I got to admit I was not prepared very well for the power outage at my home. Fortunately, the blackout happened during boating season. Anyone else use their boat as a safe haven during the blackout? Simple, reliable 12V, (who has battery powered radios at home?) and a ready supply of diesel and propane fuel got my family through it. And being near a source of water for cooking, cooling off and for bathing if required. Boaters have always had to be self sufficient and make and store their own power. Our homes are so tied to external power we are pretty useless in them during an extended outage. The lights are back on, for now, and I plan on stocking my home (and restocking my boat) and being better prepared when this happens again, but by nature of my experience with my boat, it was a nice place to hang out during the worst of it. Don
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Al Doquette
It could happen again
you'r right boaters are prepared for most inconveniences, like power outages and snow storms. I couldn't get to the boat which is only 15 min. away, but i did have my generator ready to go at the house and with our stored foods and water we were all set. Battery operated TV and radio kept us well informed of everything. Remember hurricane season and winter storms are coming nextfew months don't be there saying "gee i wish i would have done this or that" Good luck and happy sailing
you'r right boaters are prepared for most inconveniences, like power outages and snow storms. I couldn't get to the boat which is only 15 min. away, but i did have my generator ready to go at the house and with our stored foods and water we were all set. Battery operated TV and radio kept us well informed of everything. Remember hurricane season and winter storms are coming nextfew months don't be there saying "gee i wish i would have done this or that" Good luck and happy sailing
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Mike I.
Ready
Here in So. Cal (earthquake country) emergency preparedness is a must. At home we have oil lamps, water, food (MREs), battery radios and flash lights, toilet facilities, first aid stuff, a 1kw generator, and a bit of cash. On our boat, in addition to the regular battery powered everything (including TV), we keep about 10 days worth of MREs. In our cars we have backpacks with 3 days emergency rations, water, and first aid kits. We're only 15 minutes from our boat and there are no bridges to collapse to block our way. If things got really bad we could anchor out in the harbor and ride it out. I wonder if I could write off the boat as an emergency shelter?
Here in So. Cal (earthquake country) emergency preparedness is a must. At home we have oil lamps, water, food (MREs), battery radios and flash lights, toilet facilities, first aid stuff, a 1kw generator, and a bit of cash. On our boat, in addition to the regular battery powered everything (including TV), we keep about 10 days worth of MREs. In our cars we have backpacks with 3 days emergency rations, water, and first aid kits. We're only 15 minutes from our boat and there are no bridges to collapse to block our way. If things got really bad we could anchor out in the harbor and ride it out. I wonder if I could write off the boat as an emergency shelter?
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Gord May
Well prepared!
MIKE: I'll bet that even in So Cal you're considered exceptionally well prepared (better than most?). I like your thinking, and performance! The saying usually goes: "If you didn't have the time to do it right the first time, where will you get the time fix it?" In this case, it would end "... will you even get a CHANCE to fix it?" Gord
MIKE: I'll bet that even in So Cal you're considered exceptionally well prepared (better than most?). I like your thinking, and performance! The saying usually goes: "If you didn't have the time to do it right the first time, where will you get the time fix it?" In this case, it would end "... will you even get a CHANCE to fix it?" Gord
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Mike Whalen
Hay Don What about the fires
Are those in your neck of the woods Too? I've been wondering as I see the stories on the news about all the forest fires. What's next locust? I have family in Memphis and they lost power for two weeks. Don't know if anyone was out sailing when they got hit with "straight line winds" reported to have been about 80 mph. Went right through the center of the city and snapped poles right and left. Years ago I was in a bank and a little old lady remarked on the weird weather. "You know what it is," she asked. "It's those space shuttles. The weather has been weird since they started poking holes in the atmosphere!" Later, Mike
Are those in your neck of the woods Too? I've been wondering as I see the stories on the news about all the forest fires. What's next locust? I have family in Memphis and they lost power for two weeks. Don't know if anyone was out sailing when they got hit with "straight line winds" reported to have been about 80 mph. Went right through the center of the city and snapped poles right and left. Years ago I was in a bank and a little old lady remarked on the weird weather. "You know what it is," she asked. "It's those space shuttles. The weather has been weird since they started poking holes in the atmosphere!" Later, Mike
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Peter J. Brennan
caught flat-footed
We had intended to go to the boat on Thursday afternoon but were delayed and then trapped in our 21st floor apartment. No lights, no elevators, no emergency lights in the stairwells. Fortunately, we had the presence of mind to fill the bathtubs with water becausw when the power goes out in a high-rise so does the water. No radio (the protable is on the boat), no flashlights -- they are on the boat, no TV, no refrigeration and worst of all, no scotch, of which there was plenty on the boat. So we spent a hot and humid and very dark much of the time 28 hours chatting with one another. The ligfhts came back about 6 PM on Friday ansd we went to the boat to have a scotch. There we got very bad news. See other posting.
We had intended to go to the boat on Thursday afternoon but were delayed and then trapped in our 21st floor apartment. No lights, no elevators, no emergency lights in the stairwells. Fortunately, we had the presence of mind to fill the bathtubs with water becausw when the power goes out in a high-rise so does the water. No radio (the protable is on the boat), no flashlights -- they are on the boat, no TV, no refrigeration and worst of all, no scotch, of which there was plenty on the boat. So we spent a hot and humid and very dark much of the time 28 hours chatting with one another. The ligfhts came back about 6 PM on Friday ansd we went to the boat to have a scotch. There we got very bad news. See other posting.
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Richard Briggs
second home
Hey Mike, Starting in November we will be live aboards in Guatemala, and our other home is in AZ. We will probably live aboard 8+ months a year. Our CPA said we could write off the boat expenses as a second home, Richard "La Vida Feliz"
Hey Mike, Starting in November we will be live aboards in Guatemala, and our other home is in AZ. We will probably live aboard 8+ months a year. Our CPA said we could write off the boat expenses as a second home, Richard "La Vida Feliz"
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Don Evans
Hi Mike, No Fires Here...
But there are quite a few fires burning in the far north of Ontario where it's fairly dry, but we have actually had a wetter summer than we normally have in Central Ontario. It is nothing though to what the interior of British Columbia is experiencing. We just got back from 2 weeks out there and a lot of the interior is ablaze. It's wickedly dry there. Hope your having a good sailing season in Tennessee. Don
But there are quite a few fires burning in the far north of Ontario where it's fairly dry, but we have actually had a wetter summer than we normally have in Central Ontario. It is nothing though to what the interior of British Columbia is experiencing. We just got back from 2 weeks out there and a lot of the interior is ablaze. It's wickedly dry there. Hope your having a good sailing season in Tennessee. Don
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Mike Whalen
Don, Glad to hear it
The wind here has been so slack that I'm not sure I remember where my boat is. I use the weather underground computer site to check wind predictions. It seems to be pretty good. Shows a graphic line indicating wind. Right now it shows giant peaks. Unfortunately its on a 0 to 5 knot scale. July and August here are pretty sad. Still waiting for my bimini to arrive. Then it shouldn't take more then a year or so to get around to mounting it. I'm renovating my office building myself, room by room. Its a ninty year old building that has NEVER been cared for just patched and poked. But its brick and solid with a good roof and good hardwood floors. Plaster now - sail later. Later, Mike
The wind here has been so slack that I'm not sure I remember where my boat is. I use the weather underground computer site to check wind predictions. It seems to be pretty good. Shows a graphic line indicating wind. Right now it shows giant peaks. Unfortunately its on a 0 to 5 knot scale. July and August here are pretty sad. Still waiting for my bimini to arrive. Then it shouldn't take more then a year or so to get around to mounting it. I'm renovating my office building myself, room by room. Its a ninty year old building that has NEVER been cared for just patched and poked. But its brick and solid with a good roof and good hardwood floors. Plaster now - sail later. Later, Mike
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Dan McGuire
Wind Forecast
Mike. What underground weather site are you using? I use the airport forecasts from intellicast. For example I use FLP for Flippin Arkansas which is close to where I sail. I also use the wind forecast listed under "marine" to get an idea how the wind might change. Yours sounds more useful.
Mike. What underground weather site are you using? I use the airport forecasts from intellicast. For example I use FLP for Flippin Arkansas which is close to where I sail. I also use the wind forecast listed under "marine" to get an idea how the wind might change. Yours sounds more useful.
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