FREQUENTLY
ASKED QUESTIONS (send
yours to eileen@eileenquinn.com)
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Where's
your
performance schedule? In the bathtub. I kid you not. One of the great features of a Bayfield 36 is that it has a little bathtub. I used to really enjoy splashing around in it. Now I keep all my music equipment there. It's a pretty secure spot for that stuff but my personal hygiene has really suffered! What kind of a guitar do you play? I play an Ovation Legend. The marine environment is hard on all instruments and the partial plastic construction of this guitar makes it a good ocean-going choice. I played a Guild previously but found that it didn't like passagemaking. While you may love the romance of playing your guitar on the beach, it will shorten it's lifespan. So what - it will probably lengthen yours. What sound equipment do you carry on board? I have a Yamaha 6 channel mixer with graphic equalization, a couple of Peavey speakers and stands, a Fostex monitor, and all the cables that run between them. (Yes, it all fits in the tub.) What do you do about strings? That's a good one. Strings take about two minutes to tarnish when you're on a boat. I use D'Addario strings that come in enviro packs (less paper). They package them in a plastic bag that emits a gas that prevents tarnish. I also faithfully wash the ever present salt off my hands before I pick up my guitar. And I use a string cleaner after playing to prolong the life of the strings. All of the above have made a big difference to string life aboard. What has been your longest passage? Twelve days. Beaufort, North Carolina to Sint Maarten in the Eastern Caribbean. Wish I could say it was fun ... but it got us where we wanted to go. The last few years, we have been favouring longer passages to places where we spend more time rather than being constantly on the move. What do you like best about the lifestyle? I like feeling connected to the natural world. I like cruisers. The cruising community is unique in its warmth and openness. I like experiencing new places, especially those with cultures that are so different from mine. What do you like least about it? Seasickness. It's the price of admission I pay to cruise. Would you like a bigger boat? Would you like to varnish and wax it for me? Sometimes I covet more space but I wouldn't really want to have to look after it. (So, if you were thinking of buying me a bigger boat, don't forget to buy the crew members too.)
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