Ingenuity awards

Unclear on the Concept
As reported by 'Lattitude 38'
July 21, 2010 – Petaluma River

For whatever reason, frugality and boating often seem to go together. In fact it's a rare mariner who isn't constantly looking for a better price on supplies or a cheaper way to accomplish regular maintenance tasks. But some boaters seem to make a sport out of economizing.

Take, for example, this sailor spotted while we were sailing down the Petaluma River a while back. At first glance it appeared he was simply prepping his boat for launching. But when we looked a little closer. . .

Wait a minute. Can that possibly be legal? Perhaps it comes under the heading of putting tax dollars to a secondary use.

. . . we realized the guy was apparently intending to raise his mast using a block and tackle that was rigged to the Highway 37 bridge overhead. Although he was undoubtedly breaking a law or two, we have to applaud his ingenuity, and we'd sure like to know if he pulled it off. But, having once gotten a hefty fine for simply parking too long in that lot, we fear this frugal sailor's plan may have been quashed long before he got his sloop rigged and launched.



I've had this in mind a time or two...
By the way... the boat looks amazingly similar to a commander - ecept for the keel design & deck curve

Antonio,
There must be another logic to what the guy is doing. It's simple:

When your boat is in the water you anchor DOWN off the ends.
So, obviously, when you are on land you anchor UP from the middle of the boat.
Just logical.


We can be sure that he won't go down the freeway with his mast UP, or can we?
But it's very possible that he intends to launch his boat by swinging it into the river from the bridge.
Now, that's logical!


There is a third possibility.
His mast is up on Highway 37 and he intends to lower it onto the boat.


We all remember Larson's Midvale School for the Gifted cartoon
where the kid is trying to push the door open which is clearly marked PULL.