By Fran Clark
Welcome to the healthy lifestyle corner. This corner will present
information and ideas related to health, safety and fitness for
the boater and land lover alike.
LIFE PRESERVERS Summer 2000
RECOVERY
Spring is a time of 'recovery'. It is a time to
recover from the long months of winter and spring into action
'recovering' boats and bodies that have been dry docked (couched)
for the winter.
The last issue of "Life Preservers" addressed heart rate and exercise. The key to knowing how well you have or haven't been exercising is based on your rate of recovery from the exercise (heart rate). A person who has been dry docked often has a pre or resting heart rate that is high or around 80. During exercise, even brisk walking, they find that their pulse accelerates quickly, exceeding 60-80% of their maximum heart rate (220-age).
Finally, it takes them longer than 5 minutes to return
to the pre exercising heart rate from which they started. This
'recovery' rate is an assessment of your level of fitness. Of
course if it takes you three days to recover to a resting heart
rate after preparing your boat for the upcoming season, that is
a good indication that something is wrong too.
So, when exercising, monitor your heart rate before,
during and after. Three minutes after exercise you should recover
to within 20 to 30 beats of your pre exercising heart rate. Within
5-10 minutes, if you have really been doing your homework, you
should return to the initial rate.
Boats have a rate of recovery also. Of course the more you do in the fall, the quicker a boat recovers for the season in the spring. A few products (I do not have stock in these companies) that I have found to hasten the spring recovery process are:
1. 3M One Step Wax and Fiberglass Restorer - this product brings back oxidized fiberglass with little effort. You need plenty of rags, as it is not applied like traditional wax. As you rub it on in even straight strokes, you gradually rub it off with clean portions of your rag.
2. Pledge - regular and not lemon. This product quickly cleans and maintains the resilience of clear plastic windows such as those on camper backs. Do not use the lemon version as it is harmful to the plastic.
3. Boat Zoap- This miracle product cleans stains of all sorts. Dilute 1/2 and 1/2 water in a spray bottle and keep handy to wipe away the stains from metal snaps, tar, grease etc.
It is also a good all purpose boat cleaner.
4. Noxon Metal Cleaner- This product makes your
stainless steel sink in the galley look like new and works wonders
on rails and countertop burner frames.
So, let's get out of dry dock and spring into some
'fit' boating. For more ideas on making healthy decisions with
respect to food, fitness and exercise click here.
See you at the marina,
Fran Clark