Updates and such: Due to extras on the commissioning job, weather, more other boat work, and whatall, I haven't started the serious deconstruction yet. There's a week of canvaswork ahead, then helping a friend deliver his Alberg 30, and after that the cutting starts.

Since I last posted, Frank Durant of "Revival" fame stopped by on his way back to Canada from the Bahamas, and we attempted - almost successfully - to drink all of the rum in this little town that night. Phew! (Note for future reference and edification: It sure is hard to keep up with a Professional, as Canadians seem to be in my experience. The delivery crew for the Catalina were Canadian as well, and they tricked me into a night of revelry that had me feeling the same the day after as when Frank was here. ) Anyway, Frank got to see the interior of "Frankenboat", as I refer to Katie in her current state, and he said that the size of my WC is nearly identical to that of the head in a Flicka. Kewl!

I'll be rewiring the boat, and am planning on building in the infrastructure for that as I de/reconstruct. Since I have also wanted to strengthen the hull/deck join, I am going to do similar to what Robert Lemasters did with his toerail rebuild - use PVC pipe to fill in the corner void there, and the pipe will also serve as nice high-and-dry conduit for the new wiring. Have purchased a new stereo, along with a VHF and command mic for the cockpit, and inherited a GPS chartplotter from a bro-in-law, so I have the electronics items ready to hook up once all that is done, and also to use for planning where to locate said.

Regarding mast support - one day, I looked at Commander interiors, and subsequently slapped myself on the forehead. Check out their open interiors, and look how Carl designed in mast support. I'll be doing what the Master did...

Last, and this sort of thing rarely if ever happens to me: Yesterday, a guy gave me a windvane. !!!!!!!! Better yet, it is currently mounted on a Triton, so I have hopes that the angle of the reverse transoms are similar enough that I can just transfer it over to Katie without having to go through mounting plate fabrication or any of that. Kewlest of all! I don't know what kind it is, it is a servo-pendulum style with lines that lead to the tiller, and is all stainless. The servo blade is not a foiled shape, and is connected to the vane by 3 (IIRC) little pushrods that in turn connect to a slim rod inside of a 2-3" diameter downtube from the vane. Supposedly this Triton is well-traveled, so I am in hopes that the vane works well.

Hope this finds everyone well, and almost ready for sailing season!