Activity for James Jenkinsâ€
| Type | On... | Excerpt | Status | Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Question | — |
Vaseline or Teflon grease near potable water? I want to install a deck plate in the top of the fresh water tank of my camp trailer (RV) to allow for cleaning the inside at the start of the season. The product I am looking at recommends "Lubricate with Vaseline or Teflon grease". Looking around to see if Teflon is toxic I found this Non-toxic w... (more) |
— | over 7 years ago |
| Answer | — |
A: How can I capture some really small no-seeums to find out what is plaguing me? You may be allergic to dust mites. Dust Mite Allergy If you have allergies or asthma, a tiny creature living in your home could be making big problems for you. Although you can’t see them, you may be having an allergic reaction to them. They are dust mites and they live in many homes... (more) |
— | over 7 years ago |
| Question | — |
What happens when fiberglass gets wet? I have heard references to gelcoat being a water proof application for a fiberglass boat hull. I have always considered fiberglass as inherently water proof. There are several industries surrounding fiberglass as a roofing product. I know gelcoat serves several purposes, most notably it is smooth a... (more) |
— | over 7 years ago |
| Question | — |
How can I prevent a fiberglass crack in my sailboat from getting worse? There is a crack about 12 inches (30cm) long on the edge of my Sunfish sailboat. I am not sure if the crack is all the way through the fiberglass, or just the gel coat. It is on the corner between the side of and the bottom of the boat. When I push on it I can hear a little noise that could be gla... (more) |
— | over 7 years ago |
| Answer | — |
A: How much flotation does a canoe need? This is based on experiments following the great answer by Chris I purchased two "water proof" barrels. Related How can I keep a water-proof barrel dry for use in a canoe? One is 8 gallons the other is 13 gallons. Every gallon of dry storage adds 8.36 pounds of flotation (minus the weight of the c... (more) |
— | over 7 years ago |
| Question | — |
How can I keep a water-proof barrel dry for use in a canoe? I purchased a couple of used water-proof barrels for keeping things dry in the canoe. They are easy to open and close, so in theory they keep your stuff dry and they float. The lids clamp on (image of 13 gallon, ruler for scale). In reality, if you put them under water, even just partially subme... (more) |
— | over 7 years ago |
| Question | — |
When does a Rope become a Line? As pointed out in a comment by cobaltduck in the question What type of rope to use for the mainsheet of sunfish? the proper name for rope when used on a boat is line. If I go to the store and buy a length of rope and put it on my boat it is now a line. When does it become a line instead of a rope... (more) |
— | over 7 years ago |
| Question | — |
What type of rope to use for the mainsheet of sunfish? I need a new mainsheet (the rope that controls the boom on the main sail) for my sunfish. Many of the online sailboat stores, are selling 8mm FSE Orion for the job. My local Hardware store does not offer this type of rope, but does have Blue Hawk 0.375-in Braided Polypropylene Rope (By-the-Foot), ... (more) |
— | over 7 years ago |
| Question | — |
Drain plug replacement for DePersia Bailer on Sunfish Sailboat I have an early 1970's Sunfish with the old style DePersia Bailer Ad from 1957 The plug is missing I have searched and it appears the old style old style DePersia Bailer is no longer made, the only source for replacement parts are salvage if you can find them. Several options exist for entire ... (more) |
— | over 7 years ago |
| Answer | — |
A: How do you remove a bullet from a cartridge? topshot has a good answer on how to separate the slug from the brass. Brass is designed to be reused, which is why reloading exists. Bullets/slugs are designed to be used once. Reusing the brass as long as it still meets expectations is fine. If you reuse a bullet where the brass was damaged enoug... (more) |
— | over 7 years ago |
| Question | — |
Is it practical to tap a tree for syrup on an overnight stop? We have a couple of questions about the legality of and how to tap trees to get sap. Tree sap is the source of sugary syrups like Maple or Sycamore. The sap can then be evaporated over a fire to leave a high sugar syrup (i.e. Maple Syrup). While the process is not complex, it takes a lot of time a... (more) |
— | over 7 years ago |
| Question | — |
How do I calculate how many watts of energy I need when camping? Generators, fuel cells, solar panels and other power supplies tend to be sold with Watts as the energy value. Some of my electrical devices list amps, how do I convert amps to watts? (more) |
— | over 7 years ago |
| Question | — |
Is there a fuel cell that would be clean and quiet enough for RV/Camper/Trailer use? Gasoline generators are notoriously noisy (some are more quiet) and smelly. Many areas like US national parks have restrictions on the use of generators. Fuel cells are used in many space applications, they are perceived as clean and quiet. Generators can cost upwards of a few thousand dollars, cl... (more) |
— | over 7 years ago |
| Answer | — |
A: Why do some people stand inside the river fishing? Most of the people I see standing in water fishing are wearing hip waders or chest waders essentially really tall rubber boots. They are not getting wet, they are getting farther from shore, and closer to the fish. They are not standing on the shore, for all the same reasons a person in a boat i... (more) |
— | over 7 years ago |
| Question | — |
How do you get back in canoe, by yourself? Getting back in a canoe is not as easy as I thought it was going to be. I also learned that Extra Flotation might be needed So if I am alone in the middle of a body of water, how do I get back in? Are there any device that I should have that might help? I have not been drinking and I am wearin... (more) |
— | over 7 years ago |
| Answer | — |
A: Portable ladder for sailboat? must not damage the boat Damage to the boat is somewhat subjective, you are best able to tell what the owner will consider damage. Anything that rubs against a surface will cause wear. I belong to a community sailing program, multiple boats (sunfish) share multiple accessories, I think every boa... (more) |
— | over 7 years ago |
| Question | — |
When considering GPS battery life where are the best options? I believe the 3 main options for portable GPS currently are: Dedicated GPS unit Smart Phone GPS Watch They all have somethings in common, and each have other considerations also. For this question, if my only concerns are GPS and battery life. Out of the box and/or with available modifications... (more) |
— | over 7 years ago |
| Answer | — |
A: What devices would help me track my outdoor activities and fitness? Why don't you get an inexpensive smart phone instead? For less then $100 (currently some are less than $30) you can get a smart phone at tracfone.com that will do all of that and more. Pair it with a fit bit and still be around $100 (more) |
— | over 7 years ago |
| Question | — |
Is it safe to tie a canoe to the top of your car like this? This time of year, you see a lot of canoes and kayaks going down the road tied to the top of cars. Some of them not as smartly anchored as others. One of the configurations that I see a lot is the "It's not going off the back" method. A quick look at google finds these two examples: Is this m... (more) |
— | over 7 years ago |
| Question | — |
I can't get floating in my canoe again, now what? Canoes are known for tipping over, most come with enough flotation so they won't sink. Stock flotation is often just for neutral buoyancy, adding flotation is an option but if I have not done that, my canoe is likely to sink when I get in, and float back up when I get out. Assuming, I can't get m... (more) |
— | over 7 years ago |
| Question | — |
How much flotation does a canoe need? Yesterday for the first time I turned my canoe over, then I tried to get back in it. I have been thinking about adding a sail to my canoe and now that I know a bit about sailing, I know I need to plan on being able to right the sailing canoe and get back in it. So I took the canoe to the lake to pr... (more) |
— | over 7 years ago |
| Answer | — |
A: How to get out through surf in fins? Walk backwards. The fins will have the least trouble with the water if you walk backwards. (more) |
— | over 7 years ago |
| Question | — |
Alternative Gooseneck options for small home built sail boats I am planning a homebuilt sailing craft that uses a sail similar to the Sunfish (image below) I have seen a few homebuilt sails that use metal electrical conduit for the mast and spars, and am working on a similar design for myself. In the sunfish a Gooseneck is used to connect the boom to the mast.... (more) |
— | over 7 years ago |
| Question | — |
What is the energy difference between green and seasoned fire wood? I know from personal experience that greenwood (freshly cut) does not provide as much heat energy as seasoned wood (has been down for 6-12 months). When burning it spends a lot of it's energy boiling the water out of the wood. It takes more green wood to provide the same amount of heat as you would... (more) |
— | over 7 years ago |
| Answer | — |
A: How much wood can the average person expect to chop in a day? Back in the day when I fit the criteria in the question. Assuming the wood is down and has been seasoned. One Cord {128 cubic feet (3.62 m3)} a day is easy. I used to cut, split and load into the truck in the morning, sell it later in the day and stack it at the buyers house. Do over next day. 2 o... (more) |
— | over 7 years ago |
| Answer | — |
A: How to keep small rocks and stones out of hiking boots? The two answers suggesting the purchase of gaiters seem like a great idea. The same effect can be gained with socks. Either cut the elastic off of a pair of socks that are worn out. Or just roll down the tops of long socks over the cuff of you boot/shoe. If you don't own or wear long socks, and... (more) |
— | over 7 years ago |
| Answer | — |
A: How would a dragonfly get to above 13,400 ft (4000m)? I am not an expert, but this caught my attention. The image appears to be of a common green darner(Anax junius) which is one of 16 North American dragonflies known to migrate Dragon flies are known to migrate along mountain ridges, which Google Maps indicates the location is. Being cold blooded ... (more) |
— | over 7 years ago |
| Answer | — |
A: Will a Rocky Mountain Goat attack a person? While I have not interacted with mountain goats, I used to have a farm with Saanen goats. Goats declare dominance by having the highest position. If they pick high ground and you picker higher ground there will be a problem. A goat will ram you with it's head, or push against you, they are strong ... (more) |
— | over 7 years ago |
| Question | — |
How fast can a snakebite kill? I have been looking around and I see some claims of 15 to 30 minutes. Googling 'snake bite fastest time to death' brings back many different answers. In one place I see Black Mamba with 30 minutes and in another it takes hours. For the sake of this question, assume time to death is when antidote... (more) |
— | over 7 years ago |
| Answer | — |
A: What to consider when shopping for prescription sunglasses? There are some great answers here that helped me make my decision. Making the final decision becomes personal choice. There are several options, with some more heavily weighted to certain needs. Can or do you wear contacts lenses? Consider using non-prescription sunglasses with your prescriptio... (more) |
— | over 7 years ago |
| Answer | — |
A: What are the downsides of baiting game while hunting? I grew up in Washington State (Western US) where baiting was not only unpopular it is illegal. Depending on the animal and the area baiting may or may not be illegal to some extent Example; Waterfowl Hunting and Baiting, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service I currently live in a part of the US where it i... (more) |
— | over 7 years ago |
| Question | — |
What is the smallest island that will support one person indefinitely? In the movie Cast Away with Tom Hanks the character survives 4 years on a small island. But that was a movie. It is a common cartoon image to see a single person on small island with one coconut tree, this seems unlikely to be survivable. In real life José Salvador Alvarenga survived 14 months adr... (more) |
— | almost 8 years ago |
| Question | — |
What should an outdoors traveler know about the biodegradability of plastic? I was wonder how long it takes plastic to biodegrade and if there is anything a person can or should do to facilitate the process for plastics in the outdoors. I know that optimally "Carry in, Carry Out" and "Leave no trace" mean you should not see any plastic in the outdoors that gets left behind. ... (more) |
— | almost 8 years ago |
| Answer | — |
A: When to know it's worth to start with agriculture? Assuming it is not an end of the world scenario, the answer is never start agriculture. If you are not on an island; A traveling hunter/gather in a location that will support agriculture is going to be able to travel to civilization faster then any crop would come in. If the location will not su... (more) |
— | almost 8 years ago |
| Answer | — |
A: How to stash firewood without it getting wet? First realize that firewood has two qualities when it relates to moisture. Green/Seasoned Wet/Dry When a tree is cut down the wood is green. Over time the wood seasons, natural moisture in it evaporates. Depending on the type of wood, it takes 6 to 12 months to become seasoned. Green wood wil... (more) |
— | almost 8 years ago |
| Answer | — |
A: Slingshot resources On the surface this seems like a rather simple question, But imagine if the question was "What should I look for in hunting gun?" Essentially the same question, just a different weapon. I found an article Now: Super Accurate Slingshot(Popular Mechanics Jan 1984) that talks about state of the art 3... (more) |
— | almost 8 years ago |
| Answer | — |
A: How to effectively dry/clean the inside of water bladders? When I need to wash a drinking water bottle, canteen, bladder, etc. I fill it part way with warm water, and add table salt. This particularly effective for areas that have growth or contaminates and can not be effectively scrubbed. Add lots of salt, to the point of saturation (when shaken salt sti... (more) |
— | almost 8 years ago |
| Answer | — |
A: Any tips to prevent theft while tent camping alone in a caravan park? Camping is an outdoor sport, with many opportunities for unexpected events. Don't bring anything that can't be exposed to the weather, and don't bring anything that will cause you emotional hardship if it does not return home with you. I have been camping for years, and have never lost anything t... (more) |
— | almost 8 years ago |
| Answer | — |
A: Is it possible to buy gas cartridges on a Sunday in Reykjavik? I Googled and found there is a least one store (top return) that is open daily from 9AM to 5PM. It also offers 24/7 pickup and drop off of rental supplies. So yes you can get gas cartridges on a Sunday in Reykjavik. Their address is as follows: Barónsstígur 5 101 Reykjavik - Iceland... (more) |
— | almost 8 years ago |
| Question | — |
How can I tell if a wild animal has rabies? If I am in the wild and encounter an animal that I think might be rabid, how can I tell if it has rabies? An animal that has been running hard, or any number of other things could cause it to be foaming at the mouth, but not neccissarily have rabies. Foaming at the mouth is the symptom I most often ... (more) |
— | almost 8 years ago |
| Answer | — |
A: Canoeing in a thunderstorm Your chances of getting hit by lightning while on the water are actually higher then if you are on the beach. (unless you are fishing) Fishing contributed to almost half - 46% - of the water-related deaths involving lightning strikes; while boating (power boats, canoes, sailboats, tubes) added an... (more) |
— | almost 8 years ago |
| Answer | — |
A: What to wear to walk to showers: clothes or towel? I wear my swimming trunks to the shower. My wife wears a pull over sun dress (light weight, thigh length). We wear our shower shoes, we carry our towels and shower supplies. We usually just take soap and shampoo. The soap is in a small plastic container. We wear the same clothing both ways. Dres... (more) |
— | almost 8 years ago |
| Question | — |
What to consider when shopping for prescription sunglasses? I wear bifocal, multi-focus prescription eye glasses. The top is for long range, and the bottoms allow me to tilt my head a bit to bring nearby objects into focus. Finding sunglasses that clip-on, or fit over my prescription glasses is difficult, there are usually no or only a limited selection. ... (more) |
— | almost 8 years ago |
| Question | — |
Optimal timing/routing for a year visiting US national parks? There are 59 National parks in the US. Of which 49 are in the Continental US (lower 48). There are 52 weeks in a year. I would like to take a year and spend about a week camping and exploring each of the 49 National parks in the lower 48. I am camping with a travel trailer, It is important that ca... (more) |
— | almost 8 years ago |
| Answer | — |
A: Quick release knot for attaching kit The bowline knot form a fixed loop at the end of a rope. It has the virtues of being both easy to tie and untie; most notably, it is easy to untie after being subjected to a load. See How do I tie a bowline knot? (more) |
— | almost 8 years ago |
| Answer | — |
A: Marked trail off the Beartooth Highway to a peak You don't need a trail. At the top of the bear tooth hwy you are above the tree line. You can stop along the hwy and see for miles. When you get to Top of the World there are some trees, but not far from there you can see forever. I took this way into the park, the views are extraordinary. (more) |
— | almost 8 years ago |
| Answer | — |
A: How to tow a canoe with a bicycle? What if you want to tow your canoe with a recumbent tricycle? Well I have worked out a solution for that. After much thought and a posting the question Towing with a Recumbent Trike, Tadpole or Delta? I purchased a used Delta Trike (Sun EZ-3 SX). I used the same dolly as I used for the bicycle s... (more) |
— | almost 8 years ago |
| Question | — |
Can you pre-identify the risk of severe Altitude sickness? This BBC news article Mount Everest: Altitude sickness claims third death in four days caught my attention. From what I understand the best cure for Altitude sickness is to get lower, fast. This is not always possible. Is there some kind of test you can do before going up a mountain to asses your... (more) |
— | almost 8 years ago |
| Question | — |
Is it safe to fire 38 caliber rounds in a 357 magnum pistol? I have a .357 revolver. The rounds have a significant amount of kick. When I go out target shooting the kick makes it unpleasant to shoot before I have gone through a full box of ammunition. Someone told me you can fire 38 caliber rounds in a 357, but I am not sure that is a good idea. Is it safe... (more) |
— | almost 8 years ago |
| Question | — |
What is the difference between a rifle and a shotgun? This is one of those things, that seems like it has just always been in my knowledge. A recent comment about rifles on a question about shotguns got me thinking, it really is not all that simple. They make slugs that you can fire in a shotgun, and they make shot you can fire in a rifle. If they ca... (more) |
— | almost 8 years ago |