# Ironing clothes



## wind_magic (Jun 6, 2006)

Okay, so an electric steam iron takes like 1500 watts of power to use, and that's a bit much for my electrical system. I am investigating options and would love to hear what long time cruisers (or even new ones) use to iron their clothes. I have read a little bit about sad irons, and I think I remember seeing a reference to a butane powered iron. Any ideas ?

I like the sad iron idea because you could heat one up just about anywhere, but I wonder how you control the temperature, or rather, how you sense it is the right temperature. Obviously you can control it by leaving it on the heat or removing it.  I would not want to burn my clothes of course. I think use of a sad iron involves sprinkling good amounts of water on the clothing too, but I don't know much about it, I've only ever used an electric iron. I want to end up with some kind of a workable solution because I like to have my shirts ironed when I am able to have them that way.


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## PBzeer (Nov 11, 2002)

Why would you have any clothes on a boat that need ironed in the first place?


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## wind_magic (Jun 6, 2006)

PBzeer said:


> Why would you have any clothes on a boat that need ironed in the first place?


In a word ... women. 

Some of us are still single and enjoy going out!


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## TSOJOURNER (Dec 16, 1999)

Anybody needing to iron clothes on a boat do not appreciate the beaty of life at sea...time to reload. Sorry, but true.


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## Freesail99 (Feb 13, 2006)

Two Words ..... Permanent press


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## wind_magic (Jun 6, 2006)

greggus said:


> Anybody needing to iron clothes on a boat do not appreciate the beaty of life at sea...time to reload. Sorry, but true.


Oh come on, do you guys not go to church or funerals or anything ? Living on a boat is just like living anywhere else, and sometimes you iron a shirt! I mean surely you guys do actually wear shirts that have been ironed on occasion, right ?


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## Freesail99 (Feb 13, 2006)

To "iron" a shirt one must wet it first the throw it in the dryer.


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## sailingdog (Mar 19, 2006)

Silk and microfiber are your friends...


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## TSOJOURNER (Dec 16, 1999)

wind_magic said:


> Oh come on, do you guys not go to church or funerals or anything ? Living on a boat is just like living anywhere else, and sometimes you iron a shirt! I mean surely you guys do actually wear shirts that have been ironed on occasion, right ?


Sorry, but... Nope


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## TSOJOURNER (Dec 16, 1999)

uspirate said:


> Sorry, but... Nope


Having read the joke post about your sweatshirt by Mrs USPIRATE, I think we know why you don't iron, Aggie. (grew up in San Antonio)


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## cockeyedbob (Dec 6, 2006)

Iron, hmmmmm, how well will it hold in mud? Will the cord provide enough scope? 

Jeez, be shinin' shoes and shavin' every day 'fore ya know it!


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## Valiente (Jun 16, 2006)

1) Tilley clothes.
2) Full service laundries.


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## TSOJOURNER (Dec 16, 1999)

It's not the heat, it's the humility.

Don't you usually find that humidity makes the wrinkles fall out of clothes so that they don't need to be ironed?


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## PBzeer (Nov 11, 2002)

wind_magic said:


> Oh come on, do you guys not go to church or funerals or anything ? Living on a boat is just like living anywhere else, and sometimes you iron a shirt! I mean surely you guys do actually wear shirts that have been ironed on occasion, right ?


Can't even remember the last time I wore an ironed shirt, but I think I was about 12. If you're bound and determined though, and only look for those who are impressed by ironed shirts, lay it out under a cushion, nice and flat and wrinkle free, then put a bunch of weight on it a day or two before you want to wear it.

Formal attire on a boat though, only consists of clothing that doesn't have stains or holes. Unless of course, you're a _Yachtsman_ rather than a sailor 

_On the hard at Deaton's Yacht Service, Oriental, NC_


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## dohenyboy (Aug 16, 2006)

I just ring the steward and he takes care of it.


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## TSOJOURNER (Dec 16, 1999)

Hey, a question I can answer! Downy Wrinkle Releaser is _surprisingly_ effective.
Hal Roth uses a kerosene iron- I checked and there's one on eBay right now but it's in Australia.


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## hellosailor (Apr 11, 2006)

Besides butane or kero irons, there are plain old fashioned IRONS that are heated by placing them on your stove (i.e. on a frying pan, no oil) to heat up, and then quickly used while hot.

Last time I made a mistake and accidentally bought a shirt that needed ironing must have been around 2000. And I still regret it.

Almost everything is available permanent press these days, even permanent press all cotton from Brooks Bros., LLBean, or WalMart. Lots of choices in between.

Or you can find a better prospect for your dates by bemoaning the fact that you've got no iron on your boat and not knowing how to get your shirts ironed. If one doesn't run and says she doesn't mind doing it....get the rigns out. And the pre-nup.<G>


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## wind_magic (Jun 6, 2006)

kyanps said:


> Hey, a question I can answer! Downy Wrinkle Releaser is _surprisingly_ effective.
> Hal Roth uses a kerosene iron- I checked and there's one on eBay right now but it's in Australia.


Hey, look at that! Hal Roth uses an iron! You see that you bunch of heathens ?   

Pbzeer, aren't we all yachtsmen ?  

Ya'll are funny, thanks for the laugh this morning.


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## hellosailor (Apr 11, 2006)

Wind_Magic-
Next time you are anchored in a proper Corinthian Mooring Field, just ask the launch driver when the Chinese Laundry Junk comes around. Usually they pickup in the evening (around the same time as the shoeshine dinks) and drop your shirts and trousers back off early the next morning, along with the newspaper and bakery boats, right after the dog walkers have made their rounds.

(What, you'd tie up anyplace where there's less service than that?! < G > )


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## xort (Aug 4, 2006)

If you insist, get an antique iron that will heat up on the stove as mentioned already. Have a water mister and a towel. Mist the towel & lay the towel over the clothes to be ironed. The moist towel will prevent burns, hopefully.
I haven't ironed pants in years, and I live in a house with 2 irons & plenty of AC available. Permanent press.


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## PBzeer (Nov 11, 2002)

Not me wind, I'm just a plain ol' sailor. Near as I can tell, yachtsmen don't do more than steer, when it's calm, and leave everything else to the crew to do ...... such as ironing their Ralph or Tommy polo shirts


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## Valiente (Jun 16, 2006)

wind_magic said:


> Hey, look at that! Hal Roth uses an iron! You see that you bunch of heathens ?


It doubles as a kellet. In fact, it probably _is _a kellet.


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## tommyt (Sep 21, 2002)

Wind,

Just a bunch of heathens responing to you. Wrinkle free means less wrinkles, and you are then only half way there. As someone whose mother made sure he knew how to iron before I went away to school I think they are nuts.In fact, I supported my beer and cigarette habit for two years in college by doing ironing for the guys that could not figure it out. Since given up the cigarettes. Developed new habits to replace them and stayed with the beer. 

Not sure if you are living aboard and where, but there are not many places where you cannot get laundry service if you need it. A few shirts hanging for those special ladies you want to impress makes total sense to me.


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## SimonV (Jul 6, 2006)

Use The kettle full of boiling water, it works.


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## ebs001 (May 8, 2006)

Use a 9 iron. 
We don't have an ironing iron in our house let alone our boat.


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## Boasun (Feb 10, 2007)

You IRON?? 

Geeesh. Here I was folding instead of tossing to limit the winkles. Also I buy permanent press clothing when necessary. 
But folding your clothes properly before stowing them away will help greatly in the reduction of winkles.


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## TSOJOURNER (Dec 16, 1999)

Mine was like 500-800W IIRC ... buy it here for $29 http://www.target.com/gp/detail.html?ie=UTF8&asin=B00008YGO3&frombrowse=1

Add in the compact ironing board, and you're set!


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## TrueBlue (Oct 11, 2004)

PBzeer said:


> Not me wind, I'm just a plain ol' sailor. Near as I can tell, yachtsmen don't do more than steer, when it's calm, and leave everything else to the crew to do ...... such as ironing their Ralph or Tommy polo shirts


Actually, I have a couple dozen 100% cotton Polo oxfords (in all colors) which have never seen the flatside of an iron. . . . and never will - That's just not right!

Even at business meetings, my cotton button-downs and khakis remain un-ironed . . . coastal business casual attire is the norm in Newport.

Those visiting New Yorker stuffed shirts on the other hand . . .


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## Cruisingdad (Jul 21, 2006)

Lancer28 said:


> Mine was like 500-800W IIRC ... buy it here for $29 http://www.target.com/gp/detail.html?ie=UTF8&asin=B00008YGO3&frombrowse=1
> 
> Add in the compact ironing board, and you're set!


Yep, that was what we did too. Nice little board fit right into the cabinet. However, it WAS A REAL PAIN. Not to mention that in the humidity and heat, you sweat before you are three steps out of the cockpit and the thing is wrinkled again. You can also try hanging it in the shower with you (not inside, just where there is steam). THat gets most of the wrinkels out. I do that on business trips. The truth is that you will not iron-up and go to shore on a dink. It will be wrinkled. You will only live it up on the night-life when plugged into a marina or near marina facilities - where you can plug into 110. Also, after you iron something, put it by itself into the platic bags like you get a the dry cleaners. It will stay wrinkle free for a VERY long time.

- CD


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## sailortjk1 (Dec 20, 2005)

wind_magic said:


> Oh come on, do you guys not go to church?


Apparently you did not read the Religon Thread. 

And I seem to remember a Thread titled, "Why is there a Microwave on board." I think maybe this belongs in the same catagory. (BTW; I use our microwave all the time.)


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## TrueBlue (Oct 11, 2004)

Why not start a poll to see what brand starch sailors have onboard, where's the best location for storing the ironing board and do you drip dry the shirts on the lifelines before starching, or use the wind generator for a spin cycle.


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## Giulietta (Nov 14, 2006)

I sail with dress shirts many times, they are pressed by Lucene, our maid...

She also presses the bed sheets we have on the boat.

We Europeans dress a little different from you guys...people here where I work remarked, several times, that I dress button up dress shirts all the time, even when I am working in dirty environments, and stay prety clean.

Does dressing a shirt make me less sailor?? no...


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## TrueBlue (Oct 11, 2004)

You're a gentleman sailor Giu and appropriate attire for a professional engineer. But . . . ironed sheets on the boat? I don't even get that luxury at home.


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## sailortjk1 (Dec 20, 2005)

I don't have an iron on board because I don't have a maid like G.
I think we should all go out and get a maid......... NOT.
G, you are too cool. You need to get a sign, "MAID ON BOARD."


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## Giulietta (Nov 14, 2006)

sailortjk1 said:


> You need to get a sign, "MAID ON BOARD."


That's funny, she vomits just in the marina.....  

And she's from Brasil, she belongs to one of those religions where they can´t wear short skirts and have to be covered all the time...

She really suffers on the boat...

Before I got the marina cleaning lady, our maid used to come once a week to clean...one day she was late coming from the marina, so I got to the boat...she was green, had not touched anything on the boat, and was lying down on the floor...she was sooooo sick...

The boat wasn't even moving!!!!


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## Cruisingdad (Jul 21, 2006)

Giu, its not what you wear on the boat that scares us, it is what you wear out in public.


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## TrueBlue (Oct 11, 2004)

> And she's from Brasil, she belongs to one of those religions where they can´t wear short skirts and have to be covered all the time...


Reminds me of the Rastafarian refinishers I hired to strip my exterior teak. They belonged to a religion which permits you to be stoned on weed at all times. But they needed to wear hot, knitted caps to keep the dreadlocks from dragging on the varnishwork.

Guess they never realized how hot they actually were.


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## RealityCheck (Jun 2, 2007)

Sorry, but I just can not believe anyone would seriously iron anything any more... on or off a boat... This HAS to be a pull at the leg...


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## Giulietta (Nov 14, 2006)

RealityCheck said:


> Sorry, but I just can not believe anyone would seriously iron anything any more... on or off a boat... This HAS to be a pull at the leg...


Nope..here she is, dry land obviously, getting ready to iron the clothes....

That is the room where Tommyt slept when he was here!!! She wasn't....










Look, you tack better with a nice crease


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## Cruisingdad (Jul 21, 2006)

Giulietta said:


> Nope..here she is, dry land obviously, getting ready to iron the clothes....
> 
> That is the room where Tommyt slept when he was here!!! She wasn't....
> 
> ...


Did you put one of those plastic bed liners under TommyT before he slept on the bed??

- CD


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## bestfriend (Sep 26, 2006)

Do you call the crease in the front the luff and the crease in the back the leech?


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## Giulietta (Nov 14, 2006)

BF...just realized your avatar...he was my hero.....

Blues Brothers is by far my favorite movie....from University times....

His brother...a funny less clown......never got the "thing".....

"We all need somebody to love, cause we're on a mission from God"!!!!!!


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## Giulietta (Nov 14, 2006)

Cruisingdad said:


> Did you put one of those plastic bed liners under TommyT before he slept on the bed??
> 
> - CD


Nope, I brought his favorite yellow wateer proof pajama!!!  

Photoshop in the oven.....   be patient....


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## jorgenl (Aug 14, 2006)

Wassup with the sailing gloves? Is it cold over there in Portugal?


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## Giulietta (Nov 14, 2006)

jorgenl said:


> Wassup with the sailing gloves? Is it cold over there in Portugal?


Nope...but Dyneema gets pretty hot    And this is not a Laser!!


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## Giulietta (Nov 14, 2006)

Cruisingdad said:


> Did you put one of those plastic bed liners under TommyT before he slept on the bed??
> 
> - CD


ok, DONE!!

CD...he got to be friends with Luis, and Luis lent him some of his nighty nighty shorts...if you know what I mean...

We then took turns and tucked him tightly in bed. Marc was there, and tucked Tommyt also....

Even Fred tucked him...he drank his bottle, and slept all night long..the bed....dry in the morning...

TommyT is a good boy!!  

TOMMYT IN PORTUGAL








Ummmm I think I am going to tell everyone Tommyt was a nce boy...what do you think??


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## jorgenl (Aug 14, 2006)

Giu,

Just wondered if it was a European thing that I missed  

I recently saw a bunch of French  guys on a Catalina 30 in a Marina here on the Chesapeake getting ready to go out. They all had sailing gloves on. It was blowing 2 kts at the time


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## Cruisingdad (Jul 21, 2006)

HAHAHAHAHAH!! Oh, he will just love that one!!

- CD


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## Giulietta (Nov 14, 2006)

Cruisingdad said:


> HAHAHAHAHAH!! Oh, he will just love that one!!
> 
> - CD


Sugest you read the most recent threads.....


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## Cruisingdad (Jul 21, 2006)

I am beginning to think his rep points are going to drop. Kinda hard to let that guy sleep in your house, huh? Just curious, you read him a nighttime book also??

- CD

PS Are you certain he did not leak through during the night? Happened with my kids many times. You check the boat?


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## TrueBlue (Oct 11, 2004)

OMG . . . poor Tommy has been subjected to a characterization of infantile proportions!

I've got to hand it to you though Giu, in spite of your cruelty . . . nice job on the head to body morphing.

Regarding Belushi, a complex man who made an incredible contribution to comedy relief - had a brighter future ahead if the drugs and booze didn't get in his way.










Animal House is by far my favorite . . .


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## wind_magic (Jun 6, 2006)

HAHAHA Giu, you are over the top!


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## tdw (Oct 2, 2006)

Belushi - Loved him. For me 1941 was an underated movie and he was wonderful in Continental Divide. None of which is to denigrate the Blues Brothers of course. 

You will all have seen it I'm sure but the Saturday Night Live skit with an aged Belushi at the gravesite of Gilda Radner. Superb.


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## sailortjk1 (Dec 20, 2005)

Chicago area boy who went to High School not far from where I grew up.
I believe his home town was Wheaton, IL and he went to Wheaton Central HS. He never was able to get the monkey off his back. Now, everybody say, "FOOD FIGHT!"


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## sailaway21 (Sep 4, 2006)

I was on a ship once with an English captain. His favorite movie was Animal House. We watched it every Saturday night, for eight months. We supplied the popcorn, he brought the cigars. Good captain, great movie.

trivia for ten: Trigger was the horse's name in the movie. What was the name of the horse that played Trigger?


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## tdw (Oct 2, 2006)

sailaway21 said:


> I was on a ship once with an English captain. His favorite movie was Animal House. We watched it every Saturday night, for eight months. We supplied the popcorn, he brought the cigars. Good captain, great movie.
> 
> trivia for ten: Trigger was the horse's name in the movie. What was the name of the horse that played Trigger?


First up , wasn't the horse in Animal House called 'Trooper' not 'Trigger' ?

and if so it's real name was 'Junior'.


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## sailaway21 (Sep 4, 2006)

Correct on both accounts-I always get confused on the character name and remember "Junior". We've both probably watched it too many times. (g)

" Wombat dies in kiln explosion"


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## Giulietta (Nov 14, 2006)

Hello?? this here's Bob...I gots me a trailer park water pumps that don'ts run....them showers a filling bad....

ehehehehehehe


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## tdw (Oct 2, 2006)

sailaway21 said:


> Correct on both accounts-I always get confused on the character name and remember "Junior". We've both probably watched it too many times. (g)
> 
> " Wombat dies in kiln explosion"


woohoo ! Score one (ten actually) for the marsupial. thank you very much. 

kiln explosion ? am I going potty ?


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## bestfriend (Sep 26, 2006)

Regarding Belushi, if you click on "view profile" theres another shot from the end of the movie when he is the pirate.


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## sailaway21 (Sep 4, 2006)

Tdw,
Yes, Fawn Liebowitz was killed in a kiln explosion. "I don't think I should be alone tonight". "I'll get my coat." "And, do you have three dates for my friends?" What road house did they go to? (for extra credit!)


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## tdw (Oct 2, 2006)

sailaway21 said:


> Tdw,
> Yes, Fawn Liebowitz was killed in a kiln explosion. "I don't think I should be alone tonight". "I'll get my coat." "And, do you have three dates for my friends?" What road house did they go to? (for extra credit!)


Ah yes, of course. Making a pot for Otter ??? Otter was trying to chat up someone's fiancee at the time.

As for the Roadhouse, I know it's real name is/was Dexters but whether that name was used in the movie I don't know.


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## sailaway21 (Sep 4, 2006)

The Dexter Lake Club. "Hit it!" (crunch!!!)

Remember the motto of Faber College, "Knowledge is Good"?


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## tdw (Oct 2, 2006)

sailaway21 said:


> The Dexter Lake Club. "Hit it!" (crunch!!!)
> 
> Remember the motto of Faber College, "Knowledge is Good"?


Wombat Rools the Ruust!!!

Ded rite - noledge is gud indeed.


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## sharkbait (Jun 3, 2003)

1


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## tdw (Oct 2, 2006)

sharkbait said:


> sail naked


but not if you are doing the ironing !!


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## sailaway21 (Sep 4, 2006)

That was td wombat, rush chairman, and he was damn glad to meet you!


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## tdw (Oct 2, 2006)

sailaway21 said:


> That was td wombat, rush chairman, and he was damn glad to meet you!


anything you say, just keep that iron away from my wedding tackle.


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