On a good note...

[RussGW270]

Welp, not really "Grady" type stuff, but I post a lot of "well crap" news, so figured to start my day off with something not discouraging heh.

I do a lot of BSA/Scout stuff with my son. Not much I can do with the Girl Scouts, but I try to help by buying and enjoying a lot of cookies.. lol.. But, we are using Zoom to do scout meetings now. That got me thinking that I may "invite" a few folks along with me one evening to hang out with my kiddos and me on the boat. It may only be in the driveway, but nothing to say we cannot imagine ourselves fighting the waves and battling the elements, all while enjoying a beer, which we normally do not do when underway.. lol.

The new parts will be here the day after tomorrow but we will not be heading out till the weekend after next, so we figured to spend an evening in the boat and get the "feel"... and maybe some of you might be able to answer questions from my kids and give them tips on being good sailors..

Just an idea... gotta think outside the box in this environment.

If anyone would like to join in, just let me know.

All you need is an ipad or a phone and download Zoom...or, I think there may be a way to just listen in.

It's hoky... I get it.. eh, but it would give my kids something to work for for the weekend.

R

 

[SmokyMtnGrady]

My youngest made it to Life as a Boy Scout. When he got to be a Junior life took over. However, they went to Pamalico Sea Base twice. They took the Boat US safe boating course. I would suggest your kids take it if they are in their teens.

You mentioned your VHF radio not being able to receive. I thought nothing of it because it's your boat and all. Then I see you have kids. VHF radios are relatively cheap compared to everything else in boating. Go buy a new Icom or Standard and know it works.

While you are in your driveway, check your ditch bag . Is your flare kit up to date? Do you have a floating ditch bag? Do you have water in it? Power bars? Handheld VHF, epirb/plb, sunscreen, hand held GPS? We spend tens of thousands ,sometimes hundreds of thousands of dollars on a boat to go into the ocean and take the cheap way out on safety equipment.

My kids are everything to me. When we go out on the sea I have done everything I can do to get found quickly if the crap hits the fan. VHF,check, epirb/PLB, check ,offshore flare kit ( not expired because USCG will ticket for it being expired) and plenty of water. Thus season I added the Garmin Inreach device to my boat safety gear.

Captain Ron says if it's going to happen, it's going to happen out there boss. Teach your kids safety ,safety,safety. Teach them how to make an emergency call on the VHF in case you can't . Teach them that sometimes the best safety call is the call to stay in port. Teach them how to read the sky, the weather and that it's better to go in early than to push it and get caught in it.

Boating is fun. Catching a big dolphin is amazing and last year my son turned 18 and we went on our annual father son trip and watched as my boy finally took some steps into becoming a man. He ran the boat and the rods like a champ. I didn't have to ask ,hey Cole check the lines or there is weed on that one . He just did it and watching him pull in a 45 inch bull dolphin and fight it without me doing a thing was pure joy. All of that can come crashing down on the sea and having the safety gear on board in working order is where every good trip should start and end.