Are Projects More Complicated Or Are We Getting Older?

rardiH36

rardiH36

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Jun 21, 2007
2,118
Hunter Cherubini 36_80-82 Sausalito / San Francisco Bay
I don't know if others sometimes ask themselves as I have been doing more frequently of late: "Why is this in concept simple project proving to be more complicated than I anticipated?" Back when I was younger, it was just do it. Now it seems so many more options/alternatives/research to consider.

This time its for a home project rather than boat. But the same feeling does come over me for many boat DIY repairs and upgrades as well. Much different than when I was younger.

I am restoring, rather than replacing, my side yard fence which is constructed with pre-1960 old growth redwood. Cut off the 1" of weathered dog-eared top edge and beautiful pink/red sound wood is revealed. Good for another 30 years. Criminal to tear out and put into the dumpster (for someone else then to scavenge for on-selling to millennials who will pay a premium for the "I'm recycling" bragging rights).

Because the fence section is way down slope in my yard, and trekking back and forth to my garage tool area would eat away the hours, I decided this time to first pre-muster in one place every tool and supply material that I think I will need.

See the picture. I am just restoring an old fence! I am sure once I start working, I will find that have underestimated the tool and supply demand by 25%.

And of course some of the needed tools will be on my boat! Because I didn't bring them back home after my project a couple of months ago to extend my dock finger end in order to install a dock wheel. (Picture of the outcome also attached.)

Anybody else observing how intricate even simple projects seem to be? Either at home or for boat.
 

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Head Sail

Head Sail

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Nov 13, 2013
723
Catalina 34 Tacoma
I think the older you get the more you plan ahead and realize the benefits of a good design. When you were younger maybe you would "get it done" but the quality was probably not the same. That's not to say we don't slow down but we also get better at doing it right the first time.
 
Stu Jackson

Stu Jackson

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Feb 26, 2004
23,342
Catalina 34 224 Maple Bay, BC, Canada
When you were younger maybe you would never think to bother about going back to the garage 509 times!!!

rardi, get a rub strake on the inside of that new wood for black line. Nice job.

Yup, everything takes longer. But that's an advantage when all ya have left is time. :):):)
 
Rich Stidger

Rich Stidger

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Feb 10, 2004
4,233
Hunter 40.5 Warwick, RI
Looking at your tool and supply picture it is obvious that this fence thing is just a small job....
BTW, in my world everything takes 3X as long and 2X the cost from the estimate. And that is only if everything goes right.
 
thinwater

thinwater

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Mar 26, 2011
3,961
Corsair F-24 MK I Deale, MD
I find that they get much simpler, since I know what I'm doing. I'm just too weak to do some of it.
 
BudGates

BudGates

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Apr 19, 2012
1,043
O'Day Daysailor 17 Nevis MN
From my perspective Head Sail has it right. Even a project that can be done in an hour or two often takes me a day or two of planning.
 
Bob J.

Bob J.

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Apr 14, 2009
775
Sabre 28 NH
Interesting question because I've been asking myself that for awhile now & have come to the conclusion that everything in general becomes complicted when you get older.
The projects, whatever time you thought you could accomplish the task in, double or triple it :)
 
nightowle

nightowle

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Aug 28, 2006
579
Bavaria 35E seattle
I just don't think we have the same patience anymore. We feel we're smart enough at a mature age to have the knowledge to do it faster.....but it never works that way.
 
Kermit

Kermit

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Jul 31, 2010
5,722
AquaCat 12.5 17342 Wateree Lake, SC
I find that I have more patience for some things and very little patience for most boat projects. Not all but most.
 
woodster

woodster

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Sep 15, 2009
6,244
S2 9.2a Fairhope Al
the problem is that you are acclimated to boat work which takes three times as long.... then when you work in the yard you are in boat mach3 mode .....i have been on my boat for 6 months solid now and i helped a friend on his trawler last week on the hard ...blocked solid on the stands ...when i go down below on that boat i have the feeling the boat is rocking but it's not ....i am wondering what that means ...is my equilibrium fried or what......
 
JamesG161

JamesG161

SBO Weather and Forecasting Forum Jim & John
Feb 14, 2014
8,019
Hunter 430 Waveland, MS
woodster said:
when i go down below on that boat i have the feeling the boat is rocking but it's not ....i am wondering what that means
Click to expand
Are you ready for the answer?
Odors are amplified by enclosed spaces. You probably showered 3 times a week when you were dating.
@woodster admit the truth!:liar:

Rich Stidger said:
BTW, in my world everything takes 3X as long and 2X the cost from the estimate
Click to expand
I have a simple solution for that.:biggrin:
Next time multiply the time estimate by 3 and the cost by 2.;)

rardiH36 said:
"Why is this in concept simple project proving to be more complicated than I anticipated?
Click to expand
Very simple too. You can't remember it! Take more Omega 3 fish oil or eat more fish.;)

Jim...

PS: This was the easiest thread to give scientific proof of Fact.:kick:
 
woodster

woodster

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Sep 15, 2009
6,244
S2 9.2a Fairhope Al
JamesG161 said:
Are you ready for the answer?
Odors are amplified by enclosed spaces. You probably showered 3 times a week when you were dating.
@woodster admit the truth!
Click to expand
actually that was three times a day...... but then only a snoot sniffer from ms would know......:kick:
 
druid

druid

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Apr 22, 2009
837
Ontario 32 Pender Harbour
When I was young, I never worried about Standards and such. When I was 14, I was designing and building minibikes, not worrying about whether or not they adhered to Standards, just if they ran. Now, every time I do even the simplest project on the boat, I worry about ABYC, BC Gov't, Insurance, Surveys, Environmentalists, ridecule from forums such as this...

So yeah, the projects have gotten MUCH more complicated!

druid
 
rardiH36

rardiH36

.
Jun 21, 2007
2,118
Hunter Cherubini 36_80-82 Sausalito / San Francisco Bay
druid said:
When I was young, I never worried about Standards and such. When I was 14, I was designing and building minibikes, not worrying about whether or not they adhered to Standards, just if they ran. Now, every time I do even the simplest project on the boat, I worry about ABYC, BC Gov't, Insurance, Surveys, Environmentalists, ridecule from forums such as this...

So yeah, the projects have gotten MUCH more complicated!

druid
Click to expand
And most everything has become more complicated due to the endless variations of materials and products any of which may or may not be the best choice (if one even can determine that). Fasteners for instance. 25 years ago, for a fence restore project, I would have visited any hardware store and weighed out several pounds of the appropriate length nails. Un-coated steel if on a budget. Hot dip galvanized at $0.59 per lb for the "do it better" option. Then with the advent of electric and battery variable speed drills, using screws became a favored alternative to nails (for unscrewing and repositioning if necessary). Then with the advent of steel corroding ACQ treated lumber, hot-dipped Galvanized nails or screws became the bare accepted minimum. Electro-galvanized won't cut it. Most stores in my area don't sell hot dipped galvanized screws out of the bins anymore. Only in boxes. Or is ceramic coated the necessary choice? Or epoxy coated? An ACE hardware salesman might even steer a neophyte to a $12.99/lb box of stainless steel screws. Screws now come in square drive, phillips drive, a combination of the two, or star drive. Be careful to note which you select or you may not have the right bit at home. Screw colors are silver, redwood, cedar and brown. Each store seems to have a different pricing structure. About $6.99/lb is the going rate for a one pound box of premium hot-dipped or the new high-tech screws. But didn't I just see the same type of screw (but different brand) at the other store for $4.50/lb if I bought in the five pound box? I think a need three pounds, but if I drive back up the street to the other store for the five pound box its like getting two pounds for free! My head is spinning faster than the drill driver even before setting my first screw into a fence post.
 
Head Sail

Head Sail

.
Nov 13, 2013
723
Catalina 34 Tacoma
rardiH36 said:
And most everything has become more complicated due to the endless variations of materials and products any of which may or may not be the best choice (if one even can determine that). Fasteners for instance. 25 years ago, for a fence restore project, I would have visited any hardware store and weighed out several pounds of the appropriate length nails. Un-coated steel if on a budget. Hot dip galvanized at $0.59 per lb for the "do it better" option. Then with the advent of electric and battery variable speed drills, using screws became a favored alternative to nails (for unscrewing and repositioning if necessary). Then with the advent of steel corroding ACQ treated lumber, hot-dipped Galvanized nails or screws became the bare accepted minimum. Electro-galvanized won't cut it. Most stores in my area don't sell hot dipped galvanized screws out of the bins anymore. Only in boxes. Or is ceramic coated the necessary choice? Or epoxy coated? An ACE hardware salesman might even steer a neophyte to a $12.99/lb box of stainless steel screws. Screws now come in square drive, phillips drive, a combination of the two, or star drive. Be careful to note which you select or you may not have the right bit at home. Screw colors are silver, redwood, cedar and brown. Each store seems to have a different pricing structure. About $6.99/lb is the going rate for a one pound box of premium hot-dipped or the new high-tech screws. But didn't I just see the same type of screw (but different brand) at the other store for $4.50/lb if I bought in the five pound box? I think a need three pounds, but if I drive back up the street to the other store for the five pound box its like getting two pounds for free! My head is spinning faster than the drill driver even before setting my first screw into a fence post.
Click to expand
This is so true. Reminds me of Augustines Laws where by the year 2054 the US Military will only afford 1 aircraft because of technical and organizational complexities. During WWII, Boeing produced 16 B-17's per day. Today, they make about 1.3 737's per day. They didn't have to worry about many of the complexities of a modern aircraft. Same is true of all our little projects. I'm on my third upgrade of my chart plotter software requiring a time consuming recalibration.
 
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