by dsheer » Fri Sep 01, 2006 9:44 pm
Carlos,
Kai's expectations were way to low. I am truly disappointed. I am aware of your deep knowledge of bioengineering, and I expected you to GROW your own mast and spreader combination. I envisioned it sprouting from a bucket anchored where your mast jack used to be, and I thought you would have it genetically modified to adapt to changing wind conditions - like a sunflower to the sun - only more sophisticated. It would - of course - biologically adjust the mast rake and shroud tension, eliminating the need for turnbuckles, a mast jack, and a mast ram. No more worrying about those pesky restrictions about adjusting the mast during a race, although I sure Bob Damon would do his best to find some way to declare it illegal.
I was sure that you would once and for all solve the capsizing problem by including genetic alterations that provide the mast with the ability to automatically snap when the heeling moment reaches critical proportions - much like a salamander can lose its tail. The extra safety feature would make it far more difficult to prevent your tremendous technical inovation from being declared class legal.
Further, I expected that you would design a rapid enough reaction to a shot of growth hormone so that the mast would automatically regenerate fast enough so that no more than 1/2 boat length would be lost in a race.
Those are the specs.
Get busy.
I'll give you the directions for the ritual planting dance that ensures the proper growth of the seeds when you're ready to plant.... it requires bananas.
Dan (Jules Verne) Sheer
PS Whaddaya want - Ernesto's going overhead as I write, and the low pressure is giving me a headache and now there's hair sprouting on the back of my hands and the rest of my body and my ears - they're changing - and my voice....AAAAAHHHHHHOOOOOOOOO.... must press submit button.....AAAAAAHHHHHHHOOOOOOO