Puzzle Port

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Thursday, 20 August 2026

Question of the Day

Test your nautical knowledge

In ship hydrodynamics, what does a vessel’s wake primarily consist of?

Wordle of the Day

Guess the nautical word

Clue: A person who uses a paddle

Question of the Day

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Wordle of the Day

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5,833 replies
DWBrinkman US
@MarkN1 We should probably probably move this conversation out of the question of the day section. We are chatting in an area not meant for this type conversation.
MarkN1 US
Dave, 100 Feet? I guess , I am a bad judge of distances.

I was at the last stand, out... and staring straight out. , at the rock. That was my reference. There were three boaters next to me, two of which had blocked my direct access to the boat. So, even if I had reacted fast enough; I couldn't get to it quick enough. I was able to rescue the canopy, as that had floated to the surface. I had my Cajun Commander with me. So, the Turtle Back, was retrieved , but no boat. I had kept my canopy for a year, but figured the boat was hopelessly lost; so I tossed it. Now, let's figure something out. Mark W. cast across the pond from the 3RD. stand, and missed the first time. We moved the 4th. stand, and he nailed it, on the next try. . A 33 yard miracle cast , that got my boat back. GOD was definitely smiling on us. THE boat? It's been stubborn, as though, it didn't want to get caught. At first, we thought we had hooked a huge fish, or the pond liner. The fact the boat stayed on the grappling hook, and being dragged, nearly a 100 feet, and stayed on the hook was the real miracle.

And ready for Lighthouse, number # 2.
DWBrinkman US
@MarkN1 I just did a quick "Google Maps measure" Where the Cobra went down the pond is about 100' wide.

Dave B
MarkN1 US
Video posted by Chris Pohl, who was one of the individuals who was part of the rebuild. He did much the wood work, during the restore. He also designed the custom servo linkage. This was part one of three.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lFHgf0NUWEQ


First day of live testing.

June 22ND.
MarkN1 US
Hey, Dave, thanks the distance correction. The distance from shore to shore? That would be interesting to find out. THE boat went down, ten feet from the apposite shore. in seven feet of water, Directly in line, with that huge rock. That was the line, I told Mark Wolfe, to cast at. Apparently, I was right. Mark, and Glenn took photos of the Cobra , just as it came out. The windshield was soot black, and the boat was caked in mud. The boat still floated. It spent the next two days , in my bath tub, rinsing all the garbage out of the boat.

All the original parts, were still there. Including the Spektrum 5200 50 C battery that was still connected. The RED power lead, had broke at the ESC THE boat, saved itself. If the COBRA had remained on power, THE LIPO, would have gone into thermal destruction, from overly discharged.

The fast forward, was the initial re construction , to the first test . THE electronics: was A Spektrum DX -2 system, a Dynamite 2000 KV. motor, a Traxas 90 AMP ESC. and a FUTABA standard Servo. Running hardware: ALL DUMAS OEM. Replaced.

Additional MODS were added. Including Risers, and trim tabs. Spock, and son, are now the drivers.

Water skier, was optional.



... and Scotty. , who is still resting on the bottom. (One of the Star Trek Dolls, that Kevin had given to me. )
DWBrinkman US
@MarkN1
This is probably posted in the wrong section ..... But,
I can vouch for Mark's story!
I was there the day it sank.
I saw him running it last night before our club meeting!
His story is a testament to our club, as club members pitched in to make Mark's "Phoenix" usable again.
Dave B
PS I think the 85 yard "cast" is a typo. The pond isn't THAT large
MarkN1 US
Sounds familiar. Just like my REFOUND Dumas Chris Craft Cobra. The story of a sunken boat, that spent two years on the bottom of our pond. 8/23/2023 8:45 P.M. , and found almost two years to date, by the hands of another Club member, and a million to one, blind cast, from 85 yards away, in the dark. Two casts, later, and the boat was snagged, and retrieved from the depths. THE Boat was restored, and went back into service on 8/8/2025. We call it the miracle boat, because, getting the boat, back and me... there standing next to the person, who made that cast; was technically impossible. Yet, that very boat, sits on my table , today, and has become a club favorite. "THE PHOENIX." , a boat that came back from the depths, and is better than it's former self. It has been my daily runner , since then. She's quick, 25 M.P.H, and sporting a tuned prop, and trim tabs. New boat.

If any one's interested, I have updated photos, and running videos.

Quick history. DUMAS , (Now closed), offered the Kit in 1992. And from there, we don't how the finished boat, found it's way to owner # 2. There is a significant hole there. The one clear fact; was boat, as first built, was not usable. And, was not safe. THE back up, flood, and sink part. I look the boat, now, and it kinda weirds me out. "How, are you here? " Sunken bats, don't come back. Yet, there it is.

The original owner/ builder , is un-known. The boat traveled between at least four people. I was the last in the line.
DWBrinkman US
@EdW Wishing you the best of luck with your "tune-up".
I agree with Roy and Guy ... this old age stuff is for the birds.
I just had my semi annual physical. The Dr. told me I was in good shape for a fat, old guy, with bad knees .......
I've been avoiding addressing the knee issue, but somehow it isn't going away .... sigh
Dave B
jumpugly US
Ed!
In the same boat, as it were. Not too thrilled with this "getting old" dance.
Have a speedy recovery and get back in action ASAP!
-- Guy
👍 😉
roycv GB
Hi EdW, all the best with your operation, my experience of the NHS is good, you will probably be assigned a young lady to look after you during your stay. The one assigned to me was lovely, very helpful and kind. Then I came home!
cheers for now.
Roy
EdW GB
May not be doing QoD for a few days, going in to hospital for an operation today. The problem with getting older, you require constant repairs and maintenance.
🤣
TonyAsh GB
@SouthportPat
Square-rigged ship sailors of the 19th century onward would have called it the Dolphin Striker because of the playful habits of Dolphins about the bow, but techinally by designers and ship builders it would have been called the Martingale. Generally it was only fiitted when the bowsprit was carrying 3 or more headsails.
SouthportPat GB
A Dophin Stricker is the spar the projects down from the bow sprit and has the bob chain attached at the lower end to counteract the forces setup up by the fore stay
jumpugly US
'Morning Gents! Had to jump in, my assumption was along the lines of Doug and Ed's...below the bowsprit.

😉
roycv GB
I think the confusion is the word 'yard' that usually refers to a wooden spar. On a Thames barge it is very long and holds up the corner of the mainsail. Gary Webb liked them on his sailing boats. Makes an easy set up.
Roy
roycv GB
When I was repairing one the other day on my Lilla Dan I always referred to it as the 'Dolphin striker', so I got it wrong.
Roy
PhilH GB
It asked what sprit sail not spirit sail was ?
Philuk👍
EdW GB
Thought about my post on spirit sails so I did some research.
Both pictures are spirit sails
EdW GB
Doug and Pat, you are both correct.
On a some fully rigged square riggers the Spirit Sail was on a yard below the bowsprit.
On fore and aft rigs the spirit sail was the main four sided sail.
This is from my recollections which can sometimes be hazy.
🤔
RNinMunich DE
I disagree Pat. Think of square riggers😉
On large sailing ships a spritsail is a square-rigged sail carried on a yard below the bowsprit.!
See attached pic of 'A replica of the Batavia setting a spritsail (lower right) and a sprit-topsail'.
😎

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