Chapter 13

When sailboats were wood, teak strips were applied over wood decks. Teak is sticky ... if left unpolished ... and sticky is important when dealing with wet decks. Then along comes fiberglass and resin. It’s really slippery so builders started laying down teak decks for better grip. Teak gets expensive fast. Quality boats use teak because it’s a status symbol. Cheaper boats were still using glass and resin but it in still slippery. Then someone made indentations in the fiberglass decks and glued a very coarse sandpaper in the indentations ... it’s not paper but it’s the best I can do ... what is ... really ... is sheet rubber with bumps. Superlative grip ... but it wears fast and water can get under the rubber and it peels off.

“A boat is a hole in the water you pour money in. No matter how much money gets in the hole ... the hole never fills up.”

KiwiGrip is paint! Thick paint. Textured paint.

It is replacing that damned rubber sandpaper because ... it’s cheaper ... it lasts longer ... it can be put (painted) where it’s needed. It doesn’t need the cast-in indentations to force you to put it where the builder wants it to go.

Architect Rule Number One: Form follows Function.

If you believe that you have never been to a college or university ... the sidewalks force the students to walk miles out of their way ... because sidewalks are Function Follows Form. Fuck a bunch of students ... make the sidewalks look pretty. Swoopy curves and symmetrical ... And post monitors to keep the students on the sidewalks and off the grass. The grass is more important than the student.

KiwiGrip goes where you need it.

My third boat followed the design of the first. The second boat got stripped to the framework and rebuilt. It never sailed well. I donated it to the Taikata Sailing Club. They are just across the bay and are much less stuffy than the local.

“Come on,” I said. “Take it ... great for teaching the kids what can go wrong.”

“Oh ... all right ... we’ll take it. Anything to shut you up.”

“Squeaky wheel gets the grease,” I said ... grinning.

“WE said we’ll take it,” the commodore said. “You don’t have to rub it in.”

JW begged me to let him sail number 3.

“NO!” I said.

“Why not?”

“You’ll keep it ... and Cyn will want one ... just because YOU have one. Damn Teenagers!” I groused.

JW has learned the MOM look!

Of course, he got it ... and I had to build one for Cyn.

Mine was number 13 ... and by now I was wishing I’d never started.

Thirteen? You ask.

The Powers that Be weren’t happy with just one. At least they helped ... until I ran them off. Pretty damn clumsy ... for scientists.

My catamaran was done before I was. Now I had TWO boats.

And an overpowered little hydroplane ... and a Farr 3.7

When did life become so complicated.

Oh yes ... school. Thought I’d forgotten about school. Didn’t you! Fess up.

We were personally handed a letter by the local attendance officer. She required us to read along as she read the rules.

“Students required to enrol must attend school.