That makes sense, Skip, thanks! I would imagine the cruising-grounds are so beautiful and enchanting as to compensate for any navigational challenges anyway . . . --Craig ----- Original Message ----- From: <fml162@aol.com> To: <montgomery_boats@mailman.xmission.com> Sent: Wednesday, December 10, 2003 10:10 PM Subject: Grounding durability The thing about the tides in Maine is that they are predictable. The rocks never move. And that cannot be said for the sand bars on the coast from New Jersey to Texas. Lobster pots are thick, especially in the height of the season, but there are ways to avoid them if one really pays attention to the driving. The good news is that they will just slide over the c/b/keel and should be easy to push off of the rudder with a boat hook. In truth, it is not a big deal, especially when you do not have a prop and strut hanging down and spinning around. Cheers. Skip