Issue No. 3   July/August 2002	Editor: Joshua Radon

This month we are proud to feature the Port San Luis Harbor boat, our newest fire and rescue boat. The all-purpose rescue boat, which was just delivered, represents the culmination of nearly two years of design, planning and construction, both on the part of the Port San Luis Harbor district and our company.  The boat is powered by twin 220 horsepower Mercruiser diesel engines with Bravo 2 outdrives. Each engine features a hydraulic pump, which is responsible for the innovative fire pump system. With a simple flip of the two clutch switches on the hydraulic pumps, there is instant water flow. While this system is commonly seen on fire trucks, this is the first time I have seen it used on a boat. Though the boat has two engines for extra reliability, the fire pump can operate using just one engine. This extra level of redundancy insures that the fire fighters can do their job, even if one engine happens to give out.  In many ways, this boat is a testament to the knowledge that we have gained in our years of building custom boats.  Many of the features on the boat, like the 500 gallon per minute water pump and the heavy duty tow bit, are usually only found on larger vessels. The entire crew at D.R. Radon Boat Building is extremely honored to have been given the opportunity to work on such an innovative and interesting project as this.  In addition, the staff at Port San Luis Harbor District was great to work with. Their knowledge and cooperation was crucial to the success of the boat, particularly during the designing process.  We owe them a big "Thank you" for all their help!

Don Radon, President, D.R. Radon Boat Building, Inc.

Above left: Off to the rescue!  Thirty knots is no problem for the Port San Luis boat, as it 
comfortably glides through the open sea, showing off its high speed and high performance 
capabilities.  Above right: The pump in action.

Right:  The water pump that everyone's talking about.

With the summer coming to an end, our crew decided to throw a pot-luck barbeque.  It was a nice way for everyone to hang out without having to worry about the constant pressure of being at the boatyard.  Not only did everyone have a great time, but the food was delicious, especially Rene's barbequed chicken and tri-tip.  The party was held at Refugio Beach and highlights included drinking beer, eating chicken, and watching the newest Olympic sport, Old White Guy Surfing.  Fun times for all involved, no doubt!

Above: The crew poses for their beauty shots.

As it turns out, we had the Emeril of the grill right here at our own shop and didn't even know it!  After preparing such a great barbeque, we decided to ask Rene (our assistant shop Foreman) for some tips on cooking up some tasty victuals.

• To start with, fill a spray bottle up with soy sauce and beer.  That's right, soy sauce and beer.  Once you've achieved this sophisticated mixture of alcohol and oriental spices, douse your meat of choice with the aforementioned concoction.
  
  
• When barbequing chicken, it is very important to cut slits through the skin to keep the chicken moist.  This allows you to cook the outside and the inside simultaneously without overcooking either part.
  
  
• As you may have noticed, grills at parks and beaches aren't always in mint condition.  A novel way to clean them is to cut off the fat from a nice big piece of seasoned tri-tip.  Then use that spiced fat to scrub the grill with.  You will be surprised at the great results you get.  And, oh yes, don't forget to discard the fat after you're done with it.

Above: Look out vegans!  Rene displays his superior meat cooking skills at the crew picnic.

This month's shop tip is a little on the complicated side, so much so that a simple explanation wouldn't suffice.  The following diagram describes a system for routing battery power we've been using at the boat yard for about the past year.  With this system, it is not necessary to switch between the two batteries for charging purposes.  An additional advantage to this system is that it prevents you from running down both of your batteries at once, which is an important safeguard, especially if you are stuck on the back side of Santa Rosa with no battery power.  It's amazing how few sea creatures carry a set of jumper cables with them.

Check out the diagram
below for a detailed explanation.

Look out Son, that halibut's bigger than you are!  1964 was a great year for halibut, as you can see from this picture of these Radons, Ron Sr., Don, Mike, and Uncle George.