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Richard & Tresa: C-26, "Dayenu"

3K views 30 replies 8 participants last post by  SV Dayenu 
#1 ·
Richard here…

After spending a lot of time 'lurking" here and on many other website forums, we've found that SailNet has become our "virtual home". WONDERUFL people here! Very different than CF which we thought would serve us well. We have found many caring, informative, accepting and supportive members here.

Our "short" intro story (LOL! As I sit here with my morning coffee, I'm afraid this will be anything but short, although I'll try.) Tresa and I are 61 years old although our spirits are those of teenagers. We both have histories of "adventure traveling" experienced years before we met: (She: built and paddled a touring canoe and paddled it from Montana to the east coast (3,500miles/4 months…). I rode a mountain bicycle for 7 months circumnavigating the North American Continent). We met on Match.com 10 years ago, got married on a beach in Maui 5 years ago and have truly found our best friend of all time in each other.

She knew I was a sailor before we met via Match.com (My grandfather was harbor master of Havana before Castro, spent my childhood in the Florida Keys and was sailing years before I got my driver's license with lots of blue water experience since.) I had no idea about Tresa's sailing experience until AFTER we met! (She: Long term crew on charter boats!) (Oh lucky day! She's a "real" sailor!!!) =D

After spending 7+ years turning out city lot into an Urban self-sustainable farm, producing over 70% of our own food and teaching others how to do it (www.jarelsustainableliving.com), we looked at each other a couple of months ago (after surpassing all our goals), and realized we weren't happy. We had purchased "Dayenu" ( a #5,000 C-26 swing keel sloop), several years prior with the intent to tow our bot to our intended cruising grounds (ICW, San Juan Islands, Sea of Cortez, etc), but hadn't touched her in over two years.

Last week we sold our quail raising system, Friday we sold all our rabbits and cages and this past weekend, we unwrapped Dayenu, washed her down, moved her further back in our driveway and began building a pipe/tarp tent to facilitate working on her over the winter.

Being the son of a cabinet maker, I grew up with woodwork in my veins. Professionally, I create motion picture special effects and provide prototype development for many large companies. (- Jarel Design -) I have a pretty complete shop and studio (Plastics, Wood, Metal, Composites (including Carbon Fiber)… I can (and have), built just about anything.
We're going to start out small and "simple' (relative word here…LOL!) with our modifications: Bringing all lines aft, Lazy Jacks, (Possible roller for jib), Dodger, Bimini, rear tower with 300watts of solar, Composting head, Freezer/refrigerator, bow roller… We don't expect to get what we put into her if we decide to move up to a larger boat… maybe removing the head and solar panels… (Starting to feel like "bubba" from Forest Gump describing shrimp recipes! LOL!

Part of what I do for a living is creating photo-documented instructions and part of what we want to do is start a video channel on YouTube as well as create a website, sharing our journey and including detailed DIY/How To instructions for all we create.

We're gearing up for a second shakedown cruise out of Marina Del Ray summer of 2017 (My old home turf), testing our rig while sailing to Catalina and living aboard. (Guest docs there will take us for 7 days and after that I still have sailing friends there that have offered to get us into yacht club guest slips or friend's slips that are temporarily empty…) Hoping for 3-4 weeks of getting to know Dayenu better, pushing our boat and exploring what she's capable of, before heading home and revising our modification plans and deciding what else we need or what we don't need, before driving to Florida the following year.

Tresa and I share everything and she will be adding her perspective to our journey in this thread as well, so please welcome her when she shows up to share her side of our story here. ;)

Our experience here on SailNet has been so inviting with requests for info and photos, I figured this "Introduce Yourself" forum was the best place to share back to this community…

Thanks to all who have contributed to our great experiences here on this site. (I/we have been "lurking" here for over a month before finally registering.)

Best,
Richard
 

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#3 ·
Second cup of coffee... more photos

More photos. Tresa and I removed, replaced and/or refinished all the teak on Dayenu before our first shake down cruise...Switched all lighting to LED and a few other mods... Built a 12volt blender (VERY important, don't you think?! LOL!) We then spent a month on her at a large local lake to see how she handled and discover if we really could "live aboard" her... We loved every minute of it! Plenty of room!

Richard
 

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#6 ·
Now that was a no holds barred introduction, which is refreshing.
You two seem perfectly suited to each other: dayenu.
Your plans are entirely too reasonable and rational for anyone to find fault with.
Congrats on having the perfect boat (Columbia 26') find you: dayenu.
I look forward to hearing about your progress and adventures.
Welcom to Sailnut.

"Next stop Whilloughby"
 
#7 ·
Laughing here at your sign off... yes, indeed... Except we'll be living! LOL!
My last slip/keel boat was a 1964 Columbia 26, rebuilt SO much of it! Fell in love with the keel looking up at it and then went to tears as I surveyed the top. ALL the wood was dust, the cabin was filled with "old, unusable junk. It came with a mast but no boom or rigging... (Should have walked away, but i finished it and the dockside boat owners were refreshed to see a "slum" boat, turn into a restored classic. Lost it in my divorce to my previous wife..

I am totally blessed to have Tresa in my life. Greatest thing to ever happen to me!

(Let me try posting some more photos.
 
#9 ·
Just glanced through here again, wondering what to share next...

Calebd... I just "got" (I think), that you thought I meant Columbia 26 when I wrote C-26...

It's not... (one of my previous boats was a Columbia 26, but not this one... =D

With my sailing experience and several keel boats under my belt, I'm embarrassed to share that our "C" -26 was actually made by Chrysler! (I/we live in Oregon 250 miles from the coast and after towing a small SJ21 to the San Juan Islands (one of my "dream" cruising grounds), I realized I could TOW my boat to where I wanted to sail! It was great, but just too small. I HAD to have standing headroom in the cabin and some more ballast/stability... Our C-26 draws 6'3" with keel down and 2.3" up... PERFECT for the ICW!) I was shocked when I first found her... I fell in love with everything about her until I discovered that she was built by Chrysler...

Chrysler? Sailboat? No Way!!! God save me!!! When my Los Angles Sailing buddies found out, they looked at me in a strange way... Richard?Aare you for real? with your sailing experience you bought a Chrysler Sailboat???

Well, I did (This is my second C-26)... the first I bought before I met Tresa and sold her to help buy the home we now live in. The second C-26 was/is Dayenu. It has 6' standing headroom in most of the cabin, private head, decent galley, built in anchor locker and a huge rear berth under the cockpit... Pretty much what I was searching for (criteria-wise), especially since it had to have an 8'beam to avoid trailering issues from state to state. Also, at #7,000 boat and trailer, it can be towed by a 3/4 ton PU (Now searching for a 2004 to 2006 Dodge 2500 with a Cummins 5.8 diesel.) Dayenu cost us $5,000 (Which included the trailer!!)! The owner knew what it was worth but (I'm guessing), fell in love with us ... Well, maybe it was Tresa! LOL! (Thank you Bob!!!)

OK... that's it.. for now... We'll both be back here, sharing our progress.

Best,
Richard
 
#10 ·
Hey, yeah, well, Chrysler built sailboats do not have a stellar reputation, but what do I know? I've never owned one or sailed on one.
Your refit sounds pretty substantial.

I own an old Tartan 27' and a small number of owners tow their boats around. Interestingly there are many Nor'sea 27' owners that trailer their blue water boats here & yon. There is a pretty active yahoo group for each of these boats.

You gotta love the one you are with.
 
#11 ·
The Chryslers actually have quite a following although never designed for blue water. I did a LOT of research after discovering that I liked the design, but never imagined I'd own a boat built by a car manufacturer... Learning more about the designer and builders gave me more confidence. Chrysler was forced to get rid of their marine and farming divisions during their 80's bankruptcy deal.

The Tartan has an 8'6" beam which could get us in trouble on the road in some states.
I Liked the Norsea but never had a chance to check the cabin's headroom.

Also, the Chryslers were cheap to purchase, (Our particular boat especially, considering all the new, high end equipment it came with), easy to launch and retrieve on average boat ramps and the mast is fairly easy to step and strike down...

For sailing the ICW and Florida, one of the most important features we wanted for our intended cruising was a retractable keel. When up, she only draws 2' 3" which can get us into and out of really tight places. Down she draws over 6'.

As always, there's a boat for every person's needs and I was just as surprised as those I knew to find out this one filled every need we had on our list.. We had our needs listed before purchase and this little boat fit our bill.

Let me see if I can post a few more photos...

Then it's time to get back to work.

In building our winter work on boat tent, I am locking the vertical poles in concrete to prevent high winds from lifting and destroying our structure. I had hoped some mold release (Spray on "Pa,m" (Cooking oil... a trick I learned with dental cement mold making in my special effects work), would allow the concrete I poured to lock the vertical poles in to the concrete would allow me to re-use the same buckets... No luck. I had to go buy some more.

Richard
 
#13 ·
Guess not... I sent an email asking about this to the forum, but haven't received a reply yet...

Anyone have any ideas as to what I'm doing wrong? is there a limit on the number of photos (per thread, per post, per day, per week, etc?)

I was hoping to share our story from the beginning and include photos...

Thanks!

Richard
 
#15 ·
Hi CB,
I'd love to sahre! I have photos and drawings, but I'm having problems uploading photos... Any ideas?

Basically, I am using fittings (local hardware store), used to create "sap meet" type shade structures. The fittings accept cheap EMT electrical pipe (1" diameter used in electrical work on homes etc.) with screw in set bolts. Easily disputable after use. I pounded the ends of my vertical pipes so that they'd be locked into the concrete I poured into buckets to keep them from lifting off the ground in high winds.

The fittings I used create a 15 degree up slope on both sides along the length (so that snow and rain wouldn't puddle but drip off the ends.

If I can learn what my image uploading problem(s) is/are, I'll happily post.

So glad I have something to offer/give back to this website after all I've learned.

Richard

PS: I tried another upload option that seemed to work but received an error: Exceeds your Quota... Is there a TOTAL limit to what a member can post for ever?

If so, we may have to start our website sooner so I can post a link here to go there for you to see photos.
Sorry if there's no photos in this post.
 
#17 ·
Hi Jim,

Thanks for the "vote of confidence"... For how we plan to use her, I'm really confident in her.

I just realized I could open a photo-bucket style account to share photos here by attaching links?

Anyone have suggestions as to which site to use and their success regarding ease of viewing photos without having to open an account with the chosen site to see them? (I know when I've tried viewing these kinds of photos, I've been turned off by having to open an account just to view.)

Thanks!

Richard
 
#18 ·
Let me know if this works...

Photo bucket link: (I think! I'm horrible when it comes to computers! Turned out we already had an account.... I uploaded 4 photos of our tent structure being built (mostly just the beginnings of the frame... Just swapped the vertical poles for the ones I embedded in concrete buckets and will photograph them too. Also, check out (if you can find it) a set of photos covering my conversion of cheap (Harbor Freight) LED lights to boat lighting... We use Nicad batteries that have their own solar charger/micro controller, so we can swap out batteries as needed...

DAYENU-C26's Library | Photobucket

Not sure if this is the best way to share and I can see where I need to sort out the photos in our photobucket account, but hopefully this is a start... Photos seem to be mixed, but there are four of the new pole tent structure.

Please do let me know if the link I pasted here works.
Thanks!

Richard
 
#19 ·
OK...
Sorted out my photobucket account and created a category/library? titled tenting for winter, 2016 work.
Took some better photos with my Nikon too... Should explain everything involved regarding creating the 1" diam. EMT tubing frame. Stilll only the front half built. Waiting for concrete to set in the rear four buckets before completing the frame... Tehn we ad the tarp.

I also lowered the mast and will cut down the support it was restingon to match this new height. This will also help support the mast during trailering. I'll take photos of that too once cut and fitted.

here's the link:

Tenting For 2016 Work by DAYENU-C26 | Photobucket

Please let me know if this works for you. If you have any questions, please feel free to ask. We're hoping to share everything we do... After the tent is up, I have to open up the companionway hatch slides as I fitted them too close to the cabin top and it sticks. After that, we empty out the boat and start building our cardboard mock up of the new galley to see how it fits and where I can fit in the new refrigerator/freezer to accommodate a decent inside volume while supporting a good 5"+ layer of insulation all the way around.

OK... now I REALLY need to get back to work! LOL!
 
#21 · (Edited)
Glad you liked it, you're welcome, and we hope it helps. We'll keep sharing projects as we modify our boat and get her ready for sailing.

Looks like there will be a winter trip to Southern California to search through the used chandlery stores there with a list we'll create and then taking Dayenu to Marina Del Rey for the summer for some shake down sailing...

We're working on so many projects "behind the scenes"... (Besides actual physical work on the boat.)

Fine tuning and outlining the purpose of our soon to be website:

Sailing SV Dayenu... What's Your dream?

Although we'll be focusing on modifying, refitting, creating new systems on our boat and coastal cruising with a trailer boat, it's prime focus will be about discovering what our dreams really are and attaining them. Tresa and I have surpassed many of our dreams over our life times, from conception to reality and moving onto the next dream. One of the "features of our videos will be called "The 1 minute Dream". We'll be asking viewers to send us a one minute video describing their dreams... Still dreaming, in progress or achieved.

Right now, we realize that our first "episode" will be about "beginnings and endings"... Like many here who dream about "sailing off" and starting threads and posting on subjects pertaining to getting ready, what to do with our homes (if we're planning to cast off all lines), and transitioning to boat life, there's usually an ending (no matter how mild or extreme), before there's a beginning.

Tresa was in tears this morning as she took in closing down our urban homesteading life... a 7+ year long "dream" that started from nothing to producing over 70% of our food on a city lot, to creating our website (www.jarelsustainableliving.com), to speaking engagements teaching others how to do the same...

Selling our quail, the rabbits, our aquaponic systems... Creating a small farm had been her dream for years and she shared that she felt "lost" within this new transition period... Not indecisive about our new sailing plans, just taking in that period between beginnings and endings... I think this there's some good narrative material on this subject for all of us (and probably the most logical place to start).

OK... back to work... A little work constructing our winter boat tent and more work to help pay for this new dream.

Best,
Richard

PS: Even I had a tearful moment the other day when I realized how hot it was here and stepped out back to turn on the cooling mister system for our rabbits. Instead of cages with rabbits excited to see me, I found shelves of sailing equipment we have been removing from Dayenu... I miss them too.
 
#22 · (Edited)
Winter tenting complete... It POURED last night!!!

Well we got the rest of the winter tenting frame done and completed the tarp/tenting done late (Right as it was starting to rain!!!)

The day before it rained at night and it helped spot leaking points (Two of the portlights (Do you call it a "portlight" if it's just the stock acrylic non-opening window?)

Anyway, when we completed the tenting part of the project, it started to rain again... Good timing! :)

The boat was dry!

You;ll see some improvised lashing on the starboard side, pulling the tarp down and tight. I couldn't make the frame as wide as I wanted due to property lines... I wanted the tarp to be as tight as possible so minimal water collection would just run off as apposed to gathering in a puddle, loading the tarp to failure (We experienced that with our first rabbit hutch... GALLONS of water accumulation and frame & tarp failure.

I started one of the projects which were the teak guide rails for our sliding companionway hatch. I had machined the rails to hold the hatch down tight to the cabin top... too tight! I figured I'd remove them and pass them through the table saw to widen the slot to allow the hatch to slide higher... When I removed them, one split... The bottom slide was too thin. Oh well. Better now than "Happening out there". LOL! We have a great lumber supply place locally (Not a big box store, but rather carrying exotics.) I'll buy some more teak and re-cut the rails so they're thicker/stronger and re-install...

I started an initial inspection to plan my projects list and was VERY pleased with what I found... First item were chain plates:They ere not stock, but rather, custom made exactly how i would do them if I wanted to survive a hurricane! TONS of other projects I thought would be on my list will not be! (Couldn't be happier! Remember, it's been TWO YEARS, since I've been on board! I forgot how she looked or what equipment was on her.... Tresa, her son (Who had never been on board, was curious and wanted to help), and I unloaded just about everything... WOW! What an inventory! I found a fortress FX7 (Wished it was one size larger) and a genuine Bruce which I also wished were one size larger, (They'll work, but I believe in the "one size larger" strategy.) and TONS of other great gear!) We loaded up everything and stacked them into the shelves that once held our rabbit cages, covered and safe...

TONS of sails... all new! I found one bag labeled "Spanker" We have another smaller bag for our spniaker and wondering if a "Spanker" is a geneker/cruising/asymetrical spinaker? I remember the name, but forgot what it was...

So embarrassed! It's been years since I sailed and maybe with old age, I've forgotten some of the terminology.... Have no doubts about my sailing skills though...

OK... Hoping these photos will post here... If not, here's a link to our photo bucket page:

Tenting For 2016 Work by DAYENU-C26 | Photobucket

If you have any questions about how or why we built this boat shelter the way we did, please feel free to ask... The frame will last forever, I'm hoping the tarps will last a year.

Richard
 
#24 ·
Thanks for the kind words mike,

Tresa and I ar both on the same page.... in every way... More and more,we're both admitting that our shift in life from Urban Farming to sailing has really pulled the rug out from under us... We're both feeling lost...

I think Tresa nailed it when she shared that not having "physical work" to do (Gardening, taking care of rabbits, quail, chickens etc), has left her feeling like she has no purpose....

We want to cover this in our videos...

We can see the big picture and although it looks a lot closer to becoming reality than it is, something still hasn't clicked in... We're pretty sure what we're feeling falls into the transition period of grieving for what we're leaving behind (By choice), and redirecting the way we think, and what we need to do for us to get out there.

Our first attempt to control this is "TRYING" to stop looking years down the road, and maybe focus just on our shake down trip to LA next summer... Even then, there's so much we'd "LIKE" to do before... Instead of converting all lines aft, we've reduced the list to jib halyard and down haul and main halyard and down hall along with a lazy jack system...

Maybe it's the grey rainy weather... LOL!

So Tresa is sitting in the living room going over our last sustainable living class outline (Scheduled for next week), and I'm browsing over countless sailing threads... That I've already read before! LOL! I have work that I should be doing, but just don't have the energy...

The project I most want to start (although not a priority), is designing and rebuilding our galley... I spoke with Tresa about switching to a single burner stove... I didn't even question her when she said she wants a double... Trying to figure out how to configure counter space to include our sink, stove AND a large enough top loading refrigerator/freezer)...

OK...Until next time... (I think my next post will be creating and replacing new companion ways slide rails...) All of what i share here is basically material intended for our future website, once we get there... :)
 
#25 ·
(Tresa here)
As I read what Richard has shared and feel this interesting space of transition, endings and beginnings, I reflect on that element of risk that we all feel in everyday life. Do I say good morning to that "special person"? Do I put money down on a house? Do I say yes to a proposal of marriage? Do I ask that special person to marry me? ...you get the idea.

Point being we all are faced with endless opportunities to risk what we have, who we are, what our perspectives are for something else...or for staying put...or for safety....

I know that I have struggled with "futuring", trying to imagine and prepare for all the possibilities and "what if"s". Truth is though, I miss out on the present moment when I do that, and they tick by awfully fast. Richard and I have a private response to each other when something strikes that cord. "Tick-Tock" one of us will say, and the other knows immediately what is meant.

Many on this forum have often stated that their biggest piece of advice is "not to wait". A cousin of mine lost their partner of 30 years to a hit and run crosswalk accident this past week. You never know when that last moment on this planet will be, and I am reminded again, "not to wait"..."Tick-Tock".

So I told Richard that in this amazing place of good fortune we find ourselves...we HAVE the boat...that I need some hands on projects to feel the tangible nature of making this transition smoother for me. Working on the boat cover together yesterday definitely helped, as has reading this community forum and putting some time into reading Nigel Calder. As some personal growth coach said during one of my personal growth shifts, "Energy flows where focus goes." So I ask myself, when I am feeling a bit stuck in this transition, where is my focus and what do I want? There's no doubt, my instant response is that I want to experience the live aboard life...and at 61...what am I waiting for? :) I think I'll go climb a ladder or sniff some diesel fuel.
 
#26 ·
Hi Mike,
Just re-read your post...

I'm not sure that "ambition" carries much weight... (For me), I think "ambition" falls into the "I have a dream" category...? Without actions, they just kind of do nothing? Something anyone can have? Sure, this is what we "think" we want to do... but we're also sharing our personal trepidation here as well... Did a lot of work on the boat tent this weekend and looking at it sure changes the scenery... but also "stokes" the "fear fire": (making the reality of our dream bring up the questions louder: We're doing what, at 61 years old???)...

Tresa and I watch a LOT of sailing Vlog/videos... One that has totally captured our hearts and appreciation for the "What are you willing to do today to make your dreams come true tomorrow: Phrase is: "White Spot Pirates"... We've watched this girl go through hell and back several times and although on the verge of tears as she shares her journey, she never gives up... Not drama! Real stuff that as a sailor, you're familiar with... Fixing something that uncovers an even harder challenge to fix...

We can't recommend watching her enough... Her boat's name is "Karl"... LOL!

Where about do you live? what's your dream/ambition? (Nothing too big or small in this category.)
Would love to hear the dreams of others and share...

Guess this thread is turning into our "practice blog"? Hope that's ok here. Just spoke with Tresa about starting to put together our website... When she does, and we have some material to start with, one of us will post a link here... Don't see it happening for a month or more though...

Richard
 
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