B.G.?

What did we do Before Google?

Before Google CartoonI have a nightly ritual with dad: come home, sit down beside him, ask him how his day was, tell him what I learned on google today, and then grill him about a boat project.

For example, last night I told him about reading about people using teak backing plates for their thruhulls and the price of an electric windlass on http://www.google.com/shopping (which is a magnificent tool PS). Then I had him talk me through how to install a windlass, how to make the backing plates look nice inside a vberth, how to route the drain hose, whether cockpit drain hoses really need to be crossed, how to install new batteries, replace interior lights, connect wires that are too short, connect wires that are different sizes, and renovate the electrical panel.

Did you know you’re meant to put a drip-loop into wires?? To stop water leaks from running into your connections and shorting them out? I sure didn’t. Panic.

Reminds me of sailing around Vancouver Island and putting up a spinnaker pole on the Genoa for the first time… nobody told me that you connect it before you haul the damn sail out, so I did a fancy little dance on deck and threaded it on with the full Genoa out and pulling. Dad nearly died when he heard this story. Regardless, the second time I put up a pole it was a heck of a lot easier. *sigh*

These are the kind of nitty gritty details that give me a huge appreciation for all that Dad knows and did to build Synchronicity… as well as how much I still have to learn.

And cram into this over-stuffed little brain of mine.

Or google at a future date.

Thank God we aren’t trying to do this BG.


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