Commander #155 'Mephisto Cat'

[Lucky Dawg]

As C-277 was saying, it was included in the later hulls. See a pic and some discussion at http://pearsonariel.org/discussion/s...ead.php?t=1668. You may be saying it could be added in. I rather like my huge unsafe cockpit!

[Rico]

Thanks all for the comments! Work is still progressing. More on that soon...

Commanderpete: Good eye! I usually do route the sheet outside the foward lower and inside the others as you describe, but this is only with my working (100%) Jib. In this picture we were approaching San Diego in light winds and I had my nifty large Genoa (180%) in use in order to catch as much wind as possible. With this headsail running, the sheet goes around all the rigging -and then some (it is BIG)... The reason you see the sheet going thought the cabintop block is that it helps to keep the leeward sheet out of the drink while it is not in use. It is just storage! (No need to tack on final approach that day!)

I think I've decided to put back the handrails... I just need to get to them! Having them a bit longer would be handy. I have to picture that...
I feel quite safe with my lanyard arrangement while heading forward. As safe as if I had lifelines - I suppose since I would not want to rely on low lifelines supported by stanchions with a large cantilever...

Mr. 227 / EBB: I'm with 'Lucky Dawg' on the cockpit issue... I'll admit that the bridge deck option seemed appealing when I first saw the possibility of taking on a open(er) water passage, but I do feel good about the configuration now that I have some heavy-er weather nautical miles under my life preserver. These boats are stiff, but they do pop-up quickly on top of rushing water from the stern. I'd say that the bow has more of a tendency to go underwater (had that happen!!) but the resulting deluge is in the correct direction to prevent flooding underneath.

As pointed out, there is the option of putting a board, or two in the companionway if things get really nasty to prevent flooding...

Some info on the topic here... http://www.geocities.com/Yosemite/23..._tips/b19.html

Specific bridgedeck assemblyline discussion here:
http://www.pearsonariel.org/discussi...ead.php?t=1932

Just to catch-up on my current location in Marina del Rey; here are a few pictures of the cruise up from Mexico.

PICTURE 1 We shoved off at 1:00am on Sept 30th, a Saturday Morning (I'm not all that supersticious, but this 'getting going' bussiness takes a LONG time!) This is a picture at about 8:00am the next proper 'morning'. It was a DOLDRUM'S sort of CALM... Not a stitch of wind. It seemed as if you coould jump off the boat and walk to the coast! You may be able to notice a huge feeding frenzy going on in the distance behind the boat and towards shore. We actually sailed though it, but it was so amazing that I did not even think of the camera until we'd passed...

PICTURE 2 In the light winds, we tried to stay entertained... Here we are trying out the spinnaker (only for show really since I am not properly rigged for it yet...) but I'll figure that out later... we are also showing our little courtesy flag as we were still in Mexican waters.

[Rico]

PICTURE 1.- Leaving San Diego after checking in with customs. This is now Saturday afternoon. I would have rather have continued straight north taking advantage of the afternoon breeze, but I did not want to get in trouble...

The point you see is San Diego's Point Loma. The harbor entrance is just to the south (Right) of it, and you can see Downtown far in the distance.

PICTURE 2.- The next picture is of the following morning about 10:00. It is of the approach to Dana Point. Had to make a quick stop here since my crew needed to head off to real life... I dropped off the guys and caught a few winks and shoved off on my own for the Dana Point to Newport Beach stretch.

PICTURE 3.- (Forgot to rotate this!) Heading offshore from Dana Point. I had a great sail in a mild breeze.... I flew the 180% Genoa. I was a bit hesitant at first because I'd be in a struggle to switch sails on my own, but it worked out great. I was eager to sail, so I caught a reach towards Catalina Island (West) which is the scenic route (longer) to Newport which lies only 15 mi to the north.

PICTURE 4.-On the way to Newport Beach! I took this while I was changing underneath. I rigged up a little auto pilot to help me with the tiller while I tidied-up and got rid of the clutter. This worked really well, for the few minutes at a time that I needed...

[Rico]

PICTURE 1.- I've made it to Newport Beach!
Here is the Mephisto Cat at the Harbormaster's (Police) dock. It took me a little bit to get settled as I could not find an available guest dock (which are FREE). And I did not want to deal with the anchorage, as I really did not look forward to worrying about anchors in the night after only 4 hrs sleep in the last two days... (There are two or three free anchoring areas within the harbor.) And I also did not have a Dinghy in which to get to shore...)

Lacking a guest dock; I returned to get my luxury $5 mooring, but had to wait as there was an issue that the harbor police had to attend to... There was a 50-60 year-old skipper roaming around the harbor... This guy was completely toasted and he was running around the harbor (tight quarters - lot's of traffic) on a 50ft sailboat!!

It was one of the dozen or so 20-year old non-sailing women on the boat who got so scared when he started getting awnry and having too many close calls with other vessels that finally made the call to 911... I wasted some time, but it was entertaining at least... Only in LA...


PICTURE 2.- My Mooring. I spent the night on the boat, but decided to leave the boat there until the next weekend when the forecast called for a bit more wind... I had a lovely night's sleep on the boat. I think it took me 5 seconds to fall asleep.

Accommodation at the house pictured behind the Mephisto Cat was sadly NOT included in the $5 mooring fee. (If people pay $1m for 800sf in the harbor, I wonder how much this little chateau went for...) I found out later that my mooring was in front of (behind me as I took the picture) John Wayne's old house, which was later owned by Nicolas Cage the actor. There was a 100' or so motoryach parked in front of that...