Boating; Buy new or not!


“My hand-held GPS is shot,” said Cap'n Crunch as he plopped down in a bar stool at the the 'Pukin' Pelican. “I just came from the “Handy Dandy Marine Electronic” repair store and it's done for!”

During the recent trip to the 'Dry Tortugas' (see late May blogs) everyone aboard had their own hand held GPS. Most worked marvelously except a few were way off course due to operator error. “I've got one exactly like yours,” I said scratching my chin. “Let me see it?”

“I left it there. They're ordering me a refurbished on for $200. That's damned near what a new one costs at West Marine,” he moaned.

Immediately, five smart phones appeared and the owners were all activating their wifi to connect with the West Marine on-line catalog. “Tim the Restorer” got there first and in less than a minute had the GPS page shining up at his face. “No way they're charging you 200 for a refurb, a new West Marine model is less than that?”

“I don't want to learn another one, I want my old unit repaired or one that is exactly the same,” said the Cap'n. “They said the part wasn't available!”

“I'd do some research if I was you,” said Cleveland Jack. “A similar problem came up and after I looked through the Internet, I found factory parts on Amazon and on E-Bay. It was for my Canon video camera which I loved. I called the tech and told him where to find it. He wasn't happy but fuck him and his ego, I wanted that camera fixed!”

“You can buy a GPSMAP® 78sc Marine Hand-held GPS Receiver with Compass and Barometer for $349! Why the hell would you put 200 into an outdated model,” shouted Tim as he watched the West Marine web site where Garmin's video was playing. “This thing is fantastic!”

We all watched the video until Tim's phone gave off a 'low battery warning.' Tim was right, it is a great hand-held GPS, probably the best on the market today. But Crunchie had a point. He was comfortable with his old one and learning a new one had a price, the uncomfort-price.

“I was burning up my smart phone battery by looking up GPS parts, “So you're looking to buy replacement parts or accessories for your Garmin? No problem, just go ahead and disconnect it from any cords and stands. Then turn it....,” I read from the search results.

“Let me see that,” said Crunchie as he snatched my phone from his hand. “If you can find the parts, why the hell can't Handy Dandy? I think they were trying to rip me off!”

“No, no, no way,” we all murmured. Nicole, our still hungover just turned 21 waitress tried to add a bit of wit to the conversation but there were to many, 'you know what I mean's' and 'something like that's', so we ordered more beer and she went away happy to be able to semi-function.

We enjoy the same birthday date but I didn't celebrate the way she did. 21 once is enough!

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

The End of a Fort Myers Beach Circus Connection!

Image
         When 91 year old Kel Egony passed away recently in Lee Memorial Hospital not many of his fellow Danes would ever have guessed that would be the place he would draw his final breathe. In his youth in Denmark, 14 year old Kel wanted to be an airplane mechanic but when the Germans invaded, his family insisted he change apprenticeships to became a mason.           Kel Jorgensen was too young to be conscripted by the Nazi's but old enough to work for the underground. Their jobs were especially difficult since the occupying German soldiers spoke fluent Danish after growing up in Denmark because of food shortages in Germany after the first World War. Still, his unit smuggled 3,000 Jews to neutral Sweden through enemy held territory before the war ended.            After the war, Kel and his brother Jorgen Jorgensen started a death defying circus act involving spinning around 75 feet in th...
Read more

Boating; Captain Manny Lee and Corazon Frisbee!

Image
  In response to a recent blog/column, I received a picture of the new 'Corazon Frisbee', the one year old queen of Cap'n Manny Lee's Marshall sloop sailboat named after her ; Captain Manny Lee and Corazon Frisbee are living large in the Florida Keys @ Bone Island Bob's private marina in Islamorada, Florida, mile marker 74.5. Private Charters aboard his boat from one to five passengers. Throwing the Frisbee for 'Sweetie Corazon' is no charge but remember she never quits just like her predecessor. For her birthday she received a new coconut (husk and all) along with a few other treats. The coconut husk is great dental floss. On your way through the Keys stop and say hello to Manny and Corazon. http://www.mannylee.com/index.html CAPTAIN McCLUSKY SAILING CHARTERS | 74540 Overseas Highway, Islamorada, FL 33036 | 281-508-7174
Read more

Remembering The Split Rail Restaurant?

Image
Does Anyone Else Remember The Split Rail Restaurant? It was once a favorite place for beach ppl for breakfast and lunch. Us younger members of the “Dead End Canal Yacht Club” could pull our small boats up to the rickety dock and have a beer and a few chicken wings in the late afternoon. I'm sure you've guessed that I write of a long ago era before happy hours became the rage. Circa 1990! My wife, Marion and I lived at the Boardwalk Caper which was a boater's paradise but not on the DEC. We ate breakfast often at the Split Rail and I attribute much of my heart problems to those delicious heart cloggers. Me, myself and I ate there three mornings a week for a solid 15 years because my office was on the beach. I'm not sure how many Greek immigrants began washing dishes so they could learn to bus tables then run the fryer and fry the eggs before becoming the owner but I remember a half dozen. It used to be a great way to chain migrate to America but all good...
Read more