I vote not to add any more plastic to our waterways. I wonder if it really does spend eternity at 20 fathoms, or if it breaks apart some, ending up in the food chain, filling stomachs and starving critters to death. The picture of the albatross carcass in the second article is amazing. http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2007/10/19/SS6JS8RH0.DTL&hw... http://www.mindfully.org/Plastic/Ocean/Moore-Trashed-PacificNov03.htm Happy Sailing! grace M15 #478 "bob" "John R. Butler" <theoldcat@cox.net> wrote: Another two cents, plus tax, from the Ozarks: My last sailboat with a genuine head was the classic old Pearson Triton, and it was from the era of "pump it overboard." I have used buckets ever since, and my current M15 "REJOYCE!" (#361) uses the most satisfactory (and cheapest) bucket yet, a "5051030 bucket 8qt hot color" from the ubiquitous "Tractor Supply Co." for $4.44. It is fairly short, very robust, has a wide rounded lip at the top which is gentle to the tush, and the really heavy wire handle (not the least bit gentle to the tush) can be removed, leaving two holes in the lip which readily accept a short piece of line for a simple handle. It also works well for washing the dirty boat or washing the dirty and sweaty skipper. Mine lives on the cockpit sole, and keeps a wet sponge and synthetic chamois (which replaces towels completely). A serious question: For one-day sails, a good plastic bag suffices for each use, and I am experimenting with the large "zip- loc" bags for longer periods. BUT: I used to weight the bag with a few stones from the beach and let it sink to spend eternity at ten to twenty fathoms. I rationalized that my contribution was miniscule compared to the deposits made by fish, amphibians, game animals, hunting dogs, game and otherwise fowl (Canada geese really make big piles), cattle, bear, on and on. So, what is the consensus? Is a weighted plastic bag ingenious or despicable? Illegal? Or what? Any legal eagles in the Montgomery Brotherhood with inputs? .--.-. | ( ( )__ \ _ / (_, \ ) ,_) | -== (_) ==- -'--`--' /|\ / \ / | \ | ^^ / | \ / | \ ^^ /361| \ / | \ / | \ ^^ / | \ ___/____| \ ______|_ \ ___ _______/ ==== \___\___/ | ÂMONTGOMERY 15Â / ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~^~~^=~^~~-=~^~^~=~^~=~~^~= ~^~=~~^=~^~~^~^=~^~-~^~~^~= ^~=~^~=~~^~~=~~=~^~=~~^~~^~^^ John Butler - First M15 was #264 _______________________________________________ http://mailman.xmission.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/montgomery_boats --------------------------------- Be a better friend, newshound, and know-it-all with Yahoo! Mobile. Try it now.