Ode to Panbots, far flung & obsessed

If a man must be obsessed by something, I suppose a boat is as good as anything, perhaps a bit better than most.  — E. B. White

Some days I could be content just checking out the activities and links sent in by various Panbo readers. Who I like to call Panbots, somewhat in the spirit of Steve Roberts, the inimitable gizmologist with a knack for names. Yesterday Steve emailed notes on installing a Simrad AP20 (SimNet/N2K) autopilot he’s already dubbed “Tina” (as in Turner!). It went aboard his 44’ steel motor-sailor, the S/V Nomadness, which will have quite the systems when done. Steve’s blog has all the gory details, including a run down on the temporary electronics set up above (and the fuller White quote). You see he’s one of those frustrated folks waiting for a Furuno NavNet 3D delivery. {Meanwhile, a few of the Hull Truth posters who aren’t liking NN3D charts have gone around the bend into crazy conspiracy territory, even misinterpreting my entry on the subject; oy!, and more tomorrow.}

Then there were the photos Avery Brott emailed. Avery may be a homeboy, but I know that he sometimes checks out Panbo using sat comms from the offshore drilling ships on which he operates the DP (dynamic positioning) systems. Most recently he’s been minding the DP install as the mighty West Eminence was completed at Samsung’s Geoje shipyard in South Korea. Yesterday’s dramatic shot—below, and bigger here—show it loaded aboard Blue Marlin, bound for Brazil where it will seek oil in bottom almost 8,000’ deep. Imagine the major gizmology on that rig! If you’re as curious as I am about how Dockwise pulls off these moves, watch the “DOCKumentries”  By the way, Avery enjoys operating a much smaller vessel when he’s home in Camden, and had some choice words for last week’s anonymous “Tonka Toy” poster. Big thanks to Steve and Avery, and Panbots everywhere.