The Simrad is still ultra-laggy. I tried a software update but it was already current. I installed it again anyway. No change. I can plot courses, but if it can't keep up it is only useful for forward sonar and the depth gauge. Maybe we should try our radar now, before we are stuck in a fog bank (note to self check radar tomorrow morning). I searched all over online and many individuals have the same problem with this same unit. It seems most people had to have Simrad switch out their display. We will call them tomorrow to see if it is still under warranty.
NOTE TO ALL BOATERS: BUY GARMIN. DO NOT BUY SIMRAD.
NOTE TO SIMRAD: IF YOU ARE READING THIS, YOU ARE DANGEROUSLY CLOSE TO GETTING SH-TWITTERED ON AMERICAN AIRLINES-STYLE BY THE RALPHS. DON'T MAKE US RALPH ON YOU!!!!!!!!
Seriously if this thing doesn't come to life I am climbing up onto the radar to paint over the Simrad decal that advertises their POS product. It is as if it connects to the satellites via a dial-up modem. I have money on an undisclosed Simrad-AOL partnership. When the anti-trust suit hits the Wall Street Journal, be sure to tell everyone you heard it from The Ralphs first!
How about some pics and vids from today? Here a 66' something or other amazingly cool boat blew by us and rocked Betsy like a rubber ducky. They are here at the marina just down the dock, but I am guessing they got here many hours sooner. They were traveling about 30 knots up the ICW in this monster.
Don't believe me? There is ALWAYS a bigger, faster boat. This is what they do to the 50 footers:
(OK the table was like that for engine maintenance, but a bottle of water fell off the counter!)
We saw lots of cool stuff today. Myrtle Beach is impressive. Countless mansions along the ICW. Here are a few of my favorite shots:
These houses reminded me of the Chiclet houses in St. John's, Nfld:
American Airlines I refuse to let this go. What an embarrassment. #FlyDelta. Anyway, now you guys know where to find the coldest crappy beer on the ICW!
I loved these ships. The first was along the Waccamaw River, which was the coolest section of the ICW yet. The trees were tight, the channel was narrow, and there were non-stop switchbacks for an hour. I was lusting after one of those go fast boats. I am convinced I could blow roost right over the trees!
Dad loved this tree. For those of you who don't know, he used to have an obsession with taking photos of dead trees. At least he has moved on to living specimens!
Our humble abode in suite C8:
This should help everyone who is unfamiliar with NC get their bearings:
Why oh why do I not carry Wall Drug signs? They really need one! If you don't know of the place, well, you must never have road-tripped anywhere out West. This was all at the Fishy Fishy Cafe, which was DELICIOUS! Ralph highly recommends the peel and eat shrimp.
I made a new friend. He didn't like selfies but I forced him!
Let's get back to discussing fueling. Sigh. We changed the filters and fired up the twin Cummins. Everything seemed to be intact. Everything BUT the fact that the starboard engine has a clear air leak in the bowl that increases with engine speed. The next step is to disassemble the bowl and check the gaskets for a pinch and the housing for cracks. The clamps on the lines are tight as are all of the bolts attached to the Racor housings. Ralph didn't want Ralph to disassemble the bowl because it was recently put together by a real diesel mechanic (a guy who knows what he is doing). As if the price gouging isn't enough with these marinas, boating outfitters, mechanics, etc they can't even get the damn work done properly. None of this is complicated: basic fuel lines and filtering, simple hydraulic hose setup for the steering with two lines and a single pump... and yet because it is attached to a boat it is somehow $pecial and co$t$ far more than it $hould. (BEEP. BEEP. BEEEEEEEEP! Cha-ching!) I ought to reach out to some of those southern plantation underwater farmers to see if they take a similar beating. Fingers crossed that Zimmerman Marine comes through again- our generator is running like a champ!
At least we know the filters are fresh. Listen to the sweet sound of success (hearing protection and non-rebreather-vapor mask required). You really need to be down in there to get the full experience. Everything is rumbling. This was before I realized we still had some air getting in on one side...
The Ralphs were reminiscing about Ralphie Props's childhood. Man I could convince my brother Nick to get in some trouble. Now he is 6'2 and has nearly a hundred pounds on me and I refer to him as "sir." Do yourself a favor and keep your gloves and helmet on if you step on the ice with this guy. YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED. It won't be easy to pick up your teeth with broken fingers!
We passed through two swing bridges today:
The HMM container ship was impressive, even from afar. The video does this no justice. It looked like a mountain on the horizon. I tried to convince Captain Ralph that ol' Props could get out ahead of it. Luckily for HMM, our marina was just south of this crossing.
I have been blogging for nearly a full week, and yet some people fail to recognize the Power of The Ralphs and attempt to pass at full tilt, only to have their asses handed to them. We need stickers or cards or something to hand out. "You've been Ralph'd" might work, but let me sleep on it. Man I am beat. Boating is just too relaxing!
No comments:
Post a Comment