| Vol 1 - Issue 5 | January 1997 |
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Some Light Reading Hobie Under Snow? Get out the books! By Frank Pineau |
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Hobie Cat sailing is a great sport, as I'm sure we'll all agree. We would all like to sail year round, but even in Southern California where the OTW staff is located, we can't sail every weekend. Some of our readers have their boats covered with snow, while some live in areas just too darn cold to sail.
So if you can't sail, you might as well read about it. To that end, the OTW staff has searched the book stores far and wide to bring you a selection of reading material for those cold winter months... For those of you who would like do a little boat maintenance, pick up "The Wooden Slot", the definitive guide to plywood sails, or "Railroading and Reaching", which will help you retrofit your crossbars with railroad ties and building masts from train tracks. (And you can say "good-by" to those leaky mast problems!) "Mr. Sawsall's Guide to Oak Trampolines" will help you keep that 3" thick tramp in great condition, and save on a few slivers too! If your looking to save a few bucks, pick up "The Alternative Solution", which is full of information on making your own plastic shackles and chain plates. This book has a great section of fabricating corner and rudder castings from paper mache' also. If some minor repairs are in order, check out "The Layman's Guide to Hull repair", which has a very informative section about using Lath & Plaster, Drywall or Particle board for repair work. I know I always need help in deciding when and where to use each one! Another great "how to" book is "Johnsons Tips and Tricks". Chapter 2 will help you install those combination deck ports and toilet setting gaskets you've been wanting. If your boat is just sitting there, you might want to read "Maximizing your Investment" for tips on how to use your hulls for storing fuel oil, maple syrup, or any other semi liquid. Can't let that space go to waste! For some light reading, we picked up volumes 1 thru 5 of "The Rudder Controversies", an exciting exchange of ideas on trailer etiquette, and "10 Seconds In Hell-The JATO Incident" by "nine fingers" Pineau. We're just lucky this guy is still alive. If you are currently sailing, "Proactive Racing Techniques" will show you how to use those flare guns as an advantage, and "Avoiding the Pitch" is a great tactical guide to barbed wire rigging. Your crew will "stay back" where you want 'em after looking at that new forestay! For the adventuresome, "Chumming with a Chum" is a great guide to hunting those "Big White Sharks" from your 14 or 16. When you've got that 30 footer snagged off your port bow, you'll sure want THIS book on board. And if the sharks won't bite, and your hungry out there, you'll want "The Hobie Grill", a gourmet guide to flambe' cooking while on that reach! Well, we hope this guide will help get you through these winter months, and we'll be looking forward to seeing you on the water this spring. We'll be the ones hanging "On The Wire" with a frying pan full of flaming trout. Frank Pineau frp@pacificnet.net Back to Humor |