Posted By RichC on May 20, 2014
While working on the boat this weekend, I also headed down to finally finish up the repairs on the cabinets after replacing a refrigerator last year. It wasn’t an expensive project, but did require a little wood putty, sanding and matching of paint.
By the way, Home Depot deserves a plug for how they handled my small request. The employee went out of his way to read the paint on the cabinet door I brought in. He modified the X-Rite paint scanning machine in order to read the oversized cabinet door panel. Very appreciated. I’m now a loyal $HD customer (sorry Lowes) and might even look into adding the stock to my portfolio on their next pull back.
The repair went well although I could have done a little more sanding and priming prior to painting … but it wasn’t perfect originally anyway.
Category: Financial, Misc |
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Tags: customer service, florida, hd, home depot, refrigerator
Posted By RichC on May 19, 2014
The title of this post sounds a little risqué when I say it that way, but since a boat is a “she” I’m not sure how else to word it (I’m sure I could find a way.)
Anyway, I burned a cheap ticket before it expired in order to finally pull Encore and replace the depth transducer, powerwash the bottom, re-grind and paint the rust on my iron keel … as well as the prop and shaft again after popping off a few barnacles. The new guy running the lift used the small travellift and I ended up sticking the boat in the mud on first approach to the small pit. I backed out since I was moving slow and was able to enter from the deep side without issue, but the yard needs to dredge their haul out pits.
Category: Sailing |
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Tags: encore, florida, haulout, saiboat, transducer
Posted By RichC on May 18, 2014
The last year or so I’ve been renting Ford Focuses (or Foci?) when I’m traveling out of town or trying to keep the miles off my Honda Pilot which is nearing 200,000 miles. Often the fuel economy (high 35+ vs 20mpg) offsets the rental cost, but this time for the fun of it I wanted to try the comfortable Hyundai Sonata Hybrid. I’ve rented a non-hybrid Sonata before and enjoyed the quiet and smooth ride … and this 2013 (??) model was no exception. Very nice.
Fuel efficiently could have been a little better than the 38mpg combine number, since the “other guys” are well into the 40mpg mark … especially since much of my driving was highway. I did my best to use the hypermiling pulse and glide technique without upsetting traffic flow, and was able to gain a couple miles per gallon, but still not able to hit 40mpg. I’m guessing, but maybe because Hyundai still using a transmission with gears instead of the “rubber band” or CVT transmission that they are unable to match their competitors? It also doesn’t look like they go overboard to lighten the vehicle when it comes to the sheet metal and interior … both were exceptionally nice for a fleet rental vehicle. With an outstanding warranty, the Hyundai would make for a great “appliance” car.
Category: Automotive, Technology |
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Tags: hybrid, hyundai, rental cars, sonata
Posted By RichC on May 17, 2014
I’m usually pretty good at noticing price verse packaging size when it comes to items we regularly purchase … but I missed this one until opening the package at home. My Old Spice Deodorant that once was in a standard package size of 3.25 oz is priced the same but now packaged with 8% less in the stick. Grr.
Category: Business, Marketing, Misc, Shopping |
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Tags: deodorant, Marketing, old spice, packaging, pricing
Posted By RichC on May 17, 2014
An odd and ends Gifycat.com filler post: A decapitated Copperhead snake still has the reflex action to bite its own wiggling tail … a reminder to keep your distance from dead or perhaps “dying” poisonous snakes.
Category: Misc, Nature |
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Tags: annimated, copperhead, gif, snake
Posted By RichC on May 16, 2014
This content is restricted.
Category: Music |
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Tags: counting crows, internet, mp3, Music, onu, radio, streaming, university
Posted By RichC on May 14, 2014
With government printed NOAA paper nautical charts going by the wayside, there are still a few options if you want paper. I’m partial to small publisher Paradise Cay Publications who has been serving the nautical minded for years out of Arcata, California. They’ll print small format, traditional paper and waterproof material (video below) and have a great selection of books and publications as well.
Category: Books, Sailing, Shopping |
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Tags: Books, charts, nautical, paper, paracay.com, paradise
Posted By RichC on May 13, 2014
These crocs are not the kind a creatures you want to be “playing” with when visiting the Northern Territory of Australia’s Outback by canoe or johnboat. Wow, can they clear the water or what?
Category: Nature, Video |
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Tags: australia, crocodiles, slow motion, youtube
Posted By RichC on May 13, 2014
The team at Ocearch tagged a Great White Shark they named Katharine off the Cape Cod coast of Massachusetts in August of 2013, but this 14+ foot 2,300 pound “immature” female has been checking out the Florida coastline and yesterday a beach near Sebastian. A few more miles south and we might see her poke her snout (?) into the Fort Pierce inlet to say hello. (see Florida Today)
Category: Environment, Nature, Travel |
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Tags: florida, great white sharks, ocean, ocearch
Posted By RichC on May 12, 2014
I’ve about had it with replacing the TWO small and expensive 6 volt batteries that are packed into my APS uninterruptable power supply (UPS). Seems like I’ve purchase these same batteries too many times before for a couple of different devices and just like toner for inkjet printers, I wonder if it wouldn’t just be cheaper to buy a new unit?
This time I’m going to solder a couple extension and clamps on this 650 watt unit and use a good but older car battery. It will both give the old device new life and also be a lot cheaper AND last longer when the power goes out!
We’ll see how it goes.
Category: Computer |
2 Comments »
Tags: back up, electricity, power, surge
While working on the boat this weekend, I also headed down to finally finish up the repairs on the cabinets after replacing a refrigerator last year. It wasn’t an expensive project, but did require a little wood putty, sanding and matching of paint. 
