So I just bought a Mac X....

[Drifter]

Just raising the water higher!

The water level was above the intake but the turbulence was creating air bubbles and it wasn't picking up. A couple more inches of water and it's fine *fums up

[Drifter]

https://www.dropbox.com/s/d6npwhos19uyw ... 5.jpg?dl=0

I have this pole in the boat... was under the rear berth. I'm presuming this is some kind of gin pole to extend the jib when going down wind?

Or could this be the missing mast-raising pole?

The fact it's plastic makes me feel it's not for the mast raising but hey, I dunno?

[Jimmyt]

https://www.dropbox.com/s/d6npwhos19uyw ... 5.jpg?dl=0

I have this pole in the boat... was under the rear berth. I'm presuming this is some kind of gin pole to extend the jib when going down wind?

Or could this be the missing mast-raising pole?

The fact it's plastic makes me feel it's not for the mast raising but hey, I dunno?

Not a mast raising device. My guess is some sort of docking/mooring assist, but I've never seen anything quite like it.

Glad the motor is pumping water!

[Drifter]

Wow, even you guys are stumped eh?

I've been talking a lot with the buyers of my speedboat and I cannot help but smile at the contrast...

When I bought my very first boat here I had ZERO help.

The net was slow and expensive in Borneo, I had no idea what to even google; I literally didn't know what I didn't know - I just knew I didn't know enough and everything was a bit.. weird.

True story - after trying to ask my wife's family, friends and the internet, I finally had to make an executive decision - the little round hole in the back of my boat WAS meant to be there, I could see it was built-in, but I was also convinced it would sink the boat. What to do?

Crazy that I spent a week pondering on this, googling 'hole in boat', plastic tube in hole', 'boat hole' etc etc. and asking people, none of whom were boat people and were as clueless as me.

So I fiberglassed over the drain-plug hole

Today they sweetly sent me a photo of them (2 guys bought it between them) sitting on the boat, which was sitting on the water...

Yep, the very next day after getting it out of my garden and down to the boat club, they launched the thing! Then a flurry of questions by email and Whatsapp as they tried to remember the instructions I wrote down for them, about the cold-start valve, the fast idle, pushing the key in for choke, pumping the fuel line.

So clueless one of them asked me "After the engine is running, how do we turn it off?"

Such enthusiasm, and so clueless lol. So much like me... Which is why I've really gone out of my way to help them get going, ordered various bits and bobs for them and showed them where to get things. I had nobody doing anything like that.

So I just want to say how much I appreciate this forum and the help you guys give a noob like me.


It's funny, the contrast. These happy new boaters, hanging on my every word like I'm some wise old salty sea-dog, then most evenings I'm on here reading through threads, all wide-eyed and slightly baffled

[Jimmyt]

Wow, even you guys are stumped eh?

Well, I don't know what it is, but I'm not the sharpest knife in the drawer. Give it awhile so the smart guys have a chance to look at it.

[Drifter]

It was with the mast holder, and looking again it has that same sort of dog-leg shape...? Some kind of home-made mast holder?

But why the strange fittings?

[Jimmyt]

It was with the mast holder, and looking again it has that same sort of dog-leg shape...? Some kind of home-made mast holder?

But why the strange fittings?

Maybe a flagpole? That's going to be my two guesses. Docking/mooring assist, or flagpole...

Can you email the PO?

[Drifter]

I can try asking the boat dealer to ask the PO, though my one and only visit to Japan a few years ago taught me it's one of the few countries on Earth where most people do NOT speak any English.

Actually I've already sent the pic to the dealer, hoping he'll get the hint and ask for me I'll ask more directly if he doesn't get the hint

[Jimmyt]

I can try asking the boat dealer to ask the PO, though my one and only visit to Japan a few years ago taught me it's one of the few countries on Earth where most people do NOT speak any English.

Actually I've already sent the pic to the dealer, hoping he'll get the hint and ask for me I'll ask more directly if he doesn't get the hint

Hope he responds. I'm curious to see what it's intended purpose is.

[svscott]

That pole is somewhat reminiscent of a whisker pole (spinnaker pole) used for holding out your genoa clew while running downwind but I don't see how it would be implemented. A gin pole would run from low on your mast straight forward then a makeshift forestay and a block and tackle would attach to the opposite end. My whisker pole is a repurposed swimming pool skimmer with some spring loaded hooks in each end. There is a piece of paracord that runs to the hook that attaches to the clew so you can install or remove the pole underway.

Wing on wing


Super light wind and trying to keep the spinnaker full


West marine boat hook and whisker pole hanging in my 26D

[Tomfoolery]

West marine boat hook and whisker pole hanging in my 26D

I think it was John (Highlander) who recommended using a boat hook for a whisker pole. I haven’t tried that yet, but I will. In light air, there isn’t much load on it, so even a twist-lock type extendable, as opposed to line control, should be perfectly adequate.

[svscott]

West marine boat hook and whisker pole hanging in my 26D

I think it was John (Highlander) who recommended using a boat hook for a whisker pole. I haven’t tried that yet, but I will. In light air, there isn’t much load on it, so even a twist-lock type extendable, as opposed to line control, should be perfectly adequate.

In light air, I think the bust hook is a good solution. Though my boat hook only extends to maybe 8', whereas the homemade whisker pole I use extends closer to 12'. Using the boat hook as a whisker pole follows the rule of at least two uses for every item on board.

[Drifter]

I asked the dealer and he said he can contact the PO to ask.

I told him to hang tight while I noodle on any other questions I might have.

Do you guys have any questions per chance? Or can suggest questions I should ask?

[Russ]

Maybe a flagpole? That's going to be my two guesses. Docking/mooring assist, or flagpole...

That is a good guess. I'll go with that.

[kurz]

[
In light air, I think the bust hook is a good solution. T

Well I guess in heavy winds it makes no sense to help the genoa having good shape on a butter fly... So a handy very long boat hook seems good If you can get one that fits. Right?