Nominations Open for "Worst Skinflint" of this Site

[opie]

Nominations are now open for the 2020 MacGregor sailors title of site's "Worst Skinflint."

Rules:
1. Mac owner
2. Able to fix anything nautical with questionable but effective methods.
3. Save money by DIY with parts instead of buying whole repair or replacement item or repairing an item where others would use boat shop.
4. Thinking out-of-the-box when fixing or improving or modding the Mac but never compromising the safety of others or self.
5. Self-nominations preferred so as to mask identities of those who don't want the notoriety of such an honor.
6. Points awarded for epic fails when trying to fix it yourself.

(Note: I claimed this title today in another post but then realized that I had no authority for such a proclamation. I hope to compete for the title and will start my memory search for evidence of stinginess, engenuity, creativity and effectiveness.)

[Tomfoolery]

Not an official nomination, but Catigale and his cheapskate trailer fender mod came to mind. Then Chinook came out of nowhere and blew his doors off with the plastic garbage can lid mud flap.

But Catigale did manage to kludge together a length of timber to reinforce the self-folding, rusted out pole tongue of his trailer, on the road, to get where he had to go long ago, so there’s that.

[Russ]

I had to look it up.
Definition of skinflint
: a person who would save, gain, or extort money by any means : MISER


Catigale's fender and Chinook beating him with the lid-fender are contenders.

[chipveres]

I may be worth an honorable mention. I need a new tiller for my 22. Intend to get an oak 2 x 6 and saw/plane it to shape as real tillers are pretty but expensive.

Chip V.

[Jimmyt]

Not a boat part, but working on my galley... Red neck router table, consisting of a router wedged in between my two shopsmith tables...

[opie]

These won't get me close in competition with the trash can lid trailer fender or mud flap but the worst I can do:

I'll go with my Liquid Nails $1.77 rub rail sealant. Plus, my mast-top Windex made out of a drilled window blind rod with a credit card duct taped to one end and red paint on the pointer end.

[K9Kampers]

What a great topic!

Not an official nomination, but Catigale and his cheapskate trailer fender mod came to mind. Then Chinook came out of nowhere and blew his doors off with the plastic garbage can lid mud flap.

But Catigale did manage to kludge together a length of timber to reinforce the self-folding, rusted out pole tongue of his trailer, on the road, to get where he had to go long ago, so there’s that.

I don't think these two examples are true examples of skinflintery, but more like genius level get-home hacks! Unless, of course the temporary hack became a long term solution. If they were in Maine, it would be considered everyday normal!

I've had several of my own long term temporary solutions. To name a few; for a couple of seasons, before rewiring the whole boat, I ran my anchor light wires from the mast base, across the cabin top to the battery in the cabin. Same for the antenna cable, out the hatch, across the cockpit coaming to the stern rail mounted antenna. For my dog ramp mod, I clamped a length of uncoated angle iron to the transom ladder and finally removed it after 14 seasons. For many years on my new trailer, before mounting a proper roller at the forward bunk, I tied a boat cushion to the trailer frame to protect the boat bow from gouging during haulout.

So far, I think Opie's windex mod is a true example of skinflinterism!

[Herschel]

OK, I don't hold a candle to the real skinflints on this forum. Nine months ago I spent $1200 rehabbing my trailer. But I recently posted my mod for turning a 26X cabin into a real yacht salon with more openness and ease of seating for adults by simply taking the table down and sliding it under stuff we stow in the "pizza oven". This automatically turns the cabin into a real cabin that is inviting for adults to enter and sit a spell rather than just a covered picnic table that folks will only enjoy if it is raining or cold outside (or eating the odd meal). This mod had the added benefit of exposing the table knobs on the bulkhead as wondrous anchors for a bungee that would clamp the cumbersome main hatch while under way and get it totally out of the way avoiding musical "chairs" with cockpit cushions and other "pizza oven" gear. Total cost $0 (OK, a buck or two for the bungee, if you don't already have one the right size lying about). Total time to complete: 5 minutes. Number of tools required: 0. Level of DIY experience required: beginner. Thinking out side the box index: at least 9 on a scale of 10. I know I can't win this, but, hopefully, I can honorable mention.

[NiceAft]

It is interesting to read all of these postings.

Fellas, you don’t hold a candle to Highlander. You guys are still in kindergarten while he is getting his second graduate degree.

I spoke to him first, and have his OK to nominate him for skinflint in chief.

[opie]

NiceAft,
Evidence please for your nomination to count....., entertaining examples?

Until then, the seat cushion bow roller may be in the lead.

Opie

[NiceAft]

NiceAft,
Evidence please for your nomination to count....., entertaining examples?

Until then, the seat cushion bow roller may be in the lead.

Opie

Fair enough. I forgot that some board members have not been onboard long enough to see the changes in Highlander’s , or even be aware of it.

As to what was done by others, none of them come even close to the running/standing rigging, anchoring , electrical, galley , overhead cubbies , 3 battery banks , radar arch , ongoing solar arch mods & thousands of dollars he saved by designing & fabricating & price reduction by search & bartering.

Designing and fabricating his own bowsprit for four headsails, and then installing it himself so as not to pay more, that alone should win the title.

[Russ]

Fair enough. I forgot that some board members have not been onboard long enough to see the changes in Highlander’s , or even be aware of it.

As to what was done by others, none of them come even close to the running/standing rigging, anchoring , electrical, galley , overhead cubbies , 3 battery banks , radar arch , ongoing solar arch mods & thousands of dollars he saved by designing & fabricating & price reduction by search & bartering.

Designing and fabricating his own bowsprit for four headsails, and then installing it himself so as not to pay more, that alone should win the title.

Highlander is surely the most modded Mac in existence. His waterline must have moved from all the extras.

[Herschel]

HIghlander wrote:
I have a couple of these one I put on s/s spring clips on one end so as I can just clip it onto the handle on my pedestal guard & fold out the leg on the other end which sits in front of the traveller to make a nice little cockpit table the other one can used as a bed table as designed or a dock table
https://www.ikea.com/ca/en/p/klipsk-bed ... -00258882/
the price is right also
J
I concede! Anyone who can willingly run the "retail obstacle course" at Ikea with no restrooms until you get to the end, on just one bladder, and takes time to actually buy something, deserves this award. If you young whippersnappers don't get this, wait until you are in your seventies.

[beene]

Highlanders 26M with all her mods....

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YGIdAraNFew

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oSGOgWrpezs

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n4fjmyDF4_4

Enjoy

G

[Highlander]

thx Ray , Herschel, for the comments

Thx to my very good friend Geoff ,
for posting those vids & so as u all know I,ve already done a sh_t load more Mods since then

J