In a message dated 3/23/2005 8:54:52 AM Central Standard Time, farreach@optonline.net writes: Hi Steve, A friend, same guy who destroyed the roto tiller engine, ran a chain saw on straight gas for over a year. And when I told him he needed to mix oil with that gas, he didn't believe me and I don't think he ever changed his ways. He moved away so I lost track of the end of that story. I suppose there is a certain amount of lubrication in regular gasoline. Hey, when it gets slow on the list, why don't you tell us about that boat you're building. Rick Langer I don't think this list slows down much; kinda like a Montgomery boat! Actually, the boat I'm working on is sort of the opposite of a Monty. It's a flat bottomed scow 16' X 4', dubbed "Flatbote". I got a writeup in the SCA a few months ago. At the moment I have the sides and all but two bulkheads cut out. It's very simple hard chine construction with lumberyard plywood. The implications of its shape on its sailing characteristics are fascinating me. The sides are dead straight, bow to stern, and she has a huge amount of rocker. Because of this, the center of boyancy moves to leeward when heeled faster than any monohull shape I can think of. Paper calculations indicate that she'll right herself to about 110 degrees-and this is a boat that can float in 6" of water. Her 8" x 2' 6"chine logs have the same curve as the bottom, and with luck will present a hydrodynamic plate that provides lots of lift. Will it work? Damned if I know. I reckon there's only one way to find out! Cheers Steve Tyree