Commander #65 "Lucky Dawg"

[ebb]

beer bottle in a cup holder?

[Lucky Dawg]

That oughta do just fine, Ebb.

Splashed around on Lake Michigan today for several hours. 10-15kts 2-3' seas. Fun ride. Tried out my new jib downhaul - worked like a charm and a great day to stay off the bouncy foredeck if not necessary. A couple pix below.

Despite the corkscrew motion of the boat, note my obviously stressed out crew.

[Lucky Dawg]

Well, as long as I'm not in danger of being the most voluminous picture poster... A couple more pictures below.

I installed my cowl vent and its canvas cover. A nice visual addition, though it doesn't seem to supply a great deal of air flow below. May be helpful for venting interior heat whilst the boat is closed up.

Had an interesting non-critical, but closer than I'd like right of way issue with the 192', 148 ton Lake Express car ferry today. http://www.lake-express.com/about/vessel.aspx I was sailing SSE at about 3 knots passing 1/4 mile east of the Muskegon Lake Channel. I had heard the Securite' announcement of the ferry arriving and was well clear of it's course as it came down the channel. However, the ferry hit the end of the channel (runs WSW to ENE) headed inbound to its dock approx 2 miles SE and she swung 30* or so to starboard and therefore headed far too close to my course for my comfort. I altered my course 45* to port and sailed well out of the way. Being on the short end of experience, I presumed I must have been in error, but called the Coast Guard station by cell phone after the fact to get their read. Not complaining, just wanted to get an opinion on the situation. Per the helpful Coastie, "It sounds like you had the right of way, but in the end, gross tonnage wins." He said it may have been a draft issue, but that area of the lake is 35-50' deep for a wide area and the ferry draws only 8 feet. May have been more of a shortest distance between two points issue. Coastie said he was following green bouys, but none are visible on the lake. I know right of way wise, he's likely considered comprimised in terms of his latitude to alter course, but on his pre-freak-KW-out course, I was well clear. I was one of only 2 sailboats out today, so I presume it wasn't a visibility issue. I was, in fact, sailing on a close stbd reach and by going around me to starboard, I had a wider latitude to sail away. Had he gone to port, I could have been pinched had the wind shifted or died. Again, I contacted the USCG just to sure up my nav skills and so as not to make the papers at some time in the future. I think it would have been helpful had he announced his intention to alter course prior to doing so at the end of the channel. Should I have hailed him to get that info, or is it his responsibility to be clear in his intentions? In the future, I will be well, well, WELL clear....

[ebb]

The Operator of the Gitche Gumee Express must feel he far outclasses a meager what-cher-macallit... Commander. The site gives his L as 192', his 'width' as 57', and he's running 4 diesel water jets of who knows what monster horse power. Look at the price schedule: adult oneway is $62 PLUS you has to pay separate for the vehicle, $72 - plus the current fuel surcharge. What FUN! After bashing 148 tons at 40mph across the Lake, give the guy a break, he gonna S-L-I-D-E that thing into the berth.
His vessel was built in Mobile Alabama. Commanders were built in Bristol, Rhode Island - which explains everything.

BUT, more to the point,
is that beautiful dolled up cowl vent! Gorgeous.
Isn't it a great casting? Looks like the register knob works too, you sweet water guys have all the perks.

[Lucky Dawg]

His vessel was built in Mobile Alabama. Commanders were built in Bristol, Rhode Island - which explains everything.

Careful now, I'm a Georgia boy We su'thun folk can still pound out a yacht. The boy just got differ't attitude.

per below, I altered my course to port at the moment the ferry took the stbd turn below. His line is clearer from Google Earth than it was on the water.

[Lucky Dawg]

and he's running 4 diesel water jets of who knows what monster horse power.

12,000 hp!!! "four diesel engines producing 3000hp each which drive four independent water jets."

[Lucky Dawg]

I never tire of these views. You might...
- A nice starboard tack. Steady wind at 12kts on Friday afternoon for a beautiful sail.
- burgees in place on my flag halyard. You should feel touched that my UGA burgee is flying below my A/C assn. burgee.
- Found a guy www.sirchromealot.com that will repair and chrome my emblems for $150. May take him up on it in the fall - the list of fall projects is growing, of course. In the mean time... Looks a little cramped where it fit so I may have to move the cleats back a couple inches.
- When I had my UGA burgee made, I had offered that the UGA sailing club could purchase some at the discounted price multiple burgees would offer. They are broke college students and weren't interested in bulk purchases, so I ended up just sending them one for their office. They sent me a club tshirt with the great Sailing Dawg image on the back.

[ebb]

Kyle,
That shot (52) of the portside coaming winches is interesting for non-romantical reasons too! The featured winch base is real interesting because it looks like it's welded aluminum. It looks simple and straight-forward. It seems like it's a great way out of the winch island dilemma - in weight for sure.
(bulb lites up..)
Looking at it and thinking of how some skippers want to sit on the coaming (maybe more of an Ariel thing)...
why not make a coaming-out extension exactly the same way for sitting on???
Make a longer 'coaming seat' that the winch could share?
Help support the poor coaming.
Design it the same way, slightly lower, to have a key for the posterior.

Great shot!

[Lucky Dawg]

Hummm, I never seem to have the urge to sit on the coaming. My bony arse my be part of that aversion. We Commander captains also have a smidge more cockpit space though, eh? I'll take some pix of those winch bases. Frankly, I'd trade lightweight aluminum for the sumptuous wooden winch bases on A-350 any day. http://pearsonariel.org/discussion/s...terior+Varnish (see post #45)

[Lucky Dawg]

Was able to sail Friday Sunday and Monday this weekend. Sweet! Yesterday was stunning - NNW wind at 12-14, comfortable 2 foot rollers on Lake MI. A hint of cooler temps in the air remind me that the sailing season here is shorter than I'd like. Avg temps drop 10 degrees a month from July to December.
Winch base pictures. Primary winches don't match, but it doesn't disturb the aesthetic much for me...

[mbd]

Keep 'em coming Kyle! For my part, pictures really help to get the ideas for hardware placement and aesthetics rolling. I love seeing what others are doing on their boats. Amazing how "buff" the your original hardware is!

[ebb]

Kyle, Thanks for the shots at #55 of the winch brackets.
Have a real liking for the shopmade welded over the cast. Tho the cast IS special!
It's the openness.

Easy to see that the 'leg' could be tilted in more for more deck room. Foot room. Just an observation. We've seen wood and bronze winch brackets that triangulate on the coamings alone, with nothing down on the deck. But this way they contribute alot of support to the coaming. Double duty.

Have recently played around with 6061T6 (considered marine) aluminum from OnlineMetals. Haven't compared prices. You get just the quanity you want from them. I'll never trust myself to stack-of-dimes welding but making models from ideas can do til next Wednesday. The hard material can be cut with a jigsaw and Bosch blades. Even scrolled shapes out of a (expensive) piece of 6"ID pipe, 5/16"wall was pretty easy, smoothed up with angle grinder and coarse flap wheel, metal file and sand paper. It's really just HARD wood! Took my piece to the professionals to stick it together.
I can 'see' those two sheet winches on a side on one extended bracket with the width the winches need left for the jammers and the incidental bummer.

Thanks for sharing the idea....!
May have seendalite and come up with something for LittleGull.

[Paul]

Kyle, I spotted the track on the toe rail could you tell me what kind of backup is on the inside that's how mine are but there is no backup the machine screws 1/4x20 are just tapped into epoxy when I drilled threw they are so close to the hull I can hardly get a washer on the bolt Ebb, I would like to see a picture of your pipe winch stand

[ebb]

Paul, I can't answer for Kyle,
but I would at least screw a nut onto maybe longer bolts.
Every once in while a nut without a washer is OK in a series, especially if that's all you can do.
I don't know how you can see anything up in the cove. but longer bolts should be able to have nuts screwed on.
You can sometimes cheat and bend the bolt end a little into free space.
Must get the nut on so you can use it to pry the bolt over. This is pretty radical - you may have a hard time removing the machine screw later.
Most s.s. 1/4" washers are 5/8" diameter. You could look around and find 1/2" wide washers - that might fit better up in the cove. Even silicon washers on s.s machine screws would be OK to use. McMasterCarr usually gives dimensions of fastenings in their online catalog.

If you want to be a surgeon: Go to W.L.Fuller.Inc and get a Type "X" counterbore for a 1/4" drill bit. You will need a longer bit than a jobber.
You tighten this counterbore on the bit with a couple set screws -
put the bit into the existing hole -
and drill UP from inside. (you have had the bolts and track removed ).
This counterbore is made to create a flat for washers. Maybe not in fiberglass but what do you care, this is a one time deal.
You may get by by just CAREFULLY probing the area around where the bolt comes thru so that a washer will want to fit there - you don't want to go thru the cove! The counterbore makes a 5/8" hole - but you would be just making a flat surface for the washer and nut.
5/8"s is pretty wide up in the cove. If you have found the smaller 1/4" washers that are 1/2" wide, Fuller has a long Type "M" counter bore for a long 1/4" bit that will make a flat 1/2" circle. Haven't used this one. You're kindof limited by how much room you have to get the cordless drill and bit/counterbore in the cove.
Fuller is a family-owned outfit.


The extended two winch aluminum base along the coaming - with the center seat - is just an idea.

You may be able to find 'cardboard' sona tubes of many diameters that are used in concrete forming. Usually at your local ready-mix supplier. I happened to have an onlinemetal's shipment sent in one that was close in size to the six inch aluminum pipe I didn't know they had till I looked it up.
I just made shapes from paper patterns (ideas) and cut them out of the cardboard tube with the jigsaw til I had what looked right. I was trying to design a bowsprit.

It's easy to see that (winch bracket) legs could be got out of cutting pipe lengthwise using NON-parallel lines, wider at one end or the other. Just like furniture. Get nice tapers that have constant radiuses that'll make anything more interesting. I'm just BSing. If the idea coagulates into something interesting maybe it'll appear in the Gallery forum.

I think Kyle should immediately give up sailing for the rest of the season and develop this aluminum winch island idea. Give up on that silly varnished mahogany island he covets so much and spend all the time he can like I do making improvements under a tent in a boat yard. SAILING? H-r-u-m-p-h!

[Lucky Dawg]

I think Kyle should immediately give up sailing... and spend all the time he can like I do making improvements under a tent in a boat yard. SAILING? H-r-u-m-p-h!

HA! Come to MI Ebb and I'll host some on the water vacation hours from your toils under the tent.

I would love to score some affordable interior space for the winter. Working on that option... The chiding I need is "I think Kyle needs to give sailing a rest one weekend and address the peeled paint at his toe rail and scuppers!"

Paul if you look back at post #27 in this thread, there is an interior picture of the backing to the toe rail. Maybe 2"-ish bolts and nuts. No backing plates though - I'll add something to that effect down the road - hopefully before a sickening groan from the t-track extracting itself from the toe rail under genoa load.