St. Petersburg Sailboat Show

[Frank Wentzel]

Anybody else going to the St. Petersburg Strictly Sail Boatshow? I'll be there all day Friday. I don't know of any obvious place to meet up. That is to say WoodenBoat won't have a booth (the only wooden boat I saw last year was an Adirondack guide boat). E-mail me for my cell phone number if you want to get together.

/// Frank ///

[Frank Wentzel]

Bump

[pipefitter]

How long does the show last? I live in Tampa but didn't even know there was a sailboat show. Doesn't seem to be a whole lot to do with wood boats of any kind in these parts.Most I have seen were just commercial boats.

[Concordia..41]

Frank, I wish. It would of been nice to see you again.

Actually I was there while they were starting to bring in the boats on Monday. Thought I might be going back down this weekend, but now it's not looking like it... :(

- M

[Frank Wentzel]

Well, not a single wooden boat or comment about a wooden boat kit at this show.

Got a few things at Sailrite and talked to Jim Grant a bit. He wasn't supposed to be at the show, (retired you know) but he came to help out. Even had his grandson, about 13 I'd guess, helping out. He was trying to teach the boy how to make change - WITHOUT A CALCULATOR! Poor kid was having a time with it (especially with a customer looking on). I told him I taught my daughter to make change when she was in third grade.

I saw a neat refrigeration conversion unit. The "compressor" was a stirling cycle heat pump using helium as the working fluid and tranfering the heat (cold?) with liquid carbon dioxide. It was almost completely silent and has no seals or bearings in the unit. The piston (the only moving part) is part of a linear motor that rides on a film of helium gas so that, in effect, there are no wear surfaces. It also is capable of working in a high temperature environment at high efficiency; something current boat refrigeration units are incapable of. I hope this company (AvXcel) succeeds with the product (they have only sold 100 unit thusfar). It appears that this concept could have a major impact on the refrigeration and air conditioning industry.

Pipefitter, and anyone else that might be interested, the show continues through Saturday and Sunday. It ain't wooden boats but at least it has sailboats!

Margo - Sorry I missed you! I'll have to see about getting back to St. Augustine. Who knows, maybe the state will schedule another meeting over there.

/// Frank ///

[ 11-05-2005, 02:22 AM: Message edited by: Frank Wentzel ]

[uncas]

This is why I'm gearing up to go to the WOODEN BOAT SHOWS in Nova Scotia and Newport in '06.
The only thing good about the usual shows is the gear...even if most of it, I can't use or can't afford even if I could.

[Concordia..41]

Well I met a nice wooden boat builder, who said he got a lot of good information from the Forum.

We were leaving one um - 'er drinking establishment and heading back to the show for the Latitudes and Attitudes party. I complimented him on his fine taste in sweat shirts (Wooden Boat) and we had a nice chat. Unfortunately the whole day and night were a blur (and getting blurrier by the minute) and I don't recall his or his sister's name.

IF YOU READ THIS - QUIT LURKING! Lots of folks here would like to hear about your project(s).

- Margo

[uncas]

Margo...Ran into Rick ( Hero ) a few eeeks ago...For the first time, I went below his Concordia...Absolutely beautiful! Nothing like German know how when it comes to using available space.
Anyway, a good guy...
Don't forget to e-mail me your address for my address book.
Cheers
jamj