65- by 32-foot catamaran 3200sqft of living space

[floating dutchman]

Thank you SRPD. BTW, I think was told this was not a boat day for the officer I talked to, so I may have had nothing at all to do with the police being involved today.

If you're intent on breaking your arm patting yourself on the back regarding this man's arrest, please do try to get your facts straight. He was arrested by the Marin County Sheriff, not the San Rafael Police.
As for the alleged altercation? I am quite skeptical, in that he would have been booked for assault, regardless of whether the harbormaster chose to press charges (or not).

And finally, to the doubters: visit the to the Marin Couint Sheriff's Office Booking Log and select either button, since the arrest occurred less that 48 hours ago. Once to the page, search for "Lane."

1) I was there and the four cars and multiple officers who responded were all San Rafael PD, not County Sheriff. I know the difference. 2) If you follow that sheriff's office link and search on "Lane" HR's record does indeed come up, but listed under "Arrest Agency" is "San Rafael PD."
On the finger business, this is second hand, but just as I arrived near the marina office one of the marina staff walked by talking on his cell and I heard "hot Rod" . . . . "split his finger" (my emphasis) . . . . "now the police are all over here." (and a lot of laughing)

The guy being interviewed by police outside the marina office definitely had blood on his face.

The marina staff are using his S.A. name ..??Who is this "inside man"??

I think the Name Hotrod came from an article somewhere, I was under the impression that is what James calls himself. (red) Viking is a SA name, And I'm picking that Michael will keep if for a while yet, even outside of SA.

 

[shadowraiths]

I think the Name Hotrod came from an article somewhere

That would be correct.

Fifty-one-year-old James "Hot Rod" Lane and his 28-year-old son, Michael Johnson, have been laboriously building the eight-ton, twin-hulled craft over the past three years, most of that time in the Loch Lomond parking lot, becoming an ongoing object of curiosity in the bayside neighborhood.

link

 

[grouchyIRL]

Can someone do a summary update from the FH getting stuck in the mud?

Real Hot Rod and family came on here (?), threatened people (?), wasn't listening to a helpful word anyone said and then...??? Arrest?

 

[Dervish]

Look at all the newbies here waiting to see something bad happen to someone.

Sadly, the obsessive behavior of most here, looking for blood, waiting for the I told you so moment, and the stalking by some who just had to poke their butt heads where they don't belong contributed to this situation. Keyboard sailors suck. Funny how I kept mentioning Thor Heyerdahl and his BALSA boat making it 4300 miles in 1947 and not one of you fucknuts wanted to comment on that... But you all probably drive Hunters and BendyToys anyways, if you even have boats... Now that HR came here, some of you softened, but seriously, most of you fucks are just that... Stoopid fucks...

Serious bidness is the Interwebz.
Sorry if this [June] article was posted previously: http://www.marinij.com/ci_23414207/lib-at-large-father-son-finally-launch-big

After reading this, my conclusion is that HR probably has some disabilities and I feel sorry for the situation he's put himself in.

That does not make it less fascinating.

 

[floating dutchman]

Look at all the newbies here waiting to see something bad happen to someone.

Sadly, the obsessive behavior of most here, looking for blood, waiting for the I told you so moment, and the stalking by some who just had to poke their butt heads where they don't belong contributed to this situation. Keyboard sailors suck. Funny how I kept mentioning Thor Heyerdahl and his BALSA boat making it 4300 miles in 1947 and not one of you fucknuts wanted to comment on that... But you all probably drive Hunters and BendyToys anyways, if you even have boats... Now that HR came here, some of you softened, but seriously, most of you fucks are just that... Stoopid fucks...

Serious bidness is the Interwebz.
Sorry if this [June] article was posted previously: http://www.marinij.com/ci_23414207/lib-at-large-father-son-finally-launch-big

After reading this, my conclusion is that HR probably has some disabilities and I feel sorry for the situation he's put himself in.

That does not make it less fascinating.

Actually it does, Hotrod appears to be from a trailer trash background (my own assumption) or at least a disadvantaged situation, Then a drunk causes a crash he's in and he winds up with a payout, We know nothing about the payout so lets assume its above board.Then instead of pissing the newfound dough against a wall the decides to build a boat with his son.

So far so good.

Unfortunately he has no idea how to build a boat and he's to stubborn to ask.

Going by today’s arrest he has a 'background'.

Seems he was trying to do something with his life, He put a LOT of work into that boat!

Makes it more sad than fascinating.

 

[Somebody Else]

 

[Boston1]

Well, he's gotta see the judge in the morning and that's about the soonest he's going to be loose again. My bet is the bond will be the hard part, the bike idea is a good one except how do you get it off that wreck stuck out in the mud ? Not sure its worth the 11k anyway but it looks like all they have to bargain with.

Bail bondsman will want 10% up front and something for collateral, bike might work, and $1,100 is chicken feed, I bet he's out by noon.

The assault is a whole other matter though. The DA is likely going to be interested in the police report and just because charges aren't listed doesn't mean they aren't forthcoming. Assault around here is bad news, not sure what Cali thinks about it, but its instant jail in this neck of the woods.

Something tells me a night in the cooler will do nothing to wake up the Rod. If anything it will only embitter him to the remain within his own fantasy to the bitter end.

Its pretty obvious the stress of fighting the reality is getting to him. The amount of energy it must take for him to avoid facing this monumental failure must be taxing an already "unique" personality.

It will be very very interesting to see what he does once loose again.

I predict this isn't the last we see of Rod Moe, Curly or Larry.

Thought I'd call a nurse just in case there were any actual injuries involved

 

[floating dutchman]

^^ who in there right mind would photo-shop udders on nice looking lass like her?

 

[Somebody Else]

He's finally made it to the top!

Also, it looks like the internet's favorite looter is trying to horn in on the attention:

 

[Pertinacious Tom]

Look at all the newbies here waiting to see something bad happen to someone.

Sadly, the obsessive behavior of most here, looking for blood, waiting for the I told you so moment, and the stalking by some who just had to poke their butt heads where they don't belong contributed to this situation. Keyboard sailors suck. Funny how I kept mentioning Thor Heyerdahl and his BALSA boat making it 4300 miles in 1947 and not one of you fucknuts wanted to comment on that... But you all probably drive Hunters and BendyToys anyways, if you even have boats... Now that HR came here, some of you softened, but seriously, most of you fucks are just that... Stoopid fucks...

Serious bidness is the Interwebz.
Sorry if this [June] article was posted previously: http://www.marinij.com/ci_23414207/lib-at-large-father-son-finally-launch-big

After reading this, my conclusion is that HR probably has some disabilities and I feel sorry for the situation he's put himself in.

That does not make it less fascinating.

Actually it does, Hotrod appears to be from a trailer trash background (my own assumption) or at least a disadvantaged situation, Then a drunk causes a crash he's in and he winds up with a payout, We know nothing about the payout so lets assume its above board.Then instead of pissing the newfound dough against a wall the decides to build a boat with his son.

So far so good.

Unfortunately he has no idea how to build a boat and he's to stubborn to ask.

Going by today’s arrest he has a 'background'.

Seems he was trying to do something with his life, He put a LOT of work into that boat!

Makes it more sad than fascinating.

My tragedy and comedy meters are both pretty well pegged by HR and his boat.

I don't think the boat is anywhere close to ready for the ocean, but I don't think it's the fragile paper mache shell that some here seem to think it is. I have had to destroy various similar structures and it's hard work.

HR and family: in case you are listening, I know your boat is sheathed in West System epoxy. Encapsulated is a bad word for what you have done. I refer you to EPOXYWORKS #25, Summer 2007, from the people who made that stuff.

They did tests on moisture exclusion capabilities of their products and competing products. The winner:

Of note is the observation that two-component sheathing epoxy adhesive was second only to complete encapsulation in paraffin wax as a moisture excluding barrier.

That's right, the wax won, and even wax allows some moisture intrusion. This is the long term problem with plywood that has ANY voids inside. There is no such thing as a void moisture can not reach.

This is why people think your boat will become soggy and disintegrate. They are right. It will happen, though not as quickly as some here think.

 

[mad]

The altercation started in the Marina office around 1 today after HR entered and demanded to know why his marina access gate key was turned off.. He was told that since he was no longer part of the marina residents, that it was standard procedure until the key was returned. Evidently HR wasn't happy with this answer and started becoming belligerent and shoved the Harbor Master which started a fight and culminated in HR biting part of the Harbor Masters finger off (hence the previously reported blood) and fled the office. He was apprehended in front of DE dock access gates where you all know the rest of the story.

- From a resident in the Marina that was there today.

He bit a fingertip off?

Anyone who talks to him after this is crazy if that's true.

Lets hope Guy is still reading this before he jumps in to offer support.

 

[nos4r2]

A (sensible?) question.

If you totally encapsulate 3/8 CDX ply in West System,how hard is it to penetrate the epoxy and get to the ply? We dont' get CDX over here, it's all graded differently and uses different woods. What I think is our equivalent is all softwood,would dent if you lean on it hard and a dewy night will warp and delaminate it. Will panel flexing do it, or would for example sitting the boat on some stones do it?

Is FH totally encapsulated in West system, or is it another type of epoxy? Or is it just epoxy inside and a thin skin of polyester resin with taped joins on the outside?

 

[Pertinacious Tom]

In the Gougeon test, they used a Florida room. The environmental conditions were a lot like my back yard most August afternoons before the thunderstorms arrive. Water vapor penetrates better than liquid water, so they hung the test samples in the Florida room to see how much water they would soak up. The test lasted two months.

You can download a pdf of the article describing the tests here:

http://www.epoxyworks.com/25/index.html

 

[mad]

Hahahahahahaha wow.

You know i heard this forum was full of do nothing little punks but i had nooooo idea. You are literally the saddest little group of punks ive ever read..and that says something. ill let you get back to convincing yourselves you arent losers now.

and you just joined up to post that!! :lol:

 

[nos4r2]

Sorry, my bad wording though. By penetrate, I meant how hard is it to physically penetrate the epoxy barrier with an object-like a rock the boat is sat on, or will flexing make the coating crack?

Very interesting and useful reading though, thanks-and it explains what would have been the followup question.

I'm guessing given the construction of the FH, we're not going to noticeably see any waterline changes from moisture ingressThe majority of the ingress will be below the waterline if the resin coating gets damaged, (given that it seems more likely that sitting aground will damage the coating, and that the hull skin itself weighs very little, so the 25%ish weight gain wouldn't be much) which accounts for a fairly small % of the overall structure and therefore weight.

I'm also assuming that:-

1) 3/8 CDX will only gain 25% weight in moisture (I could well be wrong)

2)that the outer skin of CDX will fail significantly quickly, giving the 2x4's relatively little time to absorb water.

3) FH currently isn't leaking, so the 2x4's and framework currently isn't absorbing water from actual in-water contact.

Of course, that's also dependent on whether someone decides to launch the Bayliner at the side of the hull again.

So, if there's a failure the 1st thing we're going to see is the FH sitting on the bottom.

 

[Pertinacious Tom]

Sorry, my bad wording though. By penetrate, I meant how hard is it to physically penetrate the epoxy barrier with an object-like a rock the boat is sat on, or will flexing make the coating crack?

...

An epoxy/glass skin can flex some, but flexing can crack it.

An earlier pic showed some rocks in that mud flat. I'd guess that if the hull settled on a rock in muck, it would push the rock further into the muck. If the rock wouldn't move and was pointy, point-loading could crack or penetrate the skin.

 

[floating dutchman]

So, who's looking after the girls on the boat? Do they know how to row the tender ashore? tend the anchoring system? Look after the boat if the weather turns nasty?

I assume the there are folk on the boat who has less of an idea how to handle a boat than Hotrod,

Who's looking after the mess now?

 

[Pertinacious Tom]

...

3) FH currently isn't leaking, so the 2x4's and framework currently isn't absorbing water from actual in-water contact....

From the Gougeon test article:

This is an accelerated test because the Florida room conditions create water vapor, and water vapor is much more energetic than liquid water. This energized water vapor will penetrate a semipermeable membrane much faster than liquid water will.

They used water vapor because it penetrates faster, but that suggests liquid water penetrates, just more slowly.

 

[billy backstay]

So, who's looking after the girls on the boat? Do they know how to row the tender ashore? tend the anchoring system? Look after the boat if the weather turns nasty?

I assume the there are folk on the boat who has less of an idea how to handle a boat than Hotrod,

Who's looking after the mess now?

First day off in two weeks, and lots to do; so I can't read the last 3 pages here, can someone give me the cliff notes?? HR is in jail after getting into it with LL Marina manager, I got that. Is his son also in jail? If so, FD raises a good question; who is looking after HR's Mom and sister, or whoever she is? I'll wait a couple minutes for update, then have to go change a faucet and some other slumlord repairs... Thanks!

 

[Boston1]

I suspect the Viking is still aboard and watching over things, although I'm not sure if he can move the FH on his own. Its not like the Wednesday deadline is set in stone, at worst he'll just get a ticket, although if he's anything like Rod, which he does seem to be, he'd likely be avoiding the law as best he can right about now.

Wouldn't that be rich if they both got arrested

Kinda makes you wonder what will snap first, the FH or the Rod. At this point I just feel sorry for them both. Even if he gets out today, pretty likely IMHO he's still stuck in the mud with no where to go and no way to go there. His psychological condition might not be sound enough to handle the grim reality of his predicament. Just about anything could happen when he's forced to act on a situation which does not fit in with his psychosis. Its often something small to, like his key not working, and who he takes it out on could also be a complete toss up, like the guy in the marina office who apparently was the victim of Rods last tirade. This could get a lot uglier before its all over.

At this point just hoping no one gets hurt and no one ends up in a rubber room.

My bet is he gets out today and makes a bee line for the back bay area.