Friends and my dinghy!!!!

It is great when things come together.  My friend Jasmeet was about to jump on a cruise with his wife and another couple.  Just days before they boarded he started wondering where I was, because his trip had stops in Puerto Rico, St Thomas, and St Martin.  Well less than a week later I was at the bottom of the ramp when they got off the cruise ship and whisked them away for a day of snorkeling among a shipwreck and multiple turtles.  After lunch I took them to Saba Island, because I have heard nice things about it.  We had fun there, but did not spend enough time to make a judgment so I will have to go back.  Oh darn!  During the day they all made comments of how boring the cruise ship was, how the crowd was older, and that a week on my boat would have been a better use of their vacation time.  I had the same thoughts on my two cruises 10 years ago.  I think a small boat is more personal and you get to do what you want instead of what is on the schedule, but if you do go on a cruise remember the cruise line, time of year, length of the trip, and stops all help dictate who will be on the ship with you.  Be honest with what you are looking for in your trip.  You do not want to be 28 and stuck on a boat with 90% of the boat over 55 or have it the other way around.

Now on the other extreme in regard to boats, my dinghy (named Temptation because it takes you way from the light 🙂 ) has been leaking air for several months now.  I have sprayed it twice with soapy water (the soap makes bubbles at the leak) and did not find anything.  I finally decided to replace the valves.  That made a huge difference, but there was still a leak somewhere so I put LOTS of soap in the water and after spraying almost a whole squirt bottle I noticed a stream of small bubbles coming from a hole.  You have never seen anyone happier to find a hole in their boat than I was at that time.

The repair kits come with a rubber cement type of adhesive and I have never been happy with the results, so last year I used 4200 to glue some patches in place.  Both patches have held very well, but it took over 24 hours to cure.  Someone told me to try super glue, because it holds as well and is cured in minutes.  So far the results are very positive.  I’ll see how the patch holds up over time.