Commander #65 "Lucky Dawg"

[Lucky Dawg]

So, while I have this thread high-jacked... A pic of the old girl from this summer. I think I'm going to pull the coamings off at haulout and refinish. I didn't use any InterStain on them when I finished them several years ago and they don't match the rest of the brightwork - and that color, I prefer. In a perfect world, New Found Metals would have made a portlight that matched the original cut-out, but the upgrade has been worth it for super-dry interior. Someday, she'll get new sails, but it isn't atop the priority list right now. Baggy as they are, the blow her along at hull speed just fine. She'll do...



(Edit: oops, it looks like I already posted that picture. Well, there she is again)

[Lucky Dawg]

and last, Lucas from this summer. L'il Dawg - who we purchased in late August - got wet for just a couple racing weekends. It was SO cool watching him handle his own boat and go out on the water with his buddies and enjoy some independence. Spring Lake Yacht Club is super active and a terrific teaching organization that has pumped out some collegiate sailors. A couple Opti pix:

In the first pic, impromptu sail with friends - just goofing around in their own boats. Then pix of first and last races at the end of summer. (Sail numbers came with the boat - we'll install over the winter)

[Lucky Dawg]

Pretty sure this isn't good. I do know that the mahogany swells once in water, but I don't think this kind of play has been in the mix before. Thoughts??

there is a 10 second video here: https://www.flickr.com/photos/124380...dateposted-ff/

[Lucky Dawg]

New addition to the Williams' Livery. 1959 Lyman. Originally a runabout - per pic below. PO converted to a launch. Nice bones. Not sure what end result will be. The original midship helm is removed and she steers from the stern. May outfit with a 59'-ish era outboard. Seating is currently parallel to the rails. Might put perpendicular seating back in. TBD. Fun to play with.

p.s. We named "her" Norman. We spend time every year on Squam Lake in N.H. where On Golden Pond was filmed. She looks like a Squam Lake boat. Squam => On Golden Pond => Norman Thayer => "Norman"

[Lucky Dawg]

Quarentine Project! I'm chagrined by the state of my brightwork! Last varnished these bits in 2011, and it sure shows. I refinished the companionway just a couple years ago. Leaving that in place. I'm consoling myself with the knowledge that this mess will look like fine furniture in a couple weeks.

[mbd]

Kyle, s/v Lucky Dawg is lucky to have you for an owner.

PS. Man, those Commander coamings are looooooooong!

[Lucky Dawg]

Hey Mike! Long time! Hope you and yours are staying healthy. Good to hear from you!

I don't know how lucky she has felt. Stem to stern DIY home renovation over the past two years commanded a lot of my free time and that put some Lucky Dawg upkeep on the back burner. Quarantine is providing necessary refinishing time. I have all the little pieces and all but about 6 feet of those long coamings stripped already. Heat gun + lots of patience and podcasts. I'll update.

[mbd]

We are all well, thanks. I've been thinking about taking the cover off mine and thought I'd check in on my old friends. I hope all is well with you and yours too! Stay safe.

[Lucky Dawg]

A bit of progress. Removed old varnish with heat gun and followed up to remove any residue with Jabsco stripper. Bleached with oxylic acid from Ace Hdwr. Sanded with 40/60/80. Last pic is Interlux InterStain - brown mahogany. Will follow that in a couple days with Interlux InterPrime Clear Sealer and then Epifanes Clear gloss varnish. Tedious work, but looking forward to outcome.

Bleached. Left is sanded to 80. 40 grit to get some of the black streaks out.



Cool pic! In the bottom right corner, you can see the diagonal seam repair I made 10 years ago with epoxy thickened with mahagany sanding dust. Still holding up and still dark brown - didn't know if it would bleach out somehow.



All bleached and sanded



InterStain. 80grit recommended final pass so that the product has adequate tooth to hold on to. "Thick housepaint" consistency that is rubbed across the grain and as much rubbed off in that way as will lift for final appearance. Process of rubbing/removal is pretty quickly underway after application. If you let it flash/dry, it is really difficult to rub down adequately. I used the same process/staining on my companionway brightwork a couple years ago and it looks great.

[Lucky Dawg]

I needed to bow the 3/8" mahogany plank that goes beneath my traveler. The bow above the lazarette bulkhead is pretty minimal, but I didn't successfully bow it when I created it and the athwartship ends of the piece lifted up a bit off the deck.

So, I successfully used this method - https://youtu.be/--iPQIwSEJM*- making a steam bag out of tarp material and duct tape coupled to a home/laundry steamer.

Because of COVID, the storage shed at my boat yard is closed, so I couldn't get the exact radius off of the top of the bulkhead. By my guess-timation, the radius on the trim piece above our fireplace seemed about right.



Made a box out of 3/8" plywood and 2x4 scrap to match that radius.



Steamed it for about an hour clamped to my form. Let it cool in place. It got plenty hot with the laundry steamer.



Finished product!



This is a good video on building an actual steam box https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NMvc2tuVGcQ* Just didn't seem worth the trouble for potentially the only time I will find myself steam-bending wood.

[Lucky Dawg]

Splashed a couple weeks ago. A couple pix of rehabbed brightwork, etc. New sail and tiller covers

[ebb]

KYLE, Lucky Dawg, Your Commander is absolutely Magnificent !!

And GLORY BE: your cockpit sole is an amazing treat to behold as well!

Just Gorgeous.

[Lucky Dawg]

Thanks Ebb! Labor of love. We were gone for two weeks in New Hampshire/Squam Lake and then Nantucket. Back now and we sailed yesterday in dead-steady NW 13kts. Old girl was flying and looking good in the process.

[Lucky Dawg]

Been a while. We're still sailing. Crew is growing - kids growing up and added a dog.

[Lucky Dawg]

Couple underway.