Congratulations Maine Sail

Mike8245 · Mar 23, 2009

I'll second that! Maine Sail you could write a magazine like "Boatworks" with no problem. Have you ever considered writing for any of the mags? You are a great asset to this board and want you to know you are appreciated. Mike in NC

sailingdog · Mar 23, 2009

Most magazines won't print articles in as much depth as Maine Sail writes, and if he wrote for them, he'd have to compromise the information he provides. Magazines just don't generally have that much copy hole to fill.

RECESS · Mar 23, 2009

Well deserved! I am grateful for the information that Maine Sail and many of the people offer to us. These well run forums really help to season inexperienced sailors faster than going out and making all the mistakes on our own. I really appreciate those that give back to the community that they are a part of. When I sold my last power boat and came back to sailing, I was happy to be back in a group of people that watch out for each other as much as sailors do.

kloudie1 · Mar 23, 2009

HERE HERE! A good cigar and some port are in order to salute!

Bob V · Mar 23, 2009

Forget the magazines...write a book

It should be pretty easy since you already have the content. All you need is the covers and a table of contents. I'd buy one and keep it next to my copy of Chapmans.

Seriously MS have you thought about doing that?

Stu Jackson · Mar 23, 2009

Quality, Organization & Presentation

are the keys to the productive information that MS makes available to us all.

Thanks so much for everything.

Keep doing what you're doing - ignore the calls for a book.

And anyway, we've all learned from this no one reads books anymore...

RAD · Mar 23, 2009

A real asset to this site and the sailing community and as the saying goes
"a gentleman and a scholar"

Ross · Mar 23, 2009

Mainesail is always spot on with his methods and technique and materials. For those who think he should write a book ,He Has! now he just needs an editor and a publisher. Just collect everything he has written, organize it and put it all on a CD and market it and send him a royality check once each month. He has very generously made it available to the world at no charge because like many people he has learned how much heartburn is involved in trying to publish anything.

alanwir · Mar 23, 2009

Helllo Maine Sail and Congradulations as well
I look at your presentations and have saved them in my owners manual. The work you carry out and the explanations you provide in demonstrating how to do the work has assisted me in knowing more about the mechanics of our boat, more than you ever realized. Further, there would be jobs I would never even consider, in my wildess imagination, unless I was reviewing your work. My deepest debt of graditude to you-Thanks much!!!!
Alan

Richard Bryer · Mar 23, 2009

Let me add my thanks also, Maine Sail- from the time I first saved your instructions for waxing. I knew I had found one of the most authoritative sources for boat repair and maintenance that exists. Your work is unmatched in my opinion, thanks again

Maine Sail · Mar 23, 2009

Thanks guys...

It seems I'm always the last to know these things.

Thanks Ariel for the heads up and the entire crew for the kind words. A few weeks ago SA honored me with a plug in their eAnarchy news letter but it seems I've moved up to the front page..

Jeez I wonder what would happen if I had more than 32 posts there??

I do this because about ten years ago, perhaps maybe 12 now, I helped a guy in my boat yard fix what I considered a relatively simple and benign issue. It seemed so basic and simple to me but not to him and I had a hard time understanding it. He even had a couple of "marine books" there to help him but still he was having difficulty.

The passion this guy exuded for the sport was infatuating but sadly his wallet could not keep up with the yard bills. When I saw him last he was cleaning his personal effects off his boat and clearly very depressed. His comment to me was that he could not keep up with the repair bills and had to sell the boat.

At that point I decided I would try to find a way to share my skills and make it as easy to understand as possible seeing as the books did not help him much. It has been a lot of trial and error and I still constantly try to make my articles more precise and in-depth and simplified so that even those not mechanically inclined are willing to give it a try.

I hate to see anyone be priced out of a sport they love because they feel they can't do simple projects that would be the difference between sell or keep the boat.. It is my belief that sailing still can be a middle class sport but much of the maintenance work needs now to be undertaken by the owner and not the yard.

If I can save even one boater some money that he could put into savings or into his boat in the form of an upgrade, as opposed to a repair, my mission is working as I intended..

I have lots more to publish but time is my enemy. Sadly for the site, but not so sadly for me, I do have a real job, a two year old, a wife and a boat to help divide my time.

One of my biggest issues is that photographing each step of the project takes time and adds time to the project itself. I need to clean my hands every time I pick up my camera and use it, so I often just fix something and don't photograph it, though I am trying to be better about this.

As an example I have the beginning & end photos of installing a Harken MK IV roller furler but once the Loctite and 4200 came out the camera was put away so I have no middle photos to complete a "how to".

Unfortunately I have many "partial" articles that are missing photos.. Winter time usually sees a few new additions to the site and the occasional one in the summer but mostly I try to do it all in the winter so I can sail in the summer..

Again, I really appreciate the kind words and support and will keep it up as time allows. Doing a long time experiment on aluminum hatches and will paint them tonight. In a year or two I'll let you know how it worked out and held up. If it does not hold up I'll simply have them re-anodized...

Thanks for the kind words it's always nice to know someone has actually read this stuff...

John · Mar 23, 2009

latex gloves?

Maine Sail:

Would it be possible in situation where you are going to get your hands greasy or real dirty to put on a pair of latex gloves and then take them off before you handle the camera?

Just a thought on the part of another sailor who has gained a lot from your postings.
John
PS. I am curious about this sailing anarchy web site. Can you tell us more about it? Anarchist sailors, huh?

Ross · Mar 23, 2009

Re: Thanks guys...

Mainesail, In about four or five years you will have your personal photographer. Get that child involved in your work as soon as he/she can understand how to stay safe when you are teaching. If a child learns which tools do which jobs it won't be long before they are handing you the tool you need before you ask.

sailingdog · Mar 23, 2009

One possibility is to get a camera jacket, which allows you to use the camera without actually touching the camera directly. A friend of mine uses these when photographing in Hazmat environs... where the camera needs to be protected.

shemandr · Mar 23, 2009

Ditto regarding the kudos for MS.
BTW did anyone notice TP 52 Artemis down the Anarchy page. Great name but I got it first!

Tim R. · Mar 23, 2009

This is one of the reasons my photos are not as high quality. My 12mp Nikon doesn't get near any projects that are underway. Therefore I use my old 5mp camera for most of my in progress photos. Good enough for most projects but nothing like the detail I can get with my D90.

And another word of thanks. Most people only know you by the excellent articles you write. I happen to be one of the lucky few that has gained from your experience in person. I guess we are even because you get the pleasure of crewing on my boat and hanging out with my wife

Larry Neese · Mar 23, 2009

So thats why I felt the presence of sailing greatness, may I offer you a winter respite for lessons.

paulj · Mar 23, 2009

Maine Sail

Thanks for taking the time out of your life for posting..... the posts with pictures......

paulj:troll:

Bob S · Mar 24, 2009

Your step by step instructions have been so helpful in both the understanding and doing of my boat maintenance. I am new (one season) to boating and a little slow in catching on. Thanks to you I think my boat and my family are safer. You've honed my anchoring skills and made my boat shine. I know she'll be easier to sell because of the quality of maintenance she gets.

Thank you.

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