Excellent thinking ST! Seems to me you would be a superb engineering type.

Kerry.........one thing I have found in life to be true, I have quite often purchased things that at the time of acquisition had no defined purpose. But suddenly their usage became apparent and their utility made effective after encountering situations that favor their implementation. I can think of lots of power and hand tools that fit that description.

A good canoe trip example are those rubber coated twist ties that you see at Home Depot. I sensed their practicality for years but couldn't envision a specific usage. I finally broke down and picked some up and last canoe trip I found them perfectly suited for several applications.

On the other hand, I have resisted the loop rope purchase as well...... 8-)............if I was the cook for a sizable group though I could see the practicality of hanging various pots and pans etc. etc.