Tweet
I'm posting something I wrote to the A4 Sailnet list when I heard that listmate Urban Shicks was sick and in the hospital. He was known to the list as simply "qshicks." Qshicks was a master mechanic who loved the A4. I'm very sad tonight. It's like I've lost a family member. Those of you who knew him, know that without his generosity and expertise, the world of the A4 is diminished. I'll never start my A4 again without thinking of him.
From: Joseph O'Connor <joseph@blacktelephone.com>
Date: Thu Oct 7, 2004 10:08:51 PM America/Los_Angeles
To: Qshicks@aol.com
Cc: <atomic4-list@sailnet.net>
Subject: Re: Our best to Qshicks
Qshicks,
You're one of those people who keep everyone else going. Your leadership and expertise on the A4 list is tremendous. I have been living with an A4 for two years now and I wouldn't know anything about it without you and the A4 list. I'd be like all those countless people who hire a mechanic who tells them to forget the A4 and repower. This happened to a guy on my dock a few months back. He bought a boat with an A4, couldn't start it, and called in a mechanic. The mechanic pulled a plug and found water in the cylinder and naturally, that was all he was willing to do other than suggest a diesel rebuild. Of course, the owner of the boat didn't know that repeated cranking can introduce water into the engine, and that he probably just needed to do some troubleshooting first and he might just have gotten that engine to kick over.
I told the boat owner to go get some MMO and I'd come over right away and help him see if we could get it started. He decided not to do anything and went back to his boat muttering about hanging an outboard off the back of the boat. That's because he doesn't know that somewhere in the world is a man who is generous and knowledgeable, a real gentleman, someone who will answer his questions in a flash, someone who lends his knowledge to the world for free to help others with this strange interest, an interest in keeping something old but useful alive and kicking: Qshicks. Here's hoping that you have a speedy recovery and that you get out of the hospital alive and kicking, because I don't think we'll do as well without you as we do with you.
Joseph
1977 C-27 #3489 "Surprise"
South Coast Corinthian Yacht Club
Marina Del Rey, California
From: Joseph O'Connor <joseph@blacktelephone.com>
Date: Thu Oct 7, 2004 10:08:51 PM America/Los_Angeles
To: Qshicks@aol.com
Cc: <atomic4-list@sailnet.net>
Subject: Re: Our best to Qshicks
Qshicks,
You're one of those people who keep everyone else going. Your leadership and expertise on the A4 list is tremendous. I have been living with an A4 for two years now and I wouldn't know anything about it without you and the A4 list. I'd be like all those countless people who hire a mechanic who tells them to forget the A4 and repower. This happened to a guy on my dock a few months back. He bought a boat with an A4, couldn't start it, and called in a mechanic. The mechanic pulled a plug and found water in the cylinder and naturally, that was all he was willing to do other than suggest a diesel rebuild. Of course, the owner of the boat didn't know that repeated cranking can introduce water into the engine, and that he probably just needed to do some troubleshooting first and he might just have gotten that engine to kick over.
I told the boat owner to go get some MMO and I'd come over right away and help him see if we could get it started. He decided not to do anything and went back to his boat muttering about hanging an outboard off the back of the boat. That's because he doesn't know that somewhere in the world is a man who is generous and knowledgeable, a real gentleman, someone who will answer his questions in a flash, someone who lends his knowledge to the world for free to help others with this strange interest, an interest in keeping something old but useful alive and kicking: Qshicks. Here's hoping that you have a speedy recovery and that you get out of the hospital alive and kicking, because I don't think we'll do as well without you as we do with you.
Joseph
1977 C-27 #3489 "Surprise"
South Coast Corinthian Yacht Club
Marina Del Rey, California
Comment