Commander 147

[Bisquit]

Thanks for the encouragement. I'm hoping to move Bisquit along quickly but know it will take longer than planned. Twice as long as twice as much - isn't that the rule of thumb? I figure as long as I have unrealistic expectations it shouldn't take too long. I have the advantage of working in a boat yard so I can sneak out in the afternoon and after work and put a few hours in. I already have finished reconditioning almost all of the exterior wood (hatch boards, entry trim, combings, handrails etc...) and will start building varnish between glass projects. I plan to start re-coring this week. I see how you did your deck layout. I'm going to have to map mine out soon as I plan to replace the balsa with G10 where hardware is located. Is there a discussion about deck layout pros and cons on the site? I have lots of questions for you.

[Commander 147]

When it comes to deck layout there are lots of bits an pieces here and there but I do not know of a specific thread dedicated to it here. And a lot of how you lay your deck out should in my opinion be geared to how you like things to work when you are sailing your boat. For example Mike who sails Commander 227 prefers his halyards led aft to the cockpit. Me on the other hand I find especially when trying to reef that I am bouncing back and forth between the cockpit and the mast far too much. So I want everything all in one place where I can do a complete job and then head back to the cockpit and go back to sailing. Neither is wrong it is just personnel preference. I have a friend who is older than me and sails an ensign and he sits in one spot in his cockpit whenever he is sailing so everything is led to that spot. Bottom line is there are a lot of things that work but knowing how you like things to be is what really makes your sailing more enjoyable.


Now that being said, I should tell you I feel like with my deck layout I did one thing less than perfect for my way of sailing. The jib track next to the cabin is not long enough going forward. With our lower shrouds the forward one can interfere with the sheet when running down wind. So if you chose to follow that jib track placement make the track go far enough forward to have a clear path for the sheet when running down wind. I chose to put the track down there because I used up most of the cabin top with my long handrails. I have no life lines and wanted more place to hold onto when going forward.

[Bill]

Is there a discussion about deck layout pros and cons on the site? .

Searching on the subject (jib track, etc) should bring up a number of solutions. Jib track locations depend on the size of the headsail. For deck sweeper jibs, the track is inside the shrouds near the large windows. For a 120, the track would be next to or on the rail from behind the shrouds toward the aft. A 150's track would be further back. You can see these placements on A-100, A-76 and several other SF Bay yachts where the winter winds are zilch and a calm summer day is about 25 kts.

[Commander 147]

My wife bless her good heart is only a fair weather sailor but she has still been a huge help in making Destiny what she has become. She made Destiny's new V-berth cushions, her new cockpit cushions, she is making the curtains for the port lights, she made trapazoid cushions to lean back against when sitting below she is making the new sail cover, and today she spent the day making a pattern for the new boat cover to help protect Destiny's bright work from Florida's sun. She used plastic sheeting to create a pattern that she will use to layout and make the sunbrella cover. She was able to see through the plastic to mark all of the areas that would require reinforcements or access to cleats etc.

[Commander 147]

So today Destiny went to the marina where they lifted her off the trailer and held her in the air so I could install the rudder. Then they set her down on the ground and blocked her up for the bottom job. Hopefully that will get done sometime this week provided the guy who is doing it can get two days of dry weather in a row.


There will be 4 coats of barrier coat and then 4 coats of Coppercoat going on her.


I was very pleased to see how well the new rudder fit when I installed it. There was no way to test fit that along the way because I don't have a travel lift in my back yard. But the way it went together you would almost think it was made just for her! :-)


Installed the prop and prop shaft and stuffed the stuffing box today so for the first time in a very long time she is water tight again.


The only casualty today was on the way to the marina one of the brand new turnbuckles jiggled off right in the middle of a very busy intersection. The kind of intersection where you are literally taking your life into your hands if you try to retrieve something there. So I will be buying a new one and a second as a spare.


The sail maker was here last week and took his final dimension for the working jib. He brought me the new main and genoa. They look great I hope they work as great as they look.


So next weekend she comes home (hopefully) for all of the last minute things that still need doing and then she is loaded with gear to head to the water. Unfortunately the weekend after next I have to go to a niece's wedding in Wisc. so she will not launch then. And my wife is going to stay up there for an extra week to visit childhood friends so she will probably not get launched the following weekend either because she really wants to be there for the splash. And as much help as she has been I cannot deny her that.


But we are rally really close now!!!!!!!!!!