“I'm sorry Warren that you're so upset about things. But there's no need for that sort of display, it does you no credit, or respects the privelige we enjoy here.”

Shamus:
“It's not so much the language as the lack of finesse that I object to in that post.”

Doorstop:
“Well, in Warrens case it might be a case of "so many spits, so few dummies!".... settle me crazed little Canberran, settle!”

Ian Marchuk:
“Since when does a smear job contribute anything to the discussion.
Warren , reread #7 and try to understand that for those of us not very familiar with Philip Ruddock and Aussie politics your contribution
is of dubious (to be charitable) value. Quite the contrary , I am left doubting your case .
Warren , such a post only preaches to the converted. Would you care to make your case to those on the other side of the world who
do not have the insight that you have?
Evil rubbing off ....??????
Perhaps an exorcism is in order..... sheesh....”

Stiletto:
“I saw the connection Warren, I was responding to the fact that your posts about the Farrier and painting etc. are informative and interesting, but you sometimes branch out into what , from here , looks like rabid behaviour.”

JohnB:
“You're just being deliberately insulting Wassa. No skin off my nose, you've demonstrated your belief system for all the world to see.”

JohnB
“You crack me up Wassa.
........ Coming from the egomaniac extraordinaire thats really something.
Froth away old son , froth away.”

PaulG 7/6/07
I guess sour grapes, and mean spiritedness go hand in hand with underarm bowling. I am so glad to have met many fine Australians that are the total opposite to you.

Put that in your thinners cup and sniff it

……… Anyway Wassa is a Tossa

BrianW 25/6/7

“Anyhow, I'm not taking the bait dude, ....... You'll have to try your insults on someone else.”

[The Bigfella]

09-27-2006, 02:37 PM
Wild Wassa (http://www.woodenboatvb.com/vbulletin/upload/member.php?u=4426) http://www.woodenboatvb.com/vbulletin/upload/images/statusicon/user_offline.gif vbmenu_register("postmenu_1391607", true);
Senior Member
Join Date: Feb 2002
Location: The Australian Capital Territory,
Posts: 5,453


http://www.woodenboatvb.com/vbulletin/upload/images/icons/icon1.gif
" ... mate I'd have to ..."

Yes that's right you would have to.

... well how about a rudder for 'Canoey Thingy' then? Dingo, if I ever come across to visit, can't we all fit in the canoe ... can we?

I'm going troppo over here at the moment. Doing woodworking on boats is so mindless and boring, where have all of the hitech composite boats gone? Working with wood is so uninspiring and mindless and I really do mean it too ... and not to mention wood, being oh! so yesterday.

I did think that wood was worth the trouble once ... then I went sailing and remembered that working on wood meant not going sailing.

Dingo, the real challenge is putting up with owning a wooden boat.

Warren.
Last edited by Wild Wassa : 09-27-2006 at 02:46 PM.
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