Saturday, August 25, 2012

The Flybridge Navi-Nut (patent pending)

All of our liveaboard friends at Isle of Hope Marina in Savannah have scattered like leaves in the wind.  Some went south, but a few went north, including our friends Dan and Pat on Ironhore (the H is silent).   Dan and Pat went to Beaufort, South Carolina.   Beaufort is one of our favorite places, and Dan and Pat among our favorite people, so a day trip by Toyota to Beaufort was in order.

By boat on the ICW, this is a three day trip.  It was a mere two hour drive.  Pulling into the parking lot of the city marina, a place well familiar to us, we saw Dan and Jingles on a doggie potty break.   We then went down to Ironhore to see Pat.


After a short visit, we hied ourselves to the Navi-Nut southern think tank, the Hemingway Institute, also a great place for lunch.   HI is run by friends of ours so we're a bit biased, but we love it.   It's small and a little hard to find, but it faces the waterfront.  Just take a right when leaving the city dock and stay in the park.   It's only a short walk.


After lunch, we took a short walk through Beaufort's beautiful waterfront park.  It was the middle of the week so we pretty much had it all to ourselves.



Can anyone identify the flower in this pic below?



Back at the boat, Dan and Pat told us of their trip from Isle of Hope to Beaufort.  They were navigating from the flybridge using both electronic and paper charts and their Navi-Nat (patent pending) was operating flawlessly.   The windows were open.   Suddenly a gust of wind caught the chart and their Navi-Nut (patent pending) went flying.  Panic no doubt ensued as they scrambled to recover this expensive piece of gear.   Luckily someone was watching over them because they found it on the floor.    The Black Duck R&D Center did a wonderful job in its design because it was undamaged.

They repositioned their Navi-Nut (patent pending) on the chart, but what to do to prevent this in the future?   They spent a considerable amount of time at the Hemingway Institute reflecting on this problem, and then it came to them.   This is the solution.


Dan brought out a chart with a Navi-Nut (patent pending) on it.  So, said I?  And then he turned it vertically, and like magic, the Navi-Nut (patent pending) stayed in position.   My jaw dropped.  

"How... how... how..." I stuttered.

Dan smiled and showed me the secret.


A magnet placed strategically on the underside of the chart, with the Navi-Nut (patent pending) on the top.   As the Navi-Nut (patent pending) is moved, the magnet follows it and holds it securely in place.

And what is the cost for the Flybridge Navi-Nut (patent pending)?    As they say, if you have to ask...

5 comments:

  1. ahhh, one of my personal favorites, its a Lollipop plant or Pachystachys lutes, sometimes people call them shrimp plants but the lollipop is more upright and shrubby with larger bracts and blooms.

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  2. Maybe you've discovered Navi-Nut 2.0! Can't wait to see what version 3.0 will look like.

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  3. OMG!! LMAO!!Dave... Yes I have Become A "Texter Nut-- Pat. Pending" Great Idea Dan & Pat-- Not A moment to soon either... The Northern Navi-Nut Corp. AKA The Black Duck Cafe' Will still be open-- The Navi-Nut Cubical is gone though...

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  4. Thinking about it... That would have to be a Steel Navi-Nut "Pat. Pending" for a Magnit to hold it... I guess that would be fine for Fresh water cruisers and soon rust for Salt water cruisers... Lets keep scratch'in Our Heads and figure it out...

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  5. That plant is a "shrimp plant", pachystachys-lutea according to my Master Gardener wife.

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