RE: autopilot question

Bill,

You are so right about the pile of boat junk left in the cruiser's wake. We
stripped and shipped home much of the cruising stuff off MOONSHADOW #1 in
Majorca when we sold it there. I'm not sure about the value now of
20-year-old used stuff still sitting in the shed or the sense of spending
money to have it shipped. A funny story here:
We shipped a half-container of supplies to Taiwan to outfit our new boat
there. Much of what we shipped came from our local Costco. As we were riding
in the cab from the airport to our hotel in Taiwan, we passed by a new
Costco! Then I speculated how much of what I shipped to Taiwan originally
came from Taiwan.

I'm wondering if we are leaving a legacy in treasures or a real mess for the
kids with our shed.

I was speculating about the rudder feedback on the Alpha unit. I have no
paperwork on it and the company site, which says it has a manual on line,
presently doesn't. With the disconnect system used by Alpha, I see real
problems adapting the Robertson feedback without some mechanical destruction
going on with the Alpha's mechanical disconnect system. I may just keep and
use the Alpha controls and wait to see if Alpha might come out with modern
adaptations. I really appreciate your input on the mechanical lash-up done
by Ta Shing.

I hear the desert real-estate is selling out fast. I suppose you have your's
now. I was really taken aback a couple weeks ago. I had the opportunity to
fly a helicopter all around San Diego County (but this is another story this
net cannot interested in). I was amazed to see hills solidly covered with
homes-everywhere-where I once, in my earlier flying days there, viewed only
roaming cows.

Funny, you should mention a book about cruising and experiences. I tried to
sell one long ago and publishers weren't interested. Instead, I'm asked to
write about things I know nothing about-and stupidly, I keep saying, "yes,"
instead of just going cruising. Now this foolish pastime has degraded into
editing and writing TV documentaries. Meanwhile poor MOONSHADOW languishes
and I continue to age in front of this screen.

Oh, for a day on anchor in the lagoon at Cocos Keeling!

Tom



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Received on Mon Apr 10 09:36:04 2006