RE: M_Boats: grammar and other stuff
It appears that any one of us could have trouble with grammar
Ain't that the truth! It's fascinating (to me, at least) how the language has changed over time. And how parts of what we consider grammar have little reason for existing, while others are but remnants of the older versions of the language. Somebody mentioned yesterday, I think, that Lloyds want to stop referring to vessel as "she" -- which I suspect is one of the last vestiges of grammatical gender in English. Or a preposition being a bad thing to end a sentence with? Why? (Hint: There's no good reason). This language stuff is fun! Giles Morris Arlington VA Vancouver 25 "Dolphin" Montgomery 15 "Umiaq" Sundry small craft Mark
As a confirmed grammar freak, I despair at the way the Queen's English is abused in internet communication. Running a mail order business, as I do, I receive email all day long. It's dismaying how adults, confronted with a computer keyboard, revert to 4th-grade English. Clumsy spelling, no punctuation, lazy substitutions of numbers or abbreviations for words and phrases. And worst of all, the mutilation of the possessive form of the word "it." And every evening, "Star Trek" intones a split infinitive: "To Boldly Go Where No Man Has Gone Before." It should, of course, read: "To Go Boldy Where No Man Has Gone Before." End of rant. We won't get into whether it should read, "To Go Boldy Where No Person (of any known gender, race, or sexual proclivity) Has Gone Before. On a less pedantic subject, refitting of Chimpanzee the Montgomery 15 is moving apace. I have: 1. Finished rerigging the spars and deck, fitted the new sails and roller furling, and added rigging for the spinnaker. 2. Compounded and waxed the entire hull and deck. (It looks new!) 3. Installed a 12V system with running lights, cabin lights, and a solar panel atop the companionway slide. 4. Removed the (fiberglass) centerboard for refairing and replacement of pendant. (I think "pennant" is a sailor's contraction of "pendant," though I'm not sure.) 5. Filled and faired the keel. 6. Restored the teak trim to as-new condition. I would just oil the teak, but I'm teaching a seminar on marine varnishing tomorrow and Sunday, so I'll have the students varnish the teak, drop boards, rudder, and other bits for me. (Heh heh. Nothing like getting people to PAY to work on your own boat. It's one up on old Tom Sawyer.) Varnished teak is hard to keep up, but hopefully I'll be having the varnishing class once or twice a year, so the class can refinish it for me. The vague hope is to launch Chimpanzee for a maiden overnight cruise next weekend. Cheers, John Chesapeake Light Craft The Best Boats You Can Build http://www.clcboats.com ----- Original Message ----- From: Morris, Giles To: 'montgomery_boats@mailman.xmission.com' Sent: Friday, March 22, 2002 11:06 AM Subject: RE: M_Boats: grammar and other stuff
It appears that any one of us could have trouble with grammar
Ain't that the truth! It's fascinating (to me, at least) how the language has changed over time. And how parts of what we consider grammar have little reason for existing, while others are but remnants of the older versions of the language. Somebody mentioned yesterday, I think, that Lloyds want to stop referring to vessel as "she" -- which I suspect is one of the last vestiges of grammatical gender in English. Or a preposition being a bad thing to end a sentence with? Why? (Hint: There's no good reason). This language stuff is fun! Giles Morris Arlington VA Vancouver 25 "Dolphin" Montgomery 15 "Umiaq" Sundry small craft Mark
John, I can't believe you actually found somebody to freshen up your brightwork for FREE! I don't think I'd mention that down at the marina. Your fellow boaters might just keelhaul you out of jealousy. I'd also like to point out that an M-15 has a small amount of brightwork for a group of eager students to really get a sufficient amount of exposure to the task at hand. Where are you located? Maybe I could haul the Seaweeble out there if you are not too far away. I'm a big believer in giving students a quality educational experience. Ian M-17 #343 Seaweeble ----- Original Message ----- From: John Harris To: montgomery_boats@mailman.xmission.com Sent: Friday, March 22, 2002 9:40 AM Subject: M_Boats: grammar and Chimpanzee update As a confirmed grammar freak, I despair at the way the Queen's English is abused in internet communication. Running a mail order business, as I do, I receive email all day long. It's dismaying how adults, confronted with a computer keyboard, revert to 4th-grade English. Clumsy spelling, no punctuation, lazy substitutions of numbers or abbreviations for words and phrases. And worst of all, the mutilation of the possessive form of the word "it." And every evening, "Star Trek" intones a split infinitive: "To Boldly Go Where No Man Has Gone Before." It should, of course, read: "To Go Boldy Where No Man Has Gone Before." End of rant. We won't get into whether it should read, "To Go Boldy Where No Person (of any known gender, race, or sexual proclivity) Has Gone Before. On a less pedantic subject, refitting of Chimpanzee the Montgomery 15 is moving apace. I have: 1. Finished rerigging the spars and deck, fitted the new sails and roller furling, and added rigging for the spinnaker. 2. Compounded and waxed the entire hull and deck. (It looks new!) 3. Installed a 12V system with running lights, cabin lights, and a solar panel atop the companionway slide. 4. Removed the (fiberglass) centerboard for refairing and replacement of pendant. (I think "pennant" is a sailor's contraction of "pendant," though I'm not sure.) 5. Filled and faired the keel. 6. Restored the teak trim to as-new condition. I would just oil the teak, but I'm teaching a seminar on marine varnishing tomorrow and Sunday, so I'll have the students varnish the teak, drop boards, rudder, and other bits for me. (Heh heh. Nothing like getting people to PAY to work on your own boat. It's one up on old Tom Sawyer.) Varnished teak is hard to keep up, but hopefully I'll be having the varnishing class once or twice a year, so the class can refinish it for me. The vague hope is to launch Chimpanzee for a maiden overnight cruise next weekend. Cheers, John Chesapeake Light Craft The Best Boats You Can Build http://www.clcboats.com ----- Original Message ----- From: Morris, Giles To: 'montgomery_boats@mailman.xmission.com' Sent: Friday, March 22, 2002 11:06 AM Subject: RE: M_Boats: grammar and other stuff >It appears that any one of us could have trouble with grammar Ain't that the truth! It's fascinating (to me, at least) how the language has changed over time. And how parts of what we consider grammar have little reason for existing, while others are but remnants of the older versions of the language. Somebody mentioned yesterday, I think, that Lloyds want to stop referring to vessel as "she" -- which I suspect is one of the last vestiges of grammatical gender in English. Or a preposition being a bad thing to end a sentence with? Why? (Hint: There's no good reason). This language stuff is fun! Giles Morris Arlington VA Vancouver 25 "Dolphin" Montgomery 15 "Umiaq" Sundry small craft Mark
Has anyone tried Bristol Finish (www.bristolfinish.com)? Good? Bad? Other? David Fann M17 Dulcibella On 3/22/02 4:01 PM, "Ian & Judi Black" <suthdrug@rosenet.net> wrote:
I can't believe you actually found somebody to freshen up your brightwork for FREE! I don't think I'd mention that down at the marina. Your fellow boaters might just keelhaul you out of jealousy. I'd also like to point out that an M-15 has a small amount of brightwork for a group of eager students to really get a sufficient amount of exposure to the task at hand. Where are you located? Maybe I could haul the Seaweeble out there if you are not too far away. I'm a big believer in giving students a quality educational experience.
I can't believe you actually found somebody to freshen up your brightwork for >>FREE! I don't think I'd mention that down at the marina. Your fellow boaters might >>just keelhaul you out of jealousy.
They'd do worse than keelhaul me if they knew that I'm charging for the class. http://www.clcboats.com/clc_boatbuildingclasses.html
I'd also like to point out that an M-15 has a small amount of brightwork for a group >>of eager students to really get a sufficient amount of exposure to the task at hand.
Just the toe rails and the trim around the companionway. I've got a score of other projects on hand to keep them busy for a weekend.
Where are you located? Maybe I could haul the Seaweeble out there if you are not too far away. I'm a big believer in giving students a quality educational experience.
We're in Annapolis, in a lovely squalid industrial park. Not on the water, alas. Cheers, John
At 12:40 PM 3/22/02 -0500, you wrote:
I would just oil the teak, but I'm teaching a seminar on marine varnishing tomorrow and Sunday, so I'll have the students varnish the teak, drop boards, rudder, and other bits for me. Varnished teak is hard to keep up, but hopefully I'll be having the varnishing class once or twice a year, so the class can refinish it for me.
John, It's one thing to teach how to maintain varnished teak, but my suggestion is that you also offer a teak restoration class. It just so happens that Vixen has never had anything done to HER teak in 16 years. Considering the upkeep involved, I've grown to love it; in fact, I may rename HER Silver Vixen, so I never have to work on HER teak. However, if you find you need a boat for this new class you'll be offering, I shall make the sacrifice, and will continue to make HER available annually when you begin offering a second class on marine varnishing. Or gel-coating. Or rig tuning. Or electrical. Or anything else I can get for free. Doug
------------------------------------------ Doug King M-17 #404 "Vixen" Montgomery Sailboats Owners Group Web site: http://msog.org Email: mailto:msog@msog.org
participants (5)
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David Fann -
Doug King -
Ian & Judi Black -
John Harris -
Morris, Giles