Please Vote for Summer Dance!
If you haven’t already voted for Summer Dance in the Sailrite 2014 Summer Project Photo Contest, please take a moment to vote for our photo now by clicking the preceding link. That should take you to a page with our … Continue reading Please Vote for Summer Dance!
Speed Up Trailer Hookups with a Backup Camera
This project isn’t on the boat at all but it can make getting the boat on and off the water faster and easier for the trailer sailor. I’ve used trailers for most of my adult life, so I’m pretty good at backing them up. But getting the hitch ball right under a coupler on the first try is next to impossible without some kind of aid, either human or otherwise. I’ve tried the antenna ball gizmos but they’re not accurate enough if you have a really heavy trailer that you can’t muscle into place. And bless her heart, the first mate tries to line me up right but it doesn’t work out most of the time, which means one or both of us can easily get frustrated. Not a good way to start or end a great cruise.
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Summer Dance Badly Damaged in Freak Storm
It was supposed to be a short casual cruise to a waterfront restaurant and dinner to celebrate our wedding anniversary. My wife and I were spending a four day weekend on our favorite lake with our Catalina 22 named Summer Dance. I had spent the last year refitting and restoring her from stem to stern and she was now a gem we were proud of and enjoyed cruising in. It turned out to be a grueling night that we’ll never forget and our worst anniversary in 37 years.
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Brighten up Your Cabin with LED Strip Lighting
It seems that every C-22 owner upgrades their cabin lighting at some point. The original dome lights are not very bright or sturdy and their incandescent bulbs use a lot of battery power. In Summer Dance, the previous owner had replaced the two salon dome lights with the combination white/red LED lights from a certain Catalina parts dealership. They don’t use much power but they also don’t put out much light either.
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How to Install a Tiller Lock
When we purchased Summer Dream, the only tiller control accessory she had was a contraption made with two pieces of shock cord joined in the middle with two wooden beads that formed an eye. It had hooks on the ends that could be attached to the pushpit stanchions. When the tiller handle is in the eye, the cords would hold it somewhat centered and you could adjust the tiller position by sliding the beads (and therefore, the eye) to one side or the other. It was simple and clever but the shock cord allowed the rudder to overpower it, so I couldn’t trust it to hold a heading for very long. I decided to replace it with a tiller lock device that would hold the tiller stationary no matter what. After evaluating several products, I chose the popular Davis Tiller Tamer.
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Make Simple Jigs for Varnishing Parts
When it comes time to varnish the wooden panels and trim on your sailboat, doing the job more efficiently will save you time. One way that you can be more efficient is by varnishing all sides of a piece at the same time. You want to varnish all sides of the pieces in order to seal even the backsides of parts from absorbing water that will cause varnish to peel and mildew to grow. Many people omit that step and simply lay the pieces on their work surface to dry. But spending a little more time in preparation can save time by the end of the job and give you better results. You can do this by using simple jigs to hold the pieces suspended while you varnish them.
DIY Drill Guide for Accurate Holes
I don’t know about you, but I’m a little uncomfortable drilling holes in my sailboat. I avoid them if I can. And when I can’t, I want them to be right the first time. Do-overs aren’t pretty. Whenever I have to drill holes to install deck hardware, I’m even more hesitant.
Finally, a Name!
It’s been just over a year since we purchased nameless C-22 #10330. You wouldn’t think it would be hard to come up with a name. That is, unless you want a name that isn’t already on somebody else’s boat and one that both you and the first mate like.
Install Oversize Masthead Sheaves for More Halyard Choices
When planning the replacement of my wire/rope halyards with all line halyards so that I could lead them aft to the cockpit, I decided to use all 8mm (.314″) rope. Along with cockpit convenience for single-handing, I wanted easier line handling and less stretch, especially for hardening the luffs since I don’t have halyard winches. The cost is not much more than the standard 1/4″.
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The $tingy Sailor 