I learned a trick that can save you money and make using your onboard oil lamps more pleasant. Just add one ounce of rubbing alcohol (Isopropyl alcohol) to each gallon of wick test quality kerosene for cleaner burning and less aroma. No need to measure exactly, in fact a bit more is better than a bit less. We suggested this to Wayne and Norma Daum, friends who live near Galesville MD and they used it for the big kerosene-burning heater in their enclosed porch last winter. Said it was absolutely amazing.

As many of you may already know, we have tried to encourage people who work with wood, either boatbuilding or just adding new hatches and woodwork to glass, steel or woodenboats, to be cautious in their choice of adhesives. Unfortunately, when we suggested using long-lasting, gap filling low 50° temperature resorcinol's instead of epoxies which even the manufactures admit have short lives, are heat sensitive and present major health risks, the inevitable answer was - but where can we find the easy to use resorcinol's? Finally, there is someone from the big end of this adhesives world, guys who work with industrial strength adhesives who have now become interested in us smaller boatbuilders. Give Jeff Pitcher at Custom Pak Adhesives a call at 1-800-454-4583, fax him at 740-763-2888, write to 11047 Lams Lane, Newark, Ohio 43055, or visit their website www.custompak.com. They carry Aerodux 500 as reviewed in Woodenboat, November 1998. It is surprisingly cheap considering it is imported from the UK. At $70 a gallon (2 gallon kit), it beats the price of any epoxy on the market.

Found something that we definitely plan to keep on board to spice up passage making menus - Ready Crisp Premium Cut Bacon. It is fully cooked and vacuum packed so keeps for up to two years without refrigeration. Each pack contains 20 strips. Don't have much fat left on them and with about 20 seconds of heating taste really good. Though not as perfect as fresh cooked bacon, I found them tasty additions to sandwiches and in Spanish rice. You might find them in the refrigerator compartment at the supermarket or contact SHK, Madison WI 53725.