HiHo Running Dog Capitalist/Imperialist Mercenaries,

Just Kidding!!!

So far a few people have said that they liked my post, one questioned my conclusions, a
couple of folks just wish we'd all shut the h*ll up and two people want to know where the
Feiro Marine Life Center is. Pretty diverse response. In deference to those who want this
topic to go away I'll try to keep this short. [In fact, I wouldn't post this at all except
that through a missed snipping opportunity Kurt got to have his say twice.]

First, the Feiro Marine Life Center is a sort of miniature aquarium similar to the one in
Poulsbo that's adjacent to the Trawler Fest area. Feiro is in Port Angeles on what is now
called the "City Pier"; if you're coming by land it's located at the foot of Lincoln
Street (the main North-South arterial in town); if you're coming by sea City Pier is the
easternmost pier in the harbor if you don't count the Rayonier facility which is
undergoing remediation as a superfund site. During the summer there is a couple hundred
feet of guest moorage available but the Port of Port Angeles has shown a rather cavalier
attitude toward when they put the floats in place and when they remove them - If you're
coming by sea drop me a line and I'll let you know if there's anyplace to tie up. BTW:
Feiro is closed for the season right now but will reopen in early May.

FWIW: I'm intending to write up a review of sorts for this moorage one of these days - The
dockage is fairly primitive but oh boy are there some terrific restaurants within an easy
walk! If and when I get around to that project I'll try to include lat/long figures for
it.

Just as Kurt isn't a total Capitalist lackey neither am I a traditional tree hugger. Last
year I was almost thrown out of a book signing for saying that I thought Port Angeles
could have had an environmentally safe oil transshipment facility rather than what they
got, which was nothing. Compromise just isn't a very popular stance when you're dealing
with "True Believers" of any stripe.

On to the environmental stuff. Kurt asks if I think that copper is really the problem and
goes on to cite several other sources of schmutz that can cause problems.

My answer is that copper bottom paint is A problem but not the only problem by any means.
All of the things Kurt mentioned (Sewage, detergents, oil/fuel, fertilizer/pesticide
runoff, etc.), the stray current that Arild mentioned, the shadows cast by the floats
(affects the movement of baby fish), and probably some things that haven't even been
noticed yet are all problems worthy of consideration. In fact, in our area the number one
cause for concern among environmental professionals is failing septic systems. It was,
however, bottom paint that started this thread so that's what I elected to discuss. As
Kurt points out the Hard bottom paints are significantly better for the environment.
Ablative copper bottom paints on the other hand are going to be hard on benthic
invertebrates by design: You've got a coating that's impregnated with copper and is
designed to slough off as time goes on in order to continually expose fresh copper. As the
coating ablates copper is sinking to the bottom and it's the bottom that, under normal
conditions, harbors the most life in terms of both biomass and diversity. Copper bottom
paints are not the only pollution problem and they probably aren't even in the top ten of
the worst problems but, just as we're advised against letting the best be the enemy of the
good, neither should we allow the worst to be the enemy of the bad. At the beginning of
this discussion it was suggested that we "be very afraid" that a new safer bottom paint
was being tested that doesn't last as long as existing paints. I disagree; rather than
fearing such a development why not contact the principles and say "Congratulations!
Exciting idea! You need to make the product last longer or we can't afford to use it."

I have said it here before: If we, as boaters, don't take a pro-active stance on these
matters we will lose any chance to affect our own destiny.

Wackily yours,

Alex

I find it interesting that members are averse to discussing environmental
issues, as they relate to trawlers.  No complaints about discussing some
reverse thread metric wing nut on an engine you've never heard of, but
environmental issues take up too much space?  We all have different boats,
but we all share the same water and air.

I believe that if reasonable people don't discuss these issues and
understand the various points of view, we leave it to the extremists to make
policy.  Pretty soon Robin's whiz into the ocean is literally a federal case
and we are all wondering why.

Todd Mains
Portland, OR

< Todd........You can discuss it all you want but if it is of no
interest to others as it isn't to me, take your interested group off the
list and discuss it all you want but why cram it down the throat of
those that want no part of it...............

Captain Al Pilvinis  >

Gee Al,

I could say the same thing about dozens of "trawler" topics that are
brought up on this list, but you don't hear me demanding that you stop
discussing them, even if in my opinion they aren't relevant to the list.
That's the role of the list moderators, and last time I checked, you
weren't one of them.  And if you don't agree with the moderators,
well... that's what your DELETE key is for.

The original discussion thread was about hull paint, certainly a
relevant topic.  And the impacts that we trawler owners and our boats
have on the marine environment around us (note the name of the list -
TrawlerWORLD - emphasis added) is germane to the list as well.
Personally, one of the main reasons I boat is to get out in the marine
environment, so my impacts on that environment are of interest to me.
So please don't try to censor info that's of interest to me, even if it
isn't to you.

Bob Deering
Juneau Alaska

Hi Gail,

I have to ask and I'm making an assumption that you're also in Florida

<<There was so much oil in the water from people winterizing......it was awful. >>

Why do you have to winterize a boat in Florida?

Here I understand the need - the lakes are frozen and it's really cold.
But in Florida?

TIA

CHeers

Mike Eedy
M/V Excalibur (under the tarp and snow)
North Bay ON

(SNIP) Perhaps this time the Save The Manatee group have
bitten off more than they will be able to chew?
Jim Alexander

It wasn't very long ago that the State of Florida used to provide
recipes for Manatee. Have you ever noticed that no one ever creates a
bumper sticker to "Save the Malaria mosquito?"

                             Regards....

Phil Rosch
M/V "Curmudgeon" Marine Trader 44 TC
Currently Moored in St. Augustine

"Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you
didn't
do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away
from
the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream.
Discover." - Mark Twain