Biometrics come to boating

[Roger Long]

Among my most significant contributions to the art and science of our sport:

After seen an account of a lost dinghy without any contact information on it cross my harbormaster's desk, I realized that mine should have some. I printed up a piece of paper with my boats's name, length, No., and my name and phone number and epoxied it inside the transom.

I used a fairly fast setting epoxy and put it out in the sun but, when I touched it to check that it was hard, it was still tacky and I messed up the finish. I figured, what the hell, and pressed my thumb into the spot making a nice thumb print.

Now, if I really need to prove whose boat it is......

 

[Ross]

The plains Indians dipped the palm of their hand into paint and marked their horses.

 

[kloudie1]

Uhhhh I hope that wasn't bottom paint !! Ablative or hard and burnished ??

That is a great idea, Roger..

 

[sailingdog]

But do you need to use a thumbprint to start the outboard on it???

Among my most significant contributions to the art and science of our sport:

After seen an account of a lost dinghy without any contact information on it cross my harbormaster's desk, I realized that mine should have some. I printed up a piece of paper with my boats's name, length, No., and my name and phone number and epoxied it inside the transom.

I used a fairly fast setting epoxy and put it out in the sun but, when I touched it to check that it was hard, it was still tacky and I messed up the finish. I figured, what the hell, and pressed my thumb into the spot making a nice thumb print.

Now, if I really need to prove whose boat it is......

 

[Roger Long]

But do you need to use a thumbprint to start the outboard on it???

No and I don't use an outboard anyway. I am trying to figure out a way though to require a thumbprint before removing the oars from the dinghy. Now that I have a nicer set with leathers and properly shaped handgrips I'd hate to have someone walk off with them.

 

[RECESS]

The plains Indians dipped the palm of their hand into paint and marked their horses.

There may be many tribes that I am unfamiliar with, but I have spent a lot of time at tribes and studying the history of many of the larger tribes. The hand print was not a sign of ownership of the horse. It was a way to show the honors a horse received in battle. It could show by position of where it was placed on the horse the rank of the warrior, the type of kills both the warrior and the horse had in battle, and how many warriors were killed. It also depended on the orientation of the hand print - up, down, left, or right. As well as what hand was used, left or right.

Just geeking about Native American traditions, not meant as a correction to your post, but as an addition of information.