These days it seems that being “green” is on everyone’s lips. However, some do it better than others. How about VW gaming the system with some fancy software in their diesel cars that somehow knows to run “green” when the car is being checked for emissions and yet still be plenty “brown” when running down the highway. Anyway, it appears that VW isn’t so green after all. Oops!
I am also amused with articles that I have read recently about mega-yachts that are portrayed as “green” because they treat their waste prior to sending it over the side, or have LED bulbs. Are you “green” enough to boast that you are burning ONLY 75 gallons of diesel an hour verses 150? Hmm…
So what about Pandora? For her, I’d say that “being green” can mean a lot of things. Of course, the first one that comes to mind when you see her is that she is indeed “green” and a very dark green at that, with her forest green hull. Yes, she is very green with the possible exception of those scratches and dings from, well, from her habit of making contact with anything that comes within ten feet of her.
The broker that sold the “old” Pandora for us told me that “there are two colors for boats, white and stupid”. Well, given what a magnet for scratches “green” Pandora is, I have to agree. However, with apologies to Billy Crystal, “Pandora, you look marvelous“, green or not. Besides, with a little bit of touch-paint she looks nearly perfect when you apply the “ten foot rule”. Alas, I digress…
Another way of being “green”, as VW apparently isn’t, is to be energy efficient and Pandora surely performs well by that measure. Of course sailboats, by definition are “green”, however Yanmar diesel withstanding, Pandora really is pretty “green” by energy efficiency standards. With her 600 watts of solar panels and the ability to run her systems indefinitely from that source alone, is great. If it weren’t for the need to have hot water, we could happily go along hardly burning any fuel at all. And being a bit “brown” is prudent as some girls (read: Brenda) don’t like cold showers.
So, what’s the other way that Pandora’s green? Right now the best example of how Pandora is showing her stuff and is particularly “green”, as this photo illustrates is that there is a veritable crowd of “worker guys”, and their trucks, visiting Pandora regularly. It’s pretty clear that having them hang around is causing plenty of “green” to leave my wallet. Ouch!!! 
Of course, at the head of the procession was the rigger who made up a new backstay with insulators to allow me to use it as the antenna for my SSB radio. Nice truck guys! I also had them check out the rest of the rig to be sure that there were no weak spots that I should attend to. Don’t they look like they are having fun? So far, they have visited something like four times and no HUGE problems discovered. Whew but “green” indeed!
And, let’s not forget the “bow thruster fixit guys”. I can’t believe that I even have one of these nifty gadgets, but Pandora’s is on the fritz. I should also notice that these guys, like riggers, travel in pairs. Thank goodness that Pandora sports not one but two two chain lockers so each guy gets his very own locker. How cozy. 
Of course, the thruster worked just fine when the survey was done in May. Now, not so well. It seems that there was a “flood”, perhaps more than one, in the bow compartment that houses the thruster motor and controls at some time prior to our taking delivery. As a result, corrosion has taken it’s toll. Don’t you just hate it when that happens?
As part of the permanent fix, I am also going to have two, count em, two, bilge pumps installed so that any water that finds it’s way into the thruster compartment won’t stay there for long. And I won’t tell how much “green” this fix is going to cost. Can you say “time and materials”? Not to worry, the “thruster guys” say it with flair.
But wait, there’s more. It seems that the engine has a, perhaps minor, oil leak that wasn’t obvious at the survey either. Funny how that happens. However, now it is. Isn’t this getting more fun by the minute? Next week there will be yet another mechanic climbing aboard Pandora to check things out. I wonder if they travel in pairs too? I guess I’ll have to wait and find out.
Yes indeed, Pandora is plenty “green” and in more ways than one. And, if there was an Olympic competition for being “green” in the $$$ department I expect that she’d be a strong contender for “gold”.
Oh well, as my dad used to say “It’s only money”. Some say that they want their last check (You know, the one you write on the day before you die?) to bounce and if that was my goal, then this round of “being green” gets me just a bit closer.
Well, nobody ever said that “being green” was going to be easy but perhaps there wasn’t anyone that ever said it better than everyone’s favorite frog, my old buddy, Kermit.
Yup, being green can be tough but I’m up for it so, to paraphrase Admiral Farragut, “dam the torpedos, full steam ahead”. Ha!. I’ll bet you didn’t think that I’d find a way to fit in yet another reference to submarines.
So, Caribbean here we come! It’s going to be great and, if a liberal application of “green” helps us get there safely than I am all for that. Besides, it’s a BOAT and as every one knows that means (B)ring (O)n (A)nother (T)housand.
So far, Pandora is being true to her “green” self in every way.