Commander Manuals

[Stephan]

Hello guys,

What kind of owner manuals, maintenance manuals, diagrams, wiring plans etc. exist for the Commander? I think I read somewhere that the association has some plans for sale (?), but were they for the Ariel or the Commander? I can't find that post anywhere, sorry! What else do you recommend? Also, who has any do-it-yourself boat fixing books to recommend, or un-recommend? I went to the local bookstore here in Chicago and there must be about 30 different titles...
I will put up some photos tonight of damage I hope I can repair myself and will be praying for your advice.

Attached is the first one - damage to the stern caused when some hooligan stole the fenders and the boat banged against the pier or something... I'd say the worst gouges are 1/2 inch deep. What's your advice how to fix it?

Cheers, Stephan

[Bill]

Hello guys, I think I read somewhere that the association has some plans for sale (?), but were they for the Ariel or the Commander? I can't find that post anywhere, sorry! What else do you recommend? Cheers, Stephan

Go to the home page (www.PearsonAriel.org) and click on the banner "2nd Edition Owners Manual . . "

[commanderpete]

Congratulations on your new boat.

The repair is not too hard. Matching the color will be impossible.

If you don't have epoxy already, I'd get a filler like Marinetex. A few applications might be needed, sanding in between.

I'm thinking that's not original gelcoat, but a white boat painted blue. But what color blue? The color swatches in the catalog bear only a passing resemblance to what the paint actually looks like. New paint looks different than old paint anyway.

It will look noticeable no matter what you do.

[Stephan]

Thanks for the advice, Commanderpete.

I could borrow a belt sander to sand down at the gouges, but you think I shouldn't do that, right?

I'm planning to repaint her hull entirely - much of the paint is in a pretty sorry state. I kind of like the blue, and being in Chicago I guess most of the time I don't have to worry about her heating up too much. I don't have to match the color exactly, but sticking with blue will maybe make it easier than trying to switch back to white. I'm by no means a good painter like you guys, so I worry that the blue would shine through some...

Anybody with another dark color hull want to comment if they would switch back to white on account of the heatup?

[eric (deceased)]

one thing I noticed after the return from the tropics is that my very expensive linear polyurethane {sprayed on professionally} blue paint job was all blistered on one side.also spend the 30 bucks at wal-mart and get a black and decker hand held grinder.you will use this for many other projects on the boat and rigging too.my own preference now,is to roll or brush plain ole'marine enamil.its easier to work with and repair---and it hurts alot less whenya' hit the dock. yes,in time it will happen.

[commanderpete]

"There are only two colors to paint a boat--black and white, and only a fool would paint a boat black"

Nathaniel Herreshoff

Now, I have to disagree with Cap'n Nat. A dark colored hull on a classic boat looks striking. But, its harder to achieve and maintain a nice finish.


Getting back to the project, I'd probably approach it like this:

Take off the metal rubrails

Clean the area with a degreaser like Formula 409

Wipe with acetone

Sand out the loose bits (save the largest paint chips) bevel the edges

Get the dust out, wipe with acetone

Mix filler thoroughly

Trowel it in using narrow and wide plastic scrapers

Wait a day and sand, sand the corner by hand

Reapply as needed

[eric (deceased)]

I dare anyone out there to give any boat a "dazzle" type camouflage paint job---the kind they gave to warships in ww2

[Stephan]

Well, thanks Commanderpete and Eric,

your advice is very helpful to me. I thought I would have to grind down the whole area around the gouges, but what you suggests sounds way easier. I'll try this Saturday.

And then I'll have to decide which color to paint her with. I hear you, Eric, about the tropics, but if you know Chicago you know that too much sun is not really a problem here. And if the Commander isn't a classic, what is? :)

Why is it hard to maintain a nice finish on a dark blue hull? I would have thought (forgive my naivity) that dirt shows up easier on a white hull. And of course I would keep a can or two in reserve to fix future scratches. On the other hand, if I switch to white, wouldn't I have to apply 6 or more coats to get coverage?

Now, as promised, my next few questions. Since this is my first boat, I have no problems asking the silliest things! In the first attached picture, the gooseneck 'eye' seems to be on the bottom of the boom. What's the eye for anyway? In a picture of the gooseneck, posted by you commanderpete, the eye is pointing up. Is the boom wrong side up? The track on the boom is currently on the bottom of it, should it be on top?

The next picture shows the boards and the port winch. I plan to sand and varnish/paint the boards. What do you recommend?
As for the winch, maybe I can get chromium onto it again? I seem to remember that some places offer to do that, for a price I'm sure...

Lastly, here is the portlight and the missing rubrail. The plexiglass in the portlight is pretty bad, did you guys ever try to replace the glass only? And, as you notice, I have a missing piece of rubrail (about 1 yard). Need to get that, too. but it alloed me to see the hull-deck joint (in this area, at least, and it looks fine...)

Thanks you guys, Stephan

[Bill]

In the first attached picture, the gooseneck 'eye' seems to be on the bottom of the boom. What's the eye for anyway? Is the boom wrong side up? The track on the boom is currently on the bottom of it, should it be on top?

Yes, the photo shows the boom inverted. The "eye" is where the mainsail is attatched to the boom.

Please search on "gooseneck" to learn more. Other questions? Please use the search function first. Most have been asked and answered. Note the sticky note in the Off Topic Forum about posting.

[Stephan]

Oh,

sorry guys for asking about the gooseneck, I just couldn't believe that it really IS upside down. Seemed crazy, I wonder if the previous owner did sail with the boat in this configuration...

I've now learned to trust the search function and will only ask if I cannot find something. Didn't mean to foul the forum, sorry again.

Stephan

[eric (deceased)]

That Eye On The Goose Neck SAVED =MY=ASS===that Is How I Jury Rigged A Gooseneck------ Asimple Bolt Thru THAT EYE Into The Existing Mast Fitting-----made A Jury Rigged Gooseneck--think of it like loosing your transmition----BAD NEWS

[ebb]

Thought it put very nicely by a guy on another channel to someone who was saying the same thing...
"The only stupid question is the one you were too stupid to ask"

[mbd]

Thought it put very nicely by a guy on another channel to someone who was saying the same thing...
"The only stupid question is the one you were too stupid to ask"I'll give anyone a run for their money in this category. :D

BTW, there's an article in the latest Cruising Wolrd on fairing and prep work prior to a topsides paint job. Could yield some good basic info. On the other hand, the experienced pros and DIYers on this board can pump you full of more info than you can handle. And as our fearless forum leader Bill inferred, A LOT of topics have already been covered - it's just a matter of digging the info out of the archives.

Another of the forum members pointed out in another thread somewhere (paraphrased): if you screw it up, just sand it and try again. I'll be putting this piece of advice into practice soon as weather warms up. :p

Welcome aboard Stephan. This is a nice little corner of the web for moral support and info. Congrats on the "new" boat!

[Mike Goodwin]

White shows dirt ( which washes off ) dark shows every ding and scratch ( which don't wash off ) .

One coat of primer and 2 topcoats can handle any color change , even with cheap paint .

[Ed Ekers]

I might be wrong on this but I think the goose neck is mounted properly but the boom is rotated. I think the eye at the bottom of the goose neck is for a down haul and the main sail attaches to the bolt on the boom.

[Bill]

I might be wrong on this but I think the goose neck is mounted properly but the boom is rotated. I think the eye at the bottom of the goose neck is for a down haul and the main sail attaches to the bolt on the boom.

Sounds right to me. The fitting at the "bottom" forward end of the boom is the one I meant to say is where the sail attaches . . . :cool:

[commanderpete]

You can buy rubrail here

http://www.jamestowndistributors.com/userportal/show_product.do?familyId=218&familyName=Hollow+Back+Half+Ovals+-+Stainless+Steel&history=s456cihg%7Cother%7CfreeText%7Ehollow%5Epag e%7EGRID

3/4 inch if I recall. I doubt that its as heavy as the original, but cheap enough.

You are going to have a "TO DO" list 10 pages long pretty soon. The urge to tackle cosmetics is nearly irresistible.

My advice--get that puppy in the water and sailing ASAP.

Some people look at boat projects as a fun exercise. I consider each job to be an evil impediment to my happiness.

[John]

I had an interesting conversation with the Petit rep at the Boston Boat Show. I have considered trying to match the pale green color of my exisitng topsides but dispaired on how to accomplish that.

I asked if Easypoxy is tintable. To my surprise, he said YES! But( always a few caveats to make life interesting). Do not use universal tints. They are designed for latex paints and water as a solvent. But you can use the oil based tints. The solvents are apparently close enough that it will work. So if you can locate a store that has oil based tints, and a color matching computer, you stand a chance of coming close.

[Stephan]

Thanks guys,

I'm already having a lot of fun with my boat, even though I haven't even seen her again since I bought her 10 days ago! But talking to all of you makes me itch to try things. I'm still undecided about the colors. I don't need to match the existing blue since I will overpaint it completely anyway. I hear you about the heatup and the problem that scratches and dings will show easier. However, I still like the look of it, I get a classic look as Commander Pete says.

Eric, your journey sounds mad. I have to stay clear of you! My friends will commit me to an institution if I would mention such an act of craziness.
:eek:

Oh, in a bit of good news I got a can in Chicago harbor already, so that worry is over. Now to get a little dinghy...

[Stephan]

Manuals? Does anybody know if the Association has Commander manuals currently in stock? I sent an order form and check to the address given on the Association's page over two weeks ago but haven't heard a peep. And the checks haven't been cashed either...
I'm starting to get a little nervous since I was planning on launching in two weeks and wanted to make a number of repairs - bilge pump, new lexan port panes, new light bulb on mast top and whatever else is standard maintenance. But now I don't know what to do...

[Stephan]

Hurray!

Just got an email from Gene that the manuals are on their way. :) They are shipping as books to save on postage, that's why they take a little longer. I can't wait to dig into them.

[commanderpete]

Changing the bulb might get the light to work, but I've never been that lucky

[Stephan]

How do you mean? The previous owner mentioned that I should do this while greasing whatever wheels are up there. I took it to mean that the light isn't actually broken, only as a precaution to save myself a trip up there if the bulb should die sometime during the season. Or was he pulling my leg? I don't even know if the light currently works... :(

[Bill]

. . . I don't even know if the light currently works.

Step one: Some evening, turn on the mast head light and look.
Step two: Depends on what you see . . . ;)

[commanderpete]

As far as I know, Pearson only installed a steaming light on the front of the mast. It doesn't get used much. If it doesn't work, good chance its not the bulb.

If you have an anchor light or tricolor at the top, it was installed later. I couldn't tell you what kind of bulb it used.

[Stephan]

I'm heading up to where my boat is stored again today. I haven't been there at night, so I cannot see the light... I've received the maintenance manuals by now (very nice to have), but there isn't any mention of the lights indeed... I had assumed there's a light on the masthead but I guess I'll call the PO to find out if he knows.